Universal Orlando in June

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Universal Mom

Want to experience all the thrills and fun of Universal Orlando in June? You’ll have a much better time if you know what to expect before you go. Read on for our favorite tips for visiting Universal in June.

Shops in the Wizarding World will be packed by noon in the summer months. Photo courtesy Universal Media

Events: Most events at Universal in June revolve around music–from the summer concert series to the Velvet Sessions live performances. This summer, Universal just unveiled a new Superhero parade and the Cinematic Spectacular,a new, movie themed fireworks finale.

Weather: It’s Florida — in June — so expect to spend a lot of time trying to find ways to cool off. From heading back to the hotel pool in the afternoons to choosing indoor attractions to escape the heat of the day, you’ll need to limit your exposure to the heat and sunshine.

Crowds: All of the Orlando theme parks, including Universal, will be crowded this month. You can expect to see moderate crowds at the start of June, and then for the park to fill up as the month progresses. Visit the park on a Thursday or Friday; these are usually the days with the fewest crowds.

Tips: Head right for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter when the park opens if you are spending the day at Islands of Adventure. With U.S. schools out of session, this is the most popular part of either park, thanks to the many young Harry Potter fans who visit the park in summer. This area will be too crowded to enjoy by noon.

Visit water rides like Jurassic Park in the afternoon–you’ll be able to have fun and cool off at the same time.

Universal Orlando for Guests with Disabilities

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Universal Mom

Like all of the major Orlando theme parks, Universal is set up to accommodate guests with a wide range of disabilities or special needs. Whether you have a temporary need for a wheelchair or a regular need for vision or hearing assistance, you can enjoy just about everything that Universal has to offer.

All of Universal's rides are accessible for guests with disabilities. Photo courtesy Universal Orlando

Start your day at Universal Orlando by visiting Guest Services, which is located just inside the main gate. Pick up a free copy of the park’s guide for guests with special needs, entitled Rider’s Guide for Rider Safety and Guests with Disabilities and use it as you tour the park.

In general, Universal offers the following to help you navigate and enjoy the park:

Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD)
Standard and electric wheelchair rental (prices vary)
Wheelchairs are permitted in all but one of the line queues,and a standard wheelchair may be used on some rides. Other rides require the rider to transfer from the wheelchair to a standard seat.
Live interpreters (make an appointment in advance a week or two before your trip)
Service animals are permitted anywhere in the park, including line queues, though the animal may not be able to ride some attractions for safety reasons. Owners are given information to make the best choices for their particular service animal and rides.
Prosthetic limbs can be worn on most rides and attractions, but should be removed and secured for a few more vigorous rides like the Dragon Challenge (complete list is in the park’s disability guide)
Portable oxygen tanks are permitted in the park, but may be prohibited on select attractions for safety reasons.

Best Time to Visit Universal Orlando

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Universal Mom

Universal Orlando is open every day of the year, rain or shine, so you can visit any time that your schedule permits. The experience you have at Universal will be greatly affected by the number of people that are in the park and the weather. The best time to visit Universal is when the weather is moderate and the crowds are low. Hit the park during busy season and you’ll spend an awful lot of time waiting in line — and bake in the Florida sun while you do so.

Cool down on Jurassic Park on a hot summer day. Photo courtesy Universal Orlando

Weather:Florida is known for great warm weather, but the summer months can be oppressively hot. Universal offers some of the best rides and attractions in Orlando, but the waiting areas and walking areas leave something to be desired. You won’t find many shady, cool spots so be prepared for the heat if you travel in summer.

Traveling from September through May will yield more comfortable temperatures and less of a chance of sunburn. If you do travel in the summer hit the park in the morning, enjoy water rides to stay cool, and save indoor attractions for the afternoon to avoid the hottest part of the day.

Crowds: If you want to avoid the worst crowds, time your visit for the least busy times of year. In general, the months of September, November (except for Thanksgiving week), and January are the best time to visit if you want to avoid crowds. The busiest times are in the summer months, in October (thanks to the very popular Halloween Horror Nights events), Christmas and Spring Break.

Best Days to Visit: The best days to visit Universal Orlando are Thursday an Friday. The park will be at peak capacity on the weekend and tends to be busy at the beginning of the week as well. Avoid days with big parties like Halloween Horror Nights or Mardi Gras, unless you are attending these events; the park will be more crowded, and will close earlier than usual on party days.

Universal Reveals Summer Concert Schedule 2012

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Universal Mom

Universal Orlando has just revealed a rockin summer concert schedule that will get fans on their feet this year. The series kicks off June 9, 2012 with a performance by the cast of the Nickelodeon show, Victorious. This year’s lineup includes fan favorites like ZZ Top and 3 Doors Down.

See Nickelodeon's Victorious perform June 9. Photo courtesy Universal Orlando

June 9^th’s performance includes a sneak preview of new episodes of Victorious and a Q&A session with members of the cast. The event concludes with a live concert featuring original hit songs from the series soundtrack.

Universal Orlando’s Summer Concert Series:

June 9- Cast of Victorious
June 16- ZZ Top & 3 Doors Down
June 23 – To be announced
June 30 – To be announced
July 7 – To be announced
July 14 – To be announced

The summer concerts run from June 9-July 14, 2012, and are free with your Universal Orlando theme park admission. As with any large event in the Orlando theme parks, you should head to the concert venue at least an hour early to be sure you can get a seat. Watch this space for more details as they are released by Universal Orlando.

New Character Dining Options at Universal Orlando

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Universal Mom

Universal Orlando’s new events, the Cinematic Spectacular and the Superstar Parade debut next week, and the company has just announced some fun new dining experiences to go along with them.

Enjoy priority seating when you book a meal package at Universal. Photo courtesy Universal Media.

The Cinematic Spectacular will be an evening event that combines music, film and pyrotechnics to create a unique and moving film experience. The Spectacular will highlight beloved scenes and characters from Universal films throughout the years.

Universal has created a special dining package that combines a fine meal with special seating for the Cinematic Spectacular – this would be a great way to end the evening at the park. With this program, you can book a meal at Lombard’s Seafood Grill and head to a special viewing area after your dinner. Since the Universal Cinematic Spectacular is a brand new program, it is likely to be crowded, making a priority seating area a nice perk.

Superstar Parade:

Universal’s newest parade debuts next week, and includes some of your favorite characters and stars. While the parade give you the opportunity to see some of your favorites in person, Universal’s new character dining experience allows you to have a personal meeting with some of the company’s most beloved stars.

Universal’s Superstar Character Breakfast is designed to give you some time with your favorite characters, with the opportunity for autographs and photos. Starting the day with a hearty breakfast will also give you plenty of energy to explore the park — but you may want to save wild rides like the Incredible Hulk coaster until later in the day!

3 Things to Do Before you Visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Universal Mom

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has quickly become Universal’s most popular destination. Located in the Islands of Adventure theme park, the Wizarding World draws huge crowds each day and offers three rides several shows and plenty of themed photo ops and shopping.

Don't miss the Wizarding World of Harry Potter when you visit. Photo courtesy Universal Orlando Media

There are a few things you should do before you arrive to get the most from the experience.

Read the books: Read at least the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the UK). Becoming familiar with Harry’s World will help you make sense of what you see. While you don’t have to be a fan of the series to visit this part of the park, it helps and enhances the experience if you know what you are looking at.
See the movies: See at least one of the films prior to visiting the Wizarding World. You’ll get a better sense of what is going on in the different shops and attractions. You’ll enjoy the area’s premier ride, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (one of Universal’s best attractions) better if you are familiar with Hogwarts and its environs as seen in the film.
Get out of bed early: Be one of the first to arrive and you’ll be able to experience the Wizarding World of Harry Potter before it gets too crowded. Rides like the Dragon Challenge will have very long wait times by mid-morning, so make the Wizarding World your first stop of the day.

Wet n Wild Announces New Kid’s Play Zone

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Universal Mom

Wet n Wild has long been a favorite Orlando destination. The park opened in 1977 and is widely regarded as the nation’s first waterpark. Wet n Wild has plenty to offer and is an excellent addition to your Orlando vacation.

Beginning this summer, Wet n Wild will offer even more to tempt families traveling with small or school aged children. The park announced an overhaul of the kid’s water play zone this January, and work is expected to be completed in time for the summer season.

While visitors to Wet n Wild can already enjoy lots of family friendly fun, the new kid’s area will feature pools, slides, water cannons and more. With an area of over 15,000 square feet, the kid’s zone is anything but pint-sized but parents will appreciate the enclosed space and easy to monitor exits.

Ariel view of Wet n Wild in Orlando, Florida. Photo courtesy Wet n Wild.

Expect the new zone to have 17 water slides, two pools, a towering, 60 foot sandcastle themed play area and more. This is an extensive remodel and addition and is expected to be a big draw for families. You can definitely a new approach in the new play area. While Wet n Wild is often thought of as a thrill slide park, the new zone boasts the care and attention to detail shown to recent Universal additions like Spiderman and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Since Wet n Wild is partnered with Universal, you can often get combination tickets for a reasonable price, so if you are planning to buy Universal Orlando or Islands of Adventure tickets, consider adding on the Wet n Wild ticket option.

Top 5 Thrill Rides at Universal Orlando

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Universal Mom

Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure are known as a thrill ride parks, so either is a good bet if you are traveling with roller coaster fans. Universal offers more than just great coasters, though. Some of the rides on the list below have a psychological scare factor that is downright creepy, too.

Head to Universal's Islands of Adventure for plenty of thrills. Photo courtesy Universal Resort

The Incredible Hulk: This coaster is so big, you can spot it from the highway as you pass Universal. What you can’t see is the wicked fast launch that propels cars from 0 to 40 in about 2 seconds. Barrel rolls, twists, turn and plunges round out this high speed, breathtaking adventure.

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey: While this ride lacks lots of high speed maneuvers it delivers thrills and the “wow” factor again and again. The Forbidden Journey is one of the best conceived and executed rides in any theme park, including Universal, and is a must see for any thrill rider.

Rip Ride Rocket: Orlando’s tallest coaster at 17 stories tall, the Rip Ride Rocket has some innovative and interesting moves you won’t want to miss. From a non-inverted loop to a high speed of 65 mph, your ride experience is captured in video, allowing you to experience the rocket again and again. The seats up the thrill factor a bit too—you’re not strapped in by the shoulders like you are on most high speed rides, so the “yikes” factor is upped a bit.

Jurassic Park River Adventure: Escaped dinosaurs, a raft/flume hybrid and an 85 foot plunge in the dark – what more could you want from a thrill ride? Jurassic Park does an excellent job of integrating story with thrills, making this classic a must for any thrill rider –keep in mind, the water isn’t for show, you will get wet!

Revenge of the Mummy: This dark ride features spooky atmosphere and effects interspersed with thrill ride moves. The creep factor is strong here, from pesky skittering scarabs to spooky scenery and surprises. This ride may frighten young kids, so even if your little one is a coaster fan, you may want to experience the Mummy first before riding together.

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Universal Mom

Hate waiting in line, but still want to experience some of Universal Orlando’s best rides? You can actually bypass the line for many of your favorite rides and attractions when you visit. Use these strategies to spend less time waiting in line, and more time having fun in the park. There are several ways to bypass the lines:

Stay at the Portofino Bay for an automatic Universal Express pass.

Front of the Line Pass: You can get an express pass that will allow you to bypass the lines for some of the park’s best attractions. Purchase an Express pass, which will allow you to advance to the front of the line on select attractions (some new and popular rides like the Amazing Adventures of SpiderMan may not be included). You can get a pass for Universal Orlando, Islands of Adventure, or both, and should expect to pay from $30 to $50 per person. The standard pass entitles you to go to the front of the line one time for each attraction; there is a more expensive VIP option if you want to ride multiple times without waiting.

Stay on site: Spend your vacation in one of the three big Universal resorts and you’ll get an automatic Universal Express pass for select attractions. You’ll need to use your room key to get the benefit, and some popular rides like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey are excluded. Stay at the Portofino Bay, Royal Pacific or the Hard Rock Hotel to get this perk.

Take a VIP Tour: Sign up for a tour (prices vary) and you’ll automatically get an express pass, and front of the line access to most attractions. This is the most expensive option, but will serve you well if you are traveling during a very busy period and want to experience all the park has to offer.

Universal Orlando Announces New Nightly Show and Parade

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Universal Mom

Get ready for a new generation of movie related entertainment at Universal Orlando. Just this week, the park announced a new nighttime show, the Cinematic Spectacular and a new Superstar parade.

See iconic images from beloved films in the Cinematic Spectacular each evening. Photo courtesy Universal Media.

Cinematic Spectacular:

Beginning May 8, Universal will present a nightly showing of the new Cinematic Spectacular show. The program features famous scenes from some of Universal Pictures most beloved films. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the show highlights moments of good defeating evil, heartwarming relationships, chills and scares, humor and horror. Presented with a musical score and coordinated fountains, the Cinematic Spectacular will run each evening through the summer, then on select nights in the fall and winter.