I was worried that having such a short window would be fruitless (or toothless), but Universal’s Epic Universe delivered in the time before my 4:30 PM flight.

Step 1 – Nintendo World: Mario Kart” Bowser’s Challenge, Yoshi’s Adventure (10:15 AM)

In the blinding sun on Yoshi.

The plan was to single rider Mine-Cart Madness and be off by 11:00. Anyone who has been to this park just got a nice little chuckle… the single rider line is often just as long, and the ride breaks down a good amount.

I opted to single rider Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge instead. This ride gets mixed reviews, and I think it comes down to if you are obsessed with Mario Kart or not. I memorized all of the Wii courses including mirror mode, so I was moved to tears like people say after riding Flight of Passage. However, the common critiques of this ride are equally valid. For one, I forgot about the game element until the end. And second… speed it UP!

Yoshi’s Adventure was cute, and would be cuter if I had a child, and it wasn’t 99 degrees, and I had affinity for the Yoshi specific aspect of Mario. I know that’s many peoples guy but… I am a Toad girl, and what they did to Toadettes voice in this queue is a crime.

Step 2 – Darkmoor: Monsters Unchained (11:30 AM)

Thank goodness it is, but there is no reason Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment should be practically walk on. This should have people lining up all through the land like Hagrid’s. I typically am okay with theme park spoilers but am opting to keep my mouth shut for this one. Make sure you look out for the Phantom of the Opera cameo, though!

Since my visit was short, I didn’t explore Darkmoor, but did see the violinist and am glad I got a glimpse into this worldbuilding. My return visit will have a heavy focus on this portal, particularly the restaurants and night atmosphere (more on that later).

Step 3 – Isle of Berk: The Untrainable Dragon (12:45 PM)

My one disappointment on this trip.

We are not a theme park show family. These actors are incredibly talented, we just aren’t the target audience. We decided to see this show to get an up-close glimpse of Toothless with no time for the meet and greet… but our best friend was down for maintenance. Hiccup entered on foot instead of on dragon, and the show still was wildly impressive with talented singers, percussionists (!!!) and puppetry… but missing the showstopper with only so much time in my day was a bit of a downer.

tomato sauce, grilled artichokes, Divina® tomato, roasted peppers, Castelvetrano olives, arugula

Step 4 – Celestial Park (1:15 PM)

A common critique of this park: it basically shuts down for rain. We walked past Stardust Racers when we saw the clouds form and just had a feeling, barely making it to Pizza Moon before a monsoon level storm drove what felt like every single guest in the resort into the building.

But things happen for a reason. I wanted a coaster credit and instead had the best lunch ever.

You know what’s rare? An in-park, non-table service food that I will crave. You guys, my dreams are made of the Harvest Moon pizza. It was essentially cheese-less (toothless) which is a huge plus for me but may deter others.

Step 5 – Closing thoughts and heading to MCO (2:30 PM)

If you’re reading this, you’re likely in a situation where only a short visit is possible around a conference, flight, or family commitment. So, should you do it?

Honestly, I think yes. If Toothless had been working during The Untrainable Dragon, I would have checked off four of the most popular experiences in the park, plus gotten lunch and some treats on the way out. The crowds were shockingly manageable, and with just a little bit of research, you can prioritize what you want to experience and plan around it.

It helps if your priority was Monsters Unchained and/or you are okay with single rider, though. If I was going to the park with dreams of Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, I may change my tune (but you can view that wild lobby without riding!)

The coverage from theme park journalists I trust with my life is that I did this park exactly wrong. Epic Universe is meant for nighttime viewing – things like the spooky atmosphere of Dark Universe or the lighting package in Celestial Park are supposed to be world class.

But Epic Universe did what it needed to do on a short visit: hook me. I was only teased with what this campus has to offer and am more motivated to plan a trip now than I was before.

Toothless, get those wings up, I’ll be back soon.