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Universal Orlando is an amazing trip for families, Harry Potter fans, thrill seekers & more. Universal consists of four theme parks – Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, Volcano Bay waterpark, and the brand new Epic Universe, which opened in May 2025!
I love Universal and my family has visited many times! I’m a huge Harry Potter nerd, love roller coasters & we fly to Orlando every year on the way to visit my parents in Florida, making a trip to Universal or Disney so convenient!
Planning a trip to either can be a bit overwhelming in terms of where to stay, how tickets & fast passes work, getting around the different parks and more. I’ve planned several trips for my whole family (my parents, sister + brother in law and their 3 kids) to both Universal and Disney in the last few years, and have done TONS of research, and felt like it was hard to find all the necessary info in one place. So I’ve put together my ultimate guide for all you need to know below!
Trips like these benefit so much from ahead of time planning, so I hope this helps 🙂
Table of Contents:
- Where to Stay at Universal Orlando
- Universal Orlando Tickets & Express Passes
- Universal Orlando Parks
- Universal Orlando Park & Hotel Map
- How to get between parks at Universal Orlando
- How Many Days to Spend in Universal
- Nightlife – Universal’s City Walk
- Universal vs. Disney World
Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!
Where to Stay at Universal Orlando
There are so many places to stay in Orlando, the number of hotels, vacation rentals, etc. can be overwhelming. Universal has a series of hotels associated with the resorts that come with a range of benefits based on their tier. Staying at a Universal Resort is definitely the most convenient option with the most perks if you can swing the cost, but otherwise there are plenty of nearby options not associated with Universal!
There are 3 different tiers of Universal Hotels, below what is included in each is listed + the hotels in that tier. The full list can be found here. Below I cover what each tier includes, and what hotel is included in each tier. You can also use this tool to compare the hotels. It’s easier to book your Universal stays through the Universal site directly, it also makes it easy to add tickets.
If you’re looking to stay in a non-Universal resort, there are tons of options right nearby, you can compare hotels here.
Tier 1: Signature Collection Hotels
Universal’s top tier hotel options, also known as their Signature Collection, come with the most perks…and the highest price tag! We paid about $700 per night when we visited last March.
The 3 Signature Collection hotel perks:
- Free unlimited express passes (you still need to buy your daily admission ticket) Express passes are valid check-in through check-out day, so if you only stay 1 night you get 2 days of express passes.
- Entry into the parks 1 hour before opening
- Walking path to Islands of Adventure & Universal Studios (you also have access to the water taxi, but walking is faster)
All of these hotels are stunning, offer pools, multiple on-site restaurants and bars, and are in the most convenient location. The 3 Signature Collection hotels are:
- Hard Rock Hotel
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort
All are great options, but my family generally prefers the Hard Rock!
Tier 2: Prime Value Hotels
Universal’s Prime Value hotels are still really nice, and conveniently located, but don’t have quite as many perks (particularly no express passes included).
Prime Value Hotel Perks:
- Entry into the parks 1 hour before opening
- Complimentary shuttles to Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, and Epic Universe
- Walking path to Volcano Bay
Like the Signature Collection hotels, the Prime Value hotels all have pools, as well as on-site food options. The 3 Prime Value hotels are:
- Universal Aventura Hotel
- Universal Stella Nova Resort
- Loews Sapphire Falls Resort
Tier 3: Value Inns and Suites
Universal’s more budget-friendly options still come with perks that make your visits to the parks easier, and are much more reasonably priced (although a Universal vacation is generally just an expensive trip).
Value Inns and Suites Perks:
- Entry into the parks 1 hour before opening
- Complimentary shuttles to Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios, and Epic Universe
- Walking path to Volcano Bay (Cabana Bay Resort Only)
These hotels all offer pools and on-site dining, plus there’s a ton around them. I stayed at the Cabana Bay Resort a few years ago and loved the old school retro vibe & pool! Value Inns and Suites options:
- Cabana Bay Beach Resort
- Endless Summer Resort – Surfside
- Endless Summer Resort – Dockside
Universal Orlando Tickets & Express Passes
No matter where you decide to stay, you will need to buy your park tickets, and you definitely want to buy them in advance! There are a few options, and if you know your plans and the number of days you want to visit the parks in advance you may be able to save some money.
You also need to decide if you want a single-park or park-to-park pass. Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are right next to each other (and connected via the Hogwarts Express) — to visit both parks in one day you need a park-to-park pass. Epic Universe is on a separate campus and typically warrants its own day.
Universal uses date-based pricing, so costs vary significantly depending on when you visit. See all current passes and pricing on Universal’s site, but to give you a general idea:
1 Day Tickets (starting prices — vary by date)
- Universal Studios Florida or Islands of Adventure – from ~$124/person
- Epic Universe – from ~$139/person
- Volcano Bay – from ~$80/person
Multi-Day Tickets
- 3-Day base ticket – from ~$118/day (one park per day)
- 5-Day park-to-park ticket – from ~$105/day (access to multiple parks each day)
Express Passes
Express passes allow you to use the “express lane” and in my experience, save you a LOT of time. If you have the money, it’s so worth it. It can also allow you to get through the whole park faster if you’re trying to limit to fewer days.
There are two options for express passes: regular and unlimited. Regular allows you to use the express lane once per ride per day. The unlimited express pass allows you to use the express lane on the same ride as many times as you want.
Pricing is date-based and varies by park — starting around $120/person and going higher from there. Epic Universe express passes start higher and can run $160–$330+ on busy days. Check Universal’s site for current pricing. If you’re staying at a Signature Collection hotel, unlimited express passes for Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios are included free!
Universal Orlando Parks
Universal now consists of 4 parks, with the addition of Epic Universe in May 2025. Read below for details on what’s included in each park, my personal favorites, food/bars & more!
Islands of Adventure
Islands of Adventure is my personal favorite of the Universal Parks. Islands of Adventure consists of 8 different “lands” each featuring a different theme. I love exploring the different areas of the park and how unique each area feels.
Park Areas / “Worlds”
- Harry Potter – Hogsmeade
- Jurassic Park
- Marvel Super Hero Island
- Skull Island: Reign of Kong
- Seuss Landing
- Toon Lagoon
- The Lost Continent / Port of Entry
Best Rides
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure™
- Jurassic World VelociCoaster
- Hulk Coaster
- Jurassic Park River Adventure
Best Restaurants
Use the Universal app to order ahead — these places get so crowded and it can take an hour+ to get food.
- Jurassic Park – The Burger Digs – fast casual
- Harry Potter World – Three Broomsticks or Hog’s Head – pub style
- Lost Continent – Mythos Restaurant – upscale dining
Universal Studios
Universal Studios is the OG Universal Park, but in recent years has been updated to include Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley & the newer Dreamworks World, which mix nicely with the older, more classic areas of the park.
Park Areas / “Worlds”
- Harry Potter – Diagon Alley
- Dreamworks Land (Trolls, Shrek & Kung Fu Panda)
- Minion’s Land
- Hollywood
- San Francisco
- New York
- Simpson’s: Springfield USA
- World Expo
Best Rides
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts™
- Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
- E.T. Adventure
- Trolls Trollercoaster
Best Restaurants
- San Francisco – Richter’s Burger Co.™ – fast casual
- Duff Brewery
- Leaky Cauldron™
- Louie’s Italian Restaurant™
Volcano Bay
Volcano Bay is Universal’s epic waterpark. It’s visually stunning, and if you’re not into water slides, you can just camp out on a beach chair and admire the epic (albeit manmade) volcano and waterfall. My favorite part was the rapid river — it was SO fun!
Epic Universe
Epic Universe opened on May 22, 2025 — and it is absolutely incredible. Universal’s newest (and most technologically advanced) park has literally doubled the size of Universal Orlando Resort. What was a 2-day destination is now a full week-long trip, and honestly, totally worth it if you’re a theme park person.
One important thing to know: Epic Universe is on a separate campus from Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, about 15 minutes away. Inter-park shuttles run throughout the day with a park-to-park ticket, and all on-site Universal hotels provide complimentary shuttle service to Epic Universe. You can also drive — the park has its own dedicated parking structure accessible from Universal Blvd.
The 5 Worlds of Epic Universe:
- Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
- Super Nintendo World (Mushroom Kingdom + Donkey Kong Country)
- How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
- Dark Universe
- Celestial Park (the central hub)
Must-Do Rides:
- Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry — widely considered one of the most advanced dark rides ever built. This alone is worth the trip.
- Stardust Racers — dual-launch racing coaster in Celestial Park (62 mph, 133 feet high)
- Super Nintendo World — the entire area is incredibly immersive, with interactive Power-Up Band gameplay throughout
Universal Orlando Park & Hotel Map
How to get between parks at Universal Orlando
Getting around Universal is fairly convenient. Here are my tips:
- If you’re staying at a Universal Hotel, you can walk or take a shuttle to each of the parks. The Signature Collection hotels are walkable to Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, while all on-site hotels have shuttle service to Volcano Bay and Epic Universe.
- Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are close enough to walk between, OR take the Hogwarts Express if you have a park-to-park pass.
- Epic Universe is on a separate campus about 15 minutes away. Shuttles run throughout the day with a park-to-park ticket, or you can drive (5–10 minutes) to the dedicated Epic Universe parking structure off Universal Blvd.
- If you’re arriving by car to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure, there is a large parking garage that’s about a 10–15 minute walk from the parks. You can see the location on the map above.
How Many Days to Spend in Universal
1–5 Days
With 4 parks now, Universal has gone from a 2-day destination to a full week-long trip. How many days you need depends on your budget and which parks are priorities.
1 day — pick one park and go hard. Add an express pass to make the most of it.
2 days — leisurely explore Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios (and ride the Hogwarts Express between them!). This is a great option if Epic Universe isn’t on your radar yet.
3 days — Islands of Adventure + Universal Studios + Epic Universe. This is the sweet spot for a non-water-park Universal trip.
4 days — add in Volcano Bay, or use day 4 as a hotel/pool day. The Universal hotels are genuinely beautiful and a day spent relaxing poolside is never a bad idea!
5 days — the full experience. Gives you flexibility, time to linger, re-ride favorites, and really enjoy the hotels and City Walk at night.
Nightlife – Universal’s City Walk
Universal’s City Walk is the area right outside Islands of Adventure & Universal Studios. It’s filled with fun bars and restaurants with views over the river where the water taxis connect Portofino Bay Hotel and the parks.
If you’re staying at Hard Rock, Portofino Bay or Loews Royal Pacific Resort this area is walkable and so convenient, or if you’re leaving the parks to get back to your car you need to pass through this area to get back to the garage.
These restaurants all get crazy around when the parks close, so be prepared for wait times and busy servers!
Restaurants:
- Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville
- Antojitos Authentic Mexican
- Bigfire
If you’re not worn out from a 15k+ step day at the park, they also have a few fun bars:
Bars:
- Lone Palm Airport Bar (Jimmy Buffet’s)
- Fat Tuesday
- Pat O’Brien’s
Universal vs. Disney World
For me (and my family) we’d choose Universal pretty much any day over Disney. While I understand the draw of Disney, and it does feel like visiting Magic Kingdom at least once is a bucket list family trip, we preferred Universal in almost every way.
- Tickets are less expensive, same with fast passes
- The parks and lines (while still long at Universal) were not as crowded or as long as Disney. There were times it felt literally hard to move in Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Also, a 3.5-hour wait for a kids’ roller coaster in Toy Story Land is insane. The only area of Universal that felt as crowded as Disney was Harry Potter World at times.
- The Universal Deluxe hotels come at a similar price tag as Disney, but the unlimited express lane passes make them a way better deal, and all of them are basically walkable to the parks.
- Universal’s perks, ticketing and express passes felt generally easier to understand and use.
- The Disney Lightning Lane passes feel a bit scammy with the time restrictions, only being able to book one at a time and not knowing what will be available later in the day. The Universal unlimited express passes just allow you to use the express lane all day, period. It feels much clearer what you’re getting for your money.
- If you’re visiting for rides – Universal has better thrill rides and roller coasters.
- And now with Epic Universe open, Universal genuinely rivals Disney as a full week-long destination. Harry Potter fans especially — the Ministry of Magic world might be the best theme park area I’ve ever seen.
Just found this guide and absolutely loved it! 🙌 It’s clear, helpful, and packed with great tips. The breakdown of where to stay, ticket options, and parks was super easy to follow. I especially appreciated the locker and backpack advice — those big coasters really don’t let you keep items, so knowing that ahead of time is huge! And the Epic Universe update? Totally intrigued — sounds like I need to plan a trip around May 2025. The Universal vs. Disney chat at the end was spot‑on; I bounce between both parks too, depending on the mood.
Thanks for putting this together — it’s definitely going into my “save for my next Universal visit” folder! 😊
thank you so much! Love hearing this, and am so glad it was helpful!