Weather at Universal Orlando: 5 Cool Tips for the Heat and Rain
Universal Orlando Summer Weather Tips
Home to the world’s most iconic theme parks, Orlando Florida is also notorious for its extreme weather. Especially during the summer months, visitors to Orlando are likely to encounter very hot, humid weather and thunderstorms on a daily basis. Savvy travelers should have no problem coping with the heat and rain. Here are a few tips to prepare you for the hot weather at Universal Orlando.
Bring a poncho
Hot weather in Orlando equals afternoon thunderstorms, including torrential downpours. The good news is that these rain storms often only last a few minutes. The bad news is that you can get completely drenched just running from one attraction to the next. Be prepared and bring a poncho.
A few poncho tips:
Purchase Ahead and Buy in Bulk – Bring 2 ponchos for everyone in your group. This way you can have one drying in the hotel room and keep a fresh one in reserve. You can buy ponchos in multiples on Amazon for a lot less than you’ll pay in the park.
Get Ponchos That Come In Their Own Bag – and get some carabiners to attach them to the outside of your purse or backpack. This way you don’t have to put a wet poncho in your bag.
Carry a Small Towel – You can use it to wipe off your wet poncho when you go inside, or to wipe down the seat on the Jurassic Park ride.
Pay It Forward – If you don’t want to pack the ponchos back in your luggage for the trip home, give them to some arriving guests who don’t have any.
We like the Totes ponchos. They’re durable, have snaps up the side, and come in a mesh pouch.
Get out of the heat or rain in the middle of the day
Be at the park when the gates open in the morning – it’s the coolest time of day with the lowest crowds. Then take a break around lunchtime to get cool. I have a couple of suggestions about this.
If you’re in the parks, my recommended drop-in lunch spot is Circus McGurkus Café in Suess Landing at Islands of Adventure. This isn’t my favorite because of the food – it’s pretty much the standard mediocre Universal quick-service – but this is a big restaurant with fun Dr. Suess theming, it’s almost always nearly empty, and it’s nice and cool.
Or avoid the hot weather at Universal by escaping the parks at lunchtime
Mid-day is the least efficient time to be touring in the parks. The lines are the longest, it’s hot, and you’re probably a little tired and hungry. I think this is a great time to take a break and recharge. Head out of the parks for lunch, either over to CityWalk or even better, go to your hotel for a few hours. (You did stay onsite like I suggested in my 33 Things to Know Before You Visit Universal Orlando post, right?)
The Universal hotels have some fabulous restaurant options. We really like Kitchen at the Hard Rock (awesome burgers) or you can go over to Portofino Bay for pizza. Or get something to go and take it to your room – you can take your shoes off and rest in the nice cool air conditioning!
Stay in your room awhile, take a look at your favorite weather app to find out when the afternoon rain shower is coming. You may want to stay inside just a bit longer to avoid that shower or get back to the park so you can be happily on a ride when the rain hits. (An indoor ride that is!)
Catch a Ride on a Pedicab
Save your feet, get there faster, and catch a cool breeze when heading to or from the onsite hotels – for just a few dollars you can catch a ride on a pedicab. The pedicabs are usually waiting just outside of security on the paths to the hotels. They are almost always there from lunchtime through to the evening.
A pedicab ride is easily twice as fast as walking which saves you time, and, most importantly, your tired feet! The pedicabs don’t charge a set rate – the driver asks that you pay whatever you’d like. For two of us we usually pay about $6-$7, but if it’s really hot I’ll pay a little more.
Pedicabs are not always waiting at the hotels, so you may have to walk in that direction. But you could get lucky if someone recently was dropped off there and the rider is making a return trip with an empty cab.
Get a Wand Holster
I bet you’ve never seen this tip before. But wizarding robes are way too hot for summer weather at Universal. And you surely want to keep your wand handy to cast spells in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. The obvious solution: a wand holster.
You can either make your own wand holster or purchase one on Etsy. Luna’s holster in the photo here was purchased from Earsom Emporium on Etsy and we love it. It held her wand tightly on her arm and she received tons of compliments from other guests and especially from park workers. Here’s the shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/EarsomEmporium
Go Informed Podcast
Episode 24 of the Go Informed podcast is my Orlando summer gear guide. Click here for more essential weather tips.
Episode 28 covers my Top 5 Orlando Summer Weather Tips. Click here to listen now.
Which turnstile to pick when you’re first at the gate at Universal Orlando
If you’re like us and you want to be first at the Universal park gate, this obscure geek tip is for you. One time we were literally the first people at the park gates. We chose a turnstile at random, first in line. But when it was time for the gates to open, there was no park employee to take our ticket!
When you arrive earlier than the park employees you’ve got to guess which turnstiles will be manned. If the weather’s going to be warm, take a look above the turnstiles. We have noticed that the park workers jockey to stand at the turnstiles that have fans directly overhead. They also seem to prefer working on the end. I can’t guarantee you’ll have someone there to take your ticket but this will definitely increase your chances.
For more information about being first into the Universal Parks check out these posts:
Harry Potter fans, here’s how to make the most of Universal Studios Florida early admission
Get Early Admission to Diagon Alley and the Gringott’s Bank Ride
Episode 23 of the Go Informed podcast is all about early admission at Universal Studios Florida.
Extreme Weather Tips
For tips on dealing with even more extreme weather, including so much rain that your shoes are soggy, hop over to my Theme Park Rainy Day Tips: Xtreme Edition post.
Orlando Weather Board on Pinterest
You can find all the resources mentioned in this post, including instructions to make your own wand holster, plus much more, on my Orlando Weather board on Pinterest. Click here to check it out.
Follow all my Pinterest boards at www.Pinterest.com/goinformednet
Chime In
We’d love to hear your tips for visiting Universal Orlando in extreme weather, please leave a comment and join the conversation.
More Theme Park Tips from goinformed.net
Click here to read all my Orlando theme park tips, including:
33 Things to Know Before You Visit Universal Orlando
55 Things To Know Before You Visit Disney World
Five Things You Should Do The Night Before to Help You Wake Up Early On Your Theme Park Vacation
This One Simple Tip Can Save Money on your Entire Universal Orlando Vacation
Click here to listen to the Go Informed podcast.
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