Universal Orlando Podcast by Orlando Informer: Recent Episodes
Orlando Informer
A weekly vacation planning podcast focused on Universal Orlando Resort from Orlando Informer. Last year over three million families used our website to plan the perfect vacation. Learn more at OrlandoInformer.com.
As the OI team focuses on making our YouTube channels then best they can be, the Orlando Informer Podcast will continue its hiatus. In the mean time, make sure you are subscribed to the Orlando Informer and Taylor Strickland YouTube channels for great content dropping weekly.
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We've eaten and imbibed more than 45 culinary options at Universal Orlando's Mardi Gras 2021: International Flavors of Carnaval, and we're prepared to give you the straight scoop on which are superb and which are… not. We also take you on a virtual tour of the best-yet Tribute Store, discuss the parade and entertainment changes for this COVID year, and sample all the brand-new gastronomical offerings at CityWalk and the hotels.
See all the dishes and drinks in photographic form: https://oi.tips/37aU5Bz
See them in video form: https://oi.tips/3qguZJ9
Do a deep dive into the Tribute Store: https://oi.tips/3b20dx3
Over at Universal Studios Japan, the highly anticipated Super Nintendo World expansion has had its technical-rehearsal media embargo lifted, and we walk you through its three attractions. But before we can do that, we first have to discuss the two Universal Orlando Resort shows that have just gotten the axe: Blue Man Group and A Day in the Park with Barney.
Mardi Gras 2021: International Flavors of Carnaval has been announced by Universal, and there's a ton to dig into and go over. Plus, Super Nintendo World has been delayed at Universal Studios Japan yet again.
Let's talk about our experiences at Universal Orlando's eighth hotel, Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites. Then we'll quickly look back at what opened at the resort during 2020 and what's currently scheduled to debut in 2021.
Thanks to a video walkthrough from "Mario" creator Shigeru Miyamoto and getting our hands on a detailed map from Universal Studios Japan, we now have our best understanding yet of how Super Nintendo World will look, work, and feel. Come take a deep dive with us (and discuss the peculiarities of Japanese culture).
Let's-a go!
We've been away for a little while, so it's time to dive deep into what's been going on across Universal Orlando Resort: the latest on Jurassic World VelociCoaster's development; the opening of the eighth hotel, Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites; what guests can do for Christmas next week; and just-announced New Year's Eve festivities. (Oh, yeah – we also rank our favorite Universal hotels, just because.)
This week over in Japan, Universal and Nintendo had a big press event, showing off Mario Kart: Koopa's Challenge's queue, ride vehicle, and augmented-reality glasses. We also got our first glimpse at a Key Challenge and at the backstory of Yoshi's Adventure, the family-focused ride.
We break it all down for you, using our own excitement as the navigational compass.
We take you on a tour of all the new experiences, share our thoughts on the new food and drinks, and run down some new details of Universal's Holidays celebration.
What's the same with Universal Orlando's Holidays event this year, and what's been modified or outright cancelled due to COVID-19? Here's the rundown on every special experience, show, and treat.
Someone must have said his name three times. Universal surprised guests this Halloween weekend when they opened the Beetlejuice house to fans yearning for more HHN action.
Michaela joins Marc and Mike to walk us through the house. Join us as we break down the best scenes and scares.
Puppet Theatre: Captive Audience is the first Halloween Horror Nights 2021 house to be revealed – and the first in HHN history to have an accompanying video preview.
After breaking it down, Marc and Mike then jump into a mini-news roundup of the past week, touching upon the arrival of Christmas decorations (and a new merchandise lineup) in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and a new photo-shoot service Universal is currently experimenting with.
Want a possible glimpse of Universal Orlando Resort's future? You can probably find it in China, where Universal's newest – and most expensive – park, Universal Studios Beijing, is getting ready to open in the first half of next year. Here are all the attractions, restaurants, and shops that we know about – and a debate as to whether or not they're revolutionary enough.
Universal Studios Japan will be getting an early taste of Mario-themed goodies and treats in the form of the Mario Cafe & Store, which is taking over some pre-existent spaces in the park. In addition, we've gotten some excellent aerial photos of the basically-done Super Nintendo World – which is the perfect opportunity to explore its various nooks and crannies.
Consider this a preview for what Orlando will get later on this decade.
You can find the pictures here: https://oi.tips/30MfldB
What's the VelociCoaster's story? How tall is it, and how fast does it go? How does its setting of Jurassic World work – or not – with the rest of the themed land around it? (By the way, what is the backstory of Jurassic Park at Islands of Adventure?) And, most interestingly/terrifyingly of all, why does the new coaster only have a lap bar?
We have all those answers – and more.
This week, we answer your questions on: Child Swap, Thunder Falls Terrace, and what constitutes being an Orlando Informer superfan.
Let's go over everything Halloween at Universal Orlando Resort this fall: the haunted houses, the exclusive food and drinks, trick-or-treating, the start and end dates, and the "event's" name.
Universal's just-announced Halloween Seasonal Experience Testing this weekend not only resurrects two haunted houses from this year's cancelled HHN (those being Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives and Revenge of the Tooth Fairy), but it also brings the nighttime event into the daylight hours. Here's the surprisingly rich history behind the move.
The water rides of Toon Lagoon, the children's attractions of Seuss Landing, the overlooked experience at Springfield, the caves of Jurassic Park – and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man? Find out how all of these can be considered to be underrated.
This week, we answer your questions on: what's the best tower at Royal Pacific Resort to stay at, how to still have fun at Universal during the age of COVID-19, and how Taylor became the owner of Orlando Informer.
Join us for a virtual (or is that aural?) tour of the Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store's two new rooms – one's themed to the 1988 classic "Beetlejuice," and the other serves up tons of spooky treats. Then we get into the history of the character of Beetlejuice and the outsize role he's played at Universal Studios Florida since practically day one. (Actually, strike that – reverse it.)
The food game at Universal Studios Florida has gotten upped yet again in the form of Central Park Crepes, and we have all the juicy details to sink your teeth into. Then Marc and Mike discuss the best way to amaze and awe your newbie Universal friend or family member with on her first visit to the resort.
This week, we answer your questions on: the best (and worst) non-Butterbeer Wizarding World drinks, hopping from one club level to another at Universal's hotels, getting your My Universal Photos pictures after the fact (or not), and age limits on wearing masks.
In an unprecedented move – out here on the East Coast, at least – Universal has decided to cut this year's Halloween Horror Nights, which would've been the event's 30th anniversary. We discuss the thinking behind the move, why 2021's event may still have at least some COVID-19 accommodations, and what the still-opened Tribute Store has in store for guests.
Magic Kingdom. EPCOT. Hollywood Studios. Animal Kingdom – we've been to them all in the post-COVID-19 period. Here's everything you need to know to get in and still have the most magical of days. (Spoiler: Mike and Michaela have the grandest of times dishing everything Disney.)
Universal Studios Florida's New York section is, in many ways, the proto-Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley: it's a fully themed land that is teeming with attractions, food venues, shops, and Easter eggs seemingly around every corner. (It also has crisscrossing streets and a nice, quiet park area, furthering the comparison.) Join us as we plunge into the best experiential highlights of this underappreciated area.
Universal Orlando Resort's three parks have been reopened for two weeks now – how have they continued to fare? We go over the differences in operations, safety practices, and food ordering that we continue to notice.
The COVID-19 closure may have delayed it, but Universal has finally begun technical rehearsals of its newest stunt show, The Bourne Stuntacular. We walk you through the attraction's overall experience, from its queue and preshow to its on-stage technical wizardry.
Not that many people seem to know about the original Hard Rock Cafe Orlando – which is a shame, as it was a marvel of design, and it presaged a number of Universal's rule-bending projects from the years to come. Join us on our historical deep-dive.
How to hop on the rides, order your food, meet-and-greet with the characters, and go shopping at the newly reopened Universal Orlando Resort. Plus, what's changed at the theme parks during their 80-day closure.
Universal recently announced all of the new, COVID-19 safety precautions and practices it'll now be implementing at its hotels starting next week. How will this affect checking in, getting your Express Passes, and Early Park Admission? Also, we quickly go over how the annual passholder sign-up process worked for those preview days on June 3 and 4.
When, exactly, will Universal Orlando Resort reopen after its two-and-a-half-month closure? What parks and hotels will it include? How will experiencing the attractions be different? And what is the one extra precaution LEGOLAND is taking over Universal? We have all those answers for you – and more.
This week, we answer your questions on: restaurant reservations post-COVID, which Universal hotel has the best club-level offerings, and upgrading your annual pass.
We'll walk you through what Universal CityWalk Orlando is like now, just two days after reopening. How does parking work? Or getting your temperature taken before entering the complex? How do you order food or buy merchandise or play putt putt? And, most importantly, what is the atmosphere like during the partial reopening? We have all those answers for you – and more.
This week, we answer your questions on: how COVID-19 will impact Halloween Horror Nights (and the rest of Universal Orlando) and what you miss the most from the resort.
We break down the attractions, shops, food, and our favorite memories in Islands of Adventure's Seuss Landing.
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man and Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure may have opened almost exactly 20 years apart, but they do have one key quality in common: they are considered some of the best rides ever made in themed history. Let's see who emerges victorious based on these three key criteria: 1. Location/setting 2. Story 3. Technology/ride mechanics
Fight!
Let's see who emerges victorious based on these three key criteria: 1. Location/setting 2. Story 3. Technology/ride mechanics
Fight!
We talk to Dan Cockerell, the former vice president of Magic Kingdom, about his new book, "How's the Culture in Your Kingdom? Lessons from a Disney Leadership Journey." Besides contemplating the meaning of culture and how guests can affect it all across the theme-park resorts, we also manage to sneak in some Disney trivia – oh, and the ultimate Disney wedding proposal, too.
This week, we answer your questions on: which intellectual property we'd like to see a ride based on and getting a refund for your theme-park tickets during the COVID-19 closure.
We break down the attraction(s), shops, food, and the theming of the only land in Islands of Adventure to not be based on an intellectual property.
This week, we answer your questions on: whether Universal will lower hotel rates because of COVID-19, if there might be any updates to the strategies to get on Hagrid's Motorbike Adventure, and which menu at which in-park restaurant we'd change (and with what!).
We break down the attractions, shops, food, and our favorite experiences in Islands of Adventure's Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
This week, we answer your questions on: Universal partner hotel benefits, what songs we want to see on Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, and how necessary it is to speak English to enjoy Universal Orlando's experiences.
We break down the attractions, shops, food, and hidden gems at Islands of Adventure's Skull Island and Jurassic Park.
Five films, lots of action scenes, and even more intrigue and plot twists – the "Jason Bourne" series has lots of material rife for utilization by The Bourne Stuntacular, the imminent stunt show at Universal Orlando Resort. We do a deep dive on it all (including some behind-the-scenes shenanigans!) so you don't have to.
In this quick, news-centric podcast, we quickly get into how long Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World Resorts will be closed down and what we know regarding the cancellation or rebooking of guests' planned visits during this time.
We break down the attractions, shops, food, and hidden gems at Islands of Adventure's Toon Lagoon.
This week, we answer your questions on: the Mardi Gras Tasting Lanyard and how do you write for Orlando Informer (or theme-park blogs, generally)?
First, Matthew drops by to talk about his epic (get it?) field trip to New York City for a special Universal and Nintendo contest, and then Michaela interviews Blake Braswell, Show Director at Universal, about this year's 25th anniversary Mardi Gras celebration.
We break down the attractions, shops, and food at Islands of Adventure's Marvel Super Hero Island.
We break down the concerts, parade, premium add-ons, and all the food and drinks at what is quickly becoming one of Universal's biggest annual events.
This week, we answer your questions on: does Universal Orlando have any can't-miss nighttime shows or parades, upgrading your tickets to an annual pass, and getting on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (hey – that's not Universal!). Plus, we get an epic trip report (and a hot tip) from one of our listeners.
We have everything you need to know about the first-ever Running Universal event at Universal Orlando Resort, and then we discuss the first confirmed land of Epic Universe, Super Nintendo World.
The first month of the year has brought the first major Super Nintendo World press conference, in which we received the very first details on the land's various interactive elements, from collecting virtual coins to unlocking Boss Battles.
This week, we answer your questions on: the best time of day to ride Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, what benefits a seasonal pass will net you (or not), and whether Captain Marvel is in Marvel Super Hero Island (or not).
We're running down all the attraction and hotel openings and annual events that will grace Universal Orlando Resort in 2020.
This week, we answer your questions on: best options for Christmas dinner outside of the hotels, what a second ride in Diagon Alley should be, and the possibility of getting more Orlando Informers on the podcast.
From the biggest Halloween Horror Nights of all time to the opening of Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure to the announcement of a whole new theme park, 2019 was a MASSIVE year for Universal Orlando Resort. So let's go step by step through it, yes?
Green Eggs and Ham Cafe reopens after a lengthy closure with a brand-new menu focused on... tater tots, which just may be the latest theme-park trend. And with New Year's Eve just around the corner, we discuss all of Universal Orlando's celebratory offerings, from the headlining Eve to the various dinners at the hotels.
This week, we answer your questions on: Cabana Bay Beach Resort's shuttles, upcoming renovations at Portofino Bay Hotel, and what's the best land to stay in all day (if you had to!).
It's the most wonderful time of the year! We break down all of the various activities that Universal throws across its entire resort for the holidays, from parades and special shows to feasts and exclusive drinks.
This week, we answer your questions on: when the best time to buy your annual pass is and what our favorite places at Universal Orlando are.
We have our very first details on next year's Halloween Horror Nights, including its dates and a tease on what to expect from its haunted houses. Then we quickly touch upon Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites's newly announced opening date and the various food, drink, and dessert-party upcharge options for this year's Holidays celebration.
This week, we answer your questions on: Bayou Boil at Mardi Gras 2020, the meaning behind some of our most commonly used acronyms, and Shutterbutton's at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Cue the music. We break down all of the food, shops, and (most of) the Easter eggs located in Islands of Adventure's first land.
This week, we answer your questions on: No-Shave November and a simple-enough-sounding question about Universal's most overrated and underrated rides that ends up in one member of the OI Podcast quitting and the other getting fired.
This weekend sees the end of the 29th annual Halloween Horror Nights, so what better time to revisit – and revise – our official review and standings? (And what better time to get sidetracked down a rabbit hole of theme-park design, specifically revolving around the usage of franchises versus original creations in attractions?)
This week, we answer your questions on: the fastest way to pick up your new annual pass (without infringing on your park-touring time), whether it's better to meet the Marvel superheroes in the streets or the Marvel Character Dinner, how fast you need to leave the theme parks to make it back to MCO, and just what, exactly, an E-ticket attraction is.
Epic Universe is coming in four short years. Christmas is already showing up at Islands of Adventure. Today Cafe gets a new Al Roker-inspired seasonal dish. Tuk Tuk has arrived at Royal Pacific Resort. And Universal announces a new annual-passholder perk (or two).
The 39-year-old franchise that is "Jason Bourne" will be arriving in stunt-show form at Universal Studios Florida next spring, replacing Terminator 2 3D: Battle across Time. Universal Studios Beijing has been revealed, giving us seven fully-themed lands based on one popular franchise or another. And registration for the very first Running Universal event has started!
This week, we answer your questions on: secret areas where ride-shares can drop you off at, just who those pushy salespeople are all throughout CityWalk and the two theme parks, and the utility of pool-view hotel rooms.
This week, we answer your questions on: tipping bartenders (or not), moving to Orlando, bees at Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, and our favorite OI Podcast hashtags.
An explosion of hotels. The doubling(!) of real estate. Entirely new theme (water) parks. These are the biggest macro changes to Universal Orlando Resort since May 2015, when we started doing the Orlando Informer Podcast.
First, Taylor tells us all about fulfilling his nearly lifelong dream of being a scareactor at HHN (thanks to Boo Camp for the media) in the Vanity Ball scare zone. Then we get just a quick rundown of what the brand-new Stranger Things interactive experience is over at the Cyber Image gift shop.
This week, we answer your questions on: historical ticket discount data, getting from Universal to Disney cheaply (and quickly), fist-bumping Universal team members, vacations from Ireland (surprise!), and – at long last – the secret story behind Mike's Cabana Bay pool phobia.
Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle is here, along with a slew of Death Eaters who prowl the streets of Hogsmeade. Running Universal will soon be here, bringing a whole new way to experience the resort. And we have some small tidbits about what to expect for the various holiday events this year.
This week, we answer your questions on: HHN Express, Unmasking the Horror Tours, the best things to outside of the rides, a possible maximum height restriction on Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, and how to make the HHN houses less scary.
Taylor sat down to interview Patrick Braillard, Creative Development Show Director, about some of the houses at this year's Halloween Horror Nights.
This week, we answer your questions on: renting cabanas at a Universal hotel other than your own, Cinematic Celebration on non-HHN nights, booking vacation packages during the busy season, early entry to HHN, and more!
What's the best and worst haunted house at this year's Halloween Horror Nights – at least, as of opening weekend? Taylor shares his thoughts, and then Marc walks us through all the myriad exclusive culinary options.
This week, we answer your questions on: leaving your baggage at the hotel to spend more time in the parks, squeezing Halloween Horror Nights into one night, how Stay and Scream works, finding elusive characters around the parks, HHN crowds, and more!
HHN is finally here, and, this week, our own Taylor Strickland got a chance to enter Nightingales: Blood Pit before the event started. We also discuss the announcement and dates of the Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle show in Hogsmeade.
We've saved the best for last (of Universal Studios Florida, at least). We break down all of the attractions, food, and the copious shops in what is arguably Universal Orlando's best theme-park land.
First we discuss how the full Halloween Horror Nights map has a few surprises on it, and then we dive deep into all your questions about the event, about the different tiers of annual passes, gluten-free Thanksgiving dinners, and more!
House of 1,000 Corpses. Academy of Villains. Zombieland. Halloween: Marathon of Mayhem. Terror Trivia. Universal unloaded on us this week, releasing a positive deluge of info – and, of course, hype.
With less than a month to go(!), Universal has given us the fourth and final original haunted house, Graveyard Games, and the fifth intellectual-property maze, Us. Both stick out for different reasons, from the cerebral nature of Jordan Peele's 2019 film to the interactive nature of Universal's in-house concept.
We answer your questions on: HHN food, HHN ticket upgrades, and how to keep your annual Universal Orlando trip fresh each and every year.
We took a week off from the news last week (thanks, Mike's baby!) but are now back to quickly touch upon Killer Klowns from Outer Space, the fourth IP haunt. But who are we kidding? The really big news is the grand announcement of a brand-new theme park, Epic Universe! We pore over its concept art, teasing out hidden details and speculate on what this could mean for the future of Universal Orlando Resort.
Hooray for Hollywood! We break down all of the attractions, food, and shops located in Universal Studios Florida's recreation of Hollywood.
Let's talk about Ghostbusters – the original film, the HHN haunted house, the franchise as a whole, and its history at Universal Orlando Resort. Who you gonna call?
We answer your questions on: overlooked annual pass benefits, best vegetarian options at Universal, and whether Surfside Inn and Suites is a disappointment.
Our own Marc N. Kleinhenz recently returned from a brief escape to Universal Orlando Resort and was able to partake in some of the new offerings. You'll be amazed as to what Marc thinks about Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. No, seriously, you won't believe what Marc has to say. Although, it might help to get a better perspective once you hear what he ordered for his first meal at Bigfire American Fare, the new CityWalk restaurant. To cap things off we talk about Marc's latest stay at Aventura and relate that to the other value and prime value resorts on-property.
We answer your questions on: Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure operational schedule, coffee makers at Surf Side Inn and Suites, Where to buy interactive wands and more!
The latest HHN 2019 haunted house, Yeti: Terror of the Yukon, sounds absolutely terrifying – and we couldn't be more excited! Meanwhile, Taylor has been to Bigfire multiple times and stayed the night at Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites, and tells us all about his experiences.
We answer your questions on: bringing your mother-in-law to Universal with you, celebrating special occasions at the hotels, and purchasing Volcano Bay Express Passes.
We have some pretty darn good readers – so good, in fact, that they tend to ask some pretty in-depth questions. So we decided to gather them all together and provide some pretty in-depth answers, covering all the Universal bases from Mardi Gras to Express Passes.
We've ridden Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure – multiple times! – and tell you all our thoughts about it. Plus, we've eaten at CityWalk's newest restaurant, Bigfire, and got to take a look around the soon-to-open on-site hotel Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites.
Be ready for your post-graduate crash course in Halloween Horror Nights's 2019 tickets, Express Passes, tours, and add-ons!
We answer your questions on: whether Hagrid's Motorbike Adventure will be part of Early Park Admission, annual passes, and more.
What attractions did Islands of Adventure open with that are no longer with us? Which came in the years immediately after it opened? How – and why – did both Grinchmas and Halloween Horror Nights arrive at the park? We answer all these questions – plus throw in a slew of historical trivia – in our Islands retrospective.
We answer your questions on: Stan Lee, Afternoon entry tickets, Best way to experience HHN.
We got to tour the queue of Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and learn some of the secrets of its story. Depths of Fear is the new, underwater-set haunted house for Halloween Horror Nights. Some of the exclusive dining options at Surfside Inn and Suites, Universal's newest hotel, have been revealed. And your friend and mine, Al Roker, was there at the parks to help celebrate Today Cafe's grand opening.
We answer your questions on: how to best tackle Hagrid on opening day, Mother's Day brunches, the best way to incorporate Volcano Bay into your vacation, and more!
We break down all of the attractions, food, and shops located in Universal Studios Florida's kid-themed area.
Taylor is back to talk about his experience at the soft-opening at the Today Cafe. We also talk about the new seasonal offerings at Today Cafe when it opens this May. Universal Monsters is the latest house to be announced for HHN 2019.
We answer your questions on: Theoretical HHN houses, Forbidden Journey's ride profiles, Getting to the parks from Royal Pacific, 2020 vacation packages and more!