Universal Creative just pulled off one of the best surprises in theme park history: the Celestial Park Project Team thought they were gathering for a one-year anniversary photo, but instead they came face to face with Captain Cacao himself, brought to life in full costume for the very first time. Which means we should see him at EPIC Universe soon, like the 22nd of May?
Universal Creative shared the moment on social media, and it is exactly as wholesome as it sounds. The people who spent years designing, developing, and building out Celestial Park at Universal Epic Universe got to see their creation walk into the room, tricorn hat and all. The reactions in the photos say it better than any caption could. We love Captain Cacao and knowing he is now a meet and greet and EPIC Universe will have us hunting him down for a big celestial bear hug!
For those who have not met Captain Cacao yet, he is the star of Moonship Chocolates and Celestial Sweets inside Celestial Park. He is a dark chocolate teddy bear with a white chocolate star over one eye, an orange-and-gold shoulder sash, and a blue captain’s hat. His lore runs deep. Captain Cacao trained as a navigator specifically so he could travel alongside Maya of the Skies aboard the Marshmallow Airship Joei de Ganache, sourcing the finest ingredients from across the cosmos to stock the shop. When you walk into Moonship Chocolates and Celestial Sweets, you are stepping inside that ship.
Universal Creative’s design team originally built Captain Cacao from the ground up as an original character exclusive to Celestial Park, working alongside the Universal Products and Experiences team to develop everything from his visual design to his full merchandise line. That line now includes a plush, a backpack, and a bucket hat, and the plush in particular has taken on a life of its own with park guests. The character has already inspired the kind of fan devotion that most original IP takes years to earn.
Seeing the project team react to their creation walking into the room as a living, breathing meet-and-greet character is one of those reminders of why theme park storytelling matters. These are the people who poured years into an idea, and they got to watch it hug them back.
Captain Cacao is available to meet at Universal Epic Universe in Celestial Park. For more Universal Orlando coverage, visit our Universal Orlando hub at Fantasy Land News.
