A Comprehensive Guide to Universal Orlando Resort

You're planning a trip to Universal Orlando Resort? Get ready to Woah! Let me help you have an amazing time.

Over the years I've done Universal Orlando Resort multiple ways. From day trips from WDW as a home base to a full-fledged 9-night Universal vacation.

One thing I'd like to mention before we get started is the Potter factor.

It's one of the main reasons people head to Universal, and we can confidently say, it is worth the hype.

Another thing to consider is that Islands of Adventure is significantly better than Universal Studios Florida outside of the Harry Potter land there, Diagon Alley, which I consider to be the single best-themed land in Orlando. Diagon Alley is so well done, it could even be a contender for best in the world, and certainly sits alongside Cars Land as the best themed in America.

Island's of Adventure's Hogsmeade is still among the best lands, but it has much better rides than Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Florida.

Islands, the park as a whole, is arguably the best in Orlando and among the very best on Earth, with certainly multiple top 10 worldwide attractions there.

It's that good.

So with all of that out of the way, onto the guide!

Rides & Shows

Man, people really don't know what they're missing out on until they've done Islands of Adventure.

Universal Studios Florida like I've said, is by comparison, A LOT weaker. While it still has its bright spots, I always find myself wanting to spend nearly all of my time at Islands.

Islands of Adventure

Ride highlights:

These are the undisputed top 2 coasters at the park, and both would be in most people's top 5 rides list in Orlando:

• Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure (or simply, Hagrid's) is the best Harry Potter ride by a mile. I don't want to spoil it for you, but this is arguably the best-themed coaster in the world. Its thrill level is on par with Expedition Everest.
• Jurassic World: VelociCoaster (or simply, VelociCoaster) when I say this is the best 'thrilling' coaster in the world I'm not joking. If it was in a parking lot, coaster enthusiasts would consider it a top 10 coaster in the world, but it also has theming, so it's arguably the best thrilling 'coaster' on this planet. So while it's not on the level of Hagrid's from a themed perspective, it still makes it leaps and bounds above other elite thrill coasters. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, though as it's a beast! While it does have inversions, it doesn't have loop-de-loops, as it focuses more on speed and pacing, so if you're able to do Rock 'n' Rollercoaster, you should definitely at least try VelociCoaster.

These are the undisputed top 2 dark rides at the park, and would most likely fall in most people's top 10 rides list in Orlando:

• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey put Universal on the map! The crown jewel of Hogsmeade when it opened, it's one of the most innovative dark rides anywhere, utilizing a unique KUKA-arm ride system, and in fact, it's so successful, you can now find it at Universal Hollywood, Japan, and Beijing! It is known to cause motion sickness in a lot of people, so if you are prone to it, it may be best to do it towards the end of the day.
• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man was ahead of its time when it opened over 20 years ago. It still holds up very well to this day and is a significant step-up from Transformers across the street.

The rest of the park's top rides still make for an exceptional ride line-up

• Skull Island: Reign of Kong is based on Peter Jackson's 2005 film, King Kong, and is aesthetically stunning, from the queue to the ride. It also goes indoors and briefly outdoors (subject to weather), so the pacing works a bit better when it's able to go outside. In any case, it's a great experience, but try to sit in the center of the row if at all possible, but it's definitely not a headliner.
• Jurassic Park River Adventure while needing an update (its Universal Studios Hollywood cousin got), it is still a solid opening day attraction with a good mix of animatronics, water, and thrills.
• Popeye & Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges is arguably the best rapids ride in the world, putting Kali River Rapids over at Animal Kingdom to shame. I genuinely love this ride, but beware, you will get absolutely drenched in a way no other theme park ride will do for better or worse :)
• Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls While wait times can get lengthy and aren’t entirely justified, as a D-ticket Splash Mountain rival it’s a lot of fun. If you treat Toon Lagoon + Jurassic Park River Adventure as one, you basically have a water park within Islands which is extraordinarily unique. It’s the absolute perfect way to end a day especially if you started at Volcano Bay.
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster was recently rebuilt from the ground up with a new queue, it's an excellent secondary coaster to Hagrid's and VelociCoaster, albeit lacking theming during the ride. Its thrill level is on-par with Rock n' Rollercoaster, but it is a headbanger.

I might add that both the Jurassic Park land and Harry Potter's Hogmeade land are worth exploring and soaking in the environment beyond just hitting rides. Also, there's a hidden gem called Camp Jurassic over in Jurassic Park that’s absolutely worth checking out!

Universal Studios Florida

Ride highlights:

• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is far and away the largest-scaled ride at Universal Studios Florida. Perhaps with the greatest queue in Orlando, Gringotts is an impressive display of no-expenses-spared themed design. Yet while it’s billed as a coaster, it’s more of a beefed-up Spider-Man that just feels like it falls just short of the perfection mark.
• Bourne Stuntacular is the park's newest addition. It's the most technologically flooring stunt show I have ever seen, and it comes highly recommended.
• MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack is a very bizarre ride that makes you wonder, "how does this exist?" That's partly why it's one of the park's best rides! It also doesn't typically have long waits which is an instant plus in my book, and shooter rides are endlessly re-ridable.
• TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D uses the same vehicle technology as Spider-Man next door. While I wouldn't consider it nearly as good (due to its over-reliance on screens), it's technologically brilliant and definitely one of the top rides in the park.

Some secondary rides also worth doing

• E.T. Adventure Yes, it's the classic ride, and shhh, it's better than Peter Pan's Flight!
• The Simpsons Ride I love the Simpsons. You love the Simpsons. We all love the Simpsons. It's certainly not a perfect ride but worth doing once unless you get neck pain. Anyone who’s watched the Simpsons will appreciate it!

A couple of notable exclusions: I don't recommend the Hollywood Rip-Ride Rocket at all. It's a horribly designed roller coaster with frequently the longest wait times in the park due to its low capacity. Skip it, and if you feel like you have to try it or have spare time take advantage of the single-rider queue. 

Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and Minion Blast across the street are also pretty weak, but fine enough if the waits are short and you’ve done most of the park.

Honestly, I'm not a massive fan of Universal Studios Florida (the park itself), and while I've grown fonder of it over time, it still pales in comparison to Islands for me. There are definitely some legitimately beautiful lands, from New York to San Francisco, and of course, the masterpiece that is Dragon Alley. The latter is so good, that it's the primary reason anyone should go to this park besides Halloween Horror Nights—which is far better than any of Disney’s holiday offerings. They are both masterfully done.

Take advantage of single-rider queues at this park! Many, many rides feature it!

Volcano Bay

Volcano Bay is by far the best water park in the world, easily beating out Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach at Walt Disney World. You won't regret going, and it will convert even people who aren't fans of water parks!

Attraction highlights:

• Krakatau Aqua Coaster is far and away the best attraction at Volcano Bay. Be warned, wait times can be massive, so I recommend rope-dropping it to get a return time. It feels more like a 'roller coaster' than a water coaster.
• TeAwa The Fearless River is a must-do. Imagine if a lazy river was turned into a rapids where you wore life jackets? Just be warned, you must be a strong swimmer to enjoy!
• And many more!

Dining

I'll be honest, this isn't exactly the resort's strong suit, but having CityWalk right outside of both parks is a big help.

Quick-Service

Universal Studios Florida's quick-service options are nothing to write home about, but there are a couple of good options

• Leaky Cauldron Diagon Alley's primary restaurant. If British food and Potter are what you're after, eat here!
• Minion’s Cafe is a new offering and everyone will be pleased to know it’s one of the resorts best in-park quick-services!
• Butterbeer is pretty iconic and has shorter lines here than at the other park. There are three variations, hot, cold, and normal. I prefer cold (like ice cream) the best, but they're all great in their own ways!

Islands of Adventure likewise does not have top-tier quick-service

• Three Broomsticks is just like Leaky Cauldron over at USF except with outdoor seating as well
• Fire Eater's Grill is definitely the #2 quick-service at IOA.
• Doc Sugrue’s Desert Kebab House only has outdoor seating (covered) but has consistently good gyros.
• Green Eggs and Ham Cafe serves decent breakfast in Suess Landing
• Butterbeer is of course the same thing here too, and is wonderful, like a butterscotch flavor.

Volcano Bay

• All the quick-service options are actually very good and are a step above their 'theme park' counterparts.

CityWalk has historically had plenty of solid choices, but it's more so for table-service dining than a quick bite.

• Voodoo Doughnut has legitimately fantastic donuts!

Unfortunately, Universal Orlando's 'Mobile Order' does not operate smoothly like Disney's. Mobile Ordering here does not let you skip any lines, and is pretty pointless. Actually, quick-service queue times are pretty ludicrous around lunchtime, so bad that I recommend just eating at a table-service restaurant for lunch or something quick at CityWalk.

Table-Service

Universal Studios Florida

• Lombards Seafood Grill is a Universal staple. Nestled along the shores of San Francisco near Diagon Alley, this is single-handedly the best restaurant in the park.
• Finnegan's Bar & Grill is an Irish Pub across from Revenge of the Mummy. While not quite as good as Lombards, it's also cheaper, but with great burgers and fish and chips, it is a great alternative to Lombards.

Islands of Adventure

• Mythos Restaurant has arguably the best food in any theme park on Earth, perhaps short only to Tokyo DisneySea's Magellan's.
• Confisco Grille is a solid second-best option located near the park's entrance.

CityWalk is where you'll find Universal's best dining experiences (outside of Mythos)

• The Cowfish is very, very good. It's a combination of a sushi bar and a steakhouse.
• VIVO Italian Kitchen has awesome Italian food. It's hard not to also recommend it.
• There are other great options in CityWalk but these are my favorites.

As a bonus tip, I recommend table-service only during peak afternoon hours when lines are the longest as a reprieve from the longest queues of the day, but that's true for any theme park.

Reservations for restaurants open up 30 days in advance. Some places, like Mythos, lose availability fast, so booking any you definitely want to try early-on is a good idea. For a 5-day stay, I usually eat at two table-service restaurants since I prefer to maximize my time in the parks, but I always stop by Mythos for a late lunch at least once (when crowds are busy) if I can.

Places to Stay

Universal's hotels have a lot more perks than Disney's these days and are far more affordable.

The biggest benefit comes from the deluxe resorts including Universal Express for free. This is by far the biggest perk, but all of them offer complimentary transportation (either bus or boat) and 30-minute early entry into the parks.

I personally usually stay off-site and just use the money saved to go for longer as there are hotels not far away, but depending on how often you go, it could make sense to try a nicer resort. If you are also staying at Disney, you can very well just head to Universal for a day. Many do, though I'd personally recommend a full-fledged trip, or at least multiple days for it, but it is possible to have a 'day trip' to Universal and have a great time.

I highly recommend

• Loews Royal Pacific Resort for a deluxe option (that includes free Express Pass, though I will add, it's not absolutely necessary to have). ~$600 a night
• Cabana Bay Beach Resort for an affordable on-site option ~$150 a night
• Holiday Inn & Suites for a very close off-site more affordable alternative that's walking distance from the parks ~$100 a night. This is my frequent spot!
• Still need to update this section  as it's unfinished 

Skip-The-Lines with Universal Express Pass & TapuTapu.

Universal has a simple paid "Fastpass-style" system for its theme parks called Universal Express.

Universal Express uses a demand-based pricing model that only lets a select few use it, which in turn, means standby lines move much quicker relative to Lightning Lanes at Disney World that grind standby lines to a standstill.

It is for all intents and purposes, effectively, an extremely expensive paid version of Fastpass.

There are two versions: a ride each ride once pass called Universal Express and a ride each ride an unlimited amount of times called Universal Express Unlimited. The only major ride that you can't use Universal Express passes on is Hagrid's.

Prices vary depending on how crowded the parks are.  Therefore, the vast majority of people do not get Universal Express passes as it costs between $90 to $380 per person per day.

If you want to get Universal Express, get it by staying at one of Universal's deluxe hotels that give Express Passes for free with your stay. It's a significantly better option than paying outright.

I would like to add that Express Pass is, in my view, unnecessary. Spending over two days is a much better deal than purchasing Universal Express, as the cost of more than 2 days is inexpensive. For locals, a seasonal pass (that blocks out Christmas break), is a steal relative to Disney.

At Volcano Bay, there is a completely free service called "TapuTapu" where you effectively 'wait' in a virtual queue for every ride instead of queueing. Simply go up to the ride's virtual queue check-in next to its entrance, and your free wearable "TapuTapu" will show you when to return. The wonderful thing about this Virtual Queueing system is that it allows you to enjoy the wave pool, lazy river, and more instead of waiting in a long line!

For $20 to $150 a person, you can also instantly ride select attractions at Volcano Bay once by purchasing Volcano Bay Express, and all attractions once by purchasing Volcano Bay Express PLUS.

How are the Crowds?

Universal Orlando Resort isn't typically as mindboggling crowded as Disney can be, but it does get hectic. In fact, I would recommend you avoid the usual Christmas Break, Presidents Day Weekend, Spring Breaks, and July to August periods like you should at WDW.

• This is a very informative Crowd Calendar that breaks down crowd forecasts better than I can.

One nice feature that remains at Universal Orlando is spontaneity. Advanced bookings are not required for park tickets or skip-the-line passes making for a more laid-back approach to theme parks. This also applies to annual/seasonal pass holders.

Refurbishment Calendar & New Rides

Maintenance and refurbishments are an important part of keeping the parks in tip-top shape, but having major rides closed when visiting isn't ideal.

• Check out the resort’s Refurbishment Calendar to make sure the top rides are open.

There isn't a lot coming to Universal Orlando Resort's existing parks in the near term, but Epic Universe, their newest theme park, looks very promising and will be the first new theme park to open in Orlando in over 25 years!

Here's some of what's on the horizon:

At Universal Studios Florida

• Is getting a new Villain-Con Minion Blast walkthrough experience (whatever that means).
• KidZone has been permanently closed and is expected to be rethemed to Dreamworks properties with no major new rides.
• A Pokémon land has long been rumored to find its way to USF, but it wouldn't come to fruition for many years if it were to happen.

At Islands of Adventure

• Nothing in the immediate future, but another Nintendo property is also rumored to arrive at Islands of Adventure. The possible Zelda ride alongside a retheme of Lost Continent wouldn't arrive for many years, however.

At Epic Universe

• Universal's new theme park opens summer of 2025 alongside multiple new hotels and an entirely new complex, over doubling the size of Universal Orlando Resort.

How many days should I plan to visit? 

Well, that depends! The longer the merrier. 3 days is just enough to do both parks, 4 days will allow you to add on Volcano Bay, and 4.5-5 full days would mean an unforgettable vacation and doing it right. Adding on a 5th day is practically free, park ticket-wise.

• If one day is all you have then spend it exclusively at Islands of Adventure.
• For two days I recommend 1 & 1/2 days at Islands of Adventure and a 1/2 a day at Universal Studios Florida.
• For 3 days I recommend 2 full days at Islands of Adventure and 1 full day at Universal Studios Florida.
• For 4 days I recommend 2 full days at Islands of Adventure, 1 full day at Universal Studios Florida, and 1 full day at Volcano Bay.
• For 4 1/2 to 5 days I recommend 2.5 days at Islands of Adventure and 1 to 1 and a 1/2 days at Universal Studios Florida, and 1 day at Volcano Bay.

Single-day tickets are prohibitively expensive and it's even worse for park hoppers at Universal Orlando, so I recommend you either only do Islands of Adventure (the significantly better park) for one entire day, or stay for longer. I don't recommend getting a park hopper unless you are there for at least 2 days as the costs come down. The Hogwarts Express is cool (it takes you from park to park to see the Harry Potter lands in each park), but it isn't worth anywhere near the extra costs for a park hopper.

Everything Else

The usual combination of "bring good walking shoes" (preferably comfortable closed-toe sneakers), "check the weather before your trip," and have fun. It also shouldn't go without stating the obvious but the Universal App is an indispensable tool for wait times, making reservations, using Express Pass, and more, but just remember not to always be on your phone. Enjoy your time at the parks!

Are the Halloween/Christmas parties worth it?

• Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida is excellent and in my opinion superior to Magic Kingdom's Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, though it's designed for teenagers and up, and like Disney's, requires a separate fee after park hours. There are various elaborately themed scare mazes, including staples that return every year and new ones like Stranger Things. All of them are legitimately terrifying, so if that's not your cup of tea you may want to pass.
• There is no Christmas Party at Universal Orlando, and the theming isn't as impressive as Disney's, but Grinchmas at IOA and Macy's Holiday Parade at USF are both a lot of fun!
• Mardis Gras at Universal is great for teenagers and up and requires no extra fee to enjoy!

How is the weather at Universal Orlando?

• Orlando's weather is unfortunately hot and muggy. While it's nowhere near as nice as SoCal, as long as you avoid the summer, it's tolerable.
• It rains nearly every day during the summer, so keep that in mind when doing outdoor rides at Islands of Adventure and do the highlights in the morning in case rain shuts them down (believe me, they will!)

Are there fireworks shows like at Walt Disney World?

While Universal still has a ways to go to catch up to Disney, Universal had made gains recently with their nighttime offerings, but there's nothing showing at the moment:

• Universal's Cinematic Celebration was a solid night show that felt like a World of Color-lite and fireworks show hybrid and was actually quite good. If you found yourself at Universal Studios Florida and have done all the major rides, catching it at park close was a great idea during weekends (when it was showing). Unfortunately, it has been permanently closed, but a drone show replacement will likely come.
• Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle is a seasonal projection mapping show displayed on Hogwarts Castle in Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure. Unfortunately, it only plays during the fall.

The daytime parade at USF, Universal Superstar Parade is an improvement over years past, but I would skip it unless you just happen to catch it and have small kids.

How are the park hours?

• Universal's park hours tend to be shorter than Disney's, but during the busy season, both parks usually stay open until 10:00 pm, so that's worth keeping in mind. Definitely stay until closing if at all possible, as not only will it be cooler (which is a good thing most of the year), but wait times will be shortest.

How do I get there?

• Easy public transit is coming to Universal Orlando in 2028 from Orlando International Airport courtesy of Brightline and SunRail. Until then, Uber/Lyft is by far your best bet at around $40 a ride each way.
• Uber and Lyft do both price gauge at park opening and closing, so just keep that in mind.
• If driving to Universal Orlando, get there early, as in at least an hour before the posted park opening. The time it takes to enter the parking garage in the mornings on busy days can exceed 2.5 hours!

I am sure I am forgetting quite a few things (especially relating to food), so please share your feedback!

Feel free to ask any questions! Have an awesome vacation!