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Hi Friends, we just got back from epic travel to Universal Studios Park and and stayed at Loews Sapphire Falls, a Hotel Near Universal Studios Orlando with Shuttle so I have a lot of exciting information to share with you!

Traveling during a pandemic differs from traveling during the usual time. The major difference besides the risk of getting sick is less crowding. There are fewer people and you have to wear a mask pretty much everywhere unless you are swimming or eating.

But read what I put on my family travel blog for you!

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. A Hotel Near Universal Studios Orlando with Shuttlet.

When we got to Florida, our first stop was Orlando. We stayed at a Loews Sapphire Falls Resort. A grand hotel, with a heated pool, hot tub, and amazing food. Great for a family!

We had a group of six people (3 adults and 3 children under 9 y.o.). The room we got was spacious and clean. Beautiful landscapes all over the place.

If you are a gourmet, I would recommend trying the food at a swimming pool cafeteria. The pizza was just… Perfect! I am not a big fan of pizzas, but I ate a lot of them during my life. I will tell you, that one is the BEST. Sounds like nothing special, just a pepperoni pizza, but the crust and cheese are something unbelievable! Just try!

I didn’t take a picture because it was gone before I tried mine and realized that it worth taking a shot. The shrimp and strawberry salad was a grand match to the Amazing pizza. Just delicious!

Tip #1.

At the Lowes Sapphire Falls Resort, you can check-in as early as 7 am on the day of arrival and get an early park admission or use some of their amenities. You won’t be able to get into the room until 4 pm though. And when you check-out (at 11 am) you can use the amenities (pool, restaurants) until they close.

Tip #2

If you are an annual pass holder, you get 10 percent off at the restaurants. We also had a good deal – kids eat free with the purchase of an adult entrée. I think they constantly run those specials.

Amatista Cookhouse (Caribbean Cuisine)

This is where we had an unforgettable breakfast. A beautiful, spacious restaurant with a high ceiling and lots of natural light made our morning magical. The food was delicious and looked like a piece of art! There were some wait and kids got impatient, but the food and pleasure we got were worth every minute of waiting.

Universal Studios Park.

Right after the super breakfast, we went straight to Universal Parks. It was very convenient to get there by boat taxi. The boat station was next to the restaurant, and the ride lasted for about 3 minutes. Ta-Da! And were are at the gate! The boat brought us to Universal Studios Park.

Tip #3

When we get to the park on early admission, we go to the very end where Harry Potter rides are located and those ride before anyone else gets there.

Tip#4

The least crowded time of the year at Universal Studios Park is Black Friday morning. Even fewer people than during Pandemic.

It was not crowded, but they’re still were lots of people. The longest wait on the rides was less than 30 minutes, but most rides had no wait time. Since it was not crowded, we just took rides as we went.

One of my favorite attractions is a Hogwarts ride. I am not too much into the ride itself, but the work they put into the interior and exterior makes me really impressed.

Dining at Universal Studios Park

If you know me well, you know that I am a big food lover and gourmet. Excellent lunch and supper are the same important for me as entertainment. Sometimes even more important:).

We have a few favorite spots in the parks to eat. It depends where hunger catches us. If it is at the beginning of the trip, we go to the Monsters Cafe. The indoor is kinda creepie with screaming TV show scenes and decorations.

It is dark inside and kids cry and want to leave but the food is REALY good so we place a take-out and have a picnic.

Right in front of the cafe, there is a green field with an enormous TV screen where you can comfortably sit, eat, and even nap.

Tip #5

The wait time to the Monsters Cafe during lunchtime might reach 40 minutes but if you place an online order, it will be ready in 10 minutes.

This time Monsters Cafe was closed, and we had breakfast recently, so we went to The Leaky Cauldron for lunch. Three Broomsticks and this restaurant have exactly the same menu but a different interior. It’s worth visiting both.

Portions are big. Would feed an adult man but I am petite so I usually have about a half left. The same is with the kid’s portion. Our 9 years old son eats it all but 6 years old daughter leaves some. And they always choose a pumpkin fizz for a drink.

During our past visits, we tried everything on the menu and our best vote is “Fish and Chips”. We order it regularly, and this time all five of us had the same order. Try their Butter Beer (my favorite). At cold seasons they serve both hot and cold versions. During the warm season, they serve only cold beer, but it is equally tasty.

While mommy and the baby are finishing their food, kids run with daddy to a candy shop to get some sweets. This time they got chocolate frogs and sugar quills.

After lunch, back to the hotel! Oh my! It was a HOT day and just perfect for a swimming pool! We jumped in and did not leave until supper.

Guess where we had supper? Right! At the Amatista Cookhouse! We knew they must have a great menu for supper and we were right! Everything we got was exceptionally great. Same as with breakfast a waiting time was longer than we expected so kids got hungry and impatient plus they were exhausted but behaved pretty well and munched the food in a blink.
After supper, go to the bed exhausted and happy! What a great day!

Tomorrow we are heading to Marco Island. Read about the adventure here.

How would your best day in Universal Studios Park look like?