How to Make the Most of Your Day at Universal Orlando Resort

Recently we were in the Orlando area and reserved time in our itinerary to take in Universal Orlando Resort. It was a place that had been on the bucket list for a long time, and we could not pass on the chance to finally cross it off – even if it meant spending just one day there.

How to Make the Most of Your Day at Universal Orlando Resort

I have to admit, the pressure was on – one day goes by fast, especially for a place that offers so much. Yet after our day spent at two parks {Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure} was done, boy was it worth it. I do believe we made the most of that one day, yet to be honest, it also left us wanting another visit so we could experience it all over again.

How to Make the Most of Your Day at Universal Orlando Resort

We left knowing it’s not a place to go to once and be done, I now know that Universal Orlando Resort deserves to be the key reason in making that trip to the area and is a must-do when there. As in, make it a priority, not an option.

Now onto details of our time there, yay! We al had such crazy fun on this day, truly one for the record books. There were countless laughs, happy shouts on rides, and ‘look at this’ moments. Our experience at Universal Orlando Resort was amazing to say the least, thanks to the thrilling rides, impeccable things to do at every turn, and so many chances to make memories.

Our one day spent left me with a few tips and tricks to get the most stuff done, in one day, so that you can get the full experience without leaving that feeling that you missed out. So let’s tackle these tips before I dive into the parks, rides, and attractions – to come in another article.
 

How to Make the Most of Your Day at Universal Orlando Resort

 
1. Plan Ahead: You most likely won’t have time to go on every single ride in one day, so I highly recommend planning ahead to ensure the ones that interest you most, aren’t missed. You can find all the parks maps online, what I like to do is print that out and take a pen and circle the rides and attractions that I want to do most and plan out what we are going to ride and when. We were pleased that in our one day, we were able to go on all the rides we wanted to, and some of them multiple times.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Also make sure to read up on any special events going on during the time that you’ll be there. When we went, there was Mardi Gras with special musical guests, food and street festivals. On the weekends surrounding our visit, there was free outdoor concerts, and amazing ones at that. So when planning your visit make sure you are in-the-know on all the offerings and plan your day accordingly.

Mardi Gras Universal Studios Resort

2. Prep for a Long Day: Any time that I go to a theme park, I personally plan to be there from open to close in order to have the most time to get the most attractions done in one day. Make sure you wear comfortable clothes and shoes and get plenty of rest to prepare for a long day. I also recommend bringing a light jacket with you because if you plan to stay through the night, it can sometimes get a little chilly. On the rides where you cannot take any belongings with you, they do have courtesy lockers to use at each one, yet they are small side so I highly suggest packing as light as you can.

Universal Studios Resort Travel Review

3. Bring Your Own Compact Snacks: Universal Orlando Resort has some truly amazing food and snacks for purchase. We knew that some of them, we simply had to get while there. We planned on getting these not-to-miss snacks there {hello Butterbeer and giant Simpsons donut!}, along with one big sit-down meal on site. To fill in the hunger gaps we packed a sandwich, fruit and some non-perishable snacks. It saved time and money in the end, and left more time to roam and get in all the attractions and rides – even all the special events happening at the parks.

How to Make the Most of Your Day at Universal Orlando Resort

4. Plan Your Meal Times Accordingly: We snacked en-route throughout the park and while waiting in a few lines. Yet for those full meals throughout the day, the best way to be the most efficient is to plan your meals around the least busy times of the day. For example, most people will stop to have their lunch between 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm so you should plan to have your meals either before that time frame or after, maybe around 11:00 am or 2:00 pm. Dinner can be later this way as well.

simpsons giant donut

5. Consider the Unlimited Express Pass: While the Unlimited Express Pass is an add-on to the admission rate, I will say that I personally think that it truly is worth it. It’s my top tip for taking in Universal Orlando Resort! This pass allows you to jump the line and potentially walk right onto rides or have a very short wait time in comparison to those who do not have it. We didn’t wait longer than 15-20 minutes for any ride using this, and quite frankly – it’s the way to go. You can use this as much as you want too, with no limitations. It’s a seamless pass that allows you to make the most of your day, or multiple days if that be the case. Everyone in our group agreed that this pass made our time there, and no-one would even consider not getting one in a future visit.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

As I said before, there is a whole lot to do at Universal Orlando Resort and it’s really hard to get everything done in just one day even if you go from open to close. Yet by using these tips, it’s a great help in making the most of that day. Not only for the experience, yet to maximize the fun that I know you’ll have with your friends and family.

For more information on Universal Orlando Resort, make sure to follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the #ReadyforUniversal hashtag. A great place to start when planning your trip is none other than the Universal Orlando Resort website. There you’ll find all the details on each park, accommodations and more.

Tell me friends, have you been to Universal Orlando Resort before?

 

Disclosure: Universal Orlando Resort provided us with admission for our experience. As always, all opinions are our own.

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