Epic Universe grand opening live celebration: Fireworks, stars, blue carpet

Epic Universe grand opening celebration fireworks

On the eve of the opening of Universal's Epic Universe, VIPs were treated to a grand opening celebration capped off with a spectacular fireworks show.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Epic Universe – home to Super Nintendo World, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic, Dark Universe, How To Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk, and Celestial Park – will celebrate its grand opening on Wednesday night with a star-studded blue carpet, first looks, and interviews.

Epic Universal grand opening live: Watch below

The event starts at 6 p.m. You can watch all the festivities on Universal's YouTube stream below.

"Join us on May 21 at 6 p.m. EST and be part of the Universal Epic Universe Grand Opening Celebration. Catch exciting interview moments from the Blue Carpet, get looks at all five worlds, watch a dazzling fireworks spectacle, and stick around for epic surprises throughout the stream," is how Universal describes the event.

When does Epic Universe open? What are the hours?

Epic Universe officially opens on Thursday, May 22, 2025. It has been open for the last several weeks under technical rehearsal, essentially previews for team members (Universal employees), pass holders, influencers, and VIPs.

Epic Universe Opening Day Hours:

6 a.m.: Epic Universe parking lot, ride-share drop-off area opens
6 a.m. Hotel shuttles to Epic Universe start
7 a.m.: Entrance gates at Chronos and Universal Helios Grand Hotels will open. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
8 a.m.: Brief celebratory moment to mark the theme park's opening
9 a.m.: Epic Universe opens. Opening day hours are 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Epic Universe's regular hours are typically 9 a.m. - 10 p.m., but always double-check the dates on Universal's websites as they could change.

Epic Universe address: 1001 Epic Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819

Are tickets to Epic Universe still available? How much?

Tickets to Epic Universe's opening day are completely sold out, according to Epic Universe's website. In fact, the park is sold out May 22 - May 27, 2025. Tickets are available beginning Wednesday, May 28, according to the Epic Universe website.

Tickets are still available for most dates in June, though Sundays and Mondays appear to be sold out, according to the website. All dates are open and available between June and November 2025.

One-day tickets start at $139 per person, though the price is dynamic depending on the date. As last check, there were several dates in June and July that start at $174 or $179.

There are a variety of ticket packages, depending on how many days you plan to visit Universal's theme parks and whether you're staying at a hotel. Visit UniversalOrlando.com for the latest.

Express passes are available, though pricing was not immediately available on Universal's website. It noted that express passes would be available at a later date.

There are discount tickets for Florida residents on 2-day and 3-day park packages.

Are annual passes available?

Currently, there is no annual pass that includes Epic Universe. However, those who have annual passes to Universal's Florida theme parks can get special pricing for Epic Universe.