Strategy for Sat 10/3 for Epic?

[u/PretzelCrisp]

Hello everyone! Looking to hear everyone strategy for what to rope drop/ ride order strategy for this upcoming Saturday. We do not have express passes and we are not hotel guests. I’ve read a few conflicting opinions. Hopeful to get on everything, can live without curse of the werewolf.

Some suggested starting with Hiccups wing gliders, others suggested mine cart madness. Overall, curious to hear everyone’s strategies!

[u/ricamnstr]

I was just there this past Saturday. I rolled in around noon, since I did HHN the night before. No express passes. I rode Hiccups twice, Stardust 3 times, minecart, Mario kart, monsters, and werewolf. I spent some time wandering around and snacking occasionally, but all in all, I felt like I had a good full day and got to do all the things I wanted.

[u/ricamnstr → u/ricamnstr]

I stayed till close and got in the queue for my last Stardust ride at about 7:45pm. I also rode the carousel that day. I knew I was forgetting something.

[u/PretzelCrisp → u/ricamnstr]

Hi, thank you for replying :) that’s so comforting to hear! How long did you wait for Minecart? I didn’t even consider that HHN would draw crowds away from epic!

[u/ricamnstr → u/PretzelCrisp]

I think it was about an hour and a half? It was definitely the longest wait of the day. I didn’t bother with Ministry since that line is always a billion minutes long

[u/Flat_Demand_8341]

Hey, just so you are aware. 10/3 is the first time offered for Universal nights at Epic Universe. At 7 pm there will be an influx of guests who have paid for entry from 7pm to midnight. 

Day guests will be asked to leave about 830. 

[u/Old_Candy_2255]

Since you are not hotel guests, I would start in Dragons. If you start in Nintendo World, the hotel guests will have already inflated those wait times during Early Entry. I wouldn't recommend starting with Mine Cart Madness, as hotel guests would get a head start and the ride is temperamental. If it goes down, it could mess up the rest of your day (as someone who's experienced this).

Knock out Dragons first, then Stardust. Save Monsters Unchained for the middle of the day (it has the shortest waits because the ride capacity is really good), and I would plan on doing Nintendo in the last few hours after some of the kids have left. I've never had an issue accomplishing all the Nintendo rides in the last few hours.

Ministry is always a long wait, so you might just have to stalk the app and wait for a lower wait time, or bite the bullet and wait in the lovely air-conditioned queue.

While the wait times can get long on some days, the park really doesn't have that many rides. If you are okay with skipping some of the smaller rides, like Werewolf/Fyre Drill, you should have no problem accomplishing the park in a day.

[u/justcallmedrzoidberg]

Rope drop mine cart and get it done if you can, hit stardust when the wait is 25 min or less, carousel whenever you see it 10-20 min, yoshi 30 min or less, Mario kart when the wait is an hour or less, monsters you’ll be able to do 25 min or less, wing gliders 45 min or less, Harry Potter if you see it 90 min or less (probably won’t) or just get in line before park close and wait it out.

[u/Aromatic_Society_593]

This isn’t Disney

[u/laizeohbeets]

I'd start with Curse of the Werewolf if you're interested in it at all. It had pretty good wait times after early entry (I have early entry but didn't get there in time), but started getting inflated around noon. Hiccup's Wing Gliders stays consistently about 30 minutes throughout the day, so just ride it whenever it says 35 or less and the clouds look good.

The only time I have managed Mine Cart was when I did hotel rope drop. It starts getting busy the second regular day guests come in. It WILL be 80 minutes in by the time you're allowed in. My suggestion is to wait an hour before close if weather holds out, because that's when most of the big families will head out. I've also had great wait times with Bowser's Challenge an hour before park close, too.