CityWalk at Universal Orlando Resort operates in a way that most guests take for granted until something changes.
It is the entertainment district that bridges the parking structure and the theme park gates, and because it is the space guests move through at the start and end of every park visit, its restaurants and retail options shape the overall resort experience more quietly than anything inside the parks themselves. Guests who arrive early grab coffee here.
Families linger after park close for dinner before heading back to the car or the hotel. First-time visitors take stock of what Universal has to offer before they decide how to spend their day. CityWalk functions as Universal Orlando's front porch, and right now that front porch is in the middle of a meaningful refresh. A fan-favorite store is returning.
A beloved fast-casual chain is replacing an existing restaurant.
A major country music entertainment venue is coming to a new waterfront location. And today, April 13, 2026, marks the final operating day for the Universal Epic Universe Preview Center, the space that has spent the past year giving guests a first look at the resort's fifth theme park before it opened to the public. For anyone visiting Universal Orlando in April or planning ahead for the rest of the year, here is the complete picture of what is changing and what it looks like when it is done.
Today is the last day to visit the Epic Universe Preview Center. The store is set to close to make way for the returning Universal Legacy Store. @UniversalORL pic.twitter.com/Wvb8LeJO8y
— Inside Universal (@insideuniversal) April 12, 2026
The Epic Universe Preview Center Closes Today
This is the day. The Universal Epic Universe Preview Center at CityWalk closes for the final time today, April 13, 2026. The space, which housed a large-scale model of Epic Universe and gave guests a detailed preview of the park's lands and attractions during the lead-up to its opening, will not reopen after today.
The timing reflects how far the Epic Universe story has come. The Preview Center existed to build excitement for something that had not yet arrived. Epic Universe has now been operating for nearly a full year, and the preview experience has served its purpose. Its space is now being handed over to a returning retail concept that many Universal fans have been waiting to see come back.
The Universal Legacy Store Is Returning This Month
The space vacated by the Preview Center will become the Universal Legacy Store, which is expected to open later in April. An exact date has not been announced.
The Legacy Store is a retro-focused retail experience that celebrates the history of Universal Studios Florida and Universal Pictures through exclusive merchandise and immersive photo opportunities. The returning lineup draws from some of the most iconic properties in Universal's catalog, including E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jaws, Back to the Future, and the Classic Universal Monsters.
What makes the Legacy Store distinct from standard theme park retail is its orientation toward the catalog rather than the current. Most CityWalk shopping is built around the properties guests just experienced in the parks. The Legacy Store offers something different for guests who came of age with Universal's classic properties or who simply want a piece of the studio's deep history. It has earned a genuine following and its return has been anticipated by fans who missed it since the Preview Center took over the space.
The Whopper Bar Is Out, Five Guys Is In
On the food and beverage side, the Burger King Whopper Bar at CityWalk will close on April 21, with Five Guys taking over the location later this summer. Five Guys brings its made-to-order burger and fries format to a space that has been running as a more traditional fast food operation, and for guests looking for a quick, reliable, customizable meal option before or after a park day, it fills a practical role in the CityWalk dining lineup.
Luke Combs Is Bringing Category 10 to a New Waterfront Location
Looking further into the future, CityWalk will eventually have a major new live music and dining destination connected to country music artist Luke Combs. Category 10, named after Combs' 8x platinum number one hit Hurricane, is targeting a 2027 opening at a new waterfront location within CityWalk. The approximately 33,000-square-foot, three-story venue will feature live music, food and spirits, and experiential spaces inspired by Combs' music and personal passions.
Combs addressed the announcement directly: “I have a line in my song ‘1, 2 Many,' ‘there's no stopping me once I get goin'. Well, I guess you can say the same about Cat 10 now. I know Orlando is a worldwide destination spot, so I'm super pumped and humbled that we're getting to open a location there. My wife is from Florida, so we're both super excited about this. I am glad to be bringing our brand of first-class service and awesome tunes to the Sunshine State.”
The Orlando venue is the third Category 10 location. The flagship opened in Nashville in 2024, and a Las Vegas location is set to debut in fall 2026. Opry Entertainment Group, which manages the Category 10 brand and also operates Blake Shelton's Ole Red in Orlando, will break ground on the CityWalk location in summer 2026.
What Is Actually Happening at Epic Universe
The context surrounding the Preview Center's closure includes the state of the park it was previewing. Epic Universe has been operating for nearly a year and has established itself as a legitimate competitor in a market that was already considered one of the most competitive theme park destinations on earth. The park's immersive lands and headline attractions have delivered on the scale of their promises. First-year operational challenges have been visible and openly discussed, including capacity pressures in certain areas and ride reliability issues on some major attractions.
Expansion speculation has been running at high volume in the fan community. Visible land clearing work near the park sparked significant anticipation for an imminent announcement. Universal moved to manage those expectations directly, with a spokesperson describing the activity as routine land maintenance rather than development work. For now, the official position is that no expansion plans are being announced and the focus is on the park's ongoing operational refinement during its first year.
That is a reasonable position for a park that is still working through the challenges that come with being brand new at this scale. The data being gathered from the first year of operation will inform what comes next, even if what comes next has not yet been made public.
Planning Your Universal Orlando Visit Around These Changes
For guests visiting Universal Orlando before the Legacy Store opens, the CityWalk retail space where the Preview Center was located is temporarily offline. The store is expected to open in the second half of April. Guests visiting in late April or beyond should find it operational, but checking Universal's website for a confirmed opening date before building your shopping plans around it is worth doing.
For guests heading to Epic Universe, the park is fully open and running its complete attraction lineup. Managing expectations around its first-year operational reality, and building flexibility into your day for potential ride downtime, is the most useful practical preparation.
Our Universal Orlando guide is updated as CityWalk changes go live and as Epic Universe operational details develop. Check it before your trip for the most current picture of what is open, what is coming, and what to plan your day around when you arrive.
