Disney & Orlando Tips for Brits, Walt Disney World (2024)

04/07/2024

Guide to Annual Pass Perks at Universal Orlando Resort
Doctor, esquire, lord, lady… in life, there are many great titles that can be bestowed upon us. But for me, the greatest honor of all was becoming Nicole Wills, UOAP. Sure, being a lawyer is great, but does it get you year-round access to soft pretzels and roller coasters? Didn’t think so.

Joking aside, getting an Annual Pass to Universal Orlando Resort opens up the door to SO many sweet (and savory) benefits. I’m talking exclusive seasonal perks, discounts, special merchandise, access to an exclusive in-park lounge — and the unbeatable ability to pop into the parks to play whenever you want, of course!

If you’re on the fence about whether to become an Annual Passholder, wonder no more. I’ve compiled all of the best perks of a Universal Orlando Annual Pass for you in this article; let’s dive in!

Types of Passes

Before you start enjoying the (many!) benefits of being a Universal Orlando Passholder, you’ll have to pick which pass is right for you. There are four to choose from: the Seasonal Pass, the Power Pass, the Preferred Pass and the Premier Pass. Each comes in a 2-park or 3-park variety:

2-park passes include Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure.

3-park passes include Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Volcano Bay.

Each Pass has a different price point, blockout dates, FlexPay options and additional perks, all of which can help you narrow things down. Click here to explore all of the features and benefits.

PRO TIP: If you’re a Florida resident, you can score reduced pricing for all of the Pass options! Click here to compare.

No matter which Pass you choose, you’ll get to take advantage of some pretty awesome perks. Most obviously, you can…

Explore the Parks (Almost) All Year Long

If you’re considering an Annual Pass, it’s safe to assume that you like to visit Universal Orlando Resort. (And may I say you have wonderful taste for that!) With an Annual Pass you can enjoy theme park admission all year long. Well, almost all year — the Seasonal Pass and Power Pass do have Blockout Dates, and Volcano Bay is occasionally blocked for the the 3-Park Preferred Pass. Still, that leaves hundreds of other days to have fun!

From seasonal events like the Holidays at Universal and Universal Mardi Gras: International Flavor of Carnaval, to Passholder Appreciation Days, to the simple joy of riding a coaster or two after work, getting to visit Universal Orlando whenever you want is hard to beat. Plus, you never have to stress about knocking out all of your must-dos in a single visit!

PRO TIP: Premier and Preferred Passholders can enjoy Early Park Admission on select days, which grants access to select attractions up to an hour before scheduled opening.

Access to the Coolest Place in the Park

Located in Toon Lagoon at Islands of Adventure, the UOAP Lounge is your go-to stop for all things passholdery. Remember that exclusive merchandise I mentioned earlier? You can shop for it here — including that famous classic blue UOAP lanyard to let all your fellow APs know you’re in.

Have any UOAP-related questions? Or maybe it’s time to renew (or upgrade!) your Pass? With the Concierge Services offered at the UOAP Lounge, you can take care of this and more. Grab a soda, charge your phone, kick back and enjoy feelin’ fancy.

Enjoy Special Event Perks

Team Holidays vs. Team HHN? Choose Team UOAP and you’ll always come out ahead! Passholders enjoy special perks during some of Universal Orlando’s most popular events, including Mardi Gras and the always-fun Passholder Appreciation Days that take place each fall. When you have a Pass, you can:

Ride a Mardi Gras Parade Float. On select event nights, you can sign up to have the opportunity to ride a parade float, throw beads and let the good times roll! Passholders also receive a discount on the Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine Experience. If you’d rather watch than ride, take advantage of Passholder-only viewing areas in front of Mel’s Drive-In on select dates.

Feel the Love. Each fall, Universal Orlando dedicates a stretch of days to celebrating UOAPs with even more perks, discounts and exclusive opportunities. Passholder Appreciation Days also come with an exclusive menu of items available at food and dining locations throughout the resort.

Save on Screams. Passholders can save on separately ticketed events like Halloween Horror Nights! You’ll also find Passholder-exclusive merchandise for this event during the spooky season.

Upgrade Your Holiday. You can snack on Passholder exclusive food and beverage offerings during the merriest season, and you’ll receive early access to the Holiday Tribute Store so you can nab that UOAP exclusive holiday merchandise. Just like Mardi Gras, you can also view Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s from the Passholder-only viewing area.

Grab Free Goodies

Something about me is I will never turn down a trinket, tchotchke or any other variety of whimsical item. That’s why nabbing my specialty UOAP Magnet was a top priority when I became a Passholder! These free magnets are the perfect way to show off your Passholder pride, whether it’s smack in the middle of your fridge or constantly flexing down the highway on your bumper. When available, you can pick them up at the UOAP Lounge in Islands of Adventure or Five and Dime in Universal Studios Florida, along with other seasonal giveaways like buttons and lanyards.

PRO TIP: Keep an eye out for UOAP Magnets themed to Mardi Gras, the Holidays and other fun seasonal happenings.

Score Special Discounts

The only thing better than a day trip to Universal Orlando? A staycation, obviously! Throughout the year, Passholders can save up to 40 percent off room rates at select hotels; at the time of publication, these hotels include Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. Plus, you secure discounts at resort restaurants, by the pools and more.

And the discounts don’t stop with the hotels! You can flex your UOAP benefits when you…

Save on Parking, Spend on Churros. Premier and Preferred Passholders receive free self-parking at Universal CityWalk after their first visit, and Power Passholders get 50 percent off!

Dine and Shop Your Heart Out. Preferred Passholders get 10 percent off dining and merchandise, and Premier Passholders get 15 percent off.

Bring the Family. Need to buy Multi-Day theme park tickets for your friends or family? Seasonal Passholders get 10 percent off, and all other Passholders save 15 percent!

Go VIP Mode. All Passholders can save 10 percent on VIP experiences. That means guided tours, priority access to all attractions, behind-the-scenes experiences and more!

Believe it or not, that’s only a quick summary of some of the coolest discounts that come with your shiny Annual Pass. You can browse the full list here.

The Premier Perks

You can’t go wrong with any of the Universal Orlando Pass options, but the Premier Pass deserves some special attention. It comes with some seriously swoon-worthy perks that make it well worth the higher price tag, including:

Unlimited Admission. That’s right, there are no blockout dates if you opt for the Premier Pass! That means you can go to Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay (weather permitting) any time you want, all year long.

Universal Express Pass After 4 p.m. Dying to squeeze in one more ride before you head home, but short on time? With a Premier Pass, you get a free Universal Express Pass after 4 p.m. to help make it happen. (One time per participating attraction.)

Free Valet. Want to feel like a celebrity when you arrive at Universal Orlando Resort? Premier Passholders can roll up in style with free valet parking and free Prime self-parking after their first visit. (If you’re headed to Volcano Bay, I still recommend self-parking since you’ll have to take the shuttle.)

Scream for Free. Nothing scary about this perk: Premier Passholders receive one free Halloween Horror Nights ticket for select nights of the event!

Are you a Universal Orlando Passholder? Did I leave out any of your favorite perks? Let us know in the comments!
The post Guide to Annual Pass Perks at Universal Orlando Resort appeared first on Discover Universal.

It's a UOAP thing, IYKYK.

04/07/2024

Check Out the Updated “Earthquake—The Big One” Studio Tour Attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood
“Earthquake—The Big One” has long been one of my favorite attractions on the World-Famous Studio Tour. Here’s how it goes: the tram rolls into Soundstage 50, which looks just like a San Francisco subway station. We roll up under the guise that we’re getting a special, behind-the-scenes look at a movie currently in production. It’s a “hot set,” we’re told — there are movie cameras, makeup and wardrobe, craft services — but the crew is on break. All very exciting in its own right, isn’t it?

But then the real fun starts.

It begins with a flicker of the lights. We feel a tremor, nothing crazy for Southern California, but quickly, the shaking becomes so intense that this could only be…The Big One. The ground cracks open. The ceiling of the transit station splits open, too — a gas tank truck slides through it, then catches fire. Sparks fly at all angles. A train comes careening into the station. And then — uh-oh — here comes the flooding. For a thrilling two minutes, guests experience a massive simulated earthquake.

“Earthquake—The Big One” embodies what I love so much about the Studio Tour: it showcases the impressive practical effects while creating an absolute thrill for guests. If your heart isn’t pounding as that flash flood comes cascading into the transit station — whew, you’re certainly braver than I. “Earthquake” has been a beloved stop on the Studio Tour since 1989, and now, in tandem with the attraction’s 60th anniversary celebration, it’s gotten an update. “Earthquake—The Big One,” welcome to the 21st century!

“Welcome to 2024,” says Jon Corfino, vice president for Universal Creative. “Fresh audio, fresh systems, fresh everything!”

Discover Universal got a behind-the-scenes look at the attraction in its final days before it was unveiled to the public, courtesy of Corfino. From fall 2023 to spring 2024, the attraction was closed for about six months for a revamp. Not a gut job — the main story beats of the experience have remained largely the same. Just a refurbishment. “We wanted to refresh the look and say, what if this earthquake were to happen today?” Corfino says. “Between the art direction and just the years, it needed some TLC.”

A lot of that work came in updating the aesthetics of the “Universal Mass Transit” station itself. The color scheme went from an oh-so-’80s beige, green, red and yellow, to a more modern blue and white one complete with white subway tiling. A bubbly “Welcome to San Francisco” lines the subway tile in explosive color. Corfino’s team added ticketing machines and e-bikes, too. The truck that crushes in through the ceiling has gotten a 21st century makeover, too — it’s now a clean burning hydrogen tank. The fonts on the station signage was updated to a sleeker, more modern looking sans serif. And the “film set” got modernized, too, with film cameras going digital. In short: guests no longer feel like they’re going back in time when their tram rolls into “Earthquake—The Big One.”

But the “Earthquake” refurbishment is more than just an aesthetic shift. “I think 60% of any experience is really the audio,” says Corfino. For the executive producer, the majority of the weight, depth and magnitude in an attraction — or, what makes it actually, fully immersive — is the audio. Updating the attraction’s look gave Corfino’s team the opportunity to install new amps and a completely modern sound system, which provides an even more immersive and intense experience than was possible in the 1980s.

The posters lining the station walls, which advertise made-up movies, were also given a more modern look. But they also gave the Universal Creative team a chance to put their own little signatures on the project, so to speak. Every poster you see on the wall is a completely original product of the project team — 100 percent original designs. If you look off the left side of the tram, near the lockers, you’ll see a poster reading: “THE UNIVERSAL CITY EARTHQUAKE REHAB,” starring the names of the folks who worked on the project. A poster for the (fictional) Tremor Bar reads, “Where drinks are better SHAKEN!”Another poster advertises earthquake insurance, which — too late.

Similarly, a map of downtown San Francisco would be of no use to a lost tourist. If you look closely, you’ll see streets (re)named for people who built the original “Earthquake” attraction back in the 1980s. “We felt like it was important to honor the past,” says Corfino. “Not try to change what people love, but rather, try to make it look current and give it the attention that it needed.”

“The most popular things on the backlot are the most physically immersive,” says Corfino. The “Earthquake” attraction has long remained popular for this very reason. But modernizing the look of the attraction makes the whole thing feel even more real. Sure, guests roll into a soundstage and are told they’re on a film set. But once the 8.3 earthquake starts, you feel completely transported to this San Francisco train stop. Without the logical jump of, “We’re in the 1980s,” the whole experience feels more immediate and urgent.

If you love “Earthquake—The Big One” as much as I do, you’ll love to see it in the 21st century. This updated attraction is a permanent addition to the World-Famous Studio Tour, but its debut comes as part of the special 60th anniversary celebration. From now through August 11, 2024, guests have the rare opportunity to step off the Studio Tour at certain designated areas and get up-close-and-personal with some iconic movie set pieces. So hop over to the Universal Studios backlot to get in on the celebratory fun!

What’s your favorite part of the World-Famous Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood? Let us know in the comments below.
The post Check Out the Updated “Earthquake—The Big One” Studio Tour Attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood appeared first on Discover Universal.

"Earthquake—The Big One" at Universal Studios Hollywood has gotten a 21st century makeover, and it's as thrilling and lifelike as ever.

04/07/2024

[UPDATED] Here’s What’s Coming to Halloween Horror Nights 2024 at Universal Studios Hollywood
Like the undead, Halloween Horror Nights (affectionately nicknamed HHN) rises again! Spooky season will descend upon Universal Studios Hollywood before you know it — and with it, a series of truly terrifying haunted houses, scare zones, shows, and of course, the Terror Tram. Whether you’re a horror superfan or just looking for some Halloween thrills; whether you’re into the classics or the freshest kills; HHN is undoubtedly the place to be. The annual event is always a frighteningly good time, and this year will be no exception!

Here’s everything we can tell you so far about Halloween Horror Nights 2024 at Universal Studios Hollywood. Oh, and by the way — we’ll update this blog as new HHN ‘24 announcements are made, so check back here for the latest news.

Looking for the Universal Orlando Resort version of this blog? Check it out here.

THE HHN BASICS

When is Halloween Horror Nights 2024?

This year, HHN at Universal Studios Hollywood will run on select nights from September 5 to November 3. The event begins at 7 p.m. each night.

Where Can I Get HHN 2024 Tickets?

Tickets for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights are on sale now! The ticketing options are the same as those for last year’s event, including one-night General Admission, 2 p.m. Day/Night, Frequent Fear Passes, Ultimate Fear Passes, Universal Express and Universal Express Unlimited, and, of course, the R.I.P. Tour. Early Access Tickets are also available.

Check out the HHN Hollywood ticketing page to find the latest prices and the nitty-gritty details on the admission options. And remember: ticket prices increase as the event draws near. So hop on it!

WHAT’S COMING TO HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS 2024

A QUIET PLACE

Want to live another day in this post-apocalyptic world? You’re going to have to keep your mouth shut. In “A Quiet Place,” any sound you emit — screams, gasps, even a creak in floorboard — can be your demise.

While the prequel film, “A Quiet Place: Day One” hits theaters on June 28, 2024, this house lives in the world of “A Quiet Place” (2018) and “A Quiet Place Part II” (2020). In this universe, Earth has been overtaken by horrifying, sightless creatures who find their prey with their exceptional hearing. The only way to survive is by staying completely silent. In this HHN house, you, like the Abbott family (those films’ protagonists), will creep from the farmhouse to the woods to the foundry in complete quiet. That is, you’d better move in complete quiet. One slip-up and you’ll summon the terrifying creatures, who will silence you for good.

One of the most exciting aspects of this house is its incorporation of American Sign Language (ASL). The use of ASL is a key plot point in both “A Quiet Place” films, so its presence at HHN enhances the authenticity of the house. This is the first time we’ll experience ASL in an HHN house — and we can’t wait.

GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE

Make sure you pack a sweater, ‘cause it’s about to get chilly at HHN! In “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” — based on the 2024 installation of the beloved comedy-sci fi flicks — an ancient artifact has released a chilling new specter named Garraka. Garraka’s goal? Destroy humanity by unleashing a new ice age unto Earth.

In this all-new haunted house, you’ll have to dodge spears of ice as Garraka and his army of ghosts freeze people before your very eyes. Luckily, when it comes to ghosts, you know who to call. Stick with the Ghostbusters. Only they can stop you from getting iced — not to mention, save the world as we know it.

DEAD EXPOSURE: DEATH VALLEY

Doesn’t it seem like top-secret experiments always go horribly wrong just as you arrive at Halloween Horror Nights? In “Dead Exposure: Death Valley,” you’ll wind through a covert government facility where officials are creating super soldiers. Unfortunately, everything goes haywire right as you arrive. And you’ll soon discover that, instead of super soldiers, the facility has (accidentally) created an army of radioactive zombies. Best of luck escaping!

MONSTRUOS 2: THE NIGHTMARE OF LATIN AMERICA

If you loved the “Monstruos: The Monsters of Latin America” house in 2023 (and who didn’t?), you’re in luck! You’ll get to futher explore the terrifying universe of Latin American horror-folklore in this all-new, original house. In “Monstruos 2: The Nightmares of Latin America,” El Muerte will return to guide you through a graveyard of mythic monsters, including the soul-stealing rider, El Charro; the supernatural, doglike spirit El Cadejo, who roams quiet roads at night in search of prey; and the child-eating bogeyman, El Cucuy.

That’s all we can tell you for right now, but come back soon to catch up on all the latest.

Please note that the above photographs are from previous HHN events and do not reflect the upcoming event offerings.

What are you most looking forward to at Halloween Horror Nights 2024 at Universal Studios Hollywood? Let us know in the comments below.
The post [UPDATED] Here’s What’s Coming to Halloween Horror Nights 2024 at Universal Studios Hollywood appeared first on Discover Universal.

Spooky season is coming! Get the most up-to-date details on what's coming to Halloween Horror Nights 2024 at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Address

Walt Disney World

Website

facebook.com

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Disney & Orlando Tips for Brits posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Disney & Orlando Tips for Brits

04/07/2024

04/07/2024

04/07/2024

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share