If you’re heading to Epic Universe in 2026, we’ve got the best new rope drop strategy for you.

Isle of Berk

Earlier this year, Universal updated the list of offerings open during Early Park Admission, thus changing the strategy for many folks staying in a Universal Orlando hotel. So, if you’re staying on property, this is the NEW plan we think you should follow!

Since Epic Universe opened last year, some edits have been made to the list of available offerings for Early Park Admission (EPA). Nowadays, select participating attractions in the following lands are open for EPA:

It’s important to note that Dark Universe is NOT included in EPA.

Hiccup’s Wing Gliders

Previously, Ministry of Magic and Isle of Berk were not available during this time. With those lands opening, two big EPA strategies emerge, depending on whether or not you have Express Pass for your visit. If you don’t, you should DEFINITELY go to the Ministry of Magic and ride Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. This attraction is one of the most popular rides in the park, and being a Universal Orlando hotel guest gives you the chance to ride it during that first hour before the park officially opens.

Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry

However, if you DO have Express Pass for Epic Universe, you’re probably scratching your head and wondering where to start. The Express Pass will get you short waits on most attractions in the park, so what do you do with that hour of EPA? Well, we have a great idea.

Isle of Berk

We’re going to recommend you head straight for Isle of Berk during Early Park Admission if you have Express Pass! Here, two very popular offerings don’t take Express Pass but ARE open during EPA — the Toothless meet and greet and Dragon Racer’s Rally.

Dragon Racer’s Rally

We suggest getting in line for Toothless first, because he can get a very long wait in the middle of the day, and his queue can be brutal in the heat. Give him a pat on the nose and snap some fun pictures to start your day!

Toothless in Epic Universe

After you’ve done that, head over to Dragon Racer’s Rally, which is the only ride in the park that doesn’t accept Express Pass. Hopefully, you’ll be able to knock both of these attractions out before your hour of Early Park Admission is up, and you’ll have done some serious strategic setup for your day.

Dragon Racer’s Rally

From there, you can go portal by portal, knocking out rides and using your Express Pass to its full potential. There’s so much to do in Epic Universe, and having both Express Pass and Early Park Admission can help you save a lot of time waiting in lines.

Isle of Berk

Keep this strategy in mind if you’re heading to the park soon! We’ll keep you in the loop with any more EPA changes at Universal Orlando, so be sure to subscribe to the AllEars newsletter for more!

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Are you going to Epic Universe in 2026? Let us know in the comments!

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