Universal Epic Universe opening day is here.
The newest Universal theme park in central Florida hosted weeks of previews for team members, media and annual passholders ahead of opening up limited preview tickets to the public.
The park offers something for everyone: foodies, families and thrill seekers. 
“The main attractions are always the draw, and we have a myriad of those throughout Universal Epic Universe, but there is so much to do outside of those, as well,” Ryan Paul, manager of ride and show engineering at Universal Creative, told FOX Business while describing the dragon animatronics and characters throughout Isle of Berk.
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“Everything is alive and kinetic,” he said.
Some of the latest technology is seen park-wide, with facial recognition lockers for guests to put their belongings in before getting on rides and updated family rooms, formerly known as child swap, that offer changing tables, televisions, drinking fountains and restrooms.
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“There is no such thing as theme park food,” Christopher Colon, executive sous chef of research and development at Universal Orlando Resort, told FOX Business. “There’s great food that we happen to serve inside of the theme park.”
Each world has unique culinary offerings, including the park’s hub, Celestial Park with Atlantic, The Blue Dragon Pan Asian Restaurant, The Oak and Star Tavern, Pizza Moon and Meteor Astropub.
Some of the foods – like the Mac and Cheese Cones in Isle of Berk and the ube-crusted Pizza Lunare in Pizza Moon – have already gone viral on social media.
An estimated $7 billion investment has doubled Universal Orlando resort’s size, according to Reuters, adding 750 acres and populating it with familiar movie and game characters, which it owns or licenses.
Universal Epic Universe features five themed worlds: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Ministry of Magic; Super Nintendo World; How to Train Your Dragon-Isle of Berk; Celestial Park and Dark Universe.
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Epic Universe represents the largest investment Comcast has made in Universal’s theme parks since gaining control of the business in 2011. Analysts say it poses a heightened competitive threat to Walt Disney World, whose last major expansion was in 2019.
Reuters contributed to this report.
