Universal Orlando Resort is gearing up for the opening of their newest theme park, Epic Universe, in 2025. However, in the meantime, there are plenty of other exciting new products and enhancements to look forward to, starting as early as this summer. Heather Layson Brown, Universal Orlando’s senior vice president of destination marketing and sales, discussed these upcoming offerings at the U.S. Travel’s IPW conference in Los Angeles. Some of the new experiences include DreamWorks Land opening June 14 in Universal Studios Florida, a new nighttime lagoon show called “CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular,” and a castle projection show named “Hogwarts Always” in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Additionally, a new daytime parade called the Universal Mega Movie Parade will debut on July 3, featuring beloved film characters like “E.T.,” “Back to the Future,” “Jaws,” “Ghostbusters,” and “Jurassic World.”
One of the key focuses for Universal Orlando Resort is engaging with travel advisors to promote their new offerings. The first U-Preferred Conference was launched a year ago with the goal of increasing travel advisor engagement. Brown mentioned the impressive response received from travel advisors, highlighting the importance of the travel advisory channel as a powerful tool in reaching potential visitors. She emphasized the value of training opportunities for travel advisors to better understand Universal Orlando’s products and experiences. With the addition of DreamWorks Land, Universal Orlando is expanding its appeal to families of all ages, providing a range of content from popular franchises like “Shrek,” “Trolls,” “Kung Fu Panda,” and “Gabby’s Dollhouse.”
To keep travel advisors up to date on the latest products and offerings, Universal Orlando Resort has seen a significant increase in webinar, familiarization (fam) trips, and regional training participation. The high demand for one-day fam trips in Orlando has led to plans for larger fams in the future. Additionally, there is a regular schedule of webinars throughout the year covering various topics related to Universal Orlando’s attractions and experiences. The introduction of new training courses related to Epic Universe has resulted in a substantial increase in training course completion rates, indicating a keen interest among travel advisors to stay informed about the upcoming developments.
Travel advisors are encouraged to showcase the diversity of Universal Orlando’s product offerings, catering to both families and adults looking for a memorable theme park experience. Brown emphasized the importance of the day and night entertainment options available at the parks, ensuring visitors get the most value for their money. The concept of “the last kiss good night” was highlighted, urging visitors to stay until the end of the day to witness spectacular fireworks and light shows, creating lasting memories for all guests.
Universal Orlando Resort’s commitment to providing innovative and engaging experiences for visitors is evident through their upcoming projects and enhancements. By collaborating with travel advisors and keeping them informed about new developments, Universal Orlando is poised to continue captivating audiences of all ages with their world-class attractions and entertainment offerings.