How to enjoy Universal Studios

My name is Min Jun-hee, a 24-year-old advertising student at the University of Florida. I`ve visited Universal Orlando Resort many times, and I want to tell tourists from out-of-state about all the practical tips for enjoying this resort.

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What rides should we take at Universal Orlando Resort

The Universal Orlando Resort has a variety of rides to enjoy for children and adults alike. I am going to tell you about some of the most popular rides at the Universal Orlando Resort.

The Universal Orlando Resort consists of three theme parks: Universal Studios Florida, Universal`s Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay. Among them, this blog will focus on the rides in Universal Studios Florida and Universal`s Islands of Adventure.

Photo by Min Jun-hee

The first ride I would like to introduce is Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. This ride towers over the crowd at Universal Studios Florida in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley. It consists of a 4D roller coaster and is based on stories about Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley escaping Gringotts Bank.  

Photo by Min Jun-hee

The second ride is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, which is located in Universal`s Islands of Adventure in Hogsmeade at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The robotic arm ride system gives visitors a wild and scary experience. Visitors also get to walk through Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry while waiting in line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=iKErNu6uJpw

Video from i Theme Park YouTube 

The third ride is the Flight of the Hippogriff, which is located in Universal`s Islands of Adventure in Hogsmeade at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Visitors ride the Hippogriff near Hagrid’s cabin. Passengers can feel as though they are flying on the back of a Hippogriff. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XIEJ18QnOc

Video from Undercover Tourist  YouTube

The fourth ride is the Incredible Hulk. This ride is located in Universal`s Islands of Adventure. The roller coaster speeds through the tunnel of the ascending section and then rotates 360 degrees to thrill visitors.

Photo by Min Jun-hee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NQHNDCAF6k

Video from the Coaster Views YouTube

The fifth ride is Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, which is located at Universal Studios Florida. Before taking off, the riders choose a song to listen to while riding. The ride brings the visitors up a 17-story vertical lift hill and then descends a steep slope at a speed of 65 mph, giving the riders an exhilarating rush of fear.

“This ride was one of the scariest I`ve ever tried; even though I had to wait a long time, it was worth it,” University of Florida student Lee Du-hee said. 

Sources

https://www.tripsavvy.com/thrilling-rides-at-universal-orlando-3226674

 https://www.tripsavvy.com/best-universal-orlando-rides-for-kids-3226675

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How to enjoy Universal Orlando Resort wisely

After buying an admission ticket, you will have to wait in a long line in front of the park to enter. For tourists who are visiting the park for the first time, it is a very large and complicated place.

Photo by Min Jun-hee

How do you navigate this amusement park wisely? Consider purchasing the Universal Express pass. By spending extra money, Universal Express pass allows you to wait less time to access the rides.

However, if you were to buy this ticket when the park was not crowded, it would be a waste of money. To avoid this situation, you should check this crowd calendar for Universal Orlando Resort before deciding to buy Universal Express pass.

“I always check the crowd calendar before planning a trip to Universal Orlando Resort, which helps me decide whether to buy a Universal Express pass,” University of Florida student Lee Gi-taek said. 

Photo by Min Jun-hee

If you do not want to buy the Universal Express pass but still want to get on rides quickly, you should use the single rider line. Single riders usually fill in the vacant spots left by a large group. However, since not all rides have single rider lines, you should check them through the official Universal Orlando Resort website or the Universal Orlando Resort official application.

Photos by Min Jun-hee

Additionally, if you stay at the Universal on-site hotels, such as the Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort, you can buy Universal Express passes at a discounted price. Also, these hotels offer an early admission service for their guests to Universal Orlando Resort, allowing the guests to enter the park before the public.

Downloading the Universal Orlando Resort official application on your smartphone will help you get around the park easier. This application shows a map of the theme park and the waiting time for each ride. Therefore, it is possible to plan your day more efficiently by checking the wait times for rides and considering where you are in the park.

I hope these practical tips will be helpful for planning your trip to Universal Orlando Resort!

Sources 

https://www.top-ten-travel-list.com/blog/activities/25-tips-saving-money universal-studios-orlando/2/ https://touringplans.com/universal-orlando/single-rider

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How to buy discount tickets for Universal Orlando Resort

Photo from http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com/Anxious-Smiling-Surprise-Looking-Phone-Texting-2840248

You have now arrived at the park. However, you may be surprised by how expensive tickets are. How can you reduce this cost?

Before I explain how to buy a discounted ticket, I will explain the layout of Universal Orlando Resort. Universal Orlando Resort consists of three theme parks: Universal Studios Florida, Universal`s Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay. Based on your trip plan, you can buy and use either a multi-day ticket or a single-day ticket.

Photo from https://www.pexels.com/photo/57617/ 

First, if you live in the state of Florida, you may use a Florida resident discount program. If you were to buy a multi-day ticket by using the Florida discount program online, you could get $50 off of the gate price. In the multi-day ticket category for Florida residents, you can choose two options, either the park-to-park option or the one-park option.

The single-day ticket means that you can visit Universal Orlando Resort for only one day. 

You can buy a single-day ticket for Universal Orlando Resort, however, the price of a single-day ticket is twice the price of a multi-day ticket. To apply for the Florida resident discount, you need to have valid documentation, such as a Florida driver’s license, a Florida voter registration card with a corresponding photo or a Florida college photo ID.

“The Florida resident discount program makes me more accessible to Universal Orlando Resort,” University of Florida student Jang Woong-jae said. 

However, this discount program has block-out dates. For this reason, when you plan to visit Universal Orlando Resort, check the block-out dates carefully online.

For tourists from out-of-state, book vacation packages.The Universal Orlando Resort has a partner hotel, and it is possible to buy a vacation package that includes discount admission tickets. You can learn more about the vacation package Universal Orlando Resort tickets here.

Sources

https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/tickets-packages/park-tickets/fl-resident-prices/index.html  

https://orlandoinformer.com/universal/tips-tricks-secrets-saving-time-money

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How to buy discount airplane tickets to Orlando

Photo from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Orlando_International_Airport_-_panoramio_(1).jpg

If you live in Florida, you might use your car to reach the Universal Orlando Resort. However, many tourists from out-of-state visit the park. How can you buy a cheap airplane ticket to Orlando?

Photo from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Orlando_International_Airport_-_panoramio_(1).jpg

Book airplane tickets to Orlando 25 days in advance, because if you buy your airplane ticket to Orlando early you can save up to $200. Ticket prices will increase sharply if you buy an airplane ticket less than 10 days before takeoff.

Buy an airplane ticket to arrive in Orlando on a Wednesday. Compared to the price of airplane tickets to Orlando on other days, the airplane tickets to Orlando on Wednesdays are relatively cheap, saving up to $38. In addition, if you arrive in Orlando on a Wednesday, you will do so during the period -- from Wednesday to Thursday -- with the shortest lines for rides.

 Buy an airplane ticket that departs from Orlando on a Tuesday. If you buy a returning airplane ticket on a Tuesday, you can save money — approximately $36. Do not buy an airplane ticket on Friday, because there are many business travelers returning from business conferences then, and the price will be higher because Orlando has many conferences.

The cheapest month to fly to Orlando is August. If you were to buy an airplane ticket for August, you could save up to $18. A lot of people don’t visit in August because that’s the peak of summer, and temperatures often rise higher than any other point in the year.

To enjoy your vacation, you need to bring a lot of stuff. However, it is hard to calculate each airline’s extra charges using their websites. Use Hooper’s Airline Fees Calculator to find real airplane ticket prices. 

Hooper’s Airline Fees Calculator helps you easily compare extra fees because each figure shows clearly how much the airline’s baggage add-on costs are.

Source 

http://www.hopper.com/articles/467/five-tips-on-how-to-save-big-on-flights-to-orlando

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Why Universal Orlando Resort is the best vacation spot

Hello! My name is Min Jun-hee. I am a junior advertising major at the University of Florida. I created this blog for my writing class MMC2100.

Photo from https://pixabay.com/en/headache-head-ache-pain-head-ache-1910644/

Life is so stressful. In college, students must prepare for exams, write essays and do group projects. Likewise, workers in the workplace have to deal with day-to-day tasks and the demands of their bosses.

Photo from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colossos_Heide_Park_Soltau_Germany.jpg

How can we relieve stress? The best way to relieve stress is different for each person, and there are a broad variety of possible ways. I enjoy visiting theme parks and riding the rides. 

Photo by Min Jun-hee

There are many amusement parks in the U.S., but my favorite is Universal Orlando Resort because I can meet my favorite movie characters and participate in attractions related to my favorite movies.

Photo by Min Jun-hee

When I first visited, I went until 1:00 p.m. and paid almost $200 for admission. I went on only three rides because I did not know the park very well, so I wasted my money and time.

Photo by Min Jun-hee

However, I now live in Gainesville, Florida, which is close to Universal Orlando Resort. I can visit the park more easily than people who live in other states. Because of this serendipity and my love of theme parks, I have visited the park multiple times.

Photo by Min Jun-hee

I learned a lot about Universal Orlando Resort during my visit, and I want to share this information with as many people as possible. In my blog posts, I will provide my readers with a set of practical tips for getting the most out of their time at the resort. I do not want people to waste their time and money because they do not know much about the parks, like I did my first time.

I would like people to enjoy Universal by using the information in my blog.        

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Peanut Patch & Corn Maze Halloween Festival

The Peanut Patch & Corn Maze at 8214 S.W. 89th Ave., Gainesville, Fla., is a local farm. Its main product is peanuts, and the harvest is mainly sold in Williston. Danny Berry and Crystal Hassell, the owners of this farm, have been farming since 1998 on their 80 acres of land.

Berry and Hassell wanted to have more family-oriented entertainment in Gainesville, so they started making corn mazes in May 2017. It took Berry and Hassell months of work to cut the corn mazes. Finally, in September 2017, they began hosting the Peanut Patch & Corn Maze Halloween Festival.

The festival runs from Sept. 29 to Oct. 29 and has interesting activities for the whole family, including two corn mazes. One corn maze runs both day and night, while the other is only open at night. The night maze allows visitors a chance to encounter Halloween ghosts hiding within the corn.

In addition to the night maze, visitors can enjoy a night hayride circling around the corn maze. During that ride, teenagers dressed as ghosts and holding electric saws will hide in the cornfields and pop out to scare friends and families. 

Other fun activities for the family include a horseshoe pit, corn hole, tube slide, bouncy house, haunted house, kiddie maze and a children’s play area.

In addition to these activities, visitors can also purchase food such as hamburgers with chips, hot dogs, cookies and pulled pork. Visitors can eat this food together with their family in the designated area located in front of the food booth.

This is a portion of the 80-acre grounds where people can enjoy the corn maze. Berry and Hassell host the Peanut Patch & Corn Maze Halloween Festival for the first time here. Photo by Min Jun-hee.

Song Eun-mi, a 32-year-old sustainable development practice graduate student at the University of Florida, excitedly explores the corn maze. Visitors can enjoy the corn maze during the daytime without being frightened. Photo by Min Jun-hee.

Along the corn maze are a painted jack-o’-lantern hay bale. Visitors are able to take pictures with Halloween decorations, such as this one, throughout the corn maze. Photo by Min Jun-hee.

After enjoying the corn maze, Jang Woong-jae, a 28-year-old electrical and computer engineering graduate student at the University of Florida, shoots an arrow toward the target. Aside from the corn maze, the festival also hosts a variety of games for visitors. Photo by Min Jun-hee.

Song Eun-mi, a 32-year-old graduate student at the University of Florida, feels the pleasure of autumn by pulling the doll`s hair. Visitors can play with various fall toys in the kiddie maze. Photo by Min Jun-hee.  

Halloween ghosts hide past this entrance to the night maze. In order to reach the haunted house, people must get through the maze. Photo by Min Jun-hee.

Huge corn stalks tower over the night maze. Creepy Halloween ghosts hide inside the stalks, scaring passers-by. Photo by Min Jun-hee.