Arrive at least 30-40 minutes before park opening to get on the most popular attractions with a short wait time. If you have early entry because you are staying at an on-site resort or you have an annual pass, plan on arriving 30-40 minutes before early entry time. Early entry is available to guests staying at a Universal Orlando resort. They change seasonally and are often available for the Harry Potter areas at the parks. We have used this and it has saved us a lot of time! We stayed at Universal’s Cabana Bay and Universal’s Endless Summer Surfside Inn on previous visits and really enjoyed the perks of staying on-site.
A few attractions require the use of lockers. They are Escape from Gringotts, Men In Black, Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket and The Mummy. All items must be put in lockers. This includes bags, purses, sunglasses, phones, etc. I have seen people turned away from riding for having a wand in their pocket on Gringotts-after waiting in line. I always play it safe and put everything in the locker. The lockers are free for the attraction wait time. Each attraction has a locker area and the “free time” is based on the ride wait time. The free lockers are small but we were able to fit a small backpack into it.
One of my favorite areas at Universal Studios is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley. It is hidden behind the brick walls of London but once you stepped inside you are transported to another world. We always visit Diagon Alley first because I like to explore the area before the crowds get big. It is really an amazing area and has one of my favorite attractions in any Universal park: Escape from Gringotts. We usually ride Gringotts and then spend our first hour in the park exploring the are and using our wands to cast spells. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a can’t miss attraction at Universal Studios.
A great tip for visiting Universal Studios is to ride the best attractions first. As I mentioned earlier we start with Escape from Gringotts and then usually ride The Mummy, Transformers, Race Through NY with Jimmy Fallon, Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket, Men in Black, Simpsons Ride, and E.T. These rides tend to have the busiest lines. Race through NY with Jimmy Fallon has a virtual queue option that you can reserve your ride time. Make a time that works for your visit and save time waiting in line.
Universal Studios size makes it easy to arrive early at the park, ride all the attractions, have lunch, and take a break around mid-afternoon. We like to go back to our resort, recharge, and return to the parks in the evening. If you plan on leaving the parks early, check the park hours. There are times of the year when Universal Studios closes at 7:00pm and going back may not work for you.
When planning a theme park vacation I always ask what specifically your family likes to do. Every family is different and there is no point going on the “best rides” if you don’t like it. The great thing about theme parks is there is something for everyone. There are rides at Universal Studios that teens will like and attractions that are better for younger kids. Take a look at the Universal Studios website and talk to everyone going on vacation about what they would like to do at the parks. This saves so much time and stress at the parks.
– Escape from Gringotts (42 inches) – Men in Black (42 inches) – Race Through New York with Jimmy Fallon (40 inches) – E.T. Adventure (34 inches) – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – At Diagon Alley you can purchase a wand, or watch the wand show and have the wand choose you, then explore Diagon Alley practicing spells. If you are a Harry Potter fan plan to spend a lot of time in Diagon Alley.
Again this is a personal decision but we think age and height play a big factor in deciding the best age to visit Universal Studios. My youngest was 4 and 42 inches for our first visit and that allowed him to ride most of the attractions. That didn’t mean he wanted to ride everything though. There were some attractions that were too scary and he was not ready for. We skipped those for our next visit. There are splash areas, shows, and rides that young kids will enjoy like Curious George Splash Area, Woody Woodpecker Roller Coaster, and Despicable Me 3D show.
Some rides may be scary for young kids but most at Universal Studios should be okay. The Mummy is an indoor roller coaster that is themed to The Mummy movie and can be scary for some kids. Escape from Gringotts can also be scary and has elements from the movie that may frighten children unfamiliar with the characters.
Motion sickness can be an issue at any theme park but Universal Studios can be difficult for some. A lot of the attractions at the park use screens and simulators. If you are prone to motion sickness plan accordingly.
– Universal Studios’ Classic Monsters Cafe (Quick Service) – Leaky Cauldron (Quick Service) *One of our favorites! – Finnegan’s Bar & Grill (Sit Down) – BumbleBee Man’s Taco Truck (Food Truck-Amazing Tacos!) – Beverly Hills Boulangerie (Quick Service) – Richter’s Burger Co. (Quick Service) – Lombard’s Seafood and Grill (Sit Down) – Moe’s Tavern- Flaming Moe or Duff Beer
– Lard Lad Donut- The Famous Simpson Giant Pink Donut – Mel’s Drive-In (Quick Service) – Louie’s Italian Restaurant (Quick Service) – KidZone Pizza Company (Quick Service) – Cafe La Bamba (Sit Down and Character Meals) – Simpsons Land Food-There are a few different options inside The Simpsons Land that range from seafood, to grab and go, healthy options, sandwiches, pizza, etc. They are cafeteria style and can be found by entering Moe’s Tavern.