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    The Theme Park Trooper Guide to Universal Orlando
    The Theme Park Trooper Guide to Universal Orlando
    The Theme Park Trooper Guide to Universal Orlando
    Ebook168 pages1 hour

    The Theme Park Trooper Guide to Universal Orlando

    By Catherine M. Williams

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    About this ebook

    Searching for something besides Disney for your next Central Florida vacation? Experience the cutting-edge thrill rides and attractions of the Universal Orlando Resort and let Catherine Williams and The Theme Park Trooper Guide to Universal Orlando show you the way!

    The Theme Park Trooper Guide to Universal Orlando is your guide to the best that the Universal Orlando Resort has to offer. Catherine Williams shares with you her insights and knowledge to make your visit to Universal a vacation you will remember for years to come. In its pages you will learn:

    - How to negotiate and avoid crowds to spend more time having fun and less time waiting.
    - An overview of all of the attractions at Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure, including the new Transformers: The Ride and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
    - A point-by-point comparison of the main differences between Universal Orlando and The Walt Disney World Resort.
    - Much, much more.

    See why the Universal Orlando Resort is one of America’s hottest family travel destinations. Read The Theme Park Trooper Guide to Universal Orlando and starting planning your Universal vacation today!

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarold J. Forbes
    Release dateAug 10, 2013
    ISBN9781301151523
    The Theme Park Trooper Guide to Universal Orlando

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      Book preview

      The Theme Park Trooper Guide to Universal Orlando - Catherine M. Williams

      The Theme Park Trooper Guide to Universal Orlando

      By Catherine M. Williams

      Text copyright © 2013 Catherine M. Williams

      All Rights Reserved

      Photos (except as indicated) © 2013 Daniel Debonair

      All Rights Reserved

      Smashwords Edition

      Smashwords Edition, License Notes

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      About the Author

      Catherine M. Williams is an independent travel writer and theme park enthusiast with a special love for Walt Disney World and central Florida. First visiting the Orlando area as a young child and returning dozens of times over the years, Catherine has gained an impressive amount of knowledge of Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, and Florida’s other attractions, which she enjoys sharing with her readers through her books.

      For more information on Catherine, check out her Amazon.com Author Page at http://amazon.com/author/catherinemwilliams or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Dis_Catherine.

      Disclaimer

      Numerous factors can cause travel information to change and prices to fluctuate, many of which cannot be reasonably predicted. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this guide and the author believes all the information contained in this book to be correct, specific attractions, shows, and events are subject to change or cancellation without advance notice. The author of this guide accepts no responsibility for such changes or cancellations, or any inadvertent inaccuracies in this guide. Additionally, the author of this guide accepts no responsibility for the consequences of the reader’s reliance on the information contained therein. Travelers are encouraged to write or call ahead for confirmation when making travel plans.

      Additionally, the author of this guide is not affiliated in any way with the Universal Orlando Resort or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries. As such, any opinions expressed in this guide are solely those of the author, and none of the information in this guide has been reviewed or endorsed by the Universal Orlando Resort or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries. For official information on the Universal Orlando Resort, please visit their website at http://universalorlando.com or call (407) 363-8000.

      Some character, attraction, and restaurant names referenced in this guide are trademarks and are property of their respective owners.

      Table of Contents

      About the Author

      Disclaimer

      Chapter 1 - Welcome to Universal Orlando Resort

      Location

      Getting there from the Airport

      Getting There from Disney

      Parking

      Tickets

      Orlando FlexTicket

      Annual Passes

      Weather

      Chapter 2 - Dealing with Crowds

      Holidays

      Buying Tickets

      Get There Early

      Stay Late

      Major Attractions and Wait Times

      Express Passes

      Q-Bot Ride Reservation System

      Negotiating the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Crowds

      Single Rider Lines

      Child Swaps

      Early Admission to the Islands of Adventure

      Using Concert Nights to Enjoy Popular Attractions

      Chapter 3 - Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World Compared

      Size

      Attraction Types and Audience

      Live Shows

      Express Pass vs. FASTPASS

      Extended Park Hours

      On-site Lodging

      Costs

      Theming

      Dining

      Handling of Personal Belongings

      Child Swaps

      Classic Attractions

      Nightlife

      Chapter 4 - Universal Studios Florida

      Guest Services at a Glance

      Production Central

      New York

      San Francisco

      World Expo

      Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone

      Hollywood

      Entertainment

      Dining

      Shopping

      Chapter 5 - Islands of Adventure

      Guest Services at a Glance

      Seuss Landing

      The Lost Continent

      The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

      Jurassic Park

      Toon Lagoon

      Marvel Super Hero Island

      Dining

      Shopping

      Chapter 6 - Special Events at Universal Orlando

      Mardi Gras

      Summer Concert Series

      Rock the Universe

      Halloween Horror Nights

      Universal Holidays

      New Year’s Eve

      Chapter 7 - Universal CityWalk

      Dining and Nightlife

      Entertainment

      Chapter 8 - Lodging at Universal Studios Florida

      Benefits of Staying at Universal Orlando Resort

      Loews Royal Pacific Resort

      Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

      Hard Rock Hotel

      Partner Hotels

      Appendix - Other Helpful Resources

      Also by Catherine M. Williams

      Chapter 1 - Welcome to Universal Orlando Resort

      In Orlando, the town that has grown up around the massive Walt Disney World resort, lays another world-class theme park resort complex that too often gets overlooked by legions of visitors. Like the world a mouse built, this resort offers exceptional theme parks packed with lots of fantastically themed attractions where vacation memories that last a lifetime can be made. This resort is the Universal Orlando Resort, and if you have always skipped it in favor of Disney you are doing yourself a great disservice.

      Universal Orlando first opened in 1990 with a single theme park, Universal Studios Florida, where guests are invited to ride the movies with attractions based on popular movies and television programs. Building on the success of Universal Studios Florida, Universal built the Islands of Adventure theme park, where guests can explore the park’s themed islands each representing a distinct adventurous destination. Universal CityWalk, a large entertainment, dining, and shopping complex, soon followed, along with three luxury hotels. Finally, in mid-2010 Universal added a seventh island to the Islands of Adventure, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which has been an unparalleled success drawing millions of Harry Potter fans every year.

      Universal has invested millions of dollars over the years in developing cutting-edge thrill rides and other attractions and has become a formidable competitor to Walt Disney World. Families with small children will likely still prefer the incredible storytelling and focus on lovable characters offered by Disney, however once those kids get a bit older the exciting roller coasters and thrills offered by Universal Orlando may make it the preferred central Florida vacation destination. Universal Orlando offers a significantly different theme park experience from Disney, which is described more fully in chapter 3.

      This book aims to arm you with the background information you need to make the most of your Universal Orlando vacation. In addition to the detailed comparison with Walt Disney World, you will find overviews of the attractions at both theme parks, discussion of Universal’s on-site hotels, and a guide to the Universal CityWalk entertainment complex. You will also find tips on dealing with crowds, which can make a huge impact on your family’s enjoyment of what Universal Orlando’s theme parks have to offer. But first, let’s take care of some of the basics.

      Location

      Universal Orlando Resort is located in lovely Orlando, Florida, one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world, especially among families. Universal is about 13 miles from Orlando International Airport, situated along Interstate Highway 4 north of the International Drive corridor that is home to many of the area’s hotels and shopping areas. The street address for the main parking structure at Universal Orlando is 6000 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819.

      Getting there from the Airport

      Unlike Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando does not offer any shuttle service to their resort from Orlando International Airport, even for guests staying at one of its on-site hotels. Unless you decide to rent a car while you are in Orlando, the most economical option for getting to Universal Orlando from the airport is one of the airport shuttle services. The largest is Mears Transportation, which also runs the Disney Magic Express and the largest of Orlando’s taxi companies. Transportation by shuttle from the airport to Universal Orlando is around $20 one-way or $30 roundtrip per person, and advance reservations are required. To make reservations or for more information, visit the Mears Transportation website at http://www.mearstransportation.com/services/shared-ride-shuttle/ or call (407) 423-5566.

      Another option is to use a taxi to get from the airport to Universal Orlando. If you have a party of three or more, this will likely be your most economical option because you are charged per vehicle used and not per person. A taxi from the airport to Universal Orlando will run you between $45 and $50, and up to five people can ride in a standard taxi, and vans accommodating up to seven passengers are also available. You will probably find taxis waiting at the airport, or you can call Mears, the city’s largest taxi company, directly at (407) 422-2222. It is best to get a metered taxi, as unmetered taxis are notorious for overcharging unsuspecting tourists. If your only option is an unmetered taxi, be sure to negotiate the fare before leaving the airport.

      Getting There from Disney

      One of the most common questions about the Universal Orlando Resort is how to get there from Walt Disney World property. Universal Orlando is about 15 miles or 30 minutes from the Walt Disney World Resort. While Disney certainly does not make leaving the confines of their resort easy, luckily for guests there are three viable options for getting to Universal and back.

      Rental car The option that provides you the most flexibility to venture off of Disney property to Universal and other destinations in the Orlando area is to rent a car

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