New year, New Universal with new rides, new refurbishments, and new deals! Find out about all the new in this New Year inside.

Fast & Furious Hollywood Drift Announced for USF

Beep beep, let’s ride. Dom and the Family are moving from San Francisco to New York, and they’re ditching the party buses for speedy Dodge Challengers on Fast & Furious Hollywood Drift. This new thrill launch coaster replaces the removed Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and will feature multiple launches, “drifiting” coaster cars, and a 170-foot spike element above CityWalk. The coaster opens in Universal Studios Florida in 2027.

Buy UOAP, Get 3 Months Free Deal

Universal’s is running one of their best deals for Annual Passes right now: buy a new annual pass and receive an additional 3 months free! Passes are valid for Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure; the Volcano Bay add-on is no longer offered due to its impending park-wide refurbishment. Epic Universe access is not yet part of annual passes, but discounted one-day tickets are offered to passholders. This offer is only valid for guests who are not renewing an existing pass or on the FlexPay plan.

UOAP Hotels Offers

Universal updated their UOAP hotel benefits and there’s good news and bad news. Good news: Universal now sells a full calendar year’s worth of UOAP discounts at once! Previously, they would release the discounted rates three to six months before the booking window, but it was easy to miss these discounts going up unless you checked frequently. Now discounts are available year-round; no need to guess or play searching games. The bad news? Universal is transitioning from a maximum 40% discount to a 30% discount on room rates.

Epic EPA Update

Epic Universe is adjusting its Early Park Admission plans on February 1, 2026. Universal is only promising that “select” attractions in the following lands will be open:

• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
• SUPER NINTENDO WORLD
• How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk

It’s unclear what these attractions are at the time of publishing, but we expect Ministry of Magic, Mario Kart, Yoshi, and Hiccup’s Winged Glyders will be open. We are sending our intrepid ground crew to Epic in early February to see the changes in person, so stay tuned for more information next week.

Refurbishments

Finnegan’s Bar & Grille closed on January 12, 2026, after that day’s service for a massive refurbishment to the popular restaurant. Fan favorite bartender Jan delivered a toast for the original version of the bar.

A final toast to the current iteration of Finnegan’s. @UniversalORL pic.twitter.com/ZL6YKJnVlM

— Inside Universal (@insideuniversal) January 12, 2026

Finnegan’s Bar & Grille will reopen later this year, but no specific date has yet been set. Rumors point to a refurbished dining area, expanded backstage space and kitchen, and an expanded bar with an outdoor window to the bar.

Jurassic Park River Adventure closed January 4, 2026, till November 16, 2026, for a lengthy refurbishment of the ride system and scenic elements.

Walls are up around the entrance of Jurassic Park River Adventure, advertising its refurbishment and planned late 2026 reopening. The splashdown area is still viewable, showing the now-drained lagoon. #UniversalOrlando

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— Inside Universal (@insideuniversal.net) January 5, 2026 at 9:55 AM

Those are the big updates around Universal Orlando! Leave your thoughts in the comments below!