Universal Orlando has started its phased re-opening with a week full of entertainment!

While the parks don’t officially re-open to the public until June 5th, we were able to take you with us inside Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure to check out all the most excellent things happening!

As we took you with us to check out how to handle losing your face mask, a VERY busy Mobile Order system, and what it’s like to ride your favorite attraction with the new health and safety protocols, we spotted some old friends along the way!

Entertainers

Everything is pretty magical in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (especially how amazing that Butterbeer is)! And, the Frog Choir is ready to stupefy you into excitement with their harmonies (even in masks!) and singing frogs (no masks)!

On top of the Frog Choir, the Tri-Wizard Show has also returned with Wizards from Durmstrang…

…and the witches from Beauxbatons, ready to party like it’s Universal Orlando’s re-opening!

We appreciate their color-coordination with their masks — and even thought  the Durmstrang boys’ aesthetic worked well with a face covering.

You can also stop by Ollivander’s, where the wand will choose YOU. Buuut, make sure to let a Team Member know if you’d like to purchase a wand because the resident witch or wizard will help magically locate your wand from the shelves so there is less contact.

AHHHH! RAPTOR ATTACK! Oh, wait… it’s just our good ole’ friend, Blue!! While we were over in Jurassic Park, we had to stop by and say hello to our favorite dinosaur at her newly designed Raptor Encounter location.

If you’re looking for some swingin’ live music, you’ve come to the right place! The Blues Brothers are still performing for guests. However, while the original show would see a lot more audience interaction, the performers stayed distanced from guests during their set.

You can also check out the Beat Builders on the way to ride Transformers: The Ride 3D as they hammer out some new tunes!

At this time, most of the performers were wearing masks or made sure to distance themselves from audience members while they performed. There are also markers on the ground at entertainment locations so guests can socially distance their parties.

Characters

In both parks, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, we saw quite a few famous friends out greeting guests!

First up, Betty Boop! She was hanging out on stage welcoming guests to Universal Studios.

Awww, Dora — we “heart” you, too! (Also, HI BOOTS.) The float was parked in Universal Studios, and you were welcome to walk up and snag a quick selfie with Dora herself!

Around the corner, you can jam out with the Penguins of Madagascar to the music (smile and wave, boys!)…

…or see Homer in his newly painted RV. He told us that was his project during the closure.

Outside of Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon we looked up and saw a special celeb: Hashtag the Panda!

Later, when heading into Seuss Landing at Islands of Adventure, we saw lots of wacky and whimsical characters! You can find Thing One and Thing Two…

…Sam-I-Am, the Lorax, and the Grinch (who wasn’t so happy to see Molly).

As you make your way over to Marvel Super Hero Island, you can spot Spider-Man throwing some webs! (He’s always wearing a mask.)

And while strolling through Toon Lagoon, we spotted Popeye and Olive Oil who were both rocking masks and waving!

Back at Universal Studios, we popped by Springfield U.S.A. and saw more characters from The Simpsons! Krusty the Clown and Sideshow Bob were out ready for action when we passed by.

To wrap up this frightfully awesome show, the strange and unusual Beetlejuice is shaking things up near the Universal Orlando Horror Make-Up Show (how fitting!).

It’s important to not that you will not be able to have a meet-and- greet with the characters at this time. They are all behind a roped-off section or on-stage apart from guests. While you can take pictures in front of them with the characters in the background, you are not able to get close to them currently. There are also Team Members nearby as well if you have any questions!

We were delighted at how many characters we saw in the parks — and that wasn’t even everyone! Team Members told us that the Transformers, Shrek, Spongebob, and the Trolls were out and about as well. While it was certainly different not to be able to hug our favorite celebs, it was nice to see so many of them and it really made our day that much more fun.

Take a look at EVERYTHING happening in Universal Orlando right now here!

Who is your favorite character to meet in Universal Orlando? Let us know in the comments below!

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