It’s a beautiful day to be at the Universal Orlando Resort. The weather was cool this morning, but the sun was shining, and we decided to make our way over to Islands of Adventure first.

As we entered the park, it was busy, but not too crazy for a Saturday. However, we did notice Jurassic Park River Adventure was still listed as closed on the sign by the entrance. We overheard some guests behind us in line talking about how it was closed, so we turned around and informed them it was reopening today. Our good deed is done for the day.

Since Jurassic Park River Adventure was reopened today after a brief refurbishment, we decided to take the opportunity to ride and see how things are looking, despite the chilly weather.

Walking through the queue, we were impressed with how clear the dome was over the model.

Most of the dinosaurs have gotten fresh paint and repairs to help them move better. It was great to see the dinosaurs getting some much needed attention. The ultrasaur is unfortunately missing a head, so the body is covered in a tarp, but we still spotted the tail sticking out in the back.

We heard they’ve even added a few more boats to help with capacity. This should help reduce the wait time a little bit as we get back into peak season.

All these dinosaurs have us in the mood for a trip to the Burger Digs to dine in the UOAP exclusive Discovery Center. We even got lucky and got the table next to the nursery! Honestly, the last time we were here the food was terrible, but we were willing to give it another chance and we’re glad we did! The BBQ Burger was absolutely delicious. We also added sautéed mushrooms to it to give it a little extra flavor.

After lunch, we noticed an increase in crowds around the park. Many of the wait times were high, but nothing like we saw during the holidays. Despite the crowds, the park did not hit capacity.

We made our way over to Universal Studios Florida to check out the Mardi Gras prep around the park. Watching all the little details get added around the booths has us ready to eat! There’s so many food and drink items coming to Mardi Gras, we can’t decide what to try first. Check out the tasting menus!

It was a busy afternoon and many of the lines were long for food and drink. We’re glad we got something to eat earlier before the rush!

When E.T. Adventure has an 85 minute wait, you know it’s time to get out of here.

That’s all for this visit to the Universal Orlando Resort. Be sure to stay tuned to Universal Parks News Today and WDWNT for additional park updates, Mardi Gras coverage, and more!