Working for Universal Orlando brings all sorts of benefits, from special discounts to insider information. The best perks, though, are also the most random. If you keep an ear out, you will find all sorts of fun opportunities that are not mentioned in the employee manuals. To make the most of your job, stay open to new experiences, never turn down an offer without an excellent reason, and get to know people across all departments and job descriptions.
Here are my 6 favorite random things to do as a Universal Orlando team member!
1. Attend previews
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Halloween AdventureAt Employee Preview Night, you can see the year’s Halloween Horror Nights event before it opens to the general public.
Universal Orlando prides itself on delivering an amazing experience to its guests. Yet every gamer knows that you can’t get a quality finished product without extensive beta tests. Who better to serve as beta testers for new theme park attractions and experiences than the people who already work for the company? As a Universal team member, you will get first crack at new rides, parades and other activities.
One of the most anticipated nights on the team member calendar is Halloween Horror Nights’ Employee Preview Night. Shortly before the event opens to the public, it opens solely for team members and their invited guests. Imagine a private after-hours party just for you, your coworkers and your guests! Together you will form the first group ever to walk through the current year’s hotly anticipated haunted houses and scare zones, and to see the year’s signature shows.
2. Eat at the Grill
HHN CostumesTeam members flock to see the Halloween Horror Nights costumes and makeup in detail.
Naturally, every theme park has one or more cafeterias for the employees to eat while they are working. Universal’s Employee Grill, however, is arguably one of the best. The food is excellent, consisting of many of the same dishes served in the parks at a fraction of the cost. Yet the atmosphere is what really sets the Grill apart.
Universal works hard to instill a feeling of family among its team members, regardless of department, job title or managerial status. Everyone is comfortable with everyone else, and this easy camaraderie plays out at the Grill, forming a sort of 1950s-style hangout where the best part of the meal is spending time with friends from across the parks. The crowd level really swells during Halloween Horror Nights, when many people spend their off hours at the Grill examining the actors’ costumes and makeup in detail.
3. Hang out with the 3rd Shift cleaning and maintenance crews
Third Shift Cleaning CrewThere is something special about walking the streets late at night, when only the 3rd shift cleaning and maintenance crews are out.
Universal Orlando allows team members to spend time on property at all hours of the day and night. Whether the parks are open or closed, your employee ID will allow you access. When I worked for Universal and lived in an overcrowded apartment, I often took advantage of that privilege to get away from home for a few hours late at night.
Like all theme parks, Universal uses the nighttime hours, when the parks are closed, to perform deep cleaning and maintenance. The men and women who work on those crews are almost legendary for their abilities, but what I learned is that they are also among the most fascinating people I have ever met. Some of my favorite memories involve sitting at the Grill at 3 a.m., sharing a late-night snack while listening to their stories.
4. Learn to walk on stilts
Mardi Gras Stilt WalkersUniversal’s stilt walking classes can make you more employable for the special events.
Universal Orlando loves to hire from within, and they offer a full range of classes designed to help team members gain the skills needed to move into their dream jobs. One of the most popular classes is stilt-walking. Universal uses quite a few stilt walkers for their special events, so teaching as many team members as possible makes good sense for the company. Although I never managed to find the time to take the class, my friends who did said that it was one of the best perks of the job. Most of them went on to become stilt walkers for one or more events such as Halloween Horror Nights or Mardi Gras.
5. Walk through the show scenes
Disaster Ride VehiclesWho wouldn’t want to go behind the scenes of the Disaster! attraction? Image: Jeremy Thompson, Wikimedia Commons.
If you are anything like me, you always wonder what the attractions are like from another perspective. You probably know that Universal ride designers intentionally draw your attention to specific highlights as your ride vehicle bobs and sways in different directions. You might even find yourself squirming in your seat, trying to look around at all the nooks and crannies as you speed through a particular show scene.
If you work in the Ride and Show department, you will have the opportunity to see your attraction and possibly others in a whole new way. When working at Kongfrontation, I got to spend a great deal of time 30 feet below the trams, dodging pyrotechnic blasts as I wandered through the recreated streets of New York. At Earthquake, I had the opportunity to walk through the miniatures that were actually used in filming the movie, and even to walk the ride track after it was closed for the night. I never worked at Jaws, but had plenty of friends who did, and I had the chance to see many of the iconic sets up close.
6. Be a “star,” or rub elbows with them
Macy’s Parade Balloon HandlersYou can always sign up for extra shifts, including working as a balloon handler for the Macy’s Parade.
Universal Orlando provides a bevy of opportunities for team members to put themselves in the limelight. Internal auditions are always held first, whether for annual events such as Grinchmas or for new permanent shows debuting in the parks. In addition, some TV shows and movies film at Universal. While these are generally cast through traditional channels, extras are often needed, and are sometimes cast via audition flyers posted in employee break areas.
In addition, the parks frequently receive celebrity visitors. Guest Services team members are generally tasked with escorting celebrities throughout their day, while other front-line team members have the chance to interact with them. I once had Liza Minnelli lead a round of applause for my Kong performance. A coworker escorted Metallica through the VIP entrance to the ride. When filming is taking place, there are numerous opportunities to pick up shifts in crowd control or performing minor support tasks. Just keep in mind that photographs and autographs are strictly forbidden. No matter who you meet in the course of your work day, you can be fired if you treat them as anything other than normal park guests.
