Author: Brian Glenn

Universal Orlando Resort is offering a new vacation package for guests, saving 40 percent on a 4-day, 4-night stay, starting at $1,388 (after savings, based on a family of four.) This limited-time offer includes: Four days of fun and park-to-park access to Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Four-night accommodations at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, where hotel guests get exclusive theme park benefits like Early Park Admission to access the parks an hour before the general public, complimentary transportation throughout the destination, and delivery of merchandise purchased throughout the theme parks and Universal CityWalk to their hotel…

Universal Orlando has begun the process of removing the Blue Man Group from the resort as signage and advertisements for the show are now gone. The massive sign marquee on the Sound Stage has been painted over with blue paint, with the box office signage and the illuminated banners that lined the walkway now blacked out. The Blue Man Group announced their closure earlier this month, ending their 14-year run at Universal Orlando. The show had remained closed due to the pandemic since March 2020, never having a proper send-off. No decision has been announced as to what will replace…

It seems like we’re getting closer and closer to Jurassic World VelociCoaster’s opening as a new sign was recently installed near the attraction’s entrance. Located across from the Watering Hole, the new sign teases the coaster’s opening of Summer 2021 and is themed exactly like the signage seen in the Jurassic World franchise. It is expected that the current Jurassic Park area will feature elements from both eras of the franchise – with areas near the VelociCoaster featuring the modern design of Jurassic World. Recently, more construction walls were removed near the “paddock area”, giving us our first glimpses of…

After months of speculation, we finally have confirmation that a new Universal Studios Store is coming to CityWalk at Universal Orlando. Several pieces of concept art can now be seen around the construction walls, giving us our first look at Universal’s new “Premier Retail Experience”. The corner space was the former home of several retail locations, including Fossil and the Island Clothing Co. – which closed last January. Although we now have official confirmation of the store, Universal has yet to announce any details – including an opening date. It is expected that the store will feature several highly-themed rooms,…

Universal Orlando has started the process of eliminating all remnants of A Day in the Park with Barney. The entrance sign, banners, the gift shop sign and even the iconic fountain statue have all been removed. The show originally closed “temporarily” last August as Universal made operational adjustments during the pandemic – but was confirmed last month that the closure had become permanent. A Day in the Park with Barney originally opened in KidZone back in 1995 and was one of the longest-running shows in the park before its closure. Stay tuned to Inside Universal for all the latest on…

Construction walls have been removed near the “paddock area” of the Jurassic World VelociCoaster, giving us our first glimpses of all the twists and turns, foliage, and the launch section of the track. Lining up with the Raptor Encounter entrance, the launch will send guests up to 70 mph and more than 150 feet in the air. The viewing fence offers some great views of the coaster, which should add a kinetic feel to the Jurassic Park area of the park. More details about the coaster will be revealed in the months ahead, including an official opening date. Stay tuned…

Universal Orlando has released their line-up of Jurassic World VelociCoaster merchandise throughout the resort as we get closer to the coaster’s opening. Shirts, hoodies, pins, socks, buttons, mugs, and more are available at the present time. Official “Grand Opening” merchandise was sold temporarily but has since been removed until a later time. Many of the items feature the tagline, “What could go wrong?” – hinting that the coaster will most likely feature the attraction trope of an experience going wrong. Other taglines include “Must Go Faster” and “Chaos Happens”. Merchandise is currently available at Jurassic Outfitters, a Jurassic Park merch…

Universal Orlando has pushed out a new update to their mobile app, introducing Universal Pay – a new feature that allows contactless payments for guests while in the parks with the use of their smartphone. Universal Pay uses a credit or debit card in the app’s virtual wallet and will create a unique QR code for each purchase for team members to scan. The feature also allows guests to control the spending limits of their party; setting it up for either full charging privileges, a set spending limit, or no spending whatsoever. Universal Pay is only accepted at Universal-owned stores…

We are joined by Seth Kubersky of the Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando to discuss the latest edition of his guide; how it deals with the ongoing pandemic, and his thoughts in general on the Universal Orlando Resort, as well as Mardi Gras 2021. https://www.amazon.com/Unofficial-Guide-Universal-Orlando-Guides/dp/1628091185/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=unofficial+universal+guide+2021&qid=1613067217&sr=8-1 Direct Download and iTunes You may download this episode directly here. You may also subscribe to the Inside Universal Podcast on iTunes. In addition, you can also follow us on Spotify to listen to podcast episodes on their app.

Universal Orlando has kicked off another year of Mardi Gras. Last year’s event was in the middle of a memorable run, celebrating 25 years of food, music, and fun until everything changed in March with the shutdown of the parks for the better part of 2 months. This year’s event returns in a much more different form, being held daily through Sunday, March 28. While most of what we love about Mardi Gras is present, it goes without saying that there are some noticeable changes due to the ongoing pandemic. Gone are the nightly parade and weekend concerts; with Universal…