Alexander: It’s been a while since we’ve done a standard Florida park update, so let’s take a look at things over at Universal Orlando!
– In the past, many of our images have been posted, featured, and shared on forums, social media platforms and websites around the web. We work hard to provide the coverage that we do, and we encourage our audience to share our content and use our images, BUT ONLY IF proper credit is given to thecoasterkings.com. Thank you! –
We decided to spends some time on Me Ship, The Olive to enjoy the views around Islands of Adventure and beyond. Here we see plenty of dirt-pushing in progress for our Velociraptor-themed Intamin project for 2020. 
Me Ship, The Olive is a multi-story playground surrounded by Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. The ship offers lots of opportunities to soak riders below.
It also has opportune views of Incredible Hulk.
Across the pond we see the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Tram Ride and Hollywood: Rip, Ride, Rockit, and possibly a storm on the way.
It’s fun seeing so many rides in action at once!
Have you ever seen such lovely, fluffy clouds?
Sean finally got his first ride on Bilge-Rat Barges, and I got my first ride on it since 2006. It’s a cool ride, but the level of wetness is just straight-up disrespectful. R U D E. 
As for the new coaster, we’re supposedly going to wind up with Velocicoaster for a name (which is exactly memeworthy as we’d expect from the brand naming their new park “Universal’s Epic Universe”).
In fact, most newer rides on property fall into two categories for names: breathlessly overlong (Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure) or totally made-up (Fearfall, Caro-Seuss-Sel, Accelatron).
But that’s okay! Regardless of names, Universal Orlando Resort commands our attention once again with their recent announcements and rumors. 
I’d like to now point out that the resort is rapidly becoming the World’s Launch Coaster Capital, with 4 launch coasters in operation, one on property awaiting construction, and probably 1-2 more opening with Epic Universe.
With the new park on the way, it begs the question: How will the other two parks fare now? Will things be maintained/replaced with adequate haste? 
We love the rides in Toon Lagoon, but thematically and upkeep-wise it seems to be the weak link at Islands Of Adventure.
How many guests get a rise out of these characters? Does anyone besides 50+ year old Americans have any kind of exposure to the source material?
Take Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls: Easily one of the best log flumes in the world. Could use a little TLC, but the substance is there. 
But who actually knows about Dudley Do-Right? What percentage of UOR attendance is actually familiar with this intellectual property outside of Toon Lagoon? I personally wouldn’t mind a total thematic overhaul of the area, but that might be a little extreme. 
Also Toon Lagoon by far has the flattest merch sales in the park. I get not every area can sell souvenirs like Hogsmeade, but how often do you see people walking around with Betty Boop or Popeye merch?
I know we said this is a Universal Orlando Resort update, but there’s actually only one picture of Studios:
HOWEVER: We do have some Hagrid shots for you, since we didn’t really have any before.
We’ve now had 4 total rides on HMCMA. We’re still smitten.
Operationally there’s still plenty of room for improvement, but each re-ride reaffirms Hagrid’s slam-dunk first impression.
There is so much that goes into this ride – a staggering volume of details the likes of which rarely seen on roller coasters. 
There were definitely some risks taken, but we think those have paid off. All its bells and whistles, the ride is quite reliable.
That’s it for this update! We’ll be back with more soon!
Check out some of our new articles coming soon!