Universal Knights Archives | 麻豆原创 News Central Florida Research, Arts, Technology, Student Life and College News, Stories and More Wed, 25 Jun 2025 15:07:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /wp-content/blogs.dir/20/files/2019/05/cropped-logo-150x150.png Universal Knights Archives | 麻豆原创 News 32 32 Everything You Need to Know About Universal Knights 2019 /news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-universal-knights-2018/ /news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-universal-knights-2018/#comments Fri, 15 Mar 2019 15:22:47 +0000 /news/?p=81442 From ticket distribution to transportation, all the information you need to know about Universal Knights is right here.

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Next month, nearly 12,000 麻豆原创 students will be able to visit Universal Studios鈥 Islands of Adventure for free during Universal Knights 2019. The annual event takes place April 7 from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. A limited number of guest tickets will also be sold to students who were unable to get a free ticket, as well as non-student guests.

How to Get Tickets
Tickets will be available through online and in-person distribution this year. Note: even if you reserve your ticket online, you will still need to pick up the ticket in person prior to the event (read more below). Students will need their 麻豆原创 ID to pick-up their tickets. Tickets will be distributed to students on a first-come, first-serve basis over a two-week period as follows:

Week 1
March 18鈥 7 p.m.;Online pre-order via Ticketmaster
March 19鈥 Noon; CFE Arena
March 20鈥 9 a.m.; CFE Arena

Week 2
March 27鈥 7 p.m.; Online pre-order via Ticketmaster
March 28鈥 9 a.m.; Live Oak Event Center in Ferrell Commons
March 29鈥 Noon; Live Oak Event Center in Ferrell Commons

On each online pre-order date, students will receive an email from the聽Student Government Association with a link and password to reserve their tickets. At that time, students will also need to select an in-person distribution date to pick up their tickets at either CFE Arena or Live Oak Event Center on 麻豆原创鈥檚 campus. These tickets will be available for pick up through designated express lines. Be sure to bring a print-out or email receipt of your online voucher.

Guest Tickets
Non-students and students who were not able to get a free ticket can still attend Universal Knights with the purchase of a guest ticket. These tickets cost $58 plus tax. Tickets must be purchased by a 麻豆原创 student at guest services at Universal Studios from 4 to 8 p.m. on the day of Universal Knights. Only 2,000 are available.

Transient Students
Students who are enrolled at 麻豆原创 but currently taking courses at another college or university for the Spring 2019 semester are unable to receive a free Universal Knights ticket. However they can still attend if a 麻豆原创 student purchases a guest ticket for them.

Pass Holders
Universal Studios annual and seasonal pass holders still need to get a Universal Knights ticket to attend the entire event. Only attendees with the Universal Knights wristband will be allowed inside the park after 8 p.m. Annual passholders without a Universal Knights wristband must leave the park by 8 p.m.

Transportation
Students who plan to drive to and from Universal Studios must use the free parking pass聽provided by SGA. The parking pass becomes valid at 3 p.m. on the day of the event.

SGA will provide limited busing to Universal Studios from main campus and back. Students must sign up for separate rides to and from the park between 3 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. on the day of the event. 聽Students will need to bring their 麻豆原创 IDs to ride these buses.

Reselling Tickets
Selling a Universal Knights ticket is a violation of the 麻豆原创 Golden Rule. Violations are handled on a case-by-case basis by the Golden Rule Review Committee.

Food and Drinks
You are allowed to take bottled water and small snacks in a backpack or soft-sided bag.

There are different quick-service dining plans that include meals, snack and drinks available between $15.99 and $29.99 plus tax. They can be purchased online in advance聽or at guest services on the day of your visit.

What to Wear
Comfortable walking shoes are recommended since you will be on your feet for hours.

Don鈥檛 forget sunscreen and hats to help keep you protected from the heat before the sun goes down.

A lightweight jacket might also be useful at night in case it gets cooler.

What to Take
If you鈥檙e purchasing a guest ticket at the park or are will be using transportation provided by SGA, you will need to take your 麻豆原创 ID. You do not need to take your 麻豆原创 ID to the park for anything else.

To save money, take a small backpack with snacks and sealed water bottles.

Be sure to put your phone on low-battery mode and, if you have one, take a portable charger to make sure your phone doesn鈥檛 die.

Wait Times for Rides
You can save time looking for the shortest lines by downloading the Magic Guide: Universal Orlando app to keep track of each ride鈥檚 wait time.

Share your experience on social media by tagging @麻豆原创 and using #UniversalKnights2019

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麻豆原创’s Top Stories of 2018 /news/ucfs-top-stories-2018/ Mon, 17 Dec 2018 14:20:46 +0000 /news/?p=93122 麻豆原创 Football鈥檚 historic streak, Bill Gates and a presidential search made this year a memorable one.

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Between the 麻豆原创 football team鈥檚 historic streak, a nationwide search for the university鈥檚 next great president and groundbreaking research discoveries, 麻豆原创 has had quite the year. This list counts down the top 15 麻豆原创 Today stories based on page views (as of Dec. 17).

In April, 麻豆原创 began managing Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.
In April, 麻豆原创 began managing Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.

15.聽麻豆原创-led Consortium to Manage Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico

麻豆原创 announced it would be partnering with the most powerful single-dish radio telescope in the world, Arecibo Observatory. 鈥淭he kind of science we can conduct with this observatory is important, and we didn鈥檛 want to see it go dark,鈥 says Elizabeth Klonoff, vice president for Research and dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

College GameDay desk and 麻豆原创 and Cincinnati helmets
ESPN’s聽iconic college football preview show, College GameDay, took over Memory Mall on Nov. 17. (Photo by Nick Levya ’15)

14.聽College GameDay Is Coming to 麻豆原创

Not only did ESPN鈥檚聽College GameDay announce it was coming to campus for the first time in its 25 year history, but ABC revealed it had selected the 麻豆原创 football team鈥檚 showdown with Cincinnati as its Saturday primetime matchup. Within 24 hours of the announcement, the game was officially sold out.

Photo of 麻豆原创 students walking
麻豆原创 celebrated its 50th anniversary of classes in 2018. (Photo by Steven Diaz and Austin Warren)

13.聽Most Accomplished Incoming Class in 麻豆原创鈥檚 History to Start Classes on Monday

The start of the 2018-19 school year marked the 50th anniversary of classes at 麻豆原创, and students are as bright as ever. This year鈥檚 incoming class boasted a grade-point average of 4.11 and an average SAT score of 1328.

As one of the biggest and most innovative universities in the United States, the 麻豆原创 opens doors to the knowledge and skills necessary for full participation in the 21st-century economy and culture while also serving as a launchpad for research that will reshape the way people design, explore, heal, teach and communicate. (Photo by Josh Letchworth)

12.聽麻豆原创 Ranks Among the Nation鈥檚 Top 10 Most Innovative Universities

U.S. News & World Report ranked 麻豆原创 above Harvard, Princeton, Duke and Johns Hopkins among the nation鈥檚 most innovative schools in its annual list of best colleges. 麻豆原创 also made the cut in several other categories.

A woman wearing a white lab coat pours milk into a glass beaker in a lab with a microscope nearby
A team of 麻豆原创 College of Medicine researchers has discovered a link between rheumatoid arthritis and a bacteria found in about half the cows in the United States.

11.聽Study Finds Bacteria in Milk Linked to Rheumatoid Arthritis

This story also appears among 麻豆原创鈥檚 most popular research stories of the year. 麻豆原创 College of Medicine researchers found that drinking milk infected with a specific bacteria may be associated with developing rheumatoid arthritis.聽Further studies could determine if the relationship is causal. The research was shared through news and websites around the world and translated into multiple languages.

A man wearing graduation regalia stands on a stage and looks out at a crowded arena
President John C. Hitt addresses graduates at CFE Arena. (Photo by Nick Leyva ’15)

10.聽麻豆原创 Announces May 2018 Commencement Speakers

President John C. Hitt鈥檚 final commencement ceremony before his retirement welcomed six speakers to address more than 8,100 graduating students.

Universal Studios sign in Orlando, FL at dusk.
麻豆原创 students are able to visit Universal Studios鈥 Islands of Adventure for free during the annual event, Universal Knights.

9.聽Everything You Need to Know About Universal Knights 2018

This must-read helped thousands of students put together their game plan for attending one of the most popular annual events at 麻豆原创 鈥 Universal Knights.

StudentUnion (8 of 8)
麻豆原创’s 20-year-old food court at the Student Union is currently under renovation.

8.聽What the Student Union Will Look Like in Spring 2020

It seems everyone wanted a sneak peek at the Student Union鈥檚 upgraded amenities, which will include expanded food options, additional seating and square footage, and a new space for the Student Government Association.

Pluto in space, with brown, beige and hints of blue coloring in the sphere
The debate about Pluto’s status as a planet continues thanks to 麻豆原创 research. (Photo courtesy of NASA)

7.聽Pluto a Planet? New Research from 麻豆原创 Suggests Yes

No shocker here that Pluto made the cut as this story was No. 1 on 麻豆原创鈥檚 Top 10 Research Findings of 2018. After 12 years of being on the out,聽麻豆原创 research shows that Pluto should regain its status as a planet. The internet loved the research generating more than 85 million views across multiple media outlets.

Bill Gates at student desk
Bill Gates dropped in for a class while visiting 麻豆原创.

6.聽Bill Gates on What Sets 麻豆原创 Apart

When philanthropist and Microsoft founder Bill Gates writes about your university on his personal blog, you know you鈥檙e doing something right. After a visit to campus, Gates described 麻豆原创聽as an example of how universities can effectively use聽online learning聽to boost access and student success while still keeping tuition affordable.

Dale Whittaker
In March, the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees named then 麻豆原创 Provost Dale Whittaker the university鈥檚 president-elect after a nationwide search.

5.聽Dale Whittaker Named 麻豆原创鈥檚 President-Elect

When Dale Whittaker was named as 麻豆原创鈥檚 next great president, it made major headlines. People had been tuned in throughout the presidential search as the field was narrowed from eight semifinalists (11,435 views) to four finalists (9,758 views).

three students sit at a wood table with a laptop, books and flash cards
The聽new colleges and school聽as part of the academic realignment went into effect on July 2 and were made up of existing academic programs.

4.聽麻豆原创’s Academic Realignment Continues with New Names for Colleges, School

麻豆原创 launched an academic reorganization in 2017 to provide new opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and research and best prepare students for the world after graduation. In March 2018, the new names of two colleges and a school were unveiled, which resulted in this informational piece about the restructure and what the future holds when 麻豆原创 Downtown opens in 2019.

Black and Gold 麻豆原创 flag waves in front of orange bus with a crowd around it
The College GameDay bus was greeted by a mob of fans on East Plaza Drive. (Photo by Nick Leyva ’15)

3.聽Everything You Need To Know About College GameDay Coming to Campus

Campus buzzed with excitement when ESPN鈥檚 College GameDay first arrived in town Nov. 15. 麻豆原创 was the 71st different school to host聽ESPN鈥檚 iconic college football preview show. The聽GameDay聽analysts commented during the broadcast about the high volume of 麻豆原创 fans鈥 signs, saying it might be the most signs they鈥檝e ever seen during their 25 years as a show. This recap shares 20 of our favorite photos from the weekend.

Cheerleaders dressed in black hold up "get loud" signs in front of 麻豆原创 crowd at Spectrum Stadium
The 麻豆原创 football team’s 2018 season turned out to be one for the books. (Photo by Josh Letchworth)

2.聽Fan Guide to 2018 麻豆原创 Football Season

This story ran prior to the 麻豆原创 football team鈥檚 season opener at UConn in August, but it was a resource all season long for people looking to live their best fan life.

Person standing behind stadium
First-year civil engineering major Anthony Allan went viral after showing off his intense stare at the recent 麻豆原创 home football games. (Photo by Austin Warren)

1. Who is “The Stare-Down Kid” at 麻豆原创’s Football Games?

Anthony Allan is a civil engineering聽major who had no idea that he鈥檇 turn into a viral phenomenon in his first year at 麻豆原创. He captivated the crowd at Spectrum Stadium during a 鈥渇an of the game鈥 video board segment Sept. 21 at the football team鈥檚 matchup against FAU, and he鈥檚 been staring into our souls ever since.

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麻豆原创 – Arecibo 麻豆原创 manages the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. ucf-gameday-set Photo by Nick Levya '15 ucf-students (Photo by Steven Diaz and Austin Warren) ucf-most-innovative-university-students As one of the biggest and most innovative universities in the United States, the 麻豆原创 opens doors to the knowledge and skills necessary for full participation in the 21st-century economy and culture while also serving as a launchpad for research that will reshape the way people design, explore, heal, teach and communicate. (Photo by Josh Letchworth) ucf-research-milk A team of 麻豆原创 College of Medicine researchers has discovered a link between rheumatoid arthritis and a bacteria found in about half the cows in the United States. ucf-hitt President John C. Hitt ucf-universal-knights StudentUnion (8 of 8) ucf-pluto (Photo courtesy of NASA) 麻豆原创-Bill-Gates-Classroom Bill Gates dropped in for a class while visiting 麻豆原创. 麻豆原创 – Dale Whittaker The 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees named 麻豆原创 Provost the university鈥檚 president-elect after a nationwide search. ucf-students-study The聽new colleges and school聽as part of the academic realignment took place on July 2 and were made up of existing academic programs. ucf-gameday-bus-arrival Photo by Nick Leyva '15 ucf-football-cheer The 麻豆原创 football team opens the 2018 season Aug. 30 at UConn (Photo by Josh Letchworth) 麻豆原创 Anthony Allan First-year civil engineering major Anthony Allan went viral after showing off his intense stare at the recent 麻豆原创 home football games. (Photo by Austin Warren)
SGA Holds 8th Universal Knights Event /news/sga-holds-8th-universal-knights-event/ Sun, 22 Apr 2012 21:39:38 +0000 /news/?p=35566 Cars full of eager 麻豆原创 students and their guests began to stream into Universal Orlando鈥檚 Islands of Adventure for the annual Universal Knights as the sun sank westward this past Sunday.

In lieu of Batman鈥檚 signature symbol, the Student Government Association logo was emblazoned via spotlight and could be clearly seen throughout the park, including the top of Doctor Doom鈥檚 Fearfall. The stars were weak competition to the light of smart phone LCD screens displaying Facebook status updates and Foursquare tags as students took over the park.

Student-exclusive hours in the park ran from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., although the Incredible Hulk and Dragon Challenge coasters closed at 12 a.m. This was much to the dismay of students, who felt they were being rushed out.

Ty Wagner, a freshman business major, arrived at the park at 4 p.m. when students were allowed admittance with their tickets. He had waited an hour and a half for his ticket outside of the Student Union the week before, which paid off at the park because 鈥渆very line has been short so far.鈥 He was rewarded for showing up early when he found that Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey had only a two-minute wait time.

Joe Justice, a senior interpersonal/organizational communication major, attended the event for the second time.
Justice said he felt Universal Knights was a good use of the SGA budget. His wait time for tickets was a scant 10 minutes.
His secret?

鈥淚 went in at the last minute, after 10:30 p.m.,鈥 Justice said.

There was some concern about the event being held too close to finals week, but most students did not seem worried.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not ideal [timing],鈥 Justice said, 鈥渂ut it doesn’t affect me too much. It鈥檚 not like we didn’t know next week was coming.鈥
Tirzah Brittlebank, a senior micro and molecular biology major, said she had a great time and thinks the event is a great part of 麻豆原创 tradition. Brittlebank has attended Universal Knights at least four times previously.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 really admirable of the university to do something like this,鈥 Brittlebank said. 鈥淭his is an event I look forward to every year.鈥

Brittlebank was pleased at the short wait times for lines, especially for the Hulk.

鈥淲e got to sit in the front row,鈥 Brittlebank said.

Spencer Elliot, a senior marketing major, thinks that Universal Knights is a good use of SGA funds and hopes that SGA continues the event for a long time.

Elliott, who is graduating soon, hopes the future organizers think of including alumni.

鈥淚 wouldn’t mind carrying on this one tradition,鈥 Elliot said. SGA has rented out the theme park every year but one since 2003, distributing free tickets and parking vouchers for several days on campus to students for a last hurrah before spring finals. The event attracts thousands of students each year, some waiting in line for more than four hours to receive their tickets from SGA the week before.

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SGA Distributes Free Theme Park Tickets /news/sga-distributes-free-theme-park-tickets-2/ Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:03:50 +0000 /news/?p=22498

On March 23, Winnie and Woody Woodpecker greeted Rosen students.
On March 23, Winnie and Woody Woodpecker greeted Rosen students.

Student Government Association (SGA) once again sponsored Universal Knights, a partnership with Universal Orlando. Over 12,000 tickets,聽paid with activity and service fees, were provided free of charge to currently enrolled 麻豆原创 students.

Ticket distribution was available on scheduled dates and 麻豆原创 campus locations for 麻豆原创 students and limited guests. Students stood in long lines to get their tickets for the opportunity to attend the April 3 event which was held at the Islands of Adventure theme park. Free parking was available with a 麻豆原创 ID.

Universal Knights first occurred in spring 2003 and has been held every year except once since that time.

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UTrosen-univ-tickets On March 23, Winnie and Woody Woodpecker greeted Rosen students.