Universal Orlando Resort’s sales chief says he was “blown away” by the response from trade and consumers following the opening of ticket sales for the new Epic Universe park last month.
The company put initial ticket options on sale on October 22 after announcing the park would open to the public on May 22, 2025.
Universal’s fourth park will feature more than 50 experiences across five themed “worlds” – Celestial Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe.
Epic Universe will also feature the 500-room Universal Helios Grand Hotel, which will overlook the park and will feature a dedicated entrance.
Eric Marshall, senior vice-president of destination sales at Universal Destinations and Experiences, said: “It has been an amazing two weeks and we were blown away not just by the initial sales but by the engagement of our travel partners and the social media activity from fans.
“The energy has been truly incredible and that has reflected the scale of the project and our belief that it will over-deliver on every expectation.”
Alison Montague, vice-president of international sales & marketing EMEA, said preparation plans with trade partners had included “immersion sessions” in Orlando where consultation groups covered areas including preferred marketing materials and sales messages.
She also said a decision to put both 2025 and 2026 tickets on sale had been vindicated with 20% of bookings so far being for 2026.
“We have been targeting that re-engagement with a longer booking cycle for some time now and the launch of Epic Universe 2026 ticket options has really helped with that,” she said.
“We also think this will encourage a longer length of stay in our hotels, with customers spending more days in the parks, and that strength of demand is also great for the destination as it can help shape decisions on committed airlift.”
Montague confirmed plans to host trade partners including agents, ticket specialists and tour operator and airline staff in the build-up to the official opening.
Marshall said the decision to restrict Epic Universe inclusions in initial 2025 ticket options to one day were to ensure the parks did not become overcrowded and the guest experience would be “first-class”.