Some people like to skip the line to save time while others want to ride everything as many times as they can. With the Epic Universe Express Pass it’s usually possible to ride all of the rides without waiting and revisit your favorites by waiting in line for them. To do the most, you will want to combine using your Express Passes with regular park day rhythms. These are our tips for getting in the most rides and to help you build your Epic Universe Express Pass strategy.
Epic Universe Express Pass Strategy: Tips You Should Know
Where can you use Epic Universe Express Pass?
Know where you can use, and not use, your Express Pass in this park before you start your day.
You can use Express Pass at the following:
- Curse of the Werewolf**
- Fyre Drill**
- Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry
- Hiccup’s Wing Gliders**
- Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge
- Mine-Cart Madness**
- Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
- Stardust Racers**
- Yoshi’s Adventure**
- The Untrainable Dragon*
- Le Cirque Arcanus*
*Denotes shows.
**Denotes attractions that will be affected by weather either because the queue, the attraction or both are outdoors.
This means you can not use Express Pass at the following:
- Dragon Racer’s Rally**
The wait for this can be high because it has a low capacity. It has an outdoor queue and the ride itself is outdoors.
Tip: You will only get one Express Pass for Stardust Racers but it has two sides. Watch the app to see when wait times drop for this. You can usually get in a ride with a short wait earlier in the day. Waits peak again at sunset when riders want to experience it at night. That might be a good time to use your Express Pass for this.
Consider the Weather When Using Your Express Passes
Depending on the time of year you visit, extreme heat and afternoon thunderstorms can shape your day.
The Epic Universe theme park has quite a few attractions that are affected by inclement weather. Lightning will pause outdoor rides for sure but even rain can halt operations.
To get in the most rides, in the most comfortable way, you may want to plan to get in some of the longer indoor queues for re-rides during the hottest part of the day. That’s usually during the middle of the day.
Afternoon showers are a regular thing during Florida’s summers. Around 3:00 p.m. it’s common for a downpour to come from the skies.
If attractions are closed due to weather, that gives you less time to use your Express Pass.
Use The Morning to Your Advantage
If you’re staying at a Universal Orlando Resort hotel, you’re eligible to ride some attractions early. Don’t skip this, even if you have Express Pass. If you truly want to do the most, plan to get to the park at least thirty minutes or more before the Early Park Admission time period begins.
If you’re staying at one of the hotels close to the CityWalk area, you’ll want to be ready to board your resort bus to the park around an hour in advance of Early Park Admission or when the busses begin transport.
Even if you’re not a resort guest, plan to be inside the park before it opens. Guests not staying at a Universal resort are still let into the park. They begin queuing outside the portal they want to start at for the day. The morning operations can vary over time but you can make the most of your Express Pass by being there early and getting a ride or two in with a short wait without having to burn through any Express Passes.
Attraction Down Time Can Adjust Your Epic Universe Itinerary
It’s no secret that some of Epic Universe’s rides are still finding their footing. Throughout the day you may see some attractions down for a period of time due to a malfunction of some kind. You may need to adjust your park strategy and come back to a land later in the day to try and ride with your Express Pass.
Is an Attraction Closed for the Day? Try This
On occasion, a ride that you could have used Express Pass for may be down for the entire day. For example, Stardust Racers was closed for a decent amount of time in early 2026 for a refurbishment. This was noted beforehand. Sometimes attractions are down for the day without notice.
If this happens, you may want to see if it’s possible to ride it with Express Pass on another day during your trip. You can see what can be done if you talk to a Team Member at one of the Guest Services locations. There is one at the main entrance but also one outside each of the portals at this park.
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