Congratulations! You've decided to plan to trip to Universal Orlando Resort. There are a few bits of information I often see overlooked when people arrive to the parks after what they thought was extensive planning and preparation. To avoid some common "surprises," look no further.
Know Your Ticket
Choosing tickets and add-ons when going to the parks can be a little dizzying, especially if you're a first time visitor. There are so many options! One-day versus multi-day, single park versus park-to-park (also known as two-day tickets), express pass versus express pass unlimited. What does it mean?
One-Day tickets versus Multi-Day tickets are exactly as they sound. This determines the number of days your ticket is good for. One-Day tickets are valid for the date selected at purchase. Multi-Day tickets are valid for the number of days selected (one through five days) beginning on the date selected at purchase. Note: Multi-day tickets do not have to be used on consecutive days. When selecting the date, the online calendar will give you a range for when the ticket is valid. All days must be used within this range.
Single park versus park-to-park can be slightly more confusing. A single park ticket grants entry to one of the two theme parks (Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure) on the dates selected at purchase. You may enter or exit this park as many times as you wish on this day, but you cannot enter another park with this ticket. Park-to-park tickets allow guests entry to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure for the days selected at purchase. You can travel between both parks through the day, entering and exiting each as much as you like until park close. Note: If visiting Volcano Bay, this is a separately ticketed park, with a specific Volcano Bay ticket. Volcano Bay is not included in park-to-park tickets. This excludes three-park UOAP passes.
Express passes are considered an add on (excluding express pass after 4pm with Premier Level UOAP pass) when purchasing tickets. An express pass does not grant entry to the parks, so you still need to buy a ticket for admission. Express passes can still be purchased as single park or park-to-park, but all express passes are single day use. The Universal Express Pass allows use of the express line at each participating attraction once during the day. The Universal Express Unlimited Pass allows use of the express line as much as you would like for participating attractions throughout the day. Notes: Not all attractions are included in the Universal Express Passes. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and Pteranodon Flyers are excluded from Universal Express Passes. Volcano Bay has separate Express Pass options, so make sure to select the correct park before purchase.
Get the Universal Orlando Resort Mobile App
The Universal Orlando Resort mobile app is incredibly helpful, even for those who know the parks inside, out, and backwards. The app includes a map that can track your location within the parks if you allow (which is very useful since the discontinuation of paper maps within the parks in 2024), mobile food ordering, attraction wait times, and the ability to save your card information for quicker check out when purchasing food or merchandise. I suggest downloading the app before you arrive and saving your card information. This allows you to get familiar with the app and its features before stepping foot in the parks.
Know Your Transportation Options
If you're staying at an on site Universal hotel, you have lots of options for transport. Options vary depending on the hotel you are staying at, but include walking paths, buses, and water taxis. There are some hotels in the Orlando area that partner with Universal to provide courtesy shuttles to and from the parks at different times of the day, so be sure to check with your hotel. If you plan to drive, know your parking options. These include regular parking, prime parking, and valet parking. For current pricing and directions, click here.
Anticipate The Crowds
Universal Orlando Resort has three theme parks. Expect there to be some other people walking around. There are a few ways to anticipate what the crowd will look like.
Crowd Calendars are available online for free. They provide a "best guess" for what crowd levels will be like throughout the year. My favorite is from Orlando Informer. It's easy to use and in my previous experience, creepily accurate.
Ticket prices are another great indicator of crowd levels. The higher the price, the bigger the crowds. While admission ticket prices are a good indicator, I've found express pass pricing to be the best indicator.
Check the weather! This is so simple, and so many people overlook this. If the weather is anything besides sunny or slightly cloudy, the crowd levels are probably lower. You can't use this method far in advance, but if it's the week of your trip it can be useful.
Have a Backup Plan
This is your vacation, everything is supposed to be perfect. I know you don't want a Plan B, but what if Plan A just isn't working out? Anything can happen out of your control such as inclement weather, unexpected ride closures, or even the stomach bug. Planning for something to go wrong ahead of time makes your trip so much smoother if you actually need to implement your backup plan, and there is so much to explore even if you don't ride any attractions! Below are a few options.
Watch a show! My favorites are Universal Orlando's Horror Make-Up Show and The Blues Brothers Show, both located within Universal Studios.
Explore the games. There are many arcades and game booths scattered throughout both parks and it won't take long for you to stumble across one. In Universal Studios, the arcade is located in the New York section, with more games located in Springfield. In Islands of Adventure the arcade is located in Marvel Superhero Island, with games between Marvel Super Hero Island and Toon Lagoon.
Explore CityWalk. CityWalk has so much to offer including food, escape rooms, two mini golf courses, and merchandise shops.
The list really does go on when you think about planning your trip. Reach out to Universal Orlando through their website or app, or call to get more detailed questions answered. Ask friends or family their thoughts. As always, I encourage questions through my website as well!
We are in the planning stages right now. Thanks to your blog! Awesome work!!!