Good Friday morning! It’s Landon again with another theme park newsletter. I’m coming to you from Universal Orlando Resort where the holiday tribute store is NOW OPEN for annual passholders.
This year’s highly-themed store revolves around one thing: the post office.📫✉️
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Yes, it’s almost that time again when the post offices are as busy as a beehive in spring. People will be rushing in and working to ship off those last-minute holiday gifts. If you’re hoping to snag some incredible Universal gifts – this is the place to find them. This year’s tribute store takes us through three different post-office-themed rooms.
You begin your journey in the Universal post and shipping room. This walkway is packed with small tributes to Universal attractions and theme parks including Jurassic Park, Marvel Super Hero Island and even Volcano Bay. 📨
If you received a holiday letter from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – this next room is probably where it came from. 🦉 The “Owl Post” is the next room. It’s packed with Wizarding World of Harry Potter merchandise, a Christmas tree and of course... a handful of owls peering over wooden beams.
Harry Potter fans will love the Christmas feel in this room, hopefully as much as I do.
Hopefully you’re down for some Who Hash. The next room takes us into the Whoville Post Office. You will feel as though you have stepped right into the Dr. Seuss holiday film. This room has a ton of Grinch 💚 merchandise, as well as some holiday treats for sale. Be sure to look at the floor! You may see some envelopes that read... jury duty... jury duty... black mail... chain letter... eviction notice! (If you know, you know). 🤣
🐿️ Get ready to go NUTS for the last room. Earl the squirrel has returned more nuttier than ever. This room takes us into the wild and wacky world of Earl – Universal’s original holiday character. I love this part of the store as it’s packed with unique gifts and tons of Earl the Squirrel merchandise.
The Universal Orlando Holiday Tribute Store is just a piece of the holiday excitement at Universal Orlando Resort this winter. Don’t forget all the festivities begin next week, Nov. 17!
🌊 Wave of Festivities
🐠 Before Universal Orlando kicks off its holiday celebrations, SeaWorld Orlando is splashing into excitement.
Beginning tonight, the theme park will roll out a lineup of holiday experiences. Guests can see hundreds of twinkling lights, a sea of Christmas trees, Rudolph’s Christmas Town, a Sesame Street Parade and a big menu of fun food and drinks offerings. Anyone down for some hot chocolate or a Holly Jolly Cheesesteak? 😋 Don’t forget – all the fun ends with the park’s nighttime spectacular, Holiday Reflections! 🎆
Holiday celebrations 🎄
This week, Walt Disney World began some of its holiday experiences. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party began on Thursday, and the all-new “Frozen Holiday Surprise” rang in the season at Magic Kingdom. 👏 The new stage show at Magic Kingdom can be seen nightly, and on event nights, partygoers can see the stage show again! Tomorrow, Disney will welcome guests to its all-new event, Jollywood Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. 🎅
🍽️ This week, we also got the foodie guides to the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays! Everything looks so good. 15 Holiday Kitchens will be spread out across the park beginning Nov. 24!
Say cheese! 📷
Universal Orlando is changing the way you enter its theme parks.
This week, Universal Studios Florida installed their newest technology: facial recognition. Gone are the days of scanning your fingers ... well almost. 🎟️ The technology is still in its early phases. When I visited the park this week, it wasn’t being used at Studios, but it was at Islands of Adventure. Theme park leaders said this technology is supposed to make it easier and faster to get into the park. What are your thoughts? Have you tried it out yet?
This could be a hint of what’s to come at Universal’s newest park, Epic Universe.
OH SNOW! ⛄️
There will be no snow in the forecast for Florida’s snow park, Snowcat Ridge, anytime soon.
This week, we learned the park had to delay its opening for the season by a couple weeks. Why might you ask? Well – you could blame it on the bathrooms. 🚽 The Dade City attraction is set to debut the new attraction, Santa’s Christmas Lane, this year. For those of you who have not visited Snowcat Ridge before, the park allows you to go sledding down ice hills, play in the snow and enjoy food and drinks in an alpine village. ❄️☃️
New additions 😲
At least two of our local theme parks put out details about some new additions coming next year.
Starting at Legoland Florida, the park will add a new Ferrari-themed attraction in the spring. In the fall, they will add a SEA LIFE aquarium! 🦈 The aquarium will have tons of aquatic exhibits and experiences for guests to explore. SEA LIFE already has an aquarium at ICON Park along International Drive in Orlando.
🚧👷♂️Over at Busch Gardens, leaders gave details about their Phoenix Rising roller coaster saying it will soar at speeds of 44 mph this coming spring. At the park’s Adventure Island water park, guests can check out the all-new “Castaway Falls,” which will feature 100 play elements and 4 exciting water slides. The park’s Kangaloom exhibit, home to kangaroos 🦘and wallabies, is also getting an update.
Talking TROLLS
Trolls are taking over Universal Orlando! Celebrating the release of their upcoming film, Universal said they’re offering some limited-time experiences. I checked out some of them this week which include special photo ops 📸, character meet-and-greets, merchandise and delicious drinks! “Trolls Band Together” opens in theaters on Nov. 17!
Speaking of films, Disney this week shared news that a special “Wish” popcorn bucket and sipper will be coming to Walt Disney World in the future! 🤩 Anyone else want one?! That’s not the only “Wish” news! Disney is planning on bringing a special light show to Spaceship Earth at EPCOT VERY soon!
🫡 Special Tribute
Finally this week, a salute to veterans.🫡 My friend, News 6 reporter Ezzy Castro, spotlighted the moments that Disney VoluntEARS helped bring some holiday cheer to veterans staying at the Orlando Fisher House in Lake Nona. 🎄I loved hearing how some holiday touches help bring so much joy to veterans whose family members are receiving medical treatment. The good news is that veterans can stay in the homes at no cost to them.
I want to say THANK YOU to all the active and retired veterans out there as we honor them this weekend for Veterans Day. 🇺🇸 Veterans can check out these deals and special offers available this weekend.
That will do it from me this week.
I hope you all have a fantastic weekend. I’ll talk to you all again next week.
-Landon 😃