As if Universal Orlando doesn’t have enough excitement on the horizon with an entirely new theme park opening in 2025, it is planning a blockbuster summer at Universal Studios Florida.
On Monday, Universal announced a new parade, a nighttime lagoon show, a projection show in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and more. The first of these new experiences debuts June 14. Here’s the “mega” movie fun you can experience this summer.
Cinesational: A Symphonic Spectacular
On June 14, Universal Studios Florida will debut an all-new nighttime show that will bring the park’s lagoon to life with music, fountains, projection mapping and drones. The show will lean into Universal’s legacy of blockbuster films that have inspired past, present and current theme park attractions.
Guests will experience music from iconic films like “Jurassic World,” “Jaws,” “Ghostbusters,” “Back to the Future,” “Harry Potter,” “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” “Minions” and more; favorite scenes and characters will be projected onto fountains over the lagoon. Meanwhile, more than 600 drones will fly overhead, making the show even more spectacular.
Universal Mega Movie Parade
In sticking with the theme of bringing cinematic masterpieces off the big screen and into its parks, the Universal Mega Movie Parade will debut July 3 at the Universal Studios Florida park. The parade will celebrate classic films like “E.T.,” “Back to the Future,” “Jaws” and “Ghostbusters,” as well as recent blockbusters like “Jurassic World,” “Minions,” “Sing,” “Trolls,” and “Kung Fu Panda.”
Universal Mega Movie Parade will feature 13 new floats, special effects and nearly 100 dancers, skaters, stilt walkers and other performers. You’ll have to see it in person to see how “mega” this parade really is, but Universal did share that there will be a 16-foot Stay Puft Marshmallow Man on the “Ghostbusters” float, a Caterbus and rainbows on the “Trolls” float and more than one massive dinosaur atop the “Jurassic World” float.
To celebrate the new parade, the park will open a limited-time Summer Tribute Store with themed rooms, merchandise and photo ops inspired by the films featured in the parade.
Hogwarts Always
Hogwarts Always will debut on June 14 at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade in Universal Islands of Adventure. On select nights, guests can watch scenes from a school year at Hogwarts, from shopping for supplies in Diagon Alley to riding the Hogwarts Express, participating in the sorting ceremony and more projected onto the facade of Hogwarts Castle.
As an extra surprise, the show will have four different endings. Each one honors a different Hogwarts house, and you never know which house will come out on top.
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DreamWorks Land opening
Universal Orlando’s newest land is also opening June 14. DreamWorks Land at Universal Studios Florida will feature attractions, play areas, meet-and-greets, restaurants and retail locations themed to popular DreamWorks films like “Shrek,” “Trolls” and “Kung Fu Panda.”
Related: Universal Orlando’s new DreamWorks Land opening this June
In addition to fun-filled experiences — like taking a ride on the Trollercoaster and playing in Shrek’s Swamp — guests can attend a multi-sensory live show called DreamWorks Imagination Celebration that brings these beloved films to life in all-new ways.
Bottom line
If you don’t have your summer visit planned, now is the time to choose your favorite Universal hotel, read up on our favorite restaurants and scope out the best rides. Book your trip now because this summer will be a big hit at Universal Orlando.
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