Universal Studios

Question about Universal Tickets

2006-12-08T05:54:00.000-08:00

Question: I'd like to buy the Universal Studio and JFK space center ticket. But is there any expiration date on the ticket? I plan to go in April 2007.

Answer: If we order your tickets before 2007 you will get the 2006 prices. The beauty to our process is that we will not charge you for the tickets until 15 days prior to your arrival. The tickets do not expire until the first day you use them.
Then if you bought a 2 Day Universal pass for example the second day would expire 14 days after the first day you used it.

Holidays Coming Up

2006-11-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

Lisa here, just checking in with a reminder that the holiday season is about to launch at your favorite theme parks. Be sure to keep an eye on the site for articles and tips to help make the most of your holidays at Universal Orlando.

In the meantime, just a couple of quick notes... HorrorFest was this past weekend at the Cineplex, and by all accounts was a rousing success. Eight movies considered too scary for general release were shown, and were they ever scary!!

I'll be dining at Emeril's for Thanksgiving, apparently they have a special Thanksgiving menu, so I'll let you all know how that goes.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone! And don't forget to make your Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/Yule plans soon, as things are really booking up around here.

Till next time,
Lisa

Lisa Fritscher has joined our team!

2006-11-15T10:13:00.000-08:00

Lisa is an aspiring actress and Universal expert. Over the next few months she is going to be writing articles to help our visitors plan their vacation.

Thanks Lisa...I know we will enjoy working with you!

Universal Orlando announces the arrival of Blue Man Group

2006-11-10T05:46:00.000-08:00

Universal Orlando announced Thursday evening that they have struck a deal with the high-energy Blue Man Group.

Blue Man features three entertainers in blue face paint who combine unusual musical instruments, paints, ordinary objects such as gumball machines, acrobatics, theatrics, comedy, special effects and driving music to create a splashy, rhythmic, colorful stage spectacle.

"It's certainly something that I've had my eye on and aspired to bring to Universal for some time, a show that could not only delight daytime visitors to the parks but could also be an evening entertainment experience for those who come to CityWalk," Williams said. "It's a real complement. It doesn't compete with anything we have. It's unique. It's different."

Unlike the TV show, Blue Man comes with a known, successful track record in other cities, particularly with tourists and conventioneers. The show is considered a rival of Cirque du Soleil shows in New York and Las Vegas. Blue Man co-founder Chris Wink, though, insisted the rival shows don't compete so much as create a synergy, which he said raises standards for other entertainment.

That was particularly true after Blue Man and Cirque went head-to-head in Las Vegas, he said.Williams insisted he was not looking for a competitive answer to Cirque's La Nouba show at Downtown Disney, but to find something that could rival it and create the kind of synergy Wink suggested."I want that to happen. We have a deliberate desire to do just that," Williams said. "I think it heightens our competitiveness with Las Vegas."CityWalk is a district of nightclubs, restaurants and shops. Hard Rock Live hosts occasional concerts, and most of the nightclubs feature live entertainment. But none of them offers the out-of-town entertainment draw that La Nouba has provided at Downtown Disney, Walt Disney World's rival to Universal's CityWalk.

Blue Man Group expects to stage as many as 15 shows a week during peak tourism times in midsummer and the Christmas season. Ticket prices were announced at $45 for matinee performances and $55 for evening shows. Universal said discount deals would be offered with theme park ticket packages.

The shows would be held in the former Nickelodeon soundstage in the corner of Universal Studios, which is being renovated to meet Blue Man needs and seat 1,000. A new entrance will be created to bring in patrons directly from CityWalk, adjacent to the Hard Rock Cafe, so they can attend Blue Man without buying theme park tickets.

Blue Man Group will be hiring locally for some of the roles and production and management jobs, co-founder Matt Goldman said. Production employment will range from 25 to more than 50, he said. The musicians, management and crew will include full, part-time and seasonal employees."We bring in 'seed' people, people with years and years experience with Blue Man," he said. "And then we fill in with local folks."

Universal and Blue Man Group have been talking off and on for three or four years, after expressing mutual interest. Universal wanted the show, and Blue Man was interested in Orlando, Wink said."There's only so many places in the world that have this many people flowing through a spot.

If you want to have a sit-down show with 1,000 people or more, you need to have a place where people are flowing through. You have your New York. You have your Las Vegas. And certainly Orlando is one of them," Wink said.

Teachers free at Universal Studios

2006-11-07T06:39:00.001-08:00

Last Tuesday, Universal Studios Orlando announced that they are giving away 1 day 2 park tickets to all Florida teachers. In additon they are also going to allow all the teachers to receive up to 6 extra free tickets to give away to their family and friends.

Universal Studios has always played a major role in the education of children, and this is just a small token as a way to thank the teachers of Florida. Universal Studios Orlando is also giving $2 for every teacher which takes them up on this offer to the the Florida Educators Association.

Union fails as Universal

2006-10-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

Good news for travelers. The local florida union has officially announced that they are no longer going to try and secure enough signatures from employees to try an unionize the Universal Studios of Orlando workforce.

This is great news for Orlando visitors because at Disney World, where the employees are unionized, all union employees are guaranteed a 3.5% raise. This cost increase is simply past right along to the theme park visitors. By Universal Studios not being unionize they will not have this extra pressure to raise the gate ticket prices.

I know, I know. Theme park tickets go up every year, but Universal Studios as least won't have the excuse that since their labor cost have gone up their ticket prices have to go up as well.

Universal Halloween Horror Nights a huge draw

2006-10-10T07:52:00.000-07:00

Easily one of the biggest draws to Universal Studios Orlando is the Halloween Horror nights. In fact, this has become such a big draw that they have hired a team to do nothing but work on this project year round.
Recently we came across an interview Jim Timon, Senior Vice President of Universal Studios Orlando, did with the Scott Powers of the Orlando Sentinel.

This is a very intriguing question and answer interview and it gives us quite a bit of insight into the huge task Universal has on their hands to overcome Disney’s Magic Your Way pricing structure. I personally never knew that Halloween Horror Nights and Mardi Gras were Universal’s two biggest draws here in Orlando. In fact, the pressure to keep the haunted houses new and innovative is something that Universal has to work year round on.

In the interview here is Mr. Timon response to how important Mardi Gras and Halloween Horror Nights is to Universal’s Success. “Those events demand so much new thinking and creativity because we do them new every year...That spills over to make us always challenge ourselves to meet that bar in just about everything we do. What we used to call events is now our brand.”

Personally, I really like the Halloween Horror Nights and it a true blessing to travel companies in Orlando. It gives us a boost during our slower Fall season. Over the last few years, Halloween Horror Nights has really come to the fore front as a being a major draw to Orlando.

If you are going to be coming to Orlando for Halloween Horror Nights, you might want to stay at some of our Orlando resort hotels. Most of them offer free shuttle service to Universal Studios and a few of them even offer free breakfast in the morning.

Universal's President to retire

2006-10-09T05:53:00.000-07:00

Bob Gault is retiring from Universal Orlando on December 5, 2006. The ride for the theme park giant has had it’s ups and downs during his time as president.

Bill Davis, a former SeaWorld of Florida general manager, will replace him, becoming the next chief operating officer of Universal's resort with two of the world's largest theme parks, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, and the City Walk entertainment district and three resort hotels.

Gault, 62, has long been praised for his success for being a team player and president that saw the theme park through some difficult times. Following the September 11, 2001 attacks attendance at the theme parks was at an all time low. He rebounded in 2004 when Universal set an all time record for attendance. His success did not stop their however; in 2005 Universal set another record this time for overall employee satisfaction.

Gault will long be missed for his attention to detail and his unwavering commitment to employee satisfaction. “ I think I was at the right place at the right time," he said.
His boss, Universal Parks and Resorts Chairman Tom Williams, agreed, calling him a "consummate professional”. "There was no better leader for this time than Bob Gault," Williams said.

In Gault's five years, Universal added few attractions. There are just two major new shows, Shrek 4-D and Fear Factor Live, and one major new ride, Revenge of the Mummy -- The Ride, and all replaced old attractions. This year, Universal opened a nightclub, a restaurant, a children's train ride, and a fresh summer night show, Universal 360.Gault credited what he called a strong team of leaders and employees, and quality attractions. He said he stuck to fundamentals -- pleasing employees and guests and controlling costs.

"I'm a fundamentalist," he said. "If you have the team together, feeling good about the job they do, that equates to strong guest satisfaction, and that equates to a reasonable profit."Gault is widely praised for his focus on the resort's 13,000 employees. He frequently gets into the parks to meet with them, and regularly holds lunch meetings with them. The company reported that employee surveys find job satisfaction is now at its highest levels ever.

Davis, 60, led SeaWorld of Florida from 1988 to 1997, then was transferred to SeaWorld of California. In 2003, he joined Vivendi Universal as managing director of the Universal Mediterranea theme park resort in Spain. But Vivendi sold that resort and Davis moved on to run a Six Flags park in California.He left that park in June, and he and his wife, Becky, moved back to their home in Orlando.

"I couldn't be happier," Davis said

Islands of Adventure VIP Tours

2006-07-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

VIP Tours are available that ensure you get to experience all of the thrill rides Islands of Adventure has to offer--with little or no waiting. The VIP Tour departs daily at 10:00 A.M. and noon. The price of this tour is $100 per person. It includes a five-hour walking tour of the Islands of Adventure theme park. Participants receive priority entrance and preferred seating for approximately eight popular attractions.

Restaurants at CityWalk

2006-03-03T05:27:00.000-08:00

The restaurants within CityWalk typically serve both lunch and dinner; however, many are open late and are ideal for late-night snacks or meals (after visiting a club or seeing a movie). If you're traveling with children or underaged teens, arrange for babysitting services at your hotel so that the adults you're traveling with can enjoy the nightlife offered at CityWalk.

The Latin Quarter

2006-03-02T12:03:00.000-08:00

This area offers food and entertainment inspired by twenty-one Latin American nations. Dining and dancing are offered late into the night as guests are entertained by music from Central America, South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

The NASCAR Cafe

2006-03-01T08:23:00.000-08:00

No matter how old you are, if you're a NASCAR racing fan, you'll appreciate this themed restaurant. It's jam-packed with NASCAR memorabilia that's displayed throughout the dining room and all public areas. In addition, there are full-size stock cars on display, plus video monitors showing NASCAR racing highlights. The restaurant is open from 10AM to 10PM.

Pat O'Brien's

2006-02-24T06:28:00.000-08:00

Modeled after the famous New Orleans watering hole, Pat O'Brien's is suitable for adults, over the legal drinking age. Every evening, guests are entertained by dueling pianos and sing-alongs. A full-service bar is offered. Dining hours are between 11:00 AM and 1:00 AM daily in the main bar and courtyard. Guests must be over the age of twenty-one to enter after 7:00 PM. There's a small cover charge to enter the dueling piano bar, which is open (and features live music) between 6:00 PM and 2:00 AM.

Quick Tip: When to visit Islands of Adventure

2006-02-22T06:49:00.000-08:00

To avoid the longest lines, the best times to visit Islands of Adventure are during the winter (January through March), the month of May, or in the fall (September through mid-December). These periods offer the mildest weather and allow you to avoid peak tourist traffic.

Quick tip: Universal Cineplex

2006-02-20T10:46:00.000-08:00

The Universal Cineplex within CityWalk features twenty screens, all offering stadium seating, cutting-edge projection equipment, state-of-the-art sound systems, and air conditioning.

On bad weather days and evenings, or when a hit movie first opens, expect larger than normal crowds here. The good news is that when a blockbuster film first opens, it will typically be shown on multiple screens to accomodate the larger crowds.

Also, to save money, try and see a movie after 6:30PM when the parking fee(s) are waived.

Quick tip: Nightlife at CityWalk on a budget

2006-02-13T11:08:00.000-08:00

For a flat fee of $8.95 per person, unlimited access to all of CityWalk's clubs and bars is available. For $12, admission to the clubs and bars is included along with one Universal Cineplex movie ticket. Call the CityWalk customer service department for more information on this and future deals.

Stage 54

2006-02-10T12:12:00.000-08:00

Stage 54 at Universal Studios Orlando is a soundstage that houses actual props, sets, and memorabilia from a popular (current) motion picture. The interactive exhibit changes every few months, but it offers an up-close and behind-the-scenes look at how a movie is made. This is a self-paced walking tour of a soundstage.

Shopping at Citywalk

2006-02-09T09:25:00.000-08:00

There are many shops and kiosks littered throughout the huge Universal CityWalk complex. Below are a few to help you get an idea as to what you will find there:

All-Star Collectibles - Sports memorabilia and other collectibles that are available for purchase.
Elegant Illusions - Ladies will love this store. Here you will find inexpensive replicas of fine jewelry.
Fossil - Watches, leather goods, sunglasses and other apparel.
Dapy - This chain store found throughout the country sells various novelty items for both kids and adults.
Glow! - Pretty much everything here glows in the dark!
Starbucks - Recharge yourself with a fresh cup of America's favorite coffee.
Universal Studios Store - If you forgot to grab a piece of merchandise while you were in one of the Universal Studios parks, you will find it all here.

Hard Rock Cafe

2006-02-08T12:50:00.000-08:00

Orlando's Hard Rock Cafe is the world's largest of its kind. Here you will enjoy live entertainment by the biggest names in the music business in a 2,200 seat theater. In addition, you are free to browse the Hard Rock music memorabilia collection which boasts over 1,000 individual pieces. The dining room is open from 11AM to midnight on a daily basis.

The Hard Rock Cafe Live arena is home to 2,500 seats where you can enjoy live entertainment nightly. Be aware that ticket prices will vary for very popular acts.

Terminator 2: 3-D Battle Across Time

2006-02-06T13:13:00.001-08:00

This action-packed, virtually interactive 3-D adventure is based on the popular Terminator movies. When it debuted, it was far and away the most advanced 3-D show anyone had ever seen. T2 still remains a popular attraction and should definitely not be missed!