🌎 This Week At Universal

Making your Universal Orlando trips smarter, one email at a time.

In this edition you'll find:

• Is LOTR coming to Universal?

• Epic Universe popups on the east coast

• Passholder perk details for Epic Universe

• and more!

🗞️ Recent News

LOTR coming to the new U.K. park?

There's been a rumor floating around that the Lord of the Rings franchise could be coming to the new Universal Park in the UK. From what I understand, this is just a rumor and it's not completely confirmed yet.

It was originally published by the BBC, but there hasn't been any solid confirmation. While I'm super excited about the potential of Lord of the Rings coming to the UK (I think it would be a fantastic fit), obviously it is an awesome IP to play with, especially with Universal's track record of making everything so immersive. I'm still on the fence about it until we get some solid confirmation.

A little bit of Epic Universe is coming to a city near you

As part of the promotion for Epic Universe, Universal is bringing a little bit of Epic Universe to a few cities on the East Coast from now until June 18th.

I'll list the exact dates below for you, but it's already visited Atlanta and the next stop is Rockefeller Center in New York.

Basically what this is, is they set up a big Chronos that's similar to the Chronos that is at the opening gate of Epic Universe and it's just a little photo op opportunity and you can also sign up for the Epic Universe sweepstakes while you are there.

• April 11-13: Atlanta, Georgia (Pemberton Place, adjacent to World of Coca-Cola)

• April 23-26: New York, New York (Rockefeller Center)

• May 16-18: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (The Rocky Steps)

• June 13-18: Chicago, Illinois (Pioneer Court)

Epic Universe passholder perks just dropped

Universal just released their Passholder perks for Epic Universe, and spoiler alert, it's basically the exact same perks that passholders are already getting at the other parks. With one caveat: there is no after-4pm Express Pass for the Premier Pass holders.

Personally, I think this sucks for Premier pass holders. I’ve been one in the past and one of the bigger perks is the after 4PM express (that and the free valet). Considering how expensive the Premier pass is in comparison to the Preferred pass (it’s a couple hundred $$$ jump up in price), it sucks. But, i’m sure they are doing it because they want to either sell more express passes for Epic Universe (que scrooge mcduck gif lol) or they just want less people in the express lines because they expect them to already be crazy long.

If you want to check out the full list of all of the benefits, it's a little long, so I'll just link you to it here!

BONUS: Universal just announced the return of the Hogwarts Always show

Just as I was about to hit send on this email, Universal dropped a video trailer announcing the return of the iconic Hogwarts Always firework show that has been on hold for quite a while now!

If you’re interested in viewing it (I highly recommend it) you can view the calendar to see which days it will be showing here.

It’s an awesome firework + projection mapped show that plays on Hogwarts castle roughly every 20 minutes after dusk until the closing of the park.

🚧 Upcoming Ride Closures

Islands of Adventure

• The Nighttime Lights At Hogwarts™ Castle

☀️ Weather

Planning your Universal Orlando trip? Here's your weekly weather outlook so you can pack accordingly!

Tuesday, April 15
Partly sunny and pleasant; breezy this afternoon.
High: 86°F Low: 65°F​

Wednesday, April 16
Beautiful with plenty of sun; unusually dry weather will continue; elevated fire risk.
High: 83°F Low: 59°F​

Thursday, April 17
Delightful with plenty of sunshine.
High: 84°F Low: 63°F​

Friday, April 18
Delightful with plenty of sunshine.
High: 87°F Low: 65°F​

Saturday, April 19
Sunny and pleasant.
High: 88°F Low: 65°F​

Sunday, April 20
Comfortable with times of clouds and sun.
High: 87°F Low: 68°F​

Monday, April 21
Sun through high clouds and warm.
High: 90°F Low: 67°F​

👥 Crowds & Park Hours

Smart Tips for Beating the Crowds (April 15–30, 2025)

With most days in this two-week stretch marked as Busy (🔴)—especially around weekends—planning ahead will make a huge difference in your Universal experience. Here's how to get the most out of your visit:

Arrive Early: Gates usually open before the posted time, and Early Park Admission (EPA) guests can often enter an hour early. Rope drop is your best friend!

Use EPA if You Can: If you're staying at a Universal hotel or have eligible tickets, take full advantage of Early Park Admission to knock out top rides before crowds build.

Target Midweek Visits: April 23, 25, 27–30 show Moderate (🟡) crowd levels—these are ideal days to go if you can swing it.

Avoid Saturdays (Apr 19 & 26): Saturdays are among the busiest—lines for headliners will be long all day.

Get Express Passes (if budget allows): Especially helpful from April 15–22 when crowds are consistently heavy.

Start at IOA, then hop to USF: Islands of Adventure tends to fill up faster. Knock out Hagrid’s and VelociCoaster early, then switch parks around mid-day.

Use Mobile Ordering: Save time at quick-service locations by placing your food orders ahead in the Universal app.

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