Epic or Island of adventures?

Question

Good morning, its our first time in Orlando with our 10y old son. We want to visit one park and not sure which one to pick- is epic or island of adventure better? What are waiting times in island of adventure now? I know epic can be long. Thanks

Answer

That’s a great question — choosing between Epic Universe and Islands of Adventure (IoA) for your first trip with a 10-year-old depends a lot on what kind of rides and experiences your family prefers. Here’s a breakdown of both, plus an analysis of wait times and what real people are saying to help you decide.

1. Key Differences Between Epic Universe and Islands of Adventure

Islands of Adventure (IoA):

Classic Universal feel with strong themed lands — Hogsmeade / Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Marvel, Seuss, and more.
Rides appeal to a wide age range: coasters like the Hulk, family coasters, water rides, and more kid-friendly areas (Seuss Landing, Jurassic Park).
Strong lineup of immersive dark rides (Harry Potter, Spider-Man) which are great for a 10-year-old.
More predictability in terms of ride choice and familiarity — lots of “must do” classics for Universal fans.

Epic Universe:

Brand new park (opened 2025) with five lands: Wizarding World (Ministry of Magic), How to Train Your Dragon, Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, and more. People say it’s very immersive.
Includes a lot of “new IP” rides: interactive, high-concept attractions that feel cutting-edge. According to early visitors, lines for some of the biggest rides (like Hiccup’s Wing Gliders) were pretty long during previews.
Because it’s new, there’s more “wow factor,” but possibly less re-ride value in the very first year (fewer established classics). Some folks say the rides are newer but the capacity / throughput makes lines grow.
More “Instagram / themed” moments — great if you want photo ops, themed food, and exploring new lands.

2. Current Wait Times at Islands of Adventure

Here’s what the current (or recent) wait-time data looks like for IoA:

According to ThemeParkIQ, the average wait time for all rides at IoA is around 35 minutes.
Specific rides can be much longer: for example, Queue-Times shows:
- Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure — ~178 minutes on a recent busy day
- VelociCoaster — ~106 minutes
- More moderate rides: Spider-Man ~26 min, Hulk ~28 min, Harry Potter Forbidden Journey ~22 min.
Thrill-Data’s crowd calendar suggests that average daily wait times at IoA tend to be around 30 minutes on typical days, with peaks up to ~68 minutes on the busiest days.

3. What Real Guests Say (Reddit Insight)

Several visitors strongly recommend Islands of Adventure for a 10-year-old, especially if they like thrill rides and classic Universal themes: > “If you want to prioritize the quantity of rides you get to do … then I would suggest Islands of Adventure … it has the more thrilling rides … and lower wait times.”
On Epic Universe: > “Epic is the better park by far imo … but … if you have never been take Islands now and visit Epic later.”
Concerns about wait times are common: > “What happened to the crazy low Epic wait times!? … [now] Curse seems like … line can balloon quickly.”

4. My Recommendation Based on Your Situation (with a 10-year-old)

Given that this is your first time in Orlando, and you’re doing just one park, here’s what I lean toward: Islands of Adventure.

It offers a great mix of high-thrill rides and family-friendly attractions that are likely to excite a 10-year-old without being overwhelming.
While peak rides like Hagrid’s and Velocioster have very long waits, you can prioritize them early or use a paid line-skipping option if available.
There’s more “classic Universal” in IoA, which makes it feel like you’re getting the traditional Universal experience rather than betting everything on a brand-new park where ride capacity and crowds might still be stabilizing.

Tips if You Pick Islands of Adventure:

Arrive at park opening (“rope drop”) — use the first 1–2 hours for the most popular rides (Hagrid’s, VelociCoaster, Forbidden Journey).
Use the Universal app to track wait times in real time and plan to hit less-crowded rides in mid-day when lines shift.
If your budget allows, consider an Express Pass or some form of skip-the-line option to maximize ride count.

If you’re more interested in “brand new, highly themed lands” (Nintendo, new wizarding stuff, dragon rides) and don’t mind possibly very long waits, Epic Universe is exciting — but for a reliable, all-around great park with a 10-year-old, Islands of Adventure is probably the safer and more rewarding pick for one day.

Epic or Island of adventures?

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