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ORLANDO, Fla. - One of the "must ride" roller coasters at Universal's Epic Universe theme park has been closed for three weeks – and it looks like the ride is going to be down for a few more weeks.
Stardust Racers closed on Feb. 19 for maintenance, a spokesperson told FOX 35. It had an initial planned reopening date, which has now been extended through at least April 5, which is another three weeks.
Why is Stardust Racers closed for so long?
What they're saying:
"Stardust Racers is undergoing its first annual planned inspection and maintenance process. We are efficiently completing the work all at once and are also making additional capacity and throughput enhancements, which is extending the temporary closure period."
FOX 35 has learned that part of the additional capacity involves the queue.
When is it scheduled to reopen?
A spokesperson said the ride is anticipated to be closed through at least April 5. An opening date has not yet been announced or confirmed.
What is Stardust Racers?
Stardust Racers is a dual-launch coaster where guests race against each other across 5,000-feet of track, reaching heights up to 133 feet and up to 62 mph. It's part of Epic Universe's Celestial Park.
Here is how Universal describes Stardust Racers:
"Share a race across the cosmos on Stardust Racers, a breathtaking, dual-launch coaster reaching incredible speeds up to 62 mph. Board a comet and rocket to the furthest reaches of the stars, at heights up to 133 feet along 5,000 feet of track. Race along an inverted crisscross, known as the ‘Celestial Spin’ in a dazzling display of blazing colors and ethereal music."
About Epic Universe
Epic Universe is Universal's newest and fourth theme park in Florida, featuring five distinct themed "worlds": Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic, How To Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk and Celestial Park.
It opened on May 22, 2025, becoming the newest major theme park to open in Central Florida in several years. Universal has two other theme parks – Universal Orlando Studios and Universal's Islands of Adventure – and the Volcano Bay waterpark.
Extended closures before
It's not uncommon for an attraction, ride, or coaster to go down for maintenance, inspections, or other safety reasons. Some go down for a few minutes, hours, while others require the downtime to be days, weeks, or months.
Stardust Racers closed several weeks after the death of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala, 32, who became unresponsive while on the ride. Officials ruled Zavala's death as accidental. Zavala's family settled with Universal. Universal said its investigations found no fault with the ride or its operations on the day of Zavala's death.
In January, the ride stalled amid unseasonably cold temperatures in Orlando, which closed the ride for a while.
The Source: Universal issued a statement to FOX 35 on March 12, 2026, about the extended closure of Stardust Racers. Additional details about the theme park and the ride pulled from Epic Universe's website and previous FOX 35 reporting.