Universal Studios Overview
Universal Studios Florida is a movie-centric theme park comprising 108 acres of attractions, shows, and dining. It is part of the larger Universal Orlando Resort that encompasses a shopping and dining area, another theme park, a water park, and on-site hotels. When approaching the theme park area, Universal Studios is to the right, and Islands of Adventure sits to the left.
Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990 as a standalone park. Over the years, the resort has developed around it. The park has also gone through many changes, as there is only one opening-day attraction left. The ever-changing nature of the park is in stark contrast to Walt Disney World down the road, which looks fondly at its older attractions.
The park’s biggest change came in 2014 when the Wizarding World of Harry Potter expanded into the park with Diagon Alley. Unlike its next-door neighbor, Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios has significantly fewer thrill rides. Instead, Universal Studios has more shows, a parade, and a nighttime spectacular.
Universal Studios Attractions
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts – A 3D motion-based dark ride located in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
- Transformers: The Ride-3D – A 3D dark ride with high-tech animatronics and motion simulation.
- Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit – A steel roller coaster with personalized music tracks.
- Revenge of the Mummy – An indoor roller coaster/dark ride based on the Mummy film franchise.
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem – A 3D motion simulator ride featuring characters from the Despicable Me movies.
- Villain-Con Minion Blast – An interactive, standing attraction based on the Vicious 6 from the Minions movie.
- The Simpsons Ride – A motion simulator ride through a cartoon version of Krustyland.
- E.T. Adventure – A dark ride where guests help E.T. save his home planet.
- Men in Black: Alien Attack – An interactive dark ride where guests shoot aliens to earn points.
- Fast & Furious – Supercharged – A motion simulator ride featuring characters from the Fast & Furious movies.
- Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon – A 3D motion simulator ride through the streets of New York with Jimmy Fallon.
- Trolls Trollercoaster – A kiddie coaster themed to the popular Trolls films.
Universal Studios Shows
- Animal Actors on Location! – A live show featuring trained animals performing tricks.
- Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-Up Show – A live show demonstrating the art of horror movie make-up effects.
- The Bourne Stuntacular – A live-action stunt show based on the Bourne film series.
- DreamWorks Imagination Celebration – A live show with characters from hit DreamWorks movies like Shrek, Trolls, and Kung Fu Panda.
- Universal’s Mega Movie Parade – A daytime parade that goes through the park and includes floats from a diverse range of movies.
- CineSational: “A Symphonic Spectacular” – A nighttime lagoon show paying tribute to both new and classic films.
Dining at Universal Studios
Restaurants and Quick Service
- Finnegan’s Bar & Grill (Table Service) – An Irish-American pub offering a range of dishes including fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and sandwiches.
- Lombard’s Seafood Grille (Table Service)- A full-service restaurant in the San Francisco area featuring seafood and American cuisine.
- Leaky Cauldron – A British pub in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley serving traditional English fare.
- Richter’s Burger Co. – A quick-service spot in the San Francisco area known for burgers and fries.
- Mel’s Drive-In – A 50s-style diner offering burgers, fries, and shakes.
- Louie’s Italian Restaurant – An Italian eatery in the New York area serving pizza, pasta, and salads.
- Fast Food Boulevard – A food court in Springfield featuring items from The Simpsons:
- Krusty Burger
- Cletus’ Chicken Shack
- The Frying Dutchman
- Lisa’s Teahouse of Horror
- Luigi’s Pizza
- Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck
- The Today Cafe – Inspired by NBC’s Today show, offering sandwiches, salads, and pastries.
- Minion’s Cafe – A unique eatery featuring food inspired by the Despicable Me franchise.
Snacks and Treats
- Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour – Located in Diagon Alley and offers a variety of unique ice cream flavors.
- Lard Lad Donuts – Giant donuts and other pastries in Springfield.
- San Francisco Pastry Company – Pastries, sandwiches, and coffee in the San Francisco area.
- Chez Alcatraz – A bar in the San Francisco area offering drinks and snacks.
- Duff Brewery – A beer garden in Springfield serving Duff Beer and other beverages.
- Hopping Pot – In Diagon Alley, offering Butterbeer and other themed beverages.
Universal Studios Special Events
Universal Studios Florida hosts a variety of special events throughout the year, adding unique experiences for visitors. Here are details on three of the most popular events: Halloween Horror Nights, Christmas, and Mardi Gras.
Halloween Horror Nights (Separately Ticketed Event)
Overview: Halloween Horror Nights is Universal Studios Florida’s annual Halloween event, transforming the park into a terrifying experience with haunted houses, scare zones, and live entertainment. It’s one of the premier Halloween events in the country, attracting horror fans from all over.
Attractions:
- Haunted Houses: Themed houses based on popular horror movies, TV shows, and original concepts.
- Scare Zones: Outdoor areas where actors in elaborate costumes and makeup scare guests.
- Live Shows: Performances that may include music, dance, and theatrical horror elements.
- Rides: Select rides are open during the event, often with shorter wait times.
Tips:
- Express Pass: Consider purchasing an Express Pass to skip the regular lines for haunted houses.
- Early Entry: Arrive early to maximize your time and experience more attractions.
- Age Recommendation: This event is intense and not recommended for children under 13.
Christmas at Universal Studios Florida
Overview: The holiday season at Universal Studios Florida is filled with festive decorations, entertainment, and activities for the whole family. The park is beautifully adorned with lights and holiday decor, creating a magical atmosphere.
Attractions:
- Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s: A spectacular parade with floats, balloons, and characters from Universal movies.
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade are decorated for the holidays, with special entertainment like the “Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle” projection show.
- Holiday Performances: Live performances by the a cappella group Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees in Diagon Alley, and the Frog Choir in Hogsmeade.
Tips:
- Special Events: Look out for special dining experiences and holiday-themed treats.
- Photo Opportunities: Take advantage of the many festive photo spots throughout the park.
Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida
Overview: Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida brings the spirit of New Orleans to the park with a lively celebration featuring parades, concerts, and authentic Cajun cuisine. In recent years, Universal has emphasized international locations as well, with food from different countries.
Attractions:
- Mardi Gras Parade: A vibrant parade with themed floats, performers, and plenty of beads thrown to the crowd.
- Live Concerts: Performances by top artists and bands on select nights.
- Cajun Cuisine: Food booths offering traditional New Orleans dishes like jambalaya, gumbo, and beignets; in addition to food and drinks from around the world.
- Themed Entertainment: Street performers, musicians, and dancers add to the festive atmosphere.
Tips:
- Catch Beads: Stand along the parade route to catch beads thrown from the floats.
- Sample Food: Try the various dishes available at the food booths.
- Concerts: Check the schedule in advance to see which artists are performing during your visit.
Universal Studios Strategy
It is always a good idea to have a plan before going to the park. Universal Studios doesn’t have a ton of major rides, so it is pretty easy to plan out. With the right strategy, you shouldn’t encounter many long waits. Here is my go-to plan for a day at Universal Studios:
- Go straight to Escape from Gringotts. Follow the crowd as everyone will be heading to the back. If you have small children, then consider stopping at Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem on the way in.
- Once I get off, I head toward Revenge of the Mummy. Years ago I would head to Transformers, but it has been opening later recently and Mummy is getting some pretty long wait times.
- Next, I would jump on Transformers if it is open. Otherwise, now is a good time to ride Rip Ride Rockit if you would like.
- Minion Mayhem will probably be getting long around this time, but it’s worth riding if the wait is short.
- By now E.T., The Simpsons, and Men in Black should be open. Depending on crowd levels, I will usually go to The Simpsons, E.T., and Men in Black.
- Finally, it’s time to circle back toward the front of the park to do the less popular attractions. Fast and Furious is a jokingly bad ride, but it has good air conditioning with little wait.
- Jimmy Fallon randomly gets long lines, so it’s best to check wait times and wait till later if the line is long.
- Lastly, Minion Blast is often a walk-on thanks to its unique ride system. However, it certainly isn’t worth waiting more than 20 minutes for.
- Spend the rest of the day re-riding Mummy or Gringotts as well as visiting the various shows.
- Don’t forget to ride the Hogwarts Express to Islands of Adventure if you have a multi-park ticket.
Islands of Adventure tends to have Early Park Admission on most days but the plan above will also work on days that it is available at Universal Studios. If you feel really brave, then you can actually take advantage of early park admission at Islands to ride Hagrid and Velocicoaster or Forbidden Journey, then jump on the train to make it just in time for park opening at Universal Studios.
Universal With Young Children
Universal parks are often considered parks for teens and adults compared to the more family-friendly Disney parks. There is some truth there as Universal attractions are based on more mature IP, but nearly all of the rides also have height requirements.
With all of that in mind, Universal is really trying to expand its brand and add more things for kids to do. The new DreamWorks added some experiences for younger children. Beyond that area and a lone spinner attraction in The Simpsons land, there really isn’t much else for them to do. Therefore if you do plan on visiting with a young child, you may want to consider only one day for both parks or skipping Universal entirely until they are big enough to go on thrill rides.
Universal Studios Map
We are working on adding maps soon. Until then, check out the official map on Universal’s website.
FAQs
Does Universal Studios Florida have a dining plan?
Universal Orlando got rid of their dining plans shortly after reopening from the pandemic. Universal’s dining plans were never a great deal and took a lot to even break even, so this isn’t a major loss. The dining plans also excluded the onsite hotels and some City Walk restaurants. With all of that in mind, you should consider purchasing a refillable drink cup in the park, which you can reactivate each day of your stay.
Does Universal Studios have a skip the line pass?
Universal Studios does offer a skip the line pass and it is called Express Pass. Pricing varies dramatically, and a pass can cost more than a park ticket on many days. You can get Express Pass for free by staying at Royal Pacific Resort, Hard Rock Hotel, or Portofino Bay.
How do you get to Universal Studios Florida?
When coming to Universal, most people enter from the parking garage complex. This is also where the onsite hotel bus drop off is located. After following the moving walkways you will arrive at City Walk. Continue through the shopping and dining area until the path splits, Universal Studios will be to your right (by the globe) and Islands will be to the left.
What do I need to ride the Hogwarts Express?
The Hogwarts Express is available to Universal Studios guests with valid park-to-park admission. Upon entering the train station in the London area of the park, a team member will scan your theme park admission ticket. You can then proceed through the station and board the train, which drops off at Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure.
Is Halloween Horror Nights worth it?
Halloween Horror Nights is very expensive and tickets cost nearly what a park ticket does on many nights. With that said, it is absolutely worth it if you enjoy haunted houses and getting the crap scared out of you. The event is also getting extremely popular, so expect insane crowds and take advantage of the Stay and Scream areas.
