Even Epic Universe Can’t Make Universal For Everyone

Epic Universe has rocked my world. If you haven’t experienced the magic of entering the portals and your favorite movies and video games coming to life right before your eyes, I’m sorry, but you need to buy a ticket to Epic Universe right now.

That being said, this brand new theme park isn’t able to accommodate everyone. Why can’t Universal make their parks, well, universal?

Starting right off, Universal was not joking about bringing thrill rides into the park. It’s something that Universal Orlando specializes in, and while lots of people love the thrill, it cuts out a lot of people.

For height requirements, eight of the ten attractions require you to be over 34 inches tall.

• • Curse of the Werewolf — 40″
  • Dragon Racer’s Rally — 48″
  • Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry — 40″
  • Hiccup’s Wing Gliders — 40″
  • Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge — 40″
  • Mine-Cart Madness — 40″
  • Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment — 48″
  • Yoshi’s Adventure — 34″

While there are two shows without height requirements and a few character meet and greets, it’s hard to call Epic Universe family-friendly if the family can’t ride together on most rides.

With height requirements, it can also lower accessibility to attractions. For wheelchair users, there are certain rides you can stay in your manual wheelchair for, and for some, these are the only rides they can go on.

• • Constellation Carousel
  • Fyre Drill
  • Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge
  • Yoshi’s Adventure

While this is better than many parks, most of the parks we see in the Orlando area were built after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed into law in 1990.

Thrill rides can also exclude those with disabilities because of body strength. In certain rides, you need to hold your chest up against the restraints when you are pushed forward (such as Monsters Unchained), and guests with lower body control might not be able to do that.

Many of the attractions provide a way for guests with disabilities to board, but it’s not practical for everyone to be able to transfer into the ride vehicle. Some of the ride seats are made to fit specific body types, and some guests may struggle to be comfortable and safe in those seats.

Speaking of seats made for specific body types, for many years, Universal has received complaints about its rides not being accessible for all body types. Many have spoken about how they are unable to ride many attractions because the leg cups and harness systems that Universal uses are not widely accommodating.

When Epic Universe was announced, I assumed that these problems would be taken into consideration; however, it seems that the ride seats have not increased in size, and guests remain uncomfortable, unsafe, or unable to ride.

While Epic Universe is one of the most beautiful theme parks I’ve seen, I’m still frustrated with the limitations Universal sets on attractions. With a park opening in 2025, expectations were set that it would appeal to a wider audience, and, unfortunately, that is not the case.

When you go to Epic Universe, make sure to speak to Team Members before heading into line at an attraction to make sure you’ll be able to ride. There might be alternative paths or seats you need to take to receive some accommodation, but keep in mind you might not be able to ride anything.

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I HATE THIS EPIC UNIVERSE RIDE THAT EVERYONE LOVES

What do you think about Epic Universe? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

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