“Out of Order”: Epic Universe Faces Attraction Troubles After Just Two Months

Universal Orlando Resort’s highly anticipated third theme park, Epic Universe, has given guests an unexpected sneak peek with its surprise early opening. In a move that delighted fans, Universal released single-day preview tickets to the public, allowing visitors to explore the park weeks before its official grand opening on May 22, 2025.

Epic Universe has already made a strong impression during its Team Member, press, and Annual Passholder preview days. With five immersive lands, including Celestial Park, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe, it’s been widely praised as the most immersive of all Universal Orlando Resort parks, surpassing both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.

However, not all has gone smoothly during these preview days. Some technical issues have surfaced, including a 50-minute evacuation from one of the park’s star attractions, Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. Additionally, guests have experienced difficulty with the Virtual Queue system, with many struggling to secure slots even during the preview period when crowds were lower.

The issues didn’t stop there. In Celestial Park, the park’s central hub, guests were met with a “Temporarily out of Stardust” sign on the Constellation Carousel, which was shared on X (formerly Twitter) by user @bioreconstruct. The carousel’s malfunction led to guests being asked to “please choose another animal.” The malfunction became a talking point among fans, who were surprised that such a basic issue had surfaced so close to the park’s grand opening.

A covering when a Constellation Carousel animal is out of Stardust.

A covering when a Constellation Carousel animal is out of Stardust. pic.twitter.com/YCiymvSHRY

— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) April 22, 2025

Though the carousel issue may seem minor compared to the high-tech attractions in Epic Universe, it still caught the attention of Universal Parks fans. Universal Orlando Resort has not commented on the cause of the malfunction, and it remains unclear when the carousel will return to full service.

Fans were quick to react online. “How is this already broken? 😞” asked @BeeBricks.

How is this already broken? 😞

— BeeBricks (@BeeBricks) April 22, 2025

Despite the issues, the early preview has provided valuable insight into the challenges of opening a major theme park. Universal Orlando Resort is likely working behind the scenes to resolve these issues before the grand opening.

As the opening date approaches, Universal Orlando Resort will undoubtedly continue to address these problems to ensure that the full experience of Epic Universe will be ready for the thousands of visitors who are expected to arrive on May 22, 2025.

Have you visited Epic Universe yet? Share your favorite memory with Disney Tips in the comments!