Universal Orlando Podcast By 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: Location/setting Story Technology/ride mechanics   Fight!

Let's see who emerges victorious based on these three key criteria:   Location/setting Story Technology/ride mechanics   Fight!

Let's talk post-quarantine crowd levels, HHN's 30th anniversary, and theme-park food

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.