Universal Orlando Released Amazing New Details About it’s New Theme Park, Epic Universe
In 2025 the gates will open to an astonishing new theme park: Universal Epic Universe here in Orlando.
In 2025 the gates will open to an astonishing new theme park: Universal Epic Universe here in Orlando. Explore the lush gardens of Celestial Park and step through incredible portals that transport you into worlds beyond amazing: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic, SUPER NINTENDO WORLD, How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk, and Dark Universe.
Let’s take a closer look:
Welcome to Celestial Park, where you’ll find open portals to extraordinary realms. Inside you’ll race across the cosmos on an amazing roller coaster, dine on otherworldly cuisine, and shop in unique stores.
At the heart of Universal Epic Universe explorers will find a world between worlds.
Starfall Racers
Race across the cosmos on Starfall Racers, a dual-launch coaster. This coaster experience will have an inverted crisscross in the air with hundreds of onboard starlights and celestial music.
Trains will reach speeds up to 62 mph and soar 133 feet in the air along 5,000 feet of track. Starfall Racers will be Epic Universe’s most thrilling coaster experience.
Constellation Carousel
Climb aboard the Constellation Carousel in Celestial Park. This imaginative carousel, the cosmic energy of the universe, enables kids of all ages to ride the constellations themselves. Music and color will dazzle your senses as you cross the Milky Way.
Located inside Epic Universe at the end of Celestial Park is the Universal Helios Grand Hotel, designed to transport guests to a world where the heavens and earth unite – complete with 500 rooms, one-of-a-kind views, and its very own dedicated entrance into the theme park.
Atlantic Restaurant
Atlantic will be an undersea restaurant and bar with inside glass walls, modeled after a Victorian-era aquarium. Fish will swim above you as you dine on fine seafood and steaks.
The Blue Dragon Pan-Asian Restaurant and Tiger Bar
Dine on Chinese and Japanese fare in a star-filled courtyard under the glow of ethereal lanterns and a pair of colorful neon dragons. Then escape the bustling streetscape and relax with a cocktail at Tiger Bar.
Nintendo Super Star Store
Nintendo fans can step inside and discover toys, apparel, and their colorful keepsakes and souvenirs based on characters from Super Nintendo World at Universal Orlando.
Universal Orlando Epic Universe
5 Immersive Worlds
Celestial Park will be the gateway to explore the four additional worlds of Epic Universe – each bringing to life extraordinary adventures.
Through a set of majestic portals, guests will embark on a transformative experience as they journey from Celestial Park to the following lands:
Super Nintendo World
Guests will enter the iconic green pipe and discover a new way to play as they step into the worlds of beloved characters like Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach and Donkey Kong.
How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk
Guests can soar with dragons in a colorful world filled with Viking adventures based on the wildly popular How to Train Your Dragon film franchise.
Dark Universe
Guests encounter everything from the experiments of Dr. Victoria Frankenstein to the shadowy landscape where monsters roam in a world of myth and mystery.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Ministry of Magic
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic, where guests will discover a different era of the wizarding world in an all-new land that blends 1920s wizarding Paris from Warner Bros. Pictures’ Fantastic Beasts films with the iconic British Ministry of Magic from the Harry Potter series;
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Since 2010, Darren has been making Orlando vacations easy! As an Orlando resident, he is able to provide insider, expert advice on Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and Florida-based cruises.
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Disney Cruise Line Reveals New Mickey and Minnie Mouse Outfits for Lighthouse Point
Mickey and Minnie Mouse will be sporting a new designer look when they visit Disney Cruise Line's newest island destination, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
Mickey and Minnie Mouse will be sporting a new designer look when they visit Disney Cruise Line's newest island destination, Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point.
Designed by acclaimed Bahamian fashion designer Theodore Elyett, the outfits will have a distinct Bahamian flair inspired by the bright, colorful spirit of Junkanoo, the country's signature festival filled with joyous music and vibrant parades.
In June 2024, Disney will debut its newest Bahamian destination on the island of Eleuthera at Lighthouse Point. On June 6, a three-night preview cruise on Disney Magic from Fort Lauderdale will offer a sneak peek at Lighthouse Point with limited access to some areas.
Guests sailing onboard a seven-night Disney Fantasy cruise from Port Canaveral on June 8 will also be among the first to visit the spot. The itinerary will feature two stops at Lighthouse Point, along with one day at Castaway Cay.
Following these inaugural voyages, Lighthouse Point will be a featured port of call on select three-, four-, and five-night sailings on Disney Magic out of Fort Lauderdale.
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Since 2010, Darren has been making Orlando vacations easy! As an Orlando resident, he is able to provide insider, expert advice on Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and Florida-based cruises.
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Disney to Close Country Bear Jamboree for Makeover
January 26, 2024, will be the last day to see the current rendition of the Country Bear Jamboree at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort. The new show will
January 26, 2024, will be the last day to see the current rendition of the Country Bear Jamboree at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort.
This is the second major refurbishment of the Magic Kingdom attraction, the last being in 2012 when some of the songs were omitted, making the show about 5 minutes shorter.
Country Bear Jamboree at Walt DIsney World
If you’re a fan of the Country Bears, don't worry. It’s not going away completely. The new version of the show will be called the Country Bears Musical Jamboree and will still feature the beloved bears.
The theater will be transformed into a Nashville-inspired, Grand Ole Opry-style show with reinterpreted Disney tunes.
Watch the Country Bear Jamboree Show on Youtube
The Disney songs will be performed in different country music genres such as bluegrass, pop-country, rockabilly, and Americana.
The Country Bear Jamboree was originally planned for Disney’s Mineral King Ski Resort in California, but that project never took off, and soon after Walt Disney passed away.
Plans for the show carried on. Imagineers decided to place the show in Walt Disney World as an opening day attraction. It opened on October 1, 1971.
Country Bear Jamboree was so successful in Florida, that a copy of the show was made for Disneyland, which also inspired a whole new land, called Bear Country.
In 1983, Tokyo Disneyland also got a Country Bears show.
In 2001, the Disneyland California version closed to make way for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The Florida version remained.
Country Bear Musical Jamboree will debut sometime this summer, ahead of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, opening in late 2024, also in Magic Kingdom.
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Since 2010, Darren has been making Orlando vacations easy! As an Orlando resident, he is able to provide insider, expert advice on Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and Florida-based cruises.
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Universal Orlando's Mardi Gras Festival 2024
Universal Orlando Resort is gearing up for one of its most popular events of the year. From February 3rd through April 7th Universal’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval will take place.
Universal Orlando Resort is gearing up for one of its most popular events of the year. From February 3rd through April 7th Universal’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval will take place.
This year’s festivities will feature a Mardi Gras party like no other, including an expansive menu of sweet, savory, and spicy dishes inspired by New Orleans favorites and iconic Carnaval flavors from around the globe.
But guests come out to see the dazzling Mardi Gras parade featuring all-new, incredibly detailed floats inspired by elements, and on select nights live concerts by top names in music like DJ Khaled, Ava Max, Luis Fonsi and more.
Mardi Gras is included with regular theme park admission to Universal Studios Florida.
This year’s spectacular concert series will feature 10 live performances by some of the most popular names across all genres of music—including Grammy-winning artist DJ Khaled; Ava Max, the artist behind the mega-hit “Sweet but Psycho”; and five-time Latin Grammy-winning artist Luis Fonsi.
Performances will take place on select nights following the Mardi Gras parade at the Music Plaza stage, located in front of the thrilling Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster.
Universal Orlando Mardi Gras Concert Lineup 2024
The complete concert lineup includes; Feb. 3, Walker Hayes; Feb. 10, The All-American Rejects; Feb. 17, Ellie King; Feb. 18, KC and the Sunshine Band; Feb. 24, Bare Naked Ladies; March 2, DJ Khaled; March 9, Ava Max; March 10, Queen Latifah; March 16, Luis Fonsi; and March 17,
This year’s Mardi Gras parade theme will bring the elements to life in six newly designed parade floats inspired by earth, wind, fire, water, the sun and the moon.
The new collection of element floats will join Universal’s traditional lineup of New Orleans-inspired floats to create this year’s parade—complete with high-energy music, dozens of performers donning elaborate costumes and tons of beads.
Dining at Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras Fetsival
Mardi Gras guests can savor the mouthwatering flavors of global Carnaval celebrations from New Orleans to Spain to China and beyond with an expansive menu featuring more than 60 tasting-sized items.
While venturing throughout the parkwide celebration, you’ll find kiosks featuring delicious culinary delicacies inspired by various locations from around the globe, including the classic Fried Green Tomato Po’boy and = fluffy Beignets from New Orleans, Chicken Schnitzel from Germany, Chilaquiles Verdes from Mexico and more.
The best way to experience Universal Mardi Gras is to stay at one of Universal’s eight on-property hotels, where guests can enjoy exclusive benefits, including Early Park Admission and complimentary transportation to the theme parks.
All Universal Orlando hotels will offer exclusive Mardi Gras food and beverages this season, such as the Crawfish and Andouille Sausage Egg Roll at Islands Dining Room in Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Mardi Gras Empanadas at Amatista Cookhouse in Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Jambalaya at Beach Break Café in Universal’s Endless Summer Resort-Surfside Inn and Suites and more.
Hotel Savings at Universal Orlando
You can also take advantage of the Save 25 percent on a 3-Park, 5-Night Vacation Package, which includes five nights’ hotel accommodations at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Universal’s Aventura Hotel or Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, in addition to a 3-Park, 5-Day Park-to-Park ticket to visit Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Volcano Bay.
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Since 2010, Darren has been making Orlando vacations easy! As an Orlando resident, he is able to provide insider, expert advice on Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and Florida-based cruises.
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Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas Now in Miami
Icon of the Seas, the largest ship ever built, arrived in Miami, Florida.
Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas has arrived in Miami, Florida for its inaugural activities.
The cruise line welcomed the world’s largest ship to its new homeport ahead of its maiden voyage set to depart on Saturday, January 27.
Icon of the Seas arrives in Port Miami for the first time.
Where Does Icon of the Seas Go
The seven-night Eastern Caribbean sailing includes visits to Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, Basseterre, St. Kitts and St Thomas, and the US Virgin Islands.
The seven-night Western Caribbean stops at Costa Maya, Mexico; Honduras, Cozumel, Mexico; and of course Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Following its maiden voyage, Icon of the Seas will operate week-long Caribbean voyages sailing roundtrip from Miami.
How much does Icon of the Seas cost?
A seven-night voyage on Icon of the Seas starts at around $1,759 per person for an inside stateroom, $1,929 per person for an Outside View and $2,179 for a Balcony Stateroom. Prices vary by date and itinerary.
Icon promises an all-encompassing lineup of experiences that combines the best of every vacation—from the beach retreat to the resort escape and the theme park adventure—making the first-of-its-kind adventure the way to get away for every type of family and vacationer.
Across eight neighborhoods that are destinations in themselves are firsts and next-level favorites for everyone day and night, including thrills like six record-breaking waterslides at Category 6 and the Crown’s Edge experience at 154 feet above the ocean, and new ways to chill with seven pools like the first suspended infinity pool at sea.
The game-changing experiences also include a stay-all-day neighborhood designed for families with young kids, more than 40 restaurants, bars, and lounges; and deck-defying entertainment across air, ice, water, and theater.
Starting Jan. 27, vacationers can get away on Icon and island hop in the tropics at any time of the year.
Icon’s sister ship, Star of the Seas will be coming to Orlando (Port Canaveral) Florida in 2025.
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Since 2010, Darren has been making Orlando vacations easy! As an Orlando resident, he is able to provide insider, expert advice on Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and Florida-based cruises.
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5 Tips for Visiting Dollywood at Christmas
Dollywood during the Christmas season is a magical smokey mountain experience offering an amazing amount of high-quality shows entertainment, authentic southern fried chicken and BBQ, and of course family-friendly rides.
Dollywood during the Christmas season is a magical smokey mountain experience offering an amazing amount of high-quality shows entertainment, authentic southern fried chicken and BBQ, and of course family-friendly rides.
Here are my top 5 tips for visiting Dollywood during Christmas.
5: Avoiding crowds
Orlando gets so crowded during Christmas week, that we like to leave let the crowds take over the city a while. This year we visited Dollywood in Tennesee.
Using what we know about the Orlando theme parks, we decided to arrive an hour early, especially because it was Christmas week.
I expected the crowd levels to be higher than usual. but they were nothing compared to Disney or Universal.
And while there were a ton of people waiting for the park to open, the crowds evened out and it didn’t feel too bad at all.
Dollywood opened at 11 a.m. so plan to be in the parking lot by 10 a.m. or even earlier. we stopped for a coffee first planning to sit in the car for a bit, but at 10 a.m. people were already getting in line at the gate.
Traffic getting into the park can back up causing long delays to pay for parking and to park the car. So this is another good reason to show up at least an hour early.
On the morning we were there, the park opened about 15 minutes early. I think they do this to help get the crowds moving through the gate.
Just like Disney World and Universal, you can enjoy 1 to 2 hours of lighter crowds when the park first opens to guests.
4: TimeSaver
Dollywood has a skip-the-line perk called TimeSaver, this is similar to Express Pass at Universal Orlando where you can bypass the regular queue using a dedicated line, with no reservations or mobile app needed (I'm looking at you Disney World).
I do feel it’s worth it to get TimeSaver because everyone wants to ride the coasters. The coasters had very long waits, over an hour throughout most of the day.
TimeSaver is money well spent if you want to get a lot done on your visit.
The basic TimeSavepass starts around $60 per person and the unlimited TimeSaver pass, which allows you to use it multiple times on the same ride, starts around $80 per person.
If you stay at Dollywood’s Dreammore Resort and Dollywood’s Heart Song Lodge. you’ll get complimentary TimeSaver Passes.
3: Rides at Dollywood During Christmas
If you are a ride family, you should do the popular rides right as the park opens.
I recommend starting with the Big Bear Mountain. This is by far the most popular ride in the park.
It’s nearly 1 mile of track and has 3 launches, yet very family friendly. No big drops or loops. It’s fast and has nearly 2 minutes of ride time. It’s a must-do for sure.
You’ll also want to ride the train, it operates on a set set schedule so check the app for times.
Most of the rides are operating during the Christmas season, except for the water rides of course because it’s a little too chilly for those.
And speaking of weather, the temperature can vary here in the smokey mountains. On the day we visited it was about 50 degrees during the day, and mid 40s at night.
But temps can get as high as 60 on some days.
I recommend bringing a warm jacket, hat, and gloves, but I’m from Orlando, so anything under 70 feels cold to me.
2: See the Shows at Dollywood
But you also want to keep an eye on showtimes.
Dollywood has several Christmas-themed shows that run on set times.
Download the Dollywood mobile app to see showtimes and special events.
One of the most popular shows is Christmas in the Smokies.
It’s Dollywood’s favorite Christmas tradition.
A cast of fourteen singers and dancers performs holiday favorites while accompanied by live musicians in an over-the-top Broadway musical, or maybe I should say Nashville-style musical production.
For this show, you’ll want to arrive at least 30 minutes before show time to get a good seat.
Most performances do reach capacity but there are several shows offered daily.
Two other must-see Christmas shows in Dollywood are the Candlelight Carolers who sing inside and outside Robert Thomas Chapel, yes Dollywood has an actual working chapel.
You’ll also want to see O’ Holy Night, a living nativity musical that tells the true meaning of Christmas.
At Dollywood, you have a chance to see Santa’s cabin in the Smokies as he checks his infamous list!
Families can discover whether their name is on the naughty or nice list in a unique Santa experience.
Finally, be on the lookout for atmosphere characters and musicians roaming the parks.
1: Dining at Dollywood
Dollywood is known for having excellent food, mainly fried chicken and barbecue.
And compared to the Orlando theme parks, prices are much lower than what I would expect.
That’s true about most of Dollywood, the food, beverages, and even souvenirs are not ridiculously expensive.
We wanted to make the most of the day here so we opted for quick-service dining.
Miss Lillian’s Smokehouse is a fan-favorite that serves up BBQ and fried chicken platters. It’s also known for the stuffed baked potatoes.
Now across from Miss Lillian’s, you’ll find the Grist Mill - home to the world-famous Dollywood Ciniemon Bread.
The line to get in builds throughout the day, so the longer you wait, the longer the line gets.
The Cinnamon Bread is well worth the wait - I can’t imagine visiting Dollywood and not stopping for this bread.
2 people can easily devour one loaf, so you might need to get a few. And plan to take some home, you can never have enough!
Thanks for joining me as I share some of my favorite tips about Dollywood at Christmas.
I don’t work with Dollywood as a travel advisor, this was just a fun project for me. But for help with your next Orlando vacation, click here to see more about how I can help.
Have questions about planning your Orlando vacation? I have answers! Contact me now to get more out of your vacation.
Since 2010, Darren has been making Orlando vacations easy! As an Orlando resident, he is able to provide insider, expert advice on Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and Florida-based cruises.
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Disney has started piloting an airport luggage assistance program at select Disney World hotels!