Author: Brian Glenn

Universal Orlando Resort’s eighth hotel, Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites, will open on March 17, 2020. An extra-affordable Value category hotel, Dockside Inn and Suites will join its sister property at Universal’s Endless Summer Resort, Surfside Inn and Suites, which opened in June 2019. Dockside Inn and Suites will add 2,050 guest rooms to the Universal Orlando hotel portfolio by the end of 2020, featuring both standard rooms and spacious 2-Bedroom Suites – which can accommodate up to six people. With rates starting at just $85 per night, Universal’s Endless Summer Resort combines the quality guests…

The Holidays at Universal Orlando Resort are just around the corner, and Universal has revealed the food and beverage options guests can enjoy during the Holiday season; including some new dining experiences. From November 16, 2019 to January 5, 2020, Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal CityWalk will offer a variety of tasty options for guests to indulge in. Universal will be offering a traditional Holidays meal of a mixed green salad, herb-roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, roasted potatoes, sautéed & steamed vegetables, served with a flaky-crusted apple pie for dessert. The Holiday meal will be available at…

Universal Cinemark at CityWalk has completed the theater enhancements in all 20 auditoriums, finishing the conversion and refurbishment a year after ending their AMC partnership. Each theater allows guests to relax on “Luxury Loungers”, Cinemark’s branded theater seats, with extendable footrests, cup holders and plush seating. The theatre also added the new Cinemark XD auditorium, which features expansive wall-to-wall screens, custom-engineered surround sound with multi-channel speakers and state-of-the-art projection systems capable of delivering 35 trillion colors. Universal Orlando invited us out to check out the new theater, giving us a pre-release viewing of Universal Pictures’ new Holiday film, Last Christmas.…

Knott’s Berry Farm is commemorating its 100th anniversary with its largest celebration ever, which includes the return of the beloved Bear-y Tales story in an all-new 4-D interactive dark ride. Knott’s is bringing to life a continuation of the classic attraction which was initially commissioned by the Knott Family and created in 1975 by the legendary attraction designer Rolly Crump. From the press release: “Knott’s Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair” is a new 4-D interactive dark ride that will take guests on an exciting journey through reimagined show scenes that are reminiscent of the original dark ride, including the…

In this episode, we are joined by Joe, from Parkscope & Touring Plans, to wrap up and give our final thoughts on Halloween Horror Nights 29 and offer some early predictions for Halloween Horror Nights 30; as well as answering fan questions related to the Horrah! 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.

Halloween Horror Nights 29 may have just ended, but it’s time to start planning for next year. Universal Orlando has released event days for Halloween Horror Nights 30, with the event running 39 select nights at Universal Studios Florida; from Thursday, Sept 10 through Saturday, October 31, 2020. Universal plans on celebrating the 30th anniversary of the event by “bringing to life all-new scares, plus reimagined haunts inspired by the past” – teasing that we may see some returning favorites of yesteryear. The Thursday start date is new for Orlando and possibly hints towards a “Fan Night” event, similar to…

SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration returns for this 2019 Holiday season, taking place from November 23 through December 31. For five weeks, the park is transforming into a winter wonderland with more than 3 million sparkling lights. Returning for another year of festive fun, guests can immerse themselves in the story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer at Rudolph’s ChristmasTown. Stroll past life-size story book vignettes featuring the classic tale, and meet beloved characters including: Rudolph, Clarice, Bumble and Yukon Cornelius. In O Wondrous Night, enjoy a live nativity complete with more than 30 carols, life-sized puppets and animals in a spectacular Christmas…

During a Q3 earnings conference call this morning, Comcast executives confirmed that Universal Orlando’s new theme park, Universal’s Epic Universe, is expected to open in 2023. Regarding theme park growth and the future, Steve Burke, Senior EVP & CEO of NBCUniversal, stated: “And then if you go out into 2021, roughly 18 months from now, we open in Beijing. And Brian and I were there last week with Tom Williams, who runs our theme parks. It’s going to be a spectacular park, and we’re really looking forward to that. And we recently announced we’re doing a fourth gate in Orlando…

Universal Studios Hollywood is gearing up for the 2019 Holiday season, with returning favorites “Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter” and “Grinchmas,” set to begin Thursday, November 28 and running daily through Sunday, December 29, 2019. “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle” returns this year. The nighttime show features projection mapping, lights, and music cast against the backdrop of Hogwarts castle. The A Capella Frog Choir returns, performing holiday-themed songs, and newly introduced holiday-themed fare and hot Butterbeer will further complement the overall experience. A wide selection of custom-made Christmas ornaments created especially for “The Wizarding World of Harry…

For the sake of clarity, this article discusses rumors and possible changes to the park. This is not a confirmation. With The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash set to open in the near future, Universal Studios Hollywood plans on repackaging the surrounding area, along with Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem and Super Silly Fun Land, into Illumination-branded “neighborhoods” – creating an Illumination Land in the Upper Lot. Recently, a sign was installed near the entrance of The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash showing the street will be renamed “Pets Place”. This is in addition to “Minion Way”,…