Epic Universe Ups the Ante for Theme Park Foodies
You'll need to fuel up to keep your energy going at Epic Universe, and there's no short supply of the most bananas (in some cases) and bonkers fandom-inspired food and drinks in each portal.
io9 recently visited Epic Universe during its media preview and got to try many of the theme park foodie culinary delights to see what's worth trying—and what might just be cute for a social media picture. From Viking fare in Berk to lab concoctions in the Dark Universe, here are some of the most outrageous things we tried.
Super Nintendo World
Okay, we had to try the DK Crush Float because we needed to get the barrel mug it came in. Never mind the taste—which was a pungent pineapple soda and banana ice-cream assault on the palette. You'll feel like you got the barrel cracked open into your mouth along with it, complete with caramel popcorn pieces and shards of chocolate. It's a lot. But if those flavors are your thing, you do you. Special mention: there's a plant-based green shell for vegan representation.
The Isle of Berk
Hands down the best handy meal at Epic Universe: the mac and cheese cones at Hooligan's Grog & Gruel. They come in various combination toppings including Goldfish crackers, PB&J (pork, bacon and jam), and Dragon Fire Chicken (spicy). They're incredible and easy to eat. Special mention: The Mead Hall's Yaknog, which is basically a cinnamon forward iced hot chocolate, and Stormfly's Catch of the Day, a decorated chocolate mousse filled fish (just the shape, not the flavor) served on a bed of colorful crispy cereal (think Fruity Pebbles).
Dark Universe
The Burning Blade is the most metal themed food location in the park. It's a fun, themed tavern with drinks that pay homage to the Universal Monsters. The Monocaine mocktail is fizzy and green—and is inspired by what turns the Invisible Man invisible. It also comes in a souvenir lab beaker and does not in fact make you invisible enough to ride Monsters Unchained multiple times. Special mention: the Frankenstein's Monster head-shaped pretzel that comes with a white cheese dipping sauce, available at De Lacey's Cottage. (We brought it into the Burning Blade Tavern for photo purposes.)
Celestial Park
The Pizza Moon locale is a delightfully tasty and gorgeous spot with A Trip to the Moon aesthetics, where you can keep cool and eat some darn good pizza pies. We loved the Pizza Lunare, which features a purple ube crusted dough and is topped with melty béchamel, fromage de lune ricotta, pancetta, and roasted garlic. Special mention: Frosty Moon ice cream with swirl cones topped with celestial marshmallow charms and star-shaped gold sprinkles.
Epic Universe is now open. Some food was provided by Universal and some was paid for by the writer.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
25 minutes ago
- Fox News
Fox News beats ABC, NBC, CBS during weekday primetime while CNN has lowest-rated week of year
Fox News Channel beat all broadcast networks in a key metric last week as CNN had its lowest-rated week of the year. Fox News averaged 2.7 million viewers during primetime on weekdays from May 26-30, compared to 2.4 million for NBC, 2.4 million for CBS and 2.3 million for ABC. While Fox News prevailed against the trio of broadcast networks, it also obliterated CNN. Fox News averaged 1.5 million total day viewers from May 26 through June 1, compared to a dismal 308,000 for CNN. During primetime, Fox News averaged 2.3 million viewers while CNN settled for only 374,000. It was much of the same among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults aged 25-54, as Fox News delivered 175,000 total day demo viewers and 240,000 during primetime, compared to 49,000 total day and 61,000 primetime demo viewers for CNN. CNN finished with its worst week of the year across both primetime and total day as Fox News had its highest cable news share since inauguration week. Along the way, the top 100 cable news telecasts for the week all aired on Fox News. "The Five" averaged 3.7 million total viewers and 409,000 in the critical demo to lead cable news in both categories. "Special Report with Bret Baier," "The Ingraham Angle," "Jesse Watters Primetime," "Hannity," "FOX News @ Night," "Gutfeld!," "Outnumbered," "The Will Cain Show," "America's Newsroom," "America Reports" and Harris Faulkner's "The Faulkner Focus" all had strong weeks, too, to help Fox News crush CNN. Ratings data courtesy of Nielsen Media Research.
CNN
33 minutes ago
- CNN
This aircraft mechanic is using social media to make flying – and grieving – a little less scary
Max Comer never set out to become a social media star. But somewhere between fixing landing gear in Oklahoma and raising two young sons on his own, the 33-year-old aircraft mechanic — known as 'Airplane Facts with Max' online — started gaining followers by the thousand. In his quirky, deadpan videos, Comer introduces aircraft components like speed tape, cargo doors and ice detection systems — often relating them to elaborate 'Lord of the Rings' references. In one video about titanium engine fan blades, for instance, he dives into an extended overview of the origins of Andúril, the sword carried by Aragorn, which was reforged from the shards of Narsil by the Elves of Rivendell. But it's not all Tolkien. Sporting metal-band tees and long, wavy strawberry-blond hair, Comer also helps demystify air travel by posting reassuring videos about common in-flight worries, from banging sounds during takeoff to the origins of the 'smoke' coming from overhead vents. A post shared by Max (@airplanefactswithmax) He also clears up misconceptions about things like 'duct tape' on planes (it's actually speed tape) or the 'black' box (which is actually two bright orange boxes). To his surprise, people have embraced his dry humor and mix of aviation facts and Middle-earth lore — a curious combination that's earned him over 1.2 million Instagram followers and nearly half a million more on TikTok. 'One thing I've learned from my page is that aircraft mechanics aren't talked about much — we usually work behind the scenes, so I'm glad to shine a little light on what we do,' he tells CNN. 'There are hundreds of thousands of us out there, working overnight in the dark and the rain, changing tires and brakes, getting covered in hydraulic fluid. It's not glamorous. It's dirty. It can be hard on your body. But someone's got to do it — and we do.' Growing up in Denver, Colorado, Comer had a lot of freedom to pursue hobbies and do his own thing. He recalls spending his youth skateboarding, playing guitar in local bands and helping his dad with repairs on the family ranch. After high school, Comer gave college a try for about a year and a half, but it wasn't a good fit, so he dropped out. It's not glamorous. It's dirty. It can be hard on your body. But someone's got to do it — and we do.' Max Comer, aircraft mechanic In 2013, Comer met his late wife, Jones, and they later welcomed their first son, Finn, a year later. At the time, he was bartending while searching for a more stable career with benefits. A friend's father, an aircraft mechanic, was about to start school for his Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) license and invited Comer to join him. So in 2015, he enrolled in a full-time A&P program while continuing to work nights at the bar. 'It was a grind,' he says. 'We were scrambling to make ends meet. But I knew it was just 18 months — and I could do it.' After graduating, Comer took a job with Horizon Air in Seattle, working on regional jets like the Bombardier Q400 and Embraer 175. 'I was really green,' he says. 'In school, you're working on engines that have been sitting there for 25 years. Then suddenly working on a live aircraft that's about to carry real people.' Thankfully, he was surrounded by veteran mechanics who showed him the ropes during overnight shifts when they would take care of whatever the planes needed, such as tire and oil changes or flight control checks. Sometimes, he worked on planes that carried his own family. He recalls one morning when he was stuck trying to fix a plane's cargo door. 'My wife, Jones, and my kid were actually on that flight,' he says. 'She's texting me from the terminal like, 'Fix the damn plane, Max! We're gonna miss our connection!'' And while it could be high pressure at times, Comer loved the job. 'There's a lot of stress in aviation for everybody in the industry. There's a low margin of error, so things have to be precise,' he says. 'The plane can't pull over. There's no side of the cloud where you can stop and check something. It makes me feel like what I'm doing on a day-to-day basis is important, because it is.' For the next few years, life was good for Comer — he had a fulfilling career, was deeply in love, and welcomed a second son. But then his world collapsed. In September 2022, Jones passed away unexpectedly. 'It was by far the hardest time in my life,' he says. 'She was the love of my life. A one-of-a-kind person who brought so much joy to our lives. I felt like my life was over. I couldn't sleep. I was spiraling.' As he struggled to stay afloat under the crushing weight of grief, Comer searched for distractions and comfort in literature. He turned to the world of 'The Lord of the Rings,' losing himself in Elvish languages, gruesome battles and the lore of Tolkien's magical realms. 'Tolkien has always been a comfort story for me,' he says. 'Oddly enough, my wife didn't like 'Lord of the Rings' — she thought it was boring. So, it was one thing that didn't remind me of her. It felt like a safe space away from everything.' Around the same time, Comer began posting short, monotone videos about aircraft parts on his private Instagram. His friends thought they were funny and urged him to try TikTok. So, in November 2022, he gave it a shot. 'I posted on TikTok, then accidentally fell asleep on my lunch break,' he says. 'I wasn't sleeping much back then and just dozed off.' He never imagined that first 'airplane fact' would take off. 'When I woke up, it already had 20,000 views. My phone had exploded,' he recalls. 'It was wild.' About three months later, he posted his first Tolkien-themed airplane fact, just to see if he could connect two wildly different interests. 'I didn't think I could do it again,' he says. 'But then I came up with another one, and then another. And I realized — I could just keep going.' If it were up to him, he says he'd talk about 'Lord of the Rings' all day. 'But I realized most people don't know as much about airplanes as I do,' he says. 'So I figured, why not do both? It's a win-win.' For a long time, Comer didn't mention Jones on his page. But when he finally did, the outpouring of support caught him off guard. 'It was overwhelmingly positive,' he says. 'People shared their own stories of grief, and it made me feel less alone.' Looking back, he says, Airplane Facts with Max gave him something vital. 'During that time, I had a hard time wanting to just keep going day to day. It gave me something to look forward to — a creative outlet I really needed.' And what would Jones think about it all? 'She loved social media. I think it would blow her mind. Especially because it's about two things — 'Lord of the Rings' and airplanes — that she thought were so boring,'' he laughs. 'She'd probably be like, 'My dumb husband? This guy?' But I think she'd probably be a mix of proud and jealous.' While Comer occasionally shares more personal posts, the vast majority of his content is lighthearted — created just for the fun of it. He says he truly enjoys finding unlikely links between cargo bays or landing gear and obscure Tolkien plotlines. 'I don't script the videos,' he says. 'I tried once, but it looked like I was reading. Now I just visualize it and go.' A post shared by Max (@airplanefactswithmax) He's especially proud when his content helps viewers overcome a fear of flying or inspires a new career path. 'I've had people message me saying they're starting A&P school because of my channel,' he says. 'That's wild to me. I hope that the industry treats them as well as it's treated me.' Comer currently works in heavy maintenance on Boeing 737s, 777s and 787s, performing comprehensive 'C-Checks' that commercial aircraft undergo every couple of years. 'We take the airplane apart and put it back together. When it leaves, it's basically a brand-new aircraft,' he explains. 'That's why a plane from 1996 can still fly.' Beyond aviation and Tolkien content, Comer has also started sharing his original music — mostly heartfelt acoustic tracks written about his late wife. 'For me, it just kind of flows out, and it feels good to be able to take that emotion and create something,' he adds. Whether through his poignant music or humorous aviation facts, Comer hopes his content resonates on multiple levels. He aims to shine a light on aircraft mechanics, ease anxieties around flying, delight fellow Tolkien fans — and perhaps offer solace to those navigating grief. 'This all started when I was at the lowest point in my life,' says Comer. 'It helped me find myself again and made me feel like I had something of value to give. 'If I've brought anyone a little laughter or comfort over the past few years, that makes me feel really good about what I've been doing.'
Forbes
39 minutes ago
- Forbes
How To Make Money Podcasting: 5 Tips From "The Fantasy Footballers"
The Fantasy Footballers Sirius XM With more than five million podcasts in circulation globally, it can be difficult for creators to break through and build a profitable show. But for the hosts of one of the top fantasy football podcasts in the country, the formula for success and making money has been rooted in authenticity, trust, and smart business decisions. Here's how " The Fantasy Footballers" built a thriving podcast brand — and what other creators can learn from their approach. "A big driver of our success is the deep trust and authenticity we've built with our listeners and fans," the hosts said. "At its core, we're just being ourselves." The show started organically as conversations between friends who had worked together for years. "The three of us have worked together for years, so we've had the chemistry you hear on the show today from many lunch conversations over the years. The show is just those lunch convos… with microphones. We are essentially listeners' fantasy football buddies." That familiarity and camaraderie have helped attract and retain a loyal audience. "That authenticity is what's built our audience, and once they find us, they tend to stick around," they said. Rather than limiting its content to a single platform, the podcast team expanded its presence across multiple channels, including audio, YouTube, and social media. "Since the beginning, we've met our audience where they are – whether that's audio, YouTube or social," the hosts said. In 2024, they announced an exclusive partnership with SiriusXM, a move that further expanded their reach and opened up new opportunities to monetize. "Every episode of our show also airs on SiriusXM's Fantasy Sports Radio channel," they said. "It's another awesome way to get our content out there and reach even more fantasy football fans." They also create exclusive, standalone content for the SiriusXM app, designed to give listeners a deeper level of insider access. "The power of podcasting is in the ability to connect with fans in a truly authentic and meaningful way," said Lizzie Collins, senior vice president and head of B2B marketing at SiriusXM Media. "Andy, Jason and Mike of The Fantasy Footballers really embody that, and we're proud to support their growth across platforms through Creator Connect." "Trust with listeners and brands is essential to securing and maintaining impactful sponsorships and monetization," the hosts said. "Our fans spend time with us every day as we help them navigate their leagues and win championships. That builds real trust over time – and because we're selective with advertisers, our endorsements carry weight with the audience." One example is a branded segment called "Raising Cane's Rising Stars," sponsored by the fast-food chain Raising Cane's, which highlights emerging NFL players. "About 90% of our brand partners return to sponsor future segments because our integrations run deep and our audience connects their love for the show with our genuine enthusiasm for the brands and products we endorse," they said. Their continued success with advertisers underscores a larger trend — that fantasy football is no longer a niche hobby but part of a growing, multibillion-dollar industry. Their top piece of money advice for fellow creators is to focus on the opportunities that matter most. "Sometimes you have to say 'no' or 'not yet' – focus on the opportunities that make the most impact," they said. "The 80/20 principle is key to our business. Opportunities come from all over the place, but you need to focus on your primary disciplines and select your partnerships and opportunities carefully to maximize impact." By keeping a tight focus on their core content and audience, they've avoided distractions and scaled their show in a sustainable way. For these hosts, success is about more than downloads or dollars. "We're all family guys. Each of us has three kids," they said. "Being able to create a company centered around something we are all passionate about — fantasy football — and creating a show that we're happy for our kids and families to listen to has been an incredible opportunity that represents a 'richer life' to us." Whether you're just starting a podcast or looking to take your show to the next level, the path to monetization is built on connection, consistency, and credibility.
