Girls' Getaway: Tips for Universal Studios

In April, my best friend and I took a girls’ getaway weekend to the sunshine state with the intent of visiting Universal Studios for the FIRST time. Growing up with family in Florida, my parents and I were frequent visitors when I was a kid, but after devoting our time to Walt’s enchanted kingdom, Universal never had quite the same allure. With the recent addition of a second Harry Potter world, though, I was more inclined to visit. Not that I’m a big Harry Potter nerd (I’ve never read a single book in the series), but there is a certain appeal to stepping into a world of magic you’ve seen played out on the silver screen. I suppose that’s what draws people to Universal Studios in general.

A and I did a fair amount of research in preparation for our vacation, and we didn’t limit our day to just the Wizarding Worlds of Harry Potter. With our “cannot miss” list of rides and food, we had an amazing time together, even as adults! In a bit of an homage to Mr. Harry James Potter himself, I’m going to share the 9 ¾ recommendations that A and I have to make the most of your next [or first] visit to Universal Studios Orlando as incredible as ours was!

1. Buy tickets online [with a park-to-park pass] & Arrive Early

The first suggestion(s) are done in preparation for your day at Universal, and they should be at the top of your “Universal Studios To-Do List.” Buying tickets online won’t just save you money (they’re about 20% less than gates prices), it will also save you time. There is nothing worse than watching everyone walk past you to the gates while you spend your valuable vacation time standing in line to buy tickets …At least I would imagine. We bought our tickets in advance. It is also imperative that you buy the park-to-park pass if you have any intention of going to see both Harry Potter worlds; Diagon Alley is located in the Universal Studios side (with the more laid back attractions), while Hogsmeade is in Islands of Adventure (with the more intense thrill rides). Even if you’re not at universal for Harry Potter, there are great rides and attractions spread out between both parks and you’ll likely want to split your time between them both.

Part 2 of this recommendation is arriving early. Specifically 30-45 minutes if you want the true insider tip. Any one staying at a Universal hotel gets early admission into the park, and you can bet they are going to be there taking advantage of it. To beat everyone ELSE, it’s best to start your day promptly, especially since they tend to open the gates for general admission 10-15 minutes before the official listed park opening time.

2. Start with Diagon Alley in Universal Studios

I’m not entirely certain why this is true, but almost every blog and “secret insider” list that we read recommended you start your day at Universal, not Islands of Adventure. Even if you do choose Islands of Adventure first, you should still start your day in the Wizarding World at Hogsmeade; The Wizarding Worlds tend to be less crowded at the beginning of the day and the last 3 hours before the park closes (aka 9AM or after 4PM).
En route to Diagon Alley, be sure to find Kreacher in the second floor window on Grimmauld Place, and check out the night bus parked at the London Waterfront. If you have a moment outside of King’s Cross Station, you should also place a call to the Ministry of Magic from the iconic British phone booth (simply dial “MAGIC” for a special message). Once inside Diagon Alley, be sure to step inside the shops. It is incredible how much detail went into each one! There’s Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, the Magical Menagerie, Madam Malkin’s Robes for all Occasions, Wiseracre’s Wizarding Equipment, and Quality Quidditch Supplies. You can even take a quick walk through Borgin & Burke’s in Knockturn Alley if you are feeling a little dark magic in your veins.

3. Gringotts Bank

You’re first stop in Diagon Alley should be Gringotts Bank. With its fire breathing dragon, grandiose chandeliers, and hard-working goblins, the building itself is a “can’t miss experience,” but the real gem is the Gringotts ride. Escape from Gingotts is a combination of indoor rollercoaster and 3D experience, and was easily our FAVORITE ride of the day, and that’s saying something since A is a rollercoaster fanatic and I am a total scaredy cat. It’s arguably the best Harry Potter ride overall. Plus, every 15 minutes the dragon perched on top of the roof will breathe fire (he makes quite a bit of noise to warn you, so get those cameras phones out), so be sure to take a moment and watch him after you ride Escape from Gringotts! I stress that you should check out the dragon AFTER the ride, only because the ride is so amazing! Really, it’s no wonder the line is always long, so be sure to make it your first stop. You won’t be disappointed!


4. Do the Men in Black Ride

After all the detail and modern marvels of Diagon Alley, the rest of Universal seems a little dated. The Men in Black ride is a prime example of this. Given the fact that the movie was released in1997, it really is no surprise. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this ride. I don’t think A was as big of a fan as I was, but it is essentially laser tag on a moving track and I love laser tag. As an MIB trainee, your training session is interrupted by an alien invasion and you get to fly around turns, shoot aliens, and compete for points with the other people in your car. I had a blast, and even the one moment of spinning was mild enough for me to handle. This one really stood out for me; it is interactive and just plain fun for all ages.

5. Enjoy [and Share] the food

Not only did A and I research what to do and when, we also made sure to know what food we HAD to try as we made our way through the park. There was so much we wanted to sample, that the only way it was possible was to split everything we had: a Big Pink Donut from The Simpson’s Lard Lad Donuts, Toad in a Hole from The Leaky Cauldron, Butterbeer (frozen – and ONLY available in Orlando), Butterbeer (cold), the Mythos Lamb Burger, Fishy Green Ale (our least favorite item we tried), and Florean’s Ice cream. A quick side note about Florean’s, you can get TWO flavors in one cup! The top recommended ice cream flavors are Apple crumble, Salted Caramel Blondie, and Sticky Toffee Pudding. The number one soft serve flavor is, what else, Butterbeer. We each ordered the Salted Caramel Blondie and then tried the other person’s second flavor – my personal favorite was the Sticky Toffee Pudding, especially in combination with the Salted Caramel.
In reality, we had hoped to try more food during our day, but we were SO full! No surprise given the list above. Next time, I hope to try the Chicken & Waffle Sandwich and Korean Beef Tacos or Carne Asada Tacos from The Simpson’s Spingfield, Butterbeer ice cream from Florean’s, and the Pumpkin fizz & Pumpkin juice from Hogs Head Pub (tip, it has shorter lines than three broomsticks). Maybe you can try it all for me and let me know what you think?

6. Ride Hogwarts Express BOTH ways

This next tip REQUIRES the park-to-park pass… When you’ve had your fill of one park, the easiest way to travel to the other is via the Hogwarts express. The slow moving train will take you from King’s Cross Station (via platform 9 ¾, of course) to Hogsmeade and back. The train is like a ride in-of-itself, and the experience is different based on the direction you travel. Not a bad way to get off your feet for a moment. I recommend taking the Hogwarts express from King’s Cross Station to Hogsmeade first; there is something wonderful about emerging from the train station to snow-capped buildings that you can’t get simply by walking into Hogsmeade from Islands of Adventure. We rode the train about mid-day after exploring Universal Studios and then back at the end of the evening when we had finished with Islands of Adventure, and it made the journey much more exciting than if we had simply walked.
7. Escape the Heat with a Water ride

Depending on the time of year, Universal in the Florida sun can get a bit warm. We were lucky that the weather was really nice during our trip, but by the afternoon we were ready for a cool down. There are 3 water rides at Islands of Adventure, but we only did 2: Jurassic park (you leave the least wet) and Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. Reviews said you leave Popeye’s wet, but I’d argue we were soaked. That being said, we did NOT do Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls, which is supposed to leave you actually soaked. So, I guess we have no true comparison for what “soaked” really means by Universal standards. Either way, the water ride(s) that fit your intensity level will be a nice escape from the heat and humidity.



8. Ride Revenge of the Mummy

Islands of Adventure is the more “grown up” side of Universal, and the rides are more intense. During my research, Revenge of the Mummy was one that I was constantly on the fence about, but I managed to let A convince me to do it (given the fact she convinced me to climb out a first floor window when we were toddlers, it’s really no surprise). Revenge of the Mummy is an indoor roller coaster, mostly in the dark. It goes very fast and occasionally backwards, but it’s a relatively short ride, so it didn’t trigger my vertigo. It was by far the SCARIEST ride that I did, and pretty much the most I could handle. Nonetheless, it was one of best rides of the day! That being said, now that I know what to expect, I maybe could be convinced bribed to do it again. Maybe.

9. Be prepared for ANY weather

During the morning of our trip, the weather was mostly sunny and humid, but not too hot. As the day went on, the temperature climbed a bit, but was still within a bearable range that didn’t leave you drenched in sweat. Even though it was manageable, we were ready with sunscreen and refillable water bottles (yes, you can bring your own into the park!) to keep ourselves hydrated and protected from UVs. At the end of the day, though, we were surprised by a heavy torrential rain accompanied by thunder and lightning. We took shelter in Florean’s Ice Cream parlor during the worst of it, but luckily we had a travel umbrella to squeeze under as we ran through puddles to the park exit. Moral of the story, check the weather forecast the day of your trip, but be prepared for anything! It is Florida, after all.

9 ¾. Get a Souvenir

There’s nothing better to remember your trip than by bringing a piece of it home with you. I’m partial to souvenirs that can be consumed (and therefore shared), so I purchased a Chocolate Frog from Honeydukes. It's a bit on the pricey side, but the frog is 5 oz of solid chocolate and comes in a cool box and with a Famous Witch or Wizard Card (I got Salazar Slytherin, to which Kevin responded “of course you did” when I opened it – take that as you will). 

No matter what you prefer, though, be sure you get something to relive the memories when you get home.