A popular question in my Universal Orlando Resort groups is “Where can I use my refillable mug at Universal Orlando?” Universal Orlando has 2 different types of refillable cups, so it can be a little confusing to figure out the difference between the two. There is a resort refillable cup and a park refillable cup. Both systems use a chip in the bottom of the cup to determine when your refills expire and they are both insulated cups to keep things cold or hot for you!
Enjoy refills for 1, 2, 3 or the length of you stay at Endless Summer!
Resort Refillable Mugs
The resort refillable cups are only refillable at the resort you purchase them at. Pricing for the cup can vary depending on the number of days you’re purchasing it for. As of March 2024, the price for 1 day is $10.50, 3 days is $16.50, and length of stay is $22.00. If you have a cup from a previous trip that you’d like to bring, you can receive a $3 discount on the refill price. Prices are subject to change, so be sure to check the resort when you go for current pricing.
Each resort has a variety of drinks you can use to refill your cup – coffee, soda, Powerade, lemonade, and even slushies can be found at Cabana Bay! Close to the refill stations, you’ll find a mug washing station for you to rinse your mug out. I prefer to purchase a small bottle of dish soap with my grocery delivery – you can bring one from home too if you’re not planning to place a grocery order. These cups also make a great souvenir for your morning coffee when you get home!
Park Refillable Mugs
The park refillable mugs can only be refilled by the day (some guests have reported they’ve been able to by multiple days upfront but it will depend on the Team Member). The more cups you buy, the more money you save. As of March 2024, the price for one cup is $17.99 per cup. If you’re buying 2 cups, they are $15.99 each, and then the price goes down to $13.99 per cup when buying 3-6 cups. If you already have a cup, extra days are $10.99, plus tax. Pricing can change so make sure to check for the most accurate pricing when you go to the parks.
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Refill your drink in style with a Coca-Cola Freestyle souvenir cup! These plastic reusable cups allow you unlimited soda fountain refills for a whole day.
You will be able to find refill stations located all over the parks and there is even one in CityWalk! There will be booths you can refill the cups at, and most quick-serve locations also have the freestyle machines to refill them at! Once you purchase the cups, you can pay to refill them each day instead of buying a new cup each day. As of March 2024, the price for a refill was $11.99 per cup, per day.
Butterbeer Refills
Note: Speciality drinks such as Butterbeer in the Wizarding World are not eligible for refills in these cups.
BONUS: If you purchase Frozen Butterbeer in a plastic souvenir cup, it costs $13.49 before tax. The metal souvenir mug with Frozen Butterbeer is $37.99 before tax. When you return to refill either souvenir cup, you will be charged $8.49 plus tax – the same price as a Frozen Butterbeer in a disposable plastic cup without the souvenir cup. So while the refill price is lower than the initial Frozen Butterbeer purchase with a souvenir cup, it is not actually a discounted refill price. You are just being charged the standard Frozen Butterbeer price in a disposable cup. For comparison, the empty plastic Butterbeer souvenir cup can be purchased on its own for $10.65 plus tax. So you have options on how you want to purchase your Frozen Butterbeer!
Sipping on a frozen Butterbeer at the Wizarding World! This tasty non-alcoholic beverage tastes like butterscotch and cream soda.
This is a great way to save on drinks for your park days! You can stay hydrated with Powerade, cool off with slushies, and get some soda at these machines. They offer a park-themed one and sometimes have ride specific too like Velocicoaster or Simpsons. One super important rule to remember when using your park cups: don’t forget to dump them out before putting them in a locker when you’re going on rides! I like to rinse them out in the bathroom and stuff a paper towel in it to collect any stray liquid. It prevents any extra liquid from escaping while you’re on the ride, resulting in a mess inside your locker and the lockers below you! Ice water is always free so if you have these but haven’t paid for a refill, just fill them up with water!
Drinks can be an added expense you forget about when budgeting but these refillable cups will help you set a budget and stick to it! Plus you get to have a fun souvenir you can actually use at home!
Kelly Van Eerden - Jenison, MI
Lead Travel Advisor
Planning a vacation can be overwhelming, but I will guide you through every step of the process to alleviate your worries. I will break down choosing the perfect timing and destination for your stay and selecting activities to make your vacation unforgettable into manageable steps and provide you with the information you need to make informed decisions. If you have food allergies, I will use my first-hand experience to help ensure you feel confident and safe while traveling by helping you navigate menus and order food safely. And I will always be available by text, email or phone, even when you are at your destination, ready to assist you in any way I can.
For a limited time, you can get TWO free days when you purchase a vacation package including 3-day tickets (base or park-to-park)! Book by 5/22/22 for travel 1/13/22 through 12/15/22! Our vacation planners and ready and waiting with their magic wands to create an incredible and unforgettable Universal Orlando vacation!
I just returned from a 3-day trip to Universal Orlando Resort to do some exploring since it had been several years since my last visit. I was pleasantly surprised by just how much this incredible resort has to offer guests of all ages. There is truly something for everyone here!
First off, I cannot stress this point enough: I highly recommend staying at a Preferred or Premier Hotelif it’s within your budget. These resorts include Loews Sapphire Falls Resort (Preferred), Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, and Hard Rock Hotel (all Premier Hotel). You may wonder what my reasoning is here… Not only are these hotels absolutely gorgeous and are loaded with fabulous amenities, but their main mode of transportation to CityWalk to get to the main entrances of Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are via Water Taxi. This means you’ll be going through security at your resort just prior to boarding the water taxi rather than waiting in the security line at CityWalk where the vast majority of guests will be entering from. I was in awe taking the water taxi and seeing the lines and masses of people waiting to enter CityWalk to start their day of fun. You’ll save quite a bit of time this way.
In addition, staying at a Premier Hotel will give you access to Universal’s Express Unlimited lines in both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Guests can pay $89.99 (or more!) for the Universal Express access per person, per day if they stay at a different resort, but this is automatically included when you stay at a Premier Hotel for all of your guests for all ticketed days of your stay. What does this mean? You essentially get to walk on to almost every attraction at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure with little to no wait at all. Another huge time saver here – get more done in less time.
If a Preferred or Premier Hotel isn’t in your budget, that’s OK! I’m here to help you navigate through your Universal Orlando Resort vacation and will help you with all the tips and tricks I know. The Value (Endless Summer Resort essentially features two resorts in one: Dockside Inn & Suites and Surfside Inn & Suites) and Prime Value hotels (Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Aventura Hotel) are also amazing. Have you ever stayed at a hotel with a bowling alley? Or with a lazy river at one of their two expansive pools? Or maybe a rooftop bar with incredible views of the entire resort and local area is more your speed? Every single hotel has its own vibe and perks, so no matter which you choose, you can’t go wrong. Some of these hotels even offer value-priced suites to accommodate families of up to 6 or 8 (AND they offer connecting rooms and suites if you need even more space than that).
While many think of thrill rides when they think of Universal Orlando Resort, I assure you as a non-thrill ride gal myself that there’s something for everyone here. You absolutely need to get a ticket with park-to-park admission to be able to hop on the Hogwarts Express to ride between Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley at Universal Studios. And if you decide to go the opposite direction, you’ll get an entirely different train ride going back to Hogsmeade from Diagon Alley. Even if you know nothing about Harry Potter, you’ll enjoy being immersed in the incredible atmosphere at both parks… oh, and don’t forget to try the ButterBeer and Otter’s Fizzy Orange Juice (the ButterBeer is great but I’m definitely hooked on Otter’s Fizzy Orange Juice).
There are attractions, shows, and play areas for even the youngest guests in both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. Seuss Landing is a perfectly themed land for young kids to enjoy their Dr. Seuss favorites at Islands of Adventure, and kids will love having a dance party with some of their favorite Dreamworks friends in Woody Woodpecker’s Kid Zone at Universal Studios. Want to take turns going on some of the thrill rides that your kids can’t (or won’t) ride yet? Universal has family waiting rooms at many major attractions for your child swaps so nobody misses out on any of the fun.
Did I mention that Universal also has an amazing water park called Volcano Bay? If you opt for the 3-park ticket when you plan your vacation, you’ll be able to visit Volcano Bay as well to check out all the amazing slides, the lazy rivers, and kid water play areas. One of the coolest perks for guests visiting Volcano Bay: you receive a wristband when you arrive called TapuTapu. Want to ride a slide but don’t want to wait in line? No problem! Simply use your TapuTapu at the entrance of the slide and it’ll give you a time to return so you can go have fun (or relax!) while you wait for your turn. Talk about maximizing your time! Volcano Bay does have cabanas available to rent for the day if you’d like some private space to call your own, which can be especially helpful when you have children with you – or maybe a group of adults that want a home base for the day to live in luxury. You’ll be guaranteed a shady spot for kiddos to nap or for you to simply relax on your padded lounge chairs while your server brings you food and drinks from any of the dining venues inside Volcano Bay!
Speaking of dining, there’s no shortage of dining options throughout the entire Universal Orlando Resort. Whether you’re interested in a nice sit-down dinner in the parks, a quick breakfast on the go, or a leisurely meal at any of the resorts, you’ll find a little bit of something for everyone. I personally am a huge fan of the food at Mythos at Islands of Adventure. The Beef Medallions I ordered for dinner were definitely my favorite meal of the trip. The beef was so tender and flavorful… There’s a reason that Mythos has been rated the Best Theme Park Restaurant in the WORLD! I also enjoyed my chicken sandwich at the Leaky Cauldron at Universal Studios for lunch… it wouldn’t have been complete without Otter’s Fizzy Orange Juice (did I mention how much I love that drink?!)
Wondering what you can do when you’re not in the parks? Every pool at each resort is amazing! Many offer zero-entry access for small children and have splash pads for younger kids to play in. And something that blew me away when touring the resorts… swim-diapers at all of the pools at the Universal Orlando Resort is COMPLIMENTARY! You just saved space in your luggage for extra souvenirs! If you’ve ever taken a vacation and had to pack diapers, you know what I’m talking about here. Want to stay at Hard Rock Hotel but really want to check out the pool with the lazy river at Cabana Bay? When you stay on-site at Universal Orlando Resort at a Prime Value, Preferred or Premier Hotel, you can pool hop! All of the resorts also have ping-pong tables and jumbo Connect-Four games to play in the pool areas (some also have pool tables and fire pits). Oh, and they have cabanas to rent at the pools of every resort (with the exception of Endless Summer.)
CityWalk is loaded with dining and shopping, but there’s also mini-golf and a movie theatre – perfect for evenings on your rest days after you’ve been splashing at the pool all day. Or check out Galaxy Bowl at Cabana Bay – you can grab a meal here and have some fun at their bowling alley. Sapphire Falls offers rum tasting at Strong Water Tavern. Hopefully, the Wantilian Luau will be back at Loews Royal Pacific Resort soon, along with the Caribbean Carnaval at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. Check out the memorabilia at Hard Rock Hotel. Adults can enjoy the nighttime entertainment at CityWalk (Pat O’Brien’s is a fun dueling piano bar!) Or if you love a good karaoke bar, don’t miss out on the fun at Rising Star, also at CityWalk.
And this is only the tip of the iceberg… Let’s start planning your Universal Orlando Resort Vacation today!!!
Universal Orlando has started testing a new system for getting a Virtual Line pass for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. They will be testing this new system through the end of July and so far it is only for one ride. Follow these steps to make your Virtual Line pass. Steps 1-5 only need to be completed once.
Enter your email and password- you can use your Universal account information if you already have an account for the app.
Click accept and log in/create
Review your selections and click confirm
Click on the attraction you want to reserve
Click get on and receive the time to come back
When it’s your time to go back, go to the ride entrance and click on the attraction. That will bring up your QR code for the team member to scan.
July 7, 2021 was the first day they had this new system and it is working better for everyone. The old system filled up quickly at the set times they released passes. The current system allows you to make reservations at any time throughout the day and also has times that the passes expire making it flow better. You do have to physically be in the parks, not just nearby like the previous system.
As of May 15, 2021, both Orlando theme parks have relaxed their mask guidelines. This information is current as of today, May 15, 2021 but is subject to change.
Walt Disney World
Face coverings are required for all Guests (ages 2 and up) and Cast Members. Please bring your own face coverings and wear them in all indoor locations, except when actively eating or drinking while stationary and maintaining appropriate physical distancing. Face coverings are optional in outdoor common areas at Walt Disney World Resort, but are still required upon entering and throughout all attractions, theaters and transportation.
All face coverings (whether disposable or reusable) must:
Be made with at least 2 layers of breathable material
Fully cover the nose and mouth and secure under the chin
Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
Be secured with ties or ear loops and allow the Guest to remain hands-free
At this time, based on guidance from health authorities, neck gaiters, open-chin triangle bandanas and face coverings containing valves, mesh material or holes of any kind are not acceptable face coverings.
Costume masks are also not considered appropriate and are prohibited from being worn, in alignment with our existing rules.
Face coverings may have an integrated transparent plastic panel to aid in viewing the wearer’s mouth. These face coverings must:
Be a fabric face covering featuring a solid plastic panel containing no openings that is attached to the fabric on all sides using tight knit stitching
Meet all face covering requirements listed above
The use of face coverings is not a substitute for physical distancing.
Face Coverings Throughout Walt Disney World Resort
Face Covering Required
Face Coverings Optional
Upon entering and throughout all attractions
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All theaters, including theater entrances
✓
All transportation, including transportation entrances
✓
All indoor locations, including restaurants, except when actively eating or drinking while stationary
✓
Outdoor common areas
✓
Pool decks
✓
Universal Orlando
We’re excited to enhance your Universal experience with the latest safety updates from local health and government officials.
Face coverings are not mandatory while outdoors.
Face coverings are still required in all indoor locations including shops and restaurants.
Face coverings are required at all attractions—from the moment the queue begins until the exit of the experience.
Guests must still provide their own face covering.
Social Distancing between travel parties remains at three feet (1 meter).
As always, we remain focused on maintaining the highest cleanliness and sanitization standards.
