Best Rides at Epic Universe

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Universal Epic Universe officially opened in 2025 as the newest theme park at Universal Orlando Resort, and the largest theme park to open in America in decades.

It’s generated a lot of hype, and with that comes an onslaught of new information that can be hard to navigate: when should you go, what should you eat, where should you stay, and which rides truly are the best at Epic Universe?

Plus, you’ll want to know how to avoid long lines at Epic Universe, which rides tend to experience downtime, and which attractions are perfect for escaping the hot Florida heat.

In this post, I want to tell you my top picks for the best rides at Epic Universe, and hopefully you’ll get a better understanding of why they’re worth the trip to this shiny new park.

Why should you trust me? I’m a theme park enthusiast, Universal Orlando Annual Passholder, and travel agent specializing in theme parks with over 25 years of visiting, working in, and researching theme parks. 

Let me tell you my favorite rides at Epic Universe, some struggles you may encounter, and how to overcome them on your next Epic adventure to Universal Orlando!

Quick List of the 4 Best Rides at Epic Universe

4. Mine Cart Madness

3. Hiccup’s Wing Gliders

2. Monster’s Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment

1. Stardust Racers

Read my more detailed explanations for my rankings below!

Where Is Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry? 

A note about Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry: I actually haven’t been able to ride this ride yet. 

The first time I visited Epic Universe, the ride was straight-up closed. 

The second time, they were using a virtual line, and I wasn’t able to get a spot in that line all day. 

So, I haven’t been able to ride this ride yet. I’ve heard some really great things, and I’m sure that after I ride it, it will probably place somewhere in this list, if not very close to it. 

If that happens on my next trip to Universal Orlando, I’ll try to update this post, but just know that as of right now, I haven’t ridden this ride yet and I wanted to be honest with you all about that.

The 4 Best Rides at Epic Universe

4. Mine Cart Madness

Mine Cart Madness is the roller coaster in the Super Nintendo World world of the park. Themed to Donkey Kong and a crazy mine cart, it’s already famous because the cars look like they’re jumping the tracks when you’re watching. 

I’ll be honest and say that it’s kind of hard to see and appreciate that when you’re on the ride, but it is very fun to watch from a spectator’s point of view. 

This ride is a little bumpy; it’s re-rideable, but it is a little rough. It bounces from side to side quite a bit, and I don’t know if that was intentional or if that’s just a side effect of the way this ride is designed. 

The theming is really cool, especially if you’re a Donkey Kong or Nintendo fan, and the ride itself is actually pretty fun. 

However, it does get long lines and is fairly short, so keep that in mind before you ride. They do have a single rider line that they open from time to time, so if you don’t mind getting split up from your group, I recommend using that. 

Expert Tip: Keep in mind there is no Universal Express Pass for this attraction, so I recommend hitting it up first thing in the morning, especially if you have early park entry at Epic Universe, which is included in all Universal Orlando hotels including Stella Nova and Terra Luna near the park.

3. Hiccup’s Wing Gliders

Of all the rides on this list, this is probably the one I was in most surprised by. I thought it was going to be similar to Slinky Dog Dash at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, which I’m not personally a huge fan of, but this is so much better. 

The first launch actually packs a really big punch and has a really cute animatronic of Toothless that’s fun to watch and adds to the theme of this ride. 

The ride is quick without being too fast and out of control. It also has some fun forces without feeling too intense. The launches are fun, but aren’t going to be anything that scares kids away from wanting to ride this ride. 

And the onboard audio with that How to Train Your Dragon score is just perfect. Flying around on this roller coaster, while you hear that music is just the epitome of awesome. 

The line for this is all outdoors and partially covered, so try to keep that in mind before you ride. It may get hot when lines get longer in the Florida heat.

2. Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment

I was most excited for Dark Universe when I heard about Epic Universe opening, so I was really excited to ride this ride. However, the first time I rode it, I felt a little underwhelmed. 

But the more I’ve ridden it, the more I’ve realized a lot of the effects on my first ride weren’t completely working. As I’ve ridden it more and been able to see more of it in action, it’s definitely impressed me more each time.

One of the indoor attractions at Epic Universe, it uses the same type of ride vehicle as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Islands of Adventure, but this one feels like it moves you around so much more. 

Also, because this ride uses a combination of screens and real-life animatronics, you don’t get motion sick on this, even though I feel like the ride is a little more intense than Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

Speaking of the animatronics, they’re awesome, and there’s a ton of them. Seeing some of your favorite monsters come to life in a really real way is super cool, and the screens actually add an enhancement to those effects. 

If you’re a horror fan, definitely make sure to check this out. It’s one you can’t miss, and some people are saying it’s their favorite ride in all of Epic Universe, if not anywhere.

Expert Tip: This ride offers Universal Express Pass and Single Rider lines, but you actually miss a lot of the queue and pre-show by using them. Try to do the full queue at some point to see the awesome, detailed theming and impressive pre-show!

1. Stardust Racers

I love roller coasters, so it makes sense that my favorite ride at Epic Universe is one of the roller coasters. 

Stardust Racers rivals Velocicoaster in terms of speed and intensity. It’s is a dueling MACK roller coaster with one inversion and a lot of airtime. 

It also has some pretty intense launches that are super fun as well as a smooth ride experience. The onboard audio really adds to the experience as the music changes depending on if you’re riding during the day or riding at night. 

And the dueling aspect of this is so cool, not just to watch, but also when you’re riding. Dodging in and out of each other, around each other, over and under each other as you’re on the ride is just a beautiful thing to behold. 

If you enjoy intense rides, this is the most intense attraction at Epic Universe and I highly recommend it to you. 

It’s my second favorite ride and roller coaster at the Universal Orlando Resort. I still give Velocicoaster the number one spot because I think its theming is a little better, but Stardust Racers is great in its own right and definitely a gem at Epic Universe.

If you’re looking to have the best Universal Orlando vacation, work with me as a travel advisor! With the help of my host agency, Wishdrawals Travel, I’ll help plan your next epic, stress-free adventure, whether you’re a family with kids, a solo traveler, or a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Get started with a free quote now!

Epic Universe Ride Wait Times, Downtime, and Navigation Tips (Plus More!)

Long Wait Times: Use Early Park Admission, Express Pass, ride strategies (with help from your travel advisor!), and try to avoid peak times if you want to minimize your waits for attractions at Epic Universe. It’s a new park, so everyone is rushing to see it!

Ride Downtime: Because this is a new park, some rides are having more frequent breakdowns as kinks are worked out. Have a backup plan and flexible schedule to know where to head to in case of breakdowns. Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry tends to break down fairly frequently, so bear that in mind.

Navigation: It’s a new park, so try and look at Epic Universe maps ahead of time to know where you’re going. Or you can work with me as your travel agent and I can help plan an itinerary for you!

Heat & Limited Shade: Trees and foliage haven’t had the necessary years to provide all the shade you want at this park quite yet, and the park could use a few more indoor rides. If you’re looking to take a break from the heat, prioritize air conditioned, indoor attractions like Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, and Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge. Shows offer another way to beat the heat at Epic Universe, so check out The Untrainable Drgaon and Le Cirque Arcanus.

Motion Sickness: As someone who can get motion sickness from time to time, I didn’t have any problems with the rides at Epic Universe. However, if you’re very prone to motion sickness, you may want to steer clear of Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry and and Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge.

Express Pass at Epic Universe — What You Need to Know

Most rides at Epic Universe take Express Pass with the exception of three: Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, Mine Cart Madness, and Dragon Racer’s Rally.

My recommendation is to hit up Mine Cart Madness and the rest of Super Nintendo World first with Early Theme Park Entry, as this world tends to get very popular and get very long lines.

Currently, all Signature Collection hotels at Universal Orlando do not include Express Pass to Epic Universe.

Also keep in mind that unlike some other Signature Collection hotels at Universal, like Hard Rock Hotel and Portofino Bay, Helios Grand Hotel does not come with Express Pass included for any Universal theme parks. You have to purchase it separately.

Other than that, Express Pass functions just as it does at the other Universal theme parks, allowing you to shorten your wait times with ease.

Ready to Ride the Best Rides Epic Universe? Let Me Plan Your Next Universal Vacation!

Theme parks can be stressful, especially when they’re the biggest new theme parks in decades, like Universal Epic Universe.

Luckily, you have me to help you out! Skip the stress and let me create a personalized Epic Universe vacation for you, including things like hotels, theme parks tickets, and custom itineraries.

I’ll even create a custom ride strategy for your group to avoid long lines, beat the heat, and make sure you ride the best attractions at the right times. 

I’m a travel advisor specializing in theme parks with over 25 years visiting, researching, and working in the industry. I’m also a Universal Orlando Annual Passholder, so I visit the parks pretty frequently and would love to help you have the best vacation possible with my tips and tricks.

Request your free quote today to get started!