Author: Brian Glenn

SeaWorld Orlando is bringing Cinco de Mayo to SeaWorld’s Seven Seas Food Festival for one week, on April 30-May 2, May 5, and May 7-9 at select times from 12:30-6:00 p.m. The event is located outdoors with limited capacity and physical distancing, guests are in for a treat with festive menu items, family-friendly entertainment, and live performances throughout the day, including: FIESTA IN THE STREET – The Wild Arctic Plaza comes to life as entertainers, stilt walkers, and party starters get this full-blown fiesta going. DJ DANCE PARTY – Get your feet moving at this fun-filled party (with physical distancing) as we…

After being closed for more than a year, Universal Studios Hollywood has officially grand reopened. The reopening process kicked off yesterday for Annual and Season Pass Members who were allowed to enjoy a special park preview. While most rides will be operational, some rides and attractions will reopen at a later date as the theme park complies with government restrictions – such as The Simpsons Ride and Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem. Guests will also be able to check out the brand-new The Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash ride and new scenes at Jurassic World: The Ride. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VLlNtbRlJs “We…

Universal Orlando Resort has announced their Grad Bash and Gradventure events will return next Spring 2022. The events will take place across both Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure on the following dates: Grad Bash: April 1, 2, 8, 29, 30 Gradventure: May 6, 13, 20 The event has become a tradition for students in the Springtime but hasn’t been held for the past 2 years due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Grad Bash is a celebration for high school seniors, while Gradventure is a celebration for middle school graduates. To learn more about Grad Bash, Gradventure, or other Universal…

The popular T-Rex and jeep photo op have returned to the Jurassic Park section of Islands of Adventure. The original photo op was removed due to the construction of the Jurassic World VelociCoaster. The new location is located right between Thunder Falls Terrace and the splashdown of the Jurassic Park River Adventure. Stay tuned to Inside Universal for all the latest on Universal Parks & Resorts.

Universal Parks & Resorts has announced they have selected a developer to design, build and manage an affordable housing community near the International Drive corridor. The area identified as a high priority by Orange County’s Housing for All Task Force. This is a first-ever approach that brings a theme park entertainment company and its pledge of land and creative resources together with an experienced affordable housing developer to find a unique solution to one of Central Florida’s most pressing issues. The scope and scale of this initiative are expected to reach near-record levels for affordable housing communities across the nation.…

Knott’s Berry Farm has announced they are officially reopening on May 21, 2021, after spending the past year closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The park will reopen to season passholders May 6, with plans for a grand reopening to the general public on May 21 for a summer-long, Knott’s 100th Anniversary Celebration. During the 100th anniversary celebration, guests can experience the brand-new Knott’s Bear-y Tales: Return to the Fair, a 4-D interactive dark ride that pays tribute to the classic attraction from 35 years ago. Guests also will have the opportunity to meet Knott’s all-new lovable costumed characters and…

Universal Orlando has announced that Loews Sapphire Falls Resort will reopen on Tuesday, May 18, welcoming their first guests after temporarily closing last Summer. Universal suspended operations at Sapphire Falls last August due to ongoing issues and uncertainty with the pandemic. Universal states that details for the other hotels, including Aventura Hotel and Endless Summer – Surfide Inn & Suites, will be announced at a later time. The Caribbean-themed resort features 1,000 rooms, including 77 suites. Sapphire Falls originally opened in 2016. Guests who stay at the hotel receive exclusive on-site benefits, including Early Park Admission. For more information, including…

Jurassic World reopened at Universal Studios Hollywood during the Taste of Universal event, offering guests its first look at some of the newly-updates scenes, including the new finale featuring the incredible Indominus Rex animatronic. Predator Cove also received a massive reworking – ditching the pterodactyl corpses and now featuring a destroyed Gyrosphere vehicle, and the return of the Compies playing tug-of-war with a hat. Some of the video shown was updated highlighting the escape of the I-Rex, who also now appears right before the lift hill. The big change was the finale, specifically right before the drop, which features a…

Guests visiting Universal Studios Hollywood for today’s Taste of Universal event were in for a surprise as several rides opened, including the brand-new Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash. For those unfamiliar, a “Soft Opening” is essentially a technical rehearsal of a new attraction or a final release candidate test for the ride. All the major components are installed and operational but some tweaks, changes, and updates will occur prior to the grand opening. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VLlNtbRlJs The ride is scheduled to officially open when Universal Studios Hollywood reopens next week on April 16th. “Soft Openings” are never promised. There is…

In a surprising turn of events, Starbucks Coffee in CityWalk Hollywood has officially closed. A sign is now posted at the entrance informing patrons of the permanent closure. Starbucks is the latest of many CityWalk locations to close this year. With the closure coming so suddenly, it’s safe to assume there are no current plans as to what will replace it. The good news if you’re still looking to get your Starbucks fix is that the location inside Universal Studios Hollywood is still open for all your Venti needs. Stay tuned to Inside Universal for all the latest on Universal…