John Marks directed and showran Peacock's three-part docuseries "Epic Ride: The Story of Universal's Theme Parks," capturing the frantic months leading up to Epic Universe's May 2024 opening. Marks visited the Orlando park in late October 2024, six months before its public debut, and felt enchanted by what he witnessed. That sense of wonder became his north star for the project.
The docuseries traces the intense race against the clock as Universal's teams worked to complete the sprawling new theme park on schedule. Behind-the-scenes footage reveals the construction chaos, creative problem-solving, and logistical nightmares that plague any massive theme park launch. Marks embedded with crews, executives, and imaginers to document the pressure cooker environment where thousands of workers coordinated to meet the opening day deadline.
Epic Universe represents Universal's largest expansion in decades, adding new lands, attractions, and experiences to the Orlando resort. The pressure to launch on time carried enormous financial and reputational stakes. Delays would cost the company millions while disappointing fans who had anticipated the park's arrival.
Peacock positioned the docuseries as a behind-the-velvet-rope look at theme park creation, appealing to both casual viewers and the hardcore "Imagineering" documentary audience that Discovery+ cultivated with its Disney+ series. The three-part format allows storytelling across multiple angles: construction engineering, creative design, operational readiness, and human drama.
Marks' approach emphasizes the "bewitching" quality he felt during his first visit. Rather than focusing purely on logistical challenges, he captures the emotional investment of workers who poured months into realizing a massive vision. The series balances technical complexity with the wonder that drives theme park fandom.
The docuseries arrives as streaming platforms recognize appetite for behind-the-scenes entertainment industry