Next summer, guests will engage in loads of diabolical fun for kids, teens and adults as part of Universal Orlando Resort’s newest attraction, Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast. Developed in partnership between Universal’s award-winning creative team and the acclaimed filmmakers from Illumination, this interactive, blaster game experience will invite guests to put their villainous skills to the test as they compete against each other in a bid to join the ranks of the franchise’s most infamous supervillains.   Villain-Con Minion Blast combines innovative screen technology, state-of-the-art gaming interactivity and elaborate physical sets to create a one-of-a-kind, game-based adventure where guests encounter immersive environments, nefarious villains and tons of mischievous Minions from Illumination’s films in a whole new way. The world-class attraction transports guests to Villain-Con – the biggest criminal convention on the planet – to take part in an epic competition to see if they have what it takes to become the newest member of The Vicious 6, a notorious group of supervillains from the hit film, “Minions: The Rise of Gru.” Guests who are up for the challenge will grab an interactive blaster and step onto a motion-based pathway to put their skills to the test. They’ll wind and glide through various scenes where they earn points by blasting a variety of items and causing as much mayhem and destruction as possible. It’s a unique, mischief-filled experience that’s so much fun, it’s a crime.   Villain-Con Minion Blast will open in Summer 2023 at Universal Studios Florida within the new Minion Land on Illumination Ave. This new area will also feature the fan-favorite Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction, a new Minion Café and other surprises inspired by popular characters from Illumination’s blockbuster franchises.   More details about Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast and Minion Land will be revealed in the months ahead. For more information about Universal Orlando Resort, visit www.universalorlando.com.

Universal Orlando Resort is introducing a new theme park attraction in 2023. Illumination's Villain-Con Minion Blast is under development by Universal and filmmakers from Illumination. It is set to open next summer. It is an interactive, blaster game experience with guests competing against each other. Villain-Con Minion Blast combines screen technology, gaming and physical sets. The new theme park attraction transports guests to Villain-Con – the biggest criminal convention on the planet. Villain-Con Minion Blast will open within the new Minion Land on Illumination Ave. This new area will also feature the Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction and a Minion Café. More details about Illumination's Villain-Con Minion Blast and Minion Land will be revealed in the months ahead

Universal Orlando Resort is launching a Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine Experience. This new offering is available on select dates from February 4 through April 16, 2023 Guests get the opportunity to toss beads from a Mardi Gras float during the event’s parade. Plus, guests can enjoy a 3-course meal with selections from the full menu at one of four participating restaurants These are the Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, NBC Sports Grill and Brew, Finnegan’s Bar and Grill or Lombard’s Seafood Grille.  Universal’s Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval runs February 4 through April 16, 2023 at Universal Studios Florida It is inspired by Carnaval celebrations from New Orleans to Brazil to Belgium and beyond. The Mardi Gras Float Ride and Dine Experience includes one appetizer, one entrée, one dessert and one non-alcoholic beverage. For more information visit www.universalorlando.com/mardigras.

Starting November 12 and running daily through January 1, 2023, Universal Orlando Resort showcases its destination-wide festive holidays celebration. The festive program features Universal’s best-loved stories and characters, including Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Grinchmas, Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s and more. Guests can also savor new and fan-favorite holiday-inspired menu offerings across the entire resort and visit the all-new Holiday Tribute Store to shop. Holiday bites and delights Universal Orlando Resort offers next-level cuisine for the whole family to enjoy, including comforting classics, returning fan-favorite fare and tasty treats inspired by this year’s festivities. Earl’s Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Acorn Bomb (available at TODAY Café and Battery Park – located alongside the lagoon near Mel’s Drive-In): A holiday fan-favorite is back, now themed to the original Universal character – Earl the Squirrel. The beverage consists of a chocolate acorn shell filled with salted caramel and mini marshmallows. Roast Beast Sandwich (available at Circus McGurkus Café Stoo-pendous): Guests looking for comfort food can savor the Roast Beast Sandwich – a mini meatloaf sandwich featuring French onion soup-dipped roast beef with a cheddar cheese sauce – and even a “secret” sauce – served on a pretzel bun. Grinch-Themed Treats (available in Seuss Landing): Some of the traditional sweet flavors the season brings can be found in an array of unique Grinch-themed sweets, including a Grinch Hot Chocolate Bomb, a Grinch Ice Cream Sandwich, and Grinch cookies. Santa’s Cookies and Milk Shake (available at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen): An iconic holiday treat comes to life as a milkshake with Santa’s Cookies and Milk ‘Shake,’ complete with cookie butter and vanilla ice cream, mini chocolate chip cookies, and topped with a delicious chocolate Christmas tree and sprinkles. All-New Holiday Tribute Store The immersive Holiday Tribute Store returns with four themed rooms inspired by Who-ville, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Earl the Squirrel and New York vintage holiday decor. The store will be stocked with a variety of new merchandise for the perfect holiday gift - such as a Grinchmas popcorn bucket, Grinchmas Loungefly backpack, Hogwarts House-themed holiday ornaments, Earl the Squirrel spirit jersey and more. Guests can also browse and make purchases online by visiting www.Shop.UniversalOrlando.com.

Universal Orlando Resort will soon begin work on bringing new family entertainment to Universal Studios Florida. To make way for the new additions, Fievel’s Playland, Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster, Curious George Goes to Town, DreamWorks Destination and Shrek and Donkey’s Meet & Greet will close on January 16, 2023. The E.T. Adventure, Animal Actors on Location!, SpongeBob StorePants – including meet and greets with SpongeBob SquarePants and friends – and KidZone Pizza Company will remain open for guests to enjoy. More details about the new experiences coming to Universal Studios Florida will be revealed in the months ahead.

 

Your Clients' Next Universal Orlando Resort Vacation Awaits.

 

For a limited time, your clients can Save 30%* on a 5-Day 5-Night Vacation when they stay at Universal's Aventura Hotel or Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort. Now available for booking through 12/15/22, and for travel through 2/16/23.

  *Blockout Dates: 11/23/22-11/27/22; 12/16/22-1/2/23. Based on a family of 4, limited availability, Sun-Thu travel only. Restrictions apply.  

Vacation Package Includes:

 

• 5-Night Hotel Accommodations
• 3-Park 5-Day Park-to-Park Vacation Package Promo Ticket** to Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of Adventure and Universal's Volcano Bay, one park per day.
• Early Park Admission† up to one hour before the park opens (valid theme park admission required, select attractions).
• Complimentary transportation and walking paths to Universal's theme parks and Universal CityWalk.
• Complimentary delivery of merchandise purchased throughout the resort to your hotel.
• Resort-wide charging privileges with your room key card.

  Universal Orlando Resort reveals more gruesome details about the impending terror that awaits guests brave enough to face Halloween Horror Nights 2022 – including the six horrifying original concepts that complete this year’s lineup of 10 haunted houses, five sinister scare zones and two live shows. The event kicks off Friday, September 2 and runs select nights through October 31.   As the world’s premier Halloween event turns 31 this fall, a haunting conglomerate of unfathomable experiences inspired by traditional Halloween elements and some of guests’ worst fears come to life in this year’s collection of original haunted houses and scare zones – unleashing everything from vengeance-seeking pumpkins and witches to twisted trick-or-treaters and grotesque bugs to prey upon guests. When guests need a break from the scares, they can watch two outrageous live shows, satiate their appetite with sinfully delicious food and beverage, shop the latest merchandise in an all-new Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store and enjoy Universal Studios’ most exciting rides and attractions.   Here’s an overview of the remaining experiences coming to Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 2022:   SIX NEW ORIGINAL HAUNTED HOUSES Six spine-chilling and unnerving stories will envelop guests in original haunted houses where they will:  

• Enter an unsettling 1920s speakeasy only to discover that they are the main ingredient of witch’s brew in “Spirits of the Coven”
• Face a putrid, skin-crawling infestation of spiders, roaches, flies, bees and more in “Bugs: Eaten Alive”
• Escape or become prey to a no-longer mythical, fanged creature in “Fiesta de Chupacabras”
• Attempt to survive visiting hours for horrifying monsters serving time in “Hellblock Horror”
• Endure a petrifying winter thunderstorm in a seaside village ruled by an undead fisherman in “Dead Man’s Pier: Winter’s Wake”
• Encounter bloodthirsty mutants living in a post-apocalyptic subway system in “Descendants of Destruction”

  These original experiences complete the lineup of 10 terrifying haunted houses coming to Halloween Horror Nights 2022, which also include “The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare,” “Halloween,” “Universal Monsters: Legends Collide­” and “The Horrors of Blumhouse.”   FIVE SCARE ZONES There’s nowhere to hide in the streets of Universal Studios Florida as hordes of menacing creatures from Halloween’s past infiltrate five all-new scare zones, where guests will:  

• Encounter The Pumpkin Lord and all his devious subjects in “Horrors of Halloween”
• Reap the wrath of scarecrows who will stop at nothing to harvest their souls in “Scarecrow: Cursed Soil”
• Experience a terrifying 1950s Halloween parade-gone-wrong alongside bloodthirsty trick-or-treaters in “Sweet Revenge”
• Venture through an ominous Halloween thunderstorm within a ghastly cemetery in “Graveyard: Deadly Unrest”
• Escape an evil sorceress bringing forth an army of ravenous monstrosities in “Conjure the Dark”

  TWO LIVE SHOWS When guests need a break from the scares, they can enjoy two brand-new, outrageously entertaining shows:  

• Halloween Nightmare Fuel Wildfire – the sequel to last year’s fan-favorite “Halloween Nightmare Fuel” show featuring the world-famous performance group, The Fuel Girls – highlighting a new Dreamer in the depths of a new nightmare set to a heart-pounding metal, rock and electronica score.
• Ghoulish! A Halloween Tale, an all-new show taking place in the Universal Studios lagoon that follows the Grim Reaper on the undertaking of what happens beyond the grave – all set to eerily-remixed music by some of today’s most iconic artists.

  THE HALLOWEEN HORROR NIGHTS TRIBUTE STORE For the first time ever, the scares taking root in the streets of Universal Studios Florida will bleed into the theme of the Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store with a collection of incredibly detailed environments inspired by the iconic Halloween haunts featured throughout the event. Guests will shop the latest Halloween Horror Nights merchandise and treats as they venture through a Pumpkin Patch, Cemetery and Witch’s Cottage – eventually making their way to the final room – an elaborate Halloween festival set in the same town as the store’s neighboring scare zone, “Sweet Revenge.”   LIMITED-TIME HALLOWEEN EXPERIENCES AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO’S HOTELS Guests can maximize the fear by staying near the screams at one of Universal Orlando’s hotels, where they can enjoy exclusive benefits like access to a dedicated entry gate for the event (with valid event admission) and complimentary transportation to the theme parks and Universal CityWalk. Hotel guests also get exclusive access to limited-time Halloween Horror Nights experiences taking place at select Universal hotels, including “Universal Monsters Gallery of Legends” at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort – featuring a collection of immersive photo opportunities inspired by the terrifying trio of Universal’s classic Monsters that guests will face at the event – The Mummy, The Wolf Man and Dracula   Tickets for Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort are available via a number of travel partners including AttractionTickets.com, Floridatix, Orlando Attraction Tickets, Travel Republic and Ocean Florida. For more information visit www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com.   Both events will run select nights through Monday, October 31, and more details and haunted houses will be revealed soon. For more information, visit www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com.

  Universal Orlando Resort invites guests to unwrap the awesome and let loose this holiday season during its Holidays celebration, beginning November 12 and running daily through January 1, 2023. Throughout the entire destination, guests can celebrate the most wonderful time of the year with an incredible collection of epic festivities featuring some of pop culture’s most beloved stories and characters – all brought to life in experiences that range from traditional merriments to irreverent twists on holiday classics that can’t be experienced anywhere else.   This holiday season, theme park guests can witness a spectacular transformation of Hogwarts castle during “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle” in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade, meet “the mean, green one himself,” the Grinch, during Grinchmas, watch larger-than-life balloons and floats take the streets during Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s and so much more.   See below for an overview of some of the unforgettable experiences coming to life this holiday season at Universal Orlando Resort – all included in admission to the theme parks:   Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure   The spectacularly themed lands of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will transform into wizarding wonderlands for the Holidays, complete with festive décor throughout the iconic streets of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley that includes themed decorations, garlands and lights. Guests can also enjoy special holiday-themed performances from the Frog Choir, comprised of Hogwarts students and their giant croaking frogs, in Hogsmeade and the wizarding world’s most popular singing sensation, Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees, in Diagon Alley.   And once night falls in Hogsmeade, guests can revel in a spectacular projection of holiday spirit and Christmas moments inspired by the beloved “Harry Potter” stories in “The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle” at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.   Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s at Universal Studios Florida   Fan-favorite characters from Illumination’s Despicable Me and DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek and Madagascar – along with larger-than-life balloons, dozens of colorful holiday floats and hundreds of festive performers – fill the streets of Universal Studios Florida during Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s. Santa Claus also makes an appearance during the awe-inspiring parade – leading a picturesque finale that culminates with the lighting of the park’s dazzling 80-foot Christmas Tree.   Grinchmas at Universal’s Islands of Adventure   The spirit of Grinchmas comes to life at Universal’s Islands of Adventure with the “Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular” – a live retelling of Dr. Seuss’s holiday classic starring the maven of mischief himself, the Grinch.   The celebration continues in Seuss Landing, which will be adorned in whimsical yuletide décor, including oversized candy canes, twisting Christmas trees, wreaths and beautiful tinsel ornaments. While strolling the land, guests can enjoy special appearances by the merry Whos from Who-ville as they prepare for their favorite holiday throughout Seuss Landing – and even meet the mean, green one himself, the Grinch, for a special photo opportunity.   Mannheim Steamroller at Universal Studios Florida   The best-selling holiday artist of all time, Mannheim Steamroller, returns to Universal Studios Florida to fill the air with the iconic sounds of the season with live performances on December 3, 4, 10 and 11.   Additional Holiday Festivities Across the Resort   And there’s even more fun to be had this holiday season at Universal Orlando with holiday-themed merchandise, food and beverage offerings, character encounters, seasonal décor and celebratory activities at Universal’s hotels, and more. Additional details about Holiday offerings at Universal Orlando Resort will be revealed soon.

Universal Orlando Resort is set to debut a cinematic escape room experience. Universal’s Great Movie Escape – features two escape rooms with storytelling and theming inspired by Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s blockbuster films Jurassic World and Back to the Future. Universal’s Great Movie Escape brings two escape adventures to the heart of Universal CityWalk. Guests will be step into the dinosaur adventures of Jurassic World or Back to the Future’s time-traveling mayhem to solve their way through a multi-sensory experience. Universal’s Great Movie Escape will open later this year with tickets going on sale in the coming months.  

 

Universal Studios Hollywood Reveals Details of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD’s Signature Ride, “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge,” Opening in Early 2023 as Guests and Fans Eagerly Await the Arrival of the Theme Park’s All-New Immersive Land

 

Inspired by the Popular MARIO KART™ Video Game Series and Featuring Cutting-Edge Augmented Reality, this All-New Technologically-Advanced Ride Raises the Bar on Interactive Theme Park Attractions

    When “Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge” opens in SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™ at Universal Studios Hollywood in early 2023, guests and fans will find themselves immersed in one of the world’s largest, most interactive rides they have ever experienced. It seamlessly fuses augmented reality with projection mapping technology and actual set pieces along a moving ride track to debut a ride that’s unparalleled anywhere within the theme park industry.   The highly-anticipated opening of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD at Universal Studios Hollywood represents the first SUPER NINTENDO WORLD to debut in the United States, designed to transport theme park guests and Nintendo® fans into the world of Mario, Luigi and Princess Peach to be part of the Mushroom Kingdom.   Guests will access SUPER NINTENDO WORLD via the iconic Warp Pipe to enter the land where they will find the “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” ride located within Bowser’s Castle.   This innovative achievement will propel guests into a multi-dimensional experience that recreates iconic environments from the Mario Kart games and where no two races are alike. “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” is also one of the most complex rides ever built within the entertainment industry.   The sophisticated ride is a multi-sensory cornucopia of color, sound and movement that invites guests to navigate familiar environs through the creative use and integration of head mounted augmented reality (AR) goggles—a key point of differentiation that distinguishes this ride from other theme park attractions.   From the depths of the dungeon within Bowser’s Castle, guests will climb aboard stadium-style, four-seat Mario Kart vehicles inspired by the video game, put on their AR goggles …and then with a 3-2-1 GO! signal from Lakitu, they will be off to the races.   The premise is simple but equally inspiring and challenging and will appeal to guests of all ages regardless of gaming experience. As part of Team Mario, guests will steer through courses underwater and in the clouds to compete for the Golden Cup while collecting coins to defeat Team Bowser and win.   “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge” raises the stakes for guests as an intriguing and repeatable ride with a variety of outcomes.   SUPER NINTENDO WORLD is conceived in partnership with Nintendo and the visionaries at Universal Creative to deliver exhilarating entertainment with innovative technological achievements inspired by characters and video games that have appealed to Nintendo fans for generations.   The immersive land will be a visual spectacle of vibrant colors and architectural ingenuity located within a newly expanded area of Universal Studios Hollywood that will feature the groundbreaking ride, “Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge,” and interactive areas, to be enjoyed by the whole family, along with themed shopping and dining to enhance the entire experience.   Universal Studios Hollywood and guests continue the countdown to the land’s early 2023 opening with the Feature Presentation retail store, well stocked with SUPER NINTENDO WORLD merchandise such as Mario and Luigi themed apparel and iconic character hats and a selection of plush characters, including Mario, Luigi, Yoshi and Bowser.   More information and details will be shared soon. In the meantime, guests can visit www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com for theme park updates. Like Universal Studios Hollywood on Facebook and follow @UniStudios on Instagram and Twitter.

Universal Pictures’ most notorious horror icons, The Wolf Man, Dracula and The Mummy, are joining forces for the first time ever at the all-new ‘Universal Monsters: Legends Collide’ haunted houses at Halloween Horror Nights. They will deliver frights at both Universal and Universal Orlando Resort beginning this September. Inspired by the event’s previous Universal Monsters attractions, this year’s experience resurrects these classic monsters for one harrowing haunted house. Grammy Award-winning musician Slash returns to collaborate with Universal Studios Hollywood with an original composition for their haunted house. Halloween Horror Nights opens on Friday, September 2 in Orlando with 10 terrifying haunted houses and Thursday, September 8 in Hollywood with eight haunted houses. Both events will run select nights through October 31, and additional details will be revealed soon. Tickets are available via a number of travel partners including AttractionTickets.com, Floridatix, Orlando Attraction Tickets, Travel Republic and Ocean Florida. www.HalloweenHorrorNights.com

  Universal Studios Hollywood debuts the first four electric trams in its fleet of 21 Studio Tour trams. Weather and feature anchor of NBC’s TODAY and Co-host, 3rd Hour of TODAY, Al Roker is featured in a video introduction aboard the trams as part of the guest experience.   “I am extremely proud of this innovative undertaking and our commitment to creating a zero-emissions Studio Tour fleet in collaboration with our parent company and local partners,” said Scott Strobl, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Universal Studios Hollywood. “This is just one of many steps we are taking to transform our business in line with Comcast NBCUniversal’s carbon neutral goal, all while pioneering first-class attractions for our guests.”   The world-famous, behind-the-scenes Studio Tour is a hallmark Universal Studios Hollywood attraction that, for over 55 years, has taken millions of guests from around the world through authentic movie and television production studios, featuring iconic sets made famous in blockbuster movies such as “Back to the Future” and dynamic rides such as “Fast & Furious—Supercharged” and “King Kong 360 3-D.”   “The Universal Studio Tour has always been a groundbreaking attraction with lots of thrills, excitement and scary moments. I’m honored to be part of an experience for adults and children to learn about these best-in-class electric trams that will transport them around this iconic studio lot and help the environment,” said Al Roker.   The conversion to electric trams was spearheaded in 2017 by visionaries within the Universal Studios Hollywood technical services department and represents some of the first-ever and largest battery-powered, off-road, high-torque and low speed mass people movers in the U.S.   Full conversion of the 21 trams from diesel-hydraulic engines to electric will help reduce carbon emissions as well as improve the guest experience by reducing noise associated with the diesel-hydraulic engine.   Installation of inductive charging technology from WAVE (Wireless Advanced Vehicle Electrification) by Ideanomics was a critical factor in the conversion designed to meet the trams’ rigorous daily demands of navigating the Studio’s varying topography. Trams will routinely charge during the normal operation at the start and end of the attraction route. Coupled with a regenerative braking feature, the trams will continue to build up charge when they travel downhill, providing added energy efficiency.   The elaborate clean air conversion design process evolved from a collaboration between Universal Studios Hollywood and L.A.-based Complete Coach Works to reimagine the trams from diesel-hydraulic engines to electric.   The project continues to be made possible by a grant from the South Coast Air Quality Management District — the local regulatory agency that works to reduce air pollution in the region — which provides funding to replace older equipment with cleaner ones that are cost-effective while reducing air pollution.  It was also supported by a significant investment from Comcast NBCUniversal and Southern California Edison through its Charge Ready Transport Program.   “It is truly so exciting to see initiatives like Universal Studios Hollywood’s new fleet of electric Studio Tour trams come to fruition — initiatives that show our public and private entities working together to do our part to combat air quality and climate change,” said L.A. Councilmember Nithya Raman. “As a new member of the South Coast Air Quality Management Board, I am looking to broaden these types of collaborations and accelerate the positive impacts they will have for our region and world. Our climate crisis demands we do this.”   More information about Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal CityWalk is available at www.UniversalStudiosHollywood.com. Regular updates can be found on Universal Studios Hollywood’s Instagram @UniStudios, Twitter @UniStudios and Facebook-Universal Studios Hollywood.   For more information on Comcast NBCUniversal’s environmental efforts, visit the environment page at Comcast.com.