Epic Universe is the latest theme park addition to the Universal Orlando Resort. In this post I am sharing my list of Epic Universe rides ranked and how it can help you plan your trip.
Ranking rides at Epic Universe, or at any theme park, is solely based on my opinion and what makes a ride the best for me. To give you an idea of what I look for in an awesome attraction I want to share my criteria.
First the ride must be immersive and entertaining. I prefer a story over extreme thrills. The ride must feel worth the wait and be long enough so riders are not left feeling underwhelmed.
My personal opinion is that I will always rank a ride higher when I feel immersed in the story from the minute I step into the queue to the moment I exit the attraction.
I have also asked for input from my family and we all enjoy different aspects of the rides but mostly agreed on the list below.
Epic Universe Rides Ranked
Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment
Monsters Unchained is my favorite ride at Epic Universe, and I am surprised it ranks this high on my list. I was anticipating something really terrifying, like Halloween Horror Nights, but was relieved to see it was more Classic Monster movie scares.
The minute you enter into Victoria Frankenstein’s castle and make your way through the queue you are immersed into the lore of the Frankenstein family. It is so well done and scary but not so terrible that only a select few can ride.
Once on the ride you will travel through the castle encountering different monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, the Werewolf, and other surprises.
One of my biggest concerns was the possibility of getting nauseous on the ride, but because there are minimal screens, the movement did not cause any motion sickness with me.
The enjoyability and immersive storytelling, plus the continuous line (making for short wait times), is why Monsters Unchained is at the top of my Epic Universe ranked rides list.
Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry
This ride is such a gem but also a difficult one. First the queue is insane. You feel as if you enter the Ministry from the movie and it is a wow moment when you first enter.
This is a motion simulator ride that really did me in on my first experience. I thought I was going to be sick. The second time I didn’t have the same reaction. I had heard they tweaked the experience a bit from when we rode it first during Annual Passholder Preview in April and then our last visit in the summer. I am happy they did!
The ride itself is a mix of screen and animatronics that are impressive. The story is great and the overall ride is excellent. With a ride so technologically advanced there are many delays with this attraction. Over time this will improve but it can be a difficult part of your day trying to ride it without issues.
You want to make this a priority during your Epic Universe itinerary because it is one of the best rides I have experienced.
Stardust Racers
Some may place Stardust Racers in second place and they would have a valid argument for it. This is an excellent dueling roller coaster located in the Celestial Park area.
It is intense with multiple launches and barrel rolls. The yellow track is slightly less intense over the green track but they are both a thrilling experience.
The best time to ride this is at night when the park lights up. Sadly on our last visit lightning was in the vicinity and we didn’t get a chance to ride at night.
Hiccup’s Wing Gliders
Hiccup’s Wing Gliders is the perfect family coaster. It has mid level thrills as it twists and turns its way through Isle of Berk. There are launches and animatronic surprises throughout the ride but this is a family fun roller coaster.
My only complaint of this ride is that I wish there was an indoor component to it. The outdoor scenes are great but an indoor area like Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Islands of Adventure would have elevated the ride.
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge
Mario Kart lets guests put on 3D glasses and feel like they are part of the Mario Kart game. This has a great queue as guests prepare to board and there are lots of fun easter eggs throughout.
The ride itself is great for all ages and has physical set pieces as well as the VR headset you where during the ride. As a Mario fan I loved seeing the Haunted Mansion area, Cloud world, and underwater world.
The main issue with this ride is long wait times with many delays. Much like Battle at the Ministry this has a lot of technological things that have to go right and when they go wrong they have to reboot the entire attraction.
Mine-Cart Madness
Mine-Cart Madness is based on Donkey Kong and a runaway train. This is located at the back of Super Nintendo World. It is a very slow moving queue that is outdoor and covered. This is a rickety coaster that “jumps” the track and is a fun attraction. We enjoyed this one but wished it was longer. It clocks in under 2 minutes.
Curse of the Werewolf
Curse of the Werewolf is a spinning outdoor coaster located in the Dark Universe area of the park. At times it spins a lot or a little, so this may make people prone to motion sickness unhappy. I was fine on it but needed a little time after to recover.
There is a bit of a story on this ride but I found it difficult to follow. At one point you pass a werewolf but I missed it on the first time I rode. This is another ride that could have used an indoor area and maybe a longer ride time.
Overall it is fun and worth riding but doesn’t need to be at the top of your list.
Constellation Carousel
Constellation Carousel is an elevated carousel that is best experienced at night. The wait times will be low most of the day but once the sun sets expect longer waits.
The next three rides I think could change ranking depending on the day and who you are traveling with.
Fyre Drill
Fyre Drill is a water ride that is very popular in the summer and less so in the cooler months. It has guests shooting water targets that will soak the boat across from them. This is a lot of fun if you want to get wet.
Yoshi’s Adventure
Yoshi’s Adventure is adorable. Guests board a Yoshi on a slow moving track ride that goes mostly outdoors with a few indoor scenes.
If you purchased a Power-Up Band there are interactive spots throughout the queue. I don’t want to sound redundant or that I know how to budget for building a theme park, but this ride would be so much better longer and fully indoors.
It would be a great escape from the heat or rain, or whatever Florida weather is happening. It was also be a nice relaxing dark ride. Instead it is cute and fun to see the Yoshi pieces but much too short of an experience.
Dragon Racer’s Rally
Dragon Racer’s Rally is a flat ride that takes guests up and down while they spin their dragon and fly through the air. I did not get to ride this but my family did and they liked it. It is not worth a wait over 20 minutes but it is a fun ride if the wait times are low.
Final Thoughts
Epic Universe is a tough park to rank the rides for because all of them have something special and innovative to the theme parks but many of them also feel like something is missing.
I think young kids will love Yoshi’s Adventure and Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, and they might not like Monsters Unchained. Adults will enjoy Stardust Racers and Monsters Unchained but not feel Yoshi’s Adventure is worth it.
My goal in sharing my opinion to to help give you an idea of what to expect and start planning your Epic Universe ride ranking list.
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Leah has been planning and writing about Universal trips since 2016. She loves finding the best places to eat and stay during her visits to the park. Leah enjoys the little details that make visiting the parks so immersive and special, and sharing that with her readers.
