If you’re a regular listener to the Coaster101 podcast, you know that we recently interviewed Seth Kubersky, author of the recently released Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando 2021. Now in its sixth edition, the Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando is by far the most comprehensive literary guide to Universal Orlando’s two dry theme parks, water park, eight resort hotels, and countless dining options.
As an avid reader of the Unofficial Guide series, I wanted to present several reasons why The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando should be on your upcoming reading list.
It’s a One-Stop Shop for COVID-19 Information as it Relates to the Parks.
Photo: WPTV
It’s obviously a very odd time to be a theme park fan and visiting parks right now. Terms and actions that seemingly didn’t exist a year ago are on full display on a daily basis — social distancing, required face coverings, temperature scans, among them. While vaccines are on the way, when visiting a theme park in 2021, you will likely still need to operate under some semblance of guidelines designed to protect park guests and team members alike. It’s worth noting that The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando is among the first guidebooks (if not the first) to have an in-depth discussion of COVID-19 and how it affects a traditional park going experience.
The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando details the COVID policies and procedures at the Resort in full detail. It explains where you’ll get your temperature checked, mask policies in the parks (and which types of masks are and aren’t allowed at the parks — which is surprisingly not standard across the board at every theme park), recommended strategies for arrival and departure, detailed explanations of virtual queue, and any ride changes that differ from what most park guests know as “normal.” These can range from major changes – temp checks, lowering hours, to minor changes – no pre-shows or E.T. passports!
Photo: WPTV
Throughout the book, there are also COVID reminders that come in the form of “Wuffos” – a cartoon-ish character who can be located in various locations throughout the book’s pages to remind you or draw attention to a change or note that may be applicable to COVID-19. While there are certainly pros and cons to visiting any theme park during a pandemic, the Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando will not only prepare you for your upcoming vacation, but will likely set your mind at ease as well. (Note: as anyone who has lived in the past year knows, there’s nothing more constant than change. The books had to go to press at some point, and certain tips, restrictions and guidelines for COVID-19 in the parks may change and/or evolve over time.)
It’s the Most Effective Planning Guidebook
Early in the book’s pages, the Unofficial Guide authors tell you that they’re not drill sergeants – they’re more like “dance instructors.” While Kubersky and the team behind The Unofficial Guide aren’t forcing you to abide by a regimented tour or designate any attraction as must-see or must-skip, they provide you all of the tools needed to have the best possible Orlando vacation, suited to your preferences and tolerances.
When we say all of the tools, we mean “all of the tools.” The book details average weather forecasts for each month, the best months to visit the parks, and even goes as far as to discuss the best days of the week to visit the parks. Also included are price ranges for tickets and annual passes (and everything that those passes include) and advice to make the most of your time and money in the parks (Arrive Early, Avoid Bottlenecks, You can’t do everything in one day in the peak of the summer– all common sense items, but have you ever dealt with a belligerent tourist?)
Coupled with a TouringPlans subscription (this is not sponsored content, but Unofficial Guide readers do get a subscription discount to TouringPlans.com), your ability to plan a Universal vacation has never been easier. The book offers a list of planning references, including websites for discounts, mobile app, and even websites, podcasts, and twitter accounts for you to learn more about the parks you’re getting ready to visit. (We didn’t make the lists for 2021 version, but hey Seth and any Unofficial Guide staff reading this, how about 2022?)
They Tell You Where to Stay…or Not to Stay.
As any Orlando vacationer can tell you, a bad hotel room can put a dampener on any vacation. In the Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando, not only do the authors do a fantastic job detailing everything about Universal Orlando’s eight on-site resort properties, but also provide information and ratings for more than 100 non-Universal hotels in the Orlando area.
Having visited Orlando many times, it’s always good to have a baseline for comparison, and the Unofficial Guide details out the various benefits of staying on-site at Universal Orlando including early park entry, pool hopping privileges, and at Universal’s three top properties – included Universal Express access. Are the perks worth the additional dollars? Some may say they are, while others would prefer to save as much money as possible. Regardless, there is a list of both on- and off-property hotels in the lodging chapter that rated on room quality and price. The Unofficial Guide also makes notes of things like parking and resort fees that often aren’t mentioned up front while booking hotels.
The lodging chapter also goes into the intricacies of Vacation/Private residence rentals through companies like VRBO and AirBNB. They even provide a convenient FAQ list of things to ask a property owner or manager when considering their property for rental. Personally, I prefer a hotel when traveling to a destination like Universal Orlando, but again, to each their own.
Your Mouth Will Water Just Thinking About the Food.
I, personally, love to eat. With the recent revitalizations to CityWalk since my last visit to Universal Orlando Resort, it’s clear that food (including at Volcano Bay) is becoming a larger part of their theme park experience. The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando goes into detail about every restaurant on Universal property – including the two theme parks, Volcano Bay, in CityWalk, as well as in the on-site hotels.
Not only are recommendations provided for the best quick-service restaurants on property, but each quick-service dining outlet is categorized by food quality, value, portion size, and reader feedback. While it pained me to see that one of my old favorites, Richter’s Burger Co. ranks low in the quick service restaurants in terms of quality and value, it’s good to know that on my next trip, I can try out Fast Food Boulevard for better-tasting, better-valued and more favorably-reviewed versions of similar food!
A similar rating system exists for full/table-service restaurants, but they are also broken up in the Unofficial Guide by cuisine-type, cost, quality, and value to average out to an overall rating. Bice at the Portofino Bay Resort is the highest rated full-service restaurant, with a 4.5/5 rating. Galaxy Bowl at Cabana Bay Beach Resort scored a 2/5 overall rating, followed closely by Bubba Gump Shrimp Co and Bob Marley – A Tribute to Freedom with scores of 2.5/5 each. Each restaurant’s description has an in-depth summary as well as certain tips and tricks. Definitely worth reading through!
The Most In-Depth Ride Descriptions in Any Book, Anywhere.
99% of people who are planning a trip to Universal Orlando are doing so because of at least one of the theme parks. Even if you were to scour every corner of the internet, you wouldn’t be able to find as detailed of a description of all of Universal Orlando’s rides, slides and attractions in one location. This guide book includes maps, “Touring Tips” as to when to ride attractions in a given day, where to sit, and brief synopses of each ride, along with a rating system for how the attraction rates with different age groups – surveyed by the Unofficial Guides audience. (There are also reader comments interspersed throughout the descriptions of the attractions that provide honest feedback, both positive and not-so-positive, about many attractions). These are available for both dry parks and Volcano Bay as well!
This information on attractions includes in-depth details on height requirements, child swap availability, and goes attraction by attraction to determine if your child is “ready” to experience a given attraction based on general things that happen within each attraction. This could be a huge time-saver and way to stop a child’s meltdown from happening.
What’s great about the attraction breakdown is that they are detailed enough to provide a lot of information while remaining mostly spoiler-free. As someone who has not been to Universal Studios Florida since before Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon opened, this was enjoyable, because it allowed me to remain “in the dark” on attractions I haven’t yet experienced like Fast and the Furious, Fallon, and the Bourne Stuntacular. Even the VelociCoaster, debuting in Summer 2021, has a brief section of the book devoted to it (and there’s even a great tip as to get to the ride’s entrance faster when the park opens!)
Not to Mention…Everything Else!
Have you ever wondered where an ATM is located in a park? The Unofficial Guide has every location. Did you know that American Express cardholders get special perks at Universal Orlando? The Unofficial Guide details these perks listed. Wondered the best strategy to tour parks with children? Look. No. Further.
From Fuel Rod locations to where to buy off-site groceries to which attractions have free lockers and which attractions have paid lockers, to an entire section devoted to guests who have special needs — Legitimately, anything you could possibly want to know about a Universal Orlando vacation is written in the pages this book. There’s detailed information about Special Events like Halloween Horror Nights and Mardi Gras, to the pros and cons of purchasing a VIP Tour,
Admittedly, I’m not planning a Universal vacation anytime soon, but the level of knowledge in this book is great for anyone (like myself) who is a giant Universal theme park nerd and is constantly craving new and interesting knowledge. Who knows, maybe it will be the gateway to planning my next Universal Vacation.
The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando is available where ever books are sold. We suggest checking out a local bookstore, but if you want to buy it online, it’s available as of this writing for $18.86 (subject to change) on Amazon for a paperback copy and $9.99 on Kindle or Apple Books.
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