Ahhh, the final installment of my essential guides to the theme parks I visited while in America. As mentioned in a previous post, I enjoyed Disneyland and Universal Studios SO MUCH in California that I made a special trip to Orlando to experience them there too! I hope this guide will help you plan the best day out at Universal Studios Orlando!
Universal Studios in Florida differs quite a bit from the one in California due to the fact everything in the Orlando one is on the same level; the California one has two levels meaning a lot of walking around. I found the Orlando one a lot easier to navigate as you can kinda just go around in a circle and hit everything on the way!
As with all theme parks, make sure you arrive early! I suggest arriving an hour before the theme park officially opens as this gives you enough time to park, make your way to the entrance, and sort out any ticketing issues you may have (make sure you buy online before you go to save time!).
Another hot tip: download the Universal Studios app and you can check the times of shows as well as wait times for rides. Very important when planning where to go first! Also, don’t forget to check any parade times too. I was lucky enough to be visiting on Thanksgiving Day so the parade was Thanksgiving and Christmas-themed and was one of the most astounding parades I’ve ever seen!
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts: amazing 3D ride but don’t do it if you get motion sickness or are deathly afraid of spiders! Same as LA one.
Shrek 4D: super cool 4D movie using a range of special effects. Be warned: the seats move!
ET adventure: outdated ride compared to the rest but still fun cause you’re “riding” a bike. A classic must-do when visiting.
The Simpsons Ride: great 3D ride, definitely don’t do it if you get motion sickness! Same as LA one.
Men In Black Alien Attack: a fun shooting ride but don’t do it if you get motion sickness or feel sick!
Race Through New York starring Jimmy Fallon: awesome 3D ride inside a movie theatre. Don’t do it if you’re afraid of heights or get motion sickness!
Transformers: The Ride: super cool 3D ride, but don’t go on it if you’re afraid of heights. Same as LA one.
Revenge of the Mummy: scariest ride I went on in all theme parks! Fast, dark, and intense rollercoaster. Make sure your lap band is as tight as it can be!
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem: high intensity and high impact ride inside a theatre. Same as LA one.
The Blues Brothers Show: great live show with live singing but skip if you don’t have time.
Horror Make-Up Show: Really funny live comedy show
Fear Factor Live incredible live stunt show including park guests as competitors! DO NOT MISS IT.
There’s also a pretty incredible-looking rollercoaster! However, I’m low-key terrified of rollercoasters so no way I was going on that. Let me know if you do it and what you thought of it! Also the new Fast and the Furious ride is opening in Spring 2018 and if it’s the same as the LA one, then another one not to miss!
As a solo traveler, I absolutely love when the theme parks have solo rider lanes. I was stoked to see that Universal Studios in Orlando does offer this, however, right now it’s only on two rides which is kinda disappointing. But make sure you make the most of it on the Transformers ride and the rollercoaster.
Another thing not to miss: when you’re in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and you notice a lot of people standing around the Gringotts Bank looking up at the dragon, do the same! You’ll get a very nice surprise in a few mins time
Overall, my main tips for your day at Universal Studios are:
- Utilize the app and plan your day around the show and parade times, as well as the wait times on the rides
- If you haven’t been to the LA one, explore all the shops in the Harry Potter section – including getting a butterbeer drink and a butterbeer ice cream!
- Try some of the delicious food in the Springfield area – I’ve heard the donuts are pretty good and you can even get a flaming moe drink from Moes bar!
- Don’t stop and explore City Walk on your way in as these stores are open late so go on the way out.
I hope this information was helpful for your upcoming trip to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida and please let me know how you liked it!