NBCUniversal’s Epic Universe Launch: A Star-Studded Celebration of Adventure and Imagination!

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NBCUniversal illuminated the skies above Orlando on Wednesday with fireworks, flames, water, and drones, marking an exciting milestone in the launch of their latest multibillion-dollar venture – Epic Universe, as they put it modestly, a “celebratory occasion”.

But first, it had to trot out Steven Spielberg.

Although the visionary director wasn’t physically present, he played a significant role as a “good friend and creative advisor” for Universal’s experiences business, according to Universal Experiences chairman Mark Woodbury. His influence was particularly noticeable in the area based on the How to Train Your Dragon series, which is part of Steven Spielberg’s Dreamworks.

Deep within us all, there’s a yearning to venture into unknown realms, seeking thrills, happiness, enlightenment, and sometimes confronting our fears,” Spielberg’s voice echoed, as a fountain, reminiscent of Bellagio, gracefully sprayed water up towards the heavens. “Via captivating tales and indelible characters, we’re ushered into extraordinary worlds that we barely dare to dream of, and in doing so, we find our inner courage. Universal Epic Universe has made these fantastical realms a reality.

This newly opened theme park, after holding paid previews for a couple of months prior, showcases four captivating themed zones encircling a central green space named Celestial Park as its hub. The Isle of Berk from How to Train Your Dragon, a third realm inspired by the Harry Potter universe with a Ministry of Magic backdrop set in 1920s Paris, Super Nintendo World based on Nintendo’s classic video game properties (including for the first time, Donkey Kong Country), and “Dark Universe,” modeled after Universal’s collection of famous monsters like Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Mummy are among the zones available.

As an enthusiast, stepping into every magical world begins by walking through a mystical gateway, leading me to immersive realms teeming with unique stores, eateries, thrilling rides, captivating characters, and unforgettable experiences.

Speaking to reporters just before the grand opening, Brian Roberts, chairman and CEO of Comcast, remarked, “We’ve likely spent about ten years to reach this point.” He was amazed by the team’s synchronization, managing to pull off this project amidst COVID-19 challenges in Beijing, where they had recently constructed a theme park. Here, they’ve created something unique, unlike anything else globally. This is indeed a moment we can be proud of.

On Wednesday, Comcast executives such as Roberts, Woodbury, Mike Cavanagh, and Donna Langley attended the opening celebration alongside executives from collaborating firms like Warner Bros. Discovery and Nintendo, including Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario. Notable talent in attendance included the cast of the upcoming live-action How to Train Your Dragon, including Gerard Butler (Stoick the Vast), Mason Thames (Hiccup), and Nico Parker; stars from the Harry Potter franchise like James & Oliver Phelps (Fred and George Weasley), Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick), and others, including WWE star Cody Rhodes, Saturday Night Live star Bowen Yang. They all joined the event as guests.

The company transformed the occasion into an entertaining spectacle, broadcasting it live on their social media and digital channels.

Epic Universe represents NBCUniversal’s most substantial investment to date in live events, a massive foray into an aspect of entertainment that carries significant expenses but also offers potential for extraordinary profits, not just financially, but also in terms of the “soft power” gained from entering an immersive realm as described by a top executive in this field.

Over the past few years, I’ve eagerly anticipated the arrival of this stunning park, having first learned about it back in 2019. Unbeknownst to many, the project had been brewing long before its public unveiling.

Comcast NBCUniversal’s new park marks the biggest venture they’ve ever put into their theme park division and Florida as a whole, stated Roberts. This development embodies the immense enthusiasm we have for the growth of our theme park sector and the entire company’s future in Florida.

The economic significance of the park within Florida’s broader context was emphasized when Governor Ron DeSantis was seen strolling around the park on Wednesday night.

Although Disney has consistently ruled the roost in theme parks and live events, Comcast has shown signs of a velociraptor from Jurassic Park, stealthily adapting to leverage the experiential business they obtained with NBCUniversal back in 2011.

Epic Universe represents the culmination of these learnings. The initial Universal Studios Orlando was modeled after a Hollywood backlot, featuring soundstages and fake New York streets. Islands of Adventure, on the other hand, developed themed zones centered around characters from Marvel comics (a deal made before Disney acquired the comic company), Jurassic Park, and Dr. Seuss.

Roberts pointed out that when they bought NBCU, “the theme parks were struggling at the time,” as they were still recovering from the aftermath of the global financial crisis that had occurred a few years prior. The company started to dispose of some of its property holdings. However, things turned around for them with the success of Harry Potter.

The enchanting Harry Potter worlds by Universal significantly transformed their theme park business, paving the way for the emergence of Epic. They replicated Hogsmeade within Islands of Adventure, offering guests an enchanting journey to Hogwarts castle complete with interactive shops, eateries, and rides. Later on, they constructed Diagon Alley in Universal Studios, recreating yet another captivating piece of the Harry Potter universe.

The enthusiasm for the Harry Potter realms exceeded the company’s predictions, leading to the conception of Epic Universe with its four completely immersive lands, along with Celestial Park, a central land that combines space-age and Greek mythology elements. Interestingly, Universal has devised an entire mythos and history for Celestial Park, complete with characters and narrative threads that visitors might uncover during their exploration.

As a passionate gamer, I’ve always been thinking about ways to level up my gaming empire in Orlando. It struck me that the key to expanding was creating another game world, a captivating destination that would keep players engaged for an entire week during their Orlando vacation trips.

Epic Universe, a new theme park, is a significant addition to the U.S. scene since Disney’s California Adventure in 2001. Excitement surrounding it is palpable, yet maintaining its popularity long-term will be crucial. The characters, intellectual properties, and worlds play a pivotal role in this, as was highlighted during the grand finale of the opening ceremony.

The water display persisted and the fireworks painted brilliance across the heavens over Grand Helios Hotel near the park, while a cluster of drones traced out “Epic” in the night sky above Celestial Park. To conclude, the iconic “Universal Studios Fanfare” echoed as the drones assumed a semi-circle position above the hotel, vaguely resembling the opening globe from all Universal films.

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The fountain display went on and fireworks lit up the sky over Grand Helios Hotel next to the park, meanwhile, a group of drones spelled “Epic” in the night sky at Celestial Park. Lastly, the recognizable “Universal Studios Fanfare” sounded as the drones arranged themselves in a semi-circle above the hotel, mirroring the spinning globe that begins every Universal movie.

As the fanfare concluded, the lights dimmed, and the team readied themselves for Epic Universe’s initial challenge: Opening the gates to its patrons who eagerly anticipated the “experiences” that Spielberg had teased.

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2025-05-22 17:28