Universal Nights at Epic Universe

[Captain Spaulding]

If we're doing apples-to-apples, you have to include the price of Express ($260 on the 3rd) and the assumed cost of snacks/drink (let's assume $25).

So, does 5 hours at $170 have better value for people than a full day at $455?



I guess I don't understand this point, since the park is usually open until 9 or 10 p. If Universal starts cutting regular hours to sell the after-hours tickets and closing at 6 or 7p, then I'd agree.

Your comparison is not accurate either. Every ride can have a full queue at 9pm, therefore you have short lines from ~10-12. So to do every ride you are running form land to land trying to get everything done and not even enjoying the only reason I see to do this, enjoying the nighttime vibes.
Plus what time does the new nighttime show start, 9? So CP will be jam packed until ~10.
Smart touring eliminates a need for express as well.

 

[Brian G.]

Your comparison is not accurate either. Every ride can have a full queue at 9pm, therefore you have short lines from ~10-12. So to do every ride you are running form land to land trying to get everything done and not even enjoying the only reason I see to do this, enjoying the nighttime vibes.
Plus what time does the new nighttime show start, 9? So CP will be jam packed until ~10.
Smart touring eliminates a need for express as well.

That's based on a lot of assumptions. Not everyone is trying to check off every ride, and not everyone wants to spend all day optimizing a touring plan. For a lot of guests, paying for shorter waits and a more relaxed experience is the whole point.

 

[OrlandoGuy]

I think it’s great to test out new offerings to find that perfect cross-section between what resonates with people/what can generate incremental revenue. While I think this is too steep for me personally, I do think the Disney-fication of Universal (specifically post-Epic) continues to be really interesting…

[ x ] $1,000+/night hotel rooms
[ x ] Seasonal food-based events in place of quality CAPEX
[ x ] Single-use paid skip-the-line passes
[ x ] Uber-marked-up limited edition merch roll-outs
[ x ] Expensive after-hours events
[ ] Roll-back of resort benefits
[ ] Quarterly financial planning-friendly construction schedules

Not quite there yet, but not quite as punk rock as they were with just the two parks (and the former leadership team)

 

[Jerroddragon]

Your comparison is not accurate either. Every ride can have a full queue at 9pm, therefore you have short lines from ~10-12. So to do every ride you are running form land to land trying to get everything done and not even enjoying the only reason I see to do this, enjoying the nighttime vibes.
Plus what time does the new nighttime show start, 9? So CP will be jam packed until ~10.
Smart touring eliminates a need for express as well.

This is a good point

There are only 2 real hours when normal guests are gone correct?

Also by the logic if others say its already slow at night...then why not just have the park open until 11 and crowds will be low anyway?

For me the Food is the biggest Joke, lets me this ticket cost 100 bucks. Would it really cost most people in 5 hours more then 80 Dollars to buy food and drinks on its own?
How much are cups 30 or under right? Then 50 dollars in food thats like a lot....to me this is bundle pricing your forcing crap most people don't need and you could just offer it lower and people buy food if they want it and if not go ride rides the entire time plus people who have a ticket can stay, it just would be the bigger win for everyone because those who want to spend 80 dollars in food and do it if they want and then normal people can still come in on a cheaper ticket

 

[DOOMBOT]

Curious to see how this actually does. I don't personally see the point or appeal. That first DHS Jollywood Nights was totally overpriced, but my friend and I had a pretty good time still because of the multiple unique show offerings, the many exclusive meet & greets, on top of an empty and seasonally dressed park.

Is this going to be just the standard park with some free food? Again, to each their own, but this just has no bite to me.

Maybe we'll get more announcements like M&G Victoria, Yoshi, Major Lolli, Doc Brown in a Celestial Park getup, a unique LED lighting profile for the park, or a unique stage or lagoon show offering somewhere as we get closer to the dates. Even just a couple of those would make this all make a lot more sense.

 

[Mad Dog]

This really doesn't matter to me. I won't use it and I only think it'll work during certain times of the year. But what the heck, let Universal throw it against the wall, and if it sticks, good for alternative revenue which Epic (Universal Orlando) is really going to need with the newness wearing off. If it doesn't work, move on to another revenue idea. Epic needs a lot of investment into new indoor attractions to become a complete park. Epic is really going to have to show that it can increase their share of the Orlando resort's revenue/profits.

And now those 2026 third quarter and fourth quarter comparisons will be popping up. Those will be true revenue comparisons since Epic was fully open during those months in 2025. Those numbers will be interesting. Universal Orlando is going to need a strong HHN and Holiday season to show an increase over the 2025 numbers. So, it behooves Universal management to come up with some new revenue sources for these next six months.

And with the spin off looming in the future, there's always possible management reorganizations/changes across the company spectrum.

 

[Brian G.]

I think it’s great to test out new offerings to find that perfect cross-section between what resonates with people/what can generate incremental revenue. While I think this is too steep for me personally, I do think the Disney-fication of Universal (specifically post-Epic) continues to be really interesting…

[ ] Roll-back of resort benefits

There's still A LOT of value at Universal, despite some higher costs, but this will be the breaking point. I LOVE my Valet perk.

There are only 2 real hours when normal guests are gone correct?

There will probably be some guests finishing out their day after 9, but that doesn't suddenly make the event start at 10. The park stops admitting day guests at 9, and from then on, the crowd only keeps going down as people leave.

Also by the logic if others say its already slow at night...then why not just have the park open until 11 and crowds will be low anyway?

For me the Food is the biggest Joke, lets me this ticket cost 100 bucks. Would it really cost most people in 5 hours more then 80 Dollars to buy food and drinks on its own?
How much are cups 30 or under right? Then 50 dollars in food thats like a lot....to me this is bundle pricing your forcing crap most people don't need and you could just offer it lower and people buy food if they want it and if not go ride rides the entire time plus people who have a ticket can stay, it just would be the bigger win for everyone because those who want to spend 80 dollars in food and do it if they want and then normal people can still come in on a cheaper ticket

This goes back to my original point: you're describing the product you'd rather buy, not necessarily the one Universal is trying to sell.

A twilight ticket with optional food might absolutely appeal to you, but that's not the same as a limited-capacity after-hours event.

Not everyone wants to spend an entire day at the park just to enjoy it at night. Some people would rather show up at 7, have what amounts to an implied Express because of the lower attendance, not think about paying for food or drinks, and enjoy a few hours in the park.

You keep coming back to the food, but I don't think anyone is saying the food alone is worth $80. It's part of the overall package. The value comes from the combination of lower crowds, nighttime atmosphere, included refreshments, and the shorter event format.

It's completely fair to say, "That's not worth $170 to me." I just don't think that automatically means Universal should've built a different product instead.

Either way, if you want access to the park during those hours, it's $170. The difference is what you're getting for that $170, and whether you value those extras. That's really all this comes down to.

 

[DOOMBOT]

This really doesn't matter to me. I won't use it and I only think it'll work during certain times of the year. But what the heck, let Universal throw it against the wall, and if it sticks, good for alternative revenue which Epic (Universal Orlando) is really going to need with the newness wearing off. If it doesn't work, move on to another revenue idea. Epic needs a lot of investment into new indoor attractions to become a complete park. Epic is really going to have to show that it can increase their share of the Orlando resort's revenue/profits.

And now those 2026 third quarter and fourth quarter comparisons will be popping up. Those will be true revenue comparisons since Epic was fully open during those months in 2025. Those numbers will be interesting. Universal Orland is going to need a strong HHN and Holiday season to show an increase over the 2025 numbers. So, it behooves Universal management to come up with some new revenue sources for these next six months.

Yeah it's easy to forget that we're still in uncharted territory in seeing how a new theme park fairs in today's world. The most recent stateside comparisons (IoA, DCA, DAK) might as well be in a totally different geological strata. 20 years is a long time for this industry.

We can only hope that Epic shows much better ROI than any of those parks did in their first few years.

 

[Allison]

I’ve been to many After Hours events at Disney and if this is anything like those then I’m sold & hoping to get tickets because it’s always been a great time and 100% worth the cost for me!

 

[ReelJustice]

This thread is the poster child for “the internet is not real life.”

There is certainly value in this. You could be at Epic for two regular days and still not have the fun time you’d have in these 5 hours.

 

[pumpkinbot343]

Attednance is capped, snacks are offered, free Coke Freestyle. All attractions are openn. None of those things are true with HHN.

THIS IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR "BEING OPEN LATER" THIS IS A SPEARATE PRODUCT. Are you trying to be deliberately obtuse here.

No need to go there…

 

[theblueblurr]

I've always found value in tickets like this. The first time I took my wife to Disney World, we had day tickets to Magic Kingdom, plus the after hours ticket that followed that same day. It removed all thinking, planning or worry because during day hours we were able to focus on a handful of attractions, shopping and dining. Then, once the after hours ticket kicked in and the park emptied out, we were able to ride the heavy hitters with no effort (or in some cases, do them again), as well as enjoy the freebies like snacks and such.

Assuming Epic Universe is open beforehand, I see no reason why this event would be any different. As someone who would use a ticket like this on the same day as a day ticket, it sort of just feels like a "+3 hours to your park day, night time, express pass unlimited with snacks included" for a cheaper price than paying for Express itself.

Last time we went to Epic Universe, we did two days and had Express for both and it still felt like a struggle trying to see everything, but in fairness, we were trying to experience everything (food included!) and we kept getting met with bad weather or breakdowns. Experiencing everything gives one the knowledge of what's worth doing or skipping for next time. -and I feel like for the folks who already know what they want to do in this park, this ticket option would be awesome. Though I don't think it would an answer for someone who is trying to do it all for the first time.

 

[david10225]

Your comparison is not accurate either. Every ride can have a full queue at 9pm, therefore you have short lines from ~10-12. So to do every ride you are running form land to land trying to get everything done and not even enjoying the only reason I see to do this, enjoying the nighttime vibes.
Plus what time does the new nighttime show start, 9? So CP will be jam packed until ~10.
Smart touring eliminates a need for express as well.

I think the apples to apples comparison is the website that regularly buys out the park. I don't think I can mention it's name but I'm sure you know what mean. I've been to a couple of their events and had a great time. Usually 2 hours with the general population then 5.5 hours just for the ticked event. Much more variety of foods too but of course at a higher price.

I will look to going down for this event but not for the first one since it will likely be more crowded.

On a related note, I would assume no shows during the extra hours so that means 10 rides in 5 hours ( I don't count Yoshi) or 9 if the viking boat water ride isn't running. I think that's doable if the crowds are minimal.

 

[DOOMBOT]

I’ve been to many After Hours events at Disney and if this is anything like those then I’m sold & hoping to get tickets because it’s always been a great time and 100% worth the cost for me!

This thread is the poster child for “the internet is not real life.”

There is certainly value in this. You could be at Epic for two regular days and still not have the fun time you’d have in these 5 hours.

Ah, yeah. I get it now.

For someone going for their first or third time ever, or even just popping in for a rare Epic day, this would be a pretty good way to guarantee a great experience. That's the appeal: getting rid of Epic's innate unpredictability. That is actually sorta great.

Even if it is only a few hours, this probably will be one of the best ways to experience Epic's standard offerings at this point in time. No harsh sun or heat, low crowds and short lines, Epic's beautiful nighttime lighting package being the default state of the park, and some free food offerings. When you put it like that, that would probably be a good time. It essentially nixes all of Epic's glaring issues at their root (Lack of shade and indoor rides, exceedingly high wait times for nearly every ride, dense crowd levels especially in certain areas like SNW).

That said, it doesn't do much to negate ride breakdowns and rain / lightning contingencies. Those could still be killers if a number of big attractions and shows like Mine Cart, Ministry, Cirque, and Unchained are in bad operating states, or if we see an October season like we did in 2024 with torrential downpours almost every night. Those will simply be what they'll be until Ops can figure things out and the indoor Bride, Broom, Luigi rides are added into the mix.

Even with just a couple of major factors in your favor though, this would likely offer a pretty consistently enjoyable experience, which isn't necessarily the case for the standard park. It isn't flashy and it doesn't have much exclusive or new to get me to join in, but that's probably not what it's going for.

 

[david10225]

It will be interesting to see how Universal's facial recognition system works with every single person showing up at 7 pm. I'm picturing quite a queue to enter the.park

 

[Brian G.]

I think the apples to apples comparison is the website that regularly buys out the park. I don't think I can mention it's name but I'm sure you know what mean. I've been to a couple of their events and had a great time. Usually 2 hours with the general population then 5.5 hours just for the ticked event. Much more variety of foods too but of course at a higher price.

You can mention their name!

Ah, yeah. I get it now.

For someone going for their first or third time ever, or even just popping in for a rare Epic day, this would be a pretty good way to guarantee a great experience. That's the appeal: getting rid of Epic's innate unpredictability. That is actually sorta great.

Precisely! My best friend is not a theme park person and hates crowds, but will only go to Universal during OI meetups. He would undoubtedly be interested in this for his first Epic visit.

 

[david10225]

Last comparison... My Mickeys Halloween party tickets in August cost me $129.00 .
Gets me in at 4 pm, park closes to day guests at 6 and goes till midnight. No food or drink though but a ton of attractions open..Im guessing bigger crowds though..

 

[Parkscope Joe]

It will be interesting to see how Universal's facial recognition system works with every single person showing up at 7 pm. I'm picturing quite a queue to enter the.park

I mean, they do it in the morning fine.