THEME PARK ITINERARIES
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios is a park that takes you inside some of your favorite movies.
Information and Preparation
- Universal Orland Resort has 4 parks – Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay (water park), and Epic Universe (opening May 2025).
- Universal Studios is the original park and has undergone constant changes since it opened. If you haven’t been in a while, it is not the same as the last time you were there!
- The theme of the park is going into or behind the scenes of movies from Universal pictures. Some parts of the park are themed to old Hollywood and will have a similar vibe to part of Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World (the two parks have always been rivals).
- If you’re looking for Harry Potter World, PART of it is in Universal Studios, but not all of it. Diagon Alley is the section inside Universal Studios and the main attraction is Escape from Gringots.
- If you want to ride the Hogwarts Express to Hogwarts (located in the other park – Islands of Adventure), you will need to have a Park-to-Park ticket.
Older kids over 48″ tall will enjoy Universal Orlando most because of height requirements and the themes of the attractions and lands.
With that said, there ARE kid-friendly attractions younger kids will enjoy:
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem (a motion simulator ride with a minimum height of 40″)
- Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast (you stand on a conveyor belt and shoot a gun at villains – no height restriction but littles may struggle holding the heavy gun)
- E.T. Adventure only has a height requirement of 34″ but it’s unlikely young kids will know what E.T. is.
- Dreamworks land has several play areas themed to Shrek, Trolls, and Kung Foo Panda.
- Trollercoaster is a Troll-themed kid coaster with a 36″ height requirement
- The DreamWorks Imagination Celebration show is a fun show with characters.
- Animal Actors on Location is a show featuring live animals
- There is no height requirement to buy a wand in Harry Potter Land and do the interactive activities but smaller kids do struggle sometimes to get the magic to work.
What Day of the Week:
What Time of Year for Lower Crowds:
What Time of Year Based on Weather:
Orlando is hot and humid most of the year (April – October), but you can also have random hot days November – March. It can also get very cold on some days in winter. There is also a risk of Hurricanes, primarily in August – October. I think it’s doable in any weather, but if you want the most temperate weather with no chance of hurricanes, I would say February and March are the best.
Universal has a collection of hotels that get you special perks.
My biggest tip to save time and money:
Do a split stay! Stay one night at a Signature Resort (Loews Royal Pacifica is usually the cheapest) which gets you Universal Express Unlimited Passes for both the day you check in and the day you check out. These passes are usually very expensive so 2 days of these passes for everyone in your group is a huge savings!! Then spend your other nights at a cheap hotel nearby. There are plenty of good hotel options around.
There are also other lower levels of Universal Resort Hotels that get you early entry into the parks and free transportation which will save on parking. These hotels are not right next to Universal and Island of Adventure like the others, but a short bus ride away. My tip above is still my #1 suggestion, but these are a great second choice if a Signature Resort doesn’t fit your budget. If you stay at one of these, be sure to take advantage of early entry for Islands of Adventure!
The longer you stay, the less you’re paying per day.
Look for discount tickets at Undercover Tourist or book directly through universalorlando.com
2025 Tickets come in several varieties:
Single tickets – 1 park, 1 day, or 1 day with access to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
2-5 day tickets – You can buy base tickets that include:
- Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
- Universal Studios, Island of Adventure, and Volcano Bay
- The three above plus Epic Universe
You can buy 1 park per day tickets, or park-to-park tickets that allow you to hop between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.
Buy 2 days, get 2 Free – 2 Parks – this is a great deal and we hope it stays around for a while! It gets you 4 total days to spend at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. Park-to-park or one park per day (spend 2 days at each park).
Buy 2 days, get 2 Free – 3 Parks – same as the above but it includes Volcano Bay water park. I would do this one as a Park-to-Park ticket and spend 3 days hopping between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure and 1 day at Volcano Bay.
Base tickets + Epic Universe – you can do one of the promos above with free days and also add on a day at Epic Universe. You can’t (and won’t want to) park hop between Epic and the other parks.
Annual Passes – Universal has multiple tiers of annual passes and has better options for out-of-state guests that make annual passes more afordable than Disney World annual passes. Check out the options and decide if an annual pass may be right for your family. You can also choose to upgrade any ticket to an annual pass at the end of your trip if you decide you want to come back! Annual passholders do get access to buy Epic Universe tickets, but Epic Universe is not included in APs in 2025.
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If you are a Harry Potter fan, I recommend buying a Park-to-Park ticket so you can ride the Hogwarts Express. This is the train that goes between the Harry Potter section at Universal (Diagon Alley/London) and the Harry Potter section at Islands of Adventure (Hogwarts and Hogsmeade).
How many days do you need?
- If you have Express Passes, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure can be done in 2 days (1 day each or park hopping both days). If you do the buy 2 days get 2 free deal, the other 2 days can be half days or just bonus days to repeat favorites. You do not need Express Passes for 4 days.
- It’s possible to do both parks in one day with Express Pass if you only have one day to spend, but you will need to stay from park opening to park close, and will not be able to do everything during croweded times of year. Express Pass cuts wait times in half, but does not eliminate waits entirely. Also many of the attractions include mulitple preshow rooms that Express Pass doesn’t let you skip, so the overall experience of each attraction is longer than people realize. You still may only average 1 attraction per hour with Express Pass during crowded times.
- If you do not have Express Pass, I suggest having 4 full days for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. You can park hop or have 2 full days for each park.
- Volcano Bay needs it’s own day in our opinion. It’s not as easy to go from a regular park to a water park in one day. You’ll have a more relaxing day if this is your only activity for the day and can rest in the evening.
- Epic Universe can only be done as it’s own day.
What they are:
Express Passes allow you to enter the “Express” line at attractions which typically cuts the wait time in half (NOTE – it does not mean you will have no wait!)
They come in two varieties – regular Express Pass gets you access to the Express lane of each attractions one time a day. Express Unlimited gets you access to the Express lane an unlimited number of times.
Are they worth it?
They are very expensive. The best thing to do is stay one night at a Signature Resort (Loews Royal Pacifica is usually the cheapest) which gets you Universal Express Unlimited Passes for both the day you check in and the day you check out. 2 days of these passes for everyone in your group is a huge savings!! It does not include Express Pass at Epic Universe though.
If you don’t want to do one night at a Signature Resort you’ll have to purchase them for each person in your party for each day you want to use them. If it’s a crowded time of year and you only have 1 or 2 days to spend at the parks, it will be worth it if it fits your budget. If it doesn’t fit your budget, you can do more park days, get to the parks early, stay at the parks until close, follow our itinerary examples for what rides to do at what times of day, or any combination of these and you will be fine!
Epic Universe: We haven’t tested it yet and we’ll have to see how capacity and wait times are at the new park opening this year before we can say if it’s worth it to buy an Express Pass at Epic. They won’t be included with hotel stays, it is not an Unlimited pass which means you’ll only get to use the express land once per attraction, and some of the biggest attractions are not included.
Dining reservations are not as big of a deal at Universal compared to Disney parks. You can find good food without a sit-down meal reservation. If you are short on time, don’t plan on doing a sit-down restaurant in the park. You could always do a dinner at a sit-down restaurant after you leave the park in the MANY restaurants in CityWalk.
If you have a few days and can enjoy a more relaxed pace, I recommend making a reservation at Lombard’s Seafood Grille. It has a nice seafood menu including Lobster bisque, swordfish, fish and chips, fish tacos, lobster rolls, chicken, pasta, steak, and more.
Always dress for the weather first and foremost! In late fall through early spring that usually means dressing in layers. I like wearing leggings with a phone pocket so you have quick access to the item you’ll use most. Your warm layer should be something you can tie around your waste or put in a bag if it gets warm.
In hot weather (most of the year), wear what will keep you cool such as tank tops, moisture wicking material, running shorts, moisture-wicking bras, ect.
Themed clothing: If you or your kids have any Harry Potter, Minions, or Simpsons themed clothing, this is the park to wear them!
Shoes: Wear what you can walk many miles in, because you will walk a lot. For most, that means socks and a good pair of running/walking sneakers. Make sure your shoes are broken in before your trip. There are no water rides at Universal Orlando so you don’t need to worry about shoes getting wet. If you’ll be park hopping to Islands of Adventure and want to do any of the water rides there, you’ll want a change or shoes with you or shoes that can get wet like Crocs or Tevas.
Smartphone – You’ll need it to use the Universal App to view the map, see wait times, mobile order food, and enter the park if using mobile tickets.
A comfortable backpack or fanny pack. If you can fit the things you need into a fanny pack or any bag with a 3-prong clip, then you won’t have to get a locker to store your bag. You’ll be able to take your bag on the ride while wearing it or it will fit in the free small lockers. If you need a full backpack that’s ok, but be prepared to pay for lockers at many of the attractions.
Things you might want in your bag:
- Sunscreen (Face or body stick is great for putting on your family quickly on the go)
- External phone charger and correct chord. Something like this >
- Ponchos or packable rain gear. These family packs are great. Waterproof shoe covers are also helpful to take with you if there’s rain in the forcast (take out if there is no chance of rain)
- Band aids (regular and blister kind)
- Medicines (Ibuprofen, Dramamine, allergy, kids Tylenol, anything you might need that comes in a small pill or chewable form)
- Chafing Stick (helpful for thighs if wearing shorts, helpful for males on sweaty days)
- Sunglasses
- Lip balm with sunscreen
- Snacks (plenty of snacks to purchase in the parks, but if you have picky kids or young kids that need snacks to entertain them at times, bringing your own will be helpful!)
- In hot months, neck fans or portable fans are really helpful. I like these affordable neck fans to stay hands-free and you can adjust the fans to point in different directions.
- Suckers (obviously not required but if your kids are getting bored in a line or waiting for a show to begin, hand them a sucker for instant delight that helps pass the time)
- Water bottle(s) (They give out free water at quick service restaurants, but having a few water bottles you can fill on your own is helpful. Use ones that won’t leak if they’re knocked over or bumping around in a stroller and ones that will keep water cool on a hot day.
Use Child Swap!
Universal has lovely waiting rooms where one adult and the child/children that are too short can wait while others ride the attraction, then adults can switch out and not have to wait in line again. If you have older kids, they will often let the older kids ride with both parents, so they get to ride twice! The rooms are really great and have comfortable seating, TVs and thing to entertain kids.
It’s a little different from Disney World if you are used to that method. There isn’t always a person at the queue entrance to check in with, so your whole family may have to wait in part of the queue together, then there will be a point where the smaller child/children will check in at the rider swap room and they will give you a piece of paper that you keep with you. Then after you ride, don’t exit all the way but go to the rider swap room, switch adults, then present your paper and the new adult and tall kids will be allowed to enter the queue with a short wait time.
Attractions with height requirements at Universal Orlando:
- E.T. Adventure – 34″
- Trolls Trollercoaster – 36″
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem – 40″
- Fast & Furious – 40″
- The Simpsons Ride – 40″
- Transformers: The Ride 3-D – 40″
- Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon – 40″
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts – 42″
- Men in Black Alien Attack – 42″
- Revenge of the Mummy – 48″
- Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit – 51″
San Franciso Pastry Company (San Francisco section)
Lots of great fresh options! Personal favorites: Clam chowder in a bread bowl, the caprese sandwich, the hot turkey panini, chilled tuna noodle salad, and all the fresh pastries!
TODAY Cafe (Hollywood Blvd, close to Minion Land)
This cafe has good breakfast options, pastries, sandwiches, and salads.
Leaky Cauldron (Harry Potter World)
It’s not my favorite food in the park, but if you want to eat in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, this place offers mobile order and you can get Butterbeer and adult beverages while enjoying English classics like fish and chips, bangers and mash, cottage pie, and more. They also have good breakfast options, including American classics like eggs and pancakes.
End your day by catching Cinesational: A Symphonic Spectacular. It will usually start at park closing time, but check the app to be sure. The show combines fountains, projections, drones (currently not in use), all set to some of the great film scores like Jurassic Park and Harry Potter (it’s obviously a lot of John Williams). It’s not quite on par with Disney nighttime shows, but it’s still worth seeing!
You don’t have to line up an hour in advance like you do with Disney nighttime shows and we’ve been able to walk up right at showtime and still have a good view. The best views are from the front side of the projections which will be on the DreamWorks Land side of the lake
Touring Plan/Itinerary Recommendations
Even with the Express Pass, doing everything in one day takes some planning. We recommend doing Harry Potter World first thing, then doing going around the circle counterclockwise.
This is the general order we’d recommend, but it’s ok to switch it up! Put in meals when you get hungry. Check out our recommendations above for the best restuarants.
- Start your day by going to Harry Potter World. This means starting your day with a longer walk but it’s so nice to explore this area without huge crowds.
- Ollivanders – If your kids (or you!) like Harry Potter and want to purchase an interactive wand to use around Harry Potter World, get in line for the Ollivanders Experience. It does not have an Express Pass lane but won’t have a long wait in the morning. Small groups will be led into the wand shop and Ollivander the wandmaker will come out do a presentation about wands and choose one person to get to go through the experience of choosing a wand (or rather the wand choosing them.) Warn your kids that they will most likely not be chosen, but it is still fun to watch. After the show, you will be led out into the shop where you can choose and purchase a wand.
- Make some magic – If you have a wand, I recommend doing some of the interactive wand areas before the larger crowds arrive.
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts – Use your Express Pass to enjoy the main attraction in this land. Large bags have to left in a locker.
- Fast and the Furious Supercharged – Exit Harry Potter World and head to the right to ride Fast and the Furious with Express Pass. There are several preshow rooms so even with Express Pass it will take 20-30 minutes for the full experience.
- Revenge of the Mummy – Use Express Pass to ride this indoor roller coaster. Large bags have to left in a locker.
- Transformers: The Ride 3-D – Use Express Pass to ride this exciting 3D/4D ride.
- Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon – Use Express Pass but know that the whole experience will still take you about 20-30 minutes because of the pre-show rooms you don’t get to skip.
- Rip Ride Rock-It – You will have to put all your belongings in a locker to ride this thrilling roller coaster. Child swap is available and the waiting child and parent can hang out in the lawn area in front of the stage.
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem – Use Express Pass but expect the overall experience to take about 20-30 minutes.
- Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast – You have to have your hands free for this attraction. You will be holding a gun and shooting at things on screens while on a conveyor belt. It moves quick so it should last around 10 minutes total.
- E.T. Adventure – Head over toward Dreamworks Land, but before you get to kids characters, you have to ride this classic dark ride! Even if your kids haven’t seen the movie, they will enjoy boarding a bicycle and flying through the air!
- Play Areas – If you have kids still young enough to enjoy some play time, have them check out Shrek’s Swamp (climbing and slides, plus water sprayers during hot times of year) and King Harold’s Swamp Symphony (hop on lily pads to make frogs sing). The favorite of big kids and teens is Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp that has lots of fun interactive areas. There’s also a toddler play area called Poppy’s Playground that is great for littles to enjoy while bigger kids ride Trollercoaster.
- Trolls Trollercoaster – Use Express Pass to ride this simple kids coaster with a 36″ height requirement.
- Dreamworks Imagination Celebration – If you have kids that are interested in Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, or Trolls, they will probably enjoy this show featuring favorite characters and dancers. Check the app for showtimes (usually 11am, 12:15pm, 1:15, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30). You should arrive 15 minutes before showtime and the show lasts about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on your time to make sure you have enough time. If you’re able to see the 2:30 or 3:30 show, you’re in good shape. You may need to choose between this show and the show below based on showtime.
- Animal Actors on Location – This is a cute show featuring live animals! You’ll need to get there about 20 minutes before showtime to get a good seat up close (some of the animals are quite small). The show lasts about 25 minutes. Keep an eye on your time as you may not have time for this if you do the other show or if the park is closing earlier.
- Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl – Use Express Pass. This is a typical spinning ride like Dumbo so skip it if it doesn’t interest your family.
- The Simpsons Ride – Use Express Pass to ride this 3D simulator ride.
- Men in Black Alien Attack – Use Express Pass to ride this fun shooter attraction. You have to store bags in a locker before you ride.
- Cinesational: A Symphonic Spectacular – It will usually start at park closing time, but check the app to be sure. Watch it from the lakeshore near Hollywood Blvd.
This park is doable without an Express Pass, but you’ll need to prioritize popular attractions in the morning and evening, leaving activities with lower waits and shows for the afternoon, or take a break at your hotel in the afternoon.
You may be tempted to start your day in Harry Potter World, but in our experience by the time you get to the park and back to that section it will already be pretty crowded. If you won’t be using early entry or an Express Pass, it’s usually a better pay off to do other popular attractions during the first 2 hours of the day.
- Transformers: The Ride 3-D – Walk past Minions (you’ll do it later but too many people see this first and get in line so it gets long fast in the morning), and go around the corner to Transformers. This immersive ride is so much fun and can get a long line later.
- Rip Ride Rock-It – Head to the left to the big roller coaster. You will have to put all your belongings in a locker to ride this thrilling coaster. Child swap is available and the waiting child and parent can hang out in the lawn area in front of the stage. The wait should be 30 minutes or less around this time in the morning. If it’s longer you can try waiting until the evening instead if you prefer.
- Revenge of the Mummy – Head to the left to ride The Mummy – a thrilling dark ride/indoor coaster with good effects. Child swap available. Large bags have to left in a locker.
- Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon – The standby wait time should still be pretty short at this time of day, but the overall experience will still take you about 30 minutes because of the pre-show rooms.
- E.T. Adventure – Head over toward DreamWorks Land next to continue taking advantage of lower morning crowds. But before you get to kids characters, you have to ride this classic dark ride! Even if your kids haven’t seen the movie, they will enjoy boarding a bicycle and flying through the air!
- Trolls Trollercoaster – Head back into DreamWorks Land and ride this simple kids coaster with a 36″ height requirement.
- Play Areas – If you have kids still young enough to enjoy some play time, have them check out Shrek’s Swamp (climbing and slides, plus water sprayers during hot times of year) and King Harold’s Swamp Symphony (hop on lily pads to make frogs sing). The favorite of big kids and teens is Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp that has lots of fun interactive areas. There’s also a toddler play area called Poppy’s Playground that is great for littles to enjoy while bigger kids ride Trollercoaster.
- Dreamworks Imagination Celebration – If you have kids that are interested in Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, or Trolls, they will probably enjoy this show featuring favorite characters and dancers. Check the app for showtimes (usually 11am and 12:15pm around this time of day). You should arrive 15 minutes before showtime and the show lasts about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on your time to make sure you have enough time.
- Lunch – If you don’t mind backtracking a bit, I think the TODAY Cafe has some great food options. If you want to stay in the DreamWorks Land area, you can eat at the DreamWorks Imagination Cafe that has pizzz and bao buns. Or head on over to Simpson’s Land/Springfield and eat at the Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck, Luigi’s Pizza, or The Frying Dutchman (fried seafood).
- The Simpsons Ride – There will be a little bit of a wait at this time of day, but that give you time to digest your food before you ride this 3D simulator ride.
- Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl – This is a typical spinning ride like Dumbo so skip it if it doesn’t interest your family or if the line is wait is too long.
- Men in Black Alien Attack – Head around the lake to ride this fun shooter attraction. If you the wait time is long, consider using the Single Rider line if you don’t mind not sitting next to your family. I’ve done this with my older kids and the wait is significantly less and we usually end up riding around the same time, sometimes in the competiting cart which is fun! You have to store bags in a locker before you ride.
- Harry Potter World: Diagon Alley – Head into Harry Potter land and enjoy exploring the shops and the ambiance!
- Ollivanders – If your kids (or you!) like Harry Potter and want to purchase an interactive wand to use around Harry Potter World, get in line for the Ollivanders Experience. Small groups will be led into the wand shop and Ollivander the wandmaker will come out do a presentation about wands and choose one person to get to go through the experience of choosing a wand (or rather the wand choosing them.) Warn your kids that they will most likely not be chosen, but it is still fun to watch. After the show, you will be led out into the shop where you can choose and purchase a wand.
- Make some magic – If you have a wand, take some time to check out the interactive wand areas!
- Fast and the Furious Supercharged – Exit Harry Potter World and head to the right to ride Fast and the Furious. There are several preshow rooms so even when the wait time is short it may take 20-30 minutes for the full experience. It’s an ok attraction, but not worth a long wait.
- Depending on what time it is and when the park closes, you could choose to take a break back at your hotel and then come back in the evening for the last few rides when the lines are shorter,
OR you could move ahead with the last few attractions if the lines aren’t too bad and then leave the park a bit early or repeat favorite attractions until close,
OR you could do some shows now while lines are still long, then do the reamining attractions in the evening. There are several great shows including the Bourne Stuntacular, Animal Actors on Location, and the Horror Make-Up Show. - Despicable Me Minion Mayhem – A fun motion simulator ride starring the Minions! You may even get to meet a real Minion at the end of the attraction!
- Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast – You have to have your hands free for this attraction. You will be holding a gun and shooting at things on screens while on a conveyor belt. It moves quick so it should last around 10 minutes total.
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts – If you didn’t do this ride earlier when the line was long, do it in the evening for a shorter wait. It’s also fun to see Diagon Alley lit up in the evening!
- Cinesational: A Symphonic Spectacular – If interested, this evening show featuring scenes and music from famous movies is wonderful to watch. It will usually start at park closing time, but check the app to be sure. Watch it from the lakeshore near Hollywood Blvd.
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Attraction Information
Description: This is a 3D motion simulator ride. You are turned into a Minion and go on an adventure, and then it ends with a disco dance party as you exit the ride and sometimes a Minion character is there for pictures.
Height Requirement: 40″
Child Swap: Yes
Accessibility: There are non-moving seats and people in wheelchairs/ECVs do not have to transfer.
Queue: The queue is part of the experience! The queue starts outside but covered, then you go inside Gru’s house. During the preshow you will enter Gru’s lab and be transformed into a Minion.
Ride Vehicle: Groups of motion simulators with rows of seats and a lap bar, in front of a huge screen. 3D glasses required.
Attraction Length: 14 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Average wait time: 40 minutes
Location: Minion Land
Description: This classic is based on the 1982 Steven Spielberg film. Board a bicycle and try to escape the people looking for E.T., then take off into the sky soaring over LA, then be warped to the green planet, just in time for E.T.’s healing touch to save the planet. The green planet has lots of colorful plants and friendly aliens. This ride uses animatronics and doesn’t use any screens unlike most attractions in this park and we think it’s great!
Height Requirement: 34″
Child Swap: No
Accessibility: Wheelchairs must transfer
Queue: The queue is part of the experience! You will watch a preshow video starring Steven Spieldberg who will explain that E.T. needs to get home to save his planet. Next you will queue up to give your name and be given an interplanetary passport. From there you will enter one of my favorite queue rooms – it feels like you are in a forest at night. Then you will board your ride vehicle.
Ride Vehicle: Three rows of 4 stationary bicycles that are suspended from the ceiling (similar to Peter Pan at Disney parks).
Attraction Length: 8 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Average wait time: 24 minutes
Location: Hollywood Blvd. near the entrance to Dreamworks Land
Description: This attraction is based on the Fast and the Furious series. You board a party bus and then it gets attacked and you go on an epic high-speed chase.
The ride itself uses huge screens, projections, and hydraulics to make it look like the bus is speeding along. It features all the popular characters from the franchise and the dialog is not the best, but if you’re a fan of the movies you will enjoy it.
Height Requirement: 40″ (Our kids still enjoyed it despite not knowing the movies. The themes are better suited teenagers though.)
Child Swap: Yes
Accessibility: Wheelchairs ok, ECVs must transfer to standard wheelchair
Queue: The queue goes through a garage and features some cars from the movies. You then have to go through multiple preshow rooms featuring live actors, before queuing up to board the bus.
Ride Vehicle: Long bus with bench rows that seat 6 each.
Attraction Length: 5 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Single Rider: Yes
Average wait time: 24 minutes
Location: San Francisco
Description: This attraction is truly fantastic! You enter Gringotts bank for a tour of the vaults, but happen to be there at the same time Ron, Hermoine, and Harry are there to steal a horcurx from Bellatrix’s vault (sorry this makes not sense to non-Potter fans – just know it’s exciting!)
It’s hard to compare this ride to other things. It’s part indoor roller coaster (like The Mummy), part 3D screen-based (like Spider Man or Transformers), has cars that can rotate and move like a simulator, and includes real sets.
Height Requirement: 42″ (Some kids may find it a bit scary)
Child Swap: Yes
Accessibility: Wheelchairs must transfer
Queue: This queue is incredible!! You enter the lobby of Gringotts which looks exactly like the movie and has real animatronic goblins. Then you go down a hallway where you’ll see office windows and newspapers. Next you enter the the first preshow room where you meet a goblin and Bill Weasley and they tell you about the tour you’ll be taking of the vaults. Then you enter board a huge elevator that takes you down 9 miles into the earth (simulated). Next you will pick up your 3D glasses and go through a queue inside a cave (it contains spiral staircases but there are also elevators if needed.) Finally you will board your vehicle.
Ride Vehicle: Two-car trains with 6 rows of 4.
Attraction Length: 5 minutes for the actual ride, but much longer if you include the queue and preshows, even if you have Express Pass.
Express Lane: Yes
Single Rider: Yes
Average wait time: 47 minutes
Bags: Must be placed in locker
Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley
Description: Board the Hogwarts Express train and take it from London to Hogsmeade, just like the kids who go to Hogwarts! While on the train you will see scenery out the window and you just might hear Harry and his friends talking outside your door.
In reality, you really are on a train ride and it’s taking you from Universal Studios to Islands of Adventure. Because of this, you must have a park-hopper ticket and present your ticket as you enter the queue.
Height Requirement: None. Infants in laps ok.
Accessibility: Wheelchairs must transfer
Queue: The queue will start out in a replica of Kings Cross Station in London. The best part of the queue is you actually get to walk through the barrier between platforms 9 and 10 to get to platform 9 and three-quarters. You can have one person from your party wait behind to take photos or video while the rest of your party walk ahead and go through the platform. It doesn’t seem like much as you actally walk through it, but the view for the people around the corner makes it look like you’re walking through the wall!
Once you go through the barrier you will be on platform nine and three-quarters and you will be able to see the train as it pulls into the station. You will also get to see an adorable animatronic of Hedwig the owl!
A cast person will send you to a row where you will be assigned a cabin to enter when the train arrives.
Ride Vehicle: Enclosed train car with two soft benches facing each other that can fit 4 people on each side, for a total of 8 people per cabin. It’s exactly like the movie! The cabin has a door that closes so people who are claustrophobic may not like it.
Attraction Length: 5 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Single Rider: No
Average wait time: 35 minutes (longest in afternoon)
Location: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Right outside of Diagon Alley
Description: A thrilling roller coaster with a vertical ascent up a 17-story hill that plunges you down with top speeds of 65mph, all while listening to music! Unlike other roller coasters with music in the area, with this one you get to choose which genre of music you want to listen too!
This one is a lot of fun, but can be a little rough! I recommend riding toward the front for a smoother ride if you’re prone to getting headaches on roller coasters.
Height Requirement: 51″
Child Swap: Yes
Accessibility: Wheelchairs must transfer
Queue: The queue is nothing special and you will hear the same video about safety and how to rip it and rock it over and over.
Ride Vehicle: Rows of 2 seats. The restraint is thick lap bar that is great for holding on to in fear! There’s nothing on your shoulders which makes it more thrilling.
Attraction Length: 4 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Single Rider: Yes
Average wait time: 42 minutes
Bags: All bags and loose items must be placed in locker
Location: New York section in Universal Studios
Description: Villain-Con is a conference for villains! While at the conference, you can see if you have what it takes to join the Vicious 6 villian squad. You will be given a blaster and will stand on a moving walkway while you shoot at things on interactive screens and create as much mayhem as you can! At the end you can compare your score and see how you did.
Height Requirement: None, but small children will be too little to hold the gun. It’s a bit large and heavy. Adults will need both hands free to use the gun properly, so it’s not really possible to play the game and hold a small child at the same time. It’s also ok to not take a gun and just ride through or take one gun to help a child with.
Child Swap: No
Accessibility: May remain in wheelchair because it’s just a moving walkway.
Queue: The queue is very well-themed with lots of hilarious details as you walk through the conference for villians. Any adults who have attended conferences will appreciate much of the humor!
Ride Vehicle: There is no ride vehicle. You must remain standing on a slow-moving conveyor-belt.
Attraction Length: 5 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Single Rider: No
Average wait time: 16 minutes
Location: Minion Land in Universal Studios
Description: A classic spinning ride like Dumbo, but add in some Simpson’s humor! You’ll sit in little saucers that you can move up and down and make spin, while listening to Kang talk about how he’s going to destroy Springfield. It’s good fun for little kids or Simpson fans, but other may want to skip this one.
Height Requirement: None
Child Swap: No
Accessibility: Wheelchairs must transfer
Queue: Nothing special but you are near the lake!
Ride Vehicle: Saucers that seat 2-3 people
Attraction Length: 2 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Single Rider: No
Average wait time: 17 minutes
Location: Simpson’s Land/Springfield in Universal Studios
Description: Board a vehicle and shoot aliens! You’ll be recruited into the MIB and will board a vehicle equipped with alien zappers. You’ll start off doing a training but then have to save New York City from real aliens! Another vehicle will also be racing along with you and you are competiting to see which car can shoot the most aliens. At one point you can shoot the top of the other vehicle and cause it to spin. The spinning doesn’t last long, but if you can’t handle spinning you may not want to ride.
This attraction goes through real sets in a moving vehicle, not shooting at screens.
Height Requirement: 42″
Child Swap: Yes
Accessibility: Must transfer to standard wheelchair
Queue: Go through the MIB headquarters building and see several sets that look just like the movie!
Ride Vehicle: Vehicle with 2 rows of 3 people – 6 people total
Attraction Length: 5 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Single Rider: Yes
Average wait time: 22 minutes
Bags: Must be placed in locker
Location: World Expo in Universal Studios
Description: A 3D motion simulator ride where you race through New York City on a go cart ride with Jimmy Fallon.
People prone to motion sickness may not enjoy this one. (In general I recommend taking anti-nausea medicine before a day at Universal Studios because there are so many attractions that could make you motion sick).
Height Requirement: 40″
Child Swap: Yes
Accessibility: May remain in wheelchair
Queue: This is a unique one! If the line is long you may wait in a bit of a normal queue, but then you will be assigned a color and get to wait in an open waiting room with large screens showing clips of the Tonight Show, couches, interactive game areas, and other things to keep you entertained. When they call your color, you will queue up and will go to several preshow rooms before entering the theater. The whole process can take some time. Even if the wait says 15 minutes, and the ride itself is only 7, this is at least a 30 minute activity, maybe more.
Ride Vehicle: Long rows of seats with a seatbelt. 3D glasses must be worn to see 3D effects.
Attraction Length: 7 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Single Rider: No
Average wait time: 17 minutes
Location: New York in Universal Studios
Description: A thrilling attraction that is park dark ride, part indoor roller coaster, with good lighting effects, pyrotechnics, anamatronics and other effects that make this a unique and fun experience. It is based on The Mummy movie franchise starring Brendon Fraser.
Height Requirement: 48″
Child Swap: Yes
Accessibility: Must transfer from wheelchair
Queue: The indoor queue sets up the storyline where you are touring the set of the Mummy films but then the curse becomes real.
Ride Vehicle: 3 rows of 4 seats each with a lap bar that pulls down
Attraction Length: 5 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Single Rider: Yes
Average wait time: 35 minutes
Bags: Must be placed in locker
Location: New York in Universal Studios
Description: A 3D motion simulator ride that takes you to a theme park gone wrong with the Simpson’s family.
If you get motion sick, skip this one or make sure you take anti-nausea medication.
Height Requirement: 40″
Child Swap: Yes
Accessibility: Must transfer from wheelchair
Queue: You’ll be directed to one of 3 levels and wait in an outdoor but covered area before moving into an indoor preshow room with fun video entertainment. Then you’ll enter your ride vehicle which is actually a bunch of individual motion simulators in front of a giant movie screen.
Ride Vehicle: Individual motion simulators with 3 rows of 4.
Attraction Length: 8 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Single Rider: No
Average wait time: 25 minutes
Location: Simpson’s Land/Springfield in Universal Studios
Description: A combination of physical sets and 3D motion simulation (similar to Spider Man at Islands of Adventure), this attraction takes you on an exciting journey to help the Autobots (the good guy Transformers) protect the Allspark (a super important and powerful source of life) from the Decepticons (the bad guys). It’s an incredible immersive attraction and a lot of fun, even if you’re not very familiar with the Transformers universe.
Height Requirement: 40″, but could be too scary for some kids even if they’re tall enough
Child Swap: Yes
Accessibility: Must transfer from wheelchair
Queue: The indoor queue and preshow help introduce you to the story.
Ride Vehicle: Motion-simulation cars that move along a track. Each car has 3 rows of 4 seats. Smaller children may want to sit in front row to have an unobstructed view.
Attraction Length: 5 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Single Rider: Yes
Average wait time: 38 minutes
Location: New York City in Universal Studios
Description: A fun little steel kids coasters with a theme of Trolls (a 2016 movie inspired by Troll dolls)
Height Requirement: 36″
Child Swap: No
Queue: Outdoors and nothing special.
Ride Vehicle: 2-person seats with a lap bar
Attraction Length: 2 minutes
Express Lane: Yes
Single Rider: No
Average wait time: 26 minutes
Location: DreamWorks Land in Universal Studios
There are several fun play areas in DreamWorks land that are great for kids of all ages to run around and have some fun.
- Shrek’s Swamp – climbing and slides, plus water sprayers during hot times of year
- King Harold’s Swamp Symphony – hop on lily pads to make frogs sing
- Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp – lots of fun interactive areas like hitting gongs to make fun sounds, twirling on noddle bowls, etc. Includes some water play during hot times of year.
- Poppy’s Playground – a play area for babies and toddlers to enjoy
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