universal Archives - Through Heather's Looking Glass

Universal Orlando Resort Blue Man Group

January 17, 2018 by Heather

Disclosure: I was provided free tickets to The Blue Man Group show, however all opinions are my own.

A few weeks ago when I was visiting Orlando, I was able to experience my very first Blue Man Group show. I have heard of the show and seen advertisements, but really wasn’t sure what it was all about, and was excited to see. I mean, blue men are pretty intriguing right?

Blue man group at Universal Orlando Resort

I’m not even really sure what to categorize this show as to be honest. It’s lights, it’s music, it’s art, it’s comedy, all rolled into one evening. It definitely stretched my imagination and made me think more creatively. There are acts with the blue men catching marshmallows in their mouth, painting on canvases, drumming on pipes, and spraying pain everyone. I mean everywhere. The front few rows wear ponchos! It was so interesting every time they started a new act because you had NO idea what they were going to do next, which was so fun.

The show lasted about an hour and 45 minutes, and you can purchase tickets from the Universal Orlando Resort website. The venue is located in the Universal City Park area near Hard Rock, so you don’t need a theme park ticket to see the show.

They also have a concession stand inside the venue so you can have a snack during the performance.

Blue man group

I loved that due to the nature of the show (they don’t speak!) it’s great for all audiences, languages, and even for kids (3 and up is recommended). If you are into art and music and thinking outside the box this is definitely the show for you. If you are looking for something fun to do while visiting Universal Orlando Resort, be sure to check out the tickets page and order in advance.

Filed Under: blogging, vacation Tagged: blue man group, orlando, show, travel, universal, vacation

5 Reasons to Stay at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

January 9, 2018 by Heather

Disclosure: I was provided a hotel stay and park tickets from Universal Orlando Resort, however all opinions are my own.

Recently I had the opportunity to stay at Universal Orlando Resort’s newest hotel, Loews Sapphire Falls. I had only seen pictures, which looked beautiful so I was really excited to experience this resort for myself. There is a lot that could be said about this gorgeous tropical retreat, but I condensed it into my five top reasons that you will want to visit (and stay at!) this property.

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

1.) Easy access to the parks: We arrived at the resort early in the morning so we could have a full day at the parks. After parking in the convenient parking garage, we set out to find our way to the theme parks. We discovered not only is there a gorgeous and tranquil walking path, but a leisurely boat ride that drops you off at City Walk. We took the boat and walking path during our stay and enjoyed both! There is also a bus if you prefer to take that instead.

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

2.) Beautiful and bright rooms: I’m a big fan of tropical and bright decor, and Loews Sapphire Falls did not disappoint. We were honored to have been upgraded to a suite which was HUGE! Below you can get a feel for the color scheme and amenities in the rooms. I’m not oing to post photos of the rest of the suite as to not confuse anyone about the rooms. One of my favorite things was the fact that there were power outlets and USB plus everywhere! I hate going to older hotels and not being able to find outlets for everything I need to plug in. Not the case here. It made me a happy girl.

sapphire falls resort

Everything was so nice and fresh and clean, I felt so relaxed the whole time. There are lots of blues and whites which are so peaceful to me.

sapphire falls resort

3.) Extra options at the resort: I love staying at a resort where there is so much to do, you don’t even feel like you have to leave. If you are like me, then you will love it here. There was an arcade, several restaurants, and a gorgeous fitness center. This wasn’t like a little room with a few dumbbells and a treadmill. This was a real gym and it was so nice!

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

4.) Great pool area: Having a kid, one of the things I always look at when trying to decide where to stay is the pool. We did not have a chance to swim this time, but we did go check it out and it looks fabulous! First of all, when you walk outside they had corn hole, ping pong, and other games as well as a bar and tables to sit at and eat.

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

There were cabanas for rent, and nice sandy areas making you feel like you were at the beach.

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

There was also a water slide which I know my daughter would have loved.

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

This just means we have to go back, right?

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

5.) Early entry to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: When you stay at Loews Sapphire Falls, you have the added bonus of getting entry into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter an hour earlier than park guests not staying onsite. Especially at peak times of year, this is a huge deal! Getting to head into that part of the park with hardly anyone there is amazing, and great for photo taking. I was able to ride everything and see all the things I wanted to see within that first hour. Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

If you are planning a visit to Universal Orlando Resort, consider staying at Loews Sapphire Falls. You will fall in love with it’s charm and will enjoy the tranquility of this beautiful resort.

Filed Under: blogging, vacation Tagged: hotel, orlando, resort, sapphire falls, sponsored, theme park, universal

Holiday Like This at Universal Orlando Resort

December 19, 2017 by Heather

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Universal Orlando Resort, however all opinions are my own.

It’s always fun to Visit Universal Orlando Resort, but if you want a little “extra” something, be sure visit for the holidays. There are so many fun decorative touches throughout the parks as well as special shows and events you won’t want to miss. It’s just the perfect thing to get you in the holiday spirit!

1.) Universal’s Holiday Parade Featuring Macy’s: If you have any Mischievous Minion fans in your house, this parade is not to be missed. There are adorable floats with your favorite Despicable Me characters as well as those from Shrek and Madagascar. Don’t forget about the Macy’s balloons flying high in the sky! There’s singing, their’s dancing, and a lot of smiling (trust me on this one!) Be sure to catch the action
Dec. 18 – Jan. 6 at 8 pm.

2.) The parks all decked out for the holidays: Going from attraction to attraction at a Universal Orlando Resort theme park is a blast, but it’s even better when there is Christmas music in the background, beautiful lights, and garland everywhere you look. That little bit of extra magic was really fun to see and kept us smiling all day long.

3.) Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular at Islands of Adventure:

Seuss landing was adorably decorated and full of whimsy. I could have just walked around looking at the decorations all day! But, there is even more to see with a live retelling of the classic tale “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” featuring music recorded by Mannheim Steamroller.

You can even meet the green guy himself after the show. There is also a character breakfast with the Grinch, but it’s a separate ticketed event.

4.) Christmas at Hogwarts: This was definitely a highlight of our trip, and I’m so glad we went back into Islands of Adventure to see it. Walking through Hogsmeade all decorated for the holidays was cute, but the projection show took the cake.

Shows are done every few minutes, and the projection on the castle is breathtaking. Seriously, the pictures don’t do it justice. Trust me, you do NOT want to miss this!

Universal Orlando Resort

5.) On Site Hotel Decorations:

We had the privilege of staying at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, which was also very much in the holiday spirit. There was a huge tree in the lobby as well as an adorable village make of candy and desserts. They will also be having Christmas character meals, so be sure to call for more information if you will be there over Christmas. The other in site hotels have their own decorations as well. It would make for a fun evening to go visit them all!

These special holiday events and happenings are going on now through January 6th at Universal Orlando Resort. Which one are you most excited about?

Filed Under: blogging, family, holidays, vacation Tagged: Christmas, harry potter, holidays, orlando, resort, sapphire falls, universal

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

September 11, 2013 by Heather

Back in July when I was in Orlando for work, I spent one night at the Hard Rock Hotel on Universal’s property and visited both parks. I already posted about Universal Studios, and it’s time for me to post about Islands of Adventure, specifically Harry potter (you can read abut the read of Islands of Adventure here).

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is in the back of the Islands of Adventure park. I got there super early before it got crowded and took a bunch of photos. my husband is a huge Harry Potter fan so I watched all the movies with him right before I left so I would understand everything. Even for a non-superfan, it was really neat to see all the detail that went into this section of the park. I really enjoyed myself!

The first thing I did was walk to Hogwart’s and get in line for the Forbidden Journey ride. It was a VERY cool ride, very well done and a lot of fun. I rode single rider and had no wait, so I hopped back in line and midway through the second time…I got very nauseated. I closed my eyes for the rest of the ride hoping I could make it until it was over. Luckily I was ok, but my stomach was upset for the rest of the day. So, if you get motion sickness on rides, keep that in mind for this one. Apparently my stomach could handle once but not twice. Such a shame because now I am scared to ride it.

So, I went back out onto the “street” to go in some shops and take some pictures.

I decided it was high time to try a frozen butterbeer, and oh my goodness it did NOT disappoint. You MUST try this if you visit!

I hung around, drank my butterbeer, and took photos just enjoying the scenery. I bought some grapes from a cart on the “street” and then noticed it was getting VERY crowded so I high tailed it out of there.

The above ride is:

I came back a little later and some of the crowd had died down. I walked through the restaurant the Three Broomsticks and took some photos.

Then I noticed a gathering at the stage. The choir was performing!

Followed by some fun and games.

Everyone was so in character and did a great job.

If Harry Potter merchandise is what you are after, you will not be disappointed. So. much. to. choose. from. They have everything from clothing to stuffed animals to candy and movie replicas.

I had a great time exploring and can’t wait to go back and bring my husband! These photos just scratch the surface, there is so much more to see and do.

QOTD: Are you a Harry Potter fan? Favorite book or movie? Have you been to this park?

I would love to book your Universal vacation or tickets for you! Email heather@travelwiththemagic.com for a free quote. I can book for you at NO extra cost added to your vacation.

Filed Under: vacation Tagged: harry potter, theme park, travel, universal, vacation, wizarding world of harry potter

Islands of Adventure

August 19, 2013 by Heather

I was provided with a mobile device and 3 months of free service from Verizon, however all opinions are my own.

When I was in Florida in July, I got the opportunity to go to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure which includes the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

I am going to do a separate post on Harry Potter because there is so much to it, but today I want to tell you a quick overview about Islands of Adventure in general.

While I did head to Harry Potter first, let’s skip that for this post and briefly touch on the rest of the park. I got sick the second time I rode Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, so my stomach was a little “off” the rest of the day, so I mainly did some picture taking and not much riding. I was also glad I had my new Blackberry Q10 from Verizon, I was able to sit and relax and check e-mails and get online to check on a few things while I waited in line for rides. (it also came in handy at the hotel with it’s mobile hot spot when I was using my laptop!)

I really loved the theming of Islands of Adventure. They had really cute shops and restaurants. Again, it’s a big plus to stay on property because you get an express pass (kind of like a fastpass) so you have much shorter lines than everyone else. Highly recommended!

Seuss Landing was a fun kids area that brought me back to my childhood. I rode a little train ride that goes up in the air over the whole area, and the Cat in the Hat ride. All very cute, fun area for kids.

There is also a fun looking Popeye raft ride that looks similar to Kali River Rapids in Disney. I didn’t ride as I didn’t have my poncho and everyone looked soaked, but it looks fun and plan to ride next time!

I also liked the Jurassic Park area. Again, I didn’t ride, everyone was drenched, but I loved watching everyone come down the big drop at the end, soaking wet.

Yet ANOTHER water ride, this was over in Toon Lagoon.

I walked through the comic area and past Spiderman.

There was a lot of screaming and I knew it was coming form this bad boy: The Hulk.

You couldn’t pay me enough to ride this thing. No thank you.

There are several other rides and cute things, but I just wanted to give an overview and not spoil all the fun for you. Smile I enjoyed this park a lot more than I thought I would, and would love to have ore time to do more exploring (and bring a poncho!) Be on the lookout for my Harry Potter post!

I would love to book your Universal vacation for you at no extra cost to you! Email heather@travelwiththemagic.com for a free quote!

QOTD: Have you been to islands of Adventure? Favorite ride?

Filed Under: family, vacation Tagged: florida vacation, islands of adventure, jurassic park, spiderman, the hulk, universal, vacation

Another Great Trip

July 20, 2013 by Heather

Good morning! My flight got in last night so I am trying to recover today. I haven seen my husband in a week so I am spending time with him today. This means no formal blog post but I’m sure you understand! Have a great day!

Here are a couple pictures from the night I spent in Universal.