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21 Top Tips for Visiting Universal Studios Orlando [2024]

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After a week in Orlando, Florida and three days spent at Universal Studios Orlando I am already planning a return trip. This was an absolutely magical place and perfect for all ages.

Universal seems to be a mixture of Walt Disney World which is perfect for children and Busch Gardens which is great for thrill-seekers. It’s for sure one of the best theme parks in the US !

I didn’t do quite enough research before my trip so I feel like my time wasn’t used as efficiently as it could have been. And I don’t want that happening to you!

So here are my top Universal Studios tips for 2023.

13. Buy Tickets in Advance

21. how much money do you need in universal studios.

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What to Know Before Going to Universal Orlando in 2023

There’s no way you’ll have it all figured out before your trip, but it’s great to have a head start! These Universal Orlando tips and tricks will hopefully help you create a plan and know what to expect on your trip.

1. Get to the Parking Garage by 8:30

We got there at multiple times during our stay and by far the easiest time to get in the park was at 8:30.

Since the park opens at 9 it seems like everyone wants to get there right then and there is a bottleneck effect.

When we arrived just after 9, it took us 40 minutes from the time we drove into the park to when we scanned our ticket since the morning rush hadn’t cleared out.

When we got there at 8:30 we were scanning our tickets into the park at 8:50. We were some of the first people in the park and first in line at the rides.

2. Make a Game Plan

Look at the park maps before you get there and figure out which rides you want to get on. Once you figure out your top rides, figure out which ones are close together.

You can group the rides together that you’d like to visit and then make a plan of which you’ll visit first.

You can also make a plan based on the region of the park you want to visit. Maybe you want to visit Harry Potter World first (like we did). I highly recommend this if you’re a big Harry Potter fan.

If you are spending one day in each park then this won’t be as big of an issue. A day gives you plenty of time to see everything in one park depending on how long the lines are and what all you want to ride.

3. Buy the Express Pass

Okay the Universal Express Passes are EXPENSIVE. In the app it kept saying starting at $99 for the Express Unlimited Pass well that’s on a weekday in the off-season.

On Friday April 23, 2021 they were $262 including tax. (That’s for only one.)

Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Well, the Express Pass was, but maybe not the Unlimited. They have one pass that lets you skip the line at each ride only once and if I had it to do over again I would get that one instead of the Unlimited.

We didn’t have time to ride many things more than once. Try buying your pass ahead of time to see if you can get a cheaper price instead of buying it on the day of.

This may seem counter-intuitive, but if I had it to do over again I think I would buy the Express Pass on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Those were the cheaper days. There will still be crowds so it’s worth it but it’s cheaper.

We did not have the Express Pass on Thursday and only rode four rides… Yes, four rides because we were standing in line so long. On Friday we got the Express Pass and rode eleven different rides and two of those twice.

So compare getting to ride four things to riding thirteen and you’ll see why it’s worth it to me.

I absolutely hate waiting in line – I’m really not patient at all – and yes, I know that’s a terrible trait. So the Express Pass made my day infinitely better and purchasing it is one of my biggest Universal Studios tips for 2023.

Only you can decide if the price is worth it to you though.

You can buy the Express Pass cheaper on Undercover Tourist sometimes so be sure to check them out!

Just a note – I don’t always recommend buying the Express Pass for theme parks. Especially when you visit places like Dollywood or Busch Gardens .

4. Bring a Fanny Pack (Small Backpacks Work)

You may be thinking “Anna there is no way in heck I am wearing a fanny pack, you are insane.” Well when you see how functional they are at Universal you might just change your tune.

Fanny packs are allowed on almost all the rides at Universal which means you don’t have to waste time with the lockers before the ride and you can keep your phone or anything else with you.

The lockers can get very congested and it takes up valuable time trying to stuff your backpacks or anything else in them. More on lockers in a minute.

If you don’t have a fanny pack and are absolutely boycotting them then a small backpack (like this Kavu bag ) is the next best thing. Just note that these will have to be stored in the lockers.

5. There are Lockers for Most Roller Coasters

The locker situation is awesome for groups that don’t have a person who isn’t riding the coasters. There are standard-sized lockers available for free at many of the roller coasters that measure 5.5” tall, 14” wide, and 16.9” deep. This fits a small backpack or miscellaneous items.

They have larger lockers available for $2 if your things don’t fit in a standard size. These would be regular size backpacks or large souvenirs. These single-time use lockers are only good for a certain time frame – maybe an hour but don’t hold me to that.

If you are bringing items in that you won’t need all day then Universal also offers all-day locker rentals. There are lockers for $10 at Islands of Adventure and $15 at Universal Studios Florida. You’ll have unlimited access to these lockers during the day.

At the Popeye water ride you must pay for the lockers because they offer a covered place on the “barge” for you to place your things. However, they will definitely still get wet so if you have anything that can’t get wet definitely buy the $2 locker.

On Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit and the Hulk Coaster you have to pass through a metal detector before you can go on the ride so you are required to put everything you have in a locker or with someone not riding.

6. Download the Universal Studios App

You can do so much with the Universal Studios App. You can get in the virtual lines for any attraction with that capability. You can order food and drinks on the app. The app holds your tickets, maps, show times, wait times for attractions, and general park info.

At many of the sit-down restaurants, you can mobile order – at least the ones in Harry Potter World. Then at restaurants with walk-up windows you can mobile-order and pick it up at a specific mobile-order pickup spot. It’s actually super efficient and you don’t have to wait in the long line.

Some rides go to virtual line only when the parks are at capacity. The Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure had a virtual line the first two days we were there and the third it was virtual until the afternoon.

On our third day there the Revenge of the Mummy was virtual and Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon was virtual all three days.

Honestly, this is one of the top tips for visiting Universal Studios. The app is so helpful.

7. Virtual Lines Open Before the Park

You can get a spot in virtual lines through the Universal App. It gives you the option to get a spot in line within a certain timeframe so all you have to do is show up at the ride and show the attendant your phone.

The Race Through New York ride opened by 8:30 everyday so you could get a spot. On the day we finally got there early enough to get a spot on Hagrid’s ride the virtual line for it opened at 8:45.

Hagrid’s ride always ran out of virtual spots so we were so excited to get in. By 9 all the spots were always gone and we never could find an opening throughout the day. Until the third day when they opened the line so you could physically wait in it instead of having to use the app.

Moral of the story is that if you want to ride something really bad, make sure to get there early and check the virtual line.

8. The Crosswalk Isn’t Always Open

There are three ways to get between the two parks – Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. This is only if you have a Park-to-Park ticket for the day.

First – You can walk out the exit of either park and through CityWalk by the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Hard Rock Cafe and into the other park. The walk is about 15 – 20 minutes depending on where you’re at in the park.

Second – There is a crosswalk between the two parks, but it is not always open so not an option all the time. It wasn’t open during any of the three days that we were there.

Third and my personal favorite – Take the Hogwarts Express! This is definitely the most fun way to get between the parks. However, the line gets incredibly long as the day goes on. If you’ve already been on this ride then I wouldn’t recommend waiting over 30 minutes on the train.

9. Many Restaurants on Universal CityWalk Require Reservations

 We made the mistake of not making a dinner reservation on a Friday night and were out of luck when it came to eating on CityWalk.

Every restaurant either had an hour and a half wait or was reservation only. I’ve already told you how impatient I am so you know I’m not waiting that long to eat.

For those of you who exercise your patience daily, you can grab drinks and appetizers at little kiosks around the CityWalk while you wait.

10. Express Passes Get You In Regardless of Virtual Lines

If you couldn’t get in the Virtual Line, but still want to ride something you can use your Express Pass if the attraction has an Express Line.

Not everything has an Express Line, but most do. One very popular ride that doesn’t is Hagrid’s.

11. Wear the Right Clothing and Shoes

One of the most important Universal Studios tips for 2023 by far. I wore a dri-fit t-shirt and shorts that dried quickly because I knew that we would be getting on the water rides.

I also wore my Chacos ZX3 sandals . They’re comfortable and do so well with water.

Comfortable shoes are a must. If you don’t plan on riding the water rides then I would go with sneakers. I’ve actually put together a whole list of the best shoes for theme parks if you need some new ones!

My Chacos are super comfy and did well when we walked 6 miles. Our last day we walked 12 miles though and my feet were hurting pretty good at the end of the day.

12. You Can Bring in Some Food

Here is one of the ultimate budget tips for visiting Universal Studios. You can bring in snacks and food that you don’t have to heat. What you cannot do is bring in a picnic lunch with a main course and sides.

I would highly recommend bringing some snacks and if you really want to watch your budget then take sandwiches for lunch. A good ol PB&J will always do the trick.

You are also allowed to bring up to two liters of water into the park. We brought in two water bottles each and that was plenty for us.

If you buy tickets in advance you’ll save a bit from what you would pay at the gate. It won’t be huge savings but everything adds up. Again, check with Undercover Tourist to buy your Universal Studios park tickets .

You can also see if Express Passes are discounted if you buy them when you purchase admission tickets.

I loved having my tickets on my phone in the Universal App. It was super convenient and I didn’t have to keep up with any extra pieces of paper.

More Universal Orlando Tips and Tricks 2023

14. you must have the 2-park ticket to ride the hogwarts express.

If you want to ride this then be sure you purchase the 2-park ticket! Honestly, if you want to save money you can purchase the 2-park ticket for one day only and do individual parks for the rest of your stay.

The Hogwarts Express is a must for any Harry Potter fan. Be sure to take the train both ways as the video is different depending on which station you come from.

15. Choose the Right Accommodations

Staying on the resort property would be nice, but it’s very expensive. Sometimes the included perks are worth it though. Undercover Tourist also sells hotel packages where you can sometimes find a deal!

For example, I’ve heard that one of the hotels within Universal Orlando Resort will include Express Passes for your whole family if you stay on their property. Depending on the size of your family this might be worth it.

We stayed at Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort which is on the Walt Disney World Campus. It isn’t part of the Disney Resorts though so the weekly price is much cheaper.

I’ve also written a complete Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek Review if you want to know what to expect. This is sometimes an overlooked Universal Orlando tip!

16. Universal has Free WiFi

This will save your data plan if you connect to the free WiFi. It doesn’t require a password but if you don’t have an Xfinity account you’ll have to enter your email and zip code.

There is good coverage throughout both parks and most of CityWalk.

17. Buy Souvenirs Before You Arrive

This is mainly for Harry Potter World but can apply to other sections of Universal.

Many people love wearing Harry Potter shirts and cloaks. You can buy these on Amazon before your trip for much cheaper.

There are also necklaces, scarves, and so much more sold in the park. The prices really are outrageous so if you can buy them ahead of time I would do that.

The one thing I would buy in the park is the interactive wand if you want that. It is really cool to do the magic in the park.

My sister got Snape’s wand for $58 but I didn’t want to pay that much.

18. You Don’t Have to Buy Your Wand at Ollivanders

Everyone wants to visit Ollivanders to buy their wand which can make the line incredibly long. There are so many other places to buy a wand though.

In Diagon Alley you can visit Wands by Gregorovitch when they are open. You can also go to Knockturn Alley into Borgin & Burke’s if you want a dark wizard’s wand.

In Hogsmeade you’ll find a cart between Hogwarts and the shops where you can buy wands. You’ll also find wands at Dervish and Banges.

19. How Many Days Should You Spend at Universal Studios Florida?

I would say three at the very least. It takes a day or two just to get your bearings – especially if you haven’t made a plan. We didn’t make a good plan and we spent most of the first two days walking around figuring stuff out.

If you can make it on Tuesdays or Wednesdays those are the best days to visit too. Weekends are absolutely horrendous for crowds. I would hate to see the place when they weren’t limiting access.

Hopefully these Universal Orlando tips and tricks will help you take advantage of all your time there!

20. Visit During Shoulder Season

Unless you have to visit during the school breaks, I would make it a point to avoid those. You’ll spend your whole vacation waiting in line.

According to the Undercover Tourist, the best times to visit Universal over the next couple years will be weekdays during September through December with September being the best.

Our visit was in April and I’m sure the crowds weren’t bad compared to the summer months when school is out.

This is totally dependent on your preference. Do you plan on bringing a picnic and re-entering the park? Do you plan on buying souvenirs? Playing arcade games? Alcohol?

Another thing to think about is the CityWalk. Will you eat or shop here? The main extra expenses that you’ll have inside the park are food and souvenirs.

I would budget $60 per person per day especially if you’re doing two meals in the park. That will likely get you a snack too.

For souvenirs, I recommend setting a budget before you go. For example, I knew the only thing that I wanted was a refrigerator magnet and possibly a Christmas Tree ornament so my budget was around $25 for souvenirs.

Best Things to Do at Universal Studios Orlando for 2023

Okay here are some new things to do at Universal Studios plus some oldie but goodie memorable experiences that we had.

Number one – the Jurrasic World Velocicoaster is open! This looked like an absolutely epic ride so if you are a big coaster fan then check it out.

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure TM , Escape from Gringotts TM , Revenge of the Mummy, Rip Ride Rockit TM , and the Hulk Coaster were our favorite rides. Again, these are for the big roller coaster fans!

Check out at least one of the shows while you’re here – they do a great job! Universal keeps a list of all the current shows.

Make sure to allow some time to explore city walk. It really is an attraction to itself. Grab some doughnuts at Voodoo Doughnuts where you can skip the line if you order on the Universal Studios app.

Do you love seasonal events? Then plan a trip to Universal around Halloween, the Holidays, or Mardi Gras! Check out their event list for other things throughout the year.

For Harry Potter fans, make sure you visit Hogsmeade at night if they are doing the light show at Hogwarts TM . They don’t do this every night though so ask an employee when you visit.

Oh and make sure you check out the Knight Bus TM right outside of Diagon Alley. Across from the bus, you’ll see 12 Grimmauld Place and if you hang out a bit you can catch Kreacher peeking out the window.

Make sure you eat all the Butterbeer in as many different ways as you can. Check out the Three Broomsticks for the atmosphere and Mythos is an award-winning restaurant in the park.

How to Get to Universal Studios Orlando

If you live in the southeast then you may consider a road trip to Orlando so you can drive to the park. Depending on where you live, Orlando is also a cheap place to fly into.

You can either fly into Orlando and rent a car or contact your hotel to see if they have a shuttle service from the airport. This will save you money, especially if you are staying at a Universal hotel.

Ubers are plentiful around Orlando in case you need to go somewhere other than the park. If you aren’t staying on property, many local hotels have a shuttle service that will take you to the park.

This just means you are at the mercy of the shuttle schedule or you’ll have to take an Uber depending on when you want to arrive and leave the park.

Other Things to Do Near Orlando

Here are a few fun things to do in Orlando or for day trips!

Museum of Illusions Ticket

Kennedy Space Center & Everglades Safari

Helicopter Night Tour Over Orlando Theme Parks

Crystal River Manatee Swim

Wekiva River Guided Kayak Tour

Things to Do in Everglades National Park

Where to Stay in Orlando

If Club Wyndham Bonnet Creek isn’t what you are looking for then check out the other Orlando hotels at the link below!

✅ Orlando Hotels on Booking.com ✅

WRap Up: Tips for Visiting Universal Orlando

I know that was a lot of info but I hope even one of these tips will help you! The most important tips for Universal Orlando are to figure out how to skip the crowds whether that is planning your vacation in the off-season or getting the Universal Express Passes and make sure you remember these budget tips!

I hope you’ll have a fantastic trip in Orlando and you’ve found these Universal Orlando tips for 2023 helpful.

Do you love theme parks? Here is a list of the best theme parks in the US !

Pin for later!

Anna is a North Carolina native who grew up traveling the southern US with her family. Now she is a full-time travel blogger who road trips the US and shares about outdoor adventures and epic things to do. Want to know more? Read her full story here.

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There are some really handy tips here! I visited a few years ago and we had tickets that lasted for 2 weeks as part of our holiday package and I really enjoyed the park.

Oh wow! That is really nice. It is such a fun park to visit.

Great tips! I heard they’re doing awesome deals on season passes too! I really want to go to Volcano Bay!

Thank you! Yes, they have some really good deals going right now. We didn’t make it to Volcano Bay but I’m sure it’s great!

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Global Munchkins

Travel + Global Inspired Lifestyle

April 4, 2024

29 Incredible Universal Orlando Tips [Save Money & Time]

We just returned from a jam-packed whirlwind trip to Universal Orlando and it was absolutely incredible!!! One of the reasons the trip went so smoothly is because we have visited Orlando more times than I can count and over the years we have collected a lot of Unversal Orlando tips & tricks to help us avoid crowds, save money and have fun.

So, today I am sharing those secrets with YOU!

Read on to learn our best Universal Orlando Tips and Tricks for 2024. We love these parks as much as Disney World , if not more. This is truly a world-class resort.

Universal Orlando Tips

1. Stay on Property at one of these 3 Resorts! My Favorite Universal Secret

This is one of the best tips for visiting Universal Orlando (in fact, I have a whole post about it ) I have because staying on property makes all the difference in the world and is worth EVERY penny.

Let me explain. At first glance, you might notice that you can find cheaper hotels near the Universal Resort in Orlando. But, if you want Express passes, stay at these three resorts, because they come for FREE!

The three resorts on property ( Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Royal Pacific Resort and the Hard Rock Hotel specifically) include FREE Universal Express Passes for each hotel guest (which gives you front of the line access to the most popular rides in the parks), early park admission, priority seating at many restaurants in City Walk and FREE transportation around the resort.

The Universal Express Passes alone would cost you a minimum of $89.99 per person and can go up to $379. With 4 guests in a room you can save $360 – $1200 per day in express passes

So, the $100 you are saving a night on your room is NOT worth it!

Staying on property at Universal Studios Florida also means you can take advantage of the beautiful walkways and boat rides available to hotel guests. It’s a convenient way to get around!

****Pro Tip**** Book your Universal Vacation with a Travel Agent Like Best Day Ever Vacations! They offer the same prices as booking direct but have extra incentives to make your trip even better!

2. Use a Travel Agent knowledgeable about Universal Orlando

When I first used to travel, we always booked everything ourselves, than I found out that a lot of travel agents work don’t charge a thing.

There is a lot to figure out when it comes to planning a Universal trip:

• How to get to the parks from the airport
• What are Express Passes
• How to travel from Park to Park
• Which hotels to stay at
• Where should you have dinner?
• Is the dining plan worth it?
• What about character breakfasts?

It’s honestly endless.

We reached out to Best Day Ever Vacations (they are seriously the best!) for our Disney Vacation and they did such an amazing job we asked if they handled Universal Orlando. Sure enough, they have Universal Orlando specialists who know everything about the parks, hotels, city walk and more. It made planning a vacation so much more fun! Pretty much 90% of the tips I have are from them.

3. Arrive Early & Leave Late

Another great tip for Universal Orlando is to take advantage of the early park entrance in the morning offered solely to guests staying on property.

But, even if you are not staying on property you will want to plan on arriving prior to the park opening hours and that is because they begin to allow guests to enter the parks early (up to a certain point) before the park officially opens.

If you are one of the folks who enter early you will be able to breeze through several wait times on the most popular attractions before the crowds arrive.

That said you will also want to stay late. Both Universal Orlando Parks tend to die down around 4pm.

Guests who stay later enjoy much shorter wait times which is why we like to get in early, then take a midday pool break at the hotel and return to the parks around 3-4pm. An easy schedule when you are staying on property.

Take a Peek Inside the Parks by watching our YouTube Video below.

Give us a thumbs up & subscribe for more great family travel videos!

4. Book the Concierge Level as it may save you money

I have a lot of kiddos, so when we stay in a concierge room, it is worth it. This means complimentary breakfast for the entire crew, snacks to take in the park, and some appetizers when we get back, so a large dinner isn’t quite needed. It is so worth it!

5. Plan for 4 Days Minimum

Now that  Volcano Bay  has opened we decided to up our recommended minimum number of days to 4 instead of 3.

You will definitly want an added full day to check out Universal Orlando’s amazing new water park. Volcano Bay has some of the BEST water attractions & slides we have EVER experienced.

The park itself is immaculate, the food is wonderful, they have two lazy rivers (one is a thrilling experience), and the kids splash areas are the best we’ve ever seen!!

I believe that 4 days is enough to conquer Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, AND the NEW Volcano Bay Water Park. That is ‘IF’ you have the Universal Express Passes for the dry parks.

If you do not have the express passes then you will want at least 5 days at the parks to be able to hit all of the popular attractions.

But, again notice that you need one less night at a hotel when you have the Express Passes which are included in the price of your stay at the on-site properties that I mentioned above. Another reason why it is actually cheaper and much better to stay at one of the hotels on the property!

6. If you are going to buy Express Passes Consider the VIP TOUR because it might be cheaper and includes A LOT MORE!!!!

People don’t know this but the Universal Orlando VIP Tour is the best deal in town. You get to the front of the line on every ride (including the ones Express pass does not cover) + it includes breakfast, lunch and valet parking and even more! Check out the details here!

7. Dates to Visit to Avoid Crowds

Avoiding the crowds is one of my favorite Universal Orlando Tips. There are three times a year where I feel like you can count on avoiding large crowds at the Universal Orland Resort.

One is the entire month of September as everyone is back in school and either just visited over summer or is planning to visit over the holidays.

The second is visiting between Dec 3rd- 15th. The closer it gets to the school winter breaks the more the traffic picks up.

The 3rd Date is the one week after January through the first week of February. Everyone has visited from the holidays and the next holiday is not til Presidents day weekend.

But, visiting Universal during the holidays is extra spectacular! In Universal’s Islands of Adventure, you can see The Grinch musical show which is a wonderful performance.

And, in Universal Studios you can witness authentic balloons and floats from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! Plus, both parks are decked out with holiday lights too. It’s my favorite time of year to visit!

8. Use Child Swap

One way to breeze through the crowds when traveling with infants and toddlers is by utilizing the “child swap” program at Universal. The “child swap” allows families traveling with little ones to wait in the queue together once while allowing both adults a turn to ride.

How this Universal Orlando Tip works is one parent stays off the ride and waits in the designated “child swap room” with the child who is not tall enough to ride. While the rest of the family hops on the ride.

When they are finished the parents swap roles and the parent who initially stayed back is given a chance to ride without having to wait in line again. Instead, they simply walk to the front of the line in the “child swap” designated area.

*Pro-Tip-Another added benefit of using the “child swap” is the second parent can take up to 3 guests with them. So, several people in the family get to ride twice!

9. Single Rider

Guests 10 years or older, also have the option of a shorter wait by being a “single rider”. Since most people ride in groups of two or more, if there is an extra spot available the attendants will ask for a single rider and you’ll be able to skip ahead in the line.

At some queues, there is even a special line reserved just for “single riders”.

10. How to Make the Most of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando

Tip #1 : Avoid the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in the AM!

I know this sounds contradictory to every other thing you might read BUT trust me. The first place every person heads to is the Harry Potter area in each of the parks making both of these lands complete madhouses in the morning… even for guests with early entry.

Unless you are going to be one of the first people in the park and you are going to run straight to one of the Harry Potter rides forget it.

You will have much better luck heading into these lands around 4 pm when everyone else in the park has already ‘been there, done that’.

Check out the photo above. That is my kids walking into Hogsmeade during early park entry on a non-holiday visit. Can you see the crowds in there- INSANE!!! I mean for good reason of course.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (both Hogsmeade & Diagon Alley) are the MOST INCREDIBLE themed lands I have ever visited.

Absolutely, spectacular in so many ways. However, if you can be smart and avoid the crowds I promise the experience will be even that much better.

11. Take Time to Really Explore the Harry Potter Lands

As I just mentioned, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is absolutely amazing. And, I am not just talking about the main attractions. I urge you to really explore these lands as there are magical elements hidden all around you.

If you buy an interactive wand at Ollivander’s you can actually cast spells around Diagon Alley and make magic happen right before your eyes!

On our recent visit to Universal Orlando we waited in line at Ollivander’s for the Wand Chooses the Wizard  experience and Shea got picked!!! Check out his face in our YouTube video here .

*Pro Tip-   You can also ask the goblin in the Money Exchange any question and he will respond. Ask him about the dragon in Gringotts next time you visit 😉

Head inside the stores in Diagon Alley & Hogsmeade !

Our kids got a kick out of the crazy jelly bean flavors (some are actually really gross) and the chocolate frogs.

*Pro Tip- grab your Harry Potter costume supplies before leaving home. Capes at the park are really pricey. Find ones much cheaper on Amazon here.

12. Try a Butter Beer + Secret Menu

You can’t visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter without getting your kids a Butter Beer. Who can blame them with that tasty marshmallow topping?

But, if you really want to impress your kids, head to The Three Broomsticks and Hog’s Head Pub and order a Pumpkin Fizz.

*Pro Tip- It won’t be on the menu because it is a secret item.

And, knowing that will make you the coolest parent alive!!

Don’t miss the Butter Beer Flavored Ice Cream at Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour, Fountain of Fair Fortune, and at select street vendors throughout Diagon Alley.

13. Take the train in between the parks

Don’t miss riding the Hogwarts Express between the parks. Not only is it a super convenient way to get around, but it is also one of my favorite Harry Potter experiences too!

I am not telling you why because I don’t want to spoil any surprises. You’ll just have to trust me on this one.

*Pro Tip- make sure to take the train from BOTH parks. The experiences are totally different.

14. Get a Coffin Full of Donuts to Start the Day

As I mentioned in our best things to do in Orlando Voodoo Doughnuts offers up one of the best fried creations in all of Orlando, at least that’s my opinion.

One of their six locations in all of the world is at Universal Citywalk in Orlando, meaning you won’t have many other opportunities to try one of these tasty and colorful pastries.

Trust me, these are not your average doughnuts. They are both extravagant in looks and in taste. You will find their shelves filled with raised yeast donuts, cake donuts, and specialty donuts of all kinds.

If you like peanut butter, you cannot miss out on the Old Dirty Bastard. Name aside, this doughnut is what dreams are made of. You can check out the full menu here!

And yes, like we said this involves a coffin. You can purchase a 3-foot wooden coffin filled with three We Pick ‘Em Voodoo Dozens.

It is a fun way to celebrate a special occasion or just do something unique while on vacation. Plus, you can never have too many doughnuts! 

15. Tips for Toddlers (height requirements)

We did notice that many of the rides had a 40-inch height requirement as our youngest is not quite that tall yet. But, that doesn’t mean there is not a ton of rides and shows available for smaller toddlers.

I recommend checking out Seuss Landing where multiple rides have lower height requirements, Shrek 4-D, Fievel’s Playground, Camp Jurassic, the Curious George Water area and a day in the Park with Barney- a live show and playground area. And, don’t forget to take your littles to hang out with the characters too!

Youngsters 34-inches tall can ride E.T. the ride which happens to be a favorite in our family. I was so sad when our CA park got rid of it and so I make sure we hop on it every time we visit the Orlando parks.

Once kids reach 36 inches tall they can test their thrill-seeking skills on Woody the Woodpecker’s Rollercoaster (above), Skull Island: Reign of Kong, Flight of Hippogriff & more.

Little ones who hit the 40-inch height requirement can ride the Seuss Trolley Train, Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, the Simpson’s Ride (although it is a little frightening), Transformers, Spiderman, and more. And, once youngsters reach 42 inches tall they can also ride Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, Men in Black, Popeye and Bluto’s water ride, and Jurassic Park… The Ride just to name a few. Check out our experience on Jurassic Park below:

16. Buying souvenirs

It’s unavoidable your kids are going to want to take home a treasure to remind them of their incredible vacation at Universal. Be smart and use Universal Orlando’s package pick-up & free package delivery to on-site hotels.

Package pick-up sends your souvenir to the front of the park so you can pick it up on your way out versus lugging it around all day. If you are staying on-site they take it a step further and deliver it right to your hotel. Just one more reason staying on property is such a smart idea!

17. How to Save on Food… Dining Plans!

Universal offers several different dining plans that can help you save money and make life a little easier too. Choose from full service or quick service plans. With up to 100 dining locations to choose from inside both parks and in City Walk your family will have plenty of options to choose from.

The full-service plan includes two of our favorite restaurants at the Universal Resort- Mythos Restaurant and The Cowfish (yes sushi + burger fusion is a thing).

But, we do find the quick service plan a little easier on the pocketbook. View the plans, list of participating restaurants and pricing here .

Family Style- Louie’s Italian Restaurant

One of the munchkins’ favorite Universal Orlando tips is heading to the back of the park at Universal Studios for the BEST theme park pizza we’ve ever had. Feeding a large family at a theme park can cost an arm and a leg.

One way we save at Universal is by ordering a whole pizza pie from Louie’s Italian Restaurant. While a single slice will run you about $7 bucks, a whole pie so roughly $30 and comes with 8 slices.

*Pro Tip- Don’t forget ice water is always complimentary so drink up.

Cheap Shareable Treat- Lad Lard’s Pink Donut

Growing up The Simpson’s was one of those shows I would watch with my dad. Most jokes went right over my head but that didn’t stop me from laughing. Walking through the Simpson’s area brought back so many memories.

So, I was a complete sucker when my kids requested an enormous pink sprinkled donut from Lad Lard’s. Luckily, it was under $5 bucks and easily shareable! Don’t take our word for it check out this article from USA Today’s 10Best.

The Tacos at BumbleBee Man’s Taco Truck is a delicious, quick, and easy on-the-go lunch or snack too!

Just for fun… Moe’s Tavern

Not really a savings tip BUT something fun to do while in the Simpson’s area is to while in the Simpson’s area is to head to Moe’s tavern to try a Duff Beer. While you are there order the kids an alcohol-free, orange-flavored Flaming Moe. The dry ice makes it smoke and the kids will get a kick out of it!

18. If You are an annual passholder, turn your soda into a delicious slush.

If you are an annual passholder, there is a wonderful lounge to relax and cool off. The best part, you can buy a soda and turn it into a delicious slush.

19. Head to City Walk

Another Universal Orlando tip I have found that works well is to leave the parks and head into City Walk for lunch. Here you will find better tasting options in my opinion and a wider variety of eateries.

It may not save a lot of cash but at least you get better quality food for your money and at lunch its a ghost town so very little wait times too! 

I personally loved the Bread Box which serves delicious sandwiches, soups, and salads. It was a healthier option and the kids loved the bench swings  located at some of the booths.

The NBC Sports Grill & Brew is a favorite amongst the kiddos in our family. Who doesn’t love a working foosball dining table 😉

City Walk also has some fun photo opportunities and great shops and because it is so quiet during the afternoon you can get a bunch of fun shots.

*Pro Tip- if you stay at one of the hotels I mentioned previously your room key will also help you get priority seating at many of the restaurants in City Walk.

20. Skip dinner at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium

Wait what?? You read that right. Dinner here includes a ridiculous wait time and your room key does not grant you priority seating at this hot spot.

However, the specialty here is clearly dessert and you can skip the long wait and head right inside and order your tasty treats at the counter.

Make sure you try at least one of their INCREDIBLE Artisanal Milk Shakes. Hands down the BEST flavor is Salted Caramel Pretzel but Chocolate Peanut Butter comes in close for second.

* Check out my top 10 foods you have to try at Universal

21. Don’t Miss These Off-the-Beaten-Path Attractions

You most likely know about all of the most popular attractions. But, there are a few things that most people are unaware of that we think are absolutely worth your time.

Live Raptor Photo Opportunity- I mean where else can you get a photo with a live raptor- ha! What makes this so incredibly fun is the employees are steadfast in the delivery of their character.

The kids were actually starting to question if the dino was going to be real. Check out the video:

Jurassic Play Area-  After you ride the Jurassic Park River Adventure, you can go to the Jurassic Park Discovery Center. Here you can relax in the air-conditioned room while kids check out all the cool dinosaurs. Make sure to wander over to the eggs. If you’re there when a baby dino breaks out of its shell, your kiddo might be lucky enough to name the newborn and get an official birth certificate!

Character Meet & Greet with Shrek & Donkey- who wouldn’t want to spend time with this hilarious duo. Make sure to check the guide for times so that you can hang out with these totally awesome and funny characters. Check out our experience below:

Fievel Playground- stop by this awesome play area to give the kids a chance to run wild. There is plenty for both little and big kids to do and it’s also a nice break for mom & dad. Liv loved playing in the ball pit and the older ones enjoyed the water slide and swinging from the giant rope.

Hello Kitty Shop – if you have young girls (or teens) they will LOVE the adorable Hello Kitty Shop located inside Universal Studios. They have every type of Hello Kitty product imaginable PLUS an adorable bakery/ candy shop too!

Free Coloring Station in Seuss Landing- little ones will love cooling down in the air conditioned stores in Seuss Landing. We found a coloring station in the store near the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!

22. Take a photo of your park passes

If you lose your park passes it can be a pain, but if you take a picture they can easily reprint them 

23. Pack some Ponchos

It’s Central Florida, which means there is a good chance of rain. Also, there are some very wet rides. So, pack some ponchos and save yourself the exorbitant costs of paying for a poncho at the parks.

24. GET A BIRTHDAY BUTTON (READER SUGGESTION!)

Here is one of the comments that I thought was a great idea.

“If it’s someone’s birthday, get a birthday button. When I went with my sister, we got backdoor access to a couple of rides and they sang Happy Birthday to her over the intercom at Men in Black!” -Crystal

25. There are 2 Lazy Rivers at Volcano Bay and one is absolutely not Lazy!

If you decide to hit up Volcano Bay you will for sure find yourself in the Lazy River, however some people do not realize there are actually two rivers.

One nice and mellow river and one that is more of a fast paced rapid ride. Everyone in the fast paced river is required to wear a life vest as the water does move quite fast, but it is super fun!

26. Download the Universal app beforehand

You can then link your tickets and credit card to the app. When you are in the water park you can use their special Tapu Tapu Tapu to pay for items. The app also gives wait times for the 2 main parks.

27. Save Hundreds of Dollars by renting a Stroller from an offsite vendor!

The strollers at Universal are expensive and not very comfortable. Kingdom Strollers has been around for over 20 years and they will save you a ton of money plus they deliver the stroller to your hotel or Airbnb!

You simply place your order and then meet them at your hotel at one of their 5 daily meetup times and grab your stroller.

It couldn’t be any easier Check em out here! In fact now you can pick up your stroller at the Orlando Airport. It is pretty convenient

28. Universal Tips for Adults – Visit During Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is one of the best times to visit the parks with or without kids, but especially without kids since Universal’s Mardi Gras events are going on.

You will enjoy, live concerts from top artists, amazing food, and plenty of celebratory drinks and parades. You can check out all the Mardi Gras details here.

29. Take the Hogwarts Express from Universal Studios and Disappear into the Wall!

Ever wanted to disappear into a brick wall like they do in Harry Potter. If you take the Hogwarts Express from Universal Studios to Islands of Adventure you will enjoy all the whimsy of Hogsmeade station including an illusion which makes it seem like you disappear into a brick wall (check it out in the video above). 

Map of Islands of Adventures

Universal Orlando Tips FAQ’s

How do i get the most out of universal studios.

Stay in an onsite hotel for FREE Express Passes Arrive Early Go to Harry Potter’s World later in the day Allow 45 Minutes for Parking & Security Use Rider Switch Pass if you have kids that are too small

How can I save money at Universal Studios Orlando?

Pre-Purchase Tickets from Discount Ticket Sites Like Undercover Tourist Bring your own water Get Free Express Passes by staying at an onsite hotel Get a whole Pizza for the Family at Louise’s Visit during the off season for the best deals

What rides to go on first at Universal Studios?

Hollywood Rip Rock it Transformers Mummy the Ride Harry Potter Escape from Gringots

Is Express Pass worth it at Universal?

It depends on how much time you have to spend at the parks. If you are short on time, yes! The cheapest way to get Express passes is staying at an onsite hotel. You get 5 for 2 days for 1 night at a hotel.

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Reader Interactions

November 30, 2016 at 12:46 pm

You definitely need inside tips when you visit places like this! It can make all the difference for a trip! Great share!

November 30, 2016 at 4:03 pm

The concierge level sounds like a game changer! Will try next time!

November 30, 2016 at 9:27 pm

I love posts like these! I have never spent time in Orlando but it’s on my list. Pinning this for when I get to cross it off because it will come in handy with planning. Thank you!

December 13, 2016 at 1:10 pm

So many awesome tips! We stayed on site on our last visit and it was totally worth it! I’ll definitely pay with my AMEX next time to get access to the lounge.

February 19, 2022 at 6:25 am

I must have missed the benefit of using AMEX. Can you please fill me in?

December 13, 2016 at 7:21 pm

Man! You really are an expert! Great tips lady.

December 14, 2016 at 6:22 pm

I had NO IDEA about these great tips. I especially like the Child Swap scheme and analyzing hotels for whether they include passes! Brilliant.

March 9, 2017 at 4:51 pm

This helped me out a lot! We plan on going to City Walk for lunch, because I *need* to try that shake at that Chocolate place. I don’t even care if the food is crap. I told my kids we’re going because Mommy needs a gigantic shake.

March 10, 2017 at 10:22 am

I love that about you. You totally deserve the milkshake taking the kids by yourself. You won’t need to worry about the food at all. That shake is a meal on it’s own anyways.

April 20, 2017 at 5:13 am

I love the am ex tip & staying on property perks! Had no idea! Also love the moes tavern!

July 14, 2017 at 3:45 pm

Very detailed post! I didn’t realize that you get express passes staying at the resort, great idea!

July 15, 2017 at 7:11 pm

Yes, and those express passes are EVERYTHING! Makes the park experience SOOO much more enjoyable.

July 15, 2017 at 4:56 am

We always stay at the resorts in Orlando. Even though it can be a little more expensive at times, it’s worth it to maximize on time. A lot of the resorts we’ve stayed at come with snacks twice a day and you can grab an apple or orange to take into the park to make it stretch even longer! I can’t wait to get back to Disney and Universal! I haven’t seen any of the newer part of Wizarding World of HP.

July 15, 2017 at 7:10 pm

Exactly! And, yes you have to go back. Diagon Alley is SOO cool. The dragon is amazing.

July 15, 2017 at 3:33 pm

Great tips! My parents love Disney World and Orlando Studios. They go every couple of years and have a trip planned in the Fall. I will pass on these tips!

July 15, 2017 at 7:09 pm

Awesome, thank you!!

August 7, 2017 at 10:19 pm

Great tips for a first timer. One question, and maybe I missed it, did you mention anything about a pass that lets you park hope? I am using almost every one of your tips, thanks again!

August 8, 2017 at 6:50 am

There are multi-park tickets that allow you to go between parks in the same day. And, there are express passes that allow you to get to the front of the lines. Express passes are included when you stay on property at most of their resorts too.

September 29, 2017 at 11:04 am

Volcano Bay is a no-no as far as I could see from endless horrible reviews. Too crowded and bracelet system doesn’t work. Better off going to Disney’s or Sea World’s aqua parks.

September 29, 2017 at 11:30 am

Thank you for the comment. I definitely agree that Universal needs to limit the amount of people they allow in and work on their bands. But, now that it’s a quieter season (as opposed to a brand new park in the summer) I’m guessing things are slowing down. And, if that’s the case I don’t think the park itself with the rides it has can be beat by any of the other Orlando water parks. In fact I can confidently say that Volcano Bay had the best rides, slides, play areas and was the cleanest water park I had ever visited. They also had the best food. So when they get all the tweaks worked out I think it will be unstoppable ?

May 7, 2018 at 5:44 pm

We just went in April and the bracelet system was fantastic! They must have gotten all the hiccups worked out because it was flawless. We rented chairs too. Our attendant brought us our food and refilled our water bottles all day long. It was a great experience.

May 8, 2018 at 6:16 am

That is wonderful news!!! I absolutely LOVED the park and was only concerned with the lines. I figured they would learn and improve. Great news!!

July 9, 2018 at 6:11 pm

We have never been to universal, but would you say it’s a full day in each park? And how may parks are there?

July 9, 2018 at 9:00 pm

Hey Mandy, There are three parks. If you don’t have the express pass, it is definitely a full day in each park. If you do have the express pass you can possibly hit up two parks in one day. The parks are a good size and a ton of fun.

December 12, 2019 at 8:17 am

Also a fun tip: outside of Diagon Alley at Universal studios, if you knock on the door of 12 Grimmauld Place, you can see Kreacher peak out through the curtains.

August 20, 2019 at 6:41 am

Thanks Lucy for the sweet comments. Please feel free to contact us with any questions about your trip.

December 11, 2019 at 8:34 am

The BEST Universal Orlando Tips from a Pro [Over 20 Amazing Tips] – Great site. A lot of useful info here. I’m sending it to several friends ans also sharing in delicious. And certainly, thank you to your effort!- calator.tel

February 9, 2020 at 5:57 am

If it’s someone’s birthday, get a birthday button. When I went with my sister, we got backdoor access to a couple of rides and they sang Happy Birthday to her over the intercom at Men in Black!

February 13, 2020 at 8:36 am

The pictures of your children in the park really made this list special. Thanks for sharing.

September 11, 2020 at 3:19 pm

I was surprised by the difference in the daily rates of a common hotel to a hotel in the Universal complex. Actually, even though it is a little more expensive, the advantages far outweigh the difference. Thank you for all this information.

June 6, 2021 at 5:45 am

We just visited the end of may and the parks we’re super crowded,that being said we purchased the unlimited express pass and it may be pricy but my family never had so much fun,we had no wait times and that makes a high difference compared to the other people I saw waiting over an hour on some rides. Also they do have a medical assistant pass for people with conditions that make waiting in line difficult , very helpful with two children with conditions that make it hard to wait in the heat. Can’t wait to go back ,I think we will definitely stay at one of the big three hotels to get express pass

June 6, 2021 at 6:23 am

Glad you had a great time. Yes, when it is crowded, those express passes are a game changer.

February 15, 2023 at 11:19 am

ANYONE HAVE A STRATEGY FOR ONE PERSON, AGE 20, WHO ONLY HAS ONE DAY, WANTS TO DO BOTH PARKS IN EARLY MARCH 2023 ? I SEE SINGLE RIDERS OPTIONS, SHOULD I STILL GET EXPRESS PASS? PLAN TO BE THERE WHEN PARK OPENS AND STAY UNTIL IT CLOSES! THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR INPUT!

February 24, 2023 at 5:44 am

With Single Rider you should be able to get on almost all the major rides in one day.

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25 Essential Tips for Universal Studios Orlando

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Visiting a theme park like Universal Studios is so much fun and exciting but it can be chaos if you go in with no plan. With the rising cost of… well, everything these days it can be stressful to plan a vacation of any kind but when you are planning around something like a theme park that will require tickets to enter, food, and so much more you want to make sure that you are saving every dollar that you can, that you plan your trip to make sure you get your money’s worth, and that everything goes as smooth as it possibly can. 

After reading this article, you’ll be armed with all of my favorite Universal Orlando tips that you need for an amazing trip! I’ll cover everything starting with considerations as you book your trip to Universal Studios Florida to how to save money and maximize your experience in the park.

Where to Stay at Universal Orlando – Tips to Decide

If you plan on at least two days at Universal Studios, consider staying at an on-property hotel. They’re extremely convenient and most of them offer perks specific to Universal Orlando resort guests.

The best perks – Unlimited Express Pass and Early Access – are reserved for folks staying at Hard Rock Hotel , Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort . All three are walking distance to the theme parks, which makes it even easier to take advantage of your early park admission. You might even have the Wizarding World of Harry Potter all to yourself!

If you’re looking themed hotel rooms at Universal Studios in Orlando, these Premier Hotels are where you’ll find them as well. These suites all sleep up to 5 people in two separate spaces.

• Hard Rock Hotel – Future Rock Star Suites
• Loews Portofino Bay Hotel – Despicable Me Kid’s Suites
• Loews Royal Pacific Resort – Jurassic World Kid’s Suites

The downside of Premier Hotels is that they’re really expensive, starting around $400 per night but sometimes as much as $800 per night. But with four Unlimited Express Passes per room (including the day you check in and the day you check out) it might be worth it since those passes start at $130 each for park-to-park visitors.

Lots of people do a “split stay” – one night at a Universal Premier hotel, followed by a few nights at a mid-priced Disney World hotel like Pop Century or Art of Animation . Following that strategy also lets you avoid the extra expense of renting a car – you’ll just need to takeUbers to and from the airport and one between Universal and Walt Disney World.

One of the best Universal Orlando resort tips? To get a Premier room and all its benefits for free, you can apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and use the sign up bonus – worth at least $750 depending on the current promotion – to book through the Ultimate Reward portal. Small business owners can level up by also applying for the Chase Ink Business Preferred card , with a bonus worth $1500 when combined with the Sapphire Reserve.

If you’re not worried about the Express Passes or themed rooms, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is a good Universal hotel option at a reasonable price point. You’ll still get Early Park Admission one hour before regular park opening, though you’ll have to take the free shuttle bus or walk 20 minutes to the entrance.

The design choices are fun and lively and when you aren’t at the parks you can dive in to the fantastic pool area (complete with waterslide and lazy river) or enjoy on-site bowling! Cabana Bay offers everything from standard rooms up to 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom suites that sleep up to 8 people . Check available room types for your dates.

For those who would rather stay at an amazing off-property hotel that the whole family will love, check out the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes . This newly renovated, ultra-luxe hotel will satisfy high-end hotel lovers. There’s a big brand new water park – just take a look at these photos to see how amazing it looks. Because it’s a little removed from the theme park areas, the JW sits on over 500 acres and has plenty of outdoor areas to explore including ecotours, falconry, fishing and more. The JW Studio has video games, foosball, ski ball, air hockey and more. It’s about a 15 minute drive to Universal Studios Orlando theme parks.

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Tips for Universal Orlando Vacation Booking

Planning is essential when it comes to a successful trip, the more you are planned and prepared for – the more success you will have. Try some of these planning tips when it’s time for you to start planning your Universal Studios trip. 

• Start Planning Early: When it comes to something like Universal Studios, you will want to start planning relatively early. I recommend planning about 6 months to 1 year prior to when you are planning on going. This allows you to time to save the money necessary for your trip as well as booking all of the necessary reservations such as hotel, park tickets, and more.
• Check the Crowd Calendar: When it comes to picking when you want to take your visit, check on the crowd calendar to see peak times to avoid. Universal Orlando lines can be brutal and the park gets extremely busy during peak seasons such as the summer and holiday seasons. Unless you are visiting for a specific occasion, try to plan to visit during the off-season where you may have a less stressful visit and see more of the Universal Orlando resort. Our recent visit on a Monday in mid-October saw very manageable crowds, and many visitors have had success on weekdays in late August and through September.
• Weigh a Multi-Day Trip vs a Park to Park Ticket: One of the first decisions you’ll have to make as you plan your visit to Universal Orlando is whether you should choose a multi-day ticket or a park to park ticket – or you may want to choose a multi-day park to park ticket! There are two Universal Orlando parks within the Universal Studios Florida property as well as a seasonal water park, Volcano Bay. You’ll have to evaluate in advance what you want to do at Universal Studios in the context of all the other things to do in Orlando . If you want to do absolutely everything , a two or three day park to park ticket may be the right fit. On the other hand, if you don’t like thrill rides or are visiting with small children then a one day park to park ticket should do the trick. Why am I specifically recommending park to park tickets over single-park tickets? The Hogwarts Express connects the two parks through the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and it’s only available with park to park tickets. Don’t buy a single park ticket and then be disappointed! Unlike Walt Disney World , the two main parks at Universal Orlando are an easy walking distance apart so it’s feasible to hop back and forth multiple times per day. There’s also no specific time at which you’re allowed to switch parks. We bounced around several times without issue.

• Know Ride Height Requirements: If you are traveling with younger children, this is an important thing to note. Many of the Universal Studios rides are more intense, both aesthetically and physically, than those at Disney World and have a minimum height requirement. It’s a good idea to check out height requirements prior to visiting the park so you have an idea of what may work for your family and what may not – petite families like ours simply don’t have access to all of the rides, and knowing those limits may help you decide how many days to spend at Universal Studios. One ride at Universal’s Islands of Adventure requires riders to be 54″!

Universal Studios Tricks Shortly Before You Visit & At the Parks

• Arrive at the Park Early: If you want to get a jump start on things you will want to arrive to the park early. If you’re staying off-property, you’ll park in the same parking structures that are used for Universal CityWalk and then go to the security pavilion, after which you walk through City Walk to the park entrances. Those security lines can get long! We arrived in the parking structure a little after the 8am opening and it took around 15 minutes to get into the park; by that time there was already a 30 minute wait for our first ride. If you wait until 9am or later to arrive, plan on even longer to get If you’re staying at one of the Universal hotels, you’ll be allowed to arrive one hour before park opening. Be sure to take advantage of that, as you should be able to experience a lot before the real crowds arrive.

• Download the Universal Orlando Resort App Before You Go. While every day is different, you can take a peak at your highest-priority rides and shows a few days or even a week before you visit to see what typical wait times look like. You can also add them to My Favorites for easy access once you’re in the park, and there’s even a Wait Time Alert feature to let you know when the lines have gotten shorter and you should head over. You’ll also want to use the app for mobile food ordering, so be sure to get it set up before you get to the park.
• Have a Rough Plan For Your Day. While flexibility is critical, it’s good to arrive at Universal Studios Florida with a general idea of how you’re going to divide your time and prioritize experiences. That’s especially true if you have park to park tickets. For example, our kids really wanted to ride Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem and it’s near the entrance to Universal Studios Florida. We also planned for the biggest chunk of our day to be spent in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, so we hit Minions first and then gunned it over to Diagon Alley and got in line to pick out wands at Ollivanders. If we’d wanted to ride Escape from Gingotts, that would have been a great choice as soon as arriving in the area since the line can get extremely long. We also knew that we wanted to hop over to Universal’s Islands of Adventure to experience Hogsmeade and the Hogwarts Castle with enough time to return to Universal Studios Florida for the last run of Bourne Stuntacular – don’t miss that show! Sitting down with the app in advance and making a rough plan for the day will serve you well. Of course it’s important to know which park you’ll be starting at. Generally they both open at the same time but one park has Early Park Admission for guests staying on-property. If you’re staying on site that’s the obvious place to start, while if you’re staying in an independent hotel you may find smaller crowds at the other park.
• Plan To Attend Some Shows. Universal Studios Orlando offers plenty of great entertainment at no extra charge. The trick is to get a handle on their schedules in advance, as they can be pretty limited some days. For example The Tales of Beedle the Bard in Diagon Alley only runs 10am to 3:30pm some days.
• If you see a souvenir you like, buy it. Once you enter Diagon Alley you’ll realize that a huge portion of its real estate is actually shopping. There are some fun, unique items that you’ll only find there and in other shops within the themed lands of the Universal Studios theme parks. While there’s a large Universal shop on CityWalk, it doesn’t always get the same merchandise as the smaller locations within the parks. That’s somewhat of a contrast to Walt Disney World, where you’ll find an enormous variety (nearly everything) at both the Disney Springs World of Disney store as well as the Emporium in Magic Kingdom.

Money Saving Tips for Universal Studios

No matter who you are and when you are visiting, I know we all love to save as much money as we can! A trip to Universal Studios can be pretty pricey but there are some tricks to saving a little bit of money.

• Buy Tickets Online: The easiest way to save money on Universal Studios tickets is to buy them in advance from a legitimate source. You’ll save a few dollars person on a 1 day park to park ticket, but a family buying a 2 day ticket can easily save over $100! You’ll also save precious time at the gate.
• Consider Ticket/Resort Packages: If you’ve decided to stay at a Universal Studios hotel, you might score a great deal by booking the hotel and tickets together as a package .
• Check for Deals/Specials: Often times Universal will run deals and promotions that will provide you some savings. These may include multi-day ticket purchases at a discounted rate and more! You can find current deals here .
• Check for Discounts: There are a few qualifications that may get you a discounted rate when it comes to purchasing Universal tickets. For example, they offer a discounted cost to both Military personnel (active, retired, and spouse of the military) AAA members, and Florida residents.
• Bring Water and Snacks. Universal Studios Florida allows you to bring up to 2 liters of water along with snacks and even a small soft-sided cooler. They don’t have facilities for heating up food, but feel free to pack sandwiches or even cheese, crackers and apples for an easy, cost-effective lunch. You might want to bring enough food for lunch and an afternoon snack and then you can plan for dinner on CityWalk as soon as the parks close. (We ate lunch at Three Broomsticks and were underwhelmed by the balance of quality vs price.)

• Choose Dining Options Wisely. Lots of Universal tips will tell you to eat tons of thematic snacks in the theme parks. But if you are going to purchase food at Universal Studios Orlando, choose wisely! We liked the ice cream at Florian Fortescue’s but found most of the candies at Honeydukes to be gimmicky and not great. TODAY Cafe has a surprisingly nice range of breakfast/brunch/lunch options and pastries for an afternoon snack – we mobile ordered breakfast while in line for our first ride and then picked it up when we were done! For a quick lunch, I’ve heard solid recommendations for Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck at Universal Studios and Green Eggs and Ham in Universal’s Islands of Adventure. One thing to be sure you try? A nice refreshing cup of butterbeer!

• Buy Shirts Online Before You Go. This one is straightforward, but you don’t have to wait until you arrive at Universal Studios or City Walk to buy your themed shirts for the day. You’ll spend less and enjoy a bigger selection if you purchase them in advance! We chose all of ours from this extensive selection .

Time Saving Universal Orlando Tips and Tricks

If you are looking to make the most of your trip and ensure that you have an action packed day, then you may want to keep these time savings tips and tricks in mind when it comes to planning out your day.

• Consider Universal Express Passes : Although it’s pretty pricey, the Universal Express Pass may be worth the money if you are visiting during a busier time of the year and you want to do everything at Universal in just one day. You may want to consider Universal Studios premier resorts , which include the Universal Express Pass with your stay. The cost could make it worth booking at one of these hotels compared to a value resort, especially since you’ll be walking distance to the park’s entrance. Combined with early admission, you can really make the most of limited time this way!
• Don’t Rely Exclusively on Hogwarts Express to Park Hop: I get it. The whole reason most people feel compelled to buy a Universal park to park ticket is to ride the Hogwarts Express. It’s very cool and definitely adds to the magical feeling of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter rides! That said, as the day progresses the wait time can be upwards of an hour. The two parks are plenty close to walk between – less than 10 minutes from gate to gate.

• Use the Single Riders Line: Most Universal attractions offer a single riders line. Here you will face a significantly shorter wait time and will in turn have the opportunity to fit more into your day. Contrary to the name of the single rider’s line, quite often you will find that you will still get to ride in the same ride car as your partner or group but you just may not be sitting right next to them. If you’re visiting Universal Studios without kids or your kids are older and don’t mind, that’s a great tradeoff for a much shorter line. 
• Utilize the Universal Orlando App : Having the Universal Orlando app is very beneficial when you are visiting the parks. You can find resources including a park map, ride and attractions wait times, scheduled show times, and more!
• Skip Sit-Down Dinner in the Theme Parks (If You Can): This tip won’t work for everyone, but if you’re able to push your group for a late dinner at City Walk you’ll be able to take advantage of the quieter night hours at Universal Studios. Universal’s Islands of Adventure is often open later than Universal Studios Florida but sometimes everything is done by 7pm or 8pm. We didn’t do this an instead opted for a nice dinner at Mythos, the interior of Poseidon’s cave pictured above. The food was very good and it’s a beautifully themed restaurant, but we missed out on the last 90 minutes of park time. It was the right choice for our family after three days of hustling around theme parks (and we had a very special 11th birthday to celebrate) but if we go again we’ll probably make a different choice.

What To Bring To Universal Studios Orlando Tips

If you don’t read any other Universal Orlando tips, be sure to review these!

• Wear the most comfortable shoes you can find. I brought these sneakers for our trip to Orlando and they worked out great even through we covered a whopping 23 miles in three days. We hit 20,000 steps just on our day at Universal Studios!
• Since you’ll be walking a ton and Orlando is almost never cold, prepare to drink a lot of water. All eateries in Universal Orlando will give you a free cup, or you can use Coke Freestyle machines for water anywhere you see them. Since we are a family of four and we like to stay hydrated, we brought a hydration bladder in our backpack in addition to a smaller insulated bottle. Collectively we went through about 6 liters of water, so I was very glad we brought the bladder! Otherwise we would have been stopping constantly to refill instead of bouncing from one activity to another.

• If you want to be chosen at Ollivander’s, you have to dress the part. My son was the lucky young wizard chosen for the wand receiving ceremony! I think he had a few factors weighing in his favor. First, he and his sister came fully decked out in their house shirts and robes. Second, it was his 11th birthday and he had the official Universal Studios pin given out at guest services. Third, while waiting for our turn with Mr. Ollivander we chatted up our escort and made sure she knew that he was there for his 11th birthday because that’s when all young witches and wizards matriculate at Hogwarts. She could tell we were into it and I think she gave a nod to Mr. Ollivander himself. Even if it isn’t your birthday, I think coming in costume with one of these robes will help your case!
• The #1 item to put on your Universal Studios Orlando packing list? An external battery pack , without question, is the most important thing to bring on your Universal Orlando trip. When I polled my Facebook group the day before traveling it was everyone’s top recommendation and they were right! Between taking photos and videos, tracking my kids on their AirTags , refreshing the Universal app to check wait times and show schedules, and ordering food I ended up needing a second battery back. Fortunately I had ordered this one right before our trip and it worked incredibly well. There’s also a version for non-iPhones .

Visiting Universal Orlando FAQS

The best way to get the most out of your time at Universal Orlando is to decide on your priorities. Whether you love thrill rides or can’t get enough of casting spells with the interactive wants in Diagon Alley, there’s a good chance you won’t be able to do absolutely everyone in a single visit to Universal Studios unless you spend lots of time there. Don’t stress out, leave the FOMO behind, and have a blast doing what’s meaningful to you!

Yes, we brought this backpack and it worked perfectly. I also attached this partner to it, which was extremely helpful when our family opted to divide and conquer – it was the perfect Universal Studios trick to make sure we could each still carry the essentials without being bogged down.

For rides that are physically intense – and you’ll find quite a few at Universal Studios Orlando – there are free lockers to stash your stuff before you get on the ride.

Many first time visitors to Universal Studios feel like they’ve had their fill after one or two days of park to park tickets. If you’re visiting in the warm weather and don’t have other plans for Orlando, consider adding another day for Volcano Bay. Sometimes you’ll find promotions here that give you two free days when you buy two, but personally I think that four days would feel pretty repetitive and there are plenty of other great things to do in Orlando !

Planning Your Visit to Universal Studios Orlando Theme Parks And Beyond

If you are planning a trip to visit Universal Studios Florida, I strongly recommend making a plan to maximize your experience. I hope that some of our experiences and Universal tips for first-timers help you in planning your Universal vacation. Just remember: there’s no one best way to do Universal Studios, only your way!

Be sure to read these articles as you plan the rest of your amazing trip to Orlando:

• Fantastic Things to do in Orlando With Tweens
• 25 Tips for Disney World That Won’t Make You Crazy
• Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Review: Is It As Good As You’ve Heard?
• Disney All-Star Music Resort Reviews: A Repeat Visitor’s Inside Scoop
• Transportation From MCO to Port Canaveral: 5 Ways to Get to The Port Canaveral Cruise Terminal
• Complete Guide to Visiting Kennedy Space Center: Tips & Tricks
• Attainable Bucket List Item: Swim With Manatees in Crystal River, Florida
• Fun Things to do in Sarasota with Kids: A Delightful Weekend Getaway
• Hyatt Regency Sarasota Review: Family-Friendly Fun
• Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Review: A Weekend Getaway Wrapped in a Bow
• Things To Do In Miami With Kids: A Weekend Getaway For All Ages

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A First Timer’s Guide to Universal Orlando

Jun 15, 2015

See recent posts by Gina Vercesi

Planning a trip to Universal Orlando Resort is exciting, but daunting, even for the savviest of travelers. This guide will streamline the process by answering a first-time visitor’s most common questions about accommodations, ticket options, timing and more.

What’s the Difference Between Each Park?

Universal Orlando Resort is comprised of three theme parks — Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay water park. Another component of the resort is CityWalk, an expansive entertainment, shopping and dining promenade.

Universal Studios Florida Movies and television come to life at this action-packed theme park. Universal Studios Orlando features seven distinct areas, and each one feels like a film set with rich detailing. Diagon Alley, part of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, is the most popular area here — obviously.

Islands of Adventure Islands of Adventure caters to the young bunch with attractions featuring favorite super heroes and cartoon characters. Little ones will especially love Seussland, while Potter fans will delight in the snowcapped village of Hogsmeade. Make no mistake, though — Islands of Adventure still caters to teens and tweens with iconic thrill rides. The Incredible Hulk Coaster and Doctor Doom’s Fearfall are at the top of the list.

Volcano Bay Opened in 2016, Volcano Bay might as well be an island in French Polynesia. The water park features rides and attractions for all ages — including the now-famous Krakatau Water Coaster, a waterslide inside the park’s centerpiece “volcano.”

When Should We Go to Universal Orlando?

School vacation times dictate the crowd levels at Universal Orlando Resort. The resort’s location in Florida means many looking to escape the cold will flock to the parks during the winter and early spring, with mid-February through April seeing higher crowds and pricing. The summer months see similar crowd levels and rates, with the addition of heat and humidity. Visit September through January for the fewest crowds and best prices.

Where Should We Stay at Universal Orlando?

Offsite Accommodations Several Orlando hotels are considered Universal Partner Hotels and many of these are located just a mile from the parks. Some of these offer complimentary shuttle service to the parks, but will probably not get you to the parks as early as you’d like. Booking a stay at a Universal Partner Hotel directly through Universal as part of a package that includes park tickets entitles you to enter the Wizarding World of Harry Potter an hour early on select days.

However, the complimentary transportation to the parks will not begin running early enough to allow you to take advantage of that benefit, requiring you to drive to the parks or take an Uber or taxi. Also, booking a package via Universal may not always be the most cost-effective option, and staying at an offsite hotel may not actually save you money in the end.

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort (Moderate/Value)

Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort (Moderate/Value)

Hard Rock Hotel Orlando (Deluxe)

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel (Deluxe)

Loews Royal Pacific Resort (Deluxe)

Without question, the biggest perk of staying at one of the onsite hotels is early entry to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which allows guests to enter Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village an hour earlier than the general public.

For guests of Universal Resort’s Deluxe Hotels, Universal Express Unlimited Passes are included in the price of the stay; guests of Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort do not receive this benefit. If you are considering a stay at an offsite hotel at a similar price point, this perk alone can make it worthwhile to opt for one of these hotels instead. The proximity of the onsite hotels to CityWalk and the theme parks is another benefit of choosing to stay at one of these properties. All five hotels provide easy access to the CityWalk promenade.

What’s the Best Way to Get Around Universal Orlando?

Everything at Universal Orlando Resort feels centrally located, and getting from the parks to the hotels and everywhere in between is a breeze. From the entry point of CityWalk, both theme parks are only about a 5- to 10-minute walk. A water taxi transports guests from the Deluxe Hotels and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort to a dock in CityWalk. Cabana Bay provides its own shuttle bus to CityWalk’s main entrance. Shuttles are also available to transport guests between the Universal Orlando Resort hotels.

How Much Time Do We Need at Universal Orlando?

The answer to this question largely depends on how much you want to see during your visit. Ideally, three-day park-to-park tickets will allow you to experience most of what the parks have to offer while leaving room for much needed down-time to relax by the pool or enjoy a leisurely meal. Of course, you can also visit the parks in one day — just know that you’ll need a play-by-play strategy, particularly for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. See 24 Hours in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for our best tactics.

If you are staying in an onsite hotel and have the privilege of early entry, start your day in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter — either Hogsmeade Village or Diagon Alley. After riding the Forbidden Journey (in Islands of Adventure) and/or Escape from Gringotts (Universal Studios), head to the parks’ other headlining attractions — substantial waits tend to build early and quickly at Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, Transformers the Ride: 3D, Revenge of the Mummy, and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit in Universal Studios Florida, and at the Amazing Adventures of Spiderman, the Incredible Hulk Coaster, and the Toon Lagoon water rides (Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls and Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges in Islands of Adventure.

Which Ticket Options Are Best at Universal Orlando?

Tickets are available for one to four days of admission and come in three forms:

• Multi-Day: These tickets allow guests entry into one park, two parks, or all three parks over the course of four days (or less), depending on your preference.
• Single-Park: These tickets allow guests entry into one park or all three parks for one day; they can be upgraded at any time.
• Volcano Bay: This ticket provides one-day access to the water park.

The price difference for a park-to-park ticket over a single-park ticket is about $50 regardless of how many days of tickets you have. It is highly recommended that you purchase your park tickets in advance. Doing so through Universal’s website offers you a savings over the gate price, as well as time savings. Tickets purchased online can be printed at kiosks located at all of the Universal Orlando resorts and theme parks.

Note: A ride aboard the Hogwarts Express requires that guests purchase park-to-park tickets. Multi-day park-to-park tickets are available, too.

Is Universal Express Pass Worth It?

Unlike lines at Disney World, front-of-the-line access at Universal is a perk that typically comes at a price. There are two types of passes available — the Universal Express Pass, which entitles guests one express queue entry per participating attraction, and the Universal Express Pass Unlimited, which entitles guests unlimited access to the Express queues at participating attractions. Guests staying at Universal’s Deluxe Hotels receive Unlimited Passes as an added benefit. Guests at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort other area hotels may purchase the passes a la carte.

If you are staying at either of the park’s Moderate hotels, have access to early park entry and are willing to arrive at the park’s turnstiles prior to park opening, you will stay ahead of the masses and the Express Pass will only be of minimal benefit, even during peak periods. If you are staying at an offsite hotel or would prefer to sleep later in the mornings, Express Passes will reduce your wait times significantly.

Volcano Bay offers Tapu Tapu bands that automatically help families avoid waits with technology that notifies them how long lines are so they can plan their next move accordingly. Anyone with tickets to the water park receives a Tapu Tapu (to be returned upon departure).

More Hacks for Universal Orlando

Don’t Prolong Breakfast To save time, plan on eating breakfast in your room before heading to the parks. If this is too early for your stomachs, plan a breakfast break after your first attraction.

Rent a Stroller To lighten your load, strollers can be rented in both parks immediately after you pass through the turnstiles. Family Services areas are centrally located and provide everything caregivers need for diaper changing and bottle warming. Rocking chairs are available for nursing moms or for resting quietly with a tired toddler.

Take Advantage of Rider Swap If you’re traveling with young children who don’t meet the height requirement for an attraction, or someone in your party isn’t interested in coming along for the ride, Universal’s Rider Swap program is for you. Rider Swap allows the whole family to go through the attraction’s queue together. At the loading area, one parent takes the non-riding kids to a special waiting area while the other parent boards the attraction with the other kids. After the ride, the family is reunited and the other adult may ride without having to wait in line. Any member of the family may ride again so the second adult doesn’t have to ride alone.

Download the Universal Orlando Resort App Be sure to download the resort’s official app, which is free. The app provides wait times, which are very accurate, lists of attractions with detailed descriptions, park maps, dining and hotel information and show times.

Know Which Foods You Can Bring The parks allow the following items: bottled water; small snacks; any food required for medical purposes and medically-indicated nutritional supplements; any food for special dietary needs; baby food/baby formula; and soft-sided insulated bags no larger than 8.5 inches wide, 6 inches high and 6 inches deep. Full picnic lunches and food that requires heating or refrigeration are not permitted.

Our team of parents and travel experts chooses each product and service we recommend. Anything you purchase through links on our site may earn us a commission.

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12 Tips for the Best Day at Universal Orlando Theme Parks

By: Author Adam

Posted on Last updated: 30 October, 2023

Heading to Universal Studios Orlando? We’ve visited the parks five times over the past year, and we’ve written this guide on how to do Universal Orlando right. There’s no wrong way to do it, but there are some things that can make your trip to the theme parks just that much better.

Make the most of your visit with these 12 money and time-saving Universal Orlando tips.

1. Buy The Express Pass

Don’t spend your day in line. If you want to get the most out of your visit to Universal Orlando, buy the express passes. They are a good deal at only $79.99 per day for a 2-park express pass. They will literally save you hours in line.

If you plan your day right, you can ride just about every major attraction in a single park during one day with an express pass, which would be impossible without.

Express Passes are FREE  if you are at one of these three onsite hotels: Lowes Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, or Loews Royal Pacific Resort.

2. Stay On-Site

One of the best tips for Universal Orlando we always tell people is to stay on site. Universal Orlando Resort has several hotels located right on the grounds connected to the parks. This has a ton of perks that come with your stay.

One of the best perks of staying on-site is early admission to the parks. You can get in one hour earlier than guests staying offsite. Another plus is you can ride the water taxi right to the park gates and skip parking every day. If you stay at Lowes Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, or Loews Royal Pacific Resort Express, passes are included, valued up to $129 per person per day.

On our last trip, we stayed at Cabana Bay Beach Resort, read our review here . 

Plus, priority seating at select restaurants. There are a ton of reasons to stay onsite at Universal Orlando hotels. The perks alone are worth the price.

3. Use The Single Rider Lines

Save even more time in line with single rider lines. If you don’t mind riding alone, then jump in the single rider lines when you get close to the front of the line and have more time to ride all of the rides at Universal Orlando. A bonus is that your friends won’t hear you scream this way either!

4. Explore One Park Per Day

One of the best ways to divide your time at Universal Orlando is to tackle just one park per day. Spend one day at Universal Studios Orlando exploring Diagon alley, the Simpsons attractions, riding the Rip Ride Rocket. The next day take on all the great rides in Islands Of Adventure.

Save your last day for the brand-new Volcano Bay water theme park. You’ll have more time to spend on rides and enjoying the park if you avoid bouncing between parks during the day. Map out your plan of attack before picking up tickets in the morning.

5. Download The Universal Orlando Resort App

Of course, there’s an app for that! Before you hit the park, download the Universal Orlando Resort app . From the app, you’ll have park maps, current wait times for rides, show schedules, dining options, and you can even buy tickets right from your phone.

6. Don’t Bring Too Much Stuff Into The Park

Most rides at Universal Orlando do not allow you to bring bags or backpacks on with you to minimize what you bring into the park. We suggest keeping it simple and bringing in just your phone, camera, and wallet into the park. Everything else you could need is in the park.

7. Pack A Bag That Will Fit In The On-Site Lockers

If you can’t get by with just your pockets for everything you need while in the parks, then make sure to pack a bag that will fit into the lockers on site. There are three locker sizes at Universal Orlando: mini $8 a day, regular $12 a day, and family $15 a day. You can access the locker all day as many times as needed.

8. Ride the Hogwarts Express Between the Parks

Don’t just walk between the theme parks, have an experience while being transported between Universal Studios Orlando and Islands of Adventure. The Hogwarts Express will bring you between the two parks all while entertaining you.

9. Login To The Free Wifi

Stay connected while in the park with the free wifi that actually works just about everywhere in the park. Save your data while traveling and use the wifi while posting to social or face-timing with your friends and family who stayed at home.

10. Parents Should Use The Child Swap Rooms

If you are visiting Universal Orlando with young children who might not be able to ride all the rides, it doesn’t mean you can’t either. Parents can use the child swap rooms at Universal Orlando to take turns riding the rides while the other waits with the kids who can’t ride. You might have visited because of the kids, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun too!

11. Eat at CityWalk

The days of food at theme parks being overpriced and not that great are over with. Good food can be found throughout the parks, but our favorite restaurants are found in Universal’s CityWalk , located at the gates in front of both Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Orlando.

CityWalk is open to the public, so no ticket is needed. We haven’t had a bad meal at CityWalk yet, but our top three picks would be:

• Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar – A burger & sushi spot with funky toppings and awesome fresh rolls | TripAdvisor Reviews
• Toothsome Chocolate Emporium – A themed restaurant with ridiculously good food that is heavy on the chocolate | TripAdvisor Reviews
• Antojitos – A top-notch Mexican place with out-of-this-world table-side prepared guacamole | TripAdvisor Reviews

12. Maximize The Fun With Discounts

Save more money for your next trip to Universal Orlando by looking for discounts to the parks. There are always offers to make your trip to the parks a little bit cheaper.

• Buy two, get two
• Florida resident discounts

Don’t Forget to Pin Me for Later!

Explore More Universal Orlando Travel Tips

• 9 Places to Get a Grown Up Drink at Universal Orlando
• What Makes The Holidays At Universal Orlando Epic
• Top 10 Best Restaurants at Universal Orlando
• Universal Orlando Mardi Gras Guide
• Top 10 Tasty Cheap Eats at Universal Orlando

What are your Universal Orlando tips?

eleanor dugan

Saturday 5th of October 2019

Read through your tip and thought it was great. Been to Universal before and found information helpful. Thanks

Friday 4th of October 2019

Could you add what size the lockers are...a mini would fit a purse? a regular a backpack? and a large....? Thanks!

Hannah Lukaszewicz

Monday 6th of April 2020

There are different size lockers at different prices. There is something that would fit a large bag/backpack. You'll def have somewhere to leave your bags safely.

Wednesday 3rd of October 2018

Read your tips. It really gives me some ideas on what to look out for when im there with my wife in dec 2018 this year.

Tuesday 9th of October 2018

Glad you found us and we could help plan the most epic day at Universal Orlando!

2024 Universal Orlando Planning Guide

Our 2024 Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure planning guide offers park & ride strategy. It features tips & tricks to help you save money & time, avoid crowds, and have the best vacation or side-visit from Walt Disney World as possible. ( Updated January 7, 2024. )

We’re Universal Orlando Annual Passholders and huge fans of those parks in addition to Walt Disney World. Universal has improved a ton and upped its game in the last decade. This began with the Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade lands of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which were further enhanced by Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.

That has been taken to the next level with the debut of Jurassic World VelociCoaster, and to a lesser extent, with the new Minions mini-land last year. This is once again going to be another big year thanks to the DreamWorks Animation Land Opening in 2024 at Universal Studios Florida. These recent and upcoming additions, not to mention an all-new theme park in 2025, are among the reasons why some Walt Disney World fans are openly asking:  Is Universal Beating Disney?

Suffice to say, we highly recommend spending a couple of days at Universal when vacationing at Walt Disney World. This is guide to Universal Orlando Resort contains everything you’ll need to know. Whether you’re doing both parks in a single day or making a trip of it with an on-site hotel stay and multiple days at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, we have you covered with info and advice about attractions, dining, resorts, strategy, crowds, and more.

In this guide, we’ll cover how to make the most of a visit to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. We’re going to take a counterintuitive organizational approach to this guide, as we’ve found that many readers consult it while visiting Universal rather than during the planning stages of a trip. Accordingly, we’re going to front load with info you need to know if you’ve already touched down in Central Florida.

If you’re a Disney fan simply trying to determine whether a trip to Universal Orlando Resort is right for you in the first place, you might start by reading our Universal vs. Walt Disney World post, which covers some of the pros and cons of each, plus the differences between the two vacation destinations. Although they’re all theme parks located in Central Florida, each have strengths and weaknesses that will make them better or worse for certain types of families–ages, demographics, etc.

Similarly, if you’re debating between resorts at the two main theme park complexes, see our comprehensive breakdown: Universal Orlando vs. Walt Disney World Hotels . That should help you determine which is the better option for your vacation–or if a split stay might be best!

For what it’s worth, neither of these versus posts nor the one about whether Universal is “beating” Disney are pointless fan cheerleading or theme parks as polarizing team sports. The two versus posts are practical planning that objectively weigh pros and cons, whereas the “beating” one is an editorial (not useful for planning, but potentially interesting).

Anyway, here’s everything else you need to know about visiting Universal Orlando Resort…

What’s New & Next at Universal

If you have not been to Universal Orlando in a while (or ever), a lot has changed in the last several years. This includes a few attractions that have been added in the last several years: Bourne Stuntacular, Fast and the Furious: Supercharged, Race Through New York starring Jimmy Fallon, and Skull Island: Reign of Kong.

In terms of what’s new, there are two hugely popular coasters in Islands of Adventure: Jurassic World VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure in the Hogsmeade side of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Without question, VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s are two of the very best roller coasters in Orlando. (I’d personally put both above TRON Lightcycle Run at Walt Disney World, but to each their own on that.)

As noted above, there’s also the new Minion Land at Universal Studios Florida . As the name suggests, this is an area based on the  Despicable Me  film franchise, and builds on the popularity of the existing Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem attraction. This is now an expanded avenue with the new Villain-Con Minion Blast ride and Minion Cafe restaurant, plus more retail, snack spots, meet & greets, placemaking, and more.

Next on the horizon is the aforementioned DreamWorks Animation Land that will feature characters like Gabby from Gabby’s Dollhouse  and explore themed, interactive play spaces and attractions that bring popular franchises like  Shrek ,  Trolls  and  Kung Fu Panda to life.

Although unconfirmed, this is expected to feature a “Trollercoaster” (a Trolls-themed roller coaster, hence the name) and a Shrek’s swamp area. Construction permits put the end of work in March 2024, which makes sense–have the DreamWorks land open by Spring Break. (That opening timeframe is also unconfirmed, though–permits can be extended, but construction appears to be progressing quickly.)

These new additions are appetizers to the main course, which comes in Summer 2025. Universal is building a third theme park in Central Florida and construction is progressing fast . It’s full steam ahead on this project, and Universal’s Epic Universe Park is Opening by Summer 2025! This will bring Super Nintendo World plus more Harry Potter, Universal Monsters, How to Train Your Dragon, and much more to Universal Orlando in the coming years.

In the here and now, another thing worth addressing in terms of what’s new is a return to normal in terms of attendance and crowds. After nearly two full years of pent-up demand driving wait times and prices higher, both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando have seen a slowdown.

With this, both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando have gotten more aggressive with discounts in an attempt to entice more people to visit their parks and stay in on-site hotels. We’ve mentioned repeatedly that  Walt Disney World already  has released a dozen different discounts for 2024 .

Universal has followed suit, shifting from discounts aimed almost exclusively at Annual Passholders and Florida residents to general public offers. There’s currently a “buy 2 days, get 3 free” ticket deal, resort discounts offering 20-35% off, and package deals offering up to $650 off.

These are worth pricing out for yourself, but we should warn that many have length of stay requirements of 5 days. That’s longer than most people will spend at Universal Orlando (which is part of why it’s being offered–to increase visit durations). In any case, we recommend using a travel agent– such as Be Our Guest Vacations –to price out different packages and deals, and help you figure out the best way to save, plan your trip, etc.

Now let’s turn to Universal Orlando’s advanced planning topics…

Where to Stay

There are a number of questions you have to ask yourself when planning a trip, and many of them will dictate where you stay. Do you want Unlimited Express Pass by staying at an eligible Universal Orlando hotel? Do you want to stay at a Walt Disney World hotel for the duration of your trip, or change hotels? Do you want to stay an an off-site hotel in the general vicinity of both Universal and Disney to save money?

We’ve recently stayed at every single on-site hotel at Universal Orlando Resort–here are our reviews:

• Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando Review (recommended)
• Loews Portofino Bay Hotel at Universal Orlando Review (highly recommended)
• Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando Review (good Express Pass eligible “budget” pick)
• Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando Review (highly recommended)
• Universal’s Aventura Hotel Review
• Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort Review (highly recommended)
• Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn & Suites Review (good budget pick)
• Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn & Suites (2-Bedroom) Review (good for larger families)

For insight into all of these hotels, their pros & cons, and how they compare and contrast with one another, see our Universal Orlando Hotel Rankings & Reviews .

We are big fans of Universal’s hotels, and are particularly partial to the two “bay” resorts: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Cabana Bay Beach Resort. Both of those are in our top 10 hotels in Orlando, rivaling some of our favorite resorts at Walt Disney World.

Universal’s hotels provide great bang for buck, and even those that don’t include free Express Pass do offer Early Park Admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Universal’s Volcano Bay one hour before those parks open. That can be absolutely huge!

As for staying off-site, you generally will get the most bang for your buck when staying in an off-site hotel, as there are a lot of non-Disney and non-Universal hotels competing with one another. We have an Off-Site v. On-Site Walt Disney World Hotels article that goes into greater depth about the pros and cons of staying off-site, and it’s marginally applicable to Universal, as well.

As for simply staying at a Walt Disney World hotel for the duration of your trip regardless of where you go, we have written comprehensive reviews with our opinions and photos of the rooms. Check out our Walt Disney World Hotel Reviews page , for links to each of these reviews.

Ride Strategy for Universal Orlando

Next, what to know while you’re at Universal Orlando. For starters, we strongly recommend that you do not “wing it” for your daily itinerary due to the aforementioned crowd issues. You don’t need to plan every movement so that there’s no spontaneity in your trip, just make sure you have at least a loose plan of what you’re going to do.

We have the following plans for each park that cover our perfect days:

• 1-Day Universal Studios Florida Park Itinerary
• 1-Day Islands of Adventure Park Itinerary
• 1-Day Universal Park Hopping Itinerary ( both Islands of Adventure & Universal Studios Florida )

Those offer step by step touring plans for both theme parks at Universal Orlando, prioritizing the most popular rides and skipping what isn’t worth your time. Those will help you do Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk Coaster, Jurassic Park River Adventure, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, and other must-do rides.

If you’d prefer to create your own itineraries and want an overview and review of every attraction at each of the parks, consult our Islands of Adventure Ride Guide and Universal Studios Florida Ride Guide . If you’re a fan spinners, you might want to check those out, as we don’t waste your time with that nonsense in the itineraries.

When to Visit

If you’re adding on a Universal Orlando visit to your Walt Disney World vacation, the answer to this is easy…whenever you’re visiting Walt Disney World. Crowd patterns at Walt Disney World translate pretty similarly to Universal Orlando.

The reasons are two-fold: first, because crowds tend to be predicated upon school schedules, which are the same for both; second, because Walt Disney World is the ‘whale’ in the Orlando market, so crowds for all theme parks are dictated by when guests plan their Disney vacations. In other words, you can refer to our 2024 Walt Disney World Crowd Calendars post to determine when to visit, as that’s roughly applicable to Universal Orlando as well.

There are only some exceptions to this, and they’re largely predicated upon special events that are unique to each of the parks. For example, Walt Disney World sees its crowds spike due to runDisney events, when its hotels are hosting conventions or youth sporting events, or during EPCOT festivals. By contrast, Universal sees its own spikes around Mardi Gras, Halloween Horror Nights, and early December when it plays host to the Pop Warner youth football event.

In general, though, the big driver of attendance at both is school breaks. In particular, those of Orange County and other counties throughout Florida and the South. Of course, both are vacation destinations, so breaks for school districts in the Midwest and Northeast also have a significant impact. The obvious times like Spring Break, Easter, Summer, Fall Break, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve are all busy.

More under the radar timeframes like MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Mardi Gras, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, and more also see pronounced spikes in crowds. Again, reference the aforementioned crowd calendars if you’re looking to choose the best times to visit Universal Orlando.

Due to a surge of locals on weekends, we strongly recommend avoiding Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure on Saturdays and Sundays. Mondays through Thursdays are the best days to visit, with much lower crowds then. However, that goes out the window during holiday weeks or anytime school is out of session, when it’s disproportionately tourists and every single day of the week is busy.

The one exception to this is if you want to see or avoid Halloween season at Universal, namely Halloween Horror Nights (HHN). This is a hard ticket event that has a huge following among locals and fans of haunt season, in general.

During HHN, you step onto the set of some of your favorite horror movies, and walking through those sets as actors attempt to scare you. This event is not for children under the age of 13, and has absolutely nothing in common with Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World. See our Guide to Halloween Horror Nights for more .

Aside from this, the only noteworthy events are Mardi Gras and Christmas. See our Guide to Mardi Gras: International Flavors of Carnaval at Universal Studios Florida . At this fun event, guests can experience a food festival with cuisine and entertainment inspired by international Carnaval celebrations.

Food booths serve up the flavors of Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Germany, Spain and other regions including, of course, New Orleans. Plus enjoy spectacular floats on display, street entertainment, music, beads and more throughout Universal Studios Florida.

Although HHN gets all the attention from the fan community, an equally popular seasonal event is Christmas at Universal Orlando . During this, Grinchmas and Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s are the main entertainment draws. There’s also the Christmas Tribute Store, which is essentially a walk-through exhibit, plus Universal Studios Florida’s iconic Christmas Tree.

Perhaps the biggest draw is Winter in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which features unique decor and projections on Hogwarts Castle. There are also decorations around both parks in Seuss Landing, Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, Hollywood, New York, and San Francisco.

How Many Days?

This one is going to vary widely based on a few variables. The biggest one is how receptive your party is to the type of attractions that are prominent at Universal Orlando Resort, namely, roller coasters and screen-based simulators. That’s reductionist, and there are many more things at Universal than those types of rides, but if your party is averse to either, doing more than 2 days at Universal is going to be tough.

If you love coasters or have teens, you can easily spend 3 days or more at Universal Orlando. Heck, I’m not huge on roller coasters or simulators, and I can easily do 2 days (or even 3) at Universal. Likewise, if you love Harry Potter, several days at Universal will be easy. The two Wizarding Worlds of Harry Potter alone can fill a good chunk of the day. I mean, Diagon Alley has a fire-breathing dragon …not liking dragons is distinctly unpatriotic.

Islands of Adventure also has a Jurassic Park area, which is basically a tribute to our greatest national treasure: dinosaurs. It’s not as good as a real Jurassic Park (that would be like the San Diego Zoo meets the Lincoln Memorial meets Tokyo DisneySea), but it’s an enjoyable area to explore. In other words, there’s plenty to do if you’re an “ambiance person” at the Universal parks.

Then, there’s also the question of how much “extra” vacation time you have. Assuming you’ve already allocated your time at Walt Disney World and are looking at “other stuff” to round out your trip to Florida, I’d probably look to spending more time at Universal than other parks like SeaWorld or Busch Gardens. That’s personal preference and all of these parks definitely aren’t trying to accomplish the same thing, but I find the Disney and Universal parks to be in a different league than all of the rest.

Universal Orlando Park Tickets

If you’re looking for a deal on park tickets, Get Away Today will save you the most money on Universal Orlando tickets . This is especially true if you’re doing a longer trip, as Get Away Today has a ‘Buy 2 days, get 3 days free’ special. With more and more to do at Universal Orlando, spending several days in the parks is highly recommended–especially if you’re staying in a nearby hotel and want to do some partial days (also recommended).

I am a fan of the Park-to-Park tickets if you can swing spending extra. This is because Universal did something really ingenious when it built Diagon Alley, and that was connecting the two Wizarding Worlds of Harry Potter via the Hogwarts Express.

You can only ride this train from Hogsmeade to Diagon Alley (or vice-a-versa) if you have the Park-to-Park ticket. I’m no Harry Potter fan, but the experience of entering a train station in London, walking through a wall, and then taking a train to Hogsmeade is pretty awesome.

If you’re going for just one day and don’t want the park-to-park tickets, the best way to save money on Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida tickets is simply going to be buying tickets online on Universal Orlando’s website. The Universal tickets purchased online can be printed at home and used at the turnstiles–meaning no waiting in line to purchase tickets or exchange vouchers.

Express Pass

Express Pass is Universal Orlando’s version of Genie+ or Lightning Lanes (a way to skip the lines) and is available as a ticket add-on or with select hotel stays. You can purchase two varieties of Express Pass, regular or unlimited. Almost all of the most popular attractions in each park offer Express Pass.

The regular version allows you to skip the line once per eligible attraction in either park, and costs $90 to $350 per person depending on the date. Universal Express Unlimited offers line-skipping privileges, as the name suggests, an unlimited number of times per attraction, and costs between $100 and $380 per person. Even at its most expensive, Genie+ at Walt Disney World costs under $40 per person. So, what’s the difference? Well,  a lot. 

Unlike Genie+ or Lightning Lanes, there is no tech component to Express Pass. While it’s significantly more expensive, it’s also frictionless. You simply go up to the attraction and use your Express Pass entitlement. There’s nothing to reserve or hassle with in an app. Express Pass involves zero screen time and headaches–but you’ll pay a lot more for it!

Whether Express Pass is worth the money largely depends upon what day of the week and season you’re visiting, and how you value your time versus your money. Personally, we would not pay for Express Pass most days. However, we also avoid weekends and holidays, arrive for park opening, and utilize an efficient park itinerary.

If you really want Express Pass, staying at an on-site hotel that offers Express Pass with your stay is absolutely the way to go. Unlimited Express Pass is available at the Universal Premier category resorts–meaning Royal Pacific, Hard Rock Hotel, and Portofino Bay–which are Universal’s most expensive hotels. Honestly, this is the only way we’ve ever “bought” Express Pass–we couldn’t justify the cost any other way.

All three of these hotels are nice, on par with Walt Disney World’s Deluxe Resorts, and generally cost less. They’re still pricey, but they’re cheaper than Disney’s higher-end hotels, and absolutely worth the money–especially if you want the Unlimited Express Pass perk or a good location within walking or boat distance of Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. If you’d be staying at a nice hotel anyway, this trio is definitely worthy of your consideration.

If you want to learn more about this line-skipping option and how it compares to Walt Disney World’s counterpart, see our guide:  Universal’s Express Pass v. Lightning Lanes & Genie+ at Walt Disney World .

Transportation

By far the most common questions we get concerning Universal Orlando Resort is: “what’s the best way to get from Walt Disney World Universal.” The answer is that there are a lot of options, but by far the best is Uber. We covered this in depth in our Uber vs. Rental Cars at Walt Disney World article. Here’s the pertinent portion of that post:

In the past, the best option we’ve found for those who don’t have rental cars the duration of their trips is either renting a car on-site for the day, or taking a pricey shuttle. Neither is cost-effective or all that appealing, especially when you add on that parking fee.

For those who aren’t renting a car for the duration of their trip, Uber or Lyft are the unquestionable best options for getting from Walt Disney World to Universal. The one-way cost of an Uber or Lyft from Walt Disney World will vary depending upon your exact location, typically costing under $25 each way and taking 20-25 minutes.

There are some good restaurants in Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, but as a whole, I do not think the culinary experience is on par with Walt Disney World’s. The unquestionable highlights, in my mind, are the counter service restaurants in Diagon Alley (Leaky Cauldron) and Hogsmeade (Three Broomsticks) and the table service restaurant, Mythos, which is a great value.

Other in-park restaurants at Universal Orlando that we like include the Today Show Cafe (for lighter options) and Krusty Burger (for the exact opposite). Actually, there’s something for everyone in the Springfield area, which has a variety of dining options drawn from The Simpsons.

On the snacking front, you’re obviously going to want to try Butterbeer–perhaps all three varieties (frozen, hot, and regular). Most of the other snacks we enjoy are also in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour and Honeydukes.

Another thing you might want to consider is purchasing a refillable Coke Freestyle mug. I’ve done this, but I can really put down the Cokes to make it worth the money. I’m sure some day I will be toothless, but hopefully that’s at least 5 years away. These Coke Freestyle machines located throughout the parks are also a convenient way to get free water that’s cold and tastes great.

Other Things to Do

Volcano Bay is Universal Orlando’s water park. It’s themed to the South Seas and features a giant volcano (hence the name) in the middle with water slides in it. For Walt Disney World fans, it’s a bit like Typhoon Lagoon water park mixed with Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Adventureland.

All the rides at Volcano Bay feature a Virtual Line instead of traditional standby queues. You tap in with your TapuTapu wearable (think MagicBand) to grab a ride time. Then go float, swim, splash, eat, shop or relax around Volcano Bay. Your TapuTapu will tell you when it’s your time to ride.

You will either  love  or  hate  the virtual queue system at Volcano Bay. That pretty much comes down to whether you beat the crowds or not. That can be accomplished by arriving and/or staying late, buying Express Pass, or visiting during the off-season. If you don’t do any of those things, you’ll likely think the virtual queue system sucks, and you won’t accomplish much. It’s definitely a system that creates winners and losers–they key is (obviously) to be in the former group and not the latter.

In addition to the two theme parks and Volcano Bay water park, there’s CityWalk. This is Universal Orlando’s shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, which is a lot like Disney Springs. The big difference is that you walk through CityWalk to access Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure, and it’s incredibly easy to exit the parks and eat lunch or dinner at CityWalk. No bus necessary!

There’s also a lot of relatively new dining at CityWalk, such as Red Coconut Club, Bigfire, Voodoo Doughnut, Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, and VIVO Italian Kitchen–among other things. Toothsome is a fan-favorite for its over the top milkshakes and dessert concoctions (as well as the fun steampunk theme), and Voodoo Doughnut is a fun spot. With that said, we think both are slightly overrated.

For our money, the sleeper hits of the list are Bigfire and Cowfish, both of which offer great food at reasonable (by theme park standards) prices. We’d also give honorable mentions to Vivo and Antojitos Authentic Mexican Food. While the latter is not our personal favorite, it’s better than the “blockbuster” touristy restaurants like Hard Rock Cafe, Margaritaville, and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Nothing against any of those–but they’re essentially Applebee’s with more wow-factor. Good enough for predictably-prepared comfort food, but absolutely nothing special.

One final note on attractions is that there are numerous attractions that don’t allow bags, but provide free lockers nearby for storing backpacks, cameras, small children, and whatever other random junk you might have on you. These are pretty convenient and there are larger lockers you can pay for at the front of the park, but the point here is for those of you who are used to bringing a small U-Haul worth of stuff into the Walt Disney World parks: you can’t do that at Universal. Pack for the parks a little lighter.

I think this is probably a good starting point if you’re planning on visiting Universal Orlando Resort as an add-on to your Walt Disney World vacation. If you would like to see some of these topics covered in greater depth, please let me know in the comments. We’re planning to tackle more on dining, special events, and Universal Orlando news in the coming months, so stay tuned for more of that!

Need trip planning tips and comprehensive advice for your visit to Central Florida? Make sure to read our Walt Disney World Vacation Planning Guide for everything about those parks, resorts, restaurants, and so much more. For regular updates, news & rumors, a heads up when discounts are released, and much more, sign up for our FREE email newsletter !

Your Thoughts

Are you visiting Universal Orlando Resort in 2024? Excited for Epic Universe or other rumored additions in the next few years? What about Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Hagrid’s, or the new rides that have recently opened? Have a favorite on-site hotel at Universal? Do you prefer staying on-site at Universal, or commuting from Walt Disney World? If you’re a first-timer, is there anything else you’d like to know? Chances are if you have questions still, so does someone else! Please share your thoughts in the comments

Written by Tom Bricker

Do you have an itinerary for 1 day, 2 parks at Universal, with an express pass? That would be appreciated.

Have loved your site for years. We use it as a major planning tool for all of our trips to Disney, Universal and Disney Cruise locations. It seems like the ride guides, 1 day itineraries and Mardi Gras guide are all from a couple of years ago. Are there any updates we should be aware of that you do not reference in this article?

Thanks for sharing, would love to visit Universal.

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How to Get the Most Out of One Day at Universal Studios Florida

Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here .

While visiting Orlando earlier this year, our family found ourselves with one extra day to sightsee. We could have headed to the House of the Mouse, but as Mommy Points' has highlighted in the past, Universal Studios is often better than Disney World for families taking last-minute trips. We made the decision to spend the day at Universal and pack in as much we could at both Universal Studios and the connected Universal Islands of Adventure.

Covering two huge theme parks in one day with four kids (ages ranged from 1 to 9) is a challenge, but I'm happy to say we squeezed every penny out of our tickets for that day, and here's how.

Pick the Right Ticket

First, we opted for one day, two-park tickets because the main reason we wanted to visit Universal was to experience The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Diagon Ally is in Universal Studios and Hogsmeade is in the connected Islands Of Adventure park. The Hogwarts Express train connects the two, and you can't ride that train if you don't have a two-park ticket. (We could also have made the choice to purchase a Universal Studios Orlando Annual Pass instead, but we opted not to go that route.)

Related: Best Credit Cards for Theme Parks

Unlike at Disney World, you don't get the equivalent of free FastPasses for rides at Universal Studios. Instead, they sell the Universal Express Pass. These "shorten the line" passes start at $80 for one day, two-park access, and allow you to queue once per participating attraction in the Express Access line with a shorter wait time. Then there are two-park Universal Express Unlimited Passes, starting at $100 each, that allow you to wait in the Express Access line for each participating ride as many times as you'd like.

We knew we wouldn't get to see much of the two parks if we had to spend the day waiting in lines, so the Universal Express Passes were a must. However, we were looking at $400 to purchase five of the basic two-park Express Passes, and that was in addition to the already very pricy park tickets. ( Here's how to use points to save money on Universal tickets .)

Book a Hotel With Express Pass Perks

Since we are traveling the country in a RV , we planned to stay at an RV park nearby and didn't necessarily need to book a hotel room. However, I realized we could get a night at Loews Royal Pacific Resort for less than $300.

That stay included not only Universal Express Unlimited Passes for everyone (two adults and three kids) — a $500+ value — but meant we'd be close enough to walk over to the park in the morning. Those at the resort also get into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter an hour early. In other words, booking the room was a no-brainer to get the most out of our one day as possible. This Express Pass offer is also available at the Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, but not the "lower tier" (but still very nice) Universal hotels such as Loews Sapphire Falls and the new Aventura Hotel .

If you decide to stay at a Universal Studios property, you won't be able to use traditional hotel points to book the stay, but could potentially earn a bunch of points by booking and paying with your Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card through Jan. 31, 2020 at Hotels.com/Venture to earn 10x miles per dollar. Alternatively, you could also use points from that card to cover the cost of your stay .

Rest Up and Be Ready to Rock

We checked into the hotel the night before, ordered pizza via room service and got plenty of sleep. Early the next morning, we took our bags to bag-check in the hotel lobby so they could hold them for us. A 10-minute walk later and we were at the park. It's a good thing we were well rested and fully charged when we got there because we had a packed day ahead of us.

By utilizing our Universal Express Passes, we were able to ride every single ride on our wish list in both parks, some more than once. The early park admission really helped us enjoy The Wizarding World of Harry Potter before it was too crowded later in the day. We were at the parks from an hour before general admission until closing time, which is something we couldn't have pulled off if we hadn't stayed on-site the night before.

Have a Plan, but Be Flexible

We began the day at Hogsmeade in Universal Islands of Adventure and took our time eating a traditional English breakfast at Three Broomsticks. This doubled as an experience for us because the restaurant was so fun that it felt like we had stepped into the movies. It was a great way to maximize our time soaking in the experience while fueling up for the day ahead.

Immediately after that, we stepped over to Ollivanders, the wand shop, and this was our biggest regret for the day. We waited in a 30-minute line before entering the small shop, which was really cool but the shopkeeper only chooses a wand for one audience member. Experience aside, we could buy the same wands at street carts, and we could have saved some time spent waiting in line. The line at the wand shop is typically lighter in the late afternoon/early evening (though that gives you less time to use the wand in the park that day.)

Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley filled up so quickly once the park officially opened, so we wished we would have spent those extra 30 minutes doing anything other than waiting in a line. We took Hogwarts Express train (which is amazing) over to Diagon Alley at about 10:30am, and by lunchtime, we felt we'd seen as much as we could of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

We used the second half of the day to pack in a bunch of rides and kept meals to quick, small snacks throughout the day. When the 1 year old needed a stroller nap, my husband took the other three on 3-D rides they could all enjoy. When our oldest wanted to ride big roller coasters with his dad, I took the younger three to nearby green spaces to enjoy some popcorn and street performances. It was a whole lot of divide and conquer that worked out well thanks to shorter lines, Child Swap rooms and the variety of rides and spaces available at Universal.

Bottom Line

If you are planning to purchase Universal Express Passes for an upcoming trip to Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure, I encourage you to price out booking a stay at a qualifying hotel that offers Universal Express Unlimited Passes to everyone in your party (valid for the duration of your stay). You will probably save money by staying there, enjoy much more of the park in a short period of time and get the added benefits of early admission and close proximity to the park. Or, if your budget permits, just book a VIP tour and let your tour guide worry about the rest.

What are your tips for making the most of one day at Universal Studios Florida?

I visit Universal Orlando several times a year. Here are my top 10 tips for first-timers.

I’ll never forget walking out of Universal Islands of Adventure in 2022, drenched from head to toe after riding Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barge . 

It was my first trip back to Universal Orlando Resort in years, and I learned some things the hard way, which I gladly shared with fellow travelers, hoping that they’d avoid my mistakes .

Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to visit the Florida resort several times a year. And while I stand by my earlier tips, I’ve learned a few others.

Here are my top tips for first-timers visiting Universal Orlando.

1.  Stay on property

From RV parks to vacation rentals, there’s no shortage of places to stay in Central Florida, but it can pay to stay on property when visiting Universal Orlando. Not only are prices comparable to off-property hotels with Endless Summer Surfside and Dockside starting at $99 a night, but all of Universal’s resort hotels offer 30 minutes of early entry to select parks, which vary depending on time of year. 

They also provide free resort transportation, so you can get back to your room fairly quickly after a long park day or for a midday break. That free transportation can be clutch in the mornings, particularly at pricier Loews Sapphire Falls , Loews Royal Pacific , Loews Portofino Bay , and Hard Rock Hotel , which offer water taxis that drop you off closer to the parks than you can get arriving by car or bus. Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Aventura Hotel guests can walk over to Sapphire Falls for water taxis, but the extra time and steps added may make it not worth skipping the resort shuttle bus.

Walking paths are also available to the parks from every resort hotel except the Endless Summer ones. Cabana Bay guests also have a dedicated walking path to Universal’s Volcano Bay water park.

Guests staying at Royal Pacific, Portofino Bay and Hard Rock also get free Universal Express Passes , which dramatically cut waits for most rides and normally start at $79.99 per person. Free package delivery is also available to all resort hotels, if guests don’t want to lug park purchases around all day.

Epic Universe details revealed: What's coming to Universal Orlando next year

2. Buy a popcorn bucket

Snacking at the parks can get expensive. Guests are welcome to bring their own snacks, but there’s one crowd-pleaser that won’t break the bank. 

A plain popcorn bucket costs a little over $12, and you can keep getting refills throughout your trip. Refills cost around $2 each, making popcorn among the cheapest, most shareable snacks on property. On our last trip, my family and I got multiple refills for the price of one pretzel with cheese dip.

3.  Bring a light, refillable water bottle

Staying hydrated is always important, particularly on hot park days. 

You can fill water bottles with free ice-cold water at any of the many Coca-Cola Freestyle machines across the property. Cups of ice water are also available for free anywhere dispensed soft drinks are sold.

Leave big double-walled stainless steel tumblers at home. Not only will they feel heavy, carrying them around all the day, but if they aren’t leak-proof, they’ll make a mess when you tip them on their sides to fit in lockers for thrill rides.

4. Bring a medium-sized bag to carry your stuff

Numerous attractions, from Jurassic World VelociCoaster to Men in Black Alien Attack , require guests to store loose articles in lockers provided for the duration of the ride. 

I previously recommended keeping most of your things together to avoid having to empty every pocket each time. That’s still true, but I want to add a caveat on size. 

The free lockers aren’t very big. They can fit a Loungefly-style mini backpack or empty popcorn bucket, if you squish them down, but they’re not large enough for packed full-size backpacks. Keep that in mind unless you want to pay for larger lockers.

5. Bring ponchos

Ponchos don’t take a lot of space and can save you from getting soaked like me on Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barge, Dudley Do-Right’s Rip Saw Falls , and Jurassic Park River Adventure .

Even if you skip water rides, ponchos are good to keep on hand for rainy park days.

6. Use single-rider lines 

Many attractions have a single-rider lane. If you’re traveling alone or don’t mind your party being split up, you can save time using the single-rider lane, if it’s open. They’re not always offered.

It doesn’t guarantee a short wait, but it’s usually shorter. On our latest trip, my middle schooler still waited at least 45 minutes for The Incredible Hulk Coaster and an hour for Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit . That was about as long as the regular standby wait for Hulk but shorter than the standby wait for Rip Ride Rockit.

The following attractions have single-rider lanes, though availability varies.

Universal Studios Florida

• E.T. Adventure.
• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit.
• Men in Black Alien Attack.
• Revenge of the Mummy.
• The Simpsons Ride.
• Transformers: The Ride-3D.

Universal Islands of Adventure

• Doctor Doom's Fearfall.
• Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls.
• Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.
• Jurassic Park River Adventure.
• Jurassic World VelociCoaster.
• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man.
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster.

7. Use child swap 

If someone in your party doesn’t meet ride requirements for an attraction or simply wants to sit it out, you can ask for a child swap. It’s particularly helpful for families with young children because it allows parents and caregivers to take turns riding the ride and staying with whoever is sitting it out.

On our most recent trip, my youngest didn’t want to ride Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure , so we all waited in line together, but then she and I peeled off to a designated waiting room while my middle schooler and mother-in-law went on the ride. When they were done, my mother-in-law stayed with my youngest while I went on the ride. My middle schooler lucked out, getting to ride it twice.

Not all attractions have waiting rooms, but they all offer swaps. Just let team members know you need one.

8. Take breaks

Theme parks can be exhausting. Not only are you on your feet all day, but they can be loud, crowded and overstimulating. 

When possible, I like to plan for at least one sit-down meal in the day. This way, I can take my time and recuperate in air conditioning away from crowds. I’ll typically splurge on one table-service meal, but there are several medium-priced, quick-service restaurants across both theme parks where you can grab a lighter snack and relax.

Really, any cool spot where you can sit down works. Knockturn Alley in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida is always refreshing, though dark. Jurassic Park Discovery Center in Islands of Adventure is a great place for kids to explore while adults unwind. 

9.  Watch the shows

Rides get a lot of the love, but Universal Orlando’s live entertainment is top tier. You can find showtimes on the free resort app or simply stop to watch performances you stumble across while roaming the parks.

The only year-round shows with dedicated seating are at Universal Studios Florida: Animal Actors On Location! , The Bourne Stuntacular , and Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-Up Show, which is more funny than scary.

10. Let little ones stretch their legs

There are several play areas across both theme parks for little ones to burn off energy.

This summer, a new DreamWorks Land will open at Universal Studios Florida with a “Kung Fu Panda”-themed play area.

At Islands of Adventure, kids can explore Camp Jurassic in Jurassic Park, If I Ran a Zoo in Seuss Landing, and Me Ship, The Olive in Toon Lagoon. There are also splash pads and water features across Toon Lagoon; just make sure to either bring swimsuits or backup clothes for those.

Bonus: Don’t sleep on Volcano Bay

You’ll definitely want to pack swimsuits if you’re heading to Volcano Bay, which regularly ranks among the best water parks in the country and adds a completely different experience to vacations.

It’s themed like a tropical paradise, with plenty of trees and an iconic volcano that houses multiple water slides. The water park can get crowded, but you never spend too much time standing in line because every guest gets a Tapu Tapu wearable bracelet that lets them join one virtual queue at a time. 

Single-day tickets start at $80, which is considerably less than the $119 starting price for guests age 10 and up at Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure, but still not cheap. However, if you’re already planning to buy multiday tickets for both theme parks, tacking on Volcano Bay is not much more.

Making the Most of Two Days at Universal Orlando Resort

By: Author Rob Taylor

Posted on Published: January 1, 2023  - Last updated: April 3, 2024

While we could easily spend a week at the Universal Orlando Resort, most families are only going to get a few days to explore and enjoy the parks. We brainstormed and polled the kids on what their favorite activities were and came up with this fool-proof plan for making the most of two days at Universal Orlando.

We’ll cover some other important points too, like where to stay and why, but our goal is to equip you with a loose itinerary for enjoying Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay water theme park.

Find your ideal Universal Orlando tickets or hotel with Get Away Today! (affiliate)

How to make the most of two days at Universal Orlando

Let’s actually start with what you can skip or save for later , as the best way to make the most of two days at Universal Orlando is actually by not wasting time.  Here are our top attractions or activities to stick a pin in for next time or if you have more than two days at the parks:

Universal City Walk – yes, you’ll need to walk through at least a portion of the Universal City Walk to access the parks, but don’t linger or shop during park hours.

Stage or audience participation shows – even though they may be fun and funny, save the shows for the random rainy day or when you’re super tired and want to just sit.

Commonplace attractions – even though the carousel in Seuss Landing is fun and full of great Dr. Seuss creatures, you can go for a spin anywhere. Same with playground areas. (unless your kids really need to let loose)

By cutting these pieces out of your plan or just not getting distracted by them, you’ll save yourself hours of waiting, wading through crowds and just general sitting. Don’t get me wrong, all of these things have a place and time, but not when you only have two days at Universal Orlando.

Note : for those of you visiting Universal Orlando Resort with little kids, check out our full article about doing the parks with small children. We highlight the best attractions and areas with little ones and for families with kids 6 and under, our guide is pretty much a life-saver.

Another aspect of making the most of two days at Universal Orlando is cutting out the travel time. Booking a room at one of the Universal Orlando Hotels with the ferries is the best option to save time, but if you’re staying off property, there are lots of great, budget friendly hotels around Orlando .

Tips for Skipping the Line at Universal Orlando

There are three super easy ways to not get caught up in lines during your two days at Universal Orlando. One will cost you (potentially) and the other two are just smart time management.

Take Advantage of Early Entry

Whether your goal is to be the first one to enter Diagon Alley for the Harry Potter rides or you want to start your day racing around San Francisco on Fast & Furious: Supercharged! , early entry into either Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure will help you knock out a few goals on your two days at Universal Orlando list.

Who gets Early Entry at Universal Orlando?

Well, guests at the different Universal Orlando Resort hotels do. Some travel agency tickets may also offer early entry passes with ticket purchase, but the best way to get to the parks early and into them before everyone else is by staying on property. Example: specific early entry to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is available to those at Sapphire Falls, Hard Rock, Portofino and Royal Pacific hotels.

Recommendation : Loews Sapphire Falls Resort , Hard Rock Hotel , Royal Pacific , and Portofino Bay all have water taxi service to the entrance of the parks, so for the fastest route AND to skip Universal City Walk in the morning, stay at one of these properties.   Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort is directly adjacent to Volcano Bay, so staying there will give you the most direct access for early entry into Volcano Bay.

Leverage the Tapu Tapu system in Volcano Bay

I’m just assuming that you plan on spending some time in Volcano Bay while you’re at the Universal Orlando Resort, because it’s totally awesome and by far the most fun waterpark we’ve ever been to. Upon entering Universal’s Volcano Bay each guest is given a Tapu Tapu wristband. This can be used to pay for things inside the park, to activate fun water features as you explore, and most importantly, to check you into the queue for some of the most popular water slides.

Before you enter Volcano Bay, do a little research about which slides you really want to hit so that you know where to tap into.  We recommend Krakatau (the aquacoaster), Ko’okiri Body Plunge (the biggest drop-slide) or Honu (the funnest raft slide). Tapping into any of these and then enjoying the Fearless River or a smaller slide is a great way to maximize fun in the water and is definitely key to making the most of two days at Universal Orlando.

Note : if you’re tapped into one slide and then tap into another, it’ll pull you out of the virtual queue for the first, so don’t go tapping everything thinking that you’ll beat the system, cuz no, you won’t.

Get the Universal Express Pass

This is an additional cost to the general tickets into the Universal Orlando parks, unless you’re staying at either Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel, or Royal Pacific hotels.  The Express Pass might not be needed or that valuable to you and your family, but if you just have two days at Universal Orlando and the parks are busy (think Spring Break, Summer, or Christmas) the Express Pass will save you loads of time and stress.  Nearly all attractions have an Express entrance or line, and each time you going through the Express line you’ll save anywhere from five minutes to an hour.

Example : you do the Express Pass line from Kings Cross Station in Universal Studios and ride the Hogwarts Express into Islands of Adventure, and not only do you save time by not having to walk out of one park and over to the other, and you don’t have to go through the entry plazas and walk through several areas to get to Hogsmeade , but you get a cool attraction experience and avoid lots of crowds. It’s genius and just one example of using the Express Pass.

The Must-see Attractions for two days at Universal Orlando

The following are our favorite rides and what we’d hit up before anything else. If you only have two days to have the maximum fun, then trust our recommendations.

Note :  many of the attractions in both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure function off of simulated motion. If you aren’t great at things whizzing by you while you wear (or don’t wear) 3-D glasses, you need to consider that before you wait in line for an attraction of that sort.

Top attractions in Universal Studios Florida

We’ll break this down for you by area so it’s the easiest, starting with the busiest attraction and working our way down.

Inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley

The biggest draw in Universal Studios Florida, for us and most of our friends, is Diagon Alley . While there are some shows on the stage in the Alley , there are some really cool experiences to have too. Escape from Gringotts is the primary attraction, and it’s AWESOME, but the other side of the fun is casting spells all around, including within Knockturn Alley.

Tip : there are a few super secret spells that you can cast in Diagon Alley . Look for the dragon poop or the blank parchment, just to name a few. You have to find the magic in you to cast the proper spell. 😉

Best Action Attractions in Universal Studios

The newest attraction in Universal Studios Florida is Fast & Furious: Supercharged! While the attraction itself wasn’t my favorite (not really into cars, I guess), the technology is kind of amazing and it draws a good crowd. If you can cross this one off your list early, do it!

Being a child of the 80s, Transformers: the Ride 3D ,  is one of my favorite rides. The effects are awesome and the queue is pretty cool, but as a heads up, the ride is INTENSE. If you’re sensitive to the simulated motion I mentioned previously, this ride will get you, but it’s worth it if you can stomach it. Really fun and then you can actually meet Bumble Bee or Optimus Prime (and maybe even Megatron) afterwards.

Tip : if intense motion isn’t your thing, it’s totally okay to settle for getting a picture with Optimus Prime. 🙂

Another very popular attraction, but again, not my favorite, is Jimmy Fallon’s Race Through New York . The queue is the best part, particularly the live performance of barbershop rap. Love it!  If you do have time, try to hit up Jimmy Fallon before heading to Islands of Adventure.

MUST DO :   Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit . This attraction is amazeballs . It’s the ultimate roller coaster in my book, with some intense speed, G-force and awesome music. It is a roller coaster in the truest sense, so if you’ve been itching for the real, intense motion of an amusement park ride, this is your ticket!

Tip : do the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit  at night for an extra cool view and fun way to close out your day.

Best Universal Studios Attractions not to miss WITH KIDS

Minion Mayhem . Seriously. If ever you wanted to be a part of the Despicable Me world, this is your chance. The queue is cute and gets pretty involved, and then the actual attraction is really well done with great effects.

Note : with small kids, this may be a bit too intense. The motion, both real and simulated, can be pretty scary for little kids.

Now closed permanently, Curious George Goes to Town was always my favorite small kid attraction, but as of 2023 it’s no more. Now Universal Studios is much less small-kid friendly, but with updates set to premier in 2025 we’ll see…

Top Attractions in Universal’s Islands of Adventure

I could just say that EVERYTHING within Universal’s Islands of Adventure is a must-see, as most of it is, but these are really the best of the best for your two days at Universal Orlando.

Highlights of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Hogsmeade

If there’s one attraction not to miss in Hogsmeade it’s the light show on Hogwarts Castle – Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts… or the actual ride within Hogwarts. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey combines all sorts of theater and animatronics to create a unique attraction experience. Totally scary for little kids, but totally awesome for any true Harry Potter fan.  And totally random but awesome idea: after visiting Hogsmeade try to work in Harry Potter sights (or look-alike spots) when you visit Europe. You’ll be totally insprired after visiting Islands of Adventure . 

The BEST rollercoaster in Universal’s Islands of Adventure is also in this part of the park: Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure . If you are trying to make the most of your time at Universal, I would say that Hagrid’s is a much better wait, both for how interesting it is AND the actual ride, than waiting for the Velocicoaster . Both rides are incredible, but Hagrid’s is more fun.

Note : there is no shame in sitting in Hogsmeade relaxing and enjoying a Butterbeer or actual beer from the Hogs Head Tavern. This experience is also a must-do and it’s the only time we’ll tell you that sitting will help you make the most of your two days at Universal Orlando.

Best Water-rides in Islands of Adventure

It’s funny to have done Universal Orlando with just adults and then also with just our kids. Our dudes don’t like to be surprise soaked, but our adult friends do! With several attractions on or involving water, you’ve got options, but the two BEST water-rides are NOT Jurassic Park River Adventure .

The two most awesome water-rides I’ve ever done in any theme or amusement park in any country are both located in Toon Lagoon:  Dudley Do-Right’s  Ripsaw Falls  and Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges . Wow. Both of these attractions perfectly combine the element of surprise with fun theming and a truly ridiculous amount of water. Never have I ever gotten this soaked except when I was pushed into the lake as a kid. Seriously. So awesome!

Tip : only wear the most necessary clothing for either of these rides because every person will get utterly drenched. I can’t imagine that the ponchos Universal sells even help.

Can’t-miss Action Rides in Islands of Adventure

Ask ten different people and you’ll get ten different answers what their favorite attraction is in Islands of Adventure.  Chris will tell you that the Incredible Hulk is the greatest roller coaster around, hence the favorite here. If you ask me (Rob) I’m going to send you directly to Skull Island: Reign of Kong . I love the story, the production, the thrill, everything.

I know, we still haven’t sent you to Jurassic Park River Adventure or the Velocicoaster , well now’s your chance to ride. Yes, you’ll get wet on the river ride (the most wet in the front row) but the coolest aspect of it is actually the dinosaurs up inside the attraction. The featured creatures and action are a bit different on this ride than at Universal Studios Hollywood, but it’s similar enough that if you’ve done the one in California and only have two days at Universal Orlando, we’ll tell you to hit up Jurassic Park if you do have the time or the line is nice and short. The Velocicoaster is much more exciting and intense, so if the wait times are similar, do that instead.

Best Rides for Kids in Islands of Adventure

Seuss Landing is a really fun area with some rides that are ideal for small kids (go read our article about Universal Orlando with Small Kids), but our favorite, hands down, was the  The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride.   It has two different tracks so if you do it a few times you’ll have different experiences. The view from the train is also beautiful, especially at night when Islands of Adventure is all lit up.

Bonus: if you’ve got a kid or two with you and you’re going through Jurassic World, you (the adult) can ride with them on the Pteranodon Flyers. Adults can’t ride this on their own, but leverage having a child with you to get to do it.

How to Add Volcano Bay to Two Days at Universal

Volcano Bay is actually worth its own full day or even its own visit if you’re a Florida local. It’s the best waterpark in the state and totally awesome to add to your Universal Trip. I know, there are so many things to do in Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, but if you want to throw Volcano Bay into the mix as a break from the parks you totally can. Here’s how:

• Start each of your two days at Universal Orlando in one of the theme parks
• Be dressed to easily transition to Volcano Bay (have your swimwear on already)
• When it’s lunch time grab a bite and make the switch to Volcano Bay for about three hours
• After sufficient water fun, head back to your hotel to change or just go back into the parks (you will dry off eventually)

It really is as easy as this. We did this two days straight and loved every moment of it. Mixing Volcano Bay into our time in the Universal Orlando Resort parks gave us a change of pace while still ensuring we maximized our time. It made the kids extra happy because, well, water park.

Putting a priority on fun over doing absolutely everything in your two days at Universal Orlando, you’ll feel good about the memories you’re creating with your family and friends; you’ll keep everybody’s spirits up instead of stressing to do it all; you’ll know what you loved and what you want to check out next time and you’ll be ready to plan your next Universal Orlando adventure!

Want to pin this for your own Florida vacation planning? Go for it!  And don’t hesitate to ask us questions or send us a note if you like!

33 escapadas de fin de semana sensacionales en Florida - Los Viajes de Blaz

Saturday 23rd of September 2023

[…] solemnemente que no estoy tramando nada bueno. (Estoy a punto de contarte un poco sobre Universal Orlando y te darán ganas de […]

Sunday 20th of September 2020

Great tips for getting more out of Universal's parks. They are incredible and full of wonderful attractions.

Sunday 27th of September 2020

Universal really is incredible. I'm so glad we live here now and have easy access and can go often!

Wednesday 25th of March 2020

What a timely piece now! Thank you so much for such a fantastic post.

Monday 23rd of July 2018

As someone who gets vertigo really, really easily, I like the rides at Universal overall way better than at WDW. If I start to feel dizzy on a simulator ride, I can close my eyes, recalibrate my brain, and be fine. This does not work on most of the rides at Disney, because your body is still moving all over the place, but because most of the rides at Universal are simulators, it works really, really well.

Monday 2nd of July 2018

Visiting Universal Orlando is my dream thing to do and your post was so inspiring and motivational, Rob and Chris. An exceptional guide to make most of the time there!

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Universal Studios Touring Plan | Tips + Complete 1-Day Itinerary

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy .

Are you looking for the perfect 1-day Universal Studios touring plan to outsmart the crowds and get the most out of your experience?

Need a summary of Universal Express Pass tips, arrival and rope drop tips, as well as tips on how to plan your day in the park and minimize time spent standing in lines?

Our Universal Studios touring plan highlights all of these topics and offers a detailed, step-by-step morning and afternoon itinerary for spending 1-day at Universal Studios, Florida.

Be sure to stick around to the end for additional information and touring tips for the Harry Potter fans in your group!

*This post has been updated for 2023!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link.  

Table of Contents

Universal Studios Orlando Resort

For those of you who are new to the Universal experience and are a bit confused like I was, Florida’s Universal Orlando Resort consists of:

• Two theme parks: Universal Studios and  Islands of Adventure
• A water theme park: Volcano Bay
• A shopping, restaurant, and entertainment complex: Universal CityWalk Orlando
• Six onsite Loews Hotels
• An upcoming theme park,  Epic Universe , expected to open in early 2025

Its gigantic size is one of the biggest differences when comparing Universal Orlando vs. Universal Hollywood, as Universal Hollywood is much smaller.

Together, the Universal Orlando Resort covers 541 acres of land and welcomes over 11 million annual visitors from all around the world.

The following article is a sample 1-day touring plan for Florida’s Universal Studios theme park whose primary attraction is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley.

The best Universal Studios itinerary involves utilizing this practical touring plan and customizing your final ride and attraction choices based on your family’s interests.

*Look for a new ride titled Illumination’s Villain-con Minion Blast opening at Universal Studios Orlando in the summer of 2023!

Due to increased concern over safety and sanitation, the Universal theme parks have implemented a host of new measures that may impact your experience. Be sure to check the Universal homepage to review current considerations for your visit.

Universal Studios Touring Plan

Touring plans make it easy for you to get the most out of an experience by outlining the order you should visit rides and attractions.

In fact, having a game plan before heading into the park is one of our 45 Universal Studios tips that you absolutely need to read before your first visit.

Both our Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure touring plans were created for those visiting the Universal theme parks for one day each.

This itinerary also assumes that you are entering the park right at the opening time and staying into the evening.

Finally, although we utilized this Universal Studios Orlando touring plan while staying on-site (which granted us automatic Universal Express Passes), it may still be used by visitors who do not have an Express Pass – we’ll show you how!

Universal Studios Florida Hours

Universal Studios Florida hours vary, by the day, by the month, and by the season.

It is very important to check the Theme Park Hours schedule for the day that you plan on visiting Universal so that you can plan your experience accordingly.

The Universal Studios theme park hour calendar also includes information on what days offer Early Park Admission, as well as lists temporary attraction closure information.

Early Park Admission is a free perk when you book a Universal vacation package, stay at a Universal resort hotel, or use your Preferred or Premier Annual Pass.

This perk allows you to enter a designated Universal theme park 1-hour before the scheduled opening (select days only).

Additional planning tip: Take note that Universal and CityWalk hours, as well as daily showtimes, are not released until approximately 1 calendar month in advance.

Universal Studios Crowd Calendar

Our Universal Studios Orlando one-day touring plan assumes moderate to high crowds at the park when lines are expected to be long.

This exact plan was utilized when crowds were rated 9/10.

No matter when you visit, however, this 1-Day Universal Orlando touring plan is optimized and ordered so that walking and your wait in lines are minimized.

Universal Studios Express Pass

There is no denying that when the Universal Studios crowd calendar predicts moderate to high crowds, the waiting in lines can become incredibly draining and time-consuming.

To help offset time spent standing in lines, Universal Studios allows you to add Universal Express access to your theme park admission.

Universal Express is an all-day pass that allows you to skip the regular lines – and use a special Express Pass line – at select Universal attractions.

If you are staying on-site at one of  Universal’s premier resort hotels , Universal Express Unlimited is free for every day of your visit. (Your hotel keycard serves as your Universal Express pass.)

If you are not staying on-site and wish to purchase Universal Express passes, the cost varies by day and expected crowds. So during peak times, prices will be higher.

Current prices can be found on the Universal Orlando Resort website.

Additional planning tip: Universal Express is separate from regular admission. In other words, you must purchase BOTH a Universal park base ticket along with an Express Pass add-on.

It’s easiest to buy Express passes online. You can also buy them at the entrance gates and throughout all three parks at dozens of locations.

Read here to find out the qualifying rides, exact wait times, and an explanation of whether or not we think Universal Express Pass is worth it !

Universal Studios Orlando: One Day Touring Plan

Prior to visiting Universal Orlando, be sure to download the official Universal Orlando Resort app on the  App Store  or the  Google Play Store .

The Universal Orlando Resort app provides:

• An interactive park map
• Wait times and wait time alerts you can set
• Mobile food and drink ordering for select restaurants
• A virtual wallet where you can purchase and store your tickets and Express Passes
• Virtual Line experience selection queue

Universal Studios’ Virtual Line program allows you to use your phone app (or kiosks at the ride) to make a reservation for your entire travel party to visit various attractions.

The use of virtual lines and what rides offer it varies by the day.

To make a Virtual Line reservation, go to the Virtual Line Experience drop-down from the main menu on the Universal app and select “Virtual Line Venues”. Click on the ride and select the half-hour increment that is available in which you’d like to ride.

At your selected time, simply show your phone at the attraction and you will immediately be admitted into the ride/show.

Keep in mind that the Virtual Line reservation system only works if you are physically inside the park.

Also, you can only reserve two ride times at a time meaning that you may not add another attraction until a previous ride time has passed.

See the screenshot below for what it looks like to reserve Virtual Line times.

Universal Orlando Resort has a parking and transportation structure consisting of two gigantic multi-story parking lots and a centralized transportation hub that allows you to access Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, CityWalk, and Volcano Bay.

The parking garage opens 2 hours before the official park opening to accommodate those eligible for Early Park Admission. ($27/day for regular self-parking, $60/day for prime parking.)

If you are driving to the resort and are not eligible for Early Park Admission, we recommend arriving at the Universal parking garage 60 minutes prior to the official opening.

It then takes approximately 15 minutes to walk from the parking garage to the park’s entrance turnstiles. This brings you to the entrance a perfect 45 minutes before the official opening.

Alternatively, Universal Orlando on-site resort transportation to the parks via water taxis and shuttles begins 2 hours before the official opening, or 1 hour before Early Park Admission.

Guests staying on-site during peak periods should catch the first ride of the morning in order to be the first into the Wizarding World during the early entry period.

Entering the Park

As of now, Universal Orlando does not require advanced reservations to get into any of their Orlando theme parks.

In addition, they are no longer limiting capacity as they had been during the pandemic.

With that said, we always recommend getting to the turnstiles 45 minutes prior to park opening (and 30 minutes before Early Park Admission), especially on projected busy days.

This act has long been known as ‘rope-drop’.

Rope drop involves getting to Universal Studios before it begins operating for the day so that you can be among the very first guests to enter and enjoy the attractions.

Rope dropping is the single most important key to an efficient touring plan in order to avoid long lines. First thing in the morning, there are no lines and fewer people.

The same four rides you experience in 1 hour upon rope dropping can take as long as 3 hours after 10:30 AM.

Additional planning tip: On days when Universal does not offer Early Park Admission, the gates typically open 30 minutes before the advertised opening.

Guests are restricted to the front of the park where Despicable Me Minion Mayhem often opens to all guests 10–15 minutes before the official opening.

Our recommended Universal Studios arrival times (during peak periods) with Early Park Admission:

• 6:00-6:15 AM: Leave the onsite hotel or arrive at Universal parking garage
• 6:30 AM: Arrive at park turnstiles
• 7:00 AM: Early Park Admission entry – head straight to Diagon Alley
• 8:00 AM: Regular park opening time

Our recommended Universal Studios arrival times (during peak periods) without Early Park Admission:

• 7:00 AM: Leave the onsite hotel or arrive at Universal parking garage
• 7:15 AM: Arrive at park turnstiles
• 7:45 AM: Guests typically let into the front of the park to ride Despicable Me Minon Mayhem
• 8:00 AM: Park opening time

Additional planning tip: Due to a strict bag and locker policy and the fact that personal belongings are not allowed on many of the rides, be sure to review what to bring to Universal Studios in your day bag as you prepare for your visit.

Likewise, be sure to have an understanding of the Universal Orlando locker system as you will need to store your belongings while riding most rides.

Universal Studios Touring Plan: Morning

Upon arriving at the park, use your Universal app to make Virtual Line reservations.

Once the park opens, walk directly to the Harry Potter area without stopping for anything.

In other words, if you want to experience the Wizarding World of Harry Potter without shoulder-to-shoulder crowds, you must arrive before everyone else does.

There’s no other way.

When you arrive at Diagon Alley, take it all in!

Browse the shops and enjoy the atmosphere of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

This is a great time to buy a wand from Ollivander’s and let the kids cast spells without long waits or crowds.

Morning Itinerary

Similar to experiencing the best rides at Universal’s Islands of Adventure , we recommend visiting the top rides at Universal Studios immediately upon park opening.

The following attractions typically experience the longest wait times if not done right away.

Likewise, visit these attractions in this exact order to decrease time spent zig-zagging around the park.

*Rides with (EP) listed after their names denote that the ride qualifies for Express Pass.

1. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (EP). While in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, be sure to go to:

• Ollivander’s Wand Shop
• Gringott’s Money Exchange
• Knight’s Bus

Then, back-track to the front of the park and do these rides:

2. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem (EP)

3. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (EP)

4. Transformers: The Ride 3D (EP)

5. Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon (EP)

6. Revenge of the Mummy (EP)

7. Fast & Furious: Supercharged (EP)

Additional planning tip: This plan does not assume you’re using child swap, which allows parents to swap supervising a child who does not meet a height requirement without waiting in line twice.

If you do use child swap, your day will move more slowly as you have to wait for two people to ride each ride.

Universal Studios Touring Plan: Afternoon

I recommend saving Universal shows for the afternoon and evening.

This includes the Bourne Stuntacular, Horror and Make-up Show, Shrek 4-D, Animal Actors on Location, and Fear Factor Live.

Daily showtimes vary and can be found on the app. Adapt your afternoon itinerary according to what showtimes are available.

1. Shrek 4-D (45 min.); Separate theater for those with Express Pass.

2. The Bourne Stuntacular (26 min); Despite a potentially long wait/line, don’t miss this one!

3. Horror & Make-up Show (25 min.)

4. E.T. Adventure (EP)

5. Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster (EP)

6. Animal Actors on Location (20 min.)

7. The Simpsons Ride (EP). While in the queue, be on the lookout for an appearance by an animated Doc Brown.

8. Kang & Kodos Twirl ‘n’ Hurl (EP)

9. Men in Black: Alien Attack (EP).

10. Fear Factor Live (20 min.)

11. Browse the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley again.

Next, ride the Hogwart’s Express (EP) if you have a park-to-park pass.

11. Watch Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration or other seasonal evening entertainment; these have scheduled showtimes so be sure to check the Universal app.

Additional planning tip: If you love theme parks, Walt Disney World is only 9 miles away from Universal Orlando! Check out our 7-day Orlando itinerary that includes both a Universal and a Disney World vacation!

Universal Studios Dining

Another one of the top tips for visiting Universal Studios is to skip the typical hot dogs and chicken tenders in order to indulge in the unique dining options that are exclusive to Universal Studios.

In fact, the best itinerary for Universal Studios Orlando includes eating at a themed restaurant, such as the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley.

Its traditional British food and perfectly Harry Potter pub-themed atmosphere make for an experience that you simply cannot find anywhere else.

Also, be sure to try a Butterbeer!

This iconic non-alcoholic drink, which comes in hot, cold, and frozen varieties, is sold everywhere inside the Harry Potter areas of the parks.

In addition, be sure to check out the best restaurants in Citywalk for another incredibly unique experience.

Additional planning tip: Keep in mind that you can make online reservations ahead of time for full-service restaurants and Universal CityWalk in order to avoid the lines during busy seasons.

If You Want More Harry Potter Fun

If you’re a Potterhead you will absolutely not be disappointed by the immersive theming of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter found throughout Universal Orlando.

Their amazing attention to detail is what makes a trip to Universal Orlando Resort a must-do vacation destination for most Harry Potter Fans.

If you’re a huge fan, you’ll also want to add additional time ( specifically related to Harry Potter ) to your Universal Studios touring plan in order to enjoy it to the fullest.

Next, be sure to purchase a Park-to-Park Ticket for Universal Orlando that will serve as your ticket to ride Hogwart’s Express.

In other words, a Park-to-Park Ticket is required in order to ride Hogwart’s Express, and you can’t ride it without one.

(In case you don’t know, Hogwart’s Express is an actual train that travels between Universal Studios and Island of Adventure, allowing you to visit both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade in one day.)

Additional planning tip: Universal’s Harry Potter experience includes Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida and Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure ( home to Hagrid’s Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure – a fan favorite! ).

You’ll find the famous Ollivander’s Wand shop in both Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.

Here, you can purchase both standard and interactive wizard wands as well as participate in a wand-fitting demonstration. 

Through a sensor in the tip of the interactive wands, wanna-be wizards and witches can perform 25 spells through both Diagon Alley  and  Hogsmeade.

This requires being on the lookout for gold medallions along the walkways signaling you when to cast spells.

Potterheads can look forward to lighting the chandelier in the window at Flimflam’s Lantern or to repairing a suit of armor at the blacksmith’s with a simple wave of their wand.

*Click here for our exclusive FREE Family Vacation Packing List and BONUS Theme Park Bag Packing List to complement your Universal vacation!

I am confident that you’re now off to a great start in planning your day at Universal Studios! What was the most helpful part of the Universal Studios touring plan? Jen

If you liked reading our Universal Studios touring plan, continue planning your Universal Orlando vacation here:

Universal Orlando Touring Plans:

• Islands of Adventure Touring Plan: Complete 1-Day Itinerary

Universal Orlando Tips:

• 45 Tips for your First-Time Visit to Universal Orlando
• What to Bring to Universal Studios (+Day Bag Tips)
• 9 Big Differences Between Disney World and Universal Studios
• Loews Royal Pacific at Universal Orlando: 9 Reasons to Stay
• A Complete Guide to Understanding the Lockers at Universal Orlando
• 7 Best Restaurants in Universal Orlando Citywalk

Universal Orlando Rides:

• Top 7 Best Rides at Islands of Adventure
• Top 7 Best Rides at Universal Studios Florida
• Is Universal Express Pass Worth It? A Detailed Look!

* Before leaving, be sure to check our  Travel Resources Page  to find exclusive travel discounts and to book hotels, rental cars, and guided tours.*

Jen Brommer is a family travel expert. She has been featured as an authority on several notable travel websites and is a member of the Family Travel Association (FTA), Midwest Travel Network, and TravMedia global media network.

A prominent content creator and influencer on Instagram, Jen has over 150K unique monthly blog readers from countries all over the world. She has spent the last 16 years planning fun, and hassle-free family vacations for her family of 5.

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12 Comments

We have never been to Universal Studios bt have been to Disney 20+ times. This is the perfect itinerary to dip our toes in!

You totally have to try Universal! We love Disney too…but now that the kids are older, they prefer Universal hands-down 🙂

Loads of very useful information here in this post. Last time we traveled to Orlando we only made it to the Disney parks and I’m thinking it would probably be a good idea to go back and visit Universal Studios. Thanks for sharing all these insights!

Yes, we started with Disney too! As the kids have gotten a little older, they absolutely LOVE Universal, although I haven’t had the heart to ask them which they like better 😉

Awesome tips and perfect itinerary, can’t wait to actually get out there and experience Universal again! thanks for the travel inspiration.

You’re welcome! It is definitely a place that we would love to return to year-after-year!

I dont know how this is possible, BUT I have never been to Universal Studios! Its very high on my to do list. I gotta get my kids to read Harry Potter first.

What?!?! I can’t believe that you haven’t been…but I am so happy that now you have a little info for when you do go! Yay! If the kids never get around to reading Harry Potter, no worries 🙂 It is so much more than that!!

You’re not going to believe this but I haven’t been to Universal Studios in 20 years! We really need to take the kids and this is the perfect one day touring guide!! So much detail- thank you Jen!!

Yay! You’re welcome! It’s really how amazing it all is! …It’s too bad that these awesome American theme parks have to be so expensive though. I feel like we’d go there way more if they were more affordable 🙂

The Universal studio is on my ‘must do’ and ‘must see’ places. I’ll like to compare it with Motiongate in Dubai. I’ll like to see Shrek in 4d. Thanks for a complete guide.

You’re welcome! It really is a truly amazing place! I was glad that we waited until our kids were a bit older to go there, for the rollercoasters and thrill rides are not-to-miss!

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19 Amazing Ways to Do Universal Orlando on a Budget (2024)

You can save money if you know how to do Universal Orlando on a budget!

I don’t want you to worry about breaking the bank for a chance at experiencing the famous wizard and the world-class theme park attractions.

Before you start your Universal Orlando budget planner, you should know that the resort has 3 theme parks with another one opening in the future plus multiple hotels to choose from and the famous CityWalk.

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY  DISCLOSURE  FOR MORE INFO.  Which means if you click on certain links, I may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Universal Orlando Resort Theme Parks at a Glance:

• Islands of Adventure
• Universal Studios Florida
• Volcano Bay

With all those activities to participate in, you’ll want to know these pro tips for doing Universal Orlando the cheap way!

Can you do Universal Studios in one day?

You can if you’re super focused!

Grab your FREE Universal Orlando Resort solo guidebook here!

19 Universal Orlando Tips and Secrets to Save Money

Now that we have the basics out of the way, let go through ways that you can do Universal Orlando on a budget.

1. Shop Around

Remember that hotels are  less expensive off-site . If you do stay onsite you will get special perks such as free transportation within the property, which can save on car rental or cabs.

2. Book a Universal Orlando Vacation Package with Your Tickets

Through the  authorize vacation sellers , you will be able to get a significant discount on your  Universal Orlando Resort vacation package .  

Your theme park tickets will also get scooped up in that whole package price.

ORDER NOW to secure your Orlando theme park ticket reservation in the parks! GET MY TICKETS.

3. Use Professional or Club Discounted Rates

If you’re a part of a professional organization or travel club, always check to see if they have any theme park discounts.

Professional dental, pharmacy, and AAA organizations are just a few examples of companies that have theme park deals .

AAA  usually has significant discounts on Universal Orlando theme park tickets, so be sure to look there if you are a part of the organization.

4. Stay at an All-suite Hotel with an In-room Kitchen

This is important because it gives you the chance to save on your  dining budget .  

You can go grocery shopping and based on the planned-out meals, you do breakfast and dinner at your  hotel or vacation rental   and do a lunch at one of the parks.

Just have it all mapped out. It will cut your dining budget in half.

Recommended: Universal Orlando Resort On-Site Hotels (Everything You Need to Know)

5. Look for a Flight Leaving on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Saturdays

Those days tend to be the  cheapest to travel.  Booking your actual ticket on a  Tuesday mid-afternoon about 3 PM to 4 PM has been said to be the best time to book flights .

The industry is usually updating prices and for some reason I’ve been lucky when it comes to booking flights during that time.

Read: How to Find Cheap Flights to Orlando

6. Check Local Travel Agents for Discounts and Deals to help do Universal Orlando on a Budget

There are a lot of authorize travel agents in the Central Florida area . I personally recommend an organization that has a great reputation as a theme park vacation planner.

Travel agents can help you put your whole plan together. They usually know the different  Universal Orlando discounts and deals   that are available right away before anyone.

They also know different time frames that are best for you to book. They’re really good with when it comes to planning a  customizable Orlando vacation.

Universal Orlando Tickets: How to Get a Free Day at Universal Studios in 2024?

7. Get Universal Orlando Tickets from a Trustworthy Website and Purchase the Multi-day Park Pass

Be sure to find  discounted Universal Orlando tickets  that are one or two days short of your total vacation length.

Buy your Universal Studios Florida ticket directly from Universal’s website or from a reputable source such as  The Park Prodigy or Groupon.com. Both Groupon and The Park Prodigy usually has special rates for Orlando theme park visitors.

Save on admission to Orlando’s famous attractions with Tripadvisor TODAY!

8. Know the Universal Orlando Ticket Breakdown

There are a few options to choose from for Florida residents when buying a ticket for any of the Universal Orlando theme parks.

One day at just one of the parks (Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure) start at $119. While Volcano Bay starts at $70. Both prices depend on the season.

If it’s a busier season, then the price will be higher.

AVOID the Universal Orlando Wait Times with Express Pass: Is it worth it in 2024?

How much does it cost to go to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay?

The best option for you would be to have a 3-park-3-day ticket that starts at $79 per day if you DON’T want to park hop on the same day (or $95 per day if you want to park hop on the same day).

This gives you plenty of time to go back-and-forth among the parks. Let’s go over some alternative ticket options for you!

3-Park-2-Day Ticket Starting at $133.50 Per Day

The 3-Park 2-Day Park-to-Park Florida Resident Ticket entitles one (1) guest admission to Universal Studios Florida™, Universal’s Islands of Adventure™ AND Universal’s Volcano Bay™ on the same day.

Ticket is valid for any two (2) calendar days during a sixty (60) consecutive calendar day period which includes the first day any portion of the ticket is used.

2-Park-2-Day Ticket Starting at $93.50 Per Day

The 2-Park 2-Day Park-to-Park Florida Resident Ticket entitles one (1) guest admission to BOTH Universal Studios Florida™ AND Universal’s Islands of Adventure™ theme parks on the same day.

You can view the whole list of ticket options here and save money too!

If you will be at Universal for more than four days, maybe book only two days to go to a park. On the first day in Orlando you may be tired or jet-lagged.   Use that day to explore CityWalk or discover your resort. On your last day, you may not want to go to one of the parks and try to travel back on the same day.

*Prices are subject to change (always check official website because of price fluctuations).

How many days do you need at Universal Studios?

Each Universal Orlando Resort park needs a full day to complete. So I suggest three days if you have the time and money.

This is why I recommend the 3-park-3-day ticket for Universal Orlando Resort.

If you don’t have the time nor the money, then listen to how to do Universal Studios Orlando in one day here!

9. Take Note of the Parking Deals

Self-parking is cheaper after 6:00 p.m. (unless there’s a special event). It is FREE for Florida residents after 6:00 p.m, . which is perfect if you want to spend an evening hanging out and exploring CityWalk.

Passholder Parking Deals

• Preferred Annual Passholders get FREE self-parking and a reduced price for valet parking at the parks
• Premier Annual Passholders get FREE preferred self-parking and FREE valet parking at the parks

Ready to plan your theme park trip? Watch the best vacation planning tips on YouTube. Get started here!

10. Do Free (or almost free) Activities at Universal Orlando

There are so many other things you can do at  Universal Orlando Resort for free …or almost free. Such as hanging out in CityWalk and exploring the beautiful resorts.

Things to Do at Universal for Free

• Take a Free Water Taxi Ride
• Enjoy the Italian piazza at Loews’ Portofino Bay Hotel
• Have fun in the Splash Zone Areas of Universal CityWalk
• Dance along with the live DJ most nights on CityWalk
• Do your own resort hopping tour

2024 Groupon Universal Studios Orlando Deal: How to Save THE MOST Money on Tickets

11. Take Advantage of Universal Orlando Freebies and Souvenirs

Hopefully your Universal trip does not dig too deep into your wallet. In case it does, take advantage of some of the free stuff you can grab while enjoying the parks.

Free Universal Orlando Items:

• Celebration buttons
• Mardi Gras beads
• Cup of water at theme park kiosks
• Transportation from hotel-to-hotel via the buses

2024 Universal Orlando Mobile Order Guide: Skip the Lines!

12. Use Discounted Travel Sites for Hotel Deals

Book portions of your vacation through website like  Hotels.com   for great hotel deals.  Hotels.com offers a FREE night special.

When you book hotel nights, vacation rentals, cars and more through their One Key program, you’ll receive One Key Cash to go towards a hotel stay. You may get one of your nights at a participating Universal area hotel for free.

Save up to 25% on mobile exclusive offers with Hotels.com TODAY!

13. Book Vacation During the Off-season

Be sure to use  Universal Orlando crowd calendars  to help you determine the best season to book your Orlando vacation. I recommend early November or mid-January.

You will be able to maximize your days and really enjoy the whole property offered by Universal Orlando Resort.

Best Times to Visit Universal Studios Florida

• Early November

These months are closely followed by April and September as still pretty decent visiting times.

2024 Universal Studios Orlando Crowd Calendar: Avoid the Busy Days!

14. Don’t Forget About a Vacation Home Rental

A vacation home is another great option where you can get a wonderful deal on lodging for your Florida vacation. 

Top Villas   has one of the best villa rental agents in the world, offering the best homes, the best service and the lowest rates guaranteed.

I am a fan of  vacation home rentals with resort amenities   for families or friends traveling to Orlando on an extended vacation.

11 BEST Resorts in Orlando That Are Not Disney (2024)

15. Know How to Save Money on Food at Universal Orlando

If you’re not planning on being at Universal Orlando Resort for more than 4 days and you usually eat light, then I say stock up on a few snacks to store in your hotel room from a local grocery store.

If you have breakfast and dinner covered with your food stored in the hotel room, then you can plan for one meal a day (lunch) inside of the parks. This is one of my favorite ways to do Universal Orlando on a budget.

September is Orlando Magical Dining Month where high-end Orlando restaurants feature three-course, prix fixe dinners at an exceptional value. Some of the restaurants at Universal Orlando participate during this event, so you may be able to get a better dining option using this offer.

Refillable Drinks & Popcorn Buckets

You can also use refillable souvenir cups and buckets like the Coke Freestyle Souvenir Cup, the refillable buckets of popcorn, and the regular park beverage souvenir cup that can be purchased for one price and refilled throughout the day for a low cost.

You can reuse the souvenir cups on another visit and refill them at whatever the current reduced refillable charge is at that time.

Ready to start planning your next Universal Orlando vacation? Listen to the  latest podcast episode on Apple  or on your  non-Apple  device now!

16. Bring Your Own Snacks and Water

As mentioned briefly, having snacks and water will help hold you over between your meals. It’s also good to pack a light lunch if you want to avoid paying the cost of meals at the Universal Parks.

I usually pack a small sandwich and snacks with one meal in the park to treat myself on those solo days at Universal Orlando.

Water is very important to have especially in the severe  summer heat . Be sure your  snacks are within the Universal Orlando guidelines .

Acceptable items to bring into Universal Orlando Parks:

• Bottled water
• Small snacks that do not require heating
• Any food required for medical purposes and medically indicated nutritional supplements
• Food required for special dietary needs
• Baby food/baby formula
• Soft-sided insulated bags no larger than 8.5″ wide x 6″ high x 6″ deep

Prohibited items at Universal Orlando Parks:

• Alcoholic beverages
• Picnic lunches
• Food that requires heating or refrigeration
• Glass containers
• Hard-sided coolers
• Soft-sided coolers larger than 8.5″ wide x 6″ high x 6″ deep
• Suitcases and bags with wheels
• Folding chairs
• Clothing with offensive language or content
• Clothing that represents someone as emergency personnel
• Weapons of any kind

WATCH NEXT: 10 Things I’ll NEVER Do at Universal Orlando Again!

17. Purchase Universal Orlando Souvenirs Offsite

You can use websites like  Amazon . to get quite a few of your Universal gear and swag.

Also, local stores like Target , usually have a vast collection of Universal Orlando Resort merchandise for lower retail prices.

18. Buy Ponchos, Water, and Sunscreen Prior to Your Visit

Don’t get caught up in the Orlando rain and the Universal Orlando $20 price of a poncho.

A lot of the items such as a poncho, sunscreen, and water can be bought at  Dollar Tree for as little as $1.00.

What’s the BEST Rain Poncho for Disney? These 7 Will Help You Decide for Your Trip!

19. Use Discount Websites for Cheap Orlando Activities

Get great discounts on different activities happening around Orlando .

Websites such as Groupon  has some of the best activities to do off of the Universal Orlando Resort properties.

15 Most AMAZING Indoor Activities in Orlando for Adults (2024)

My Final Thoughts on Doing Universal Orlando on a Tight Budget

I truly hope these Universal Orlando money-saving tips help you save and budget well on your next trip.

You may be thinking…

“How much should I save for Universal Studios?”

If you budget for:

• Ticket: ~ $130
• Parking at Universal Orlando ~ $30
• Merchandise ~ $70

Your total for a solo day trip to Universal Studios would be ~ $280

Overall, use the tips in this article to help cut down as much of this cost as possible!

Let me know some money saving tips you use when doing Universal Orlando on a budget in the comments section below!

If you enjoyed this article, then you’ll love these:

• First Timer Solo Tips for Universal Orlando Resort
• Universal Studios One-Day Itinerary
• Islands of Adventure One-Day Itinerary
• Best Photo Spots at Islands of Adventure
• Diagon Alley Complete Guide
• Best Photo Spots at Universal Studios
• A Celebration of Harry Potter Tips and Tricks
• 7 Ways to Enjoy The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hogsmeade
• What You Need to Pack for Universal Orlando

Until next time, Happy Park Hopping Hipsters!

About the Author

My name is Nikky. I’m a wife, a mother, a pharmacist turned theme park blogger, USA Today 10Best Contributor , and a writer who loves ALL things amusement park related!

Traveling alone to the parks has changed my life and I want to show how you can create your own solo theme park memories.

Connect with me on Instagram!

(Original Article Date: March 17, 2019/Updated January 17, 2024)

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2024 complete guide to the florida state fair: food, tickets, concerts, rides and more, 2 thoughts on “19 amazing ways to do universal orlando on a budget (2024)”.

This is so helpful! My younger siblings and I (we’re all adults between 22 and 31 but young at heart) are planning a one-day trip to Islands of Adventure for next month, and we want to enjoy it to the fullest without breaking the bank. The poncho idea is GOLDEN lol. We got caught in the rain last time and ended up buying the $20 ponchos in the park. Thanks Nikki!

Congrats on your upcoming trip!!!!

The parks in Orlando sure know how to get every single penny out of you, lol. Especially when you’re in dire need. When a rainstorm is about to come, they place all the proper gear (like ponchos/umbrellas) towards the front of the store and make the prices outrageous!

Just stock up at Dollar Tree or on Amazon and you’ll be good to go 🙂

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An evening visit to Universal Studios Florida: limited time, but unlimited fun!

Nicole Wills | May 24, 2021 June 5, 2020

When visiting Orlando’s theme parks, most guests plan to arrive as early as possible. After all, there’s so much to see and do – and you’ll want time to relax in between all that seeing and doing, too! Every once in a while, however, you may only have a few evening hours at the beginning or end of your visit to spare, or you might find yourself with a free night and a ticket that needs using. Good news: it’s completely possible to arrive at a theme park after 4:00 pm and still have enough time to enjoy the attractions, as well as the evening!

Not convinced? I’ve broken down a hypothetical visit to Universal Studios Florida below to show how you can make the most of an evening visit. (It’s important to note, however, that this is written for a normal trip to the park rather than one impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic . It may be a while until you can follow this guide to the letter, but that’s something to look forward to, right?)

Starting off, if you arrive at Universal Studios shortly after four, you’ll be right in time to enjoy the Superstar Parade ! Showtimes vary, but it usually occurs in the late afternoon, often at 5:00 pm. For the best view, I recommend grabbing a spot either in the New York or Hollywood backlot. Or, if you’d like a little extra attention from the performers and characters, you can watch from in front of the lagoon, on the side of Transformers: The Ride – 3D . Wherever you end up, the Superstar Parade is a great way to kick off your evening in the park.

After the parade, it’s time for some riding and dining. There are plenty of attractions to choose from at Universal Studios Florida, but I’ve found that some offer an even better experience when ridden in the evening. For example, nothing beats the view from the top of Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit at golden hour! If you’re looking for a more laid-back evening experience, I recommend E.T. Adventure – although it’s an indoor ride, it mostly takes place at nighttime, so you’ll still get to enjoy some twilight ambiance. For dinner, head over to the neon lights of Springfield: Home of the Simpsons and grab some tacos from Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck . Not only are they delicious and well-priced, but you can also enjoy them outside with a beautiful sunset view of the lagoon.

Once you’ve gotten in your thrills and eats, why not take a relaxing stroll around the London waterfront ? The facade that hides The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley has some of the best sights to see in the entire park –  especially in the evening. This is the perfect place to sit back and take in the views, or grab a hot dog with crisps and watch for Kreacher to appear in the window of 12 Grimmauld Place. When you feel like you’ve spent enough time across the pond, head into Diagon Alley proper for another sight that’s even better at night: the dragon that perches atop Gringotts Wizarding Bank. That fiery breath is much more impressive when it lights up the stars!

Depending on the evening you choose to visit, the closing time of the theme park will vary – during the off-season, Universal Studios can close as early as 6:00 pm, but during busier months, it stays open as late as 10:00. To make the most of your night, I recommend visiting when it closes a little later so you don’t feel the need to rush. But however late the park may close, the best way to cap off your evening is with a viewing of Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration . This nighttime spectacular takes place on the lagoon and features a vast number of the properties featured at the park, including Harry Potter , Jurassic World , and Despicable Me , making it the perfect end to your time at Universal Studios Florida.

With a little planning, you can be sure that your evening visit to the parks will be as fulfilling as possible. Give the above guide a try, and I bet you’ll have such a great time that you’ll be planning your next nighttime excursion before you’ve even left!

Share your own tips for having a relaxing Orlando vacation with 100,000+ other theme-park fans in our Orlando Informer Community on Facebook. And be sure to follow Orlando Informer on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram for the latest news and tips at Universal Orlando, Walt Disney World, and other Orlando destinations.

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Universal orlando’s parks have reopened. what’s different, about nicole wills.

Nicole was born and raised in Orlando, so it's no surprise that theme parks have been part of her life for as long as she can remember. With experience writing content for both Universal Orlando Resort and her own theme park blog, she's turned that passion into a career, and she loves nothing more than helping others make the most of their Orlando adventures. When Nicole isn't writing, she can be found playing video games, hanging out with her cat, and counting down to Halloween Horror Nights (sometimes all at once).

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Best Rides at Universal Studios Florida: Our Top Ten

From Revenge of the Mummy to Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, Universal Studios Orlando has some of the best theme park rides in the country. To round out our top 10 lists of the best rides in the parks throughout Universal Orlando Resort, we will now cover the top 10 rides in Universal Studios Florida, to make sure that when you visit the resort you know exactly what rides to try first across all the parks.

Planning a Universal Orlando Vacation? Get Free Help From Our Favorite Travel Agent!

Universal Studios Florida is one of Universal Orlando Resort’s three parks.

Two of these parks, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios , are theme parks, while the third, Volcano Bay, is a water park. Universal Studios is renowned for its theme park rides, shows, and entertainment, so this list will only cover one aspect of what is so enjoyable about the park. Let’s get into it!

1. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

Coming in at the number one spot we have Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts . I promise that this ride is not just taking the top spot on the list because I’m a Harry Potter fan, but on top of its fantastic theme, the ride is a crazy journey and is one of the best rides in the whole resort.

Despite the massive popularity of Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure , the Escape from Gringotts is considered to be the flagship ride of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter .

The ride combines a immersive line experience, a mind-blowing roller coaster , and top-of-the-line visual effects to make you feel like you are really trying to escape Gringotts alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Like all the best rides in Universal Orlando, the beginning of the experience starts in the line. Fittingly, the ride takes place in Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley . Every time I walk into the bank I’m hit with Deja Vu from the movie. The layout of Gringotts is identical to what it looks like in the Harry Potter films.

Remember when Harry, Ron, and Hermione go to Gringotts with Griphook to break into Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault? This ride is essentially an exact replica of that scene. As you walk through Gringotts, a high ceiling towers above you with a chandelier, and the hall is lined with long desks on either side occupied by Goblins hard at work for the bank. They will peer at you suspiciously as you move toward the teller at the end of the long hall.

Once you begin the ride itself, you will get into a cart just like in the movies and prepare yourself to be launched into the vaults of Gringotts deep below. The Escape from Gringotts ride utilizes the dark throughout the roller coaster to increase the thrill factor and bring the 3D projections to life. As you twist, drop, and speed through the vaults you will run from dragons and maybe even Voldemort, all with Harry, Ron, and Hermione by your side.

Even if you aren’t a Harry Potter fan this ride is a must-try. But, if you have seen the movies, Escape From Gringotts will bring you directly into the world we all know and love in a once-in-a-lifetime immersive experience.

Category: Roller Coaster

Theme: Harry Potter, Gringotts Bank

Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter , Diagon Alley

Opening Date: July 8, 2014

Height Requirement: Must be at least 42” (107 cm). Children between 42” -48” (107 cm – 122 cm) must ride with a supervising companion.

Duration: 5:00

2. Revenge of the Mummy

Revenge of the Mummy comes in at number two in our list of the best rides at Universal Studios. This psychological thrill ride uses a combination of darkness, special effects, and animatronics to keep you on the edge of your seat and looking over your shoulder the whole time.

The ride is themed after The Mummy film series, and it works really hard to bring the horror of the mummy Imhotep to life. I’ve tried this ride several times before and I love it. Even though I technically know where all of the scares are, they still get me every single time.

The ride uses some props from the real Mummy film to help bring the series to life in the ride. The ride starts in a dark tomb surrounded by fluorescent lights. Just as tension really starts to build a mummy will spring out and hiss at the riders, letting you see just a hint of what you have in store over the next few minutes.

Revenge of the Mummy uses linear induction motors (LIMs) in its roller coaster that give it the ability to launch your car from 0-45 mph in a matter of seconds.

Throughout the rest of the ride, you will be expecting to see mummies around every turn, as you are shot into the darkness, dropped, and launched in every direction.

While the movement of the roller coaster itself might not have the fear factor of Island of Adventure’s VelociCoaster , the psychological intensity of the ride arguably makes it even scarier.

Category: Steel Launched Roller Coaster / Enclosed Dark Ride

Theme: The Mummy

Location: New York City

Opening Date: May 21, 2004

Height Requirement: Must be at least 48” (122 cm)

Duration: 3:00

3. MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack

MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack is an interactive dark ride based on the 1997 Men in Black film. When the ride opened in 2000 it was the largest in the resort and spans 70,000 square feet.

The ride includes more than 125 animatronic aliens that you will fight throughout your journey in the darkness. As long as you meet the height requirement, this is a good ride for people of all ages, and the interactive aspect makes it unique compared to many of Universal’s other rides.

Entering into the ride you will walk into the MIB training facility and wind your way through the themed line and pre-show.

Once it’s your turn, you will get into your seat and prepare to battle the aliens! The movement of the ride is primarily spinning, so if you have a weak stomach this might not be for you. As you spin and turn through the dark you will be tasked with shooting down aliens with a laser gun. You can accumulate points along the way and keep track of who is killing the most aliens!

Even though this is one of the older rides in the resort, it’s still one of the most fun, and is a nice break from the crazy thrill rides the resort has to offer!

Category: Shooting, Interactive Dark Ride

Theme: Men in Black

Location: Universal Studios, World Expo

Opening Date: April 14, 2000

Height Requirement: Must be at least 42” (107 cm)

Duration: 4 minutes

Get free help planning your Universal Orlando vacation from our favorite Universal Travel Agency, The Vacationeer !

Their agents can answer all your Universal questions , helping you pick the best time to go and how many days to stay , not to mention calculating how much it will cost and explaining perks such as early park entry . They can even help you determine if it’s worth purchasing paid add-ons such as Express Pass or admission to one of the after-hours special events .

You’ll be assigned a single, dedicated agent who will take the time to learn about your family , offering ride recommendations for your kids while also making sure the rest of the group gets all the thrills they’re looking for.

Can’t decide between Universal and Disney World ? They can help with that, too. They’ll help you compare prices between the two and answer all of your questions.

Whichever you choose (why not both?), your Vacationeer handles all the details for you . They’ll book hotel reservations, theme park tickets, dining reservations, even ground transportation from the airport or between Universal and Disney .

Best of all, they provide all of these planning services at no additional cost to you ! You pay the same price as if you’d booked it all yourself ( maybe even a little less , given their extensive knowledge of discounts and money-saving hacks).

So book your Universal vacation the stress-free way so you can focus on having fun with your family! Get started today with a free consultation and no-obligation quote from The Vacationeer !

4. E.T. Adventure

Truly one of the most nostalgic rides in the park, E.T. Adventure will bring you back to the 90s on a fun and enjoyable dark ride.

Built as a 1990 opening day attraction at Universal Studios (the only one still operating), this is the oldest large-scale ride in Universal Orlando.

While this is probably obvious, the ride is based on Steven Spielberg’s E.T.

This ride is certainly not where you should go if you are looking for crazy thrills or drops, but for those seeking a nostalgic, relaxing, enjoyable ride, then this is for you!

Just like E.T. in the movie, you will be flying on a bicycle through the sky. Right at the start of the ride you are zooming past NASA and the police are hot on your tail, but just as they get close you will float up into the sky and begin to fly away.

You will fly over some beautiful views and even go through a portal. Then, you will arrive at the Green Planet, where Botanicus will ask you to rescue E.T.’s friends.

The ride truly tells a story and takes you on a journey. The start of the ride is dark and intense, and the end is joyous and bright. This ride is great for all ages and is a great way to relive your love for the movie!

Some thrill seekers might quibble with this ranking so highly on our list (even outranking the Rip Ride Rockit roller coaster). But E.T. Adventure is one of the rides which made Universal Orlando what is today, and this ranking reflects the respect we have for it as the true essence of Universal theme parks.

Category: Suspended Dark Ride

Theme: E.T.

Location: Universal Studios, Woody Woodpecker’s Kidzone

Opening Date: June 7, 1990

Height Requirement: 34” (86 cm)

Duration: 4.5 min

5. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit

The Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is the most thrilling ride at Universal Studios. Reaching 65 mph, the Rockit will have you holding on for dear life as you shoot around the park.

The ride has a max peak of 167 ft and a total length of 3,800 ft, which goes quickly with the speed you’re traveling!

This is definitely a ride for thrill seekers. The ride doesn’t have much to offer in terms of theme, so I think we can agree that the main idea is the thrill.

One special aspect of this ride is that the guests can choose a song to rock out to throughout the roller coaster. Universal Orlando trimmed its available song selection in 2023, but you still have five songs to choose from for this wild ride.

The ride starts with a slow climb up to one of the ride’s many peaks and it briefly pauses at the top so you can take in the views of Orlando before you are launched nearly straight down to the ground.

The next few minutes you will have your hands in the air screaming as you speed through inversions, turns, loops, and more.

This is the best place if you are looking for a thrill in Universal Studios!

Theme: Hollywood

Location: Universal Studios, Production Central/New York

Opening Date: August 19, 2009

Height Requirement: Must be at least 51” (130cm), and no more than 79” (201 cm)

Duration: 1:40

6. Hogwarts Express: King’s Cross Station

The Hogwarts Express is one of my family’s favorite rides in the resort. We are all Harry Potter fans, which definitely contributes to our love of the ride, but even if you aren’t a fan this is a must-try experience.

The Hogwarts Express travels both directions in between the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Islands of Adventure and in Universal Studios. The Islands of Adventure Wizarding World is themed to Hogsmeade and in Universal Studios it’s Diagon Alley.

The Express is an exact replica of the train that Harry, Ron, and Hermione take to Hogwarts, and the railcar that you will sit in will give you deja vu from the movie.

The ride uses impressive CGI, scenery, and sounds to make you feel like you are really traveling Hogwarts like a first year wizard.

If it’s not already obvious, this isn’t a thrill ride. The slow-moving Hogwarts Express mimics the experience of a Hogwarts student traveling to school, with a few special twists.

You might hear some Hogwarts voices you recognize out in the hall or out your window, see some crazy views, and you might even see a Dementor!

This is a must try immersive experience for anyone, and especially those who are Harry Potter fans.

Category: Train

Theme: Harry Potter, The Hogwarts Express

Location: Universal Studios, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Diagon Alley

Height Requirement: N/A

7. The Simpsons Ride

Located in Springfield, U.S.A.: Home of The Simpsons, The Simpsons Ride is great for adults and kids of all ages. The indoor simulated roller coaster will take you on a journey to Krustyland with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie.

This is a visual roller coaster, meaning it’s a motion simulator. Much of the action is shown on a huge screen and you will wear glasses to enhance the experience. Your vehicle bounces and tilts to help “sell” what you’re seeing on-screen, but otherwise remains firmly bolted in place so you don’t actually go anywhere. Whether you are a fan of the Simpsons, or you’re craving a roller coaster without the physical stress, this is perfect for you!

The pre-ride experience for the Simpsons includes some cool, custom animations as you make your way to your seat. And somewhat jaded Theme Park lovers will appreciate the self-deprecating humor throughout (“Foolish Earthlings, don’t you know all rides must end near the gift shop?”).

Experiencing the roller coaster on a huge 80-ft diameter domed surface is a crazy experience and still provides some thrill even though you aren’t actually on a roller coaster.

This ride is as simple as sitting back and enjoying the show!

Category: Motion Simulator Roller Coaster

Theme: The Simpsons

Location: Universal Studios, Springfield U.S.A.: Home of the Simpsons

Opening Date: May 15, 2008

Height Requirement: N/A, but Under 48” (122cm) requires a supervising companion

Duration: 5 minutes

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8. Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon

Just as it sounds, on the Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon , you will race the Late Night Show host through the streets of New York in a simulated experience.

The ride takes place on a huge screen with 3D capabilities and immersive POV technology that makes you feel like you are zooming through the city’s streets next to Jimmy Fallon.

The experience begins in the line, where racers will pass by Manhattan’s 30 Rock building, and make their way into a classic NBC studio.

One bonus about this ride is that in some cases you may not have to actually wait in line. The ride has been known to sometimes use a virtual reservation system through Universal’s app, allowing you to do something else and then return when it’s your turn to ride. This isn’t always offered, but it’s a nice bonus when it is.

At the start of the ride itself, you enter into an NBC theater. After buckling up and putting on your 3D glasses, the race begins!

The screen has 16k resolution, and Universal used all the technology at their disposal to make sure it felt as life-like as possible.

This is worth the experience for the technology alone! But the experience of racing along the streets of NYC (and a few other far-out locales) makes it a must try.

Category: Simulated Ride

Theme: Jimmy Fallon/ New York City

Location: Universal Studios, New York area of the park

Opening Date: April 6, 2017

9. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem

Coming in at number 9, we have Despicable Me Minion Mayhem . Get excited to go on a ride through Gru’s laboratory on a journey that is great for families and kids.

This is another simulated ride, so make sure that if you get nauseous you think twice about trying it! My wife sometimes gets motion sickness and she had no problems on this one, but if you are extra sensitive it might be best to avoid it!

The screen displays the show at a high 60 frames per second and uses a 4k screen, bringing you right into the action of the ride.

Once you get into your seat you will be taken on a roller coaster-like journey alongside Gru and many minions around his lab! Without giving too much away, you will fly around, go on a slide, and might even fall into a cactus!

The ride has some great humor and is more of a good laugh than a thrilling roller coaster experience.

My kids love this one, and they are just as happy to see the Minions in the line as they are to actually experience the ride itself.

Theme: Despicable Me

Location: Universal Studios, Production Central

Opening Date: July 9, 2012

Height Requirement: Minimum height required 40” (102cm)

Duration: 8 Minutes

10. Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl

Rounding out our top ten, Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl is a great ride for kids in Universal Studios. Located in Springfield, U.S.A.: Home of The Simpsons, the ride features drooling aliens, flying saucers, lasers, and some of your favorite Simpsons characters!

The ride reminds me of a more extreme version of a merry-go-round (if you’re familiar with rides at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom , it’s a similar ride system to Dumbo the Flying Elephant). Only reaching a top speed of 13 mph, or 1/51,595,995 the speed of light as Universal puts it, it’s perfect for young kids. You will embark on the ride in a flying saucer that is under your control!

The flying saucers reach a max height of about 10 ft as you soar around the alien at its center. Throughout the ride, you will be able to maneuver your flying saucer up and down to activate targets featuring some of Springfield’s citizens, trying to zap them as you go!

Category: Kid Friendly Spinning Ride

Theme: The Simpsons/ Aliens

Location: Springfield, U.S.A.: Home of The Simpsons

Opening Date: August 11, 2013

Duration: 2 minutes

Final Thoughts on the Best Rides at Universal Studios

While Islands of Adventure is filled with more thrill rides, Universal Studios has a variety of thrill rides, family rides, and simulated experiences that make it great for groups of all ages. Make sure to check the height requirements and other important notices before you ride, and enjoy the thrills!

We hope this list has helped you plan your day at Universal Studios. Of course, this list doesn’t cover every single ride in the park. When you’re making a top ten list you have to leave out some great rides to make a list that represents all of the types of attractions the park has to offer. To see what we left off, check out our complete list of every ride at Universal Orlando Resort .

For more guidance on the best rides around Universal Orlando, check out our lists for every Universal Orlando park:

• Best rides in all of Universal Orlando Resort
• Best rides at Universal Studios Florida (this article)
• Best rides at Islands of Adventure
• Best rides at Volcano Bay water park

Ready to Experience the Top Rides at Universal Studios Florida and the Rest of Universal Orlando Resort?

Planning a trip to Universal Orlando can be complicated, and if you are looking to get the most out of your trip for the best value I recommend using a travel agent.

Our favorite travel agency is The Vacationeer . As a trusted Universal Preferred Travel Agency , The Vacationeer is well-versed in everything Universal has to offer.

Their agents provide completely free Universal Orlando vacation planning services at the exact same price you’d pay if you booked it yourself. You might even save a little, thanks to their extensive knowledge of discounts and promotions. They’ll even watch for new specials to be released after you’ve booked, and apply them automatically if your reservation qualifies!

Your dedicated agent (no waiting on hold with a giant call center) will help you find the best Universal hotel for your family, whether you need one that’s pet friendly , within walking distance of the park , has suites for larger families , or whatever your need is. They can also clue you in on which hotels offer a free Express Pass as part of the booking, helping you enjoy some of the best rides at Universal Studios with less time standing in line!

Your Vacationeer can answer all of your park ticket questions , too — and they’ll even make your dining reservations and arrange ground transportation as needed.

There’s never any obligation to book and they always offer free consultations and free price quotes , so connect with The Vacationeer today to start planning your Universal Orlando adventure!

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I've Visited All the Theme Parks in Florida — and These Are the Best Ones

These are the best theme parks in Florida, from Disney to Universal and beyond.

Valerie de Leon/Travel + Leisure

Florida is known for its white-sand beaches, year-round sunny weather, and a collection of some of the world's best theme parks. Here, you can enter the enchanting world of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando or shrink down to the size of a toy at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It’s also the place where coasters take you to new heights at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay and everything is awesome for mini thrill-seekers at Legoland Florida.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit all the parks in the state; here are 10 of the best theme parks in Florida so you can start planning your next trip.

Magic Kingdom

Valerie de Leon/Travel + Leisure

This park set the standard for the Florida theme park industry we know today when it opened in 1971. Today, Magic Kingdom Park bridges the old with the new, inviting guests to relive the tales of childhood and enjoy beloved attractions, like Pirates of the Caribbean. It’s also the home of Disney World's newest ride, TRON Lightcycle/ Run , a thrilling roller coaster.

Magic Kingdom is the park I often find myself returning to again and again, with its picture-perfect Cinderella Castle and the old-timey feel of Main Street, U.S.A. There’s a distinct charm here that hasn’t been replicated, and that feeling of nostalgia is especially palpable in classic attractions like It’s a Small World and Haunted Mansion.

Michela Sieman/Travel + Leisure

EPCOT is a unique park that started as a passionate vision from Walt Disney; its name stands for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. While it didn’t exactly pan out as he expected it to, it stands alone as one of the very best theme parks in the world , marrying entertainment with education in a world's fair-inspired experience. World Showcase features 11 different countries presenting their cultures through shopping, dining, and attractions. The other half of Epcot sparks imagination and inspiration, with a focus on advances in technology that explore space, time, and the future depicted in one-of-a-kind attractions, like Spaceship Earth and Living With the Land.

It’s my favorite park to dine at, thanks to its year-round restaurants — the very best at Disney World — and acclaimed food festivals. It also shines from season to season, with enchanting holiday décor in the winter and stunning topiaries come spring, offering something new to see visit after visit. Disney movie fans will also find some of the best film-inspired attractions, including high-spirited Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind , one of the longest indoor roller coasters in the world.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Hollywood Studios takes the yesteryear glam of Tinseltown and combines it with the biggest films of the modern age, inviting park goers to step into the worlds of these beloved franchises. Without a doubt, its showstopper is the immersive Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge , a pioneering feat of Walt Disney Imagineering. Here, all five senses take an intergalactic journey with otherworldly bites and trailblazing experiences, like the astonishing Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance . And park newcomer, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, is pure family fun.

My very favorite rides at Disney World are here, including The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, known for its unique ride system, and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith. I also enjoy the vibrant Toy Story Land, adorably themed with stellar character interactions and great rides, including all-ages roller coaster Slinky Dog Dash. Its unique dining options have become a family mainstay, like the delightfully quirky Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, which invites diners into a dimly lit indoor movie theater as they munch on American eats from within retro cars.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney World’s most beautiful park is inspired by the company’s devotion to animal conservation; they even tapped legend Jane Goodall to consult on the project’s conception. The park explores vast cultures of the globe, from Africa to Asia, within scenic lands. Its pinnacle, Pandora — The World of Avatar, will impress Avatar film superfans and casual viewers alike. Here, you can find one of Disney World’s best rides , the exhilarating 3D flying simulator attraction, Avatar Flight of Passage.

A visit here isn’t complete without experiencing Kilimanjaro Safaris, which guides riders on a tour of a wildlife reserve with hundreds of majestic creatures. Tapping into its global inspiration, food here is some of the most eclectic and ambitious I’ve found at Disney World.

Universal Studios Florida

Elizabeth Rhodes/Travel + Leisure

Inspired by the greatest moments from entertainment history, Universal Studios Florida is a movie and television-themed park that began as an actual working studio. Several lands pay homage to iconic backlot sets, including San Francisco and New York, and it’s since evolved to include a colorful Minion Land, Simpsons -themed Springfield U.S.A., and an upcoming DreamWorks Land. This is also where muggles can find The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Diagon Alley, one of the most impressive theme park feats of all time.

The Wizarding World here is a real treat, from its Butterbeer ice cream to Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts, a 3D indoor roller coaster that captivates with thrills and fun. Potter aside, the park carries a very retro feel maintaining much of the charismatic nature it debuted with in the 1990s. And I hope it never gets rid of the classics, like the E.T. Adventure dark ride and Men in Black Alien Attack. This park is all about the little nuances to me, like roaming characters impersonating Hollywood greats and kitschy entertainment as depicted in Universal’s Horror Make-up Show.

Related: The Complete Guide to Universal Orlando Resort — Including Everything to Know About the Theme Parks, Hotels, and More

Universal Islands of Adventure

A short ride on the Hogwarts Express (or walk to the gate) will take you to Universal Orlando's second theme park, Universal Islands of Adventure. Here, Universal takes its nod to movie magic and adds a serious dose of thrills, most notably in the form of its two best roller coasters, the impeccably themed Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and the heart-pounding Jurassic World VelociCoaster. You’ll also find a Harry Potter- themed land that transports guests to the snow-capped streets of Hogsmeade and even inside the iconic Hogwarts Castle.

There’s a transportive nature to this park that I just love as I wander from one highly themed land to the next, including the whimsical Seuss Landing. It’s a true day-to-night park that’s easy to navigate, home to incredible rides, and packed with lots of gems, including some of the best restaurants at Universal Orlando . 

Legoland Florida

Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Themed to the brightly hued bricks, Legoland Florida is the place for the next generation of thrill seekers, home to entry-level roller coasters and kid-friendly attractions. The park's newest attractions include Pirate River Quest, a scenic boat ride through the former Cypress Garden, and Lego Ferrari Build & Race, a hands-on experience like no other. And park goers ages five and under can visit the first-ever Peppa Pig Theme Park, centered around the beloved British cartoon character.

While the attractions may focus on younger guests, this is really a park for everyone. I could spend hours exploring Miniland and its large-scale Lego structures portraying iconic cities around the globe. The park’s signature apple fries are worth a visit alone. And with several on-site resorts, a water park, and two theme parks, it’s become a bona fide destination.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Nik Wheeler/Corbis via Getty Images

Home to over 50 attractions, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is an animal-focused theme park with an emphasis on pushing boundaries. Here, you’ll find the tallest and fastest inverted roller coaster in the world, Montu, as well as the area’s largest zoo, with over 200 animal species. One of its newest coasters is the adrenaline-pumping Iron Gwazi which ascends 206 feet in the air and reaches speeds of up to 76 miles per hour.  

While Disney festivals get all the attention, this park's award-winning Food & Wine Festival is reason alone to visit and wows me with globally inspired bites and live entertainment.

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon

Courtesy of Disney World

Find quintessential Disney storytelling at Typhoon Lagoon, one of Disney World’s two water parks. There’s a rich backstory as you visit a former tropical paradise that’s been wrecked by a typhoon. It’s a delightful mix of approachable thrills and family fun, as evident with Miss Adventure Falls, an immersive whitewater family attraction. And you’ll feel a world away from Magic Kingdom as you float Castaway Creek, an over 2,000-foot-long lazy river.

There’s an effortless, relaxed vibe at Typhoon Lagoon, and although the slides are great, the highlight for me is North America’s largest wave pool set against a towering mountain. Snacks abound, including delicious Caribbean-inspired bites and even the famous Dole Whip.

Related: Disney Water Park Guide: What to Know About Typhoon Lagoon vs. Blizzard Beach

Universal’s Volcano Bay

Universal Creative took its excellence in theme park design and applied it to the world of water parks for the first-of-its-kind Volcano Bay. The park is 25 acres of pure South Pacific-inspired paradise centered around a 200-foot human-made volcano. Plus, Universal flexes its culinary skills with inventive foods so good you’ll forget you’re at a water park.

Admittedly, I’ve never been a water park person, but this one truly blows the others out of the water. If I’m feeling daring, I’ll ascend the daunting steps to the top of the volcano for the thrilling Ko’Okiri Body Plunge. I also love the fast-moving Fearless River which requires guests of all ages and sizes to wear a lifejacket because it’s that intense. But there’s also plenty to do for the non-sliders, like lounge on white-sand beaches or hit up one of the many beach bars reminiscent of a tropical resort.

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Home > Ride > Routes > The Point Orlando Resort to Universal Studios Florida Theme Park

Best way to get from The Point Orlando Resort to Universal Studios Florida Theme Park

Find the best ways to travel from The Point Orlando Resort to Universal Studios Florida Theme Park. You can also request a ride directly in the app at the tap of a button.

Reserve a ride in advance to Universal Studios Florida Theme Park

Complete your plans today by reserving a ride with Uber to get from The Point Orlando Resort to Universal Studios Florida Theme Park. Request a ride up to 90 days before your trip, at any time and on any day of the year.

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Getting from The Point Orlando Resort to Universal Studios Florida Theme Park

When you ride with Uber on your next trip from The Point Orlando Resort to Universal Studios Florida Theme Park, you’ve got choices. Whether you’re traveling alone or with others, find a ride option that fits your needs and budget. If you like to plan ahead, consider scheduling a ride to Universal Studios Florida Theme Park in advance. Or you can request a ride on demand from The Point Orlando Resort in the Uber app.

The route your driver takes might depend on the time of day and other factors, like traffic and how many other riders are making requests. You can have a stress-free ride knowing that the Uber app will suggest the most efficient route to your driver.

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Average route price, average route distance, how to get from the point orlando resort to universal studios florida theme park.

Compare ride options getting from The Point Orlando Resort to Universal Studios Florida Theme Park. Check the Uber app for current prices and travel options available.

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Frequently asked questions

The Uber app gives you the power to request a ride from The Point Orlando Resort anytime, 24/7.

The average price for this trip is $8. Open the Uber app and input Universal Studios Florida Theme Park in the “Where to?” box. The price estimate for each ride option will appear; scroll to see what’s available. Prices will vary based on time of day and how many riders are making requests.

The most affordable ride choice from The Point Orlando Resort to Universal Studios Florida Theme Park is Green.

The average duration for this ride is 8 minutes. Before a trip starts, your app gives an estimated time of arrival (ETA) for when your driver is likely to arrive at The Point Orlando Resort. After your trip starts, your app provides an ETA for when you are likely to arrive at Universal Studios Florida Theme Park. Please note: ETAs are not guaranteed; various factors like heavy traffic or road construction could affect travel time.

The average trip from The Point Orlando Resort to Universal Studios Florida Theme Park using the Uber app is about 2 miles.

If Uber Reserve is an option in the Uber app at The Point Orlando Resort, you can request a ride from The Point Orlando Resort anywhere from 2 hours to 90 days in advance, at any time and on any day of the year. Uber’s ride-scheduling technology and Uber Reserve can help you be on time.

Check in the Uber app to see if car rentals are available at The Point Orlando Resort. If you see the Rent icon, you can complete your reservation using the Uber app. Then you can rent a car and drive yourself to Universal Studios Florida Theme Park. To get more details, go to uber.com/u/uber-rent.

The data presented on this page represents historical average prices, durations, and distances for routes. Actual prices, durations, and distances may vary based on factors such as location, traffic conditions, and other variables. Information provided here is for reference purposes only and should not be considered as binding.

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