Author: Brian Glenn

Universal Orlando recently held its Halloween Seasonal Event Testing event this past weekend. With Halloween Horror Nights not taking place this year, Universal is adjusting and trying to feature ways to bring the Halloween season to guests. The event features Trick or Treating, seasonal food, and daytime operations of a couple of haunted houses. One thing that should be noted is that this event is not Halloween Horror Nights; nor is it pretending to be. It also needs to be stressed that this past weekend was a test, hence “Testing” in the title –  so it’s also really hard to…

We spy some green hills… The first parts of Super Nintendo World’s thematic elements have been installed as construction continues at Universal Studios Hollywood. Though the theme park is still closed, construction can still be seen from areas around the park’s garages. It’s only a few pieces, but you can see the familiar green hills that are usually found in Super Mario’s video games. Hopefully, we’ll be seeing more and more very soon. Universal has yet to officially confirm any details on Super Nintendo World, including an opening timeframe. It is expected that the land will be anchored by a…

Guests can now meet Latte, a dynamic Spot robot, outside Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen at Universal CityWalk Orlando. The interactive meet & greet with Latte will run through the end of September, occurring intermittently between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Latte joins Penelope and Jacques for a first-of-its-kind interactive character appearance utilizing the innovative Spot robot technology developed by Boston Dynamics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3xY7hQzqFY Latte is a steampunk-inspired mechanical dog and is the latest invention of the restaurant’s founder, Penelope, and her trusty companion, Jacques. The pair utilized their store of leftover cogs, wheels, and kitchen utensils…

Set up is underway at Universal Studios Florida, as queues and decorations are showing up around the park for this weekend’s “Halloween Seasonal Experience Testing”, which will feature Trick-or-Treating and 2 haunted houses. Queue fences have been set up in Music Stage Plaza, which will form the line for Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives. Near the Tribute Store, the entrance to Revenge of the Tooth Fairy is ready to go but no queue boundaries have been set yet. 2 Food trucks have appeared near each of the haunted house entrances, but no word on what the menu will feature.…

Universal Orlando has begun vehicle testing on the unannounced Jurassic Park coaster, conducting pull-through and clearance tests on the track. With the track now complete, the testing simulates the reach a rider could extend while riding the coaster and ensure clearances are met as well as make sure the track is aligned. While the vehicle is on the track, we still have to wait to see what the train will look like it as it is under wraps. Going the extra mile, Universal has had the wrap themed, sporting an InGen logo – the fictional bioengineering company from the Jurassic…

Drew & Brian return to discuss the announcement of the”Halloween Seasonal Experience Testing” at Universal Orlando; which will feature 2 daytime haunted houses – Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives and Revenge of the Tooth Fairy. We also discuss the awesome HHN@Home event that took place on Saturday. 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 announced a new “Halloween Seasonal Experience Testing” event for Sept 19th and 20th, where guests can enjoy some Halloween fun; including 2 haunted houses that were originally part of the Halloween Horror Nights 30 line-up. Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives and Revenge of the Tooth Fairy will be the 2 haunts included with daytime admission. Premier Annual Passholders will get the first crack on Friday, Sept 18. Registration will open on Sept 16 at Noon. No other dates have been announced at this time. Halloween Horror Nights 30 was cancelled earlier this year due to…

For a limited time, Hard Rock Cafe has rolled out its new Festival menu for guests to celebrate the last remaining days of Summer. Inspired by music festivals, the menu offers guests the choice of either two, three, or four festival bites, which include all-new items or fun twists on loved Hard Rock classics. We were given the opportunity to try the new dishes. The new menu offers 10 appetizer-sized portion options and 7 cocktails to select from. Prices are pretty straightforward – 2 for $20, 3 for $30, and 4 for $40. Our favorite dish was the Let’s Get…

Knott’s Berry Farm has announced Taste of Fall-O-Ween, a new outdoor food and retail  experience celebrating the Halloween season and the flavors of Fall. Knott’s Taste of Fall-O-Ween will take place Fridays through Sundays, September 25 – November 1. The only way to experience Knott’s Taste of Fall-O-Ween is with a tasting card purchased in advance at knotts.com (a tasting card is required for event entry). Event hours will be Fridays and Saturdays from 12pm -9pm and Sundays from 12pm to 8pm. Halloween décor that will transform the park for the season, and guests of all ages can dress up in costumes…

Busch Gardens Tampa has revealed its 10 scare zones for this year’s modified Howl-O-Scream event and will feature 4 new zones. The event will run every Friday through Sunday from September 25-November 1, 2020. The scare zones are designed to scare safely, as Busch Gardens states the creative production team has consulted with medical experts to modify this year’s zone designs with a physical distancing focus, as well as enhanced health and safety measures. The 4 new scare zones are: Lycan Landing: It’s always a full moon at this campground and the park rangers can’t hear you scream. When the…