Universal Confirms Opening Date for Epic Universe

Universal Orlando Resort just provided the news so many DVC members have long awaited. We now know the official opening date for Universal Epic Universal!

Universal didn’t stop there, either. Park officials also provided details regarding admission tickets and the opening of a plush new hotel. Read on to learn more about the exciting 2025 theme park season as well as a polite suggestion to save yourself some money. 

When Is Epic Universe Opening?

Mark the date of May 22nd, 2025, on your calendars! That’s the official debut of Epic Universe, Orlando’s first new theme park in a quarter-century. In fact, the park’s opening date nearly matches the last park debut, as Universal’s Islands of Adventure officially opened on May 28th, 1999. 

There’s additional symmetry here, as Memorial Day in 1999 fell on May 31st. So, the park opened the previous Friday to maximize opening weekend attendance for the federal holiday. Universal has adopted the same approach with Epic Universe.

Memorial Day 2025 falls on May 25th. So, Epic Universe will celebrate its grand opening on the Thursday before the holiday. This allows tourists to experience the park more conveniently when it debuts. 

How Will Ticket Sales Work?

Universal Studios will take an unusual approach to ticket sales during the opening weeks of Epic Universe. Park strategists want to accomplish multiple goals here. One of them is to avoid the massive crowds that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter experienced during its debut. Viral photos and videos showed opening month lines that stretched for miles.

Meanwhile, Universal is rightfully concerned that the other parks will suffer attendance drops once Epic Universe debuts. Everyone wants to experience the hot new thing, right? Finally, management hopes to entice guests to spend more nights staying onsite at official Universal hotels. 

So, to achieve each of these goals, Universal will sell novel ticket packages. Park tickets will go on sale next week, but there’s something you should know.

Here’s the applicable quote from the Orlando Sentinel: “Step one of Epic ticket sales begin Tuesday and be limited to specific multiday tickets and vacation packages with three, four or five days admission to Universal parks – but with a limit of one day at Epic Universe.” 

Yes, you read that correctly. Universal Studios will ask guests to pay for several days of admission in exchange for a single-day visit to Epic Universe. There are caveats, though. 

According to the article, “On Oct. 24, Universal Orlando’s annual passholder will be able to buy single-day tickets for Epic Universe before they go on sale to the general public.” So, if you’re an annual passholder, the other rules don’t necessarily apply to you as long as you’re ready to buy a week from today on Thursday, October 24th.

Universal Studios published a press release this morning that adds more context. “Additional ticket products for Epic Universe – including single-day tickets for the general public, additional multi-day ticket options, Florida resident tickets, Universal Express passes and more – will be available at a later date before the park opens.”

So, Universal officials may alter packages depending on how pre-sales go. You shouldn’t think of this as a trial run, though. This is the way management hopes to sell Epic Universe admission tickets in 2025. 

When Does the Hotel Open?

Universal Orlando will unveil three new hotels during the first half of 2025. We previously knew the opening dates for two of them. Universal Stella Nova Resort debuts on January 21st, 2025, which is just three months from now. Then, Universal Terra Luna Resort has its grand opening on February 25th, 2025.

Both these properties look lovely and are affordable. Still, the crown jewel of Epic Universe will undoubtedly be Universal Helios Grand Hotel. It’s a part of the Epic Universe theme park campus and will overlook Celestial Park. 

Today, Universal executives confirmed that Universal Helios Grand Hotel will debut on May 22nd, coinciding with Epic Universe itself. This resort will also feature a private theme park entrance, making it the most convenient property of its kind in Florida. 

As with Epic Universe, reservations go on sale for Universal Helios Grand Hotel on October 22nd. You’ll want to be ready as soon as the day begins, as these tickets and reservations are likely to sell out quickly, especially for opening day weekend.

What Else Do You Need to Know about Tickets?

Here’s how Universal Studios describes its current ticket package offers. “The following multi-day ticket options inclusive of Universal Epic Universe will be available:
•  3-Day Ticket: enjoy two days of access to Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure, plus one separate day admission to Universal Epic Universe
•  4-Day Ticket: enjoy three days of access to Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure, plus one separate day admission to Universal Epic Universe
•  5-Day Ticket: enjoy four days of access to Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure, plus one separate day admission to Universal Epic Universe”

You can also create your own seven-day ticket package if that appeals to you. Also, I should point out that guests visiting from England will have a more flexible series of ticket options. Please be aware that all these offerings will come at a steeper price than you’ve previously seen at Universal Studios. It’s the cost of doing business at Epic Universe.

However, you can mitigate the cost by using DVC Resale Market’s Swap Program. This program already offers a Universal Orlando Swap, and I’m excited to share that this program will extend to Epic Universe. In fact, I’m confident that’s how most customers will use it in 2025. Plus,  DVC Resale Market has a dedicated DVC Point Swap Advisor, Ellie, who can help you plan your vacation to make the most of your Epic Universe experience!

So, you can save yourself some money by swapping some of your 2024, 2025, and/or 2026 Use Years points for a dream vacation to America’s hottest new theme park. That’s win/win for everybody!

Access all available Disney Vacation Club resale listings, or learn more about buying and selling with DVC Resale Market.

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