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Universal Orlando Reveal 2020 Mardi Gras Line Up

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Universal’s annual bead give away extravaganza is back! Whoop to the Whoop! Universal’s Mardi Gras 2020 will run daily from Feb. 1 through to April 2. and will be the 25th consecutive year this awesome event has run.

Guests can enjoy performances by some of the biggest names in music, including world-renowned, chart-topping DJ and producer, Marshmello, the multi-platinum international star behind global smash-hits “Despacito” and “Échame La Culpa,” Luis Fonsi, and best-selling Americangirl group of all time, TLC, known for mega hits such as “Waterfalls,” “No Scrubs,” “Creep” and “Unpretty.” For the complete line-up and performance schedule, see below.

Feb. 1The Roots
Feb. 8Karol G
Feb. 15Bell Biv DeVoe
Feb. 16+Live+
Feb. 22Kool & the Gang
Feb. 29TLC
March 7REO Speedwagon
March 8Dustin Lynch
March 13Luis Fonsi
March 14The All-American Rejects
March 15Diana Ross
March 20Chris Young
March 21Earth, Wind & Fire
March 22Marshmello
March 28Why Don’t We
March 29Gavin DeGraw

2020 Mardi Gras New Orleans Bands Lineup

Feb. 1 – Feb. 13Dirty Bourbon River Show
Feb. 14 – March 5Free Agents Brass Band
March 6 – March 21New Breed Brass Band
March 22 – April 2Naughty Professor Brass Band

Along with amazing bands, there’s also a party-themed Mardi Gras parade each night with floats, dancers and countless amounts of beads. 

Enjoy the sights, sounds and excitement of the parade every night of Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras.

Parade starts at 6:00 pm on the following dates:
Feb 2 – Feb 7

Parade starts at 6:15 pm on the following dates:
Feb 9 – Feb 14
Feb 17 – Feb 21
Feb 23 – Feb 28
Mar 1 – Mar 6

Parade starts at 7:30 pm on the following dates:
Mar 9 – Mar 12
Mar 16 – Mar 19
Mar 23 – Mar 27
Mar 30 – Apr 2

Parade starts at 7:45 pm on the following dates:
Feb 1, 8, 15, 16, 22, 29
Mar 7, 8, 13-15, 20-22, 28-29

The best bit? If you have a 3 park explorer ticket purchased from our good selves then all the concerts with your 14 day period are free of charge!!

You can buy your 3 Park Universal Explorer tickets by clicking on the link.

Smiles included…

Jamie

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Universal confirm additional date for HHN29!

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Today Universal Orlando have confirmed that they are adding an extra event night to this years HHN29. Monday the 21st October at Universal Studios is now going to be full of zombies, vikings, monsters, ghosts, killer klowns and more and what’s even better is that if you already have a 2 night HHN ticket or a Frequent Fear pass the date it automatically included!

I think it’s fair to say that HHN29 is now in full swing with 7 event nights now under the belt and tonnes of reviews stating that this is the best HHN ever. If you’re a little late to the party then keep ready as i’m going to re-cap on everything we know..

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Oh and I nearly forgot to mention that our very own Gavin visited HHN the other week so I asked him to give us his favourite Scare Zone and House..

Gavin’s Favourite House: US – “This was the scariest house i’ve ever been in at any Halloween Horror Night event, and i’ve been to a few!”

Gavin’s Favourite Scare Zone: Zombieland – “My favourite Scare Zone because it gets your heart racing and you can laugh at all the unsuspecting passer by’s.”

Now I just want to add that it takes a lot for Gavin to be scared (or so he says) so for him to say that US is that scary must mean something!!
Me and Teresa couldn’t even watch the promo video for US without being terrified!! :O

Houses

Stranger Things
US
Universal Monsters
Ghostbusters
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
House of 1000 Corpses
Depths of Fear
Graveyard Games
Nightingales: Blood Pit
Yeti: Terror of the Yukon

Scare Zones

Zombieland Double Tap
Rob Zombie Hellbilly Deluxe
Anarch-cade
Vanity Ball
Vikings Undead

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Zombieland Double Tap

Shows

Halloween Marathon of Mayhem
Academy of Villains – Altered State

Rides

Don’t forget that some rides and attractions are still open during HHN!!

Transformers The Ride – 3d
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
Revenge of the Mummy
Men in Black Alien Attack
The Simpsons Ride
Fast and Furious Supercharged
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

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Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit

Have you been to HHN yet or are you visiting this year?? We’d love to know your favourite houses!!

Halloween Horror Nights 2019 – 6 Sep – 2 Nov, 2019

Screams included,

Abby

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Check Out These Universal Patents

Hey Thrill Seekers,

We love a good patent here at OAT towers and blooloop.com have found a really good one.

So both these patents appear to be tower rides, one an interactive ride and one with a rotating lift system. Lets take a look…

Interactive Tower Ride

The interactive tower appears to be made up of 4 towers each with one ride vehicle, according to the images it looks like they would seat up to 16 people at a time.

From the details it looks like it will also have interactive features
with passengers having some control over the vehicles motion and what they see. The patent mentions AR, VR, projection and SFX, the patent goes on to state it will be an “immersive environment with which the riders may interact”.

There is also the suggestion that the ride will have gaming elements, the pic above seems to show targets above each ride vehicle. Will the ride move based on if the target is struck?

Rotating lift and stacked room

The second patent discovered by blooloop.com shows a “a plurality of rooms stacked atop one another”. The ride vehicle are able to enter these rooms, rotate, twist and ascend/descend the tower.

Interactive elements are all the rage at the moment and this patent seems to suggest that the ride vehicle can take different courses that could make every ride and experience unique.

What IP could this be for?

Well it could just be Universal collecting patents, but with a new park just announced every patent will obviously come under a bit of scrutiny. So with that in mind I’ll take a wild guess at what they could be for

Interactive Tower – Could this be Nintendo based? The gaming element definitely points towards that but I’m finding it hard to match a specific IP. Could this be the Mario cart ride? With the tower giving the impression of big jumps and drops while driving on multiple levels?

Rotating lift and stacked rooms – This feels like a ride that will tell a story, for years there have been rumours that Universal want to include their Monsters IP in a land. Could this be the main attraction for it? Moving into multiple rooms that each has its own Universal Monster, maybe a Dracula room, or a Wolfman room…

What do you think these could be?

Smiles included…

Jamie

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Universal’s Epic Universe park Confirmed!

Hey Thrill Seekers,

The worst kept secret in the theme park industry is finally out!

Universal's Epic Universe Logo

Ever since Universal snapped up roughly 600 acres of land near Sand Lake Road the internet has been rife about what exactly they’d be doing with all this land.

Today Universal have confirmed that they are opening a 4th Gate.. ‘Universal’s Epic Universe’ and is Universal Orlando Resorts biggest investment to date. Word on the street is that Universal are claiming this to be more than ‘just another park’ and will promise a whole new resort with the layout concept being ‘all different’

Epic Universe will include hotels and shops and will be located on a large plot of land near the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

Here is a sneaky image of the concept art..

First Look at Universal’s Epic Universe – Universal Orlando Resort’s Fourth Theme Park

‘Universal’s Epic Universe will be the biggest and best ever’ – Tom Williams, CEO of Universal Parks and Resorts.

Here’s what Universal had to say..

Epic. It’s a word that gets tossed around a lot in today’s day and age, though not one we use loosely. When we label something as epic, we want that experience to live up to the promise that the word makes. Which is why today we are elated to announce the addition of our fourth theme park, Universal’s Epic Universe, an experience genuinely worthy of its bold moniker.

Universal’s Epic Universe will offer an entirely new level of experiences that will forever redefine theme park entertainment. Guests will venture beyond their wildest imagination, traveling into beloved stories and through vibrant lands on adventures where the journey is as astounding as the destination. The new location will feature a theme park, an entertainment center, hotels, shops, restaurants and more. Ultimately, this expansion will create more space and freedom to let loose and create lasting memories with the people you love.

Here is a proximity map that Universal have also released:

Universal's Epic Universe Map

Stay tuned for more updates as they come in!

Smiles included…

Abby

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Universal Reveal Fluffy Pic’s

Hey Thrill Seekers,

The closer we get to the 13th June the more information Universal are going to be revealing about their new attraction! Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure will be found at Islands of Adventure in the Hogsmeade section of the park and is the replacement for the much loved coaster, Dragon’s Challenge.

Today Universal gave us an up close look at Hagrid’s favourite canine Fluffy.

Fluffy is a giant three-headed dog that’s known for being the trusted guard dog of the Sorcerer’s Stone. And, as many of you know, Fluffy has a weakness – he falls asleep to the sound of music.

In Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, you’ll confront this gigantic, beloved creature deep in the Forbidden Forest. Proceed with caution – he’s a guard dog first and foremost. And in this new adventure, Fluffy weighs 8,000 Ibs., which is roughly as big as two standard Muggle cars.

Fun Facts:

  • In Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Fluffy belongs to Hagrid, who adopted him from a “Greek chappie” he met in a pub
  • Experts on Pottermore say Fluffy was inspired by Cerberus – the dog that in Greek mythology guarded the gates of the Underworld – and, just like Fluffy, he fell asleep to the sound of music
  • Fluffy made his first and only appearance in the film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

We’re expecting more creatures to be revealed all this, our guess is Cornish Pixies tomorrow…

Smiles included…

Jamie

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Universal Confirm Nightingales: Blood Pit House for HHN29

Hey Thrill Seekers,

We thought we’d be getting Halloween Horror Nights news yesterday and when it didn’t come we were all a little glum… so when we got this confirmation today we did a little spooky dance in celebration.

Here’s what Universal had to say about Nightingales: Blood Pit;

Imagine yourself transported back to Ancient Rome where a ruthless emperor reigns and gladiatorial games are put on for bloody entertainment. Add in bloodthirsty creatures and you’ll find yourself in the middle of Nightingales: Blood Pit – an all-new haunted house at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights.

Here’s what you need to know about the next chapter in this fan-favorite original storyline of the nightingales.

Story

Ancient Rome is suffering its worst drought in centuries. The ruthless emperor has declared the gladiatorial games to continue nonstop until the rains return. The gruesome bloodshed of the games is horrifying enough, but then come the creatures.

The Nightingales

As the blood soaks into the earth, the nightingales feed on the dead and dying. The nightingales are a grisly race of creatures that have been here since the dawn of time. You may think you’re familiar with their past feeding frenzies, but you haven’t seen them like this. You’ll try to survive alongside the gladiators as the ravenous nightingales tear into their victims and notice that fresh blood has come into their midst…

Nightingales: Blood Pit joins Stranger Things for this year Halloween Horror Nights which will offer 10 haunted houses, 5 scare zones, live entertainment and more. You can grab your tickets for this award winning event at Orlando Attraction Tickets.

Smiles included…

Jamie

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Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure NEW Details!

Hey Thrill Seekers,

First of all, check this out (i’m sure you’d rather listen to Draco Malfoy and the Art Director of the Harry Potter films talk about this than me writing about it.. 😉 )

Opening on the 13th June this year I think it’s fair to say that it is going to be one hell of a coaster experience!!!

Here’s what Universal also had to say..

THE EXPERIENCE:

It begins when you join Hagrid’s Care of Magical Creatures class and board magical motorbikes specially designed to make you feel the freedom of flight. For your journey you can either ride the motorcycle or board the adjacent sidecar, providing two unique experiences. For the first time, you will soar through the Forbidden Forest and come face-to-face with some of the wizarding world’s rarest magical creatures… but as often the case with Hagrid, things don’t go as planned.

  • This new experience combines a new level of storytelling and innovative coaster technology with rich environments and sets – including an actual forest with 1,200 live trees!
  • Experience a freewheeling coaster flight where you’ll twist, turn and rush forward – and backward – at speeds of up to 50 mph into the dark forest
  • Encounter some of the wizarding world’s rarest magical creatures, such as a majestic Centaur; a swarm of mischievous Cornish Pixies; Fluffy the three-headed dog; and even one that’s never been seen in the films
  • Hurl past challenging obstacles, drop into an endless pit of Devil’s Snare and so much more …while encountering a few surprises along the way

Back last month we came across a rendering of what the coaster was rumoured to look like and I think it was pretty bang on.. check it out.

This is a image taken from the newly released video showing the track layout!

Some things Universal have still not revealed are the queue and the pre-show experience. Is this going to be a surprise or are we going to find out more soon??
I also wanna know what else we may encounter in the forbidden forest, what are the other ‘challenging obstacles and surprises’? I suppose an element of surprise can make it a lot more thrilling but i’m super intrigued!

Who’s excitement is building the more we get to know this coaster? Mine is!!

Smiles Included,

Abby

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New Light Projection Experience coming to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter!

Hey Thrill Seekers,

Universal have just announced a that a new light projection experience is coming to Islands of Adventure later this year..

Yep that’s right you guessed it (and the title of this blog was a massive hint) a powerful spell has been cast on Hogwarts Castle in Hogsmeade.

This exciting all-new light projection experience will cast a mesmerizing display unleashing eerie creatures and villains upon the stone walls of the castle. Illuminating the darker side of the Wizarding World, this spectacle of music and lights will unleash some of the eeriest creatures and darkest wizards of the Harry Potter series, cast ominously against the stone walls of the castle.

Universal have said ‘As darkness falls on Hogwarts castle, Dementors, Death Eaters and other unspeakable creatures including Acromantula, Mountain Trolls, and Thestrals will cloak the castle in with their great presence. Eventually, the chilling visage of the Dark Lord, Voldemort, appears to close the castle’s takeover… until one of the wizarding world’s most famous defensive charms is cast.’

This looks soooo cool! I love the eery feel of this new nighttime show, i can only imagine the sound tracks, special effects and atmosphere will be EPIC!!

Dates are going to be released at a later time but we will of course keep you updated!

Smiles Included,

Abby

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Universal temporary attraction closures

Hey Thrill Seekers,

We do usually only have positive vibes here on our award winning blog (disclaimer: this blog has never won an award… but it should) however we do have to write about the less happier stuff from time to time so that you’re in the know with everything happening at the Orlando parks. Don’t worry, they’re not closing down the Wizarding World or only playing classical music on Rip Ride Rockit.. there’s just a few attractions closing down for a short period to allow for seasonal maintenance.

Hogwarts Express – will be closed on the 17th January 2019 for seasonal maintenance.

Jurassic Park River Adventure – will be closed from the 7th January 2019 until the 25th January 2019 for seasonal maintenance (and for the dinosaurs to go on a quick holiday)

Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls – Will be closed from the 28th January 2019 until the 22nd February 2019.

Remember all attractions need maintenance from time to time to keep us all safe while having a blast (or getting soaked in the case of Ripsaw Falls!)

Smiles Included,

Abby

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Universal Confirm Mardi Gras Line up

Hey Thrill Seekers,

As has become the norm as soon as we either start or finish an episode of OAT Live one of the parks inevitably releases some new information and yesterdays episode was no different.

Universal have confirmed the 2019 Mardi Gras line up and its a good one. Running from Feb. 9th until April 4th at Universal Studios Florida you can expect nightly parades, live concerts, Cajun cuisine and beads, soooo many beads!

Although Universal are rightly proud of the food and parades its the live music that guest generally go mad for, this year the line up currently includes;

Concert Lineup

  • February 9 – BUSH
  • February 16 – Gavin DeGraw
  • February 17 – Dan + Shay
  • February 23 – Macklemore
  • March 2 – To be announced
  • March 9 – Becky G
  • March 10 – Sean Paul
  • March 16 – Steve Miller Band
  • March 17 – Ziggy Marley
  • March 23 – NF
  • March 24 – Pitbull
  • March 30 – To be announced
  • March 31 – To be announced

I mean who doesn’t love a bit of Sean Paul.

New Nighttime Parade Theme

During Mardi Gras you can expect to see a parade like no other including 12 floats, colourful dancers, stilt performers, oh and de we mention beads!!! Soooo many beads! This year’s new theme is right up OAT’s street as its called Party Animals! You’ll see floats and performers dressed as their spirit animals from all over the world like the arctic, jungle, ocean, swamp and more. I think my spiritual animal is probably a Sloth… totally built for parties…

French Quarter Food and Drinks

Universal have also confirmed that The French Quarter Courtyard is getting a new culinary twist this year. All food and drinks will be served in tasting sizes. You’ll now be able to enjoy a variety of the New Orleans dishes during your visit.

To add to the excitement, the culinary team has whipped up new and returning fan-favorite food and drink options. We’re talking beignets, frog legs, crab etouffee, and crawfish! Plus, we’re going to have a signature Mardi Gras cocktail, craft beer flights and more.

French Quarter Entertainment Lineup

You can’t have the French Quarter Courtyard without the beats of the Big Easy. Catch these authentic New Orleans bands performing daily in the French Quarter.

  • February 9 – 17: Dirty Bourbon River Show
  • February 18 – 27: Naughty Professor Brass Band
  • February 28 – March 18: Free Agents Brass Band featuring Honey Bannister
  • March 19 – April 4: New Breed Brass Band

The best bit, if you’ve purchased a Universal 3 park explorer ticket from Orlando Attraction Tickets you’ll have access to this event for FREE….

Smiles included…

Jamie