Is the Power-Up Band Worth it at Epic Universe

If you are planning a trip to Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort, you might be considering whether you want to invest in Power-Up Bands for your travel party. Here is our honest review of whether Power-Up Bands are worth it at Epic Universe in Universal, along with a Power-Up Band hack to help you stretch your dollar.

What is a Power-Up Band

Power-Up Bands are special Mario-themed arm bands that you can use to enhance your experience at Epic Universe at Universal Orlando Resort. You may have seen them on Universal’s website or on social media.

Power-Up Bands allow guests visiting Epic Universe to participate in interactive activities at SUPER NINTENDO WORLD. Not only can you punch bricks to collect coins, but you can also collect Keys to unlock a special experience!

Currently, guests can select from 8 designs. You can choose: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Daisy, Yoshi, Toad, Donkey Kong, etc.

Each band comes with a slider to hold it in place and prevent it from falling off. It also comes with a park map to show you where you can play!

Of course, Power-up bands are relatively pricey at $40.00 each. With so many other potential add-ons and experiences at Universal, some people might wonder whether the Power-Up Bands are truly worth the splurge. And, we have answers for you!

What Can You Do With a Power-Up Band

Essentially, the Power-Up Band enables various fun interactions with Super Nintendo World in the Epic Universe. It allows users to collect digital coins as well as stamps marking achievements. Of course, all of these achievements are trackable within the Universal App.

Not only can you track your own progress, but you can also track everyone in your party. The app also gives you access to a leaderboard for each team associated with the powerband you select. And, you can also see the top users each day.

If you want to interact with the theme park, a Power-up band may be worth the splurge. It gives you a chance to play in the land as if you were part of a video game!

In fact, if you play your cards right, you can become part of a special video game. You must gain access to enter Bowser Jr.’s hideout to play the Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown.

In order to do this, you must earn at least 3 keys in Super Nintendo World. The keys can be earned by winning one of the special challenges around the portal.

These games are: Goomba Crazy Crank, Koopa Troopa POWer Punch, Piranha Plant Nap Mishap, Thwomp Panel Panic. Not all of them ar easy, so you may need a little luck or help from other players in your party.

Once you gather 3 keys, you can access the Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown. This game typically has a 5-10 minute wait, but it can get a little bit of a wait when the portal is at its most crowded.

It is an adorable game that turns your shadow into a game character. You control this character with your own movements!

But that isn’t all! You can use them at home too!  Each Power-up Band is also an amiibo for its corresponding character and can be utilized in select Nintendo games.

Are Power-Up Bands Worth It

Whether a Power-Up Band is worth it is entirely dependent on what you like to do while you are visiting a theme park and how much you love Nintendo. It falls into the same category as the wands from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It is fun, but it basically gives you extra experiences around the park.

If you are more of a rides person than a games person, and you don’t have an attachment to Nintendo, this is an add-on you can skip. However, if you are a Nintendo fan, it is highly likely that you will enjoy the Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown. This is especially true if you are traveling with kids who love games.

Pirate Tip: Consider sharing a Power-Up Band!

If you want to save a little money, we have a bit of a Power-Up Band tip for you. You do NOT need a Power-Up Band for every person in your party in order to enjoy them.

Since they are worn like bracelets, the people in your party can take turns wearing just one Power Band to collect coins, etc. You should also know that only one person in your party needs to have collected 3 keys in order for your entire party to enjoy the Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown!

My (Kate’s) family decided we would only purchase Power-Up Bands for our 2 children. This ended up being the right decision. Both kids had a lot of fun using the bands to earn keys and collect coins. Then, the whole family got to enjoy Bowser Jr. Shadow Showdown twice.

For us, purchasing just 2 Power-Up Bands was completely worth the splurge. Plus, the bands can be reused in subsequent visits, and we are looking forward to trying out the amiibo, too.

Have you used the Power-Up Bands in Epic Universe? Do you plan to? Let us know! And be sure to share this review with your friends and family so they can decide how many to buy.