2025 was quite a year for Universal Orlando, as the resort opened one of the largest single expansions in its history with the opening of the Epic Universe theme park, as well as three hotels surrounding the new park. However, even as the resort has ironed out many of the kinks that come with a new theme park, from transportation to wait times to crowd flow issues and more, one question has remained unresolved: What’s going on with annual passes?

Universal Orlando Annual Pass

In my 30+ years visiting Universal Orlando, I’ve seen the resort grow from a single theme park — and a guitar-shaped Hard Rock Cafe — into the massive three-park/multi-hotel/sprawling CityWalk destination it is now. Right along with the growth has come more and more fans, including a large and dedicated group of Annual Passholders… many of whom are currently perplexed.

When Universal opened Epic Universe this past May, the park wasn’t directly available to APs, though they could get a discount on single-day tickets. At the time, many assumed that Universal was simply going to wait a few months to get operations down at the new park before opening Epic Universe to Passholders in the fall after the busy summer season. However, that didn’t happen. Instead, Universal’s message about Annual Passes has remained the same, as currently displayed on the resort’s website:

Q: Is there a Universal Epic Universe-inclusive Annual Pass?
A: More details regarding Annual Passes that include Universal Epic Universe will be announced at a later date. Although a Universal Epic Universe-inclusive Pass isn’t currently available for purchase, Passholders are currently able to purchase 1-Day Universal Epic Universe tickets at a special price.

Gate at Epic Universe

This has left Passholders in a state of flux. Many are wondering how far away that “later date” is, and whether the “Annual Passes that include Universal Epic Universe” will be any of the preexisting options or a new level of passes. So, what’s more likely, and what is Universal doing this in the first place? We have some thoughts…

Let’s begin with the latter. Universal’s reasoning is likely three-fold:

• First, while Epic has now been open for several months, the park is still very new, and about to embark on its first Holiday season, meaning that both the on-the-ground team members and overall Universal teams are still getting used to how the park works and the best way to operate each day. They likely want to lock down these procedures before opening the park to the larger Annual Passholder guest pool.
• Secondly, by limiting the park to day guests, Universal is doing its best to expose the new park to the largest group of guests possible, and giving priority to potential “one-time” guests on their first visit during a time when demand for the new park is at its highest.
• Finally, and relatedly, Universal may also be counting on the fact that when that first-time visitor demand begins to wane, they will have a large pool of Annual Passholders waiting to visit the park more frequently.

Constellation Carousel in Celestial Park

Now, on to the next question: How will Universal implement a new AP? Well, it seems like they have two main options.

The first is to add Epic Universe access as an add-on to existing pass tiers, while the second is to create a brand-new, higher-tier pass that covers all four parks. Of course, both of those options potentially create issues with current Passholders. An add-on likely means those existing Passholders would need to pay extra on top of what they’re already paying, while a new higher-tier pass could make Epic Universe feel like a luxury option, leaving some Passholders feeling priced out.

Dragon Racer’s Rally

Given the massive costs invested into Epic Universe, it seems obvious that whichever option Universal goes with, prices will be significantly higher than what Passholders are currently used to. In addition, many have questions about how other perks — including free parking, hotel discounts, and Universal Express might differ across tiers — could be different across potential new tier levels.

Dark Universe in Epic Universe

There are signs that Universal may be making some kind of change soon, given that Universal has already set an expiration date on its current Passholder Perks: December 31st, 2025. Meaning that, a new structure — potentially including Epic Universe and corresponding higher price points — could be in place in early 2026.

Super Nintendo World

So, what’s a Passholder to do? It might be wise to play the waiting game for the next few weeks. If your pass is set to renew in late 2025, it might be worth waiting to see what Universal announces for 2026 before locking yourself in. If and when that announcement does come, go deep on the perks, as some previous benefits could shift if and when Epic Universe is included. Finally, as much as it pains us to say, plan to pay more for Epic access. Whether it’s an add-on or a new tier, Universal will likely use Epic Universe access as a premium selling point.

Wizarding Paris

Universal’s Annual Pass program looks to be on the verge of changing forever, as Epic Universe — and likely increased prices along with it — seem poised to upend the program. However, until then, Passholders are in a state of flux. Stay tuned to DFB for more on potential Universal Annual Pass changes.

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Are you a Universal Annual Passholder? How are you preparing for potential changes to include Epic Universe? Let us know in the comments below.