Univeral Studios Florida: 7 Sure-Fire Tips for a Great Time!
Written: Aug 23 '00 (Updated Dec 16 '01)
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Pros: Fun, lots to do, planning let's you do more with less time in line
Cons: If you don't plan, you might have to suffer crowds and heat!
The Bottom Line: Follow these tips and you will spend very little time standing in line and a lot more time enjoying the rides and shows you enjoy!
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How to Have a Great Time
Here are the tips my husband and I followed this week that ensured us a fun and successful visit to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.
Hate to Stand in Line?
My husband hates to stand in line and usually refuses to go any place he thinks will be crowded. It took some convincing to get him to agree to Universal, but with advance planning we had a great time, did everything we wanted to do, and spent very little time standing in line.
Plan and Buy Tickets Ahead of Time
Go to the Universal web site, www.universalstudios.com. They have lots of good information that help you plan your visit before you ever leave home. Look at the options for purchasing multi-day tickets. You can save money by buying these tickets and you can also get special benefits.
We purchased a 3-day pass. The passes have no expiration date. We paid approximately $100 for a 3-day pass - much cheaper cost per day than with the single day pass. With this pass we had the privilege of Universal Express entry from 7-10 am. We could also go back and forth between parks as we wanted. We also got a free CityWalk Party Pass good for seven consecutive nights from the first day of use. It costs $7.95 per evening for a CityWalk pass if you buy it separately.
Even if you buy the one-day pass, Universal will give you the option of upgrading to a multi-day ticket after you arrive.
Universal also sells a 2-Park Annual Pass, that would be a good option if you plan on going several times a year.
Outline Each Day's Visit
Determine which rides are most important to you - they're like to also be the most popular. If you're traveling with children or are pregnant --please note the restrictions that certain rides have on them.
Refer to Universal's web site for detailed ride information and maps. If you forget to carry this information with you, don't despair. There are free coupon books all over Orlando. Many have detailed maps of Universal that you can have to review before you get to the park.
You can determine which rides/show you most want to visit. Create a plan to get you there early and see most everything before noon. It will get really hot by mid-day, so plan a full morning, then take a mid-day break.
Universal makes the following recommendations:
Best Rides before 11am or after 5pm:
Men in Black
Jaws
Kongfrontation
After 5pm:
Twister
Terminator 2
Universal also has something called the Fast Track for Back to the Future and Twister. Stop by after 11am and get a designated time so you can return later in the day and enter through the Fast Track line.
Go Early
This is such a good tip, I'm going to say it again. Go early!
We arrived at 7am. Using our Universal Express pass, we were able to zip into all the rides we wanted until 10am. We rode Back to the Future, Men in Black, Kongfrontation, Twister, Terminator 2, and Jaws by 10am. In fact, we rode MIB twice. We had no wait at all for Back to the Future (one of the most popular rides). We had less than a 5-minute wait for MIB. About 10 minutes for Twister. For everything else, we just zipped through the Express line and boarded. Universal has the Express program through September 4. Hopefully, this will be extended -- it is a great benefit1
Go straight to the first ride as soon as you arrive, don't dawdle around the entry gate. Pick up a map and the entry and plot the most direct course to your first ride.
Visit Shops to Cool Off
There are lots of really cool shops throughout the park. And I mean literally cool - every time I felt a cool breeze wafting out, I would go in for a least a few minutes to enjoy the air conditioning.
Be aware that merchandise can be very pricey! There are outlets around the Orlando area that sell Universal merchandise. You should check out souvenirs at these stores before you go to the park (especially if you have to carry gifts back home). They can save you a lot of money. Who's going to know it's last year's merchandise?
Take a Mid-Day Break
There are several full-service restaurants in the park, including Margaritaville, Hard Rock, Nascar, Motown Café, NBA City, Latin Quarter, and Pastamore. You can even have cocktails. Be aware if you're visiting on a Sunday they cannot serve alcoholic beverages until noon due to Florida law.
We had lunch at 11am at Margaritaville (yes, we had a Margarita at the stroke of 12). We were hot and tired and ready for a nice rest. We purchased the Movie and Meal pass for $17, including tax and gratuity. After lunch we watch a movie at the 20-Screen cineplex. (This is a much better deal after 6pm, when the price of a movie is more expensive. At lunch you're better off buying your own lunch and paying $5 for a movie.)
By the time we left the theatre at 3pm, we were rested and ready to explore some more. They have a great selection of movies/playing times at the Cineplex. Before 6pm, movie admission is $5. I can't think of a better $5 investment for resting your feet, cooling off, and catching your second wind.
There are also lots of shows that start as early at 10:30 am. In Universal Studios they have Barney, Wild West Stunt Show, Animal Actors, Beetlejuice's Revue, and The Blues Brothers. These free shows are scattered throughout the park and also offer and entertaining way to rest and cool off.
Carry Water and Stay Cool
Bottles of water sell for $2.50 inside the parks. There are a few water fountains -- look closely near the restrooms for a water fountain.
You might also want to buy a mister/fan before you go. Lots of people were walking around cooling themselves with these squeeze bottle/fans. Buy them ahead of time for about $5 -- wait until you get to the park and plan to pay about $15.
There are also cooling stations where fans and misters will help you chill out a bit.
You might want to let your kids wear a bathing suit underneath a t-shirt. There are lots of places where kids can safely and easily splash in the water.
Protect Yourself From the Sun
Use sunscreen, wear a hat and sunglasses. You don't want to ruin your vacation by getting sunburned the first day out. You might be glad to see clouds in the afternoon, but even then you can still get burned.
We visited Universal on August 20, a Sunday. I'll be writing some reviews about our favorite rides/activities.
Recommended:
Yes
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Member: Pam
Location: Collierville, TN
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~~~~So many oceans...so little time!~~~~
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