When I tell you that I’ve been worried about how today was going to go for months, I am not exaggerating. Last night, as I sat in my beautiful hotel room in Universal Helios Grand Hotel, reflecting on how most of my day went on Universal Epic Universe‘s opening day, May 22, 2025, I simply must share it all with you in case you have any of the same fears for your upcoming visit, even though opening day is behind us.
I flew in from Seattle on Wednesday and stayed at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort. My list of things to worry about was long. I don’t know why I choose to worry about so many things, but alas, that’s what I do. Plus, I’ve never been to Universal before today and didn’t know how anything was done here. Are they like Disney? Will they take care of everything, no matter what? I didn’t know then, but I sure know now.
First was deciding what time I wanted to arrive at Helios. Keeping the time difference in mind, I decided to set my alarm for 6:20 am – 3:20 am in actuality – but you only live once, right? Plus, how often does a brand-new theme park open?
When I got down to the lobby of Cabana Bay, for the first time, I saw my first Universal character! The sparkliest troll came over, and I was about as excited to see them as they were to see me! Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I think this troll’s name is Guy Diamond. Anyway, the lobby was empty, so no crowds for this meet and greet.
After a super fun interaction, I hopped in a rideshare and was on my way to Helios by 6:15 am because I was already awake and getting any additional sleep was not happening. When we pulled up, someone from Bell Services came right over to the vehicle, took out my suitcases, and asked if I’d like them to be stored until my room was ready. Umm… yes, please! I wasn’t even sure that it would be an option so early, but they were right on top of it.
The lobby at Helios is gorgeous. The ambiance was so lovely with a live violin player. He was spectacular. Fun story: I met him on a flight home from Orlando last year after he performed at EPCOT. He was the nicest guy you’d ever want to sit next to on a plane, and he even recognized me, which was so fun!
Next was checking in. This isn’t available on the Universal app like it is at Walt Disney World, so there is no going straight to your room and using your mobile device as a room key. Something else to be aware of is that at this hotel, a hold of $200 per night must be paid for incidentals. The charge will eventually drop off if you don’t use it, but you’ll need to be prepared to pay that upon checking in.
All in all, getting to the hotel, dropping off my bags, and checking in was smooth sailing. The longest line was the one to check in, and it only took around half an hour or so. My biggest worries for the morning went as smoothly as can be. Next stop – Epic Universe!
Getting into the park was such a breeze. The most significant benefit of staying at Helios is that the theme park is right outside. It was so fabulous to be just a few steps away. The park entrance and security area is right across from the elevators next to the market. Going through the security check was quick and easy, then it was off to the park.
I’m going to be real honest, as I stood and watched the beautiful grand opening with the fountain dancing, I looked around, and the crowds were non-existent. I thought for sure that the area in Celestial Park with the bleacher-type seating would be completely packed with guests, but it was not. As I meandered further into the park, there were tons of guests waiting at each of the five portals, and a huge crowd waiting to enter The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, which I fully expected. Team members were all around the park handing out complimentary bottles of water to everyone, too, which was much appreciated as it’s already very hot first thing in the morning, and you need to stay hydrated.
But wait times on other attractions were minimal throughout the entire day. The large thoroughfares were not packed, and it was simply perfection. Many have said that Universal capped the park’s capacity and that it only had Universal hotel guests in it on opening day, which would make sense if that were indeed the case. It felt like a private theme park party from like 15 years ago. I loved every moment. This was my very first time as a guest of a Universal Orlando theme park, and I’m thrilled to say that it has surprised and impressed me in ways I never thought it could. The day was so much more relaxed than I ever thought it would be, and my only wish is that it could stay that way forever so that everyone who visits could have that lovely experience. Head over to Chloé’s article about Epic’s opening day to read more!
I had heard from people who attended previews that the park is even more incredible at nighttime, and they were not wrong! As the sun went down, lights began to turn on, and a completely different vibe took over the park. It was absolutely stunning, especially in Celestial Park, where I chose to wander around. At 9:50 pm, a stunning water show took place in the fountain. What a spectacular way to end the fantastic day!
Universal Team Members, you should all be so incredibly proud – you’ve all accomplished something truly epic!
