Universal Tips & Tricks

General Info:

Tickets:

Have your picture ID and card used to purchase your park tickets with you for ticket pick up. If possible, pick up tickets at your Universal Orlando Resort Hotel, or use the ticketing kiosk in front of Island of Adventure OR Universal Studios.

Rides:

Universal Studios and Islands of Adventures have lots of thrill and screen-based 3D rides. Consider packing motion sick meds if anyone in your party is prone to motion sickness.

Many rides have height requirements. Check our height requirements at both parks: https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/plan-your-visit/hours-information/ride-height-requirements

Park Bags:

Universal doesn’t allow bags on several rides. Free lockers are provided for rides that do not allow bags. The lockers are small, so plan to carry a small bag and pack as light as possible.

Important notes on lockers:

  1. Don’t put your park ticket in your locker! Keep it with you all times , you’ll need it to get back into your locker after rides.

  2. Make a mental note of what locker you used so you remember which one is yours after the ride!

Fanny Packs:

Many rides will allow a 3 pronged (not 2 pronged) fanny pack on the rides. If you don’t want to be in and out of lockers all day, you might consider a fanny pack.

Lanyards:

Park Tickets and Express Passes are needed for various reasons throughout the day. You’ll need easy access to both frequently! For convenience, I’d highly recommend a wearing lanyard to hold your room key, ticket, express pass, and a credit card during your park visit.

Food/Water:

You CAN bring food and drinks into the park. Universal allows bottled water and small snacks. Soft-sided insulated bags no larger than 8.5" wide x 6" high x 6" deep are allowed. Coke Free Style machines are located throughout the park for guests who purchase refillable mugs. Guests without refillable mugs can use these machines to get free water.

Volcano Bay:

Towels are not complimentary. You can rent towels daily for $6 a day or bring your own. Locker are not complimentary here either.

Water shoes are allowed in the park and on slides. I’d highly recommend wearing to save your feet from hot concrete.

Every guest gets a Taputapu to wear at Volcano Bay. These writs bands are used for: joining virtual lines, storing payment info for virtual payments, opening lockers, access to in park photos, and severe weather updates.

Universal App:

Download the Universal Orland Resort app before you travel. You’ll use this app during your trip to check park hours, look at park maps, mobile order food, check wait times, and join virtual attraction lines. It’s NOT necessary to link your tickets.

Early Park Admission:

Guests who purchase tickets through me, and guest staying at an onsite Universal Resort Hotel are eligible for Early Park Admission to Wizarding World of Harry Potter! I’d HIGHLY recommend take advantage of early park admission during your trip! Early park admission is especially helpful at Islands of Adventure, because Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure is included in early park admission! You can wait in a standby line for Hagrid’s during Early Park Admission. During regular park hours, Hagrid’s will move to a virtual line (more info on that below). Important: Check daily park hours to see which park opens early each day.

If you have Express Pass, consider visiting Ollivanders during Early Park Admissions since you’ll be able to use your Express Pass on most rides later in the day.

Here’s what’s open during Islands of Adventure Early Park Admission:

  • Flight of the Hippogriff

  • Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

  • Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure (Not always available. Great idea to do during early entry because this ride does not have Express Pass Lane)

  • Jurassic World VelociCoaster

  • Ollivanders

Here’s what’s open during Universal Studios Early Park Admission:

  • Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem (sometimes)

  • Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts

  • Ollivanders

Butterbeer:

Butter Beer is served in Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. It’s served several ways: cold, frozen, and (in colder months) hot. There’s even Butterbeer Ice Cream! Cold Butterbeer is the closest version to the one described in the books!

Here’s where you can find cold and frozen Butterbeer:

  • In Diagon Alley: The Leaky Cauldron, The Fountain of Fair Fortune, and The Hopping Pot.

  • In Hogsmeade: The Three Broomsticks, Hog’s Head and, two Butterbeer street carts.

Here’s where you can find hot Butterbeer:

  • In Diagon Ally: The Leaky Cauldron and The Hopping Pot

  • In Hogsmeade: The Three Broomsticks and Hog's Head

Here’s where you can find Butter Beer Ice Cream:

  • In Diagon Alley:Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour, and The Hopping Pot

  • In Hogsmeade: The Three Broomsticks

Pro tip: Make a Butterbeer float by pouring cold Butterbeer over Butterbeer Ice Cream!

Ollivanders and Wands:

You can’t visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter without stopping at Ollivanders! Ollivanders is located in Diagon Alley and Hogsmead. You can shop in the store and select a wand or start with the wand experience. There is short “show” where one lucky person will have a wand selected for them. For more information on Ollivanders: https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/things-to-do/shopping/ollivanders-diagon-alley

Planning on casting lot of spells? Consider bringing along a wand holder to make carrying wands even easier: https://www.etsy.com/listing/212913475/magic-wizard-house-magic-wand-carrier?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=wand+holder+neck&ref=sr_gallery-1-19&organic_search_click=1