A Whirlwind of a Trip!

What do you get if you mix a hurricane, a horror night and VIP treatment? 

You get the best educational trip a travel agent could ever go on, that’s what!

Last week I was privileged to travel out to Florida as a guest of Universal for an educational trip. The idea of these trips is that you see and experience the product first hand. 

There really is no better way to understand it.

What started out as the most amazing experience, kicked off with us meeting Jack, our private tour guide for the Universal Parks, who gave us a backstage tour of these incredible resorts with front of queue access all day! 

I had the opportunity to ask as many questions as I wanted. (Poor Jack!) He excelled though, and there wasn’t anything he didn’t know about. 

From clients with additional needs, to how to make the best out of your time in the parks, Jack knew it all and I made sure I soaked up that information.

We got to experience the Universal VIP experience, which is an additional product you can buy. You book your own private day as a group, or you can hook onto an existing group if they have space. It’s an additional cost to the 3-park ticket, but the time you save makes it an incredible day in the parks. 

There wasn’t one major attraction we didn’t experience, and the wait times were not our problem. We even got to see some backstage areas which were an interesting contrast to the main areas.   

As part of a 3-park ticket for Universal, you have the fabulous Volcano Bay included, Orlando’s hottest new water park. If you have thrill seekers in your family then the Volcano slides are for you. Not much of a water slide fan? then you can sit back and relax and enjoy the stunning surroundings. There is something for everyone here and the lazy river was the perfect way to cool down and catch up as a group. 

And here’s where things got really interesting...

What was meant to be a 4-day educational trip turned into a 4 day trip and a 2 day lock down, as Orlando came to a halt. Hurricane Ian decided to pay us a visit. You may have seen this on the news? It was an experience for sure, and with flights cancelled and the need to book more accommodation, I am just grateful that as an experienced travel agent I knew exactly what to do. 

I met so many families in the hotel that had booked themselves online and they had no guidance or anywhere to turn for help. Some were even facing the possibility of no accommodation in the middle of a hurricane!

That’s the benefit of using a travel agent. Yes, we can advise on the best itinerary, get great fare deals and so on, but where you really see the benefit is when things don’t go according to plan. 

So, flights rebooked, and accommodation secured for the remaining time there, it was time to bunker down and see out the hurricane. 

I stayed at Universal's Cabana Bay Beach Resort, a very family orientated property. A retro themed relaxed property, it benefitted from spacious rooms with kitchen facilities and a separate lounge area. With rooms sleeping up to 6 people and interconnecting options, it’s the place for larger families for sure.

So, what is there to do during a hurricane when you can’t go out and you are stuck in a hotel? Well, this hotel made sure we were spoilt for choice. From bowling, game arcades, makeshift kids’ clubs to live music there was something for everyone.

The kids had a great time, lots of activities for them and there were characters galore. My favourites were Scooby Do and The Minions. Lots of smiling, happy little faces everywhere. Such a relief for the parents. 

If the hustle and bustle of resort gets too much you can visit the hotel gym, with something for everyone and a great story behind it too.

The hotel went above and beyond to not only entertain us but to keep us safe. Constant updates and guidance were provided and I feel very confident recommending this property to my clients. 

The final night of the trip was the famous Universal Scare fest, as if we hadn’t been scared enough by the hurricane!  A horror experience in the park, not for the feint hearted! This is a classic example of what Universal does best. They put on a show to be in awe of. 

Within the park they have horror houses which are a walk-through experience with themes. When you mix the magic of film studio effects, amazing makeup, costumes and incredible actors, you really do feel like you are starring in your own horror movie. Just know you are safe though. It’s all in the name of fun and as much as you jump a lot, you can’t help but laugh. A must-see experience for those horror fans out there. 

The last day of the trip, when the weather was lovely, we had a day round the amazing hotel pool. With slides and splash parks for the kids, a pool bar for the adults and lots of sun beds, it’s a great option when needing that relaxing time away from the hustle of the parks.

As this is one of the Universal properties, the buses stop outside the front door and take you to the parks. It’s a very short journey and because you are at a Universal hotel, you get to enter the parks an hour earlier before the rest of the crowds who are staying off property. This is a great chance to get some of those popular rides ticked off your list, or to secure your prime sunbed spot at the water park.

Whilst In Orlando I was given the opportunity to visit all the Universal properties.  They are all unique and offer different qualities and I am confident that I can match you up to the perfect hotel for your party. There is also the added benefit with a selection of their hotels, that your stay comes with a Universal Park fast pass, for the entire stay! That’s a saving of over $100 a person per day! This makes the room price great value for money.

Despite hurricane Ian trying to ruin this trip, it was a successful adventure. Being a Universal Studios expert makes me the perfect agent to come to when booking your next trip to Orlando. With access to suppliers who can offer great value packages for both Universal and Disney, a wealth of tips and tricks in the knowledge bag to get the most out of your time there, come to me when booking this amazing adventure and together we can create some perfect memories. 

Phew! This really was a whirlwind of a trip!