One year ago today, Universal Orlando Resort open the door Universal Epic Universecreating theme park history.
To commemorate this milestone, we participated in a small media conference with Jeff Polk, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Universal Epic Universe. Polk looks back at the park's first years, how visitors shaped its evolution, and the future of one of the most ambitious theme park projects ever.
Whether you're a die-hard Universal Studios fan or just love the art of theme park design, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.
Thank you to Universal Orlando Resort for inviting you to this special media opportunity.
Thirty-seven years of career
Jeff Polk has been with Universal Orlando Resort for more than 35 years. That alone tells you how much this project means to him. Polk, who has led the development of Epic Universe for nearly a decade, calls the project one of the rarest achievements in the theme park industry.
“I think this park, more than any other, has been successful almost all the way from when we started about 10 years ago to today,” he said. “We set a mission to do something, and then we actually accomplish that thing.” The recognition from peers and others across the business is “sometimes overwhelming,” he added.
The park’s footprint puts the scale into perspective: the size of the Epic Universe ruins Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of AdventureIt opened in 1990 and 1999 and has been growing ever since. “This is a long-term proposition,” Polk said. The story of what this park will eventually become is just beginning.
The details that almost no one notices are the most important
One of the most striking themes from our conversation was Polk’s belief that true immersion isn’t built through big moments alone. It is built through something that guests almost never consciously register.
Polk pointed to the individual rosettes on the scroll ironwork at the Frankenstein estate. dark universe Case in point: Although small and easily overlooked, it’s this kind of detail that makes the park feel personal. This concept continues throughout the park, from the lush greenery on one side and wilted and wilted plants on the other, to the dragon shape-shifting details throughout How to Train a Dragon – Berk Island. None of this is accidental. These are carefully considered decisions, knowing that some guests may not notice them at first. They usually don't do this until later. “They go home and look at the pictures and say, 'Oh, I didn't notice that happened here,'” Polk said.
That's exactly the point. Polk designed the park around “more intimacy, more immediate immersion, a more personal attachment to the experience before the moment,” so that guests feel like wherever they are in the park they are in a place where they can make sense of themselves and the stories Universal Studios is telling.
“It feels so personal and intimate and connects you to the place in this organic way,” he said, “making you want to share it with others and come back to see if you can discover something else.”
Polk believes it's these layers of quiet details that set Epic apart. “I think these are important things that really move Epic into a whole new space.”
A different layout than anywhere else on earth
Many visitors describe Epic Universe as unlike any park they've been to before, and Polk said the layout is a big reason why.
“There's no other park layout in the world like the layout of Epic, where you have a huge central space and then you have these portals that really take you to these areas,” he said. He clarified that while it shares some features with spoked models, “there are no wheels on the outside that turn.”
There is a simple philosophy behind all of this: “I think stories dictate how the park should be designed.” Visitor services follow the same logic, being integrated throughout the park rather than concentrated at the front gate, a model based on lessons learned Global Volcano Bay.
Paradise Park at night brings surprises to everyone
If you haven’t experienced the epic universe of After Dark yet, put this at the top of your list.
sky park There are 7 million color-changing, individually programmable LED lights in the park, and Polk said the response at night was one of the biggest surprises in the park's first year. “Something that came out a little stronger than I expected was that people really enjoyed the nighttime lights in Paradise Park,” he said.
What impressed him most was what guests chose to do during the experience. “I've never been to a park where people preferred to just be in the environment and not do anything,” Polk said. “Guests are so willing to come and sit and watch that they feel like they have to meet all the requirements.”
This is enough to change the way your team thinks about working hours. Rather than follow the traditional off-season strategy of ending the season early, Epic is doing the opposite. In Polk's words, the reason is simple: “Our guests want to stay in the park at night.”
From Astronomy to the Cosmic Fountain Show, water also plays an important role in the magic. Polk describes it as creating Instagram-worthy moments, yes, but more importantly, truly memorable in a way that's your own.
Visitors shape characters just as parks shape them
One of the most enjoyable parts of our conversation was hearing how visitor behavior directly impacts the changing role of the park.
“We started discovering these very intimate storylines from guests, like Igor, who knew this was going to happen,” Polk said. Igor is a character in Dark Universe whose unexpected popularity perfectly illustrates how guests can connect with the smallest corners of the park. Fans' love has extended to plastered owla bar sky park It has taken on a life of its own. “We are now producing T-shirts with a plaster owl on the front because this has become a trend.”
Polk said the team is paying close attention to these fan-driven moments as part of Epic's focus for Year 2. “We're really trying to focus on those things and give that back to the fans here, and they're telling us they want more and more of this end-to-end stuff.”
Extending to every corner of the park. The flying dragon was another guest's favorite. when they show up before show time The Untrainable DragonPolk said this was intentional: to give guests a hint of what was to come. New characters are always added to the mix. Yoshi has been making temporary appearances, with Captain Coco making his first public appearance today on the park's one-year anniversary. “We just introduced Captain Coco to the world,” Polk said, “and he’s actually downstairs right now interacting with the team.”
Seasonal experiences grew as well. Polk said they've “increased holiday décor, which may be ramped up further this year,” and sees it as part of Epic's broader push to build on what guests are most interested in. “We did some things last year. We're going to continue to add to that this year,” he said, hinting that there will be more to offer in terms of entertainment, food and atmosphere as the park enters its second holiday season.
Entering its second year, live entertainment is gaining more and more emphasis. “Live entertainment is important, by the way,” Polk said. “A big supporter and believer in producing quality live entertainment.” He added, “I loved both of our shows,” (Orcanus Circus exist The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic and The Untrainable Dragon exist How to Train a Dragon – Berk Island) and made it clear that the performers in each of the park's worlds were ones he was particularly proud of.
Food far exceeds your expectations
Epic Universe's food program is designed to feel personal rather than mass-market, which Polk says is entirely intentional. “We wanted the food program to not feel like a mass market,” he said, and real plates, real silverware and a seasonally rotating menu are all aimed at achieving that goal. “Those things are intentional because we want guests to feel like they're having a very personal experience in a very large space.”
Some of those bets paid off in unexpected ways. “Macaroni and cheese cones. Who knew people could go crazy for this stuff? Polk said with a laugh. The bar program is also expanding, and partnerships with privately barreled bourbon and local breweries are in the works.
Balance attendance with the experience your guests deserve
Polk spoke candidly about how careful Epic was in managing access in the first year. “We spent a lot of time being very careful and intentional about how many people we let in and what type of experience we could bring to them,” he said. This approach shaped the launch of ticketing, starting with single-day tickets and progressing to multi-day, multi-park options.
When it comes to annual passes, Polk addresses the challenge head on: “The issue of annual pass holders is a tough one.” Universal has a large base of existing pass holders, and carefully integrating them will take time. “We're thinking very, very carefully about how we roll these things out so we don't exceed our capabilities,” he said, while making the intent clear: “Of course, we want our pass holders to have access.” In the meantime, a discounted ticket product for pass holders is already in place.
Universal Epic Universe 1st Anniversary Merchandise
He hopes his guests will still be able to say something like this a few years from now
When asked what he hopes to accomplish in Year Two of Universal's Epic Universe, Polk's answer is rooted in something deeper than rides or technology.
Back to the details. of care. The idea is that guests can visit five, ten, fifteen times and still discover something new: an ironwork they hadn't noticed, a plant they'd walked past a dozen times, a moment that suddenly clicked into place. “So even in the coming week, we’re not going to go out and do a crazy promotion, but we’re going to have a bunch of really cool first-anniversary merchandise,” Polk said. “Everything I see is stuff that I really want.”
For someone who has spent more than 35 years at Universal Orlando Resort and nine years bringing this particular park to life, the opening of Epic Universe is more than just a career milestone. It was the pinnacle of my career based on the idea that theme parks, if done right, can become something truly extraordinary.
One thing is for sure…this is one thing epic Year.
There’s no better way to celebrate the first anniversary of Universal’s Epic Universe than by heading to the parks! Save on tickets with Orlando Informer.
Have you visited the first year of Epic Universe? What is your favorite detail or moment? Share it with our thousands of followers Orlando Informer Community Follow us on Facebook Tik Tok, Number of threads, Facebook, Xand Instagram Get the latest news, tips, and more from Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World, and other Orlando attractions.
