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Credit: UniversalUniversal Orlando Resort may have just stumbled into its next breakout original character success story, and fans are finally about to see Captain Cacao outside of merchandise displays and candy shop shelves. After months of guests wondering why the character had not appeared in Epic Universe, Universal has now confirmed that Captain Cacao will officially begin meeting guests inside Celestial Park starting May 22.
That announcement instantly grabbed attention across the theme park community because Captain Cacao has quietly become one of the most recognizable original characters tied to Epic Universe since the park opened. Unlike Nintendo characters, Harry Potter icons, or Universal Monsters, Captain Cacao is completely original to Universal Orlando. And somehow, that has made fans even more attached to him.
The reveal came through a social media post shared by Universal Orlando Resort and later amplified by theme park reporter Scott Gustin on X. The post confirmed the meet-and-greet would begin on May 22, which also happens to be the one-year anniversary of Epic Universe officially opening to the public.
NEW: Captain Cacao will begin meeting guests in Celestial Park at Universal Epic Universe starting May 22. pic.twitter.com/XNC8mtrhkL
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) May 18, 2026
For a lot of fans, the timing feels intentional.
Epic Universe has spent its first year establishing itself as a massive expansion for Universal Orlando Resort, bringing entirely new lands, attractions, restaurants, and immersive experiences into Central Florida’s theme park war. But one of the surprises nobody expected was how quickly guests latched onto Captain Cacao.
And honestly, it makes sense.
The character stands out immediately. Captain Cacao is a dark blue bear dressed in a bright blue captain’s hat with orange accents and a white star surrounding one eye. The design feels different from the typical mascot-style characters Universal has used in the past. He looks like something pulled directly from an animated fantasy universe that could eventually grow far beyond a simple meet-and-greet.
That possibility is exactly why fans became obsessed with him.
Inside Celestial Park, Captain Cacao is heavily tied to Moonship Chocolates & Celestial Sweets, one of Epic Universe’s most visually unique retail locations. According to the official backstory, Captain Cacao travels the universe alongside Maya of the Skies searching for rare confections aboard a moonship powered by star-shaped marshmallows.
Yes, it sounds ridiculous.
But it also sounds exactly like the kind of quirky original theme park storytelling fans miss.
For years, Universal Orlando has leaned heavily into giant intellectual properties. Harry Potter transformed the resort. Nintendo changed the family audience entirely. Universal Monsters gave the company a nostalgic identity again. But Captain Cacao feels different because he belongs specifically to Epic Universe. He is not borrowed from a movie studio franchise or pulled from decades-old film history.
He belongs to this park.
That connection is probably why merchandise exploded almost immediately after Epic Universe opened. Reports stated that Captain Cacao plushes sold out repeatedly and remained difficult to find for weeks at a time. Fans started posting photos online showing long merchandise lines, sold-out shelves, and collections dedicated entirely to the character.
What started as a small background mascot suddenly became one of the defining symbols of Celestial Park.
Now Universal appears ready to lean into it much harder.
The announcement immediately triggered reactions across social media, with many fans joking that Captain Cacao was finally becoming the “mayor” of Celestial Park. Others questioned why Universal waited an entire year before introducing a physical character meet-and-greet.
And that is actually a fair question.
Most theme park fans assumed Captain Cacao would appear much earlier. The character already had established lore, a merchandise presence, themed treats, and visual prominence throughout Celestial Park. Guests kept expecting Universal to quietly debut him during previews or shortly after Epic Universe opened.
Instead, Universal waited.
There may have been a strategic reason for that.
Epic Universe opened with massive demand, especially surrounding attractions like Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, and the major roller coasters throughout the park. During those first months, Universal probably did not need another major crowd draw sitting inside Celestial Park.
But now things are changing.
The resort is beginning to settle into a more normal operational rhythm. New entertainment offerings are arriving. Character interactions are becoming a bigger focus throughout Universal Orlando again. Captain Cacao arriving now gives guests another reason to spend extra time exploring Celestial Park instead of simply racing toward the headliner attractions.
That matters more than people realize.
One challenge Epic Universe has faced involves balancing crowds between lands. Guests naturally rush toward the biggest intellectual properties first. Universal has clearly spent the last year trying to encourage people to slow down and appreciate Celestial Park itself rather than using it purely as a walkway between portals.
Captain Cacao helps solve that problem.
A popular meet-and-greet creates foot traffic. It creates social media content. It creates emotional attachment for families with younger children. And perhaps most importantly, it creates original Universal iconography that the company fully owns.
Disney discovered years ago how valuable original park-exclusive characters can become. Figment became an EPCOT legend. Duffy exploded internationally after starting as a niche Disney bear character. Orange Bird transformed into one of Disney’s biggest merchandise stars despite limited in-park appearances.
Universal may now be seeing the same potential with Captain Cacao.
And fans already seem ready for it.
Some guests are even calling for Captain Cacao to receive his own attraction eventually. Replies underneath the announcement joked about dark rides, suspended coaster concepts, and expanded lore for the character’s moonship adventures. While that probably sounds far-fetched right now, theme park history says these kinds of organic fan reactions can absolutely shape future expansion ideas.
Especially when merchandise sales are involved.
Universal has not yet announced the exact location or daily times for the meet-and-greet experience, though reports suggest that information will likely appear inside the Universal Orlando app closer to launch. Character appearances are also subject to change depending on operations and crowd levels.
Still, the reaction online already shows this is going to be one of the most talked-about additions to Epic Universe this summer.
Not because it is the biggest addition.
Not because it cost hundreds of millions of dollars.
But because it feels surprisingly personal.
Captain Cacao represents something fans have been craving from modern theme parks: original creativity. In an industry dominated by movie franchises and recognizable IP, guests sometimes respond strongest to the weird little characters nobody expected to matter.
That is exactly what seems to be happening here.
Universal probably never imagined a marshmallow-powered space-traveling chocolate bear would become one of Epic Universe’s breakout stars.
But now that he has, the company appears fully ready to embrace it.
