We’re Still Worried About These 4 Epic Universe Rides

As Universal’s Epic Universe arrives at its one-year anniversary, the resort’s newest theme park remains popular with both critics and guests thanks to its intricate theming and some revolutionary rides.

However, despite that popularity and acclaim, there are still some Epic attractions that we’re a bit worried about.

Stardust Racers

We can’t speak about Epic Universe rides without bringing up Stardust Racers. To say the Celestial Park roller coaster has had a tumultuous year would be an understatement. A series of incidents, including the unfortunate death of a guest, left the coaster mired in controversy. Following the aforementioned tragedy in September 2025, the coaster was closed for several weeks in the fall.

The ride was closed for refurbishment on February 19th, which was originally scheduled to end on February 22nd. Said refurbishment was extended to the 28th,  then again into March. No official reason for the extensions has been given.

Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry

Epic Universe’s blockbuster Harry Potter attraction features a revolutionary ride system, a deft mixture of animatronics and screens, and a massively scaled queue that recreates the Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter films from the largest to the smallest details. The issue with it? Wait Times.

While any new, major E-Ticket attraction is going to have long waits, the queues for the latest Potter attractions have been especially astronomical. Into the spring of 2026, wait times for the attractions still hover around 100 minutes most days. That’s a huge chunk of time for theme park guests to dedicate to any one attraction, no matter how good it is. On top of that, the ride often runs into technical issues and sometimes closes before the rest of the park.

Mine-Cart Madness

Taken in a vacuum, the Donkey Kong-themed coaster in Super Nintendo Ride is a fun family coaster, with a fun faux-jump-the-tracks effect. However, it’s sub-two minute runtime makes it hard to justify the usual waits, generally close to the 90-100 minute mark. Plus, the coaster’s trains can be a bit… rough on the body.

Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment

This is a case of perception vs reality. Monsters Unchained is arguably the acclaimed ride in the park, thought of by many (including your writer) as not only the best ride in the park, but also one of the best dark rides in the world. The massive scale dark ride features a freewheeling Kuka Arm ride system, massive animatronics, and countless easter eggs to Universal’s long history of monster films.

So, what’s the issue? Well, the ride’s wait times are very low compared to the park’s other heavy hitters, with times generally hovering under 30 minutes. Now, in reality, this is likely due more to the people-eating ride system that consistently cycles through riders. However, the perception that the ride has short wait times and “doesn’t draw” could harm its reputation, and perhaps even lead to changes.

While Epic Universe remains popular a year after its opening, we’re a bit concerned about some of the park’s popular attractions. Stay tuned to AllEars for more on Universal’s newest park.

The Best Food in Epic Universe for 2026

What’s your favorite Epic Universe ride? let us know in the comments below.

Post a Comment