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Universal Orlando

JUST ANNOUNCED: MINION LAND

in Universal Orlando/Universal Parks & Resorts Vacations by

Illumination’s Minions are taking over an entire street at Universal Orlando. Blast your way to supervillain stardom in the new Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast attraction. Visit Illumination’s Minion Cafe where mischief is always on the menu. Get a sweet treat at Bake My Day and more. It’s Minion mayhem like you’ve never experienced before. Opening Summer 2023.

As soon as guests enter the land, they will be greeted by a “Minion Land” marquee featuring 22 Minions before embarking on the mischief that awaits along Illumination Ave. Guests can blast their way to supervillain stardom in Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast, savor tasty dishes at the Minion Café, snack on banana-flavored popcorn at Pop-a-Nana, and meet fan-favorite characters along the way.

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 they compete against each other in a fully interactive gaming experience. Afterward, they 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 Café: It’s Minions in the kitchen, mischief in the dining room, and tons of tasty food at the new Illumination’s Minion Café, 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. This includes 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.

Just as eye-catching as Minion Cafe’s themed surroundings is its delicious menu, the latest example of how Universal Orlando’s culinary team continues to raise the bar when it comes to theme park dining. Guests of all ages can enjoy inventive, family-friendly fare featuring nearly 20 items inspired by memorable characters and staples from the Minions franchise, including eclectic “despica-bowls” such as Otto’s Noodle Bowl, Agnes’s Honeymoon Soup and Carl’s Crispy Cauliflower (vegan offering); delectable handhelds such as the Steak & “Cheese Ray” Sandwich; desserts such as Bob’s Teddy Bear Chocolate Cream Puff; a kids’ menu for the “mini Minions” in the family that includes items like the Mini Boss’ Mega Melt.

The Minion Cafe will also feature an express window with a limited menu for those looking to satisfy their mischievous cravings quickly and return to the mayhem in Minion Land. Other attractions include:

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-Nana: Banana-flavored popcorn, anyone? This walkup location features sweet and savory popcorn inspired by the Minions’ love for bananas. Here, guests can 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. Minion Land is yet another example of how Universal Destinations & Experiences is raising the bar on immersive storytelling for the entire family using beloved stories and franchises often seen in films.

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Universal’s Aventura Hotel NOW OPEN!

in Universal Orlando by

Universal’s Aventura Hotel opened August 15, 2018 and I was able to experience a bit of the hotels amenities during its first weekend.

This new hotel has a modern style and is within walking distance of Universal’s Volcano Bay and offers great views of all three Universal Orlando theme parks.

The lobby area is very stark and minimalist with concrete floors and modern furniture. Once you pass the check-in desk there is a lobby bar, barVentura, lounge seating area, Starbucks, and a quick service dining area, Urban Pantry. There is also a Universal store on the left and barVentura even offers a phone charging station while you enjoy a beverage!

Universal’s Aventura Hotel also offers a roof top bar, Bar 17 Bistro, which opens at 4 pm. To access the roof top you will need a Team Member to assist you with the express elevator, which will only take you to the 17th floor. Currently there is a host stand outside the elevator but if you don’t find anyone there, just see the front desk or Concierge for assistance.

Bar 17 Bistro sits on the left side of the roof top area and the right side offers space for private events. The bar area is also all concrete floors with modern eclectic seating arrangements and is open air. It did get quite windy while we were there, I can only imagine when it rains… And, during this time of year, one whole side of the bar area is in the sun (and heat). When we arrived, only one side of the bar was being used because no one wanted to sit on the sunny/hot side.

The views were amazing and, since there was not a private event the evening we were there, we were able to check out the views from there as well.

The menu, which is not the same at the bar as online (they have paper menus printed and we were told to not use the online menu) is an offering of small plates, featuring urban international flavors as well as classic options, and is served family style. I was with a few friends and we shared the Meat & Cheese Board, Bao Buns (you select 3 from a list of 8 options), Shrimp (which is not on the online menu, so I cannot remember the exact name of this dish) and Wagyu Beef Sliders. Everything was prepared well and we all enjoyed our selections.

As for drinks, while they do offer some specialty themed cocktails, we all ordered beer and wine so I don’t have anything to share… However, I can share that they use all plastic ware for beverages, including wine glasses, and the plates are all plastic as well. Only the silverware was “real” with paper napkins.

If you are looking for a spot to get away from the parks and just enjoy the view, Bar 17 Bistro is your spot!

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Universal Orlando Resort

in CityWalk/Islands of Adventure/Orlando/Stay on Property/Universal Orlando/Volcano Bay by
Your kids grow up and so do vacations. If you are looking for a vacation destination that offers fun and thrills for the whole family, a Universal Orlando Resort vacation is the perfect destination vacation for you! I recently completed a week of training at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida and it is the Ultimate Central Florida Vacation destination!
CABANA BAY BEACH RESORT
We spent our week at Cabana Bay Beach Resort and it’s a fun resort with so much to do! Go for a swim or relax in the lazy river, take the family for a game or two at the bowling alley or get your fitness on at the Jack LaLanne Fitness Center. From the moment you arrive, you will be taken back to the iconic beach resorts of the era with décor that throws back to the 1950’s and 60’s. It’s a fun place to hang out with the entire family. Also, when staying on property, you will enjoy exclusive benefits to make the most of your vacation. It’s the best way to experience all that Universal Orlando Resort has to offer!
LOWES ROYAL PACIFIC RESORT
On our first day we were able to tour all 5 of the resorts on property. Although Cabana Bay Beach Resort has a fun throw-back vibe, I prefer the tropical styling of Loews Royal Pacific Resort. This resort offers the breathtaking splendor of lush tropical surroundings and you feel like you’re on a tropical island in the South Seas.
LOWES PORTOFINO BAY RESORT
   In addition, Lowes Royal Pacific Resort offers Universal Express Unlimited ride access in both theme parks FREE with your resort stay, which is also offered at Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Portofino Bay Hotel.
HARD ROCK HOTEL
Loews Sapphire Falls Resort and Cabana Bay Beach Resort do not offer the Universal Express Unlimited ride access.
LOWES SAPPHIRE FALLS RESORT
Universal Orlando Resort also offers special events throughout the year, and most all are included with your park admission! We were lucky enough to be at the resort during the Mardi Gras celebration and participated in the Mardi Gras parade held nightly during the celebration! Other special events throughout the year include ‘A Celebration of Harry Potter’ (usually held the last week of January), ‘Halloween Horror Nights’ held in the fall (this is a special ticketed event and is not included with regular park admission), and the ‘Macy’s Holiday Parade’ and ‘Grinchmas’ experience held in the winter. We kicked off our second day with breakfast at Three Broomsticks inside Universal’s Islands of Adventure park. This Happy Potter themed dining experience offers a traditional English breakfast, porridge, and other more traditional options along with pumpkin juice and Butterbeer! We were then free to tour the parks and explore on our own. If you want to experience all of the Harry Potter themed adventures, be sure to add a Park-to-Park ticket with your package as the Harry Potter experiences are in both parks and you can’t get from one to the other, or ride the Hogwarts Express, without a Park-to-Park ticket. During the day we were able to use the Universal Orlando Dining Plans for Quick Service and Table Service. There are many good Quick Service options both inside the parks and a couple at CityWalk. I chose Bread Box Handcrafted Sandwiches for my Quick Service lunch. This is a uniquely themed little spot that looks like an old-time soda shop, with great food and atmosphere. It was a quiet place to relax after a morning in the parks. For evening, we dined at Vivo in CityWalk and the service, food and experience were all excellent. The dining plans are easy to use and the Team Members and servers can all answer your questions about how to use your dining plans. Day three we were able to experience a VIP Tour and I would highly recommend adding a VIP Experience Tour to your vacation package! Along with a personal guide, the VIP Experience includes priority front of the line access to all rides and attractions including The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D and all of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions and experiences; exclusive behind the scenes tours, complimentary valet parking (1 vehicle, based on availability); continental breakfast to start your day, reserved Seating at shows; lunch at one of Universal Orlando’s 50+ dining venues. All VIP Experience Tours are date and time specific. There is also a Private VIP Experience Tour option as well as Halloween Horror Nights Tours. While we were able to experience attractions without waiting, it was also exciting to see the backstage areas of the parks. For our evening experience, we enjoyed the entertainment of the Blue Man Group. This is a family friendly and fun show that is also definitely worth adding to your vacation package. Universal Orlando Resort will have new attractions opening soon, including Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon and Fast & Furious Supercharged Underground Racing as well as a whole new park – Volcano Bay (which will offer virtual lines via TapuTapu, an interactive wearable designed exclusively for Volcano Bay experiences) – opening May 25, 2017! You will want to experience this full day water park during your vacation which will also offer themed dining experiences and shopping. Be sure to add at least a 3-Day Park-to-Park ticket to your vacation package so that you can experience all that Universal Orlando Resort has to offer! If you are looking for excitement, thrills AND relaxation for your next vacation, something that is family friendly – from the little ones up to the adults – I highly recommend Universal Orlando Resort in Florida! So, come on, what are you waiting for? Contact me today and let me help you create your own #universalmoments!

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