Author: touringplans.com

It is almost the end of August–where did the time go? Today, Around the Universe covers a bucket full of new Universal news, discounts, ticket changes, and updates!

Passholder Appreciation Days

Universal Passholder Appreciation Days are back! Running until September 30, 2020, passholders receive expanded discounts, exclusive dining options, and special offers. Current benefits include:

• VIP Entrance at theme parks
• Premier Passholder parking lane
• Premier Passholder Universal Express starts at 2:00 p.m.
• Premier Passholder Free Theme Park Admission for a guest August 17 – December 31, 2020
• Premier and Preferred Passholders early park admission every day through September 30
• Power and Season Passholders early park admission weekdays through September 30
• Save 30% on Universal Express Pass
• Free magnet and button (available at UOAP Lounge in USF)
• Much, much, much more!

Find yourself at the parks and a little peckish? Confisco Grille in Islands of Adventure is offering exclusive menu items and, for the first time, 2nd floor dining in the exclusive Navigator’s Club! In Universal Studios Florida, Lombard’s Seafood Grille is offering a prix fixe menu for $45 with choices of appetizer, entree, and dessert.

Universal Passholder Appreciation Days are currently running until September 30, 2020.

Crêpes Ahoy!

In one of the positive additions in 2020, Universal opened a new crêpes stand in Universal Studios Florida. Located in Central Park across from Cafe LaBamba, the new stand sells snack-sized fresh crêpes; light, delicate pancakes rolled with a filling. Universal’s menu includes savory and sweet options including a vegan choice. For Derek Burgan the new stand also houses two Coke Freestyle machines for souvenir cup refills.

The early reviews give the stand thumbs up and a great option in lieu of the traditional pretzels, popcorn, and churro snacks. Hopefully, Universal keeps copying Disney Springs snack stands and we get some poutine soon (or is that at Green Eggs & Ham’s current menu).

Sapphire Falls Resort & Aventura Hotel Closures

Closures are not just happening in the parks as Universal and Loews have announced Sapphire Falls and Aventura Hotel are closing Friday, August 21, for an indefinite amount of time.

We continue to evaluate our offerings and have decided to consolidate our hotel operations as we manage through current conditions.  We will be operating the Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites and temporarily suspending operations at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Universal’s Aventura Hotel as of August 21.  Guests with reservations at Sapphire Falls or Aventura will be accommodated at our other hotels.

Universal is offering Sapphire Falls guests accommodations at Royal Pacific Resort while Aventura Hotel guests are offered similar rooms at Cabana Bay Beach Resort. At this time Endless Summer Resort – Dockside has not yet opened and we expect guests with reservations there to be moved to Endless Summer – Surfside or Cabana Bay.

Untitled Dinosaur Coaster

Aerial look at part of the unannounced Jurassic Park roller coaster. Brown scrims at rock work theming in progress. Note the U-shaped path of caging in progress at right. pic.twitter.com/HUA5scIvgn

— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) August 16, 2020

Over in Islands of Adventure, work is progressing on the first half of the unannounced Jurassic Park coaster. Rockwork, theming, and show scene installation is progressing, and if you look into the train shed building you can see coaster vehicles have arrived at the site. While the attraction has no name or opening date we expect this attraction to open the first half of 2021.

Halloween Horror Nights?

Halloween Horror Nights 2020 is canceled. Yes, it still hurts to say that. While we will not get to walk through the fog this year, Universal opened their yearly Tribute Store for a small taste of the event. This year’s store features four incredibly themed rooms: Frankenstein’s Monster, Halloween Horror Nights throwback, The Attic, and Beetlejuice. Each of the rooms includes exclusive merchandise such as this incredible Frankenstein’s Monster Mold-o-Rama machine.

The Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store is now open through the fall. The store is located in Universal Studios Florida next to Revenge of the Mummy.

So much to see in the new Betelgeuse room @HorrorNightsORL pic.twitter.com/KgDtIoTs2u

— Inside Universal (@insideuniversal) August 21, 2020

Discounts and Deals

Was your hotel booking canceled during the COVID-19 shutdown (March 20 – May 31, 2020)? Are you looking to, or have you, rebooked for some time this year? Universal is offering a free $50 hotel dining credit for any 2+ night stay at a Universal if your reservation was canceled this spring. This credit can be combined with other offers including Annual Passholder room discounts. To redeem, call 866-840-9900 with your canceled reservation confirmation number and your new confirmation number.

Here some other discounts and deals available:

• Buy One (1) Two-Park, 2-Day Ticket, Receive Additional 2 Days Free – $234.99 per person plus tax (all guests)
• Receive Three Months Free When Purchasing an Annual Pass (all guests)
• Buy A Day, Go Every Day Through December 24 – $164.00 per guest plus tax (FL residents only)
• Hotel Discounts for Annual Passholders and Florida Residents

Refurbishments and Closures

• Fievel’s Playground (COVID-19, Reopening TBD)
• Curious George Goes to Town (COVID-19, Reopening TBD)
• A Day in the Park with Barney
• Fear Factor Live (COVID-19, Reopening TBD)
• Fast & Furious: Supercharged
• Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl
• Camp Jurassic (COVID-19, Reopening TBD)
• If I Ran the Zoo (COVID-19, Reopening TBD)
• Jurassic Discovery Center (COVID-19, Reopening TBD)
• Me Ship, The Olive (COVID-19, Reopening TBD)
• Poseidon’s Fury
• Storm Force Acceleration

What are your favorite Universal Orlando Annual Passholder benefits? Have you eaten at Central Park Crepes? Are you excited for the Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store? Leave your thoughts in the comments below! 

The post Around the Universe – Discount and News for August 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: News, Universal Orlando Resort, Halloween Horror Nights, Islands of Adventure, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Aventura Hotel

The forecast cone for Tropical Storm Laura has included the Florida peninsula for several days now. While the track has slowly shifted to the west of Orlando, it’s still likely the area will feel some effects as this tropical system passes through. What can we expect?

The Forecast: Intensity and Track

Tropical Storm Laura is expected to pass close to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic through Sunday, and be located near the Florida Straits between the Keys and Cuba by early Monday morning. The storm should then travel through the Gulf of Mexico along Florida’s west coast throughout Monday and Tuesday, where it should strengthen into a hurricane and finally make landfall along the Alabama/Florida panhandle on Wednesday.

Possible variations? Absolutely. Tropical Storm Laura could also make landfall in south Florida and move north through the peninsula, or pass more west into the Gulf of Mexico.  When you look at the forecast cone, notice how wide it gets at Days 4 & 5. The three-day cone, in white, is much more accurate. This gives us a good idea of where Laura will be through Sunday, and all the possibilities that model data is giving us from Monday onward.

As for intensity, wind shear is affecting Tropical Storm Laura today. By tonight or Saturday morning, Laura will begin entering a more favorable area for development. If the storm manages to hang on to its organized circulation today, chances of intensification in the warm waters north of Puerto Rico grow. This is where models differ on intensification, so we could really be looking at either a rainy depression or a strengthening hurricane on Saturday. It’s a wait and see for now.

The Forecast: Likely Impacts to Central Florida

Currently, the most likely impacts from Tropical Storm Laura will be an uptick in rainfall, including heavy tropical squalls. Storms and eventually rain-bands will likely push onshore Monday and into Monday night, when the storm’s center of circulation is located somewhere near the Bahamas or the Florida Keys. Monday will probably have a 70-80% chance of thunderstorms. Tropical storm squalls typically move very quickly and contain torrential rainfall, very gusty winds, and sometimes a chance of a quick tornado.

If you have plans in Central Florida this weekend, they likely won’t be affected by Tropical Storm Laura. Just be sensitive to the possibility of a potential storm Monday into Tuesday. If the storm suddenly intensifies and the forecast track wobbles it closer to Central Florida, locals will probably react by filling up their gas tanks and making a grocery store run. We’ll be watching closely over the next few days!

The post Tropical Weather Update: Tropical Storm Laura appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Walt Disney World (FL), Weather, hurricane season

If you’ve already sipped your first pumpkin spice latte or pumpkin flavored beer you have reason to celebrate. Halloween 2020 merchandise has arrived throughout Walt Disney World. Even without Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party there’s plenty of spooktacular merchandise to be found, especially at Main Street Emporium at Magic Kingdom. This year’s theme of merchandise is Sweet and Spooky. It is a very endearing theme, featuring lots of candy influences to show the sweeter side of Halloween, with Mickey and the gang sporting their retro look.

Here’s some of our favorite finds at Main Street Emporium at Magic Kingdom.

• Halloween Hocus Pocus Spirit Jersey for Adults – $69.99
• Kids Halloween Spirit Jersey – $44.99
• Mickey Mouse Pumpkin Adult Hoodie $64.99
• Disney Halloween Women’s T-Shirts $36.99
• Mickey Pumpkin Light-Up Decoration $24.99
• Mickey Pumpkin Decorative Pillow $24.99
• Mickey Halloween Door Wreath $44.99
• Countdown to Halloween $44.99
• Mickey Pumpkin Candle Holder $19.99
• Mickey and Friends Halloween Light-Up Sign $44.99
• Minnie Mouse Witch Plush $22.99
• Mickey Mouse Halloween Plush $22.99
• Minnie Mouse Halloween Candy Mouse Ears $29.99
• Minnie Mouse Light-Up Two Piece Outfit for Girls $55.99
• Disney Halloween Crocs for Adults $49.99
• Minnie Mouse Witch Mug $24.99
• Minnie Mouse Witch Apron $34.99
• Minnie Mouse Witch Set of Two Kitchen Towels $21.99
• Disney Halloween Pins $9.99
• Disney Halloween Glow Necklace $10.00
• Disney Halloween Candy Corn Popcorn  $6.99
• Disney Halloween Cider Mix Set $14.99

 

 

Most of this merchandise is also available at shopDisney online (and while you’re there, you can also check out their Twice Upon a Year Sale, too!). Each of the four Walt Disney World theme parks has a selection of Halloween merchandise, with Magic Kingdom Main Street Emporium, and World of Disney at Disney Springs having the largest selection.

Which Disney Halloween treat do you want the most?

This post may contain affiliate links.

The post Take a Look at Practically All of the Halloween Merchandise at Walt Disney World appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Halloween, Merchandise, disney halloween, disney halloween merchandise, Hocus Pocus, minnie mouse halloween

With reduced seating, local regulations, and general discomfort about dining indoors, many restaurants around the country have embraced takeout as a way to increase sales and give customers more options.

In a recent blog post, a reader question asked if doing a “to go” order was an option at WDW theme park restaurants. When we asked at various restaurants at Magic Kingdom, we were told that wasn’t an option, and that mobile order from a quick-service location was the way to get food to go. Because theme parks have such large numbers of people at any given time, it makes sense that there isn’t a carryout option from in-park restaurants, but what about resorts, which tend to have fewer people for mealtimes?

Ordering carryout from Disney resort restaurants has been hit or miss in the past. For instance, you could go to the bar next to Sanaa and order food to go if they weren’t too busy. Now it appears that Sanaa has created a dedicated takeout register outside of the restaurant.

Of course this means bread service to go has become part of our new reality!

We’ve heard other restaurants at Disney resort hotels are offering this service, and that you can place an order on site or call ahead. (If you’re placing an order on site, you’ll receive a text message letting you know when your order is ready, if you do not feel comfortable waiting inside a building.)

Is this Disney’s best-kept secret? What Disney resort hotel restaurants would you want to do carryout from? Let us know in the comments.

The post Resort Restaurant Carryout Is a Delight! appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, dining, Sanaa

It’s been one crazy week. I feel like the month of August is sweeping by in a blur!

This week, learn what new movie is coming to Disney+, take a peek at construction at Disneyland, and more.

In Case You Missed It – Disney and Universal Orlando News and Rumors

Josh D’Amaro is great at sharing unique views of things in the Disney parks and this week is no exception. Here’s a look at Disney’s Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure.

Becoming, a new Disney+ original docuseries gives the spotlight to athletes and celebrities like Adam Devine, Anthony Davis, Ashley Tisdale, Caleb McLaughlin, Candace Parker, and Julianne Hough. It sounds like an interesting premise. The show centers around a visit to the celebrity’s hometown, touring important locations central to their upbringing. Will you be watching?

Today is the debut of  The One and Only Ivan on Disney+. The film, is an adaptation of the award-winning book about one very special gorilla. Take a look at the trailer here.

The Owl House on the Disney Channel will feature the first bisexual lead character for the network.

Gotta give them props….while many of us are sad that Halloween Horror Nights isn’t happening, Universal Orlando Resort is trying to still make pumpkins into rotting pumpkins.   Here are some great ways to still get that HHN feel, even without the event this year.

The post In Case You Missed It: News and Rumors – Week of August 21, 2020 appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: In Case You Missed It