PHOTO REPORT: Universal Orlando Resort 12/19/20 (New Digital Signage, Parks Reach Capacity, Dippin’ Dots Menu Removed, Sugar Cookie Tree Stack, and More)

Annie Wilson

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PHOTO REPORT: Universal Orlando Resort 12/19/20 (New Digital Signage, Parks Reach Capacity, Dippin’ Dots Menu Removed, Sugar Cookie Tree Stack, and More)

It’s another holly, jolly day here at the Universal Orlando Resort. We’re just days away from Christmas and the parks are packed! We arrived early in the morning anticipating crowds, but we were surprised by the low crowds compared to yesterday.

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We breezed through security and made our way through CityWalk towards Universal Studios Florida first. It was a rather peaceful, cool morning and not nearly as busy as we expected for a Saturday.

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New digital signs were added to both sides of the entrance of Universal Studios Florida. The screens are large, bright, and easy to read. These offer guests a variety of information, including park hours and details about the Universal Orlando app.

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It pays to get up early.

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As the morning went on, we saw the crowds pouring in through the entrance. It wouldn’t be long before both parks were closed due to capacity.

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We decided to stop and have lunch at Monsters Cafe again today.

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And then it was time for a Sugar Cookie Tree Stack from the Holiday Tribute Store.

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We’ve noticed that Dippin’ Dots have disappeared from around the park recently. The Dippin’ Dots kiosk in Toon Lagoon was removed a few weeks ago and we haven’t seen any other locations selling them. There was still a stand in KidZone, but now the menu has been removed. The signage around the building still remains, but we don’t think that will last for long.

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Out in CityWalk, the old Dippin’ Dots location is a bar, but you can still see the outline of the old logo.

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Even though the parks were at capacity, there were standby lines available for both parks.

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The backstage pathway was open for guests traveling between both parks. We’ve seen it open one-way on busy days for guests going from Islands of Adventure to Universal Studios Florida, but it was open for two-way traffic today. It makes for a very efficient way to park hop!

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Islands of Adventure was busy, too. The park can often feel more crowded on colder days when there aren’t as many guests riding water rides.

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A pair of fish have parachuted into McElligot’s Pool.

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The line for the Three Broomsticks was all the way back to the Magic Neef.

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Work continues on the bypass bridge. We hope this opens soon so we can get a closer look at the VelociCoaster testing!

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Thanks for joining us around the parks today. It’s going to be a busy holiday week in the parks, so stay tuned for more updates!