Parks Magic
Captain Cacao Debuts as Epic Universe Meet-and-Greet on the Park's One-Year Anniversary
News

Captain Cacao Debuts as Epic Universe Meet-and-Greet on the Park's One-Year Anniversary

Michael Travels
·
Published
·
Updated

Captain Cacao is finally stepping out from behind the candy counter. Universal confirmed today that the original Celestial Park character, a dark-chocolate teddy bear with a white-chocolate star over one eye and a blue captain's hat, debuts as a costumed meet-and-greet at Epic Universe on Friday May 22, 2026, the park's one-year anniversary. Until today, Epic Universe had no announced commemorations for its first birthday.

Captain Cacao, the original Universal character mascot of Moonship Chocolates at Epic Universe, debuts as a meet-and-greet on May 22, 2026.
Captain Cacao meets guests at Celestial Park starting May 22, 2026. Image: Universal Orlando Resort.

The headlines:

  • Captain Cacao meet-and-greet debuts Friday May 22 at Celestial Park, Epic Universe's entry hub land.
  • The debut date is no coincidence: May 22, 2026 is the one-year anniversary of Epic Universe's May 22, 2025 opening.
  • Exact location and times will land in the resort app; Universal hasn't pinned the meeting spot to a specific corner yet.
  • Captain Cacao has been an original Universal character since the park opened (not a movie IP), appearing on merchandise and treats at Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets but never in person.

Who is Captain Cacao, exactly

Per Universal's official Discover Universal blog, Captain Cacao is the mascot of Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets, the chocolate shop in Celestial Park. His backstory: he serves as navigator aboard the Marshmallow Airship "Joei de Ganache," piloted by explorer Maya of the Skies, who travels the cosmos sourcing rare sweets. Gina Scheraldi, Show Producer on Universal's Creative Design Team, told the blog last year: "Captain Cacao actually learned the skills to be a navigator so that he could travel with Maya."

Inside the shop, three small character doors represent Maya, Captain Cacao, and a sugar glider named Major Lolli. The interior is themed as the inside of Maya's moonship, with the bottoms of "floating marshmallows" hanging from the ceiling. Existing Captain Cacao merchandise at Moonship Chocolates includes a plush, a bucket hat, and a backpack.

The cult following finally pays off

Captain Cacao has built a real fan base in the year since Epic Universe opened, despite never appearing in person. Fans wear the plush, the bucket hat, and the t-shirts around the parks. Orlando Informer's Captain Cacao primer flagged the cult-following pattern back in March: a fully-developed original character with merchandise, in-park signage, and a backstory, but no meet-and-greet, was always going to land eventually.

What Universal hadn't signaled until today was the timing. Per a report from Fantasyland News, Universal Creative surprised the Celestial Park project team at what they thought was a one-year anniversary photo opportunity, when the costumed Captain Cacao appeared in full for the first time.

Universal's social-channel teaser, posted Monday morning, read: "The marshmallow stars have aligned 💫 Captain Cacao has arrived and is ready to meet you at Universal Epic Universe!"

Why the timing matters

May 22, 2026 is the busiest single Friday on Universal Orlando's calendar this spring:

  • Epic Universe one-year anniversary.
  • Captain Cacao meet-and-greet debuts at Celestial Park.
  • Pteranodon Flyers reopens at Universal's Islands of Adventure after months of refurbishment (we covered testing on May 13).
  • And Saturday May 23, Blockbuster Summer 2026 kicks off across the resort with the Mega Movie Parade returning at Universal Studios Florida and the JAWS Amity overlay at USF anchoring the summer programming through August 10.

What's also happening at Universal this week

  • Hogwarts Castle scaffolding is in its final stretch at Islands of Adventure, with the Hogwarts Always projection show returning Saturday May 30 (we covered the scrim coming down on May 12).
  • Mystic Fountain is gone. Final shows ran Friday May 15 and the attraction was dark Saturday May 16 (we covered yesterday).
  • Po's Kung Fu Training Camp and Po Live! close today at DreamWorks Land in USF for a refurbishment, with a planned July 4 return.
  • UOAP Bonus Benefits continue through Thursday May 21 for passholders.

Quick planner notes

  • If you have a Friday May 22 Universal trip planned, build in a Celestial Park stop for the Captain Cacao meet. Expect the meeting spot to draw lines from the opening hour.
  • Combine with a Moonship Chocolates merch run. Captain Cacao plush, bucket hat, and backpack have been on shelves for months but are likely to see opening-day demand spikes.
  • The Pteranodon Flyers reopen is the same day. If you're visiting on May 22, Islands of Adventure and Epic Universe are both running anniversary or reopen attractions. A two-park ticket pays off that day.
  • The resort app will carry the meeting times. Universal hasn't pinned the schedule to a specific window; check the app the morning of your visit.

Sources

Image credit: Universal Orlando Resort.

Mentioned in this story

Epic Universe

Related News

Universal Files Permits for a 71,500-Square-Foot Building in Epic Universe's Dark Universe

Universal Files Permits for a 71,500-Square-Foot Building in Epic Universe's Dark Universe

Something big is taking shape in the spookiest corner of Epic Universe. A new permit filing points to a building of roughly 71,500 square feet planned for the heart of Darkmoor Village, the classic-monsters town inside the park's Dark Universe world, with Stantec Architecture listed on the paperwork. That footprint is on par with full attractions at Epic Universe, like the Mario Kart ride and the Untrainable Dragon show, so this is no gift shop. Universal will only say that permit filings are routine and that it has no further details to share, which leaves the fun question wide open: a new monster ride, a theater, or something else entirely?

June 23, 2026 News
Aerial Photos Show Universal Upgrading the Ultrasaur and Baby Stegosaurus Animatronics in the Jurassic Park River Adventure Refurb

Aerial Photos Show Universal Upgrading the Ultrasaur and Baby Stegosaurus Animatronics in the Jurassic Park River Adventure Refurb

Aerial photos by bioreconstruct, published by Orlando ParkStop on June 29, show Universal upgrading the original Ultrasaur and baby Stegosaurus animatronics inside Jurassic Park River Adventure at Islands of Adventure during the ride's 10-month refurb. A clean white armature has been installed for the Ultrasaur's neck and the baby Stego has had its face skin removed to upgrade the head's moving elements. Inside The Magic separately confirmed the entrance roof shingles (in place since 1999) and sections of the ride track are being replaced. The ride closed January 5, 2026 and is scheduled to reopen November 20, 2026.

June 29, 2026 News
Level99 Opens at Disney Springs Today with 63 Challenge Rooms in the Old NBA Experience and DisneyQuest Space

Level99 Opens at Disney Springs Today with 63 Challenge Rooms in the Old NBA Experience and DisneyQuest Space

Level99, the Massachusetts-born "Players Club" of physical-and-mental challenge rooms, opens its fourth and biggest location at Disney Springs West Side today, Monday, June 29, 2026. The 46,800-square-foot, two-story venue carries 63 mini-game challenge rooms, 40 plus original art installations, a two-story bar, Detroit-style pizza and wagyu burgers. Tickets start at $29.99 for 1.5 hours or $39.99 for 2.5 hours per player, with a $19.99 Premium Pass upgrade. The first 500 Players through the door today get a commemorative pin.

June 29, 2026 News
Universal Reveals Cybergoria, an Original Cryo-Future Haunted House for Halloween Horror Nights 35

Universal Reveals Cybergoria, an Original Cryo-Future Haunted House for Halloween Horror Nights 35

Universal Orlando announced Cybergoria, an original Halloween Horror Nights 35 haunted house with a cryo-future premise: a corporation called Bio Immortal Bionic Intelligent Systems once sold cryo-freezing as immortality, and thousands of years later the machines that took over are still pursuing the goal, even if it kills you. Announced Thursday, June 25, 2026, the house is the sixth of a reported ten HHN 35 houses to be revealed. Senior Show Director Matthew Flood (Universal Orlando Resort) leads the project. HHN 35 runs select nights August 28 through November 1, 2026.

June 29, 2026 News
Legoland Florida Unveils Its Biggest-Ever Red, White & BOOM! for July 4 with a 12-Minute Fireworks Finale Over Lake Eloise

Legoland Florida Unveils Its Biggest-Ever Red, White & BOOM! for July 4 with a 12-Minute Fireworks Finale Over Lake Eloise

Legoland Florida's 4th of July event, Red, White & BOOM!, returns Saturday, July 4, 2026 in its biggest form yet, tied to America's 250th birthday. Extended park hours (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.), a 12-minute lakefront fireworks finale over Lake Eloise, free LEGO-brick holographic viewing glasses distributed starting 7:45 p.m. while supplies last, a 6 p.m. DJ dance party, collaborative giant American-flag LEGO build stations, and a $30 VIP Fireworks Seating Package capped at 120 guests in South Ski Stadium. Single-day tickets start at $69 for a limited time.

June 29, 2026 News
Disney's Wilderness Lodge Battles a Days-Long AC Outage During a Central Florida Heat Wave

Disney's Wilderness Lodge Battles a Days-Long AC Outage During a Central Florida Heat Wave

A stay at one of Walt Disney World's flagship Deluxe resorts is not supposed to come with a box fan, but that has been the reality for some guests at Disney's Wilderness Lodge this week. The main building's central air conditioning has been down since Thursday, June 18, just as Central Florida sweltered under back-to-back heat advisories with feels-like temperatures topping 105 degrees. By Monday, June 22, Disney had trucked in temporary chillers and portable spot coolers and many guest rooms had cooled back down, though the Grand Lobby and some interior spaces stayed warm, and the central system was not yet fully restored. Disney has not commented publicly.

June 23, 2026 News