A date night, a birthday celebration, a girls’ night out – one of the reasons that the Orlando Informer Meetup is so much fun is because of its elasticity, its ability to be a lot of things to a lot of different people. But here’s one function that it fits particularly well, and one that perhaps requires a bit more thought and preparation: a family night.
I’ve been to every OI Meetup since that first, tiny one, and I’ve got to tell you, seeing guests go in groups is, by far, the most common way that people attend – and, yes, some of these include children. You tend to notice a few trends when you observe this year in and year out, especially when you have two young ones yourself – and I’ve found that I’ve been subconsciously compiling a sort of “best practices” list for how to enjoy the Orlando Informer Meetup with your family in tow.
I’d like to share all of these top-secret tips and tricks with you now.
Some imagery shown throughout our website does not represent current operational and safety guidelines.
1. There (probably) isn’t such a thing as being too young
On the one hand, there is no age requirement for the OI Meetup (in fact, guests under three don’t require a ticket), and there is certainly nothing there that would be inappropriate for children to see or experience, even the littlest ones. (The only thing that could come even remotely close was the Voodoo Lounge that we exclusively featured in February 2020, but, even here, it wasn’t so much creepy as it was just different – and I certainly saw a kid who was interested in meeting the snake handler and her real, live pet.)
On the other hand, however, each kiddo is different, and you definitely know your son or daughter best. The biggest consideration I’ve seen is just bedtime – some offspring (or their parents!) don’t mind staying up late every once in a while, while others couldn’t do it even if they tried their hardest (this, for example, would be my eight-year-old). Can you do an adventurous late-night excursion, or would it be best to take off by, say, 10:00 pm, after you’ve gotten a good fill of rides and unlimited food? Again, the Orlando Informer Meetup is flexible, and there’s no wrong answer.
2. Make the OI Meetup day family time, too
No matter what your family’s turn-in time will be that night, make sure that you sufficiently prepare beforehand – it’s actually quality family time, too.
The day of the Orlando Informer Meetup should be spent, I’ve found, resting and relaxing – you’ll need to save up a lot of energy and stamina for a busy-but-fun evening and night. Might I suggest taking a hotel day, where you hang at the pool, swimming and lounging and playing games with the kids? Or maybe you make an excursion out to Universal CityWalk to catch a nice, family-filled lunch before the unlimited food and treats of the night ahead. (Don’t forget that OI Meetup guests have the opportunity to save up to 30% off of Universal Orlando Resort hotels – if you’re interested, we can help you choose the best one for you.)
Speaking of preparations, this would also be a good time to sit down with the family and hash out a simple battle plan for the night ahead – pick out the two or three food stops you want to make (desserts are a must, of course), or the four or five attractions you just need to experience. Nothing elaborate is needed, especially since half the fun of experiencing Universal with little to no crowds is taking everything as it comes, but having some idea is infinitely better than having no idea (more on this in just a moment).
No matter how you prepare, though, just make sure that you take care of the most important matter of them all: that the younger children get a nice, full, restful nap before heading off to the Orlando Informer Meetup, even if they don’t normally do so or if it means altering their daily routines. (Hey – you’re on vacation, anyway!)
3. Bring strollers
It was around midnight – maybe later – at one OI Meetup. I was in the line for some of that delicious unlimited ice cream service, and I happened to look over and see a very tired-looking toddler, pacifier furiously working in his mouth, stumble two steps over to his stroller and collapse tiredly into it.
It was one of the cutest things I’ve ever seen in my life, but it also taught me a very valuable lesson: always bring a stroller. Time tends to fly by when you don’t have to do much waiting for all of the various wonderful experiences at Universal Orlando, and with all the walking, even the biggest of younger kiddos will start to feel the accumulation of all those footsteps. Your children will, more likely than not, be begging for some place to rest before the end of the night, and you’d really rather not have that be in your arms – or on your back – especially when you’re starting to feel a bit on the tired side yourself. (Plus, if the little guys can sleep while you push them around, then that means extra food or ride time for you!)
4. Think of doing two nights
This may sound like a sales pitch, but it really isn’t – it’s time-tested advice, refined by my conversations with many other attendees.
The more people you have in your family (or your traveling group), the longer it’s going to take you to do things, such as eating dinner or making a restroom stop. Also, you are going to get distracted throughout the course of the evening, with different family members wanting to stop to do something you hadn’t expected – like partaking in some of the arcade games that have been set on free play, or snapping some (socially distant) photos of the various character appearances, or taking in some of the occasionally offered exclusive experiences, like the aforementioned Voodoo Lounge. (This is why I recommended even just lightly outlining your must-do rides and bites.)
An easy way to alleviate this is to sign up for the second night of the weekend, if possible – it takes the strain off of the parents to cram everything in before bedtime, and it helps prevent any meltdowns from occurring by the little ones. Additionally, it opens up whole new avenues for you to experience the after-hours parks and all the cool experiences they contain – I, personally, for example, tend to dedicate one night predominately to the attractions and the other to eating and drinking.
Less stress always leads to happier families, and happier families tend to produce longer-lasting memories.
Orlando Informer Meetup tickets are limited. Learn more and secure yours today.
Questions? Email meetup@orlandoinformer.com or call/text us at (855) 245-4636.
Orlando Informer Meetup tickets are limited.
Learn more and secure yours today.
Questions? Email meetup@orlandoinformer.com or call/text us at (855) 245-4636.
Face coverings and temperature checks will be required for all guests. For important safety information at Universal Orlando Resort, please click here.
Cabana Bay Beach Resort TM & © 2020 UCF Hotel Venture II. All rights reserved. Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2020 Universal Studios. All rights reserved.