🌎 This Week At Universal

Everything you need to know about Universal this week, in one place!

In this post you'll find:

• Volcano Bay closing for inclement weather

• Pteranodon flyers making a comeback?

• Private park entrance for passholders

🗞️ Recent News

Volcano Bay closing for inclement weather

Universal has just announced that Volcano Bay will be closed from January 7-9 due to the inclement weather approaching Orlando. This is outside of the scheduled closures.

For park updates, Universal recommends calling 407-817-8317.

Pteranodon Flyers has begun ride testing!

The cult classic, Pteranodon Flyers ride was spotted running empty test cycles this week!

The attraction has been closed since April 2024 and hasn’t had an opening date announced yet, but we expect it to open again soon so you can take your little dinos and soar through Jurassic Park soon!

Private park entrance for UO passholders coming soon

This is a UOAP perk a long time in the making. Passholders, myself included, have wanted a private entrance as part of their pass perks for a LOOOONG time.

Now, the entrance is only for Islands of Adventure currently and it will only be open from 8AM – Noon. The plus is that this isn’t just a perk for the January Passholder days, it’s year-around!

🚧 Upcoming Ride Closures

Universal Studios Florida

• Hogwarts Express: January 28 – January 31, 2025

Islands of Adventure

• The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle

• Pteranodon Flyers

• Jurassic Park River Adventure: January 6, 2025 – January 23, 2025

• Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges: February 1, 2025 – March 15, 2025

• Hogwarts Express: January 28 – January 31, 2025

Volcano Bay

• Ohyah and Ohno Drop Slides – January 2 – February 13, 2025

• Puka Uli Lagoon – January 2 – February 13, 2025

Volcano Bay will also be closed select days (they are subject to change):

• January: 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 22, 23, 27, & 28

• February: 5, 6, 10, 11, 18, 19, 24, & 25

☀️ Weather

A cold front is approaching! It will be pretty chilly so make sure to bring a nice warm sweatshirt + jacket or coat for at night!

If you have little ones, don’t forget a nice cozy blanket for them to snuggle in their strollers or wagons!

👥 Crowds

Crowds continue to be slightly high. We will start to see a lull in the middle of next week and towards the end of January.

I always say that mid to late January is one of the best times to go because of that post-Holiday lull that the parks experience, but I will let you know how bad they are + you can join our community of 275K+ members to see live reports on how busy the parks are!

🍗 Restaurant Highlight

Toothsome Chocolate Emporium

Toothsomes is one of the only majorly themed restaurants outside of the parks and in Citywalk. Because of that, it’s often very busy so I recommend getting reservations if this is a must-visit restaurant for you!

It’s a really fun steampunk theme that is designed to look like a chocolate or sweets factory. There is even a robot and woman dressed in victorian era garb that goes around and greets guests at tables!

One of my favorite dishes here are the Totchos (pictured on the bottom left of the above photo)! They are a great sharing appetizer for the entire table with creamy cheese and protein mixed with tater tots. Honestly, sometimes I get this as my meal too!

Of course I couldn’t mention Toothsomes without also bringing up their milkshakes and sweets! To be honest, the milkshakes themselves are just ‘okay’, but the presentation is always phenomenal!

If you’re not interested in a meal here, you can always peruse the front area of the restaurant which is open to the public and features a variety of different sweets from macarons to truffles and more!

❓ Question of the week

Great question! I always recommend either this bottle or this bottle if you want something collapsible. For the kids I always like to get my son something themed around Universal or his favorite superhero at the time, this is a great bottle for the kids that has a variety of different fun designs!

Not subscribed? Join now to get weekly Universal Park updates!