Universal Orlando First-Timer Advice for a Disney World Wizard

Universal Orlando tips for Disney World fans

Meet Ric, a Disney World superfan who visits multiple times a year and even has his own Disney fan podcast. But he’s never been to Universal Orlando. On this episode of the Go Informed Podcast, we dive into all the Universal Orlando first-timer advice Ric should know for his long-overdue adventure.

These are the show notes for Go Informed Podcast episodes 69 and 70. Click below to hear the show now, or search for Go Informed: Build A Better Vacation on your favorite podcast app!

Go Informed Podcast episode 69

Episode 69 is my discussion with Ric before his first trip to Universal Orlando. You’ll hear lots of frequent first-timer questions answered here.

Go Informed Podcast episode 70

Episode 70 is Ric’s post-vacation trip report. Catch his stories and advice from his trip here.

Universal Orlando first-timer Ric’s trip plans

Ric’s heading to Universal for a 5 day stay in early August 2021. He’s visiting with his wife, daughters age 19 and 11, and son age 9.

As a huge Harry Potter fan, this visit to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is going to be the trip of a lifetime. With 5-day park tickets, Ric’s family should have tons of time to explore all of the Wizarding World along with everything else at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.

Booking.com

Staying on-site at Royal Pacific Resort

Ric’s family will be staying on-site at Universal Orlando’s Royal Pacific Resort. Royal Pacific guests receive free unlimited Universal Express Pass, plus an hour early park admission every morning. By choosing an on-site Express Pass hotel, theme park touring will be way more relaxed for the entire group.

Besides the Express Pass and early admission perks, Royal Pacific is one of the closest hotels to the Universal theme parks. Ric’s family can easily walk to the park gates in about 15 minutes, or take a free water taxi or paid pedicab.

How far apart is everything at Universal Orlando? Here are some common walking distances with maps.

My advice is to use that early park admission as many days as Ric’s family can manage it. Early admission is the perfect time to experience the Wizarding World before summer crowds roll in. It’s also the best time to encounter Olivander in his wand shop, and to ride the Hagrid’s Magicial Creatures Motorbike Adventure coaster, since these are among the few attractions with no Express Pass entry.

Early admission at Universal Orlando is different than at Disney World

For Disney World fans, Universal’s early admission is a bit different. Universal opens an hour early for on-site hotel guests, some annual passholders, and selected outside visitors. Even though one or both of the theme parks are open early, only a limited part of the parks will actually be operating during this hour. In general, this is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter attractions along with one or two other rides.

Be sure to consult Universal Orlando’s early park admission calendar to find out what attractions will be open early during your visit. If you notice both the Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios parks opening early, that’s an indication that Universal’s expecting a busy day – even more reason to take advantage of your head-start.

👉 Click here for a great hack you can use if you’ve got early admission at Universal Orlando, from my Go Informed newsletter.

Universal Express Pass advice for Disney fans

Ric and I discussed Express Pass compared to Disney’s FastPass system. Here are a few things to keep in mind about Express Pass:

• Like Disney’s FastPass, Express Pass allows guests to skip the regular line and board an attraction within minutes.
• Unlike Disney’s FastPass, Express Pass is not necessarily free. Universal sells Express as an add-on to park admission. However guests staying at certain on-site hotels receive Unlimited Express Passes for free during their stay.
• Guests can use Express Pass throughout the day whenever it’s convenient. There are no assigned times to use an Express Pass.
• Almost every attraction at Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida has an Express Pass entrance. Notable exceptions are the Velocicoaster and the Hagrid’s Magical Motorbike Adventure coaster.
• Unlimited Express Pass, which hotel guests like Ric get for free, means you can ride any attraction through the Express Pass entrance as many times as you wish.
• The Volcano Bay water park also has Express Pass, which is purchased separately for that park.

Hey guys, since I first wrote this post Disney has re-vamped their skip-the-line system. Click here for a quick overview of how it works now.

Wizarding World advice for a first-timer

One of my top tips for Ric is to take it slow and really enjoy the immersive environment of the Wizarding World. Since he has five days in the parks, and Universal Express Pass, there is time to see and do pretty much everything.

A visit to Olivander’s Wand Shop will be top of the list on the family’s itinerary. I recommend picking up at least a couple of interactive wands to share. Experiencing the magic of casting spells in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade is a huge part of the Wizarding World atmosphere.

Since the Olivander’s Wand experience does not have Express Pass, this is a good thing to do first thing in the morning during Universal’s Early Admission. There is also no Express queue for Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure so this is another attraction best tackled first-thing during early admission.

If you want to ride the Hogwarts Express, which runs between the two parks, you’ll need a park-to-park ticket. Learn all about Universal Orlando’s tickets here.

Be sure to listen to the podcast audio from this episode, and also my audio tour of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for lots more advice about a first visit to this magical land.

Universal Orlando first-timer FAQ’s

Here are some of Ric’s questions, that are commonly asked by Universal Orlando first-timers.

Is early admission worth it?

Yes, early admission is a great way to beat the crowds at Universal Orlando. I advise taking advantage of this extra hour every morning. Guests at any of the Universal Orlando on-site hotels receive early admission throughout their stay.

Here’s a quick explanation of why staying on-site at Universal Orlando can make your day so much easier, from my Go Informed theme park tips newsletter.

What should we do first during early admission?

Go Informed Podcast episodes 23 and 26 are all about how to make the most of early admission at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. For advice specifically for early entry to Hagrid’s Magical Motorbike Adventure, check out episode 46.

Should we go to the parks on arrival day?

Especially for guests staying at one of Universal’s Premier resorts, it’s easy to visit the theme parks for just a few hours at the end of the day. In fact, on Sundays through Thursdays, after 4:00pm offers some of the lowest crowd levels of the day.

Can you dine in CityWalk & easily go back to the parks?

Yes, CityWalk is literally right outside the entrances to the two Universal Orlando theme parks. Click here to view maps and get more Universal Orlando walking distances.

Are the interactive wands worth it?

Oh yes, the interactive wands are pretty amazing. You get to do your own magic and add to the special atmosphere in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village. Plan to visit Olivander’s and buy at least one for your group.

What else is there to do besides Harry Potter?

The Universal Orlando theme parks include lands dedicated to Marvel, Jurassic Park, the Simpsons, Dr. Seuss, and many of your favorite movies and TV shows. There is definitely something for everyone.

Want to get the lay of the land? Check out my audio tours of Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. They are Go Informed Podcast episodes three and four.

Should we worry about motion sickness on the Universal rides?

Universal is known for it’s wide use of screens in many attractions. Especially on 4-D movie attractions like Minion Mayhem and Race Through New York, a lot of guests have issues with motion sickness.

If you have a sensitive member in your group, you can use Universal’s rider swap system to give the ride a test-run. Here’s how to do it.

Do we lose much experience by using the Express Pass queue?

Because you are skipping the regular line, riders using Express Pass may miss some of the pre-show queue experience. The regular queues for Skull Island: Reign of Kong and the Mummy coaster probably have the most detail you will miss. However, you will also be missing many minutes of waiting in line.

For the Harry Potter attractions inside Gringotts Bank and Hogwarts Castle, the Express Pass line goes through all the same detailed rooms as the normal line. The only thing you’ll miss here is the long, snaking queues outside the buildings.

What should we know about water rides?

Water rides at Universal Orlando are no joke. Be ready to get really wet. The worst (or best, depending on how you look at it) are Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges and Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls. Not only are both of these attractions on/in water, there are water cannons to the side that other guests can use to drench riders passing by.

The Jurassic Park River Adventure can also be very wet. Although it looks like a Jungle Cruise type boat ride, the ending is more like Splash Mountain on steroids. Especially if you sit up front, be ready for wet shoes and probably much more.

Quick tips for a Universal Orlando first-timer

• When you first arrive at Universal Orlando, buy a lanyard for everyone in your group. This is a great way to keep your park ticket and Express Pass safe and accessible.
• For the attractions with a high degree of motion, especially the roller coasters, Universal requires all loose items to be stored in a locker. Free lockers are provided near the entrance to these attractions and anything you can’t fit in your pockets must be stashed away in a locker.
• The following attractions require EVERYTHING to be in a locker, not just in your pockets. You will pass through a metal detector to be sure there is nothing on your person.
  • Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
  • The Incredible Hulk Coaster
  • Jurassic World Velocicoaster
• There is a secret song list for the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. Here’s how to hack it.
• Go Informed Podcast episode 7 is all about what to expect on your first day in the Universal Orlando parks.

💎 Universal Orlando is so big that there are a bunch of cool things you could easily overlook. Check out this issue of the Go Informed newsletter to find out about 9 of my favorite Universal Orlando hidden gems. And don’t forget to subscribe!

Ric’s top Universal Orlando first-timer advice

I talked to Ric after his trip and these are the top tips he has for other first-time Universal Orlando visitors.

Use the hotel water taxi in the morning

The security line might look long for the early water taxi but it moves much faster than at the main entrance to CityWalk. Once you’re on the boat, you don’t have to go through any more security to get into the parks.

Express Pass is awesome

Because they had unlimited Express Passes, Ric’s family could tour the parks however they wished. This freedom was a huge perk, especially with a group of five.

Stay in an Express Pass hotel

By staying in the Royal Pacific Resort, Ric’s entire family got free Unlimited Express Passes for their entire vacation. Even accounting for the higher room rate, Ric figures he saved about $2000 over choosing a non-Express hotel and purchasing the passes separately.

Get a park-to-park ticket

Universal’s park-to-park ticket allows you to go between both parks on the same day. Ric’s family loved this option.”We could go back and forth without a second thought”.

Check out Ric’s Monorail Tales Podcast

Big thanks to Ric for sharing his trip plans with us! Be sure to check out the Monorail Tales Podcast, which Ric hosts with a delightful gang of Disney enthusiasts. You can even catch the episode featuring me!

Find the show on your favorite podcast app or at MonorailTales.com.

Follow Ric on Instagram and Facebook

Here’s Ric’s social media links:

• Monorail Tales Facebook page
• Monorail Tales Facebook group
• On Instagram: @MonorailTales and @MagicIntheHills

60-second quick guide to Universal Orlando

More tips for your first trip to Universal Orlando

Here on GoInformed.net and on the Go Informed Podcast, you’ll find lots of tips to help you have a fantastic first trip to Universal Orlando. Check out these top posts:

• 33 things to know before you visit Universal Orlando
• How Universal Orlando compares to Universal Hollywood
• Universal Orlando walking distances, maps, and training tips
• How to add Universal Orlando to your Disney World vacation
• Complete guide to the Universal Orlando hotels

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