Four Things to Know Before Doing Both Universal Orlando Resort Parks in One Day

1. Consider Buying an Express Pass

If you only have one day at Universal Orlando Resort and want to experience as much as possible, consider purchasing a Universal Express Pass.

This front-of-the-line pass works for most of the attractions at both parks and is a real timesaver.

There are two levels of Express Pass: the Universal Express Pass allows you to ride each participating attraction one time by going through the Express Pass line, while the Universal Express Unlimited Pass allows you to ride each participating attraction unlimited times by going through the Express Pass line.

For my experience, I used the Universal Express Unlimited Pass. But if you’re on a budget, the Universal Express Pass works as well! I estimate that I saved nearly three hours by not waiting in the standby line, instead using my Universal Express Unlimited Pass. The real timesaver was inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™. This is one of the most popular areas at both Universal Orlando Resort parks, so the lines for each of the attractions get long.

2. Start Early and Stay Late

Usually the parks open at 9 a.m., so get there a little before to beat the lines. I arrived around 8:30 a.m. to Universal Orlando Resort, grabbed my ticket, and ate breakfast at the new TODAY Cafe, all before 9:15 a.m.! You can either grab a quick breakfast item, like one of their delicious croissants, or try their Park Avenue Avocado Toast — which I heard a lot about before I arrived. To my delight, both were amazing, and I highly recommend stopping by for a quick, casual breakfast or lunch.

To get the most out of your day at Universal Orlando Resort, start early and stay late.

One of my best tips for Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure is to stay at the parks as late as you can. You can experience more, and the crowds typically start to thin out as it gets later in the night. Please note that there are two nighttime shows at Universal Orlando Resort, and it can get a bit crowded in the areas where the shows are presented.

The first show is CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular, presented around the lagoon. I suggest staying inside The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ - Diagon Alley™ during this show for a minimal wait on attractions and a nighttime walk through this immersive land. Shown throughout the night, the second show is Hogwarts™ Always at Islands of Adventure’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ - Hogsmeade™. I also suggest going to the Marvel Super Hero Island section of the park to try out The Incredible Hulk Coaster at night!

3. Make a Reservation for Lunch

One of the best ways to take a midday break is to grab lunch at a table-service restaurant. One of my favorite spots, and where I decided to pull up a seat, was The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen. Located at Universal CityWalk and relatively close to Universal’s Islands of Adventure, this restaurant is the perfect halfway point to visit after a morning at Universal Studios.

When I walked into The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, I was greeted with the smell of chocolate and a massive case of delicious-looking desserts. I was then taken to my table upstairs, which had a great view of Universal CityWalk.

The menu at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium is extensive and can be overwhelming. If you’re unsure what to order, the waitstaff at the restaurant are very knowledgeable and willing to give suggestions. I wanted to get a taste for everything, so I ordered an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. Trust me — everything was delicious.

To start off, I had the totchos, which are tater tots, spicy green chili, crispy pork belly, andouille sausage, and cheddar cheese sauce. This was big enough to be a meal by itself or a shareable appetizer. The green chili really cut through the cheddar cheese sauce, and the pork belly was a great addition.

For my entrée, I got the Southern Fried Chicken BLT, which consisted of a crispy boneless chicken breast, sliced tomatoes, Bibb lettuce, bacon, and mustard aioli — all on a toasted brioche bun! Even with the fried chicken, the sandwich wasn’t too heavy and was super tasty on a hot, rainy Florida day.

You can’t go to a place called a chocolate emporium without getting something sweet!

I highly recommend the flourless chocolate cake. The fudge-like cake was served warm with Nutella ice cream and drizzled with a sweet, tangy raspberry sauce. If you only go to The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium for dessert, make it this one!
 

4. What to Bring to the Universal Orlando Parks

Even though Universal Orlando Resort has just about everything you could want or need at a theme park, there are a few essentials you should bring with you in your backpack. 

I always bring a refillable water bottle. It gets HOT in Florida, and staying hydrated is key to enjoying the parks for 10 or more hours.

Also, bring a rain jacket or a few disposable ponchos. It rains almost every day May through October in Central Florida, so packing ponchos is a smart way to stay dry and avoid lugging around an umbrella.

These are the best essentials to bring. Not only will they save you money, but they’ll make the day a bit easier when things don’t go as planned.

What I Did in Nine Hours

8:45 a.m. - Park and arrive at Universal Studios Florida

9 a.m. - Breakfast at TODAY Cafe

9:45 a.m. - Revenge of the Mummy with Universal Express Unlimited Pass

10:15 a.m. - E.T. Adventure with Universal Express Unlimited Pass

10:30 a.m. - MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack with Universal Express Unlimited Pass

11:10 a.m. - Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts™ with Universal Express Unlimited Pass

12 p.m. - Butterbeer ice cream from Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour

12:30 p.m. - E.T. Adventure with Universal Express Unlimited Pass

1:30 p.m. - Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon with Universal Express Unlimited Pass

2 p.m. - Lunch at The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen

3:30 p.m. - Arrive at Universal’s Islands of Adventure

3:35 p.m. - Ride The Incredible Hulk Coaster with Universal Express Unlimited Pass

4 p.m. - Ride Jurassic Park River Adventure with Universal Express Unlimited Pass

4:30 p.m. - Ride Flight of the Hippogriff with Universal Express Unlimited Pass

4:45 p.m. - Ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

5 p.m. - Grab a frozen Butterbeer

5:15 p.m.- Ride The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! with Universal Express Unlimited Pass

5:45 p.m. - Exit Universal’s Islands of Adventure and leave Universal Orlando Resort

Note: You can definitely do more, but the rain closed the majority of the rides that day, so I didn’t stay until park close.

Bonus: What to Expect from Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure

At Universal Orlando Resort, you can experience Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal’s Islands of Adventure. This coaster has the most launches of any coaster in the world and the longest track in Florida! I had the opportunity to walk through the queue and ride the attraction, and it’s AWESOME!

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure has some of the most creative ride vehicles I’ve ever seen.

The story is set in the Forbidden Forest, where some of Hagrid’s magical creatures are present. You’ll encounter unicorns, Cornish pixies, and so much more! The ride is almost three-and-a-half minutes long and launches guests at over 50 mph. Choose between a motorcycle or sidecar, each of which gives riders a different experience. The motorcycle sits about six inches higher than the sidecar and allows guests to envision themselves as Hagrid. The sidecar is a cozier experience, allowing guests to feel like a young Harry Potter riding alongside Hagrid.