Hi everyone - can I ask for your expert opinions on something? (asked this same question recently re WDW and the responses have been incredibly helpful)
I’ve got a family of ride fanatics, but I’m hoping to persuade them to enjoy some of the other forms of entertainment while we’re in UOR (we’re on-property for a week). - so which non-ride attractions do you think have the greatest wow-factor? I’m thinking of things like streetmosphere performances, or the musical acts, but feel free to leap in with anything you have experienced and loved..
What’s the not-a-ride thing that a makes UOR special for you, and that would be easy to miss if you didn’t know to seek it out?
I loved the Blues Brothers show. I don’t even like that music so that is saying something.
Somehow in the sunlit Florida outdoors they brought the atmosphere of a smoky nightclub. And that is with a performance that the kids can see.
Also hang around outside and hopefully catch Beetlejuice. He’s one of the best character meets in the park.
Doc Brown, near the DeLorean and train, is up there too
Is the Cinesational night show still running? It’s phenomenal
I also really enjoyed the new DreamWorks show, for a bit of nostalgia and feel good.
Similarly, the Seuss show has been a family favourite since the kids were tiny.
The HP shows in Diagon Alley are great too.
Camp Jurassic is great for littles. The new DreamWorks play area seems decent too.
I have still never managed to time it right for a complete Beat Builders show, but they sound brilliant anytime we’ve heard them from a distance.
Thinking about this, is there any show that isn’t worth a concerted effort to see when you stay a week?
One of the trolls walking around will occasionally fart sparkles. I love that.
One of our cats is named Dulcinea after Puss-N-Boots’ girlfriend. So we love to see them.
Also, if someone asked me to name one place in an amusement park to sit for a long time, I would pick SeussLand by the Icee’s and bathroom with the view of the lake. I’ve also been to DW, UH (eons ago), Legoland CA and Six Flags over Texas. I love looking at lakes, the music somehow stays charming and I love the Seuss statues. I’m not even a big fan of the Seuss books.
I love sharing extra things to do at UOR! Having a full week on property, you can definitely see and do all the extra things.
All three stage shows in USF. I enjoy them all so much I do not like to put an order to them as they are all unique. Animal Actors, Make-up Show (comedy), Bourne.
Exploring the Wizarding World via a Scavenger Hunt. WWOHP Scavenger Hunt.pdf (266.2 KB) It’s fun to take a whole day at the WWOHP and see everything possible!
Going down to the Toon Lagoon Waterfront at IOA. A non-crowded space to take a break and also get great pics, like the Mosasaurus roll of Velocicoaster.
Hotel/pool hop. Take time to ride the Water Taxi and visit/explore other resorts. Whether to go to a nice restaurant, swim, or get a view from the rooftop bar at Aventura.
Beat Builders is a fun outdoor music entertainment. If you arrive early and stand front and center, you have a good chance of being picked to participate with the guys.
See CineSational over the lagoon and Hogwarts Always in Hogsmeade. Note that these are seasonal and only start up again on November 21st.
Although for this discussion that is true. endless and Dockside cannot hop. But Aventura and Cabana Bay are classified as values and you can hop to them?
I forgot they have been re-classified. So, I’m not sure if you can hop from those hotels. But to my knowledge (correct me if I’m wrong), if you are staying at a moderate or above hotel, you could hop TO any other hotel pool, including Cabana Bay. Hmm. After the recategorization, though…I’m less certain.
You are not allowed to. Endless Summer resort guests cannot pool hop. The question really is whether guests of Cabana Bay are still allowed to hop or not. But in your case, I’m afraid it is a no.
hmmm I think multiple of the street shows in Universal are great diversions including the blues brothers and both the Diagon Alley shows. Beat builders are also great. But nothing really in IOA is even close to the street shows in USF. But would I consider any of them unmissable, no I would not. None of the evening entertainment here is unmissable either or the parades I’ve seen anyway but I haven’t seen the latest incarnations.
Now some of the bigger shows like Monster Make-Up and Bourne are pretty fantastic and the Grinch is great during Christmas (both the show and the one in Seusslanding, do the breakfast. He’ll come sit at your table and pour out the salt, etc. He’s so funny as are the whos, who will also sit down and chat with you for a bit).
It does seem like in Epic they have some fantastic street entertainment and character meets but I haven’t been there yet! Dec baby!
Now I will say I super enjoy doing the interactive games like wands and the nintendo bands which I did some in Japan. And the time we did the Scavenger Hunt I created (boys against girls and the girls won when I had teen boys with me and we separated for rides but got together for sit down meals) was so much fun. It even made riding the spinning Simpsons ride fun cuz we had a mission to spin all the faces and it’s actually harder than it looks to get them all in one ride, we just barely made it by the skin of our teeth and we did some cute interactive things like answering the payphone in Simpsons land or the phone inside the bar and taking the love test there. Or listening for something under the bridge next to Mythos and then looking for Adam Kubert signatures in Marvel land and Jaws references in Diagon Alley, etc. That was actually a TON of fun.
I would still be willing to try. Go to concierge, ask for a pool access card. Show your hotel key, who knows they may not be fussy because not many people do it!
Not yet mentioned: We didn’t stay in line or anything, but even seeing the Transformers meet and greet from a small distance was memorable. Those costumes are amazing.
