“New year, new me” is something we like to say when we’re making changes that coincide with the changing of the calendar. However, everything new to Universal Orlando in 2024 looks to be implementing a very big version of that very concept, which has left fans with some big thoughts. So what’s all the fuss about? Well, as of January 1, the Florida branch of Universal Parks and Resorts will no longer be offering paper maps.
This announcement started as a rumor being reported by various theme park news blogs, and today apparently came with confirmation that those whispers are indeed true. Per a statement issued by Universal Destinations & Experiences, via Fox 35 Orlando, the company made it official along with the following language hyping up the usage of the official Universal app:
With the app, guests can also take advantage of other capabilities to maximize their visit, including purchasing and redeeming select admission tickets, viewing wait times, taking advantage of Mobile Food and Drink Ordering and more.
What’s more, there are apparently some other aspects of Universal Orlando’s park life that are going to be affected by the change. In the reactions that have cropped up on social media, Orlando Park Stop’s Alicia Stella has provided the following details highlighting this sudden paper purge:
Maps move to app.Turnstiles and lockers move to Photo Validation.Nothing ever gets printed again.December 28, 2023
It’s certainly a choice, and one that’s probably part of a greener initiative that aims to see Universal Orlando Resort cutting down on litter and waste in the park as they expand with a new land. And right on time, someone with intimate knowledge of working with park maps and maintenance has discussed both sides of this issue in their own response. Here’s how the apparent good and the bad of Universal Orlando’s ditching of paper maps shakes out:
And I know that sounds cynical.December 28, 2023
Of course, a big statement like Universal’s new digital push is going to have some wisecracks cropping up. And our next couple of responses dig straight into that, with our first gag making an A+ Home Alone reference in the process:
Rolling out my own Universal map now that we’re left to our own devices pic.twitter.com/dkBxflz1ScDecember 29, 2023
Airplane! fans, this next tweet’s for you! Although anyone who’s delayed updating or beginning to grab Universal Parks paper maps will definitely relate to what this next message has to say about this whole scenario:
So, is today a bad day to start my Universal Parks map collection?December 28, 2023
Even if you agree with yanking paper maps from theme parks, which is something that does have big upsides when it comes to environmental and waste concerns, making this whole situation official with days to go is a bit of a Grinch-y move. This leads to our final message of concern, complete with a bold prediction on how it all may affect parkgoers quicker than you may think:
I predict a massive amount of broken or stolen phones at universal starting Monday. Interesting that the parks you can't bring your phones on rides are removing paper mapsDecember 29, 2023
At the very least, if Universal’s newly announced potential park goes ahead in the UK, visitors attending opening day can already start to condition themselves to go without a physical map. Not to mention, you can probably bet that everything we know about Universal Epic Universe will include a paperless navigation experience in its strategy guide for future guests.
Perhaps there’s a way that Disney Parks could compete with this new Orlando attraction after all. For now, we’ll just have to keep our eyes and ears open to see what happens in the new year, and whether these changes are as serious as some think they’ll be.
