Orlando, Florida is the ultimate destination for thrill, sun and adventure seekers from around the world. It’s the home of many iconic theme parks and attractions, including Universal Orlando, home to Volcano Bay, Islands of Adventure, and Universal Studios, as well as a range of stunning parks and wetlands.
With so many things to see and do in and around Orlando, it can be a little overwhelming trying to navigate this bustling entertainment hub. In this guide, we detail our top tips and essential advice to help you make the most of your Orlando, and more specifically Universal Orlando, holiday, ensuring your trip is as magical and stress-free as possible.
From insider secrets to must-visit spots, read on to discover our top tips on visiting Orlando and its theme parks…
1) Prioritise Early Access
Some park tickets to Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay include early access, which means ticket holders can access the park at 8am. However, it is worth heading over to Universal Studios for around 8.15am for shorter ride times as some roller coasters, including Revenge of the Mummy and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (that typically have longer queue times), do have shorter queues at this time.
One of the most popular rides at Islands of Adventure is Hagrid’s Motorbike, which can have an up to 90-minute wait to ride. If you’re really keen to do this ride, it is best to arrive at 7.15am to ensure you get to the front of the queue when the park opens for early access ticket holders.
2) Manage Your Bags
At Universal, lots of theme park rides, including Hagrid’s Motorbike, Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts, Revenge of the Mummy and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, require you to put your bag in a locker. A rucksack-size locker costs $3 per 30 minutes.
You can open these lockers by scanning your park ticket, putting in your credit or debit card details and then a numbered locker will open in front of you. It’s important to note that you should only close the locker once, or you will be charged again.
Small (bumbag, handbag, satchel) sized lockers, however, are free, so you may want to consider taking a smaller bag where possible.
Additionally, to avoid queuing for multiple different lockers, try to find a set of lockers that are in close vicinity to several different rides. A large portion of the queue in front will have to queue for lockers, and you will overtake them all and get onto rides far quicker if you do this.
3) Take Your Own Poncho
Despite Florida being known as the USA’s very own Sunshine State, the state can be home to at least a few heavy showers! To avoid getting soaked in one of these very occasional showers while you’re exploring Orlando, make sure you bring your own cheap, throw-away poncho.
If you forget to bring a poncho, these are still available onsite (but these are quite expensive to purchase).
4) Know Where (And How) To Eat
Orlando has so many amazing and delicious places to eat and drink, but these venues do get very busy with holidaymakers.
If you want to eat at some of the most popular eateries on City Walk, such as Toothsome Chocolate Emporium or Hard Rock Cafe, you should look to book a table before you go to avoid disappointment. If you’d rather go with the flow, head over to the lively Bubba Gump restaurant where you can arrive anytime without a reservation. They will take your name and number and text you when your table is ready.
Coaches from hotels run constantly throughout the day to City Walk, but do make sure you leave at least 30 minutes before any dinner reservation as many restaurants will only hold your table for 10 minutes.
5) Maximise Your Time At Volcano Bay
Located to the south of Universal Orlando, Volcano Bay is the destination to experience exhilarating water rides and soak up the sun. This dreamy location is probably the busiest park as part of Universal Orlando though, so if you have early park access it is best to get there early to nab a Volcano View sunbed and hop on your favourite rides.
Post 11am the wait time for sought-after attractions at Volcano Bay, such as Krakatoa Water Coaster, can be very long. To help with queuing, the park operates a virtual queue named Tapu Tapu, whereby you scan your pass, join the virtual queue and enjoy some sunbathing or lazing on the lazy river before it’s your turn to hop on the roller coaster (you’ll know it’s your turn when your pass vibrates).
Like other areas of Universal Orlando, lockers are available in Volcano Bay plus towels, but both do incur an additional fee. If you’d rather avoid paying for lockers and towels, a bag for your non-valuable items to leave by your sunbed (at your own risk) and a waterproof case for your phone so that you can take your phonewith you around the park.
6) Go Swimming At Night In Cabana Bay
If you’d like to explore the incredible Universal rides by day and would like to go swimming too, why not consider going for a quick dip at night? If you’re staying in the uber-cool Cabana Bay Beach resort, a family-friendly hotel with its own activities and lazy river, you can go swimming up until the pools close at 11pm.
It’s a really unique experience to plunge into a warm hotel-side pool after a long day in Orlando, and even ride the rapids at sunset! Plus, if you need to dry off your swimwear before the next day, you can hang up your clothes in your hotel room’s bathroom, where there is a washing line to pull out and utilise for your convenience.
7) Grab Breakfast From Starbucks
In a hurry? Again, if you’re staying in the retro-style Cabana Bay Resort and are in a hurry to get up and out to explore, you may want to stop at the onsite Starbucks for a reasonably affordable breakfast.
The famous hot drink chain, which serves everything from super refreshing frappucinos to Nitro brewed coffee, can whip up a tasty grab-and-go breakfast, with hot sandwiches from around $9, and drinks very quickly, ideal for parents with smaller children. Do be wary that this breakfast option is popular with lots of theme-park goers from the hotel, so you may want to arrive and pick up breakfast about 20 minutes before your shuttle bus arrives.
All in all, visiting Orlando and its must-visit theme parks is an absolutely awesome experience for little and big kids. With so much to see and do, from epic thrill rides to super tasty food and drink establishments, a stay in Orlando is certainly one adventure you’ll never forget!
