One of the big draws to Orlando is Universal Studios. Within Universal Studios there are a few parks: Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay. Today’s post is focusing on Universal Studios Orlando. I’m going to be giving you 5 tips as well as a list of my favorite rides in this park.
5 Tips for Universal Studios:
Go to Diagon Alley First
Diagon Alley is easily the most crowded area of the park. Try heading over there when it first opens in order to avoid the biggest crowds. It will still be busy, but it only gets busier the later in the day you go. Check out Ben’s full review of Diagon Alley soon!
Know what Type of Ride You’re Going On
Universal Studios (in all of their parks both in Orlando and Hollywood) have lots of rides that are a 4D experience where you sit in a seat with glasses and watch a screen for the ride. We have found that these rides really make us sick. So if you’re prone to motion sickness (or even if you’re not like I am) these rides can really do a number on your body and can mess you up for a little bit. I would suggest taking some motion sickness medicine if you’re wanting to do a lot of those rides. And I wouldn’t suggest doing all of them either. The only one that was totally worth it was Escape from Gringotts in Diagon Alley. The other ones (even the beloved Jimmy Fallon one) just made me too sick to really enjoy them.
Take Time to Chill
If you are feeling sick from some of the rides or it is too hot and you need a break, we really enjoyed just hanging out at the little amphitheater near the front of the park. There is astroturf that is nice to sit on and we liked having a spot we could get Lucy out of her stroller to let her wiggle around.
Prepare for Security
The security is crazy at Universal Studios. It isn’t nearly as well organized or as fast as the security at Disney World is. So be prepared for chaos. Take the time before you get to security to have your bags ready to be opened and everything out of your stroller so they can check it.
Bring in Food (but enjoy some park food too!)
In order to save money, we brought in our own lunch with the idea that we would also purchase food at the park that we knew we couldn’t get anywhere else. After our trip to Universal Studios Hollywood two years ago, we knew we wanted to get more Butterbeer in Diagon Alley! We also wanted to take a stop at the Leaky Cauldron for a heavier snack later in the day. We didn’t have to purchase full meals and we ate at non peak times which made for more enjoyable experiences all around.
My 3 Favorite Rides at Universal Studios Orlando:
I really like roller coasters and theme parks. And while I don’t always do the most adventurous things, I do enjoy high adventure rides. This list has my top 3 favorite rides at Universal Studios Orlando. The rest of the rides at Universal Studios Orlando are not very adventurous or they are the 3D or 4D type rides which to me aren’t worth doing.
Hollywood Rip RIde Rockit
This is my favorite ride in the entire park. It is a HUGE roller coaster with lots of fun twists, turns and drops. One of the unique things about it is that you get to choose the music you hear while you ride the ride. It is a very fun roller coaster and I was able to do the single rider line and ride it multiple times without waiting in any line at all.
Escape From Gringotts
This is one of the 4D rides that I think is worth going on. It is fun to get to walk through Gringotts and the ride is pretty good too. When compared to the other ride at Hogsmead, I prefer Escape From Gringotts.
Revenge of the Mummy
This ride is fun, fast and has some parts that are meant to freak you out. But overall it is a fun thrill ride that most people will enjoy.
Booking Your Trip:
Whenever we are booking a Disney or Universal trip, for either California or Florida, we always use Get Away Today. They put together fantastic packages for your vacation, have amazing customer service and did I mention they have great discounts? Visiting Orlando for theme parks can get expensive so anyway you can save money helps! Make sure to go through our Get Away Today link to save on your next Universal vacation.
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