Universal Orlando Resort kicked off the new year by quietly addressing a controversial design element that had lingered at Universal Islands of Adventure for decades. The theme park giant recently replaced signage that some guests found culturally insensitive.
Decades-Old Sign Finally Replaced
Universal Islands of Adventure underwent a low-key transformation this week when the Central Florida vacation destination installed fresh artwork on a restroom building located in the Port of Entry district. WDWNT reported Friday that Universal Orlando Resort had added a new mural beneath existing theming on the exterior bathroom wall.
The updated artwork showcases Universal Islands of Adventure's iconic Pharos Lighthouse surrounded by splashing water effects. Text painted across the mural reads “Îles D'Aventure Eau De Toilette Spray Since 1999″—a multilingual bathroom joke nodding to the facilities inside. The French phrase translates to “Islands of Adventure Grooming Water/Scented Water,” playing on the double meaning of “eau de toilette.”
Prior to Universal Orlando Resort's painting project, the building displayed only the “Port of Entry Water Works Authority” mural alongside another sign that read “Honorable Hu Nhow Plaza.” The phrase “Hu Nhow” doesn't connect to any recognizable Universal character, intellectual property, or attraction, though it appears in the video game “Warframe.”
Had to do a double take when I saw Grandpa Hunhow had his own plaza.
Had to do a double take when I saw Grandpa Hunhow had his own plaza.
byu/Izulkara inmemeframe
The “Hu Nhow” wordplay raised concerns about cultural sensitivity. The phrase could be interpreted as mocking Asian languages, accents, or pronunciation patterns.
Additional Port of Entry Updates
Universal Orlando Resort didn't stop with the mural replacement. The theme park simultaneously relocated two guest convenience stations that previously occupied space in front of the bathroom alcove.
The FuelRod machine, where guests can swap portable phone charging devices, now sits on the opposite side of the restroom building, near the water fountains. Meanwhile, the Pressed Pennies machine has been repositioned closer to the men's bathroom entrance, adjacent to the rental locker area.
Puzzling Survival of Recent Renovation
What makes this signage removal particularly intriguing is its timing. The “Honorable Hu Nhow Plaza” sign somehow survived a comprehensive bathroom refurbishment completed just months earlier in fall 2025.
X (formerly known as Twitter) account @InsideUniversal documented the renovated Port of Entry restrooms when they reopened in September, posting:
The restrooms near the exit of Islands of Adventure has reopened after a lengthy refurbishment, adding a new Family Restroom (which hasn't opened yet).
@UniversalORL
The restrooms near the exit of Islands of Adventure has reopened after a lengthy refurbishment, adding a new Family Restroom (which hasn’t opened yet). @UniversalORL pic.twitter.com/VJE8jlBmd6
— Inside Universal (@insideuniversal) September 8, 2025
Photos accompanying that post clearly showed the potentially offensive signage still intact after the refurbishment wrapped.
Resort Remains Silent on Universal Islands of Adventure Changes
Universal Orlando Resort hasn't explained why it chose to eliminate the “Honorable Hu Nhow Plaza” sign from Universal Islands of Adventure at the start of 2026. The Central Florida vacation destination offered no public statement addressing the mural replacement or acknowledging any concerns about the previous theming.
Was the old sign at Universal Islands of Adventure offensive? Share your thoughts with Disney Fanatic in the comments.
They’re just renovating things.
Why would this be offensive? Unless you’re saying there’s “some-ting wong” with an accent?
Maybe a bit of projection… What someone finds offensive often reflects what they believe is degrading. Offense reveals the meaning we assign, not the meaning intended.
Oh boo hoo at all you offended crybabies. You have nothing to do but try and find something to whine about? Grow tf up.
Once upon a time people read a play on words or a purposeful misspelling of something to get someone to chuckle as humor. Now it’s “offensive” and a tactic to attack a culture in any way it can be misconstrued. In the 90s when someone would crank call a place and ask for Seymour Butts was it “potentially offensive” to people named Seymour? No, it was a person being silly and making a play on words as a name. The person answering the call would roll their eyes, maybe make a remark about “da** kids and hang up, not remodel the building and put earmuffs on the all patrons to spare them from hearing you call out, “phone call for Seymour Butts…Seymour Butts, phone call!” What happened to make a minority of society so sensitive? A minority being the key word.
People are so fragile these days. It is so sad to see. Please, grow up, and quit being offended by every little thing.
I am so tired of the whiny people who find everything offensive. To be honest I never noticed it and I worked there. People take things too literally today. This world has gone insane. These people are way to sensitive, it’s gotta be the plastic foods. When push comes to shove and the end of the world comes we’ll have a bunch of boo hooers shivering in the corner who can’t stand up for the real right.
I certainly don’t see the offense of a company that creates stories making a character with an Asian name with no idiom punching at them. This feels like two losers once said that feels off and ran with their own insecurities.
Wow a sign outside a bathroom seriously offended someone so much that they had to remove the sign was that before or after they used that bathroom. If that sign always that offensive use another bathroom. If it’s so easy to complain about stupid things and get your way then I feel the price of admission to parks are offensive to me will that lower the price….just wondering
It’s not that people have become so fragile that words truly hurt them. It’s that they have discovered by claiming such that some attorney will grab that offense and make them a few dollars.
Out of 65 trillion things to be concerned about, these fking legends in Florida keep worrying about signs, statues, and fake animatronics in front of and on a ride. The only thing that surprised me about the story is that it wasnt a WDW property.