1 year of Epic Universe: Here’s what’s new

ORLANDO, Fla. – It’s been one year since Universal Epic Universe was added to the theme park capital of the world.

The current theme park usage spans over 100 acres, where guests can step into their favorite franchises.

It has five worlds, which include Celestial Park, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic, Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe.

“It’s the most animated figures every created - there’s lighting effects, there’s media effects,” said Gregory Hall. He’s the assistant director of creative design.

Anisha Vya Burgos, the director of projects, showed News 6’s Amy Russo around the Ministry of Magic. “There is so much that went into bringing this to life, there is the construction team, there is the architecture,” she said.

Millions of people across the globe have traveled to see their favorite movie characters come to life.

“There are a lot of interactive activities,” said the senior manager of entertainment, show direction, and creative support, Anitra Pritchard.

When you come in, be sure to come hungry. The food options across Epic are unlike anything you’ve ever seen. The most popular item? The mac and cheese cones! You can snag them at Isle of Berk.

Don’t forget to grab a souvenir as well at Super Nintendo World. There are limited edition one-year anniversary gold power-up bands as well as some special one-year anniversary clothes.

A new face has also arrived at Epic Universe. Captain Cacao is now available for meet-and-greets in Celestial Park, giving guests a brand-new character experience to look forward to startingFriday.

Land expansion, capacity, and guest comfort

Amid all the fun, News 6 viewers had a few questions for Epic Universe leaders, and we took those questions straight to the top.

First, what are the plans for the available land surrounding the park?

“We built for the long haul, so we have a lot of property, and we are expecting to use that in many years to come,” said Jeff Polk. He’s the executive vice president and general manager of Epic Universe.

Right now, there is no set date for when annual passes will be available. The park is still not at full capacity just yet, but Polk says it’s just a matter of time before it is.

“From opening day until now we have been slowly increasing how many folks can come into the park,” Polk.

One lingering issue in the park, though, is the heat.

“The shade cover in the park is already a lot better than it was a year ago just because the plants have matured, but we are also doing a lot of things in the next several months to keep that comfortable area available to guests. We’ve got cool zones in the park today,” Polk explained.

As far as what is coming next, none of the Epic leaders would disclose much, just that there are some things in the works.