Check out all the latest from Universal Orlando Resort, with the latest special events, closures and refurbishments.
Welcome to another month of special events, closures and refurbishments at Universal Orlando Resort.
We know it can be difficult to keep up to date with what's happening at the theme parks here in Orlando, and that's why we produce this monthly update, to help you enjoy all that's new and happening, together with keeping you updated on what rides and attractions are currently closed for refurbishment!
September is an awesome month to visit Universal Orlando as the resort is in full-on horror mode, with the return of Halloween Horror Nights.
Halloween Horror Nights At Universal Orlando Resort
Select Nights September 1 - November 4, 2023
Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) at Universal Orlando Resort is Orlando’s most famous Halloween event for adults and teens, bringing together the stories and visions of the world’s most notorious creators of horror.
From cinematic greats and crazed current cult favorites to the park’s original abominations, each year the legend grows and the experience reaches beyond your wildest nightmares.
Halloween Horror Nights 32 features 10 terrifying haunted houses, 5 sinister scare zones and live entertainment.
All new terrifying houses this year includin “The Exorcist: Believer,” inspired by the new Universal Pictures film from Blumhouse and Morgan Creek Entertainment, “Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count” based on the popular USA & SYFY series, and “Universal Monsters: Unmasked,” inspired by Universal’s legacy of iconic cinematic monsters.
Here’s what’s lingering in the fog at Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights 2023:
HAUNTED HOUSES
The Exorcist: Believer
An Evil Reawakened
Two missing girls have been found with no memory of what happened to them. But wherever they went, the ultimate evil has returned with them. Enter the most terrifying scenes from the new Blumhouse film.
Chucky: Ultimate Kill Count
Chucky’s Back for Even More Carnage
Chucky, the serial killer doll, is back for a new gorefest! He’s hijacked his own haunted house with all kinds of bloody hijinks. You and your friends must try to survive his ultimate kill count.
Stranger Things 4
Try to Escape the Curse of Vecna
You’ll need your squad to resist Vecna’s gruesome curse. Like Eleven, now’s your chance to stop him once and for all as you take on the scariest season of Stranger Things yet.
The Last of Us
Step Into the World of The Last of Us
You and your squad will encounter the haunting and overgrown world of the video game in a brand-new, terrifying way. Stay silent if you want to survive a multitude of Clickers, Hunters and more.
Universal Monsters: Unmasked
Four Universal Monsters. One New Nightmare.
Descend into the Paris Catacombs, where you and your squad will face a new horde of Monsters: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the Phantom of the Opera, the Hunchback of Notre Dame and the Invisible Man.
Dr. Oddfellow’s Twisted Origins
Your Soul is a Price He’s Willing to Pay
You won’t be able to resist going inside Dr. Oddfellow’s menacing menagerie of twisted oddities. But the price for you and your friends is steep: the cost of your souls to feed his immortal power
Dueling Dragons: Choose Thy Fate
No Matter Who You Choose, You Lose
Two warlocks of great power were turned into dragons after trying to take Merlyn’s spell book. Now you and your friends are caught in their epic battle. You must choose a path and a victor.
YETI: Campground Kills
Yeti or Not, Here They Come
You and your friends are about to venture into a 1950s campground overrun by huge, menacing yetis who rip apart anyone who gets in their way. You must flee to the ranger tower to escape.
The Darkest Deal
Fame is Fleeting. Fear is Forever.
Blues musician Pinestraw Spruce will have to face the music after meeting with The Collector and trading his soul for musical glory. You and your squad learn the terrible price of fame.
Bleed for the Blood Moon
Bloodmoon: Dark Offerings
In a Colonial-era village, moon-worshippers witness a blood moon at their fall festival. They take it as a sign to hunt down any non-followers, including you and your scream squad.
SCARE ZONES
Dr. Oddfellow’s Collection of Horror
Dr. Oddfellow will lure you into Halloween Horror Nights with a promise of immortality. As he lifts the veil on all the horrors to come, you’ll soon realize you may not even survive the night.
Dark Zodiac
Dr. Oddfellow has entered a dark dimension to harness the power of the Zodiac and live forever. He twists the signs into malevolent beings who foretell your doom. As his star rises, yours falls.
Jungle of Doom: Expedition Horror
In the 1920s, Dr. Oddfellow ventured deep into the darkest jungle, performing horrific experiments on nature. Now his monstrous creations are running amok and are coming after you.
Vamp ’69: Summer of Blood
At a 60s music fest in a small New York town, you’ll jam to popular bands with fellow concert-goers until Dr. Oddfellow unleashes vicious vampires on the audience. They’re out for your blood.
Shipyard 32: Horrors Unhinged
Enter a 1940s San Francisco shipping yard full of mysterious crates and cages bearing Dr. Oddfellow’s symbol. Beware, his nightmarish oddities have now escaped, spreading fear and chaos in their wake.
SHOW
Nightmare Fuel Revenge Dream
The show that sparked your darkest dreams has reignited. Let your nightmares burn out of control as the pyro and aerial performers fire you up to the beat of metal and electronica.
NEW SPINE-CHILLING EXPERIENCES AND KILLER FOOD
Guests can enjoy the all-new disturbingly entertaining show, “Nightmare Fuel Revenge Dream,” that features a new dreamer confronting the creature that’s been turning her dreams into nightmares.
While shopping the latest Halloween Horror Nights merchandise and treats in an all-new Tribute Store, guests can enter a mysterious NYC Comic Book Shop and experience the “Tribute to Terror” by stepping into the pages of this original, terrifying, horror comic book.
Guests can enjoy a drink at the Red Coconut Club as it will once again transform to the Dead Coconut Club donning a new theme and menu.
When guests want to take a bite out of the horror, they can enjoy a monstrous menu of all-new food & beverage items, including Bloody Campground Poutine, El Pastor Torta and Sour Apple Pie Funnel Fries, in addition to returning fan-favorites like Pizza Fries.
New this year, Peacock’s Halloween Horror Bar will feature themed libations within an ominous nightclub vibe, photo opportunities, and more.
For those dying to experience this year’s “killer” food & beverage before the event even opens, Taste of Terror will offer guests an exclusive preview of select items that will be featured at Halloween Horror Nights select nights from August 10 through August 26.
EXCLUSIVE HALLOWEEN EXPERIENCES AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO’S HOTELS
Universal Orlando hotel guests can stay near the fear and receive exclusive benefits, including Early Park Admission to the theme parks during the day and access to priority event entrance to Halloween Horror Nights at night as well as complimentary transportation to the theme parks and Universal CityWalk.
Vacation packages are available that include one-night admission to the event, Universal hotel accommodations and admission to all three of Universal Orlando’s thrilling theme parks. And for the first time ever, the fog has spread to all eight of Universal Orlando’s hotels with exclusive activations and experiences for hotel guests inspired by this year’s event, including Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort’s exclusive “Chucky’s Twisted Playground” photo illusion experience based on the USA and SYFY series, plus, the Universal Monsters Gallery of Legends lobby photo opportunities in all other hotel lobbies and more.
For Universal Orlando’s event, guests can now purchase a variety of tickets and vacation packages for Halloween Horror Nights 2023 which begins Friday, September 1, including single-night ticketsand event upgrades like the R.I.P. Tour, Express Pass and the daytime Behind the Screams: Unmasking the Horror Tour.
Guests can also stay near the screams with a special vacation package that includes one-night admission to the event, Universal hotel accommodations and admission to all three Universal Orlando theme parks.
Package holders also receive theme park benefits exclusive to Universal Orlando hotel guests, such as Early Park Admission during the day and access to a dedicated Halloween Horror Nights entry gate at night.
Additional ticket products, including Frequent Fear Passes, will be available soon.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
Minion Land
gMinion Land and its brand new attraction, Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast officially opening on August 11.
Minion Land invites guests to step inside the world of the Minions, with unique dining experiences like Minion Cafe, Bake My Day and Pop-a-Nana, plus Minion Land will also be home to new Villain-Con Minion Blast Attraction which is not yet open.
Minion Land on Illumination Ave. is an immersive new area created in partnership between Universal’s award-winning creative team and the acclaimed filmmakers from Illumination.
The new land expands upon the wildly popular Despicable Me Minion Mayhem attraction and will debut a new collection of experiences for guests of all ages inspired by the beloved Minions franchise.
Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast
Guests can put their villainous skills to the test in Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast – an all-new attraction where guests compete against each other in a fully interactive gaming experience that’s so much fun, it’s a crime. Afterward, guests exit through Evil Stuff, an all-new retail location where they can stock up on Villain-Con and Minions merchandise. More details about Villain-Con Minion Blast will be revealed soon.
Illumination’s Minion Cafe
It’s Minions in the kitchen, mischief in the dining room, and tons of tasty food at the new Illumination’s Minion Cafe – the marquee dining location within Minion Land. This immersive new eatery offers something for every palate in a highly-entertaining dining experience that features three themed areas designed after beloved Minions Kevin, Stuart, Bob and Otto: the Kitchen – where guests will get a glimpse of the equipment and gear the Minions have used to whip up the cafe’s menu; the Breakroom – where guests can dine in the Minions’ break space that includes everything from “Office Safety Tips” to a vending machine stocked with mischievous items; and the Dining Room – a vibrant space adorned with colorful artwork courtesy of the Minions and more. Guests can also enjoy their meal on an outdoor patio that overlooks the fun of Minion Land.
Bake My Day
Topped with a massive pink cupcake that’s visible from anywhere in the land, Bake My Day is a whimsical retail location and bakery featuring a selection of Minion-themed sweet treats, including cupcakes, macarons, s’mores and more, along with exclusive Minion-inspired merchandise like apparel, plush, drinkware, accessories, keychains and more.
Pop-A-Nnana
Banana-flavored popcorn, anyone? This walkup location features sweet and savory popcorn inspired by the Minions’ love for bananas. Here, guests may also find an assortment of cute popcorn buckets, including the Minion Selfie bucket.
Freeze Ray Pops
Guests can cool off with a visit to Freeze Ray Pops, featuring a variety of colorful popsicles inspired by Gru, the Minions and Vector – along with beverages.
Illumination Theater
Guests can meet, greet and interact with beloved characters like the Minions, Gru, Margo, Edith and Agnes, plus new additions from the hit film “Sing” – Rosita, Gunter and Johnny – at an outdoor Illumination Theater facade.
Guests can also discover murals, photo ops and more throughout Minion Land that celebrate additional characters from popular Illumination films.
The colourful world of DreamWorks Animation is coming to Universal Studios Florida in an Immersive and Interactive New Land in 2024.
Next year, Universal Orlando Resort will debut an all-new themed land featuring DreamWorks Animation’s beloved animated characters.
Universal Orlando have announced that the colourful world of DreamWorks Animation is replacing the already closed Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone at Universal Studios Florida.
As guests step into this new land, their imaginations will run wild as they take in the vibrant colors, sights and sounds that surround them.
They will share special moments with their favorite characters like Gabby from Gabby’s Dollhouse and explore themed, interactive play spaces and attractions that bring popular franchises like Shrek, Trolls and Kung Fu Panda to life in the most imaginatively fun ways.
The concept art mainly shows the land’s marquee sign, which includes Shrek, Donkey, Po, and Trolls, but if you look a little more closely to the right hand side of the sign you can see a glimpse of what we can expect when the new land opens in 2024.
You can see a new swamp home for Shrek and Donkey, and a roller-coaster inspired by Trolls. In the concept art you can see one of the franchise's purple spiders, and a spider web above the coaster track.
With the new land taking over the previous home of Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone, the new Trolls coaster will probably be a re-theme of the Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster that wa sin the previous land.
Most of the old land has been cleared but the coaster is still standing, so it seems very likely this Troll coaster will indeed be a retheme.
The new DreamWorks land, coming to Universal Studios Florida, is already under construction at Universal Studios Florida, and will debut at Universal Orlando Resort in 2024.
Stay tuned – more details will be revealed in the future!
Current Universal Orlando Resort Closures & Refurbishments
Fortunately in August as the summer temperatures rise, the refurbishments and closures fall, with guests able to enjoy just about everything the Universal theme parks have to offer!
Universal Studios Florida
KidZone
Closed January 15, 2023
The majority of KidZone closed at Universal Studios Florida on January 15, with Fievel's Playland, Woody Woodpecker Family Coaster, Curious George, DreamWorks Destination and Shrek & Donkey Meet & Greet all now gone forever.
While no official announcement has been made what is replacing the closed attractions, the area will be transformed into Universal's DreamWorks Animation Land which is scheduled to open in 2024.
Universal Orlando's Cinematic Celebration
Dates: March 9 - Permanent
Universal Orlando's Cinematic Celebration night show which took place in Universal studios Florida lagoon featured fountains, pyrotechnics, lasers, water screens an more.
While the show has ended, it's known that Universal is working ion a new nighttime show and is set to feature drones.
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit was closed in August for a brief refurbishment that has resulted in a reduction in the on-ride song choices, from 30 songs down to only 5.
Previously, the coaster offered five different genre choices, with six songs for guests to choose from in each genre. Now there is only 1 song per genre.
The 5 tracks are all brand new, with 1 track representing each genre of Rock, Pop/Disco, Country, Rap/Hip Hop, and Club/Electronica.
The new song choices are:
Classic Rock/Metal
Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance
Pop/Disco
Waterloo by ABBA
Country
Man! I Feel Like a Woman! by Shania Twain
Rap/Hip-Hop
Humble by Kendrick Lamar
Club/Electronica
Sandstorm by Darude
Mel’s Drive-In Diner
Currently Closed
Mel’s Drive-In Diner is currently closed as it's receiving a much needed re-fresh, which began back in late June, and with the refurbishment still happening.
Universal Orlando have not given a timeframe for when Mel's will re-open.
However, the classic neon signage is still be partially illuminated for Mel's Die-In!
Universal's Islands of Adventure
Poseidon's Fury at Universal's Islands of Adventure
Permanently Closed
Poseidon's Fury will permanently close at Universal's Islands of Adventure on May 9.
Universal Orlando have not announced a replacement for the attraction, only promising "exciting new experiences,".
Poseidon's Fury was an opening day attraction at Universal's Islands of Adventure when it opened back in 1999.
Dark Arts At Hogwarts Castle
November 1, 2022 - September ?
Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle had its last show of the season on October 31 and will not return to Universal's Island's Of Adventure until September, 2023 where it should return until Halloween, October 31, 2023.
And that's everything, with no current closures, and it's no surprise at we head into the hot and very busy summer months.
Have a great month! Happy Summer!!
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