Thinking of visiting Universal Orlando Resort in the near future? You’ll definitely want to read this post! I am an Annual Passholder for Universal Orlando, meaning I visit the parks A LOT. I love visiting Disney, but Universal Orlando is so different from their parks with a different vibe, which I love. There is so much that can go into a Universal vacation, so it’s important to know what the BEST options are (Ok, it’s my opinion, but still, I think a lot of you will agree with me!)
BEST TIME TO VISIT
The most important thing to consider when first beginning the planning stages of your Universal vacation is to think about when you want to visit. The best time of visit can depend on a variety of things. My favorite times to visit are when Universal hosts major fun events like Universal Mardi Gras which usually takes place from early February until the beginning of April, Halloween Horror Nights which is from September until the end of October, and the Holidays at Universal which take place from late November through the beginning of January. I also enjoy visiting the parks when the weather is cooler and when school is in session, so if you are able to travel during non-holiday times periods, this is the best time to visit. Early January, Early-Late February (excluding MLK and Presidents Day weekend) March when the weather is still cool, are the best times to visit along with May. Mid-September is also great, but beware you will experience major heat and humidity. Mid-November before Thanksgiving and early December before schools are out for holiday break and Christmas are also great because you can catch the holiday events at Universal without the major crowds.
BEST RESORT
The best type of resort for your family is going to come down to your family budget. My favorite premier resort is Loews Royal Pacific Resort. This premier resort is Polynesian inspired and features 3 restaurants and a major outdoor pool. Some of the rooms also give you views of City Walk and the parks which are fun to see from your room window. Free WiFi is also included in public areas and a free theme park shuttle is also provided. If you’re not interested in taking a shuttle-like van to the parks, catch the water taxi transportation that travels to and from your hotel to the parks, making it a quick and easy way to get the parks. It’s also fun, relaxing, and totally different from the shuttle experience.
Universal’s Loews Royal Pacific Resort offers exclusive unlimited ride access which lets ticket-holding guests skip regular lines at Universal theme parks. When you stay at any Universal premier resort, Universal Express Unlimited Passes are included with the price of your resort stay. This allows you skip the line access to most rides and attractions, minimizing your time in line while maximizing your time in the parks. It’s an awesome perk, making the parks more enjoyable since you won’t have to wait in line.
Early Park Admission to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay Water Park is also included with your resort stay. This is not exclusive to premier resort guests, and all guests staying on Universal property can utilize the Early Park Admission. This allows guests entry into one of the parks (depending on the date) 1 hour prior to the theme parks opening giving you ride access to specific attractions as well as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, making it a great time to get pictures without a lot of guests in the background of your photos.
Hard Rock Hotel is also another favorite premier resort of mine because of how close in proximity this hotel is to Universal Studios. This park is about a 5-minute walk from the hotel, making it so easy to get to and from the parks and enjoy a break during your day if you choose to take some time during your vacation.
The best value resort that you will find for your wallet will be the Endless Summer Resorts. Endless Summer Resort- Surfside Inn & Suites along with Endless Summer Resort- Dockside Inn & Suites are both family-oriented value hotels that make it super affordable for you to enjoy your vacation at Universal. Both of these hotels are Universal’s newest property, making them nice and new for you to enjoy your stay. This surf vibe at this hotel is super fun, and this hotel offers standard rooms as well as suites that can sleep up to 6 people, so if you have a larger family, this hotel can definitely accommodate you!
These Endless Summer Resorts are a little bit further from the parks, but they are Universal’s newest resorts, making them feel a little more luxurious and worth staying a little bit further from the parks. These resorts are about a 10-15 shuttle ride to the parks and the shuttle is free and included with your stay at Universal.
BEST TYPE OF TICKET
The best type of ticket is the Park to Park ticket that Universal Orlando offers. There are many different types of tickets when it comes to visiting Universal Orlando, but the park to park ticket gives you a lot of flexibility in what you do on your Universal vacation. This ticket is great if you only have a short amount of time to spend at the parks and you want to be able to experience everything. This ticket allows you to visit both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure on the same day. You can show between the 2-Park Park to Park ticket, giving you this access, or you can make it a 3-Park Park to Park ticket to also include Volcano Bay in your stay as well.
With a park to park admission ticket, you can board and ride the Hogwarts Express from either King’s Cross Station in London at Universal Studios and travel to Hogsmeade Station in Universal’s Islands of Adventure, or ride the other way around for a different experience. Onboard, you’ll see characters and creatures featured in the films. Not only are you riding this amazing train, but you also get to experience walking through Platform 9 3/4! This is not your everyday train ride! The only way to experience the train is with the park to park ticket! This ticket makes it all worth it!
Another great reason to have the park to park access ticket is that sometimes park hours can vary for Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. The parks don’t always close at the same time due to special events, etc, which then allows you the opportunity to leave one park and enter the other park to give you a full day at both parks, therefore maximizing your time at Universal Orlando! For example, if Universal Studios closes at 5 p.m. and Universal’s Islands of Adventure closes at 7 p.m., the Park-to-Park ticket allows you to leave Universal Studios Florida and have two hours to enjoy the rides at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
I often get asked, if you only have one day to spend at the parks, which Universal park is best?. If you only have one day, I highly recommend the park-to-park ticket so you can experience both parks. Remember, the only way to get to ride the Hogwarts Express is with the park to park access ticket!
Not only is the park to park ticket the best ticket to purchase, the Universal Express Pass is also a great benefit if it fits your family’s budget. Universal Express allows you to skip the lines at most Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure attractions. (It is a separate purchase to include Universal’s Volcano Bay). Universal now offers Universal Express passes for most of the popular Wizarding World of Harry Potter rides, including Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. The only rides that do not have it in either park are Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure which is the new ride that just opened at Islands of Adventure. Eventually, this will *probably* be added to the list of Express Pass attractions, but because it is so new and the wait times are still so high, Express Pass is still not available for this ride.
Universal Express Unlimited
You can use the Universal Express Unlimited Pass an unlimited number of times at participating rides and attractions each day that your pass is valid. This is the type of pass that is available to you when staying on Universal property.
Universal Express Pass
You can use the Universal Express Pass ONCE per ride at participating rides and attractions each day that your pass is valid. You will have the option to purchase this type of Express Pass or the Unlimited Express Pass when purchasing tickets.
Prices of Express Pass:
The price of the express pass can vary. If you are staying on-site at one of Universal’s premier resorts, Universal Express Unlimited is free for every day of your visit. That includes the date you check-in and the date you check out. If you are considering purchasing Express Pass, you will have to decide if the price of the resort is worth it to stay on-site. I always believe that it is because of what you are getting when staying on-site: Early Park Entry, Unlimited Express Pass (for the premiere resorts), close proximity to the parks, etc.
The 3 resorts that offer Universal Express Unlimited With Your Stay:
Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel
Loews Royal Pacific Resort
Why Get the Express Pass:
The parks can be super crowded depending on the time of the year that you are visiting. If you are visiting in the middle of summer or around major holidays like the week between Christmas and New Years, you should definitely consider purchasing Express Pass or staying at a Universal resort that offers it. The Express Pass helps you minimize your wait times for attractions while maximizing your time in the parks. There is nothing worse than spending all of your money on a vacation where you spend the majority of your time in the parks waiting in line. Having the Express Pass takes that away and allows you to make the most of your vacation. Yes, you get what you pay for- the Express Passes can be expensive, but they are so worth it!
If you are only visiting Universal for a couple of days and want to be able to visit both parks, Universal Express Passes help you see and do everything within a short amount of time, especially if the parks are super busy on the days of your visit.
Are Express Passes Worth It:
No matter when you visit, having Universal Express Pass will help you save time. The question is really how much you value the time you have in the parks and how much time you would save with the passes. During less busy times, I definitely think it’s nice to have, but if you are trying to save money, then it might not be necessary. It really comes down to what you believe in and how you want to spend your times in the parks.
BEST EVENTS AT UNIVERSAL ORLANDO
The best events at Universal Orlando can differ by opinion based on your interests, but I believe that Universal Mardi Gras, Halloween Horror Nights, and the Holidays at Universal are the best events at Universal Orlando.
Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras one EPIC celebration. This year, Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras celebration takes place from February 1st to April 2nd, 2020. This celebration combines theme park entertainment with a Mardi Gras parade, costumed performers, authentic New Orleans bands, and Cajun cuisine. But wait- it gets better! On select nights, there are live concerts with some of the nation’s top recordings artists! The event dates vary year by year but just know it always starts around February and goes until early April. To read more about Universal’s Mardi Gras celebration, check out my blog post all about that HERE!
Halloween Horror Nights will be celebrating its 30th anniversary this 2020 year. Halloween Horror Nights will run from September 10th to October 31st, 2020. If you like scary, this event is for you! Experience haunted houses, scare zones, live entertainment, along with some of Universal’s attractions all during this special ticketed event on nights in September through October.
Holidays at Universal Orlando is also a fun time to be in the parks just because of how festive everything is!
Following Halloween Horror Nights, the holidays at Universal begin from November to early January. This is my favorite time to be in the parks because the parks are decorated for the holidays and it makes it even more special and fun to be in the parks! Both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure will be decorated and participate in the holiday season.
Over at Universal Studios, Diagon Alley and London are transformed with festive decor and lighting. There are special holiday treats and drinks, the atmosphere is fun and Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees have a special show prepared just for the occasion. Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s also takes place at Universal. Some of these floats are actually part of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and feature the Minions, Madagascar, Shrek, and Santa Claus.
Read more about Universal’s seasonal events HERE.
BEST RESTAURANTS AT CITY WALK
The best restaurants at Universal City Walk include Cowfish where you can get the cheeseburger sushi (burgushi) which is SO good! Another favorite is Margaritaville at City Walk. Their cheeseburgers (like the Cheeseburger in Paradise!) are out of this world! The theme is so fun in here and you will definitely feel like you are on vacation.
Toothsome’s Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen offers one of a kind desserts, that put other restaurant desserts to shame! Enjoy milkshakes and sundaes like Chocolate Brownie Bark, Bacon Brittle, and Salted Caramel Flan (my favorite!)
Remember, when you stay at a premier resort, you can get priority seating with your reservation since most of these restaurants don’t accept reservations.
BEST RIDES AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
There are dozens of attractions at Universal Orlando and Universal’s parks have attractions for all age groups. However, the majority of the rides at Universal tend to be geared more towards older children, teens, and adults because of their height requirements and level of intensity.
So, without further ado, here is my Top 5 “BEST OF” list of the best Universal Orlando rides!
#5 Transformers The Ride 3 D Experience
You will Board your N*E*S*T* vehicle and join Optimus Prime and Bumblebee in an immersive thrill ride. This is a 3D ride, so if you are likely to motion sickness, you may have to sit this one out or do what I do and ride Transformers without your 3D glasses on.
#4 ET: E.T. Adventure
E.T. about a 5-minute ride. Debuting all the way back in 1990, this attraction brings back nostalgia for the original E.T. movie. E. T. Adventure is a leisurely ride that will take you flying past police officers, over the city, and into space.
#3 Revenge of the Mummy
Revenge of the Mummy is about a 3minute ride. This ride combines a dark enclosed ride along with a roller coaster experience. If you like scary rides, this one is for you!
#2 Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is about a 5-minute ride. This indoor roller coaster is similar to a dark ride because it utilizes 3-D projections with live-action sections to bring this ride to life.
#1 Rip Ride Rocket
Rip Ride Rocket is 1.5 minutes (but feels like a lifetime lol!) Guests get to pick the song that they will be able to hear on the ride from a selection of songs available to them once they get seated on the ride. The ride begins at a 90-degree angle and then drops moving you at 65 mph. It’s highly intense and terrifying at times but is so fun to listen to the song of your choice once you are riding
BEST MEALS AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
1. Butter Beer!
Harry Potter Fan or night, this drink is delicious and worth a try! It’s nonalcoholic and almost tastes like a cream soda. You can purchase Butter Beer either hot, frozen or like a regular cold drink. I prefer it frozen, especially on a hot day. You can find butterbeer in both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade located inside both Wizarding World of Harry Potter locations at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.
2. Lad’s Pink Donut
This is a must-try because where else can you get a pink donut almost the size of your head? This is available at Lard Lad Donuts in the Simpsons area at Universal Studios
3. Cletus’ Chicken Shack
Enjoy fried chicken and pair it with a Duff beer, all available in the Simpsons area at Universal Studios!
4. Classic Monster Café
I love the theming of this restaurant! Décor features Dracula’s castle, a flying saucer, and monster movie memorabilia. The food at this location includes pizza, chicken, and salad, and is a great spot for a quick service meal
5. Leaky Cauldron:
This Harry Potter-themed restaurant is featured in the movies and includes delicious entrees like bangers and mash, fisherman’s pie, and fish and chips!
BEST RIDES AT ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE
For the fifth year in a row, Universal’s Islands of Adventure is the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice as the #1 Amusement Park in the World. Here is my list of Top 5 Attractions!
#5 Jurassic Park River Adventure
Face a giant Trex as your only escape is an 85-foot pitch-black plunge before you. This is a water ride, so be warned because you will get wet! I’d suggest doing this ride last right before you plan to go back to your resort so you aren’t walking around the parks wet all day, or bring a pair of clothes to change into.
#4 The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman
Wear your 3-D glasses and join Spiderman as you try and help him save the day in New York.
#3 Harry Potter and the Fordibben Journey
This ride is worth riding just so that you can walk through Hogwarts. Soar above the castle grounds on this adventure. This ride is one of a kind and can cause motion sickness, so beware!
#2 The Hulk
This ride is SO scary but so fun! You are launched into the ride right at the start and this rollercoaster is full of twists and spins for a good full minute. It’s the longest minute ever, but such a fun rollercoaster!
#1 Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
This is the newest addition to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. You get to fly through the Forbidden Forest and join Hagrid on a motorbike. This experience is definitely unlike any other ride out there!
BEST MEALS AT ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE
1. Mythos Restaurant
This restaurant is a must-try when visiting Islands of Adventure. For years, this restaurant has been voted the best theme park restaurant many years in a row and you can definitely see why!
2. Croissant Moon Bakery
This bakery is located at the Port of Entry near the front of the park. This bakery serves pastries and coffee, so grab your breakfast on the go that way you can get a start on your day at Islands of Adventure.
3. Three Broomsticks
Three Broomsticks includes British foods like fish and chips and shepherd’s pie. This restaurant is super detailed and makes you feel like you are right inside Hogsmeade.
BEST RIDES AT VOLCANO BAY
Krakatau Aqua Coaster
Ko’kiri Body Plunge
Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides
Punga Racers
BEST MEALS AT VOLCANO BAY
Hawaiian Ribs
Mango BBQ Pulled Pork Slider
Blackened Mahi
BEST WAY TO BOOK YOUR UNIVERSAL VACATION
USE YOUR TRAVEL AGENT LIKE ME! Early park admission is always included with ticket only purchases when using a Marvelous Mouse Travels travel agent. If you happen to have made it this far and have read this post, mention this blog post for a gift card when you book with me! 😉
Love and Travel Dust,
Molly
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