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On the same day that Universal’s freshly launched Epic Universe had a bustling grand opening, drawing a full house, Disney World’s Magic Kingdom experienced an unexpected tranquility. This was clearly evident on a popular channel within the theme park community, as Jay, more famously known as Drunk3PO from Park Hoppin’ YouTube channel, decided to spend his day at Magic Kingdom instead of joining the festivities at Epic Universe. Meanwhile, the rest of the Park Hoppin’ crew was enjoying themselves at Epic!

Instead of the usual busy scene typical before holidays, it was more like a relaxed Thursday as we approached Memorial Day Weekend, which was quite unexpected.

In a video shared on Park Hoppin’, viewers commented on short queues, peaceful pathways, and an unexpectedly low number of people, causing surprise among them.

Jay just entered, he hasn’t reached Main Street yet. He remarked that it’s quite subpar,” said Jay. “Since it’s Thursday, they typically aren’t very busy, but let’s head towards the castle instead.

11:30 a.m. video by Jay reveals an almost deserted entrance square, where Cast Members are stationed outside the gates in anticipation of arriving visitors. Popular attractions such as Haunted Mansion had wait times of 35 minutes, while Tomorrowland Speedway stood at 15 minutes. Even fan favorites like Space Mountain and Tron Lightcycle Run, typically the most crowded, displayed wait times significantly lower than their usual peak.

Tron’s posted wait was 65 minutes, a time that Park Hoppin’ cast some doubt on.

Jay clarified, “Regardless of how few people are at the park, the waiting time for this particular ride is usually between 60 and 65 minutes.” He added, “I can’t explain why it takes so long, but I assure you that such a wait time is fantastic because I promise you won’t have to wait 65 minutes just to ride this ride.

While it’s not entirely fair to blame Magic Kingdom’s low attendance solely on Epic Universe, it seems that Universal’s new theme park might have been fully booked for the day. Yet, an aerial view during midday showed that their vast parking lot was far from full, suggesting they may have limited the number of visitors intentionally – perhaps to maintain smooth operations on its opening day.

Aerial look at guest parking at about noon on Grand Opening day of Epic Universe.

Universal Studios is temporarily restricting ticket purchases to analyze guest behavior within the park. At present, the majority of visitors are guests staying at one of the 11 Universal Resort hotels.

Easier to fix problems now. Add day guest ticket sales later.

— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) May 22, 2025

It’s important to mention that numerous visitors were residing at Universal’s on-site accommodations, including the recently built Helios Grand. This could potentially account for some of the vacant spaces in the parking lot. However, the sparse attendance at Magic Kingdom indicates that the opening of Epic Universe might not be the sole factor contributing to a quiet day at Disney’s main park.

Regardless of fewer visitors, Magic Kingdom is gearing up for the forthcoming Lilo & Stitch promotional event. The Park Hoppin’ has been displaying themed merchandise throughout the shops – from a Rachel Zegler doll priced at $150 to a $75 Empire Strikes Back jersey.

On Memorial Day, only a few days after, Park Place was present at the Magic Kingdom, and they encountered relatively light attendees as well.

It’s uncertain yet if this change indicates a move of tourism from Disney to Universal with their growing lineup. However, with Epic Universe unveiling more attractions, it’s evident that the competition for Orlando’s theme park supremacy is now underway.

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2025-05-29 00:56