The 5 Best Things to Do at Epic Universe if You Don’t Ride Rollercoasters

The main attraction of any theme park is its roller coasters, and Universal Epic Universe’s are groundbreakingly exciting, immersive, and even poignant – or so I’ve heard. 

Just before the May 22 grand opening of the highly anticipated new theme park, media and special guests previewed its five worlds on May 20 and 21. And while many flocked to what are already its most popular, thrilling attractions, this panic-prone Travel Market Report writer hung back and explored everything else that Epic Universe has to offer. 

Epic Universe transforms Universal Orlando into “more than a full week’s vacation destination,” Karen Irwin, president and COO of Universal Orlando Resort, told us last week. That means there is lots to see and experience beyond flying high and fast in the sky. 

There may always be members of a client’s travel group (multigenerational families, for example) who will need to skip the rides for whatever reason. For those “explorers,” as Epic Universe calls its guests, here are the best things to do in each world with feet planted firmly on solid ground. 

Eat in Celestial Park

From the Frankenstein’s monster-shaped pretzels in Dark Universe to the mac and cheese cones in How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, you can easily snack your way through Epic Universe. But with it being a multi-day affair, variety becomes a must. The dining in Celestial Park has you covered. 

Celestial Park is where guests can take a rest from the frenzy of the surrounding four worlds. It’s also where they can find the best eats in the park. My personal favorites were Oak & Star Tavern and the Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant, one of the two signature full-service restaurants along with The Atlantic.  

“It all depends on what you’re in the mood for. The one thing about Celestial Park, there’s so many options available,” Chef Michael Rodriguez, executive sous chef of Universal Epic Universe, told TMR. “If you want barbecue, we have the Oak & Star Tavern; if you feel for seafood, we have The Atlantic; if you want just burgers and fish and chips, we have our own version of that in Meteor Astropub, so there’s a little bit of everything.” 

Each individual dining venue has a very specific atmosphere to sit back and enjoy. Whether it’s the dangling twinkle stars at Pizza Moon or the giant glowing fish lanterns moving on a track throughout The Atlantic, which overlooks all of Celestial Park, immersive dining experiences await at every corner. 

To satisfy your sweet tooth, you’ll also want to check out Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets, located in the retail section near Celestial Park’s entrance. I filled up a plastic baggie of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate covered pretzels (though the ones I didn’t eat melted in the sun), and there’s plenty of other treats and adorable merchandise to discover there. 

Shop and Dress Up in Dark Universe

If you’re avoiding the raucous Curse of the Werewolf coaster in Dark Universe, your best bet is to head to Pretorius’ Scientific Oddities and go on a shopping spree. Aside from some awesome themed merchandise that ranges from creepy to cute, there’s also fun cosplay attire to purchase and an entire makeup parlor, the Darkmoor Monster Makeup Experience, which offers about 16 different designs – mainly Frankenstein’s monster, Dracula, and the Werewolf. 

“You can pick your full cosplay – the gloves, the feet, the headwear, the clothes, and you fully transform into your inner monster. It’s a lot of fun, everyone is having a great time,” Cathy Fischer, senior vice president of parks global merchandise for Universal Products & Experiences, told TMR. “It’s really immersive and, if you’re a family, it gives you an opportunity to really have fun and do something different, do something you wouldn’t normally do.” 

Once you’re all done up, a photo op in front of Frankenstein’s Manor (which houses the Monsters Unchained motion simulator ride) will be in order. I’d also suggest walking through the queue for this ride, as I did, even if you’re not up for the thrill. Plus, you can show off your monster makeup inside the Burning Blade Tavern as you indulge in a tasty beer. 

I’d expected more monsters to be afoot in this world, however, I’m sure once attendance at the parks picks up, there will be plenty of cosplayers and horror enthusiasts lining up for the makeup and cosplay experiences. You can easily plan a makeup session in advance, either as an add-on to park admission when you first buy tickets or in the Universal app.  

Play Games in SUPER NINTENDO WORLD

The interactivity of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is on another level. At its heart, it is “a gamified land with over 105 interactive touchpoints and a dark ride that puts you in Rainbow Road racing,” said Brian Robinson, EVP and chief creative officer at Universal Creative. 

I would not suggest entering through this world’s great green tube without a power-up band (available to purchase at multiple retail outlets throughout the park), which allows you to earn coins by punching boxes and playing mini games. Link the band up to the Universal Studios app on your phone, navigate to the “Universal Play” tab under SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, then scan the QR code on the back of the band. This takes you to a screen where you can set a username, add friends, play against them, and earn coins for your team (there are eight teams based on Super Mario characters, and your team depends on which Power-Up band you buy.) 

Once you arrive in SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, there are multiple ways you can earn coins, stamps, and keys – all available on the app. Punching bricks and question mark boxes makes you feel like you’re really in the game, sound effects and all. Also, if you veer left from the entrance, you’ll find all the games that earn keys. There’s a staff member at every game to help guide you through them. Once you earn three keys, you can play the secret minigame: Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown. 

I rode two different rides in SUPER NINTENDO WORLD: Mario Kart Bowser’s Challenge and Yoshi’s Adventure. Both of those are gamified and can also help you earn coins and stamps in the app. 

Meet the Dragons in Isle of Berk

How to Train Your Dragon – Mythical Isle of Berk was larger-than-life and possibly my favorite world to spend time in. Having the Hiccup’s Wing Gliders and Dragon Racers Rally rides running while you’re inside the park gives the illusion of dragons flying in the sky above you. Meanwhile, there are many more dragons and characters to meet on the ground level.

There may be a fairly long line to meet Toothless, but it’s worth it. Each “Viking,” as guests are referred to in this world, gets a solid amount of time with the animatronic, which is controlled by a behind-the-scenes human. 

Cute, interactive dragons are everywhere in Isles of Berk, so you can really spend all day hanging out with them. While most are tethered, a few are free walking in designated areas with an actor on site to help show off their moves. There are also opportunities to meet characters like Hiccup, Astrid, Ruffnut, and Tuffnut as they amble around the park. The Untrainable Dragon show is not to be missed, either – hint: that’s where you’ll really see them fly. 

“For any Viking or fan that’s wanted to fly with dragons, this park is an absolute wish fulfillment,” Robinson said. “Over 30 figure animated dragons, three untethered robots, drones… When you get there, it’s going to blow your mind, and Hiccup and Toothless are gorgeous and incredible to meet.”   

This world also has an adorable, themed playground area for children, beautiful handmade tapestries depicting characters from the movies in the Mead Hall, and handmade dragon benches – so like I said, it’s dragons – dragons everywhere – in Isle of Berk. 

Cast Spells in Ministry of Magic

Though I’m not a Harry Potter or Fantastic Beasts fan, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic may have impressed me the most when I first walked through the portal, having been effectively transported to 1920s Paris. I was no spellcaster before I entered, but in no time, I was checking each window to see which ones I could manipulate with my new magic wand. 

To do this, you’ll first need to purchase a wand at Cosme Acajor Baguettes Magique. Then, look for ground markers in front of windows, which indicate the wand movement needed to activate the window display. There are roughly 10 of them, including a secret spell to be cast – look for the window that says “Pumpkin Juice,” perform the hidden spell, and watch as a creature appears before your eyes.  

I also recommend seeing Circus Arcanus, the live performance in the big red tent straight ahead when you first walk in. After the show, pop across to K. Rammelle, a lively sweets shop, to keep the carnival-themed fun going. When I was at the park, there was also a lovely street performance by horn players and of course, lots of butterbeer to go around. 

Bonus Tips

1. Take it all in. The attention to detail put into this theme park is what makes it so “epic,” so keep your eyes and ears open wherever you go. Listen to the changing audio as you move through the park and notice the little things. Everything down to the flooring and lighting, bits you wouldn’t normally pay attention to, transport you to new worlds. 

2. Bring the shade with you. With freshly planted trees not fully grown, there’s not much shade in the park. I’d recommend bringing an umbrella or scoping out where you’ll be taking a respite from the Orlando sun. The most intense rides all have lockers where you can store your things, so don’t let that stop you from bringing everything you’ll need to protect from the heat. 

3. Be ready to walk. This goes without saying for any theme park, but here’s your extra reminder: there’s a lot of walking. If you stay in a single world, it’s actually not too bad, but between worlds it can easily be 10 to 15 minutes of walking from place to place. However, the park is very simple to navigate, so it won’t take very long to get your bearings.