THEME PARK ITINERARIES
Universal Studios Florida
Universal Studios is a park that takes you inside some of your favorite movies. A bit of planning, prep and tips from people who go all the time will help make your trip the best it can be!
Information and Preparation
- Universal Orlando Resort has 4 parks – Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay (water park), and Epic Universe.
- 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 (see a few options below).
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 Islands 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!
TIP: Universal hotels can be found on travel sites for less! You do not have to book through the Universal website to get the perks. Compare prices quickly with these links: Booking.com, Expedia.com, Hotels.com
Larger families: Get more room by staying off-property
If you are a larger family, the best deals are usually finding a multi-bedroom suite at a non-Universal property vs. getting multiple hotel rooms.
This resort is closer to Disney World, but the drive to Universal is easy. We love this place because they have nice 2-3 bedroom suites with full kitchens. There are other resorts with multi-bedroom suites around, but not all are great and some are quite run-down. We recommend sticking to Sheraton/Marriott brand properties when looking at condo/timeshare resorts in Orlando (not Westgate). Check pricing at Sheraton Vistana >
The longer you stay, the less you’re paying per day.
Look for discount tickets at Undercover Tourist or book directly through universalorlando.com
2026 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 tickets for 2-5 days for 2-4 parks, either one park per day, or park to park.
Annual Passes – Universal has multiple tiers of annual passes and has better options for out-of-state guests that make annual passes more affordable 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 2026.
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 easily be done in 2 days (1 day each or park hopping both 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 crowded times of year. Express Pass cuts wait times in half, but does not eliminate them. Also, many of the attractions include multiple 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, it’s nice to have at least a day and a half at each park, or 2 full days each. That helps ensure you are able to do everything you want to do and if a ride goes down one day, it may be open the next.
- Epic Universe needs a full day, but 2 (or 1.5) are even better! There aren’t as many attractions at EPIC yet, but the ones they have are awesome and the lines get long. The attractions go down somewhat frequently (although it seems to be getting better), and most of them close for storms, so having more than one day at Epic is ideal.
- Volcano Bay needs its 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.
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: Epic has a separate Express Pass and is also very expensive. There are no hotels that include them, which is how we prefer to get Express Passes. The Express Pass at Epic is very helpful, but it does not include every attraction. See our page dedicated to EPIC for more information.
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 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 restaurants.
- 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. - 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
Offered seasonally. It will usually start at park closing time, but check the app to be sure. Watch it from the lakeshore near Hollywood Blv
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 hour of the day.
If driving in, try to arrive at the parking deck 45-60 minutes before park opening to give yourself enough time to actually get into the park.
- Revenge of the Mummy
Head straight down the main street to The Mummy – a thrilling dark ride/indoor coaster with good effects. Child swap available. Large bags have to left in a locker. - Transformers: The Ride 3-D
This immersive ride is so much fun and can get a long line later, but will be short during the first hour of the day. - 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 it’s showing on the day you’re visiting, 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.
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.
Utilizing early entry gives you a chance to get to Harry Potter World: Diagon Alley before the big crowds arrive. Keep in mind, making use of this benefit means getting on a boat or bus (assuming you’re using hotel transportation because it’s the most efficient) at least 30-45 minutes BEFORE early entry begins.
When you get to the gate, the quickest line is often the one on the far left. Once you enter, walk directly to Harry Potter land, which is on the opposite site of the park. Consult the map in the Universal app so you know where you’re going. The entrance to the land is a bit hidden, but follow the crowd and you can’t miss it.
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
The main ride in this land. The queue is part of the experience! It is a dark ride/indoor coaster/3D experience and very immersive and fun! Objects and bags that aren’t attached to your body with a 3-prong clasp will need to go in a free locker. - A little bit of Harry Potter Land
Take a little time to explore this beautiful land before the huge crowds arrive. But don’t linger too long – the first hour of regular opening is a great time to do attractions before lines get long. You will come back to this land later and can do more shopping and exploring. - Transformers: The Ride 3-D
This immersive ride is so much fun and can get a long line later, but will be short during the first hour of the day. - Revenge of 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. - 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. - Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
Only do this if the wait is under 45 minutes. It’s not worth more than that. The line will often get shorter after 5pm if you want to wait and do it on your way out of the park later. This is a motion simulator ride starring the Minions. You may even get to meet a real Minion at the end of the attraction! - 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! - Trolls Trollercoaster
Head back into DreamWorks Land and ride this simple kids coaster with a 36″ height requirement. - Lunch whenever you get hungry
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). - 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. - 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. Check the app for showtimes.
- The Simpsons Ride
A 3D simulator ride through an amusement park with the Simpsons. - 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 competing cart which is fun! You have to store bags in a locker before you ride. - Harry Potter World: Diagon Alley
Head back 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. - Repeat favorites, do Minions if you skipped it earlier, or choose to leave the park.
- Cinesational: A Symphonic Spectacular
If it’s scheduled the day you visit, 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.
Universal is best with older kids, but there’s a lot more for little kids to do than people think! If visiting with younger kids, Express Pass is usually not worth purchasing unless the adults in your group want to ride the bigger attractions using rider swap.
This plan does not include doing the bigger rides with rider swap and just focuses on what kids who are 40″ or shorter can do.
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 restaurants.
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
Kids love this 3D motion simulator ride where you get turned into a minion. You sit in motion seats in front of a movie screen, but there are non-motion seats available. - 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. The gun can be a bit too heavy for younger kids, so you may want to just get one gun and shoot together. - Transformers: The Ride 3-D
This is an exciting ride that goes through real sets with 3D effects as you help Optimus Prime save the world from the Decepticons. It’s dark, bumpy, and loud, but a lot of fun, and most kids like it. 40″ height requirement. - Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
Even if your kid has no idea who Jimmy Fallon is, they will probably enjoy this 3D simulator ride where you race around New York City and beyond. It’s seated in a theater with motion seats, but there are non-motion seats available. - 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! - Trolls Trollercoaster
A simple kids coaster with a 36″ height requirement. - DreamWorks Land Play Areas
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. Kids can spend a lot of time playing in all the areas in DreamWorks Land! - PoLive!
Talk with Po from Kung Fu Panda live on a digital screen. (Similar to Turtle Talk with Crush for those familiar with Disney parks) - DreamWorks Imagination Celebration
If you have kids who 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. - Meet Characters
Check the app for the schedule of when DreamWorks characters come out and plan to line up a few minutes in advance. - 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
This is a typical spinning ride like Dumbo, but with some funny jokes. - The Simpsons Ride
A 3D simulator ride where you will feel like you’re going through a theme park gone wrong. It’s a lot of fun and has a lot of jokes (many of which young kids won’t understand, but some they will think are hilarious.) - Head into Harry Potter Land
Walk across the bridge into the London-themed area. The entrance into the land is hidden (this is purposeful and fits with the books if you aren’t familiar), so look at the map in your app and make sure you don’t miss it! - 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. If your kid IS chosen, they DO NOT have to purchase the wand that “choose” them during the show. There are several different versions of wands at different price points and the wand that chooses them is most likely not the 2.0 version that is fully interactive. The first-generation interactive wands still work, but don’t work on all the latest interactive areas. - Make some magic
If you have a wand, take some time to go around doing the interactive activities. Some of them take a moment and can be frustrating for young kids so be prepared to help them.
Tip: Look for the tiny, round, black camera and make sure that is where they are pointing the wand.
Also, make sure you visit Knockturn Alley! It’s a dark section with some cool interactive areas. - Explore the shops, the food, and enjoy live entertainment in Harry Potter Land.
- Head back to your hotel, repeat attractions, or ride the train to Islands of Adventure if you have multi-park ticket.
General Information:
- Islands of Adventure typically opens first so you should start there.
- Closing times vary more. Check your app to see if one park is open later than the other.
- If you’re staying at a Universal Hotel, you can use early entry to enter the park 1 hour earier which will help if trying to get everything done in one day, but isn’t required since you have Express Pass.
- Keep in mind that Express Pass makes the line SHORTER by at least HALF, but it does NOT remove the line completely. It also doesn’t skip the preshows (for the attractions that have preshows). This means you won’t be speeding through everything as quickly as you might think, especially on higher crowd days.
- Example: On a crowded day where the wait for Hagrid’s is 190 minutes, your wait with Express may be 45-60 minutes. That may still feel too long to you, but that is still so much better than the regular queue.
- Doing EVERYTHING in one day, even with Express Pass is hard to do. You’ll need to pick and choose some things and adjust on the fly depending on how fast you’re getting through everything.
General plan recommendations:
- Hagrid’s: If you’re making use of Early Entry, make the most of it by getting there early and going straight to Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure. You can’t use Express Pass during early entry, but trust us, you will most likely want to ride this attraction more than once! Ride it once during early entry, then ride again later with Express Pass.
- Olivander’s and Wand Magic: If you want to do Olivander’s, do that next before the regular park guests arrive, and take some time to do interactive wand things in Harry Potter World.
- Pteranodon Flyers and Camp Jurassic: If you have kids between 36-56″ tall who want to ride Pteranodon Flyers (a ride where you soar through the air sitting in seats suspended by a track above), head to Camp Jurassic to ride this before the lines get long. There is no Express lane and it’s low capaicty so the lines will get long. Do the ride BEFORE exploring the rest of Camp Jurassic.
- Go in Order: From there, you can generally do the park in order, skipping what you don’t want to do and keeping an eye on time. Since you’ll be starting from either Harry Potter or Jurassic Park, go counter-clockwise around the circle (the park is generally laid out in a circle). General order of attractions starting from Harry Potter (or if starting from Jurassic, move the other Harry Potter rides to the end) –
- Flight of the Hippogriff (kids coaster)
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (the ride inside the castle)
- Velocicoaster (Intense and awesome coaster. Will take more time if doing rider swap.)
- Raptor Encounter (Not a ride – just a chance to meet a very realistic animatronic raptor. No Express Pass on this one and shows happen every 20 minutes, so this will take up a bit of time)
- Jurassic Park River Adventure (You’ll get wet, but not soaked, especially if you sit in the middle behind other people.)
- Skull Island: Reign of Kong (the queue is scarier than the ride itself)
- Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls (Only if you’re prepared to be SOAKED. During hot times, this ride will get long lines even with Express, but it is a lot of fun!)
- Popeye & Bluto’s Blige-Rat Barges (A white water raft ride where you can get soaked.)
- The Amazing Adventure of Spider-Man (A great 4D ride combining real sets and screens with 3D effects.)
- Doctor Doom’s Fearfall (Shoots you up into the air and pulls you back down faster than gravity.)
- The Incredible Hulk Coaster (A great coaster but a bit rough so sit toward the front if you’re sensitive to motion.)
- Storm Force Accelerator (Spinning in a figure-8. A fun activity for smaller kids if others are riding the Hulk)
- Suess Landing (This land is mostly for kids. If you have young kids, they will probably want to do it all and you will spend a good amount of time in this land. If you don’t have young kids, you could skip this land altogether, but walking through it is fun. If you choose one ride, try Cat and the Hat – a classic dark ride of the story from the book. If you choose two rides, add The High in the Sky Trolley for some nice views of the park.)
- Between 2-4pm – Get over to Universal. The time you get over there may depend on your priorities for what you want to do at both parks.
- Explore Diagon Alley – this is the part of Harry Potter World on the Universal side. The primary attraction is Gringotts which is a dark ride/roller coaster with 3D projections. There are also tons of interesting shops, live entertainment, interactive wand areas, and restaurants. You could spend a while here if you wanted, so keep an eye on time and your own priorities.
- Tour the rest of the park clockwise: Men in Black, Simpsons, E.T., Minions, Transformers, Jimmy Fallon, and ending with The Mummy at the end of the evening. As long as you get in line one minute before park closing, you’ll get to ride! Doing it all in one day may mean you have to skip a few things. Check out our attraction info below to pick and choose your priorities.
- IF Islands is open later, you could go back over the Islands for one more ride or two. Taking the train may take too long or be closed, so walk between the two parks. We enjoy going to Hagrid’s or Velocicoaster at the end of the night for one last ride because they are both even more exciting in the dark!
If you have 2 days with park-hopper passes to spend at Universal and Islands, some people like to have one day to focus on Harry Potter stuff, and do everything else the other day.
This will require park-to-park tickets. It can be done with or without Express Passes. We do not recommend also trying to do the Harry Potter section of EPIC Universe on the same day because the parks are not close together and the one attraction in EPIC will take up a ton of time. It’s better to have one or two days dedicated to EPIC.
Recommended Harry Potter Day Itinerary:
- Arrive early
Take advantage of Early Entry if you are staying at a Universal hotel. If not, arrive at the gate about 20 minutes before park opening. If you’re driving and parking, this means getting to the parking garage entrance about 40 minutes before park opening. - Go straight to Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure
If you aren’t using Early Entry and don’t have Express Pass and the line is already over 2 hours, you can skip it and come back to it at the end of the night. - Ollivanders
If your kids (or you!) 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! These often get more crowded later in the day so doing some in the morning is best! - Flight of the Hippogriff
A small kid coaster. It’s fun enough, but nothing special, so skip it if the line is more than 45 minutes (unless you have Express Pass). - Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Head toward the castle to ride the attraction inside! You’ll have to put any bags or items that aren’t inside a 3-prong fanny pack/cross-body bag into a locker (small ones are free, large ones have a fee). This attraction is awesome and one of our favorites, but it does make some people motion-sick and it does go *almost upside down (you’re really just leaned back far for a moment). If you don’t want to ride, you can still go through the queue which is part of the experience! It’s awesome to see the castle! - Butterbeer, Food, and Shopping
Hop inside the Hogs Head (drinks only) or the Three Broomsticks (food and drinks) for a butterbeer and enjoy the atmosphere! You can also get butterbeer at outdoor stands, but it’s more fun to see the interiors of the restaurants and sit at a table for a nice break. If you want food, do a mobile order and have a seat and they will bring your food to you! You can also take time to explore all the shops! Honeydukes Candy Shop is a fun one! - Hogwarts Express
It’s time to leave Hogsmeade and travel to Diagon Alley! Have your park-to-park ticket ready to show at the entrance to the queue. The train ride serves as both an attraction and transportation to Universal Studios. Inside the train you will be seated in a compartment that looks exactly like the movie, and the windows will show projections so you feel like you are traveling to London. - Welcome to London!
When you arrive on the train, you’ll walk out of the train station and into London. Look for the Knight Bus and you can go talk to the shrunken head! Then look down the road for number 12 Grimmauld Place, the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. If you go knock on the door, look up to the second-floor window, and Kreacher the house elf might peek out at you! (Make sure you knock on the right door. Some people knock on door 13 by mistake. It’s a good way to weed out the true Potter fans 😉 ) - Explore Diagon Alley
The entrance is purposely hidden from muggles, but across from the Knight Bus you’ll find the entrance to Diagon Alley. As you come around the corner, you’ll be greeted with an awesome view! Take time to take photos, watch the dragon breathe fire, stroll through shops, and do magic with your interactive wand. Be sure not to miss Knockturn Alley – home of the dark arts stores and some very cool magic wand stops. - Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
Put your things in a free locker, then enter the awesome queue for Gringotts. You can come through the queue even if you don’t ride and see the incredible interior of Gringotts Bank. The ride itself is part coaster, part dark ride with real sets, and part 3D/screen projections. It’s very immersive and fun! - Food and Entertainment
Check the app for showtimes for the two shows in Diagon Alley – Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees (singing) and The Tales of Beedle the Bard (acting). You can also order food and beverages from The Leaky Cauldron, and get some delicious and unique ice cream from Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour.
You’ll have plenty of time to do everything you want to do if you have 2 days to spend at Universal! Follow one of the plans above as a start, but slow it down and take time for breaks, longer meals, or do things more than once!
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: 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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