Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It used to be such a simple park to tour when visiting Walt Disney World. Thats because for years it was the park that was undergoing renovations (EPCOT currently has that claim to fame). On my last visit to Walt Disney World, …
Disney’s Hollywood Studios opened in 1989, under the name Disney-MGM Studios. In many ways, the park served as an answer to Universal Studios Florida, which was being constructed at the same time. Hollywood Studios was originally a relatively small park, containing a Studio Tour and …
I love EPCOT. Its my favourite park in Walt Disney World. On my recent trip to Orlando, I spent more than one day at this park. I do think its very possible to see what EPCOT has to offer in a single day though, especially at the moment as the park is going through a stage of redevelopment. In this 1 day EPCOT itinerary, I’m going to provide you with an overview of how I spent my first day at this amazing park during my Walt Disney World trip. I followed this EPCOT itinerary and did pretty much everything there is to do in the park, so I think its a good plan for someone with limited park time.
I bought Genie+ as part of my vacation package on my latest trip to Walt Disney World. While its definitely useful at other parks, I don’t think its really essential at EPCOT. I only made a few Lightning Lane reservations, and honestly, if I hadn’t used them, I think I still would have been able to get through everything on this EPCOT itinerary. There’s just not that many attractions where you’ll be waiting for a long time at EPCOT (provided you plan out the first part of your day well).
I visited EPCOT on a weekday in July – otherwise known as peak Disney tourist season. The Food & Wine Festival hadn’t started yet (it kicked off on a later day in my vacation), so that might have had something to do with the park not being as packed on the day I followed this touring plan.
As a resort guest, I was able to take advantage of early park admission. That meant an 8.00am rope drop on the day I visited (with the park opening to other guests at 8.30am). Since I was staying at Disney’s Pop Century resort, I got to the park aboard the Skyliner, and entered at the International Gateway entrance to the park. I was there by 7.15am and ready to go. Guests were let into the park from around 7.30am.
At 7.00am, (from on board the Disney Skyliner), I made a reservation for the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind virtual queue. My boarding group was called around 12.45pm, so I planned my EPCOT itinerary around that. My first Lightning Lane reservation was for Soarin’ at 8.30am.
Entering the park at the International Gateway (my first time having done so), I started my EPCOT itinerary by following the crowds to the right. Reaching the queue that quickly gathered at the France pavilion, I got ready to ride Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. I really enjoyed this new attraction. It was unlike any Disney ride I had experienced at that point, as it does an excellent job utilising the new trackless ride technology. If I wasn’t entering the park at International Gateway, my EPCOT itinerary probably would have been more dependent on Genie+, as I would have started on the other side of the park, but owing to my circumstances, I was able to get this popular ride out of the way early on. I was actually on Remy’s by 7.50am, before early entry had even officially begun! – getting to the parks early always pays off!
Getting off Remy’s, I made the long walk to the front section of the park to continue my EPCOT itinerary. I had planned to ride Test Track next, however the ride was facing a delayed opening that morning (not an uncommon occurrence). That meant I continued onwards to Mission: Space (naturally the orange version), and it was basically a walk on. I then headed over to the Land Pavilion to ride Soarin’ Around the World. I used my Lightning Lane reservation, though it was hardly necessary at that hour – I did beat the few rope droppers who had headed here right on official park opening though.
With the park officially open for about a half an hour by the time I got off Soarin’, I next headed to Spaceship Earth, keen to take a ride on this classic EPCOT attraction in light of its rumoured makeover in the near future. Its a fairly lengthy attraction, eating up about 20 minutes of time, but by the time I got off, Test Track had opened, so using the single rider line I did that. I had planned to skip Journey Into Imagination with Figment (I’m not a huge fan of this family friendly ride), but passing it on the way back to the Land Pavilion afterwards, I saw it was also a walk-on, so did it as well. Not bad touring progress as it wasn’t even 10am yet!
With only a few more attractions to experience in the former Future World, I set off to do the rest of them (excluding Guardians). I returned to the Land Pavilion and took the most popular greenhouse tour in the world aboard Living with the Land. I skipped Awesome Planet, and instead made my way to the Seas with Nemo and Friends next door. Starting with the attraction itself (again, basically a walk on), I followed it up with some time watching the manatees, dolphins and more in the SeaBase aquarium – its an excellent aquarium by theme park standards! By the time I was done here, it was around 11am, meaning World Showcase was properly opening. Around the same time, I made a Lightning Lane reservation for Frozen Ever After for around 2.00pm.
With 11am nearing, I made my way back towards the World Showcase. People have differing views as to which way to circle the lagoon, but I tend to always go the clockwise, which means starting in Mexico. After picking up a margarita (I’ll write more about snacking and drinking around the world in the future – its the best part of any EPCOT itinerary!), I spent some time checking out the exhibits and stores, while also riding the Gran Fiesta Tour starring the Three Caballeros, which never has much of a line.
Finishing up Mexico with the mariachi band performance, I then wandered into Norway. I proceeded to do everything except the Frozen attractions here, which meant checking out the Norse mythology exhibits and having a snack and Viking coffee at the Kringla Bakeri og Kafe. With time to do one more pavilion before having to return to the front of the park to ride Guardians, I picked up an alcoholic tea cocktail in China, ventured through the pavilion’s massive retail space, and had a look at the Shanghai Disneyland exhibit.
Three countries into my tour of the World Showcase, my boarding group was called for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. That meant a long walk back to the main entrance of the park to ride the newest attraction on this EPCOT itinerary. Despite operating the virtual queue, I still spent a decent amount of time in line for the attraction (I’d say probably around 40 minutes all up, including the pre-ride scenes), but it was all worthwhile. This indoor rollercoaster is incredible. It really sends you in all directions and if it wasn’t so popular, I definitely would have tried to ride it again. This is the one attraction you have to make sure you do when you visit EPCOT.
Getting off Guardians, it was time to head back to Norway, as I had another ride reservation to use. With my Lightning Lane window open, I boarded a boat for Arendelle aboard Frozen Ever After. This is the one part of my day where Genie+ paid off, as the regular standby line was about an hour at this point. If I had to get in the regular line, it wouldn’t have been the end of the world, but by passing the normal queue here, I had more time to enjoy the rest of the World Showcase for the remainder of my day at EPCOT.
I resumed my tour of the World Showcase at the Germany Pavilion. It was only 2.30pm, and from here on out, the rest of my EPCOT itinerary made for a very relaxed day. I made my way around the remainder of the country pavilions – Italy, the US, Japan, Morocco, France, the UK and Canada. Along the way I snacked, drank, enjoyed the cultural exhibits and stores, and watched a few musical performances. I enjoyed it so much that I returned on my spare day at Walt Disney World after doing the other parks.
I’m not going to provide a detailed list of everything I did at these pavilions, but I feel like I spent roughly half an hour at each country. As a lover of travelling the world, this was the best part of my day at EPCOT, and by having a busy morning, I was able to take my time and enjoy it. While some might say I could have used my time better by doing other attractions again in the front of the park, to me, the World Showcase is what EPCOT is truly about.
After spending the rest of the day in the World Showcase, I capped off an excellent day at EPCOT with the nighttime fireworks show. Unlike other Disney nighttime shows, you don’t need to arrive early for a good vantage point – there’s so much room around the lagoon you can see it from all angles. Its the perfect way to end your 1 day EPCOT itinerary. I really enjoyed my day touring the park as set out in this post. I’m sure there are other touring plans that readers might prefer (particularly those focusing on the front of the park in greater detail), and I’d love to hear about them. Hopefully if you’re headed to EPCOT though, this post has been of use to you in working out how to tour this excellent Disney park.
EPCOT (originally known as EPCOT Center) was the second theme park to open at Walt Disney World. Opening its gates for the first time in 1982, EPCOT was the first Disney park in the world to not be the conventional “castle style” park (after all, …
The Magic Kingdom is the most popular and well known theme park in Walt Disney World. Its the park that most people think of when they hear the phrase “Disney World”. On the east coast of the United States, it all started with a mouse …
Walt Disney World is one of my favourite places in the entire world. Visiting Florida’s various Disney theme parks is definitely the highlight of any trip to Orlando. In saying that, there is A LOT to know if you’re planning to go to Disney World – sometimes an overwhelming amount if its your first time. I’ll be covering the various theme parks that comprise Walt Disney World in separate posts on the site, but before doing a deep dive into the most wonderful place on earth, I thought it would be a good idea to cover some of the basics. I’ve been to the parks many times, but I always read up on the latest changes at Disney prior to my visit.
Walt Disney World covers nearly 25,000 acres (twice the size of Manhattan island!) just outside of Orlando, Florida. Its actually found in the Orange County cities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista. The term Walt Disney World is used to refer to everything that encompasses that massive space. There’s four main theme parks, each of which deserve at least a day of exploration on their own – Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. There’s so much to talk about in each of them. What follows is just a very basic overview of the different parks, and the other places to check out at Walt Disney World.
The Magic Kingdom is the park that most people think of when they hear Disney World. Its the centrepiece of Walt Disney World and draws heavily on Walt’s original Disneyland in Anaheim, California (but is much bigger). Its built around Cinderella Castle and features a plethora of attractions, many of which are the classic Disney attractions we all know and love. Those attractions are spread out around 5 varied lands (outside of the entrance on Main Street USA). Popular rides at the Magic Kingdom include Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, the Jungle Cruise and Pirates of the Caribbean.
EPCOT is a MASSIVE theme park that opened in 1982 that has a rather interesting mix of attractions. The park is divided up between two very distinct areas. The front of the park is filled with various pavilions themed loosely around aspects of technology and creativity, while the rear is a permanent world fair set around a huge lagoon, with a number of countries authentically represented. EPCOT is my personal favourite Disney park. Popular attractions in the front of the park include Test Track, Mission Space and Soarin’, while the World Showcase is popular for drinking and snacking around the world.
Hollywood Studios is the Disney park that contains the most high thrill rides, and is tons of fun to visit. The front half of the park is themed around the glitz and glamour of Golden Age Hollywood, with a myriad of landmarks such as the Chinese Theatre and Sunset Boulevard recreated. Popular attractions here include the Rock n Rollercoaster and the Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror. The park also contains two highly immersive lands based on the Toy Story and Star Wars franchises, with the latter being truly out of this world (I didn’t think anything could top Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios is right up there with it!).
Rounding out the set of parks is Animal Kingdom, which is something of a hybrid between a theme park and a zoo. Its by far the largest of the parks (though not all of it is accessible to guests on foot), and it contains a series of regions devoted to different parts of nature around the world. The emphasis is on the wildlife that inhabit earth, and a visit is surprisingly educational. There’s plenty of excitement to be had as well though, with popular attractions such as Expedition Everest and Kilimanjaro Safaris found in the park. The relatively new Pandora – the World of Avatar also contains one of the best attractions in all of Walt Disney World.
Walt Disney World also contains two water parks. I haven’t been to either, but if you are on a longer trip you might want to check them out. Typhoon Lagoon is the original water park and is known for its massive wave pool that creates waves of up to six feet in height. Meanwhile Blizzard Beach has a range of exciting waterslides. What sets the Disney Water Parks aside from most parks like this is (as expected) the attention to detail in theming. Blizzard Beach is supposed to be a ski park that melted away in the middle of Florida, while Typhoon Lagoon is set in a tropical rainforest landscape. I keep telling myself I’ll check out these parks one day, but I’m always lured back to the main parks on my spare days at Walt Disney World!
And we can’t forget Disney Springs! The former Downtown Disney is an entertainment and dining destination filled with tons to see and do. The highlight is probably the World of Disney – the largest store in America (and possibly the world) selling Disney merchandise. If its Disney, you’ll find it here. There’s excellent dining, including a number of upscale restaurants, as well as clubs and bars. Its a fun place to check out on arrival day after you’ve gotten into your hotel (or if you need a break day midway through your vacation).
Disney World also contains 32 (at the time of writing) on-site resorts. They are varied and unique, each having a distinct theme. They are without a doubt the best place to stay on a trip to the parks. By staying at a Disney Resort, you’ll have a series of perks available, and you’ll also have the joy of being caught up in the “Disney Bubble” for the duration of your stay.
Staying at a Disney Hotel is more expensive than staying at a hotel off-property, but the advantages really make it worth while. Getting to the theme parks is super easy if you’re staying at a Disney hotel thanks to the excellent transport services around Disney World, and you’re also able to make reservations for dining and attractions earlier than guests staying outside of Disney World. In some parks, you can also take advantage of extended park hours if you’re staying at a Disney Hotel. You can also book your park tickets with your hotel as a combined package.
Disney’s hotels are broken down broadly into three categories: value resorts, moderate resorts and deluxe resorts. While the deluxe resorts are stunning, I just can’t justify the cost when I visit Disney World (some in excess of $1,000 USD a night). I find I personally don’t spend much time at the resort outside of going to bed at night. I’m always on the go at Disney. For that reason, I generally stay at Disney’s Pop Century Resort. Its a value resort that has direct bus and Skyliner service to the parks. Depending on the time of year you’re visiting, you can expect to pay between $160 – $350 USD per night.
At over 25,000 acres, it goes without saying that you can’t just walk around Walt Disney World (though you’ll be doing your fare share of steps in the actual parks!). I’ve always stayed at a Disney hotel when I’ve visited Disney World, so I can only really comment on the options to get around if you’re staying on property (if you’re not, go with Uber I guess?). You definitely don’t need a car if you’re on property. Most of the Disney resorts offer buses to the various theme parks. They leave from the front of the resorts and (generally) go direct to each particular park. They run very regularly throughout the day, starting around an hour before park opening and ending an hour after park closure. You can ride the buses for free as well.
There’s other options that replace the buses depending which hotel you’re staying in. The Contemporary, Polynesian Village and Grand Floridian Resorts are all connected to the Magic Kingdom by a monorail. Meanwhile the Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach and Riviera Resorts (along with those on the Disney Boardwalk) are linked to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios by the Disney Skyliner, a fun suspended gondola that offers views across Disney World.
Planning a trip to Disney World doesn’t involve AS much planning as it used to (the days of picking your rides 60 days out have come to an end), however there are still a few important things to do throughout the planning process.
This post is by no means a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about Walt Disney World. There’s whole websites devoted to that after all! Hopefully this has provided you with a decent foundation if you’re a first time visitor to the Disney parks. Take a dive and read up on the points I’ve mentioned in this post while you’re planning your vacation and you’ll have a better time for it. If you’re a Disney pro, leave your essential Disney planning tips in the comments below!
On my most recent trip to Orlando, I had only one day allocated to spend time at Florida’s Universal Studios theme parks. With tons to do at both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, I normally recommend spending two days between them. I was, …
Islands of Adventure is the second theme park that makes up the Universal Studios Orlando Resort. Its situated right next to Universal Studios Florida, and is even connected to that park internally courtesy of the Hogwarts Express. Opened in 1999, Universal’s Islands of Adventure is …
Universal Studios Florida is the original theme park which, along with Islands of Adventure next door, comprise the Universal Orlando Resort. The park is packed with high thrill attractions, exciting shows and some of the best experiences in Central Florida. Considering the park is right next to Islands of Adventure, its really easy (and recommended) to visit both in a day, though you might find yourself stretched thin when it comes to being able to do everything. In this post, I am going to provide you with an overview of everything there is to do at Universal Studios Florida. I’ll be covering the park in a relatively sequential fashion, taking you through zone by zone, though that’s not necessarily the best way to tackle it (more on that in a future post!). There’s a lot to see and do, so take a deep dive into the world of Universal!
You should definitely buy your tickets to Universal Studios online in advance of your visit. While you can queue up for tickets at the park entrance, this is just an extra delay that you really don’t need. If you’re purchasing an Express Pass, you’ll have to pick up your ticket at Will Call, so factor in some time before park opening to do that. As for timeframes, assuming you’re not eligible for early entry (see below), you should aim to arrive around 30-45 minutes before opening time. This will allow you to get into the park itself and onto your first ride of the day before many guests have even gotten into the park. You’d be surprised at the number of attraction you can knock out in the early part of the day.
I highly recommend buying a park-hopper ticket. With Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure being connected by the Hogwarts Express (which you can only ride with this type of ticket), getting between the two parks is part of the fun! I also really recommend the Universal Express pass, especially if its your first visit to the park and you have limited time. With so much to do, this is by far the best way to cram everything in.
If you’re staying at a Universal Studios hotel, you’ll be eligible for park entry on certain days of the week. This gets you into the park before other guests, though it only includes certain attractions at Universal Studios Florida. If you’re planning to make the most of early entry, aim to get to the park 2 hours before regular opening time.
Universal Studios Florida has a rough (somewhat deformed) “P shaped” layout, where you enter the park at the bottom of that “P”. The entrance area is filled with a few of the park’s most popular attractions, and the rest then expands out around a large man-made lagoon (that’s the rounded part of the “P” coming off the stem). If my description has you confused, take a look at the park map and hopefully it will make a lot more sense. Overall, the park is pretty easy to navigate when you get there. Universal Studios Florida is made up of 8 different themed area, with some (such as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter) being far more immersive than others.
Throughout this post, I’ll be taking you on a rough clockwise tour of the park, starting from the entrance.
Production Central is the first area you come into as you pass through the main entrance gates at Universal Studios Florida. The theming of the area isn’t anything special – its filled with fairly bland backlot buildings (I suppose that’s the idea), intersected every so often by the tracks of the theme park’s super headliner rollercoaster. Universal Studios Florida doesn’t pull any punches though, as the moment you enter this part of the park, you’re right amongst some of its most popular headline attractions (which also happen to be some of the most popular ones). Owing to their positioning right at the park’s entrance, lines build up quite quickly here. The area is also filled with a few basic dining options and the park’s biggest souvenir store.
Just inside the park entrance, Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem is an immersive motion simulator experience that can also be found at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. The ride can be enjoyed by all ages. The idea is that you’ve been shrunk down to the size of an actual Minion from the Despicable Me franchise, and sent to put your abilities to the test in the Minion Training Grounds. Naturally, things go wrong and you’re sent on a series of dives, turns and jolts. Its a fun ride, although unlike the version on the West Coast, this attraction is not in 3D, which limits just how immersive the ride can be. I’d still consider it an attraction that you should enjoy, especially if you haven’t been on a version of it at a another Universal theme park.
This is the huge roller coaster you’ll see from outside the park, and its a great one. On Rip Ride Rockit, you board a small vehicle and immediately ascend vertically to a seventeen story peak. From here, you’re whirling around the track – the first drop is almost as steep as your initial ascent, followed by a loop inversion, and many more twists and turns for the remainder of the two and a half minute journey. Its definitely one of the park’s more thrilling attractions to say the least.
Adding to the excitement, you can actually choose the soundtrack to your experience – during the ascent you’ll be able to select a song for the speakers to blast as you scream your lungs out. Rip Ride Rockit is great fun, and if you’re touring without Universal Express, I’d try to get on this one as early in the day as possible before the lines build up.
Transformers 3D is a blast that all Universal Studios fans know well. Its an immersive motion simulator experience that was taken right from the Singapore and Hollywood theme parks. Basically, you board an Autobot transport and are sent into the middle of a clash between good and evil robots to protect the AllSpark (the source of life for all Transformers). Along the way, franchise characters such as Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Megatron all make appearances. Its a thrilling adventure that I’ll always set aside time to do on a visit to Universal. Where else can you be smashed through an office wall and sent propelling down to the streets below by giant robots after all? Ride this one early in the day to beat lines if you’re not travelling with Universal Express.
To the rear of Production Central, you’ll pass into the streets of New York City. The theming here is infinitely better than the park entrance, with urban facades and crooked back-alleys re-creating the streets of the Big Apple itself. Its quite a photogenic area and its home to a number of dining options, as well as two major attractions. The Blues Brothers stage show also performs regularly here, so stop by for a tune, while feeding on a hot dog or pretzel, then wash it down with some coffee at the park’s Starbucks location.
Revenge of the Mummy is another beloved Universal favourite found in parks all over the world. This indoor rollercoaster in the dark is filled with twists and turns, with the idea being you are touring the set of the Mummy sequel (think the Brendan Fraser films, not the Tom Cruise reboot), when the villainous Imhotep rises from the dead to reek havoc and steal souls (including your own). After a brief introduction to the catacombs of the tomb, you’ll be sent careening up to 45 miles per hour and screaming your lungs out for the remainder of the experience. Its a lot of fun, and I’d actually consider this to be the best version of the ride that I’ve experienced across various Universal theme parks (sadly it was closed for refurbishment on my most recent trip). You’ll encounter fire, animatronics and special effects over the three minute adventure.
Race through New York starring Jimmy Fallon opened in 2017, replacing the outdated Twister attraction. Set inside a replica of the NBC Studios building in the Rockefeller Center, Race through New York is a motion simulator based attraction that takes guests on a wild ride past all of the major sights of New York City (and beyond). Its not the most thrilling ride in the world, but its still fun, and fans of the Tonight Show may appreciate the gags more than most. One thing to note here is that the attraction operates with a virtual queue, meaning you won’t have to stand in line for ages to ride. Instead, show up and you’ll be allocated a time to return and experience the attraction (or just walk right in if you have Universal Express).
Head further east (different I know!) and you’ll reach the streets of the City by the Bay. Up against the park’s lagoon, this is where you’ll find a homage to Fisherman’s Wharf and all its boardwalk dining. Along the streets of San Francisco, you’ll also find one of the park’s newer rides, though its fairly disappointing compared to some of the other thrills you’ll find in the park. The Beat Builders percussion performers also put on regular shows in this area and are worth stopping by to see if you have the chance.
If you’ve been on the Studio Tour at Universal Studios Hollywood, you’ll recognise the basic premise of this attraction. Fast & Furious: Supercharged is essentially an extension of the Studio Tour finale at that park themed around the high speed and explosive franchise. The attraction opened in Orlando in 2018 and after the pre-show, you’ll board a “party bus” tram for a projection tunnel trip that replicates a high speed chase scene familiar to any fan of the franchise. Along the way, characters such as Dom Toretto, Luke Hobbs and Letty Ortiz make appearances to rescue you from Owen Shaw’s evil plot.
If you love the franchise, you’ll enjoy this attraction more than others, but personally I got off feeling underwhelmed (which seems to be the general consensus on this ride). On the plus side, the attraction also contains a virtual queue, so get your return time and experience other rides while you wait for your chance to do this one.
Make no mistake about it, Diagon Alley is THE reason to visit Universal Studios Florida (especially if you’re obsessed with the Harry Potter franchise like me!). As everyone will know by this point, Diagon Alley is the shopping district located behind the wall out back of the Leaky Cauldron pub where witches and wizards stock up on all their magical supplies. You enter the land that same way here, passing through the London facade into an incredible immersive area that looks right out of the Potter films. Fellow Potter fans could easily spend hours going through the numerous shops (Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, Madame Malkin’s Robes For All Occasions and the Magical Menagerie to name a few) and enjoying the entertainment on offer (including retellings of The Tales of Beedle the Bard and performances from the incredible Celestina Warbeck).
Wands are some of the most popular souvenirs from the Wizarding World, and you’ll find them for sale at Ollivanders (and everywhere else). Some will even allow you to cast spells on interactive storefronts throughout Diagon Alley. Also, make sure you try a Butterbeer! While you could easily be caught up exploring this section of the park and not doing much else, there’s some incredible attractions here as well that you’ll definitely want to experience. Make them a priority early in the day though – Diagon Alley gets packed!
In my view, Escape from Gringotts is the best ride at Universal Studios Florida. I’m sure I’m not the only person that shares that sentiment. From the moment you enter Diagon Alley, you’ll be drawn to the impressive Gringotts Bank (after all, there’s a dragon on the roof!). As you go inside, you’ll enter the elaborate queue for the attraction, taking you through the halls of the goblin-run wizarding financial institution and down into the caverns beneath. The queue is an attraction in itself.
The real treat begins when you finally board the ride vehicle for a mixture between a roller coaster and motion simulator experience. The idea is that you’re taking a tour of the bank at the same time that Harry, Ron and Hermione break into Gringotts during the events of the final Harry Potter film. Along the way you’ll be confronted by Bellatrix Lestrange and Lord Voldemort himself. Without spoiling much, the ride isn’t as intense as other Potter themed attractions but I just can’t hype it up enough. This is the one ride you have to experience on every trip to Universal Studios Florida.
The Hogwarts Express is a really clever way for Universal to promote its park hopper pass, especially to Potter fans. Departing from Platform 9 & 3/4 just beside the entrance to Diagon Alley, the Hogwarts Express connects park guests to the original Wizarding World at Hogsmeade in Universal’s Islands of Adventure. This is so much more than just a basic train trip though.
Boarding your carriage, you’ll watch the English countryside go by on projection screens covering the windows. Along the way you’ll encounter Dementors and various Potter characters. Its a great four minute experience that is such a fun way to get between the two parks. It really feels like you’re taking a trip to Hogwarts, a feeling that is only added to when you get off at Hogsmeade Station. Make sure you take the return route later in the day – both directions differ in terms of the scenes you’ll see aboard the train.
The World Expo region is located right at the very back of the park, on the far end of the lagoon. The theming here is nothing special, and the area is really just a transition from the streets of London into Springfield ahead. The area used to contain the Fear Factor Live show, however this was recently retired, and a replacement has yet to be announced. That means there’s only one attraction in this part of the park, though its a pretty fun shooter ride.
The only ride in this section of the park is based on the Men in Black series of films from the late 90s. Its positioning in the World Expo is fitting, due to the New York State Pavilion’s appearance in the finale of the original film in the franchise. On this ride, you’re recruited as a trainee Men in Black agent, however a training exercise goes wrong when aliens attack and you’re forced to defend the planet. You do so through a dark ride where you score points by shooting targets with lasers (think Buzz Lightyear at Disney). You can even fire at other vehicles to send them into a spin while you collect points. Its a fun ride that you’ll want to do over and over with friends to try to beat one another’s scores.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past many decades, you’ll know all about the town of Springfield. Home to everyone’s favourite animated family and all their friends, you can explore the sights of the town founded by Jebediah Springfield in this really fun part of the park. You can shop for souvenirs at the Kwik-E-Mart, grab a massive snack at Lard Lad Donuts, and my personal favourite, down a Duff Beer at Moe’s Tavern. These are just a few of the many iconic locations found throughout the home of the Simpsons, and at certain times of the day you’ll come across many of Springfield’s residents roaming around for photo ops. The whole area is filled with landmarks where you’ll want to take photos.
Younger visitors to the park may enjoy taking a ride on Kang and Kodos’ Twirl and Hurl (basically a Simpsons themed Dumbo style spinner), though the main attraction in this part of the park is the aptly named Simpson’s Ride.
Another attraction that can be found at many other Universal theme parks, the Simpsons Ride is a classic motion simulator. As the ride begins, you’ll join the Simpson family for a ride at the Krustyland amusement park, only to discover that Bart’s nemesis Sideshow Bob has sabotaged the fictional park’s attractions to exact revenge on his longtime foe (and of course, Krusty the Clown himself). Along the way, there’s many laughs to be had as the ride parodies various Disney Park cliches in true Simpson’s fashion. The Simpsons Ride remains a hilarious ball of fun, even if it has been surpassed in popularity by newer attractions. Its definitely a Universal Studios Florida highlight.
Tucked away from the main part of the park, this area is filled with family friendly attractions for the little adventurers. I haven’t spent much time in this section of the park, though there is one Universal Studios original attraction that is worth taking a brief trip into this area. Other than that ride, there’s plenty for young visitors to enjoy in the Kidzone, including:
While its found within the Kidzone, the ET Adventure is an attraction that everyone can enjoy, though its definitely aimed at those that aren’t ready to tackle the park’s thrill rides. Based on the 1982 film, this traditional dark ride is a Universal Studios Florida original. You’ll board a bicycle shaped ride vehicle and set off in search of ET, with the aim of taking him on an adventure back to his home planet. The start of the ride is dark and gloomy, but once you head off world you’re met with a cave full of colourful alien robotics.
The ride also has something of a charm to it, using animatronics and sets rather than the 3D screens of modern attractions. I wouldn’t say you’ve missed out in a big way if you skip the ET Adventure, but if you have time, take a ride on this one. Clever technology for the time even has ET thank you by name at the end of his quest.
Finishing up the loop, the road back to Production Central takes you through the boulevards of 1930s-1950s Hollywood. Its lined with numerous landmarks, probably the most notable being Mel’s Drive In restaurant (where there’s burgers and other American favourites aplenty). There’s also plenty to eat and shop for in this palm tree filled part of the park, though there’s no thrill rides to be found.
There are two different shows that are worth checking out, however they differ significantly. First of all, you’ve got Universal Orlando’s Horror Make Up Show, a gory live stage show filled with laughs and special effects. Secondly, The Bourne Spectacular is a new addition, replacing the former Terminator 2: 3D attraction, where you’ll see Jason Bourne in a stunt show filled with fire, fists and flips galore. I didn’t see the latter on my recent visit to Universal Studios Florida, but from what I can tell, the show attracts favourable reviews.
Hopefully this guide has given you lots of ideas for your trip to Universal Studios Florida. As you can see, there’s enough to keep you going for a day here, even if you don’t venture to Islands of Adventure (though by doing so, you miss out on the Hogwarts Express and so much more!). Universal Studios Florida is filled with fun rides and attractions, and while I personally prefer Florida’s other Universal offering, I make sure I visit whenever I’m in Orlando. Whats your favourite ride at Universal Studios Florida? Do you have any tips for first time visitors to the park?
Orlando. How I love you Orlando. This city in Central Florida may have started out as a sleepy provincial town, but its now the most popular tourist destination in the United States of America (it first surpassed New York in that category in 2014). If …