How exciting! Wonder when “beginning of next year” is? I think of “beginning” as the first quarter, but maybe that’s too soon.
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With the hotels taking reservations for Feb., I’d wager it’ll be open by Spring Breaks. If it’s not open by Memorial Day I’d be shocked!
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So Feb 2026 would be prime to visit: good robe-wearing weather, one-year-ish after open and low-ish (relatively) crowds.
That’s my plan!!
I expect he was talking about hand off of the park, not an actual opening. Hand off in the spring, test and adjust with TMs and APs, open for summer.
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So, if you recall, the May/June/July operating hours were released all at once back in the spring. This was not normal, as they would usually release one month at a time. But it looks like that may be the new thing.
Here are the August/September/October Preliminary Operating Hours:
For better viewing on mobile, turn phone to landscape view
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Doesn’t Universal typically close at 5pm on HHN nights? Or has it always been 6pm and I never noticed? haha
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You can’t come into USF after 5pm until HHN starts at 7pm
From 5pm - 6pm they’re clearing day guests out of the parks.
6pm - 7pm is “Stay & Scream” early access. You get held in a staging area from 5pm - 6:30pm. You can’t do much except buy food in the areas until they start opening houses around 6:30pm
I have had occasions where a house has opened before 6pm. Typically, IME, if they open one early it’ll be the most popular IP house so they can start getting that queue lowered
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I got an update from TP this morning for my September trip. These hours are consistent with historical trends. I’ll still always keep my eyes on the calendar though. I’ve been caught off guard more than once with a Private Event sneaking on the calendar.
My trip does happen when both USF & IOA both open at 8am. I really like that! I don’t always want to start my days doing the same RD routine!
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!
That’s why I said “Preliminary” 
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For as long as I’ve been going the parks close at 5pm for 630pm reopening. This is likely an error.
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For anyone interested the CineSational Lagoon + Drone show did a rehearsal last night.
I’m going to wait to see it in person, but if you want to view it now
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I did a quick gander at the video, skimming parts. I like the concept of it. The execution of the projections, to me, is lacking. I could make out very little of what was happening. Maybe it was just the quality of the video…but there were MOMENTS it was clear…but most of the time it looked a lot like blurry (pretty) lights with a foggy dream-sequence feel. Some of the imagery that they seemed to be going for didn’t really work in this context.
The little bit of the drone part I saw looks cool.
I’m really curious to see a better quality recording, in case it just was the filming. Filming at night is always tricky!
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The show does use A LOT of misters / water effects! That might be blurring your glasses!
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Ooh! Good point. I’ll write an email in protest!
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I feel like that’s how the old lagoon shows were, too
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Here’s a better video from Attractions Magazine. They have a more professional camera set-up
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ResortTV1 streamed the show tonight. I thought it was great. From the audience reactions, it seems to be a real crowd-pleaser.
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I’m going during HHN. I hope they have a Lagoon show then, maybe HHN themed!
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The hours tracker just let me know the last night of my trip just got hit by a private party at IOA. Now closes at 6pm 
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