Category: Universal Hollywood

Universal Butterbeer™ Season

Butterbeer

Happy Butterbeer™ Season!  Universal Studios just announced a new “Butterbeer™ Season” in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter starting today!

Update 5/1/2024: Butterbeer™ Season has been extended until June 2, 2024.

From March 15 – April 30, 2024, you can enjoy new delicious Butterbeer™ flavored snacks at Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood.

Do you like your Butterbeer™ cold, frozen, or hot? This very popular non-alcoholic drink from Harry Potter lore is available in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter lands in the Universal Parks. The flavor is most similar to butterscotch and cream soda but delicious and unique in its own way. In addition to the iconic drinks, Butterbeer™ flavor is currently available in Butterbeer™ fudge, potted cream, and ice cream forms. You can also enjoy a fresh mug of cold or frozen Butterbeer™ in a souvenir stein.

During Butterbeer™ Season, new items will include Butterbeer™ flavored popsicles, Butterbeer™ caramels (Orlando only), and other yet-to-be-announced treats.

At Universal Studios Hollywood, a new Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream counter will open inside Honeydukes on Friday, March 29th. It will feature 10 ice cream flavors, including Butterbeer™, of course.

Have you had Butterbeer™ before? What’s your favorite? I like the hot, no, the frozen. Actually, I like them all, it’s hard to decide. Time to plan a Universal trip!

Are you excited to see what other Butterbeer™ snacks they come out with? Contact me if you want to chat about a Universal trip.

Cheers to Butterbeer™!

AdventuresByAnne.com

Butterbeer treats

Pics © Universal Studios

Holidays at Universal Studios Hollywood 2023

Grinchmas

Celebrate the holidays at Universal Studios Hollywood from November 24, 2023 – January 1, 2024!

Enjoy the music and fun of Grinchmas™ at the Who-tacular Celebration. Meet the Grinch, his dog Max, and other Who-ville residents. Catch the lighting of the one-of-a-kind Dr. Seuss inspired tree and other Who-ville decorations.

Hogwarts Castle

Join the celebration in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter as Hogwarts™ castle lights up for the holidays and festive decor brightens up the streets of Hogsmeade™. Listen to seasonal melodies from the Frog Choir while you sip on delicious Butterbeer™. (If the hot one is available, give it a try. It’s my favorite one!)

Of course, there will be plenty of holiday-themed food for your belly and merchandise for your shopping list around the park. You can also meet some characters in their holiday finest.

CityWalk

Don’t miss the beautiful tree, dining, and shopping in CityWalk either.

Feel free to contact me if you want to chat about a Universal trip.

Universal Studios Hollywood Holidays

Pics © Universal Studios

Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights Houses Announced

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights

If you’ve been eagerly waiting, Universal Studios has finally announced the themes of the 10 haunted houses for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights event! They will be the same at both Universal Orlando and Hollywood.

  • Bloodmoon: Dark Offerings
  • Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count
  • Dr. Oddfellow: Twisted Origins
  • Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate
  • Stranger Things
  • The Darkest Deal
  • The Exorcist: Believer
  • The Last of Us
  • Universal Monsters: Unleashed
  • YETI: Campground Kills

For detailed descriptions of each house, visit the Haunted Houses page.

If you don’t know, Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed nighttime event, with 5 scare zones, 10 haunted houses, food, merchandise, and more. Note that some of the scares are pretty intense and gory, so it may be too much for the little ones and the faint of heart. There are plenty of YouTube videos about it if you want to get a sense of what it’s really like first.

This year’s event will take place on select nights after 6:30pm, starting on Sept 1, 2023 at Orlando and Sept 7, 2023 at Hollywood and runs through Oct 31, 2023.

Tickets are on sale now! There are also express passes and hotel packages. This is a very popular event so if you are interested, you may want to buy your tickets ASAP.

For more details or to buy tickets, visit the Horror Nights page:

© UniversalStudios

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights Announced

Universal Orlando Halloween Horror Nights

Ready to be scared?

Universal Orlando just announced the dates for this year’s Halloween Horror Nights event!

  • Sept. 1-3, 6-10, 13-17, 20-24, 27-30
  • Oct. 1, 4-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29, 31

Tickets are on sale now! There are also express passes and hotel packages. This is a very popular event so if you are interested, you may want to buy your tickets ASAP.

Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed nighttime event, with 5 scare zones, 10 haunted houses, food, merchandise, and more. Note that some of the scares are pretty intense and gory, so it may be too much for the little ones and the faint of heart. There are plenty of YouTube videos about it if you want to get a sense of what it’s really like first.

For more details or to buy tickets, visit the Universal Orlando Horror Nights site.

© UniversalStudios

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™ Press Event Livestream

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™ Press Event Livestream

This is coming up in just over one hour!

Watch a special livestream of the Universal Studios Hollywood SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™ Press Event.

Watch on Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, or Facebook at 8 pm PST

SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™ officially opens February 17, 2023!

Are you excited??

Theme park masks are optional again

Mickey mask

Universal Orlando, Disney World Orlando, and Disneyland California just announced that masks will no longer be required in indoor attractions and settings for vaccinated guests. This is in effect already at Universal Orlando and starts Feb 17, 2022 for both Disney parks. They will still be required on transportation, such as shuttles, buses, monorails, and the Skyliner.

Here’s the text snippet from the Disney World site:

Beginning February 17, 2022, face coverings will be optional for fully vaccinated guests in both outdoor and indoor locations. We expect Guests who are not fully vaccinated to continue wearing face coverings in all indoor locations, including indoor attractions and theaters. Face coverings will still be required by all Guests (ages 2 and up) on enclosed Disney transportation, including Disney buses, monorails, and Disney Skyliner.

UPDATE: As of March 15, 2022, masks are optional for vaccinated guests on the Skyliner also.

Here’s the snippet from the Disneyland site:

Beginning February 17, 2022, face coverings are required for unvaccinated Guests (ages 2 and older) in all indoor locations, including throughout indoor attractions and indoor queues. Face coverings are required for all Guests, regardless of vaccination status, in certain indoor settings including Disney shuttles and in health settings, such as in First Aid. Face coverings are optional for Guests in outdoor areas.

Here’s the snippet from the Universal Orlando site:

Face coverings are optional for fully vaccinated guests. For guests who have not been vaccinated, face coverings are encouraged while indoors.

For the full details on this and other current restrictions, refer to the following pages from the parks:

As of this writing, Universal Hollywood and other parks have not announced any changes to their mask requirements, but be sure to check the website for each park before you go.

Universal Parks Ride Closures

Mummy ride

The months of January and February are usually when the Universal theme parks like to do annual maintenance on their rides, especially water rides. Make sure to check each parks’ refurbishment calendar when planning your trip dates to make sure a favorite ride won’t be closed.

Below are just some main ones that I’m seeing as of this writing. In the calendars, scroll down to the Temporary Ride Closures section of each park, for the days that you’re considering. You have to open these in a browser, not the Universal app, for the Closures information to show up. They’re listed right before the calendar.

At Universal Orlando, the Revenge of the Mummy ride at Universal Studios and some of the water rides at Islands of Adventure have closed for refurbishment. Shrek 4D has closed permanently.

At Universal Hollywood, the Revenge of the Mummy ride is closed.

Check the calendars often, especially if your trip is still several months or even weeks away, since closures and dates for their reopening can fluctuate often. Closures do happen year-round, not just on January and February.

Of course, this applies to any other theme parks, or any other attraction/location, that you may be interested in going to as well. Always check their websites before you lock in your travel plans and before your trip dates, for any closures and changes. Or, you can use a travel agent, like me, who will stay on top of any changes for you. 😁

Let me know if you want any help figuring these out.

Universal Studios Hollywood Vaccination Change

Universal Studios Hollywood entrance

Breaking news!

Universal Studios Hollywood has announced that beginning Oct 7, 2021, all persons ages 12+ must be prepared to show proof of full FDA or WHO approved COVID-19 vaccination (a full 14 days after final dose was administered), or a negative test taken within 72 hours of visit, prior to entry to the theme park. Persons ages 18+ must also show photo ID. Guests under the age of 12 are not required to provide proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Verification will take place when required based on theme park attendance. This is to comply with LA County’s recent Public Health department requirements.

Everyone aged 2+ are required to wear face coverings at all times, both indoors and outdoors, when visiting the theme park. At Universal CityWalk, face coverings are required to be worn indoors.

For more details, visit their Safety Guidelines page.