In 2024, Universal Orlando set the stage for excitement by starting the marketing campaign for Epic Universe, the eagerly awaited new theme park. Yet, beyond the Epic hype train, various other noteworthy events unfolded at the Resort throughout the year, making it a year to remember for guests.
So let’s take a look at the Top 10 Stories from Universal Orlando during 2024.
10. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit Closure Announcement
Last Thursday, this would’ve been the removal of 3D from Skull Island: Reign of Kong, but Universal dropped a news nugget right late Friday afternoon on a random Twitter (we still call it that) reply that Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit will be closing in 2025.
As of now, the only information we have is that it’s set to close in September 2025 for a new experience that will be announced at a later date.
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, which opened in 2008, has had a unique history at the park, which included a rocky start to its opening and continued issues during its lifespan. Just last year, Universal changed the coaster’s song selection line-up from 30+ songs to only 5.
Rumors suggest a new coaster will be replacing Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, but Universal has confirmed nothing at this time. Until then, you have about 8-9 months to plan your goodbyes.
9. Restaurant: Makeover
Universal Orando has spent the last couple of years refurbishing a lot areas around the resort, from bathrooms to, more notably this year, restaurants.
Several new food kiosks were updated around the parks, but the newsworthy updates happened to Mel’s Drive-In at Universal Studios Florida and Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous at Islands of Adventure.
Both quick service restaurants saw lengthy refurbishments, which completely changed the decor and the menu.
Over at Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous, the restaurant ditched the oranges and yellows for bolder, brighter reds with contrasting blues. The layout also changed, including the removal of the kitchen area, which is now walled off, and a completely new seating layout. The menu transitioned away from spaghetti and fried chicken platters to more Seuss-inspired entrees and dishes – like the Big Top Burger and Chicken & Biscuits.
At Mel’s, the restaurant underwent a complete renovation, featuring new floors, booths, decor, and uniforms for the staff. The color scheme reflects a 1950s theme, with shades of red and black, complemented by blue accents. The table tops showcase an atomic boomerang pattern, adding to the retro vibe. Even the Coca-Cola Freestyle Machines were designed to resemble vintage vending machines from that era, adding to the nostalgic feel.
8. Universal Studios Store Expansion
In 2024, we bid farewell to many things, but one of the most notable closures for fans was the shutdown of the Cinnabon location, which made way for the expansion of the Universal Studios Store, which is set to open in 2025. The Quiet Flight retail store also closed during this time.
The expanded retail location will offer merchandise inspired by all three lands of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando – including the new Ministry of Magic, opening in 2025 at Universal Epic Universe.
The big news out of the expansion is that guests will also be able to enjoy their favorite Butterbeer treats outside the theme parks in a new dedicated counter inside the store.
Super Nintendo World will also have an all-new dedicated entrance as more Nintendo merchandise will be added to the store.
More details are expected to be shared soon, but we gotta wonder if this means the beloved shortcut can make a comeback…
7. Hurricane SZN
Another year where a hurricane makes our Top 10 list.
This year, Florida was affected by two hurricanes: Helene and Milton. While Hurricane Helene shifted towards the Big Bend region of Florida, Hurricane Milton came out of nowhere and had a more direct impact on Central Florida.
As a result, Universal had to close the parks on two separate occasions, including canceling several nights of Halloween Horror Nights 33.
While the parks were relatively unaffected in comparison to what happened when Irma and Ian hit, the most notable news bit of the aftermath is unlike hurricane’s past; there were no make-up dates for Horror Nights.
6. Paper Maps, No More
A controversial change was made at the start of 2024 when Universal Orlando ditched paper maps to push guests to use the Universal Orlando app.
The change was made as Universal aims to provide guests with more of a digital experience.
While the app isn’t perfect, it’s more than serviceable to use as a guide, with a wealth of information in your pocket at all times. If a guest wasn’t tech-savvy, they could get assistance from Guest Services.
The problem for many people was the loss of collectible souvenirs. Many fans collected the maps as a memento of their trip, especially during special events & occasions, like Halloween Horror Nights.
The digital age giveth and taketh.
5. Goodbye Kitty, Hello Wicked
While Hello Kitty remains extremely popular in California, the character never gained much traction in Orlando.
Opening in 2016, the Hello Kitty Store replaced Lucy: A Tribute. The store had been transitioning away from the Hello Kitty/Sanrio theme for the last few years, shrinking the Hello Kitty footprint to a tiny area in the last days of its existence.
So what replaced Hello Kitty? A new Wicked: The Experience, a new interactive retail experience similar to what Universal does seasonally with their Tribute Stores.
The all-new immersive experience invited guests to enter the world of Wicked as the highly-anticipated film hit theaters in November, and proved to be… Popular.
For a couple of weeks, guests also had the chance to meet Elphaba and Glinda to celebrate the film’s release.
The store is anticipated to remain open until Wicked Part Two, which is scheduled for release on November 21, 2025.
4. New Entertainment Debuts Across the Resort
Summer 2024 was the “Summer of Entertainment” as Universal debuted several fantastic new additions to their entertainment line-up: Hogwarts Always, Universal Mega Movie Parade, and CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular.
Replacing the Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle, Hogwarts Always takes the projection production to the next step – taking guests through iconic moments of a school year at Hogwarts; inspired by memorable moments from the Harry Potter films.
The Universal Mega Movie Parade is Universal Orlando’s biggest daytime parade to date, with 13 new floats and nearly 100 performers, and brings some of the most beloved stories from Universal’s films to the streets of Universal Studios Florida, including E.T., Back to the Future, Jaws, and Ghostbusters.
CineSational is a musical ode to celebrate iconic cinematic moments – including Jaws, E.T., How to Train Your Dragon. It is not only one of the best nighttime shows Universal Orlando has ever put out but also one of the best nighttime shows in any theme park.
3. Halloween Horror Nights 33
Halloween Horror Nights returned for its 33rd year, with Universal playing off the duality of horror and introducing SINIST3R and SURR3AL- each representing their own unique brand of fear. SINIST3R represents the sadistic, material horror like torture or murder; while SURR3AL represents the twisted world of the unexplainable supernatural world of horror.
This year’s event had a certain je ne sais quois missing – possibly because the theme felt more disjointed rather than the cohesive vision we’ve grown accustomed to. The marketing did not align with the merchandise, and the merchandise did not correspond with what was showcased at the event.
While there were some great houses, like Insidious and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, there were some big misses – including Duality of Fear, labeled a scare zone but featured extremely minimal decor.
Overall, it was a rather unusual year, to say the least.
2. DreamWorks Land Opens
A much necessary addition for the kids demographic, DreamWorks Land lets guests enter “the vivid world and imagination of DreamWorks Animation,” offering up fun for the entire family – with multiple interactive play areas, live entertainment, character meet and greets, and more. Divided into three subsections: Shrek, Trolls, and Kung Fu Panda, the land flows pretty well together. DreamWorks Imagination Celebration is also a fantastic interactive show for young kids.
It also gave us the Shrekzel!
Universal has faced criticism in the past for not providing enough options for young kids, especially as KidZone featured outdated properties. With the introduction of DreamWorks Land, Universal has added three popular franchises to their theme park offerings, providing young children with a chance to play in a modern playground, while parents can relax and watch them have fun, all while snacking on a Shrekzel.
1. A Year of Epic Hype
All roads have led to this. 2025 is finally the year Epic Universe opens.
Epic Universe will present a level of theme park immersion and innovation that is unmatched – transporting guests to expansive worlds featuring more than 50 awe-inspiring attractions, entertainment, dining, and shopping experiences. Guests will enter through a set of “majestic portals that capture the imagination and creativity of each world”.
The hype train started in January when media members received a replica of the Chronos Tower, the park’s entrance. Over the course of the year, Universal would slowly reveal new details about each land and hotel, and finally – released tickets and vacation packages.
In June, Universal opened up the Epic Universe Preview Center, which included the massive scale model of the theme park.
By year’s end, we got our opening date – May 22, 2025.
2025 is about to be very, very Epic!
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