Good morning from the Universal Orlando Resort! We arrived this morning to find huge crowds and long lines at security.
This is really an awful experience. The security lines are so slow and we spent almost 45 minutes crammed in a small area with tons of people.
Eventually we got through and made our way to Islands of Adventure, where we found signs informing guests that VelociCoaster was not open, but would open later in the day.
The water rides in Toon Lagoon were all operational, but the water features in the area were off and many of them surrounded by barricades. This area is in need of refurbishment, so it is nice to see repairs taking place.
Team Members were informing guests that VelociCoaster was closed and they did not know when it would open for the day, but many guests chose to wait in the area.
The two dinosaurs fighting over a slice of pizza have disappeared from the Pizza Predattoria sign. The sign was recently operational with the dinosaurs moving, but we noticed they had stopped moving again. We hope they get repaired and return quickly.
The decals have been removed from the windows in the Burger Digs. The restaurant feels much brighter with this natural lighting and you can get a great view of VelociCoaster and Islands of Adventure now.
New signs have been added to the barricades that form the line for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. The signs point guests towards the Lost Continent to enter the queue. Hopefully these help guests find the entrance.
Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Potter.
Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure was experiencing some technical issues this afternoon, but luckily, VelociCoaster was open at this time.
VelociCoaster opened in the afternoon and had a 90 minute wait when we stopped by. Worth it.
The Boutique in Marvel Super Hero Island has reopened and carries a variety of Loungefly items.
If you’re tired of carrying your bags around, just find a good, strong tree nearby to hang them from. (No, please don’t do that.)
We’ve noticed some of the platforms used by entertainment have been removed. Instead of being on a small stage, the characters are now on the same level as guests.
All the Books You Can Read has reopened in Seuss Landing. There’s even coloring pages and crayons out for kids.
The water is back in the If I Ran the Zoo play area in Seuss Landing.
Fox in Socks lost his socks.
Over at Universal Studios Florida, wait times were low around the park. Revenge of the Mummy had a 20 minute wait, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem had a 30 minute wait, and Shrek 4-D had a 25 minute wait when we arrived.
The stage near Central Park Crepes has been removed.
The new UOAP button is available from the UOAP Lounge or Toon Extra.
The snack case in the Tribute Store has been a little empty lately, but it’s fully stocked today!
The Williams of Hollywood Prop Shop is now open every day. You can find some great items, and a few of them are even on sale. This rock is just $35 now!
The DreamWorks Destination is a great place so escape the rain. We noticed a lot of guests coming into the experience to get away from the weather.
Other families seek shelter inside a boot in Fievel’s Playland.
Voodoo Doughnut has 2 new doughnuts for summer. You can read our reviews of the Olympic Doughnut and the S’mores Doughnut here.
That’s all for this visit to the Universal Orlando Resort. Thanks for joining us around the parks today and be sure to keep following Universal Parks News Today for more updates!