Orlando is the most desired vocational spot and if you thinking to visit Universal Studios Orlando in just one day then not to worry that could be possible. The number of tourism increased for the past few years due to many attractions and expansions at Universal Orlando Resort. Maybe you have an extra day and you want to visit universal Orlando or it could be that you can’t afford multi-day park tickets. Perhaps you were considering a last-minute visit! So forth your reason may be, but one question popping in your mind is “How to Do Universal Studios Orlando in One Day?” I am here to clear your confusion and answer your question with proper tips on how you can save your money and maximize your time to enjoy Universal Orlando in just one day.
So, let’s start with the most rising question of the day.
Can Universal Orlando Be Done in One Day?
So the simple and sweet answer is YES! It’s possible to enjoy and explore Universal Orlando in just one day that includes both Universal Studios Orlando and Universal’s Islands of Adventure. The factor which makes it possible is that both parks are right next to each other. You can use Hogwarts Express to go to the next park or you can exit one park and walk to the entrance of the other. This factor of being located park close to each other benefits you if you want to explore as many attractions as possible. You don’t need to worry about driving or relying on any other transportation. Plus point is that Hogwarts Express is itself is an attraction and if you have enough time, try Hogwarts Express twice as each direction tells a different story.
As its conception even if parks are not too busy that it’s impossible to explore every attraction of both parks in one day. It could only be possible if Hermione Granger’s Time Turner were real. Let’s do it real and it could be possible by some planning and prioritize things. Usually, we suggest that each park require one complete day to enjoy all rides but maybe more depending upon circumstances you don’t have enough time. Don’t forget to check our list of fastest rides at Universal Orlando.
Luckily we have some sort of advice on how to enjoy and explore Universal Orlando in just one day, which requires some tour planning ahead. We divide our advice into two sections first one is about what you have to do before your trip and the second one is about things you can do inside the parks to maximize your time.
Tips for Planning a One-Day Universal Orlando Trip
Attain basic knowledge of the grounds before you go
Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure are two separate parks that are located in Universal Orlando Resort. Both have their own charm and common spots you can explore there are harry potter rides, intense rollercoasters and many things to do for youngsters. But Islands of Adventure has more thrill rides and like its name, it is full of adventure than the movie-centric Studios. It would be better if you in advance download the Universal Florida app it will help you in many ways.
Be Strategic About When You Visit
The marvelous decision if you chose Universal Orlando as your vocational spot. If you have an opportunity to decide when you can go on vacation, search for the best time of the year to go. You can decide this by getting help from Crowd Calendar which guides you when the crowd is at its lowest. You also have to consider park hours which are usually declare on their website in advance for about a month at a time. But it would be good for you to avoid visiting theme parks around school breaks and holidays. Here each park has a different closing time, the park close earlier if you are going to visit during non-peak time. And one more important thing there is mostly less crowd at lastly weekdays.
Buy Park Tickets in Advance
When you think to enjoy Universal Orlando in just one day than everyone desire that the first line of the day is to be full of excitement than waiting in queue to buy park tickets. So it could be possible if you purchase your tickets in advance and you can save your time by going direct to the turnstiles. So I suggest you purchase a 1-Day Park-to-Park ticket as by doing this you can visit and enjoy both Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
Stay On-Site the Night Before
if your travel schedule allows you and you want to enjoy your trip we suggest you staying on-site the night before.it will help you to restore your energy for the next busy day that requires a lot of your energy so, you can rest at the resort before visiting the park tomorrow. The most interesting thing is that most resorts are just a short ride away from the park and even some of them are within walking distance. To stay the night before in the resort will save your time as you can arrive at the park as early as possible. Indeed, the most prominent advantage of staying at any Universal hotel is Early Park Admission.
By this, you can enter an hour before the opening time of the parks and if you choose the universal premier hotel you will get free Universal Express Unlimited passes. the cost of one express unlimited pass start at $89.999 so you can save huge money.
Consider Purchasing Express Passes
If you aim to enjoy most of the rides and you’re not staying at a Universal Premier hotel, so it would be good to get Universal Express passes. As this visit is just for one day so to save your time and money select the Universal Express standard option rather than Universal Express Unlimited option because you would not have much time for repeat rides at Universal Orlando in just one day.
To avoid wastage of time you must book your Express passes in advance as the prices start at $69.99 (Universal Express) and $89.99 (Universal Express Unlimited) per pass.
The prices depend on dates and also depends on the peak duration of visitors. If you are not sure to buy them before you visit and during visiting the park you want to buy them so you can purchase express passes within parks. If you want to enjoy universal Orlando in just one day you must skip the long queue to experience more.
Get Familiar with the Theme Parks before Your Trip
If you plan to visit Orland then you must study about it and the maps of parks that will help you a lot. Before going to Orlando you must search all the information about it in fact you must search the rides and restaurants where you will want to enjoy. Before planning this trip you should create your plan flexibly not plan everything down to the exact minute. A 1-Day Park-to-Park plan helps you a lot if you don’t know where to start your journey and this will also help you to enjoy in a better way in a very short time.
Download Useful Apps
If you want to go to Orlando and want to enjoy universal Orlando in just one day, you must download some apps before visiting the place. The apps are like the Orlando Resort app and our Orlando Planning app that will help you a lot because if you have these apps you have a lot of information about the timing, maps, and dates of parks where you want to go and also some safety guidelines. Through these apps, you can order your favorite food and have the access to Virtual Line Experience for select rides. An app like Orlando planning app helps you in making your visit more enjoyable and more attractive and this app provides you all information about maps of parks and their timing.
Tips for Maximizing Your One Day at Universal Orlando Tour
Arrive Early
The essential thing is that you must arrive early for getting most of the time and if you follow this tip then you definitely getting most of the time out of the day. If there’s no any occasion and you reach early then you can find that there is so low crowd during the first 2 hours. Some hotels offering you advantages on early arrival like Universal hotel guests offer you the advantage of Early Park Admission. Through this, you can enjoy the famous rides that parks offer you.
You should arrive before Universal’s scheduled opening time. It’s not sure that team members open the gate before their scheduled opening time. You must know that you have extra time for passing the security check, parking your car, and time for walking through Universal Citywalk to the park entrance.
Head to the Back of the Park First
Universal Orlando in just one day require ahead planning. All people think that it’s easy to get the first ride near the entrance but usually, it’s more crowded in the morning because all people want to get this ride. Most visitors think the same that’s why the ride at the entrance of the park is formerly long in the morning.
Use Single Rider Lines
Note: Currently, Single Rider Lines are not available.
If you do not want to wait in a long standby line you must select a single rider line that is faster than the regular line. But in a single rider line, your group will be split up on the ride. Single rider lines mostly fill empty spaces in ride vehicles and people should feel comfortable while sitting with strangers if you ride on single rider line. so you can enjoy Orlando in just one day.
Use Mobile Ordering for Food and Drinks
Universal Orlando app is so useful to use for mobile ordering for food and drinks. There is too much crowd in restaurants around (11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.) because this time is peak mealtime.so if you want to avoid these long queues you should order your meal online through this app and save your time and enjoy more as compared to go to busy restaurants for meals. When you want to eat then press the prepare button and go to a restaurant to pick up your meal.
Some restaurants offer this facility like order through the mobile app because they want social distancing measures.so if you avoid lines then you have more time to enjoy. By this, you can save your time and you get your food more quickly. so by using this app you get so many advantages and make your trip more enjoyable.
Eat During Off-Peak Times and Bring Snacks
If you don’t want to waste your time in crowded restaurants for lunch and dinner and your target is to explore Universal Orlando in just one day then we suggest you must eat before or after the time that is really busy for restaurants. If you want to go for dinner or lunch in these restaurants then you must bring with you some snacks because in this way it’s easy for you to stay there. Check out our top picks of restaurants at Universal Citywalk Orlando.
Some restaurants allowed outside food and drinks to some extent like a maximum of 2 litters’ water bottled, some snacks, diet food and some medical need dietary food, baby foods and you can also bring a bag that is no larger than 8.5 inches wide by 6 inches high by 6 inches deep. These materials are allowed but there is some stuff that you are not allowed to bring with you like alcohol, picnic lunches, and hard-sided coolers.
Do what works best for your group
Traveling alone or with friends? Try to choose single rider lines that are available at both Harry Potter rides. Have children at your party? Its suggestion must check height requirements to avoid any kind of a disappointment for this use child swap that is available at many rides. You must experience the most attractive and wonderful areas of the park such as Fievel’s Playland and Seuss Landing.
Simply accept that you can’t do it all
As you are here for one day you may miss some attractions there. There would be no time for entertainment or shows and as the park has several rides with overturns so be careful to manage your mealtime as well. There is also the option of a pick-me-up as both parks have Starbucks. If you want to enjoy universal Orlando in just one day there must be some important things that you have to do. You must plan your day and then you start your trip. Make a schedule of rides and time out your meals accordingly.
