Universal Orlando Resort

We had great food and fun at the new NBC Sports restaurant. Excellent service thanks to Andrew Carter from SC. We will be returning again and again. Check out the foosball and shuffle board dining tables!

My family went on the Harry Potter and the forbidden journey ride. As I entered the ride I was told to pull the harness down. An attendant came by an pushed it further down and I said it was very tight then another attendant push it down AGAIN and which point I screamed that I could not breathe to which he replied, «the ride is only five minutes. The ride took off with me screaming «I CAN“T BREATHE». The entire ride I struggled to breathe and now have a sore rib. Absolutely non professional and dangerous behavior by your staff, I expect an apology, and some from of refund for this and my potential doctor expenses

I booked a vacation package to Universal with a few extra people that we weren’t quite sure they would be able to go so I asked at the time of booking if we would be refunded for that money should they not be able to go if I paid for the insurance. I was assured that we would be refunded for all of that in the event that happened. Fast forward to now-​I just called in to tell them one of our party could not go and I needed that refund for everything we paid in for that person. They refused to refund the hotel part of the tickets, saying «we were not cancelling the package, we were modifying it» so were not entitled to that money anymore. If we rebooked now it would cost us more money because the price had changed since we booked. So basically they lied to me when I booked the package. Do not be fooled into thinking (despite what they promise up front) that you will get all your money back because you won’t. Based on the per day price/​per person, I’m sure I lost a substantial amount of money our family can ill afford to lose. I will not return to this park because they lied to me at the time of purchase. Their word means nothing and they can’t be trusted.

Up to 5 stars for customer service. My son has been trying to stretch himself for a year in order to be tall enough to ride the rockin coaster. The staff measured him 3 times for safety but moved us to the front of the line because of the hassle. He had so much fun that he hugged the guy who qualified him to ride when the ride was over. The supervisor saw it and was so touched that she let us ride a second time immediately and in the first row. Classy.

When it comes to out standing people. You can’t go wrong at Universal. They are some of the best. I especially want to thank
Ms Connie Colley
Sr. Manager
CityWalk Revenue Operations, Guest Services & Special Events
She has went above and beyond any expectations to make sure we are satisfied with the service. People like her make families like us appreciate a place like Universal studios. Upper management she be very proud of the job this lady does, outstanding.

My overall rating is an average. I gave the Harry Potter stuff 5 stars and the rest of the place three stars. Except for the Harry Potter worlds the whole business plan seems to be, see what Disney is doing, copy it, repeat. Right down to the Shrek movie having a character shoot out of the screen and end up embedded in the wall of the movie theater at the end of the show, exactly like the movie at Fantasy Land.
Now the Potter stuff, that’s different. Its the most engrossing thing I’ve ever seen, you are completely captured by the experience. you can’t see out beyond the world and it’s all exactly like everything you see in the movies. My daughter was enraptured and my wife and I were pretty pleased with it also.
After that though, the rest of the place was fun and fine but not really worth traveling down to see by itself.
Oh and the parking is a rip off. Do NOT pay for «preferred» parking.

We bought a 2-​day pass but were mainly interested in all things Harry Potter and saw all of that on the first day and went to Magic Kingdom the next. The rides seem to follow a predictable pattern. It’s a great park to visit on a rainy day.
Harry Potter was the main attraction and didn’t disappoint. My only complaint was the rainy weather. I didn’t feel the need to buy a wand but didn’t feel like I was missing out since I could watch other people perform the special spells and charms. The frozen butterbeer was great.
I probably would’ve enjoyed it more if the weather had decided to cooperate.
I did plenty of research and that really prepped me for the visit.
The rides tend to jerk around a bit too much too.
I would love to come back if they add more attractions.

I bought the express pass which is an. $ 80 value and employees were not treating it for what it was… As a matter of fact they seemed to prioritize standard line first more than us… I highly do not recommend on getting an express pass.

Here is my review of Universal Orlando. Okay the park is massive. Tons of rides and more if you get their version of the park hopper. We did that, because we’re not in Florida everyday. Here is my breakdown of the park.
3 Stars for the park as a whole
5 Stars for the Harry Potter experience
My breakdown. The park has a lot going on. But it’s just not fine tuned like Disneyland is. Many of the rides are simulators. By the end of the night, I felt like throwing up. I saw one of the parades, what a joke. What they do get kudos for is the thought that went into some of the different lands. Simpson’s Land is pretty groovy.
Now the cream in the coffee. Harry Potter land. Holy cow they nailed it. From the Hogwarts train to the butter-​beer, A+. Tons of detail. The shops make you feel as if you’re in the movie. There needs to be some kind of face lift to the remainder of the park, it’s slightly dated. I think mainly because the rides are based on movies and many of the movies didn’t hold the test of time… Someday I’ll go back, but still recovering a month later from the simulators. They need to add more animatronics to the rides.

Universal Orlando Resort is comprised of two parks: Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is here and if you want to see all of it, you need to purchase park to park passes. At the purchase counter, you will get your paper card that gives you access to the park. You will also need to register your fingerprint at the gate. You can go in and out of the park no problem. If you have park to park, you can enter/​exit via the main gates or take the Hogwarts Express between WW locations (Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley). Universal Studios is more up my alley as compared to Islands of Adventure. I think Islands of Adventure has more of a focus on kids and families. Universal Studios is more for grown-​ups. Rides and shows are available in both parks. If you are going during peak dates, expect quite a long wait. We were here in April and we still had to wait quite a while for some activities. of dining options and snacks, as well. Look into the dining plan to see if it makes sense for you. It did for me and my friend. There is also a full service restaurant dining plan, but you have to purchase that in advance and make reservations. The quick service version you can buy at many locations throughout the park. Also, you may be asked by staff to fill out surveys about your experience. They are super quick — please do help them out. It will make for a better park in the future. Universal is tons of fun for adults and kids. I have been twice in less than 3 years. I expect that I may return one other time in the next few years. If I lived in the area, I would go much more often. The park offers a great military deal — check it out at your local base.

Had a great time at Universal Orlando I will definitely be back. Its a great place for Harry Potter fans and I love the butter beer the frozen is my favorite I had it twice. The ride lines weren’t bad and most waits are inside air conditioning and if their outside they have fans and water that spray out. We went on a Sunday so I’m not sure about other days. Also the employees were nice and didn’t mind helping.

Universal Studios is really fun… There’s plenty to do for everyone in your family… This is a great place to go if you’re not interested in the Disney parks… If you head to Universal Studios during the offseason there’s a good chance you’ll be able to see and do everything you want in a couple of days…

Unilocal said I have multiple check-​ins here and asked me what keeps me coming back? I have an annual pass and I want to get my money’s worth!
Checked out Mardi Gras this year – good stuff with the food «tents» and the free concerts. Be warned, these concerts have big names and don’t expect to just wonder in and get a nice spot to watch/​listen. You have to choose – camp out all day so or ride rides and enjoy the park and then watch a big screen/​listen from afar.
Mardi Gras parade decent; if you are a special pass holder I think that qualifies you to ride on the floats.
I decided to include parking in my pass this time, much better than paying each time I visit.

Theme parks were awesome! Especially the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Hotels were great too. IMO, it is better than Disney World.

Universal is a feast for the eyes, but don’t plan on riding anything. Forget dropping $ 130 for an Express Pass. There’s nothing express about it. Don’t waste your money!

WARNING. DO NOT PURCHASE PASSES ONLINE.
Today I purchased an Annual Pass using the Universal Site.
After completing the process I received my confirmation number but no confirmation email.
I researched and found a phone number. 407−363−8000
The person who answered the phone confirmed my order and said I should experience no problems.
I headed to the park. Paid my 20 dollars parking (Universal is the only theme park in Florida that makes you pay for parking on the first visit if you buy your pass on line.) to find out that I could not get my Annual Pass because it takes up to 48 hours for the park system to get the info. (Alex said. if I read the fine print in the contract it says that). I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD BE IN BOLD PRINT BEFORE YOU CLICKED CONFIRM)
I drove 40 miles to get my pass today because I am meeting a large group on Tuesday and did not want them to wait for me standing in line.
Rob at the ticket booth was no help. Alex at Guest Services offered little help. Even suggested I play the Lottery Today because I was lucky enough to be one of the few who could not get their pass today. I did tell her that remark was not appreciated.
Now I have to go back. hope I can convince parking not to charge me again, Alex refused to comp my parking or give me a parking pass for my next time even though my pass would give me free parking on my next visit.
All in all a very bad day. A Guest Service department who’s only goal is to make you go away. If they can get you to go away without fixing the problem then they did their job.
The reason I went to Universal today was so I would not have to stand in the long lines the next visit. No one cared. They just kept saying I will have to stand in the lines next time.
So disappointed
Update… I called the number above again. They still have not fixed the problem. They said I could use a 2 day pass they gave me to get in. when I asked about the parking they said I could go to Guest Services to get a refund. Again the reason I bought my ticket yesterday was to avoid the lines. When I brought to their attention that the pass they gave me does not give me my 10% off purchases it was O well so sad.
So, problem not fixed, no promise of when problem will be fix. No true remedy provided and no one cares.

Ce resort se développe de plus en plus et devient un vraie alternative à des vacances à Disneyworld.
Il comprend aujourd’hui deux parcs à thème: Island of Adventure et Universal Studios où ces dernières années il y a eu pas mal d’investissement et de nouvelles attractions (zone Harry Potter des deux côtés, Tranformers, Despicable Me, Zone Simpson…), un futur parc aquatique du niveau de ceux de Disney, 4 hôtels on site et une cinquième ouvrira cet été et une zone de divertissement City Walk.
Il y a vraiment de quoi s’amuser plusieurs jours dans un lieu de qualité, en plus il y a des soirées spéciales régulièrement par exemple les soirées d’horreur à Halloween.
Maintenant la prochaine étape serait l’ouverture d’un troisième parc.

Way too expensive for what it is.
I think Universal is too small for the number of people they let in. We were there Dec 26 – 27 and it was so crowded they had crowd control out directing people to walk on the left side (opposite of how we drive in the US). The wait for all rides and attractions was 120 minutes on average. At one point my kids turned to me and asked if we can leave the park and go get lunch somewhere else. That’s alot coming from kids.
If you didn’t know, it rains often in Florida. So one would think the painted surfaces on the walkways and streets would be some sort of non-​skid surface. But nope! The wet painted surfaces were slippery as all. We saw 2 people fall and an additional (child) slip.
What a disappointment.

Nancy at the pass booth was very very helpful! She fully explained everything in detail and helped with all questions we had. She gave us the best bang for our buck with bundling food and fastpass. She needs a raise!

The Harry Potter area was definitely cool but I severely underestimated the wait times in both parks. It was not uncommon at all for ½ of the rides to be at 60 minutes or greater (some as much as 2 hours). We were hoping for better wait times the week before Christmas but no such luck. Both parks you could tell were really cool, but we were put off by the fact that we couldn’t even get near some rides unless we had an express pass… for more money. It took away from what would have been a magical ‘wizard’ experience that we had to say no… we can’t do that ride because we can’t wait for 2 hours. Now that the novelty of Diagon Alley and the wands, etc is over I would probably say we’d skip Universal next time. Too expensive for what it is.

This is an incredible resort destination. Each of the resort’s two theme parks are just as large, immersive, and fun as Disney’s four parks. The resort hotels blow Disney’s hotels out of the water, and the relatively small size of the entire resort encourages plenty of walking through the perfectly manicured grounds and vibrant CityWalk.
We are a family of diehard Disney fans, yet we feel no shame or betrayal in admitting that Universal is the ultimate resort to beat. The speed in which they develop and open new attractions is relentless, and each visit feels fresh and new. I look forward to experiencing all that the Universal Orlando Resort will have to offer over the next couple years, and can’t wait to return to, arguably, the best vacation resort in Orlando.
Your move, Disney.

Love this theme park. It was my second time here and sadly the Hulk (the best ride ever!!) was under construction, but all the other rides were all as amazing and perhaps even scarier the second time around. Loved loved Harry Potter world. Overall, it’s even better to stay a little later towards closing time and ride all your favorite rides multiple times in a row and get to see the park at night.

Universal needs no introduction! This all encompassing resort has it all. Two theme parks, 4 onsite hotels, and city walk (the entertainment district). As an annual passholder, I constantly find excellent value in visiting these parks.

I loved Universal during my trip to Florida — it was definitely my favourite theme park out of them all as the rides appealed to me more — I love the simulation style rides. The themed rides, cafes and so on were so detailed, just fantastic. I loved both parks (Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios). Citywalk is also great, full of restaurants, bars and other entertainment. Can’t wait to return some day!

I used to think Universal was the place to go for the good rides, but after spending a couple days there, I was a little disappointed. They have a couple good roller coasters, but I have to say that none are as good as, say, Space Mountain or Aerosmith’s Rockin Roller Coaster, which are found at Magic Kingdom and Hollywood studios, if I recall.
The Hulk was closed down this trip to Universal, and the Rocket was good, but that’s about it. I really liked the Popeye and Olive characters taking pictures with people, but that’s not a ride LoL! The water rides were also fun, and we got SOAKED!
Most of the 4d was lame. Spider-​Man was the best in that category. Simpsons was kind of bad, I fell asleep twice in Shrek, and Minions wasn’t all that good either. Twister was by far the worst attraction/​ride I have ever been on. It really needs to go or be improved. Don’t waste your time on Twister.
The Harry Potter rides were just ok. Nothing special. The décor and details in the buildings were incredible though. We did not pay the extra money for the train. That’s just too much dough.
Some of the employees were very helpful. Others were clueless. Not the park’s fault, but still annoying. For example, at a Rocket, the employees directing people into the line were too busy talking to each other, and we somehow ended up in the express line. We got to the front and obviously didn’t have an express pass. Thanks guys… at least the guy taking the passes let us through anyway. There are several other examples but I really can’t recall anymore — Water under the bridge.
The one major plus was the lines were short. The end of September is apparently a great time to go. I hear the average wait times for some of the better rides are 2 – 3 hours during peak season. No way, Jose! You would spend the entire day in line, only getting on 3 rides, 4 if you’re patient enough. To make that worse, some of there rides make you remove all of your personal items, so… no phone to pass the time.
Maybe I’m just getting old, but Universal is definitely more for kids than I thought. But still… like I said… some of the best rides I’ve ever been on are not in this park. That being said, it’s still a great park. Just not 5 star worthy. Is it my own fault for having higher expectations?

VERY fun place! I have to say that this place is a well-​oiled machine. Buy your tickets online, skip the lines, and head right to the entrance. Look around people… it will appear to be a roadblock, but people are dumb and all go to the very first employee.
Once you’re in there was a red carpet with employees greeting us and clapping — so fun to run through and feel welcomed and excited! The maps are very clear and laid out well, we ran right to the new Harry Potter exhibit. After demolishing Diagon Alley, we went on the Simpson’s ride (omg if you have motion issues… even if you don’t, reconsider this ride!) the MiB Alien Attack ride, Transformers, Shrek, Minions, Twister, Rock-​It, and more! The lines were quick, and they really did a great job of building these worlds to keep you interested and entertained while waiting. The Minions ride (the longest wait we encountered!) actually had a snack/​beer/​drink cart halfway through the waiting line, which I thought was an awesome idea.
You wonder why you pay ~$ 100 to get into these parks, but when you look around, it makes perfect sense, they transport you into these intricate worlds! Each ride has a corresponding world built around it, Simpson’s shows are shown in the line at their ride, Twister has a whole world that falls apart, Transformers brings you into the N.E.S.T, each employee is decked out in uniforms of their characters… every little detail is accounted for!

This place is just great. Seriously, it’s really that good. I’ve been a season pass holder for a few years now and I don’t really see that changing any time in the near future. The reason why is simple: they place is just a good solid time every time we go.
Since we’ve been so many times (over a dozen separate trips now and counting) I have some helpful hints to hopefully make your experience a bit more enjoyable.
First off, the basics. Wear sunscreen and a good pair of shoes. The properties are huge and you will be walking a lot!
Depending on when you go you will have to deal with a lot of other people and therefore some lines for many attractions can be a beast. The best advice to do as much of the park as possible is the single rider line. You’ll either go to a totally separate area of the ride (Spider-​Man is like this) or you’ll be in a separate line but still able to experience the immersive experience of the line system that they really do excel at in so many ways (Transformers). You’ll be in line way less often and while you may not be able to go on the same ride vehicle as your family/​friends every time it makes for a more fun experience overall if you ask me.
At the Universal side of the park the main entrance can be a bit daunting because of the huge crowds, but if you have your ticket and you pay attention you can get through it quickly. The tip here is to BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE. You will thank me later.
As far as rides go Universal has a few really good ones; Minion Mayhem is based on the Despicable Me franchise and it’s a really fun motion simulator that does a great job of keeping you entertained while on the ride and in the queue (line). This ride has obscenely long lines consistently. If you want to get in there quickly (and who doesn’t?) get in there early. The single rider line is rarely ever open for whatever reason too, and so I hardly ever go on the ride even though I’m a Minion nut.
Transformers is AMAZING! Seriously, the movies suck but the ride is so much better. It’s a motion simulator with an excellent queue that keeps you entertained and is very immersive. Single rider is a must here, but I’ll tell you that it is one of the easiest rides to get in and on in the entire park. This is a must while you are at the park.
The Rock-​It is the roller coaster you see and it’s such a blast. The ride itself is fast, exciting and really cool because you can listen to preset MP3 tracks from various genres. I highly recommend Kickstart My Heart by Motley Crue as that song kicks butt. The ride queue is hilarious because it’s so cheesy. It’s animation style looks like a Gorillaz video and the voice acting is so cheesy. Single rider is anther time saver here and the ride is such fun.
If you are a Harry Potter fan I don’t need to tell you about Diagon Alley and the Gringott’s ride. Gringott’s is just not that impressive for me because I’ve never been a Harry Potter fan and I really don’t find the stories that compelling or interesting so the ride is just a fun motion simulator. I’ll tell you though that this ride has broken down or had some mechanical issues in nearly every occasion I’ve come. Though my last experience was flawless and for the first time. One big issue is that for me I can hardly understand what the actors are saying, because the audio is so muffled by sound effects and music.
There are a ton of other rides and attractions. Some are good (The Mummy and The Simpsons) and some aren’t (Men In Black.)
It’s a good time and I love coming here.

I was curious why the average rating for the parks was less than 4, so I read a few reviews. Conclusion? People are dumb, dumb, dumb. And why do I say this? Well, you see a lot of people complaining about the cost. It’s a theme park. You’ve made the decision to take all 5 of your kids here, and no that’s not going to be cheap. I purchased a season pass because I live in Georgia and can come down from time to time, and I’ve already been there for a total of 5 days, effectively paying for the pass. I didn’t buy an express pass, and the first time I came here, we were able to see every ride we wanted without that additional cost, too. I ended up renting a hotel with anywhere between 5 – 7 people, which further cuts the corners of costs. Another complaint is the food in the park. DON’T BUY IT IF YOU DON’T WANT TO! That is actually an option. The entire amount of money I’ve spent IN the park for 5 days is about $ 50, and that’s including the purchase or two chocolate frogs at $ 10 a pop. I ate in the park twice, which was about $ 25. Most restaurants will have you paying $ 10 – 12 per meal, so I’d say that’s pretty average… As for parking costs, if you’re staying at a hotel, most hotels in the area have some sort of shuttle bus. If not, there’s Über. (It’s a thing. Look it up.) Your hotel charges parking fees? Well then, that sucks, and you should have figured that cost into the initial purchase of the hotel. Why complain about spending so much money on vacation, and letting that ruin the whole experience? Just don’t take your kids to a theme park if it’s such a huge issue. They won’t remember it, and they can pay for it themselves when they’re adults. And besides, I’m sure hearing you complain about the cost of everything is going to imprint psychologically on them that they aren’t worth the money you spent.
That being said, I’d give each of the individual parks 4 stars each. I have a bunch of fun there, but there’s room for improvement. Collectively, however, I think this park very much deserves 5 stars. The two parks each have awesome rides, and there are some rides that I genuinely love going to. And that’s even after having ridden them half a dozen times.
My favorites at Universal Studios:
Diagon Alley
Revenge of the Mummy
Men in Black: Alien Attack
My favorites at Islands of Adventures:
Wizarding World — Hogsmeade
Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges
Jurassic Park River Adventure /​Jurassic Park Discovery Center
I’m absolutely obsessed with Harry Potter, so being in Diagon Alley for the first time actually brought tears to my eyes. And each consecutive time back, I’m grinning like a complete moron at the entire landscape as my friends talk and try to figure out what we’re doing next. Diagon Alley is probably one of the most amazing places I have ever been to. It’s one of my Seven Personal World Wonders, no questions.
There’s something to be said about never going to theme parks as a kid. I turned out fine without that experience (never went to Disney or Universal), and as an adult with disposable income, I’ve now been to both parks. I enjoyed Universal more than Disney, because it seemed like Disney was dirtier and full of more children. Plus, Universal has Diagon Alley… I’ve also enjoyed the experience of being around my friends far more than I would ever have enjoyed being around my family. We’re able to chill out at our hotel and drink, we’re able to eat whatever we want, we’re able to ride roller coasters and make sexual jokes, and just, in general, have an awesome and memorable time. I 100% don’t regret purchasing a year pass. Every step of the way has been an awesome experience with some of my favorite people in this world.

This was my third time going to Universal and I loved it each time! Had a fantastic time rides and scenery were amazing and staff and actors were very friendly and amusing. Can’t wait to go back here again, it’s pretty pricey. We did one day for both parks for $ 156, but once I saw the amount of people working there and how detailed and well functioning the rides were it made total sense. We were there for one day and saw all the rides we wanted to in both parks, but there are a lot of them.
I have been to Disney World as well and it is very beautiful, but I do feel like it wasn’t as much fun for adults and teenagers. It’s defiantly more for the kids. Whereas Universal has so much for all ages, and for movie buffs.
I am not a big roller coaster person, I hate the drops and all that but there were still plenty of stuff to do. The 3D & 4D rides were amazing and my personal favorite which included; Spider-​Man, Transformers, The Simpsons, & Harry Potter rides. It’s like your part of the Movies, not Scary just plain fun. For movie buffs there are a lot of cool ‘rides’ where you walk through and they’ll reenact scenes from the movies or add extra story lines to them. If you are a big roller coaster person their are a ton of rides as well in both parks. There are a few water rides, I believe primarily in the Islands of Adventure Park. If you have kids there is a lot of rides and activities for them as well!
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter was truly a dream for any fan of the books or movies. It’s truly like your in the books, and Butter beer is great!
There are many great places to eat, some pricier then others, but there all around the same depending on how much you get.
Either way had a fantastic time each time I came and can’t wait to go back. Wonderful entertainment, definitely worth every penny, would highly recommend.

So glad I went back after the addition of Diagon Alley!
A lot has changed in three short years, and all for the better. Diagon Alley and The Hogsmeade Express are of course the biggest change, but even Citywalk seems to have gotten a facelift. Gone are many of the crappy chain restaurants, and they’ve been replaced with establishments with great food and unique menus.
This time I stayed on the park grounds and was very happy that I did. We were able to take the bus from the resort to the parks and it was a super quick ride.
The hotel, parks, bus, and everything in between were so clean.
Parks so SUPER easy to navigate because they’re both laid out in a circle. You barely need a map once you get your bearings.
BEST attractions:
— Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
— Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
— The Hulk
— Jurassic Park River Adventure
BEST food:
— The Cowfish (DO IT. IT’S AMAZING)
— Delicious Kebabs (Island of Adventure in The Lost Continent)
— Red Oven Pizza

BRING ON THE RAIN SHOWERS (because that means shorter lines)!
My husband and I experienced Universal Orlando Resort in all it’s glory for our first time together yesterday. The weather ALMOST turned us off to going this weekend, but then we saw the positive in it being a «slow» day, which really it kind of was because the longest we waited in a line was about an hour? Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, but of course.
PARKING is $ 17, but $ 25 for Preferred Parking, which is WAY closer and you don’t even have to walk far. For an extra $ 7, we just did it, because why not? After being at parks ALL day why would you want to walk even MORE just to get to your car? It’s worth it especially if you come a little before the park opens so you can just park right next to the escalators in the front.
Moving on, I’m not sure why this park has fewer stars than Islands of Adventure because this park was WAY more fun, but that may be because Wizarding World of Harry Potter has been in Island’s of Adventure longer. The rides here were more interesting to my husband and I! We rode pretty much everything and even watched Beetlejuice’s Graveyard Mash Up and Disaster! (which was SUPER funny, mad street cred to Donnie and the «actors» that were chosen!!!). Out of all the rides, I think our favorite was Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts (actually enjoyed it more than the other Harry Potter ride at IoA) and Revenge of the Mummy. But don’t get us wrong, Men in Black, Transformers, and Despicable Me were super fun too! Did NOT like The Simpson’s ride, something about that ride makes me SO nauseous every single time.
TIP: BUY THE DINING PLAN, IT IS SOOOOO FREAKING WORTH IT (
). My husband got the $ 26 dining plan with unlimited drinks in a souvenir cup all day and I just got the $ 20 one since I’m not much of a soda drinker. We brought snacks in the park too, so that helped up from buying too much crazy snacks. Each dining plan came with 1 Quick Service Meal, 1 Snack, and 1 Drink (again he had the souvenir cup with unlimited refills and I had a regular drink). Almost all the places to eat in both parks are Quick Service Meal areas. We ended up eating at The Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley where the meals were from $ 10-​$ 20 and our dining plans covered any one we chose (although Butter Beer counts as a snack, which was fine). Again, BUY IT, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.
In regards to the souvenir cups with free refills, you get a «Freestyle Souvenir» cup with a chip built-​in to the bottom of the cup. When you go to a machine to refill it, you set it on the machine and refill your drink and a message will come onto the screen for how many hours you have left to use it (they give you something like 16hrs to use the cup at the park). We refilled it at least 3 times pretty much paying off the whole cup. This dining plan saved us a TON of money.
Last, but not least, MARDI GRA AT UNIVERSAL. Parada starts a couple hours before the park closes, like 645−7pm I believe, and it’s so much fun. SO MANY BEADS EVERYWHERE. Music and the energy was completely amazing. Right after the parade was the Heart concert (not entirely sure who they are sad to say, but they had a humongous crowd). We took a peek then decided to leave shortly after.
OH YEAH, AND FREE WIFI.
— — -
Extra Tips:
IF YOU GO WHEN IT’S RAINING: Either buy an umbrella or a poncho before you go in if you don’t feel like getting wet (if not, they have them for sale in the park). My husband and I sucked it up (but his poor shoes got soaked). Luckily I wore boots and I had a jacket, but the material absorbed the rain. The rain showers were so on an off and we were always entering a ride or a store so we would dry off and then get rained on again.
WARNING: A lot of the rides require you put your bag in a locker so it doesn’t fall out during the ride. Don’t worry, it’s FREE while you ride and gives you a certain amount of time for it to be free (which really does cover you being in line and until after you’re done with the ride).
SMOKERS: You can smoke out at CityWalk anywhere, but when you’re in the parks, there are Smoking Areas. They are EVERYWHERE though, so don’t fret.
If you run out of cigarettes, the Men in Black Store at Universal AND The Port of Entry Christmas Shoppe at Islands of Adventure SELL cigarettes, they are just hidden behind the counter. WARNING, you will be paying $ 10.

I still remember the disaster of opening day in 1991, when nothing work. This place has come a long way since then, and now boasts the best themed areas of any theme park (Harry Potter). Since Potter is split between two parks and joined by the Hogwarts Express, I have to give my vote to the combination of parks as the world’s best theme park.
Although Islands of Adventure is though of as the more thrill ride oriented park, there are actually more impressive (non-​rollercoaster) rides at Universal Studios. Islands has more secluded nooks and crannies for relaxing, and is a more leisurely place to hang out.
Many of the parks rides are simulators, some on vehicles, many with 3D glasses. This gets a bit repetitive, so you may want to aim for the best, which are Spiderman (world’s best theme park ride) and Gringott’s (not as good show quality, but an exciting vehicle).
Simpsons is a very funny ride, particularly if you are in the theme park business like I am, because of all the inside jokes.
The spinning on Men In Black was a bit sickening, so I wouldn’t go on that again. Mummy has some nice fire effects, but doesn’t come across as scary.
Hulk is a much smoother coaster than Rip Ride and Rocket, and has seven inversions. The other coasters are also-​rans.
Clearly the knockout area is Diagon Alley, with Wizarding World a close second, but the best ride is Spiderman. However of every thing, my favorite attraction, because it’s so darn funny and brings a smile to my face every time, is Despicable Me.

I was way too excited to be here. I’ve been stewing about my review, and here it is folks. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
Cleanliness is clearly a priority here. The bathrooms are always spic and span, the streets are free of garbage, it’s terrific. Definitely nice to be able to wash up and whatnot without being surrounded by other people’s filth.
Signs. There aren’t really any. You can get maps, but we noticed that several things were mismarked, and they really weren’t that helpful to us in the long run. I think they sort of expect you just to wander and see the sights, and all of that jazz… but I was a woman on a mission with places to be (we were there for a special event) and it was quite frustrating for me. Add to that the fact that the staff wasn’t well informed about said event, and I found myself near tears a couple of times.
The place is huge. I hope you brought your walking shoes! Some places there are benches a plenty, and other places you’ll find yourself wishing for a place to sit. Lines can be long, but everything is worth the wait.