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 …