Author: Brian Glenn

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that CityWalk is now open, and will be opening in limited operations. Select venues will be opening for guests from 12–8 pm daily (and is subject to change). Additional venues will be added as the phased opening continues and hours of operation are subject to change. The following venues are: Eateries Blaze Pizza Buca di Beppo Crepe Café Johnny Rockets Pizza Hut/KFC Starbucks Taco Bell Voodoo Doughnut Shopping Guess Shoe Palace Skechers Each restaurant will have a limited menu and limited seating available. Self-parking will be complimentary, however, Valet parking will remain unavailable at this time.…

Today, Universal Studios Florida turns 30 years old. Officially opening on June 7, 1990, the park has become a staple in Orlando’s tourism district. To celebrate 30 years, let’s take a look at the history of the park, from development and all the way to today. Development (Pre-1990) “The beauty of our Florida property is that it’s just blank – we can plan this tour from the ground up with our guests in mind.” – Gordon Armstrong, executive vice president of MCA Recreation Services After the success of Universal Studios Hollywood and the popularity of the Studio Tour, Lew Wasserman,…

Universal Orlando opened up its theme parks to guests for the first time since its March closure due to the Coronavirus pandemic, with new guidelines. Passholders were amongst the first to check out the new procedures before the theme parks officially opened to the general public on Friday. Universal Orlando’s plans based on the “3 S’s” – screening, sanitization, and spacing – including face mask requirements, temperature screenings for employees and guests, reduced capacity, and improved cleaning and sanitization procedures. As guests park in the garages, Universal team members are making sure to stagger spaces to encourage social distancing, parking…

Universal has released this year’s “Love is Universal” edition, a line of pride merchandise that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community. Besides common items, such as shirts, mugs, and pins, there is also a “Love is Universal” facemask for sale ($6) Universal will donate 10% of the proceeds to the Zebra Coalition, an organization helping with housing and support systems for LGBTQ+ youth. Pride Month, which kicked off on June 1st, commemorates the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969 and recognize the impact LGBTQ+ people have had in the world.

Universal Beijing Resort has officially released features and details on its upcoming Universal CityWalk Beijing, the resort’s entertainment center featuring a diverse range of entertainment, food, and shopping. CityWalk is set to open in 2021, together with the Universal Studios Beijing theme park, the Universal Studios Grand Hotel, and the NUO Resort Hotel, forming the Universal Beijing Resort. It will be located at the main entrance of Universal Studios Beijing and connects the theme park, parking facilities, and subway entrances. The complex will feature exotic elements and modern, bright and celebratory motifs, including several buildings in a Chinese style, as…

The Raptor Encounter has a new home as the popular meet & greet was moved to a new location in Islands of Adventure. During the park’s closure due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Universal continued to construct the new meet & greet spot, which took over the unused extended queue of the Jurassic Park River Adventure. The “paddock” now features a much more prominent influence of the Jurassic World franchise – notably the blue aesthetic and even mentioning Jurassic World by name. There is no indication as to if this is the beginning of a transition of Jurassic Park to the…

It’s been 3 months since we’ve been able to get an up-close look at the progress of Jurassic Park’s yet-to-be-announced roller coaster, with the only updates coming from the friendly skies. Today during Universal Orlando’s passholder preview reopening, we were able to get a good look at the coaster’s construction as the track begins to be installed. Work continued on the coaster during Universal Orlando’s closure due to the Coronavirus pandemic in March. The coaster stretches across the coast of Jurassic Park, from Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges in Toon Lagoon running all the way near the outside area…

The Inside Universal team discusses the latest on Universal parks, including Universal Orlando’s reopening after its closure due to the Coronavirus pandemic and what we can expect for Hollywood’s eventual reopening plans. 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 Studios Japan has announced they will be re-opening on June 19 after a 3-month closure to aid in Japan’s efforts to slow the spread of the Coronavirus. Recently, Japan lifted its state of emergency allowing for large-scale facilities to begin the reopening process. Park admission will be limited to the following guests until further notice. This is based on a request by the Japanese government. There will be a soft opening for annual passholders who reside in Osaka Prefecture beginning on Monday, June 8, and will require advanced registration. Special Studio Passes are also available for residents of Osaka…

Universal Orlando has announced that select hotels will reopen to guests beginning June 2, 2020. The phased reopening of the hotels will include Hard Rock Hotel, Royal Pacific Resort, Sapphire Falls Resort, Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Aventura Hotel, and Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites. The reopening of the hotels will be carefully managed and phased – and includes a wide range of new and enhanced best-practice health, safety, and hygiene procedures. Plans for Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites will be announced at a later time. Guests who have booked reservations…