There haven’t been many interviews over the course of my career that I needed to acquire steel-toed shoes, a hard hat, and safety goggles for. Then again there also haven’t been many that I walked the construction site of a brand-new, 1,556 meters, 70 mph roller coaster inspired by a global blockbuster phenomenon from my youth.

In February of 2001, the Dickerson family packed up their car and traveled the 16 hours it takes to get from New Jersey to Orlando. They had planned their two-week vacation in part to avoid a snowstorm heading toward where they lived.

I grew up coming to Universal Orlando Resort and have incredible memories riding all the rides, experiencing my favorite fandoms, and eating tons of yummy food. For years, it was just me coming to the parks with friends, my significant other, or family, spending all day at the parks doing our favorite attractions.

I like my phone like my parents wish I had liked my bedroom growing up — clean and void of clutter. If I’m going to download an app and let it live on a device I carry around with me everywhere I go, it needs to have purpose, utility, perks, and some sort of something I can use to pass the time.

It’s finally here. We’ve all been waiting, both guests and Team Members alike, for the day we could jump in the car and head back to Universal Orlando Resort. The parks, hotels, and CityWalk are open and starting to welcome guests back. I recently went with a friend to experience it all first-hand, and after a few sappy moments about being back home, we set out to see how much may have changed in the parks.

Universal’s Epic Universe will offer an entirely new level of experiences that will forever redefine theme park entertainment. Guests will venture beyond their wildest imagination, traveling into beloved stories and through vibrant lands on adventures where the journey is as astounding as the destination. The new location will feature a theme park, an entertainment center, hotels, shops, restaurants and more. Ultimately, this expansion will create more space and freedom to let loose and create lasting memories with the people you love.