Guests Wait 5 Hours for Harry Potter Ride at Universal’s Epic Universe on Opening Day

Magic came pinch a 5-hour hold connected Epic Universe's opening day.

Harry Potter and nan Battle astatine nan Ministry, nan biggest attraction successful nan Wizarding World - Ministry of Magic land, posted a hold clip of up to 300 minutes, aliases 5 hours, connected May 22, nan first time that Universal Orlando's caller taxable parkland was unfastened to nan public.

Fans had been lining up arsenic early arsenic 3:30 a.m. waiting for conscionable Epic Universe's parking batch to unfastened astatine 5:45. Many of those enthusiastic rope-droppers seemingly rushed correct to nan Ministry, because by 9 a.m., several outlets reported nan hold clip had deed its peak.

The Universal app showed nan thrust position arsenic "Delayed" astatine 1 constituent during nan day, indicating it had gone down for a play of time, thing that's not uncommon for nan park's astir analyzable attractions.

Later successful nan day, hold times for Battle astatine nan Ministry reportedly dropped to astir 2 and a half hours.

One X user, @epicuniverseupd, recounted waiting "5.5 hours to commencement nan time and not getting to ride" because of nan "delayed" status. Typically, erstwhile a thrust goes down for method aliases weather-related issues, guests tin enactment successful statement aliases take to exit. The personification claims to person snagged an Express lane walk later connected Thursday, but moreover that hold was 2 hours. "Another 2 hours pinch a chance of it failing again is conscionable excessively overmuch of a gamble," they wrote.

As of Friday afternoon, nan hold clip is down to conscionable 60 minutes, according to nan Universal app.

Photos shared by nan taxable parkland blog allears.net showed crowds lining up done Epic's cardinal land, Celestial Park, seemingly waiting to participate Orlando's 3rd Wizarding World, aft Hogsmeade successful Islands of Adventure, which opened successful 2010, and Diagon Alley successful Universal Studios, which opened successful 2014.

Battle astatine nan Ministry is simply a family-friendly thrill thrust that invites guests to be nan proceedings of nan treacherous erstwhile Hogwarts Headmistress Dolores Umbridge aft nan conclusion of Voldemort. It has consistently seen nan longest hold times during early previews of nan parkland and has faced a adjacent fewer impermanent method difficulties.

Opening time attendees who didn't large wind nan Ministry, however, were treated to shockingly short hold times, park-goers reported.

Even nan different thrill rides for illustration Monsters Unchained astatine Dark Universe, Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Madness astatine Super Nintendo World, and nan family coaster Hiccup's Wing Gliders astatine How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk saw lines that were only 5-20 minutes passim overmuch of nan day.

PEOPLE sewage an early look astatine each of Epic Universe during a typical property preview this week.

While Isle of Berk was nan astonishment deed pinch galore of nan media guests and Stardust Racers (the park's awesome coaster, located successful Celestial Park) was dubbed by galore arsenic nan champion ride, nan Wizarding World was consistently nan astir crowded.

Attendees clamored to get a look astatine nan magical streets of 1920s Paris, arsenic seen successful nan Fantastic Beasts films, and measurement into a full-scale recreation of nan Ministry of Magic lobby, accessed via a greenish flash of fume connected nan Metrofloo.

Thankfully nan statement for Battle astatine nan Ministry is an immaculately themed one. After passing done nan soaring atrium and ogling nan Fountain of Magical Brethren, guests snake done various areas seen successful nan films, including Umbridge's cloyingly pinkish agency complete pinch moving feline sheet portraits and occupied by 1 of nan ride's original location elf characters, who helpfully expounds connected nan plot.

Epic Universe, Universal Orlando's 4th parkland aft Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and nan Volcano Bay h2o park, was first announced successful 2019. It's building was importantly delayed by nan Covid-19 pandemic, but nan opening day of May 22, was yet announced successful October 2024.

Universal has already announced its adjacent taxable park, but it's not successful Florida aliases California. A Universal edifice will beryllium coming to nan U.K., nan announced successful April 2025. Details and an opening day are not Yet known