Is it your first time at Universal Orlando?! It may feel a little overwhelming. There seems to be so much that you have to do: pack, plan, reserve… the list is endless. However, your first time at Universal doesn’t have to be stressful! I have 15 inside tips for you and your family’s first visit.
This is specifically a list of tips that we think first time goers to Universal Orlando should know. It will go over what to bring, how you can save money, freebies, fast passes, restaurant reservations and much, much more. Read on to learn the best way to plan a trip to Universal Orlando.
1. Purchase Your Tickets in Advance
Whether you are planning on bolting it to Diagon Alley early in the morning, or you want to hop on Hagrid before everyone else, spoiler alert: everyone is thinking the same thing. So don’t waste any time! Purchase your tickets in advance so when you arrive you don’t have to wait in line.
You can purchase tickets online. We also suggest making the most of your time and purchasing a park-to-park ticket so you can park-hop and be flexible with timing. This way you don’t have to feel stuck in one park on one day. Plus, then, you can also experience the Hogwarts Express and its two experiences. If of interest too, you can always purchase your express tickets online. But if you’re visiting on off seasons, those express tickets may not be needed.
Book In Advance Here: Universal Orlando Theme Park Tickets
2. Consider Dates and Timing
There are two things to consider when arriving for your first trip to Universal Studios Orlando. First, make sure you know when busy season is. If you can avoid visiting during spring breaks, winter breaks, and summer, this is ideal. But if you cannot, make sure you are purchasing express passes to hit all you need to see!
The best way to visit Universal Studios is to also always be early: allow 30 minutes (at least!) for parking and security. And then, eat before or after rush times! Everyone loves to eat lunch at noon, but if you wait until 2 o’clock, dining lines decrease. Plus, while everyone is eating at noon, those wait times drop!
3. Get Familiar with the Universal Orlando App
From checking wait times to mobile ordering, this app is a life saver. You can confirm park hours before your visit, or even during your visit. You can find bathrooms with ease, as well as your parking place (avoid getting lost in Jurassic Park or Spiderman, please). Everything you need is right here.
You also have access to show times, and a new Chat feature that allows you to ask questions about said showtimes, safety measures, contact info and more. The chat feature can be used off property too! I suggest downloading and getting familiar with it before you hit the park: that way you don’t spend all your time staring at a screen. But if you are going to stare, bring a portable phone charger with you!
4. Stay on Site (Or at Least Close By)
The Universal Orlando Resort Hotels are amazing: fun and different designs/theming, comfortable beds, pools, and tasty restaurants will have you questioning if you even want to go into the parks! But with the free shuttle and water taxi to the parks, you’re going to have to go. And don’t forget the early park admission!! You get in one hour before others at theme parks, or 30 minutes before with the water park.
If you can’t stay on property, that’s okay too! There are some nearby hotels that also offer shuttles to CityWalk so you don’t have to pay parking. Most also offer breakfast buffets or grab-and-go options and snack bars needed for early mornings! You can’t go wrong staying close by when planning a trip to Universal Studios Orlando, but make sure to stay for more than one night!
5. Join the Coca-Cola Freestyle Program and Bring Snacks
Of all Universal Studios Orlando tips, the ones that save you money are very important! One of the most important things you can do is stray hydrated during your trips in the Florida sun, but how do you do that without breaking the bank?? The Coca-Cola Freestyle program is the way to go.
With it, you can purchase a souvenir cup from participating locations and then refill it at any freestyle location for the rest of the day. There are over 100 drinks to choose from, and you can fill it up once every 10 minutes. You do have to reactivate each day, but it’ll save you from spending $5.00 on water every second. Plus, water is free! AND you can save money by bringing in your own snacks: granola bars, cheese-its, you get to pick your own! Yay for money saving tips for Universal Studios!
6. Don’t Miss the Shows
It isn’t necessarily bad to schedule your first trip to Universal Studios Orlando around the shows. Think about it: rides aren’t going anywhere. The shows only happen at specific times! Start times are always posted outside the show’s location, and are available in the app.
Shows don’t start until 10 a.m. either, so you can hit a few rides before stopping in. Most shows are indoors, which means free AC too! And even if they aren’t inside, you get to stop and rest for a few moments. Plus, the shows are fun! The Bourne Legacy has great technology, and the Horror Makeup Show is to die for!
7. Use Single Rider Lines and Child Swap Programs
These benefits are here for a reason! If you are bringing kids and they don’t meet the height requirements of rides, or if they don’t want to go on a ride, this doesn’t mean that you have to miss out too! The child swap program allows one member of your party to wait with the kid in the family room while the rest of the family rides. Then you swap! A win win.
You can also use the single rider lines which helps with longer wait times. It’s the fastest way to get on and off a ride, especially ones that are popular like Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. Your party will be separated, though, so don’t expect to ride together!!
8. Pack a Small Bag or Be Prepared to Buy a Large Locker
Unlike Disney, there are very few rides that you can take your bags on at Universal. E.T. is one of them, but Hagrid is not. Sometimes you can get away with a crossbody bag or a fanny pack if you are carrying small things, but most times workers are going to require you to get a locker.
If you have the need to get a big locker, do it for the full day to hold all your stuff. Otherwise, you’re going to have to stop and get a small locker at each ride. You can get free ones for an hour with your park ticket… but those locker rooms are tight space and it can get hectic, so save yourself a hassle and don’t bring bags or have a “home base” larger locker somewhere else in the park.
9. Make Dining Reservations
Whether you are going to restaurants in the park that are 100% worth checking out (I’m looking at you, Mythos and Flanngins) you should make a reservation. These places fill up quickly and if you try to get sat the day of without a reservation, you’ll be waiting two hours or more. The same applies for CityWalk.
CityWalk has tons of restaurants but those long wait times aren’t worth it. Call ahead and book through the Universal Orlando’s Reservations Page. Some places offer additional booking opportunities through OpenTable as well. And the same also applies for restaurants at hotels that are on site. Be safe! Book ahead! This is the best way to visit Universal Studios: plan ahead.
10. Go to Diagon Alley in Early Morning or Evening
Despite only having one ride, Diagon Alley is super popular amongst guests. They love to come ride Gringotts, see the dragon spew fire, experience Ollivander’s, explore Knockturn, and maybe even eat at the Three Broomsticks. For some reason, crowds build here in the middle of the day.
This means exploring in the early morning or later afternoon is better. This is also a great opportunity to get butter beer more quickly (there are more places to get it at in Diagon than in Hogsmead), and the Ollivander’s line is usually longer in Hogsmead. Of all Wizarding World of Harry Potter tips and tricks: get to Diagon first!
11. Prepare for Weather
There is nothing worse than Florida weather some days. SO when planning a trip to Universal Studios Orlando, pack appropriately. Packing for Universal Orlando can be easy when you think about it at the most basic level– shorts, shoes, tanks– but you need to think more critically if you can!
For example, you need to think of rain if you’re visiting during summer months. Pack a poncho instead of carrying an umbrella or purchasing a poncho for a pretty penny. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Bring hair ties and hair clips. Wear tanks and bring a jacket just incase, and wear a hat! Or bring sunscreen. Protect yourself from getting or being uncomfortable.
12. Avoid Riding the First Attraction You See
We get it: you’re excited! You want to hop on a ride. But so does everyone else. Most guest will enter Universal and go straight to the closet ride. If you know the park layout, go explore beyond that first attraction. Heading toward the back of the park allows you to step away from crowds and beat some of those lengthier lines toward the front.
For example, most guests jump right onto Minion Mayhem in Universal Studios. This is why the wait time is so long. But I personally go to Diagon to hop on Gringotts to avoid those wait times . I suggest always going toward the back and then making your way back around and toward the front.
13. Game Plan the End of Your Visit & Stay Late
Two to three hours before the parks close is the least busy time for the parks. Most people are heading back to hotels, going to reservations for dinner, and just done for the day. But that doesn’t mean you have to be! Wait times will be down, and you can always hop on one last ride. Take Hagrid, for example! Its wait time is shorter toward the end of the night. And VelociCoaster is so different at day than at night.
There are also nighttime shows! You can see the Universal Cinematic Celebration, which is a projection mapping and fireworks show. Or you can go to Islands of Adventure to see the lights on/at Hogwarts. Get your seats early, though!
14. Be Prepared for Motion Sickness
This is oddly specific, but Universal is heavy on their screen rides. Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and the Simpsons Ride, for example, are prone to making guests sick. Thus, avoid riding on an empty stomach OR avoid riding on a full stomach! Take your time post food.
If needed, pack yourself some Dramamine. This is a good over the counter medication to pack that may help curb that motion sickness. Better to be safe than sorry! This is one of this tips for the first visit to Universal Orlando people overlook and then regret.
15. Take Advantage of Festivals and Events
This is closely tied with ensuring that you do your research ahead of time: when are you going? When in the year are you specifically visiting? Those times may correlate with the special festivals and events, which bring new and exciting things. Mardi Gras; Halloween Horror Nights; there are so many fun things to do.
Not only do these offer epic parades, haunted houses, festive entertainment during the holidays and more, but it invites you to explore the park in a different light. There is more food more decor, and even more to do. Don’t miss your chance to partake in this excitement. Check out the full schedule of events so you know all the tips for going to Universal Studios Orlando.
And there you have it, folks. Universal Orlando for first-timers now have 15 inside tips to ensure your trip is amazing! This is the best way to plan a trip to Universal Orlando, so begin to pack, plan, and have fun!
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