There are three Universal Orlando Resort parks: Universal Studios, Island's of Adventure and Volcano Bay. They are all fun, exciting and packed with rides, attractions and experiences for adults and children of all ages.
Here are 6 things I wish I'd known before going to Universal Studios. So, yes…you can do both parks at Universal Studios in one day and have an amazing time!
As one of the best Orlando theme parks for adults, Universal Orlando Resort does not disappoint. Thrill ride enthusiasts go crazy over roller coasters and rides such as: Revenge of the Mummy. The Incredible Hulk Coaster.
Buying tickets from a mobile device: You can buy your tickets from a mobile device. Universal recommends that you print your tickets, but you can also show them on your mobile device screen at the park entrance. For an easy, no-hassle purchase, try downloading the Universal Studios App.
With the exception of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the Walt Disney World parks are generally more enjoyable places to 'be' in and soak up the atmosphere, whereas the Universal parks do action-packed attractions better.
In years past, Universal Studios Florida has been tops in our book. But lately, Universal's Islands of Adventure is our favorite Universal Orlando Resort theme park.
Buying your tickets online in advance is the best way to save on tickets to Universal Orlando Resort. Plus, Visit Orlando frequently has exclusive discount ticket offers and sales. Sign up for the Visit Orlando newsletter to stay in the know on the latest deals and special ticket offers!
Universal Studios is a great place for children and adults to enjoy although it is a bit pricey. Depending on the age of any children that are going on the trip, I would suggest Magic Kingdom for younger ages and Universal's Islands of Adventure for older kids.
Although the Park Hopper and FastPass+ do cost upwards of an additional $100, the amount of time you save not waiting in lines is definitely worth the cost, especially if you have older kids who want to do all of the things!
If you're looking for bigger rides, Universal Studios has more large rides and rollercoasters, whereas Disney only has a couple of rollercoasters per park. On the other hand, Disney, in general, is larger and therefore has more rides.
Disney Theme Park Ticket with Park Hopper® Plus Option is the only theme park ticket that includes water parks. If you don't want to visit the water parks but want to hop to multiple theme parks per day, purchase the Park Hopper® Ticket. If you only want to visit one theme park per day, purchase the Base Ticket.
Instructions
- Believe in yourself!
- Stay at a Disney resort for all the added time-saving benefits.
- Purchase 1-day Park Hopper pass ahead of time through your resort.
- Make a prioritized list of what you want to see/do/eat/ride at each of the 4 parks: Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios.
A very important fact when you consider adding a stay at Universal to your Disney vacation is that these perks apply for every day you will stay in the hotel – not just the number of nights you stay. Your hotel key card is your early admission ticket at Universal Orlando.
No. Disney Theme Park Tickets with the Park Hopper Option do not include admission to the Disney water parks—Disney's Blizzard Beach Water Park and Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park. Individual admission tickets are also available at the Main Entrance of each water park.
If you are a roller coaster fanatic, then Universal is the better option. While Hollywood Studios has fan favorite coasters like Slinky Dog Dash and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, that's all they have in the way of these thrill rides. Universal Studios has four different coaster rides of varying levels.
So with the Disney Theme Park Ticket with Park Hopper Option, you could visit all four parks in one day if you wanted. (Heck, you could visit all four parks every day of your trip with it, but your frog legs would probably be pretty tired!) Visiting two parks in one day is the more popular option.
Park hopper is Disney's term for the ability to visit more than one park on a single day. Single day or “base tickets” allow you to visit only one park per day. Disney Park Hopper tickets allow you to visit more than one park each day. You can change parks as often as you like.
Best Times to Visit Universal Studios Hollywood in 2019
- Weekdays in the second half of April 2019.
- Weekdays in May.
- The last two weeks of August.
- The first half of September; Mondays through Thursdays for the remainder of September and October.
- Mondays through Thursdays in November (minus the week of Thanksgiving)
- Mondays through Thursdays during the first half of December.
Park-To-Park Tickets – No Volcano Bay
| Ticket Type | Adult (10+) | Child (3-9) |
|---|
| 1-Day/2-Park (Park-to-Park) Ticket (No Volcano Bay) | $174.66-$206.61 | $169.33-$251.29 |
| 2-Day/2-Park (Park-to-Park) Ticket (No Volcano Bay) | $318.42-$348.24 | $307.77-$337.59 |
| 3-Day/2-Park (Park-to-Park) Ticket (No Volcano Bay) | $342.91-$379.61 | $332.27-$359.96 |
Everyone is different, but I like to budget about $60/day/person for food. Souvenirs, it really depends, but usually no more than $150 for a trip (just for my wife and I, and I'm not a souvenir person).
The Universal website says, "Save up to $20 off the Gate price on all multi-day tickets when you buy online." I only assumed that was true and never even looked at the prices when picking up my prepaid tickets at the gate or guest services.
If you simply wish to spend a two mornings seeing Harry Potter–one at Hogsmeade and one at Diagon Alley, two day tickets per person to enter Universal cost on the Universal Orlando website about $135 (after tax) per person between 3 and 10, and $145 per person ten and older.
2019 Universal Studios Hollywood Ticket Pricing
| Buying Options | Costco Stores | Gate Pricing |
|---|
| 1-Day Tickets | - | $109 - $139 |
| 2-Day Tickets | - | $149 - $169 |
| 3-Day Tickets | $139.00 | - |
We've never been asked for ID when using a ticket. You will have your fingerprints scanned when you enter for the first time and that's what stops the tickets from being passed on, not the name written on the ticket whether that be a real one, turnstile print out, voucher you've exchanged etc.
Conclusion. If you're visiting the parks during a multi-day vacation, it might be worth it to buy an Express pass for one day. That way, you can experience all of the rides you want to, even riding your favorites multiple times.
Florida Residents Can Buy a Day, Get Unlimited Trips to Universal Orlando.
25 Tips for Saving Money at Universal Studios Orlando
- Consider driving as opposed to flying into Orlando.
- If flying, book your flight in advance.
- Plan your trip during the slow season for the best rates.
- Research hotels several weeks-months before your trip in order to take advantage of the best deals.
- Plan park restaurants in advance.
- Book a hotel with a kitchenette.
How to Get an Express Pass for Free. You can score free passes by staying at select Universal Orlando Hotels. Rooms at Universal Premier category hotels — Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Loews Hard Rock Hotel, and Loews Royal Pacific Resort — come complete with two-park unlimited Express Passes.
In short, Volcano Bay features a mixture of thrilling, relaxing, and mild attractions, making it an enjoyable experience for the entire family. The great thing about this water theme park is how it's split up into different themed areas.
