November 28, 2025 • 34 mins
Episode 204: Universal’s Epic Universe – What Families Need to Know Universal Orlando’s long-awaited Epic Universe park is finally here — but is it truly the future of theme park vacations, or just another stop on the map? In this episode, The Family Vacationer dives into everything families need to know before planning a visit. Rob is joined by Ashley Dennis, luxury travel advisor with Tailor My Travels, who recently experienced Epic Universe firsthand with her family. Ashley has visited all 50 states and knows what makes a destination work for real families. She shares insider tips, honest opinions, and a few surprises from Universal’s bold new addition. In this episode:
- What to expect from Super Nintendo World, including the power-up bands, interactive play, and family fun factor
- A closer look at How to Train Your Dragon: Isle of Berk, the park’s most cinematic and family-friendly land
- Which areas might be better suited for older kids — and which ones to skip with little ones
- Why Dark Universe isn’t your average monster zone
- Early impressions of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Ministry of Magic
- Honest talk about wait times, Express Passes, and whether they’re worth the cost
- Where to find the best food, including Ashley’s favorite meal at the French restaurant inside the Ministry of Magic
- Smart strategies for navigating crowds, shade (or lack of it), and planning your day
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Universal, Orlando's newest park is here Epic Universe. But what
can families expect from Super Nintendo World The How To
Train Your Dragon? Does this park redefine theme park vacations
or is it just another park? Today we're diving into
all things Epic Universe with luxury travel advisor Ashley Dennis.
(00:25):
She's got the inside scoop and what families should be
planning for now Stick around. Episode two o four starts
right now.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Welcome to the Family Vacationer with Robin.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Tracy, your go to podcast for families on the moon.
Welcome Friends Back to the Family Vacationer Episode two o four.
We're helping family Welcome back to the Family Vacationer Episode
two oh four. This podcast helps families create meaningful and
(00:59):
memorable travel experiences together. Today, we're heading to Orlando to
talk about one of the most exciting openings in recent memory,
Epic Universe Universal's brand Universal's brand new Theme Parks. Scheduled
Universal's brand new theme park to help us unpack what
(01:20):
this means for family travelers, I'm joined by Ashley Dennis,
a luxury travel advisor with Taylor my Travels out of Nashville, Tennessee.
Ashley specializes in curating unforgettable family getaways, from European adventures
to Caribbean escapes, and of course, theme parks. She's also
visited all fifty US states with her own family, which
(01:41):
is absolutely amazing. Ashley, welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Hey, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Okay, let's start kind of big picture here. When did
you and your family go to Universal's new Epic Universe
And how old your kids are all that good stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Yeah, so we visited in September of this year and
my husband along with my two kids. I've got a
twelve year old son, fifteen year old daughter, and we
actually were down there with my work colleagues and their families,
so there was a large group of eleven of us together.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
What were your first thoughts walking you're a Disney veteran,
your Universal veteran, what were your first thoughts when you
walked into Epic Universe?
Speaker 3 (02:27):
So initially we all were just floored with the theming
when we walked in. It was just compared to the
other Universal parks, just completely different. It was really imaginative
and unique, and you really felt like you were doing
something special. They've done a really good job with creating
(02:49):
the separate worlds within the you know, within the park,
and you go through these like portal type things to
enter each of the five themed world and.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
That was just a really cool touch.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
We all really felt like you were really getting transported
into Super Nintendo World.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
So, speaking of that, and I hate to put you
on the spot, but what were the what are the
five different areas?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
So you've got Celestial Park, which is in the center.
It's sort of the nucleus. You can always get to that.
And then connected to that, you've got Super Nintendo World,
which you know that's Mario and Luigi and all their gang, right,
And then you've got Dark Universe, and that one is
you know, it's definitely for an older crowd because it's
(03:37):
kind of scary. We loved it, but I would definitely
put an asterisk there if you have little kids.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
That might freak them out.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
What kind of a monster theme, right, And then you've
got How to Train Your Dragon, Isle of Burke, which
is very youthful and fun and whimsical. And then the
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Ministry of Magic, which is
not a stranger to universal, just kind of an extension
of the other parks.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Was there a particular area one of those worlds that
immediately wowed you and your kids?
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Yeah, definitely super Nintendo World, especially for a gamer boy
like my son. I mean, he kept saying, I feel
like I'm in a video game. I feel like I'm a.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Part of this.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
We did buy the power up bands, which kind of
felt like highway robbery at the time, but they are
super cool and interactive and he was able to, you know,
punch the blocks like Mario and you really do feel
like you're in a video game. So that one immediately
wowed us. And then personally Isle of Burke for me,
(04:43):
it was such a wow moment walking in with a
huge mountain in all of the water everywhere. It just
felt you really did feel like you were on the
set of a movie.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
It was. It was really neat.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Okay, power up bands, let's talk about that. Yes, yeah, One,
what in the world does that? And two? How much
were those?
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:01):
I feel like they were less than one hundred dollars apiece?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Yeah, don't quote me on that. Yeah, it was steep.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
It It kind of looks like a big giant watch,
bigger than a magic band at Disney Has it has
a theme. You know, you can choose which theme. I
think my daughter got Princess Peach and my son got Luigi.
But it really doesn't matter what character you choose. That's
just more about the look of it. But basically it
(05:35):
only worked in the Super Nintendo World, so you are
really committing to that.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
One Wow world.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Really it's not interactive in any of the other areas,
so you know, if you're hardcore like my son into that,
you know, gaming thing, he said it was really fun.
My husband and I did not get them. I think
my daughter could have totally done without it, to be honest,
but probably wouldn't do it again if I was going back.
(06:07):
But he loved it, so he did all the competitions
and then there's like a big, you know, epic finish
and if you complete all the tasks, you get to
go fight is it Bowser or whoever that is, and
and you save Princess Peach.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I like the video game.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Yeah, So are they similar in size to I forget
what they're called, but at the water park which is
escaping me at the moment.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Oh yeah, Volcano Bay, yes, Volcano Bait, Yeah, similar, a
little little bigger And I was wrong they're forty five apiece,
so I paid a little over one hundred for two.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
I just looked it up. I don't want to be I.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Mean, that's still not that's still not cheap.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
So I'm sure, yeah, no, you know, it wasn't an expense.
I probably would do again, knowing knowing what I know.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Well, the way they're going with the Magic Vans though,
they're getting up there in price as well, so they
are all right. So which one of the lands did
your family spend the most time in? It sounds like
it might have been Super Nintendo.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
It was because we were about to get our money's worth,
if you know what I mean. We we our strategy.
We did get there at Rope Drop, and our strategy
was to go straight to Super Nintendo World because of
you know, A, we had the bands and B that's
what everybody was the most excited for, which that turned
out to be a really great strategy because we went
(07:36):
back later in the day and it was absolutely slammed.
So if if you know doing the the power up
bands is something that somebody wants to do, highly recommend
doing that first of the day so you can really
enjoy that.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
And you mentioned so for parents that are planning a trip.
You know, you mentioned the the monsters. What was the
name of the land again, Dark Universe, Dark Universe. I
was so close.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Yes, yes, really close.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
You said that wasn't necessarily family friendly across the board, like,
maybe not for the younger kids.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, you know, we loved it.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Of course my kids are older and they're totally into
all that creepy stuff. But I definitely saw some smaller
kids that looked a little freaked out. There are characters
walking around, you know, and we weren't there at Halloween time,
but you almost would think we were, but they were
walking around just sort of looking creepy. So you know,
just know that no one would bother you or touch
(08:34):
you or anything like that. But if someone is a
little bit scared of monsters and things, that's just something
to note.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
What rides were absolute must do for your family.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So both of my kids would agree that Stardust Racers
was their favorite. But it's they said, it's just unlike
anything else. There's dueling launch coasters and they intertwined, so
you're basically racing side by side with the coaster beside you.
It almost feels like you're going to hit them.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
You know, there's a.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Lot of airtime and spins and super duper fast. So
for someone who likes a thrill, they said that that
one was by far their favorite coaster they've ever done.
Oh wow, yeah, so but you gotta, you gotta it's
it's a big commitment.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
I mean it is. It is fast. I think it
goes over sixty miles an hour. Good.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Yeah, So dueling dragons kind of had that you're going
to hit them kind of thing for a while. This
sounds like it takes it up a couple of levels.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
This is next level.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I actually did not ride it because I get pretty
bad headaches and I thought, you know, I don't know
that I want to attempt that. But they did it
three four times in a row.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Oh no, they loved it. Oh yes, that's the use.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
You know, kids can do it now, adults can the
Everest ride at at Disney. I I used to be
able to ride that multiple times. I ride it once,
and I feel like an.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Anyway, middle age just hits different. It does, it really does.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
It does.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Were there any rides or attractions that just didn't live
up to the hype?
Speaker 3 (10:14):
You know, I feel like there was so much hype
about the Mario Kart ride. You know, with a it's
like a racing ride where you're driving a Mario Kart
course and you have a little you're collecting coins and
you're shooting things and it's kind of like a video
game that you're inside of. I mean, the theming when
(10:34):
you walk in there blew our minds.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
It's just so cool. And then, to be honest, I didn't.
I didn't love the ride. I mean it was it
was good, but you had to wear this.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
Mask thing that was kind of awkward and sort of
hurt your head, and you had to cram into a seat,
which some of the men with us were not pleased
with the comfort level of that seat, and you know,
it just it.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
It wasn't. It wasn't amazing like I was hoping for.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Plus it broke down twice on us, so I do
know they're working out the kinks, but that one kind
of bummed me out a little bit. And then I
love a good show, And we went to the Isle
of Burke show, right, and it started out amazing, and
they have like these animatronic dragons that fly. I don't
(11:25):
want to give too much away because there's so many
cool features, but it continuously was breaking down the show
and they were restarting restart. We finally got up because
it was like we were wasting so.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Much time in here.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
So you know, those two things were bummers, the only
two big bummers of the day really, but you know,
not the best.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Okay, what about the wait times?
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Yeah, they were hard.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
You know, we sawed one hundred and eighty minutes for
like the Ministry of Magic, the Big Harry Potter ride,
which that was my personal favorite. By the way, I
don't know that we got to that, but I absolutely
love that ride. It it was a long, long wait
and you know, there's no way around it. The weights
(12:16):
are the waits are pretty hard. We did not get
the express passes, yeah, we did not, and the main
reason is because they were expensive, right, I mean we
were going to spend over nine hundred dollars for a
family of four. Yeah, and I just was like, you know,
my kids are older. So we did single rider line
(12:38):
for just about everything we could. But I mean, we
have the luxury that my kids are older and they're
not They can ride by themselves and they're not scared
to do that. So I'd definitely recommend that for people
who are comfortable. I mean, multiple times we were together
on rides. You know, we weren't always separated, but we
would just you know, husband first, me at the end,
and stick the kids in the middle somewhere, and it
(13:00):
was fine.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
But you know, some.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
People that were with us did the express passes and
they obviously loved them because they got to give all
the lines. So I mean, I definitely felt like I
missed out on that, but I just could not justify
that expense.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
So are they still doing the express and then the
which is front of the line one time per ride,
and then you can do the upgraded version of that,
which is as many times.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
So at EPIC you can currently of course, all subject
to change, but currently the express pass is still just
one time perde They don't they don't have that unlimited
option yet. The only the only way to do it
if you wanted to is you could book a VP tour.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
But yeah, that's that's really the only only way around it.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
But yeah, that's that was the main reason I made
that decision, because it's like you get you get that
one shot, you know, Yeah, that's.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
And do you remember the price for those.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Yeah, I've just pulled it back up so I could
remind myself it was nine to ish for our dates
for four.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
In addition to the price of the ticket to get in.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
That's right, yeah, okay, yeah one time.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Yeah, so you can see why we chose single writer
and take our chances.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Yes, absolutely, all right, Well let's get to the important
part of the conversation here. Let's talk about food. Where
did you guys eat and how was it?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
So the food was actually really good.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
We had multiple snacks, of course, the burning cheddar bytes
at Burning Blade Tavern were really good.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
That's over in Dark Universe. Okay, there were.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Some great smoothies at Yoshi's Snack Island and Super Mario.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
We're that was awesome. What we didn't try.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
But what's kind of the the thing everybody wants mac
and cheese cones, I think is what they're called it Hooligan's.
I didn't get those, but that's what that's kind of
the viral thing. Everybody wants to get mac and cheese cones. Yeah,
it's literally like a cone of mac and cheese. Not
my thing, but you know, I mean, I.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Don't know, yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
If it's like an ice cream cone or just a
cone weird.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
I'm not really sure. We need to circle back on.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Yeah, yeah, we'll investigate your favorite meal.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Yeah, favorite meal.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
We did a nice sit down meal and I'm not
even going to try to pronounce it, but it's the
French restaurant and in the ministry of magic over in
the Harry Potter world that we are Harry Potter lovers
our whole family, so we knew we had to go there.
And it was incredible that my husband got rid oftuey,
I got French onion soup, my kids got some kind
(15:59):
of a chicken did that was like bigger than their heads,
and of course butter beer, and it was great. We
actually did mobile ordering a head and checked in at
the table and then they brought it to us. So
nice seated, but we really didn't wait that long. So
highly recommend that I would definitely eat there again.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
And and price per well, what do you feel like
the value was? I mean, it's is a standard fare
for a theme.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Park of standard theme park.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Yeah, you know, you know the Oh my gosh, I
can't believe I'm paying this for a piece of chicken.
Price Yeah, but I will say portions were great and
I really did feel like we got a lot for
what we paid, so I can't complain.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
You almost feel, though, like you're compelled to eat all
of it, because it's not like you're taking a doggie
bag with you for the rest of the days.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
You've got to finish it. And that's what I told
my kids. I mean, you will eat all of that.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
So how easy was it to find a place to
sit and cool off? You know, Disney built a whole,
or at least a part of a portion of a
part without shade, So was there was it easy to
find a place to sit down and cool off?
Speaker 2 (17:07):
That would be my biggest gripe.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Okay, they have got to work on coming up with
some shaded areas. We were there in September and it
was hotter than blue Blazes and coming soon, I hope,
because you know, they just opened in May. But I
can't imagine making it through the whole Florida summer and
not realizing you need shade.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
You'd think they would remember, Hey, maybe we should put
some shade here in there. But I'm sure, I'm sure
there's a reason they don't.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Yeah, I'm sure there's a reason. But that would be
my biggest complaint and you know, doing it again. I
would bring hats for everybody in little individual fans because
I mean we were we were melting, like when we
went in to watch the Untrainable Dragon Show and Olive Burke.
We were all like, thank God air conditioning, you know.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
And then it broke down on you. Anyway, then it
wrote down, so did you guys, did you guys stay
on Universal property or all site?
Speaker 3 (18:04):
We did, so we stayed at Loewe's Portafino Bay, and
that's that's my favorite place to stay there. However, I
did go inside Helios, which is the hotel that is
located on property at Epic, and it was beautiful. I
definitely would stay there next time. The perk of it is,
(18:26):
I mean you can walk directly into Epic Universe from Helios, ok,
And I mean, to me, that is just really really
a great feature. It's expensive, I mean, it's it's pricing
up there with Bay and all those others. But it
doesn't include the Express passes like the other Deluxe ones do.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
So if you stay at the three Deluxe at the
other Universal parks, not only do you get the Express,
you get the the upgraded one where you can go
to the front of the line as many times as
you want.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
So limited, that's right, that.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Is that's a big uh. Yeah, that would make me
think twice for sure.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
If you're really into the whole at Big Universe thing,
especially if you have older kids, I could see why
I was staying there in Helios would be really fun.
You know, to be able to just go in and
have a have a snack, ride a rad come back
to your hotel.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Super easy to do.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
It's it's actually where it's located is super It's in
the Dark Universe area so you walk directly in from there.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
The views are on the way.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Yeah, scar to death. The views are really great.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
It's kind of between Dark Universe and Harry Potter, so
you could you go in Harry Potter too, gotcha, but
but yeah, that would be The thing is like you're
spending a comparable amount as the other resorts, then you
get the unlimited Express pass, so you know, something to
think about.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Interesting. It sounds like the Grand Californian at Disney. It
is Disney very similar where you can walk right in.
That was that's a cool that was a cool feature
for that.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
I mean, that's and that's the reason that's my favorite
hotel at Disneyland, because I mean, how cool is it
to just walk directly into a park?
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Yes's just I think they might be my favorite Disney
resort period.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Completely agree with you.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Yeah, I like this and I like it so much
better than the Grand Floridian, which is not on my
top ten list of Disney resorts at all. And yeah,
that's a whole other for all other podcasts which I
do it.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
But I feel you.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
I feel you on the the California and it's my favorite.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Sow what was the bus situation if you were at
porta Fino? They yes, So how does that work? Exactly?
How do they get because for those of our listeners
that may not know, like you know that there's two
Universal parks that are together. But yes, Epic Universe is
closer to the Convention Center if memory.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Serves it is.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Yeah, and you know they say it's a ten minute
ride and it is definitely not. I mean I'd say
it's you know, fifteen to twenty oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
And the buses do they pick up right at all
the resorts? So you know, we were at Port Afino,
it was just right out front. That was very convenient
and they're plentiful, so that's very helpful. But you know,
I I didn't realize just how far apart the parks were.
You know, you look at the map and it doesn't
look that far. So you know, that's the That's the
(21:27):
one thing. If you're staying at Helios and you just
are all about Epic Universe, that's the perfect place to be, right,
you're right in the middle of it. But if you
just want to do that for a day, but you're
mainly wanting to do the other parks, you know, the
two parks that are right next to each other, you know,
maybe you want to stay one of those closer and
take the bus over for Epic which kind of just
(21:47):
depends on what your vibe is for that day.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
So were they private roads for the buses or were
they on publish?
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Oh no, you're on public rops. Yeah, so that's what
I'm saying. You know, you depending on the time of day,
you know, going Oh we were in the morning, it
was a lot of traffic.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Coming home that evening, I felt like we just were
teleported back to the hotel. It was super quick. So
just definitely time a day interesting.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Looking back, Is there anything that you wish you'd done differently.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
You know.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
I wish we would have stayed all the way till
the end of the day, because those of us in
the group that did close out the day there said
the park really cleared out and they were getting on
rides super quickly. Like I told you, we rope dropped
and got there at the first part of the day
and everybody was just done after all that sun, and
(22:38):
so we did not stay till the end. I heard
that the light show they do was really cool, so
I would have I would have loved maybe to take
in a midday break, you know, and then gone back
and hit it hard again, because I do feel like
we missed out on that end of day magic where
you can kind of have your run of the place.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Well it's a trade off, right, I mean, my wife
is all about rope Drop to fireworks. She's gonna bring
every ounce of Disney or Universal Magic as possible out
of a park. And the last time that we went
was for my fiftieth And I got to tell you,
my relationship with the parks has changed. I don't need
to be there at rope Drop, and I don't need
(23:18):
to be there for fireworks. You know, so you gotta
have you have to pace yourself for these trips, you know,
down to Disney Universal with as much as you're walking
and again if there's no shade.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
That so, yeah, it drains you. So you do have
to have. Everybody's got to be on the same page
for sure.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
Yeah. Well, and it's okay if some people want to stay,
you know, and some people don't, that's okay. That's one
of the things that my wife and I have talked about, like,
I know, it's a family trip, but it doesn't mean
that everybody has to be on the same schedule.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
What what would you consider to be the biggest highlights
of the trip? The wild moments that made all that money,
all the walking around in the sun worth it.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Yeah, I mean I know I said this earlier, but
the theming was just incredible. I mean, they nailed it
compared to the other Universal properties. It you just have
to see it to believe it. Like when you enter
those portals and they do such a great job of
keeping everything sort of concealed, you know, until you go
through that portal and you walk in and you see it,
(24:27):
I mean it is it blows your mind and you know,
I was looking around everybody's faces and we're all like wow,
you know, So that to me was just just seeing
the look on my kids' faces and the just kind
of living it through them was so worth it for me.
But we we absolutely loved Epic, and my kids both
said it was by far their favorite park when you
(24:48):
compare all four of them. Now, I will say it
did seem to me to have less rides. I don't
even know if we counted them up, if it does
or doesn't, but it seemed to have less rides. But
what it it made up for in just all of
the theming, I mean, I feel like we spent more
time looking around every single corner than we normally would.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Well, you mentioned shade. But on the flip side, what
needs improvement crowd management, food options, yes, communication about the
park layout.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Yeah, you know the park layout, And I think they
it's by design right to Like I said, it kind
of feels special when you enter a park because or
in our world, I should say, and that they want
to kind of keep it that way so every world
feels unique. But because of that, it's a little bit confusing.
You know, you're kind of once you get into a world,
(25:42):
you're sort of you're trapped in that world. There's only
there's really one way in, one way out, and so
until you get your bearings, you kind of are like,
what parrama, How do I get to this next area?
Speaker 2 (25:52):
You know?
Speaker 3 (25:53):
So it takes a little minute to kind of understand
where you are, but we figured it out. The one
thing to keep it on is Celestial Park is the center.
So you know, you get back to that center where
the Stardust Racers roller coaster I was telling you about is,
you can kind of use that as your north star
and that sort of helps.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
So yeah, I don't know if I haven't answered.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
Your question or not, but yeah, yeah, yeah, the layout,
the layout was a bit confusing. And then yeah, shade
that needs the dressing asap.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
But you thought there were there were enough food options?
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Oh yeah, food was plentiful, and you know, not everything
was even open when we were there. I think since
we've been there, other options have opened up. But yeah,
and you know, they have mobile ordering, which I always
recommend tying your getting your credit card on your app
before you even walk in the park, start looking to
see what's near you place that order, select your pickup time.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
I mean to me, it is a no brainer.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
And we did that with every single meal and snack
with the exception of like a pretzel, and it worked perfectly.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
So you mentioned your kids like this park the best
is that even in comparison to Disney.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
You know, I asked them that question, and it's a
solid tie for both of them. It's just so completely
different that it's it's hard to even compare. I mean,
you know, they they love a thrill ride, and they
definitely give the w to Universal in terms of thrilling
(27:29):
rides because they really do have more. So if that's important,
you know, Universal, in my opinion, kind of has that
in the bag. But in terms of you know, the
magic of Disney, the cast members, how nobody breaks character,
and how you know when you're in Disney, you just
(27:50):
really do feel special, you know, you really know, it's
a it's it's not quite that a Universal yet, So
so I think, you know, for that magical heart, they
definitely would go with Disney.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
There.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Yeah, let's talk about the rides again just for one second.
So my biggest beef with the two Universal parks Islands
of Adventure and Universal Studios, is that there's so many
rides that are tied to a screen.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Is that still the case with Epic Universe? Are they
more real rides?
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (28:26):
So there are more real rides, I would say at
Epic Universe compared to the others.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
I'm with you on that.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
I actually do not love all those three d kind
of get me, give me the spins. But you know, yes,
there are a few, like the Battle of the Ministry,
which is the Harry Potter ride that I love so much.
I kind of surprised me that I liked it as
much as I did because it was sort of a
little mix of both, you know, a ride with the screens,
(28:55):
but it was great. So I would say there are
some screens, but nowhere near the other parks, and I'm
trying to think if there's even one at all over
in Super Mario World.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
I do not think so Okay, no, yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Yeah, I mean you do one of those rides, that's fine.
After about four or five of them, you did feel seasick.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Yeah, you know, I was this this trip that I
was just on. My family came down and we did
the parks and then they flew home and I stayed
on down for a convention and they closed Universal Studios
completely down and we had run of the place, but
it was only certain rides, and one of them was that.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
What is that Return of the Mummy?
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Oh, revenge of the Revenge of the Mummy.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
I think Revenge of the Mummy.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
That sounds right.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
We did that like three or four times in a row,
a bunch of grown women, and by that last time
I knew I shouldn't have done it again.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
But you're in the moment and you're like, we own
this place and you do it.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
I was, I was sick. I was just I don't
recommend that. So yeah, yeah, I was that.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
Way after the Simpsons ride and that, let me tell you,
that replaced one of my favorite Like the Back of
the Future ride was one of my favorites at Universal Studios,
and the Simpsons replaced it, and it yeah, no, thank you,
never again.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
No, that will go down as my least favorite ride ever.
Even my kids didn't love it, and that says something. Yeah,
so I'm always shocked every time I'm there and that's
that ride is still open.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
I'm like, okay, it's people are still writing this.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Yeah, I don't understand it either. All right, Well, now
let's get to the grading. Portion here. If you had
to put put a grade on Epic Universe for its
family experience, from A plus to F, what grade would
you give it?
Speaker 3 (30:57):
You know, I'm going to give it an as. I
think there are there's room for improvement. I hope it
wasn't too negative about it, because you're you know, I
there are some things that need to get addressed. But
in terms of a family friendly park, and let me
just preface that with I do I do think this
is geared a little towards an older kiddo. I mean,
(31:21):
there are some younger rides for sure, but it's definitely
geared towards an older, older kid. Okay, so it's perfect
for my family where we are. So I mean in
terms of everybody being happy and loving the rides and
loving the theming.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Yeah, it's a solid A minus.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
Let's work on the shade and some weight times and
I think we can get it up to a full A.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
All right, So on a scale from one to ten,
how likely is your family to return to Epic Universe
in the next couple.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
Of years, I'd say note out of ten, we'll be back.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Okay, we'll be back.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
That's strong, all right, Yeah, we will fantastic. Well, actually
you are a travel agent, and so tell our listeners
how to get in touch with you for your help.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Yeah, so I am on social media and I'm at
Ashley Taylor My Travels, which is t Ai l o
R my Travels. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook,
and then our company website is Taylormotravels dot com. So
come on bye and say hello perfect.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
Well, thank you so much for coming on. We're going
to have you back on the show sometime in the
near future. But thanks for coming on and talking about
Epic Universe.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Thanks Rob, It's glad to be here, folks.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Admittedly I was a little skeptical with what I saw
of Epic Universe online, understanding I am not the target demo,
but it appears like it's shaping up to be a
game changer for theme park lovers and families that are
looking for something new and immersive. So, whether you're dreaming
of racing through Super Nintendo World or exploring the Wizarding
(33:06):
World's next chapter, now is the time to start planning,
and Ashley is the perfect person to start planning with. Actually,
thanks again for joining us today and to all of
our listeners, thank you for tuning in. Remember, folks, keep
your passports and your heart's open. Safe travels everyone.
Speaker 4 (33:30):
I'm gutting fool all the beach places and the hotel spasis.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
I'm using the.
Speaker 4 (33:39):
Buck rides and lot of sides, mountain ranges and seasonal changes.
I'm lead to serve.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
I'm the fairly vacation.
Speaker 4 (33:53):
I've got skin food on all the beach preces and
hotel speass amusement bark rats and water slides, mountain ranges
and seasonal changes. I'm here to serve.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
I'm the family vacationers. Yeah,
Universal, Orlando's newest park is here Epic Universe. But what
can families expect from Super Nintendo World The How To
Train Your Dragon? Does this park redefine theme park vacations
or is it just another park? Today we're diving into
all things Epic Universe with luxury travel advisor Ashley Dennis.
(00:25):
She's got the inside scoop and what families should be
planning for now Stick around. Episode two o four starts
right now.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Welcome to the Family Vacationer with Robin.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Tracy, your go to podcast for families on the moon.
Welcome Friends Back to the Family Vacationer Episode two o four.
We're helping family Welcome back to the Family Vacationer Episode
two oh four. This podcast helps families create meaningful and
(00:59):
memorable travel experiences together. Today, we're heading to Orlando to
talk about one of the most exciting openings in recent memory,
Epic Universe Universal's brand Universal's brand new Theme Parks. Scheduled
Universal's brand new theme park to help us unpack what
(01:20):
this means for family travelers, I'm joined by Ashley Dennis,
a luxury travel advisor with Taylor my Travels out of Nashville, Tennessee.
Ashley specializes in curating unforgettable family getaways, from European adventures
to Caribbean escapes, and of course, theme parks. She's also
visited all fifty US states with her own family, which
(01:41):
is absolutely amazing. Ashley, welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Hey, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Okay, let's start kind of big picture here. When did
you and your family go to Universal's new Epic Universe
And how old your kids are all that good stuff.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Yeah, so we visited in September of this year and
my husband along with my two kids. I've got a
twelve year old son, fifteen year old daughter, and we
actually were down there with my work colleagues and their families,
so there was a large group of eleven of us together.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
What were your first thoughts walking you're a Disney veteran,
your Universal veteran, what were your first thoughts when you
walked into Epic Universe?
Speaker 3 (02:27):
So initially we all were just floored with the theming
when we walked in. It was just compared to the
other Universal parks, just completely different. It was really imaginative
and unique, and you really felt like you were doing
something special. They've done a really good job with creating
(02:49):
the separate worlds within the you know, within the park,
and you go through these like portal type things to
enter each of the five themed world and.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
That was just a really cool touch.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
We all really felt like you were really getting transported
into Super Nintendo World.
Speaker 1 (03:09):
So, speaking of that, and I hate to put you
on the spot, but what were the what are the
five different areas?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
So you've got Celestial Park, which is in the center.
It's sort of the nucleus. You can always get to that.
And then connected to that, you've got Super Nintendo World,
which you know that's Mario and Luigi and all their gang, right,
And then you've got Dark Universe, and that one is
you know, it's definitely for an older crowd because it's
(03:37):
kind of scary. We loved it, but I would definitely
put an asterisk there if you have little kids.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
That might freak them out.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
What kind of a monster theme, right, And then you've
got How to Train Your Dragon, Isle of Burke, which
is very youthful and fun and whimsical. And then the
Wizarding World of Harry Potter Ministry of Magic, which is
not a stranger to universal, just kind of an extension
of the other parks.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Was there a particular area one of those worlds that
immediately wowed you and your kids?
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Yeah, definitely super Nintendo World, especially for a gamer boy
like my son. I mean, he kept saying, I feel
like I'm in a video game. I feel like I'm a.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Part of this.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
We did buy the power up bands, which kind of
felt like highway robbery at the time, but they are
super cool and interactive and he was able to, you know,
punch the blocks like Mario and you really do feel
like you're in a video game. So that one immediately
wowed us. And then personally Isle of Burke for me,
(04:43):
it was such a wow moment walking in with a
huge mountain in all of the water everywhere. It just
felt you really did feel like you were on the
set of a movie.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
It was. It was really neat.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
Okay, power up bands, let's talk about that. Yes, yeah, One,
what in the world does that? And two? How much
were those?
Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:01):
I feel like they were less than one hundred dollars apiece?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Yeah, don't quote me on that. Yeah, it was steep.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
It It kind of looks like a big giant watch,
bigger than a magic band at Disney Has it has
a theme. You know, you can choose which theme. I
think my daughter got Princess Peach and my son got Luigi.
But it really doesn't matter what character you choose. That's
just more about the look of it. But basically it
(05:35):
only worked in the Super Nintendo World, so you are
really committing to that.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
One Wow world.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Really it's not interactive in any of the other areas,
so you know, if you're hardcore like my son into that,
you know, gaming thing, he said it was really fun.
My husband and I did not get them. I think
my daughter could have totally done without it, to be honest,
but probably wouldn't do it again if I was going back.
(06:07):
But he loved it, so he did all the competitions
and then there's like a big, you know, epic finish
and if you complete all the tasks, you get to
go fight is it Bowser or whoever that is, and
and you save Princess Peach.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I like the video game.
Speaker 1 (06:24):
Yeah, So are they similar in size to I forget
what they're called, but at the water park which is
escaping me at the moment.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
Oh yeah, Volcano Bay, yes, Volcano Bait, Yeah, similar, a
little little bigger And I was wrong they're forty five apiece,
so I paid a little over one hundred for two.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
I just looked it up. I don't want to be I.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Mean, that's still not that's still not cheap.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
So I'm sure, yeah, no, you know, it wasn't an expense.
I probably would do again, knowing knowing what I know.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Well, the way they're going with the Magic Vans though,
they're getting up there in price as well, so they
are all right. So which one of the lands did
your family spend the most time in? It sounds like
it might have been Super Nintendo.
Speaker 3 (07:13):
It was because we were about to get our money's worth,
if you know what I mean. We we our strategy.
We did get there at Rope Drop, and our strategy
was to go straight to Super Nintendo World because of
you know, A, we had the bands and B that's
what everybody was the most excited for, which that turned
out to be a really great strategy because we went
(07:36):
back later in the day and it was absolutely slammed.
So if if you know doing the the power up
bands is something that somebody wants to do, highly recommend
doing that first of the day so you can really
enjoy that.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
And you mentioned so for parents that are planning a trip.
You know, you mentioned the the monsters. What was the
name of the land again, Dark Universe, Dark Universe. I
was so close.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Yes, yes, really close.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
You said that wasn't necessarily family friendly across the board, like,
maybe not for the younger kids.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Yeah, you know, we loved it.
Speaker 3 (08:13):
Of course my kids are older and they're totally into
all that creepy stuff. But I definitely saw some smaller
kids that looked a little freaked out. There are characters
walking around, you know, and we weren't there at Halloween time,
but you almost would think we were, but they were
walking around just sort of looking creepy. So you know,
just know that no one would bother you or touch
(08:34):
you or anything like that. But if someone is a
little bit scared of monsters and things, that's just something
to note.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
What rides were absolute must do for your family.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So both of my kids would agree that Stardust Racers
was their favorite. But it's they said, it's just unlike
anything else. There's dueling launch coasters and they intertwined, so
you're basically racing side by side with the coaster beside you.
It almost feels like you're going to hit them.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
You know, there's a.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Lot of airtime and spins and super duper fast. So
for someone who likes a thrill, they said that that
one was by far their favorite coaster they've ever done.
Oh wow, yeah, so but you gotta, you gotta it's
it's a big commitment.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
I mean it is. It is fast. I think it
goes over sixty miles an hour. Good.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Yeah, So dueling dragons kind of had that you're going
to hit them kind of thing for a while. This
sounds like it takes it up a couple of levels.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
This is next level.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
I actually did not ride it because I get pretty
bad headaches and I thought, you know, I don't know
that I want to attempt that. But they did it
three four times in a row.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Oh no, they loved it. Oh yes, that's the use.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
You know, kids can do it now, adults can the
Everest ride at at Disney. I I used to be
able to ride that multiple times. I ride it once,
and I feel like an.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
Anyway, middle age just hits different. It does, it really does.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
It does.
Speaker 1 (10:09):
Were there any rides or attractions that just didn't live
up to the hype?
Speaker 3 (10:14):
You know, I feel like there was so much hype
about the Mario Kart ride. You know, with a it's
like a racing ride where you're driving a Mario Kart
course and you have a little you're collecting coins and
you're shooting things and it's kind of like a video
game that you're inside of. I mean, the theming when
(10:34):
you walk in there blew our minds.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
It's just so cool. And then, to be honest, I didn't.
I didn't love the ride. I mean it was it
was good, but you had to wear this.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
Mask thing that was kind of awkward and sort of
hurt your head, and you had to cram into a seat,
which some of the men with us were not pleased
with the comfort level of that seat, and you know,
it just it.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
It wasn't. It wasn't amazing like I was hoping for.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Plus it broke down twice on us, so I do
know they're working out the kinks, but that one kind
of bummed me out a little bit. And then I
love a good show, And we went to the Isle
of Burke show, right, and it started out amazing, and
they have like these animatronic dragons that fly. I don't
(11:25):
want to give too much away because there's so many
cool features, but it continuously was breaking down the show
and they were restarting restart. We finally got up because
it was like we were wasting so.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
Much time in here.
Speaker 3 (11:38):
So you know, those two things were bummers, the only
two big bummers of the day really, but you know,
not the best.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Okay, what about the wait times?
Speaker 2 (11:52):
Yeah, they were hard.
Speaker 3 (11:56):
You know, we sawed one hundred and eighty minutes for
like the Ministry of Magic, the Big Harry Potter ride,
which that was my personal favorite. By the way, I
don't know that we got to that, but I absolutely
love that ride. It it was a long, long wait
and you know, there's no way around it. The weights
(12:16):
are the waits are pretty hard. We did not get
the express passes, yeah, we did not, and the main
reason is because they were expensive, right, I mean we
were going to spend over nine hundred dollars for a
family of four. Yeah, and I just was like, you know,
my kids are older. So we did single rider line
(12:38):
for just about everything we could. But I mean, we
have the luxury that my kids are older and they're
not They can ride by themselves and they're not scared
to do that. So I'd definitely recommend that for people
who are comfortable. I mean, multiple times we were together
on rides. You know, we weren't always separated, but we
would just you know, husband first, me at the end,
and stick the kids in the middle somewhere, and it
(13:00):
was fine.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
But you know, some.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
People that were with us did the express passes and
they obviously loved them because they got to give all
the lines. So I mean, I definitely felt like I
missed out on that, but I just could not justify
that expense.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
So are they still doing the express and then the
which is front of the line one time per ride,
and then you can do the upgraded version of that,
which is as many times.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
So at EPIC you can currently of course, all subject
to change, but currently the express pass is still just
one time perde They don't they don't have that unlimited
option yet. The only the only way to do it
if you wanted to is you could book a VP tour.
Speaker 2 (13:55):
But yeah, that's that's really the only only way around it.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
But yeah, that's that was the main reason I made
that decision, because it's like you get you get that
one shot, you know, Yeah, that's.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
And do you remember the price for those.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
Yeah, I've just pulled it back up so I could
remind myself it was nine to ish for our dates
for four.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
In addition to the price of the ticket to get in.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
That's right, yeah, okay, yeah one time.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
Yeah, so you can see why we chose single writer
and take our chances.
Speaker 1 (14:29):
Yes, absolutely, all right, Well let's get to the important
part of the conversation here. Let's talk about food. Where
did you guys eat and how was it?
Speaker 2 (14:39):
So the food was actually really good.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
We had multiple snacks, of course, the burning cheddar bytes
at Burning Blade Tavern were really good.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
That's over in Dark Universe. Okay, there were.
Speaker 3 (14:54):
Some great smoothies at Yoshi's Snack Island and Super Mario.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
We're that was awesome. What we didn't try.
Speaker 3 (15:03):
But what's kind of the the thing everybody wants mac
and cheese cones, I think is what they're called it Hooligan's.
I didn't get those, but that's what that's kind of
the viral thing. Everybody wants to get mac and cheese cones. Yeah,
it's literally like a cone of mac and cheese. Not
my thing, but you know, I mean, I.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Don't know, yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
If it's like an ice cream cone or just a
cone weird.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
I'm not really sure. We need to circle back on.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Yeah, yeah, we'll investigate your favorite meal.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
Yeah, favorite meal.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
We did a nice sit down meal and I'm not
even going to try to pronounce it, but it's the
French restaurant and in the ministry of magic over in
the Harry Potter world that we are Harry Potter lovers
our whole family, so we knew we had to go there.
And it was incredible that my husband got rid oftuey,
I got French onion soup, my kids got some kind
(15:59):
of a chicken did that was like bigger than their heads,
and of course butter beer, and it was great. We
actually did mobile ordering a head and checked in at
the table and then they brought it to us. So
nice seated, but we really didn't wait that long. So
highly recommend that I would definitely eat there again.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
And and price per well, what do you feel like
the value was? I mean, it's is a standard fare
for a theme.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Park of standard theme park.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Yeah, you know, you know the Oh my gosh, I
can't believe I'm paying this for a piece of chicken.
Price Yeah, but I will say portions were great and
I really did feel like we got a lot for
what we paid, so I can't complain.
Speaker 1 (16:41):
You almost feel, though, like you're compelled to eat all
of it, because it's not like you're taking a doggie
bag with you for the rest of the days.
Speaker 2 (16:48):
You've got to finish it. And that's what I told
my kids. I mean, you will eat all of that.
Speaker 1 (16:54):
So how easy was it to find a place to
sit and cool off? You know, Disney built a whole,
or at least a part of a portion of a
part without shade, So was there was it easy to
find a place to sit down and cool off?
Speaker 2 (17:07):
That would be my biggest gripe.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Okay, they have got to work on coming up with
some shaded areas. We were there in September and it
was hotter than blue Blazes and coming soon, I hope,
because you know, they just opened in May. But I
can't imagine making it through the whole Florida summer and
not realizing you need shade.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
You'd think they would remember, Hey, maybe we should put
some shade here in there. But I'm sure, I'm sure
there's a reason they don't.
Speaker 3 (17:39):
Yeah, I'm sure there's a reason. But that would be
my biggest complaint and you know, doing it again. I
would bring hats for everybody in little individual fans because
I mean we were we were melting, like when we
went in to watch the Untrainable Dragon Show and Olive Burke.
We were all like, thank God air conditioning, you know.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
And then it broke down on you. Anyway, then it
wrote down, so did you guys, did you guys stay
on Universal property or all site?
Speaker 3 (18:04):
We did, so we stayed at Loewe's Portafino Bay, and
that's that's my favorite place to stay there. However, I
did go inside Helios, which is the hotel that is
located on property at Epic, and it was beautiful. I
definitely would stay there next time. The perk of it is,
(18:26):
I mean you can walk directly into Epic Universe from Helios, ok,
And I mean, to me, that is just really really
a great feature. It's expensive, I mean, it's it's pricing
up there with Bay and all those others. But it
doesn't include the Express passes like the other Deluxe ones do.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
So if you stay at the three Deluxe at the
other Universal parks, not only do you get the Express,
you get the the upgraded one where you can go
to the front of the line as many times as
you want.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
So limited, that's right, that.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Is that's a big uh. Yeah, that would make me
think twice for sure.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
If you're really into the whole at Big Universe thing,
especially if you have older kids, I could see why
I was staying there in Helios would be really fun.
You know, to be able to just go in and
have a have a snack, ride a rad come back
to your hotel.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Super easy to do.
Speaker 3 (19:23):
It's it's actually where it's located is super It's in
the Dark Universe area so you walk directly in from there.
Speaker 1 (19:30):
The views are on the way.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Yeah, scar to death. The views are really great.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
It's kind of between Dark Universe and Harry Potter, so
you could you go in Harry Potter too, gotcha, but
but yeah, that would be The thing is like you're
spending a comparable amount as the other resorts, then you
get the unlimited Express pass, so you know, something to
think about.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
Interesting. It sounds like the Grand Californian at Disney. It
is Disney very similar where you can walk right in.
That was that's a cool that was a cool feature
for that.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
I mean, that's and that's the reason that's my favorite
hotel at Disneyland, because I mean, how cool is it
to just walk directly into a park?
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Yes's just I think they might be my favorite Disney
resort period.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Completely agree with you.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
Yeah, I like this and I like it so much
better than the Grand Floridian, which is not on my
top ten list of Disney resorts at all. And yeah,
that's a whole other for all other podcasts which I
do it.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
But I feel you.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
I feel you on the the California and it's my favorite.
Speaker 1 (20:34):
Sow what was the bus situation if you were at
porta Fino? They yes, So how does that work? Exactly?
How do they get because for those of our listeners
that may not know, like you know that there's two
Universal parks that are together. But yes, Epic Universe is
closer to the Convention Center if memory.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
Serves it is.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
Yeah, and you know they say it's a ten minute
ride and it is definitely not. I mean I'd say
it's you know, fifteen to twenty oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
And the buses do they pick up right at all
the resorts? So you know, we were at Port Afino,
it was just right out front. That was very convenient
and they're plentiful, so that's very helpful. But you know,
I I didn't realize just how far apart the parks were.
You know, you look at the map and it doesn't
look that far. So you know, that's the That's the
(21:27):
one thing. If you're staying at Helios and you just
are all about Epic Universe, that's the perfect place to be, right,
you're right in the middle of it. But if you
just want to do that for a day, but you're
mainly wanting to do the other parks, you know, the
two parks that are right next to each other, you know,
maybe you want to stay one of those closer and
take the bus over for Epic which kind of just
(21:47):
depends on what your vibe is for that day.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
So were they private roads for the buses or were
they on publish?
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Oh no, you're on public rops. Yeah, so that's what
I'm saying. You know, you depending on the time of day,
you know, going Oh we were in the morning, it
was a lot of traffic.
Speaker 1 (22:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
Coming home that evening, I felt like we just were
teleported back to the hotel. It was super quick. So
just definitely time a day interesting.
Speaker 1 (22:11):
Looking back, Is there anything that you wish you'd done differently.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
You know.
Speaker 3 (22:17):
I wish we would have stayed all the way till
the end of the day, because those of us in
the group that did close out the day there said
the park really cleared out and they were getting on
rides super quickly. Like I told you, we rope dropped
and got there at the first part of the day
and everybody was just done after all that sun, and
(22:38):
so we did not stay till the end. I heard
that the light show they do was really cool, so
I would have I would have loved maybe to take
in a midday break, you know, and then gone back
and hit it hard again, because I do feel like
we missed out on that end of day magic where
you can kind of have your run of the place.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
Well it's a trade off, right, I mean, my wife
is all about rope Drop to fireworks. She's gonna bring
every ounce of Disney or Universal Magic as possible out
of a park. And the last time that we went
was for my fiftieth And I got to tell you,
my relationship with the parks has changed. I don't need
to be there at rope Drop, and I don't need
(23:18):
to be there for fireworks. You know, so you gotta
have you have to pace yourself for these trips, you know,
down to Disney Universal with as much as you're walking
and again if there's no shade.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
That so, yeah, it drains you. So you do have
to have. Everybody's got to be on the same page
for sure.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
Yeah. Well, and it's okay if some people want to stay,
you know, and some people don't, that's okay. That's one
of the things that my wife and I have talked about, like,
I know, it's a family trip, but it doesn't mean
that everybody has to be on the same schedule.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
What what would you consider to be the biggest highlights
of the trip? The wild moments that made all that money,
all the walking around in the sun worth it.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
Yeah, I mean I know I said this earlier, but
the theming was just incredible. I mean, they nailed it
compared to the other Universal properties. It you just have
to see it to believe it. Like when you enter
those portals and they do such a great job of
keeping everything sort of concealed, you know, until you go
through that portal and you walk in and you see it,
(24:27):
I mean it is it blows your mind and you know,
I was looking around everybody's faces and we're all like wow,
you know, So that to me was just just seeing
the look on my kids' faces and the just kind
of living it through them was so worth it for me.
But we we absolutely loved Epic, and my kids both
said it was by far their favorite park when you
(24:48):
compare all four of them. Now, I will say it
did seem to me to have less rides. I don't
even know if we counted them up, if it does
or doesn't, but it seemed to have less rides. But
what it it made up for in just all of
the theming, I mean, I feel like we spent more
time looking around every single corner than we normally would.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
Well, you mentioned shade. But on the flip side, what
needs improvement crowd management, food options, yes, communication about the
park layout.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
Yeah, you know the park layout, And I think they
it's by design right to Like I said, it kind
of feels special when you enter a park because or
in our world, I should say, and that they want
to kind of keep it that way so every world
feels unique. But because of that, it's a little bit confusing.
You know, you're kind of once you get into a world,
(25:42):
you're sort of you're trapped in that world. There's only
there's really one way in, one way out, and so
until you get your bearings, you kind of are like,
what parrama, How do I get to this next area?
Speaker 2 (25:52):
You know?
Speaker 3 (25:53):
So it takes a little minute to kind of understand
where you are, but we figured it out. The one
thing to keep it on is Celestial Park is the center.
So you know, you get back to that center where
the Stardust Racers roller coaster I was telling you about is,
you can kind of use that as your north star
and that sort of helps.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
So yeah, I don't know if I haven't answered.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
Your question or not, but yeah, yeah, yeah, the layout,
the layout was a bit confusing. And then yeah, shade
that needs the dressing asap.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
But you thought there were there were enough food options?
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Oh yeah, food was plentiful, and you know, not everything
was even open when we were there. I think since
we've been there, other options have opened up. But yeah,
and you know, they have mobile ordering, which I always
recommend tying your getting your credit card on your app
before you even walk in the park, start looking to
see what's near you place that order, select your pickup time.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
I mean to me, it is a no brainer.
Speaker 3 (26:50):
And we did that with every single meal and snack
with the exception of like a pretzel, and it worked perfectly.
Speaker 1 (26:59):
So you mentioned your kids like this park the best
is that even in comparison to Disney.
Speaker 3 (27:07):
You know, I asked them that question, and it's a
solid tie for both of them. It's just so completely
different that it's it's hard to even compare. I mean,
you know, they they love a thrill ride, and they
definitely give the w to Universal in terms of thrilling
(27:29):
rides because they really do have more. So if that's important,
you know, Universal, in my opinion, kind of has that
in the bag. But in terms of you know, the
magic of Disney, the cast members, how nobody breaks character,
and how you know when you're in Disney, you just
(27:50):
really do feel special, you know, you really know, it's
a it's it's not quite that a Universal yet, So
so I think, you know, for that magical heart, they
definitely would go with Disney.
Speaker 2 (28:05):
There.
Speaker 1 (28:05):
Yeah, let's talk about the rides again just for one second.
So my biggest beef with the two Universal parks Islands
of Adventure and Universal Studios, is that there's so many
rides that are tied to a screen.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Is that still the case with Epic Universe? Are they
more real rides?
Speaker 2 (28:26):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (28:26):
So there are more real rides, I would say at
Epic Universe compared to the others.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
I'm with you on that.
Speaker 3 (28:34):
I actually do not love all those three d kind
of get me, give me the spins. But you know, yes,
there are a few, like the Battle of the Ministry,
which is the Harry Potter ride that I love so much.
I kind of surprised me that I liked it as
much as I did because it was sort of a
little mix of both, you know, a ride with the screens,
(28:55):
but it was great. So I would say there are
some screens, but nowhere near the other parks, and I'm
trying to think if there's even one at all over
in Super Mario World.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
I do not think so Okay, no, yeah.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Yeah, I mean you do one of those rides, that's fine.
After about four or five of them, you did feel seasick.
Speaker 3 (29:16):
Yeah, you know, I was this this trip that I
was just on. My family came down and we did
the parks and then they flew home and I stayed
on down for a convention and they closed Universal Studios
completely down and we had run of the place, but
it was only certain rides, and one of them was that.
Speaker 2 (29:40):
What is that Return of the Mummy?
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Oh, revenge of the Revenge of the Mummy.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
I think Revenge of the Mummy.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
That sounds right.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
We did that like three or four times in a row,
a bunch of grown women, and by that last time
I knew I shouldn't have done it again.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
But you're in the moment and you're like, we own
this place and you do it.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
I was, I was sick. I was just I don't
recommend that. So yeah, yeah, I was that.
Speaker 1 (30:09):
Way after the Simpsons ride and that, let me tell you,
that replaced one of my favorite Like the Back of
the Future ride was one of my favorites at Universal Studios,
and the Simpsons replaced it, and it yeah, no, thank you,
never again.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
No, that will go down as my least favorite ride ever.
Even my kids didn't love it, and that says something. Yeah,
so I'm always shocked every time I'm there and that's
that ride is still open.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
I'm like, okay, it's people are still writing this.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
Yeah, I don't understand it either. All right, Well, now
let's get to the grading. Portion here. If you had
to put put a grade on Epic Universe for its
family experience, from A plus to F, what grade would
you give it?
Speaker 3 (30:57):
You know, I'm going to give it an as. I
think there are there's room for improvement. I hope it
wasn't too negative about it, because you're you know, I
there are some things that need to get addressed. But
in terms of a family friendly park, and let me
just preface that with I do I do think this
is geared a little towards an older kiddo. I mean,
(31:21):
there are some younger rides for sure, but it's definitely
geared towards an older, older kid. Okay, so it's perfect
for my family where we are. So I mean in
terms of everybody being happy and loving the rides and
loving the theming.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
Yeah, it's a solid A minus.
Speaker 3 (31:41):
Let's work on the shade and some weight times and
I think we can get it up to a full A.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
All right, So on a scale from one to ten,
how likely is your family to return to Epic Universe
in the next couple.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
Of years, I'd say note out of ten, we'll be back.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Okay, we'll be back.
Speaker 1 (31:58):
That's strong, all right, Yeah, we will fantastic. Well, actually
you are a travel agent, and so tell our listeners
how to get in touch with you for your help.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Yeah, so I am on social media and I'm at
Ashley Taylor My Travels, which is t Ai l o
R my Travels. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook,
and then our company website is Taylormotravels dot com. So
come on bye and say hello perfect.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
Well, thank you so much for coming on. We're going
to have you back on the show sometime in the
near future. But thanks for coming on and talking about
Epic Universe.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Thanks Rob, It's glad to be here, folks.
Speaker 1 (32:44):
Admittedly I was a little skeptical with what I saw
of Epic Universe online, understanding I am not the target demo,
but it appears like it's shaping up to be a
game changer for theme park lovers and families that are
looking for something new and immersive. So, whether you're dreaming
of racing through Super Nintendo World or exploring the Wizarding
(33:06):
World's next chapter, now is the time to start planning,
and Ashley is the perfect person to start planning with. Actually,
thanks again for joining us today and to all of
our listeners, thank you for tuning in. Remember, folks, keep
your passports and your heart's open. Safe travels everyone.
Speaker 4 (33:30):
I'm gutting fool all the beach places and the hotel spasis.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
I'm using the.
Speaker 4 (33:39):
Buck rides and lot of sides, mountain ranges and seasonal changes.
I'm lead to serve.
Speaker 1 (33:47):
I'm the fairly vacation.
Speaker 4 (33:53):
I've got skin food on all the beach preces and
hotel speass amusement bark rats and water slides, mountain ranges
and seasonal changes. I'm here to serve.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
I'm the family vacationers. Yeah,
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