The Universal Orlando Resort is in the midst of a period of unprecedented growth. This year alone has seen the opening of the highly anticipated Epic Universe theme park, as well as three new hotels: The Helios Grand Hotel, the Aventura Hotel, and the Terra Luna Hotel, nearly doubling the resort’s size in acreage. However, that doesn’t mean everything is rosy.
We recently asked our readers about what glaring problems they still see with the resort, and they did not hold back. Though I must admit, as someone who has been writing about Universal for several years and visiting for far longer, some of these issues did sound familiar.
Many readers began with rides. Some mentioned Universal attractions that are often disliked by park guests, including Fast & Furious Supercharged and Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon. Others lamented rides that are NOT there, specifically classic defunct Universal attractions, including Back to the Future: The Ride, and T23D: Battle Across Time.
Reader Jeffrey didn’t even name any specific rides, instead lamenting that the resort was lacking a specific TYPE of ride. They wrote, “Lack of enough real and simple ‘dark’ rides (that are not simulators or 3D) that can accommodate the whole family.”
Reader Corinne took issue with the nearly abandoned Lost Continent land at Islands of Adventure, writing, “So much wasted space and need for refurbishment, especially at IOA. There isn’t a single attraction or show in Lost Continent now. Suess Landing looks like it desperately needs new paint because it lacks the vibrancy it had when new. I’m a passholder and I swear I tell my friend every time we go how badly Islands needs refurbishment.”
Reader Stephanie took issue with the property’s bathrooms, writing, “The upkeep of the restrooms. At Disney, there are always people cleaning the restrooms, and I rarely find a dirty one. At Universal, there are always dirty restrooms, especiallyin the second half of the day.”
Several readers brought up the resort’s oft-complained-about lack of shade. Reader Steve put it in a way that Brendan Fraser’s Mummy character Rick O’Connell would appreciate, writing, “In my opinion, Universal doesn’t seem to have enough Sun Protection. Disney isn’t perfect, but Universal seems to be sacrificing guests to Ra.”
Accessibility was also a major issue. Reader Joyce pointed out that the parks as lacking, “Doors without ways to get in and out without assistance. Lack of ramps. Elevators being used by strollers so those in wheelchairs without options wait forever.” Other readers echoed this sentiment, as well as Universal’s publicized issues with ride vehicles that are difficult for plus-sized guests to fit in.
Reader Becky took a different tack, ignoring the parks themselves and instead focusing on alleged inconsistency amongst team members. They wrote, “Customer service is a bit inconsistent. At Epic and at the resort hotels, The staff was amazing! Wizarding World staff in general are amazing. Some staff interactions in other areas of the park were less than stellar.”
Other issues brought up by several riders include locker fees, food quality, and the general lack of “Disney Magic.”
While Universal is a period of unparalleled success right now, our readers still think the resort has some areas to vastly improve. Stay tuned to AllEars for more on Universal Orlando.
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What are your thoughts on the current state of Universal Orlando? Let us know in the comments below.
Helios Grand pool has very sharp tile around the top sitting ledge of the pool. They rushed the build on these hotels.