A Universal Orlando vacation is like no other. There are incredible theme parks, spectacular hotels and an energetic entertainment, dining, and shopping district. Universal Orlando has all the ingredients for a great vacation and you will want to experience it all! We share some of our best Universal Orlando Tips to help you travel like a pro!
Stay Onsite
This is one of our best Universal Orlando Tips. If you are going to Universal, then stay at Universal! There are hotels with different themes, different price points and different amenities, but all offer great Universal on-site benefits. Take advantage of their great location. They also have free transportation to the parks. In addition, you can charge things to your room and have early access to the parks.
Consider a Premier Hotel
Universal’s Premier hotels include one of the best Universal Orlando benefits ever – Unlimited Express Pass! This allows guests to skip the line at most of the great attractions in Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. You will spend more time doing the things you really want to do on vacation and less time waiting in line. The Premier hotels have incredible theming, rooms, amenities and pools too! There are three Premier hotels, Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel and Royal Pacific Resort. The service at each is excellent. You will have a hard time choosing!
Take Advantage of Early Access to the Parks
On-site hotel guests and select other guests can enter one of the parks an hour before the official opening times. You can also experience early access at Volcano Bay on select days. Jump start your day and take advantage of this opportunity to experience the parks with less crowds and less waiting!
Use Child Swap
If you have children who aren’t tall enough for some attractions, use this Universal Orlando benefit that allows your party to still enjoy the ride. The attractions have a family room where one member of your party can wait with the kids while the rest of your party rides. Once they are finished, the adults switch places. Whoever rode can stay with the kids, and the other adult(s) can enjoy the rides. Most of these locations have air conditioning and some even have some things to keep the kids occupied and happy.
Take Advantage of Universal Discounts
There are a number of Universal Orlando package and ticket discounts that can help you save on your vacation. You can often find deals that provide a discount or even free days on admission tickets. Look for packages that allow you to save more as you stay more. Universal Orlando also usually offers packages that allow you to bundle your resort and tickets to save. In addition, there are packages that include Wizarding World of Harry Potter extras and packages that include special options for annual events like Halloween Horror Nights. Work with a Universal Specialist at The Magic For Less Travel and they can help you navigate the discounts to find the best price for you.
Experience Volcano Bay
Volcano Bay is so much more than a water park. This is a water theme park where you don’t need to drag a tube around all day. Volcano Bay features a little wristband that you wear called Tapu Tapu. It is a game changer because it holds your place in line – virtually! Gone are the days of spending an hour in line in the hot sun for your water park slides. Just “tap” your band and receive a designated return time. Until that time, you can do what you would like. Take a dip in the wave pool, enjoy the lazy river, read a book or grab a snack! It’s up to you! You can also pay for your meals with your Tapu Tapu band and activate some cool effects in the parks.
Consider Park Ticket Options
Theme park ticket options like multi-day tickets mean that you pay less per day to experience the theme parks. You want enough time to experience all the Universal Orlando has to offer.
Park to Park tickets offer guest the option to visit more than one park on the same day. The parks are located within walking distance of each other so it’s easy to travel from park to park. Additionally, you will need a Park to Park ticket to experience the Hogwart’s express attraction. It travels between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure and guests are required to have a park to park attraction to ride.
Character Greetings Are a Must
Universal has some great opportunities to meet characters in the park! You can boogie down with the minions, meet the Simpsons, and even have an encounter with a raptor. You’ll find Marvel characters, Transformers, Hello Kitty, Trolls and many, many more. You can even experience character dining at select location. Grab your phone, and snap a selfie with some of your favorite characters. It makes a great vacation memory!
Annual Events
It’s always a great time to visit Universal Orlando, but at certain times of the year, there are even more reasons to visit. Halloween Horror Nights is a guest favorite. It features haunted houses and scare zones as well as some of your favorite attractions. You can also “laissez les bon temps rouler” and let the good times roll during the Mardis Gras celebration. Enjoy floats, parades and food! The holidays get a bit more magical too! You can experience the balloons and floats of Macy’s Holiday Parade. You can also visit with the Grinch, and celebrate Grinchmas. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter comes alive with special shows and a nighttime spectacular!
(Best Universal Orlando Tip) Book with a Travel Agent Who is a Universal Specialist
Of course we have to mention that one of the biggest Universal Orlando tips is to book with a travel agent who knows Universal! The agents working with The Magic for Less Travel are destination experts. They can help you find the right hotel, ticket and vacation package that works for you! Whether you are an expert Universal traveler or a newbies, we are your partner in planning and are here to help you plan the vacation of your dreams!
Request a no-obligation quote and ask about a special offer available to guests who book select Universal Vacation Packages with The Magic for Less Travel.
