There are lots of exciting things coming to Universal Orlando Resort in 2025, from new hotels like Stella Nova Resort to the return of Butterbeer Season this spring, but if there’s one addition to “Universal East” that everyone’s got their eye on, it’s the grand opening of Universal Epic Universe – which believe it or not, is only 100 days away.

The all-new theme park will feature five lands – and more than 30 dining locations – making the 100+ new culinary delights just as exciting as the park’s attractions, shows, and character experiences. From Butterbeer Crepes to The Mario Burger, here’s what’s coming to Epic Universe menus when Universal’s new theme park opens on May 22, 2025.

This spring, Universal Orlando Resort plans to open its Epic Universe theme park. In anticipation, the property is also launching three new hotels: Stella Nova Resort, Terra Luna Resort, and Helios Grand Hotel.

Stella Nova was the first to open its doors this January. The beautiful space-themed resort is tiled in dichroic glass and decorated with recreations of NASA space photographs. Plus, it's located right across from Epic Universe, which is set to open in May.

Universal Orlando Resort’s 2025 calendar is packed with big events and major milestones. From fan-favorite celebrations like Universal Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida to the highly anticipated opening of Universal Epic Universe this summer, the year ahead promises to be a thrilling one for this ever-expanding Central Florida destination.

With its exciting alligator exhibits, splash pad, and line-up of educational shows, Gatorland is a hidden gem in Central Florida that’s worth visiting with your family any time of year. For the sixth year in a row, Gatorland is throwing in a little something extra for families who want to experience a bit of Halloween fun, its Gators, Ghosts, and Goblins event.

As a food and travel writer who spends lots of time in theme parks like Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, I’m always on the lookout for a good small bag to carry my belongings on long park days. It never occurred to me to combine my choice of crossbody bag with my love of meeting and interacting with theme park characters until I spotted a person on a recent Disney trip who was carrying a white, faux leather mini backpack and a handful of permanent markers, having characters like Mickey Mouse and Princess Tiana sign their bag.

Before I even left the park, I hopped onto Amazon, hunting for faux leather bags that were the perfect material for character autographs.

As a journalist who covers theme parks and lives in Central Florida, I often joke that the spooky season is my Super Bowl.

From family-friendly Halloween parties at Disney World to jump-scare-filled haunted houses at SeaWorld, my family starts making its seasonal rounds in late August. But there's one event that stands above the rest: Halloween Horror Nights, or HHN, at Universal Studios Florida.

While some of Orlando’s theme parks are better known for their family-friendly Halloween offerings, there’s lots of Halloween fun to be had at Universal Orlando Resort as well. Universal hosts the iconic event Halloween Horror Nights each year, but since it recommends kids only visit the scary event if they’re 13 or older, parents may wonder what else there is for kids to do to get into the spooky spirit at Universal’s hotels and theme parks.

Read on for our guide to different Halloween activities and happenings going on at Universal Orlando from now through early November when Halloween Horror Nights ends.

When my husband and I relocated our family to Florida from Maryland in 2016, we immediately signed up for annual passes and started visiting its parks almost every weekend. My kids were 6 and 8 at the time, and we made lots of great family memories at Disney.

Ever since Gideon's Bakehouse opened at Disney Springs in 2021, I've heard nothing but good things about its massive, ½-pound cookies. But the bakery is known for having hourslong lines, so I've never visited myself.

My family visits theme parks all the time, and it’s no secret that standing in line for rides all day can be a sweltering summertime activity. And while we’re nearing the official start of fall, it’s still quite hot out in many parts of the country.

I’ll admit, I’ve always thought people who wore portable fans around their necks to beat the heat looked a little funny, but recently, one of my most trusted theme park friends arrived at our Walt Disney World dinner table wearing a HandFan portable fan. She raved that it had made her entire day at the park so much better, so I figured I’d give it a try.

Legoland Florida is always a creatively good time for families, but during spooky season, the theme park throws the ultimate Halloween party complete with Lego monsters, holiday Lego builds, shows, and more.

The Brick-or-Treat Presents Monster Party has a hard to say official name, but the Halloween fun is easy as can be!

Walt Disney World puts on a lot of outstanding annual festivals and after-hours events, but Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is one that many families (mine included) look forward to every year.

At Disney World, Halloween is among the best times to visit and it's largely because of this fun after-hours event. During Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, the entirety of Magic Kingdom Park transforms into a spooky celebration where guests wear costumes and everyone can trick-or-treat throughout the park.

As someone who's been visiting Disney World for more than a decade, I know that Epcot reigns supreme when it comes to dining.

The park offers both sit-down and quick-service dining options. Plus, there are four festivals every year, each of which brings new kiosks with special food and beverage offerings.

Here are my 10 favorite places to eat at Epcot.

There’s a new Halloween party in town and it’s happening at Universal Studios Orlando on select dates throughout the month of August. At Halloween Horror Nights’ Taste of Terror, HHN enthusiasts can taste their way through a preview of foods that will be on offer during the iconic Halloween event, which kicks off on September 1 and runs through November 4.

Keep reading for an inside look at this event, including our picks for the best food at Halloween Horror Nights 2023.

I've been visiting Epcot's International Food & Wine Festival for a decade. This year, the festival features 25 "global marketplaces" — kiosks offering food and drinks inspired by cuisines around the world — as well as nightly concerts, themed merchandise, and fun scavenger hunts.

The event is included in normal Epcot admission, and since most menu items cost between $5 and $10, it's one of my favorite inexpensive ways to get the most bang for my buck at Disney World.

I'm a major Disney Parks fan who lives close to Walt Disney World Resort and writes about theme parks for a living. I'm also a mom who has been taking her kids to Disney for over a decade. This means when people I know — from family members to random Facebook acquaintances — plan a Disney World trip, they usually reach out to me for tips to make it run smoothly.

Often, they want to know whether Genie+ is worth the expense (it is) or how to get their most coveted dining reservations (use a third-party reservation-tracking website, such as Touringplans.com). I'm always happy to share these tips and more, but there's one piece of advice I always impart, unsolicited: Visit one Disney World theme park in the morning, return to your hotel for some pool time and a nap in the afternoon, and then go back to the parks in the evening.

In Orlando, theme park Halloween events get started way before the month of October. Arguably one of the scariest Halloween theme park events in the area, Universal Orlando’s 2023 Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) kicks off September 1 and runs on 48 select nights through November 4.

That’s a lot of time for jump scares and screaming, but for parents, it’s normal to wonder when a teenager is ready for this Orlando rite of passage.

How old should kids be before they visit HHN? Read on for how an expert says to know your teen can handle the Halloween event and the tips we’ve gathered throughout the years.

I'm a 42-year-old mother of two, and one of my favorite places to go when I need some time alone is Walt Disney World Resort. I visit the park regularly with my husband and teenagers, but there's something special to me about strolling through EPCOT's World Showcase alone or renting a pool cabana at a Disney hotel and spending the day reading. Even if I'm not inside a Disney theme park, it brings me joy to know I'm hanging out on Mickey's turf.

Moms are no strangers to the idea that self-care is important, but sometimes we question how far we're allowed to go with it. A face mask seems fine, for example, but judgment starts to creep in when we consider taking a couple of hours — or days — to ourselves to lounge by a pool. Barbara Greenberg, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in families and adolescents, says this shouldn't be the case for a few reasons.

As a mom of two and a journalist who covers theme parks, my kids are no strangers to exploring theme parks together as a family. When my travels take me out of town during the work and school week, my family often stays behind. But recently, as I planned a three-day, weekday visit to Legoland Florida and Peppa Pig Theme Park, I was surprised when my 15-year-old son said he wanted to tag along.

Legoland Florida is designed for kids ages 2 to 12, and Peppa Pig Theme Park is for preschool-aged children, so I wondered if he'd actually enjoy himself. Still, I welcomed him along for the ride. If nothing else, I figured it would be a nice opportunity to spend some quality time alone together.

As a frequent Disney World visitor, there's nothing I dread more than the painful logistics of getting from point A to point B.

In 2017, I started traveling by Minnie Van, Disney's network of polka-dotted Lyft rideshares. It's not cheap, often averaging about $40 a ride, but for me, it's worth it.

Minnie Vans can be scheduled through the Lyft app and will transport guests to all Disney World resorts, theme parks, Disney Springs, and anywhere else across the property from 6:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. daily.