Universal Orlando Resort is one of the most popular theme park resorts not only in Florida, but in the entire world. Made up of three epic parks, it offers the wow factor at every turn. In this blog post, we’re taking you through the highlights of each park and what you can expect to enjoy in each of them on your Orlando holiday. This is the ultimate Universal Orlando Resort guide.

From thrilling coasters, to sensational simulators and epic parades, prepare to be immersed in Universal Studios Florida, Island’s of Adventure and Volcano Bay.

Universal Studios Florida

Universal Studios Florida is all about experiencing your favourite movies and TV shows in real life.  From a fire breathing dragon, to twisty coasters and plenty of superheroes, you never what way your day will go in this exciting park! Some of the most popular rides in this park include:

  • Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem
  • Revenge of the Mummy
  • The Simpson’s Ride
  • Transformers The Ride
  • Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon

The park is also home to the terrifying, world famous rollercoaster Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, that allows you to choose your own soundtrack to listen to as you twist and turn and scream! Alongside of these epic experiences, you can also enjoy fantastic shows in Universal Studios Florida, as well as character meet and greets and plenty of dining options in the park.

The main attraction of Universal Studios Florida, however is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Diagon Alley. Here you will find magic and spellbinding experiences around every corner. While there, be sure to check out Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, before you ride the Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade, which is located in Islands of Adventure (a valid two park ticket is required to move between the two parks, but we can take care of this for you before you travel).

Islands of Adventure

Islands of Adventure is the second theme park in Universal Orlando Resort and it is just as thrilling as Universal Studios Florida. Here you will find Jurassic Park, Marvel superheroes and the original Wizarding World of Harry Potter which is based around Hogsmeade and the incredible, will take your breath away, Hogwarts Castle! Stand out rides in the WWOHP include Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, as well as the relatively new rollercoaster – Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. While these rides will blow you away, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is about so much more than just the rides. Choose your wand in Olivanders, sample some delicious Butter Beer, catch a spellbinding performance and so much more throughout this incredible land.

Right next door to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you will enter Jurassic Park. Expect chills and every hair on your body to stand up as you pass through the iconic gates of Jurassic Park to the theme tune music. It is AMAZING. Jurassic Park is also home to the brand new rollercoaster Velocicoaster which has become known as the scariest rollercoaster in Orlando! And, with four inversions, a one of a kind 360 degree barrel roll and two thrilling launches, we can see why!

In Islands of Adventure you can also meet your favourite Marvel Superhero’s and perhaps see how brave you are as you take on the iconic, Incredible Hulk Rollercoaster.

Volcano Bay

The third park that makes up Universal Orlando Resort is the resorts newest park, Volcano Bay. Volcano Bay is a water theme park and unlike any water park you’ve been to before. When designing the park, Universal carried out research on what people disliked most about water parks and ensured none of the mentioned bug bears featured in Volcano Bay. The result? A stunning oasis that feels like you’re on a tropical island somewhere far away, that also happens to feature some thrilling rides and slides!

Must do rides in Volcano Bay include:

  • Krakatau Aqua Coaster
  • Honu of the Honu Ika Moana
  • Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides

Volcano Bay also operates a virtual queue system, so you don’t have to waste time queuing for slides. Instead, you join the queue with your TapuTapu wristband (that you get on arrival to the park) and go and enjoy the beach, the lazy river or some delicious food and drinks while you wait for your turn. TapuTapu also offers visitors an interactive experience around the park by allowing you to engage with some of the parks features and statues to spray water, light up, etc.

Universal’s CityWalk

While it is not a theme park, Universal’s CityWalk needs to be mentioned in this post as it is truly important to your entire park experience. CityWalk is a thriving dining and entertainment destination located adjacent to both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure. It is home to a huge array of restaurants, bars, shopping and so much more and you will no doubt find something to tickle everyone’s tastebuds during your holiday at its delicious venues!

How do park tickets work?

The Universal Orlando park ticket is called the 3 Park Explorer Ticket and it offers you access to all three of the parks and City Walk as much as you’d like for 14 consecutive days. It is incredible value, and we highly recommend you pre-purchase before you travel as purchasing your ticket at the gate of the park is very expensive. Even if you plan to visit the parks just a handful of times during your holiday, it is still cheaper to pre-purchase a 14 day ticket than to buy tickets locally.

Staying on-site at Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Orlando Resort is also home to eight incredible hotels to choose from for your holiday. With something for every budget, the choice is endless and the experiences incredible. Staying in a Universal hotel also gives you access to added perks to enjoy. Below is a list of Universal’s fantastic Orlando hotels:

Endless Summer – Surfside Inn and Suites

Endless Summer – Dockside Inn and Suites

Universal’s Aventura Hotel

Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Loews Sapphire Falls Resort

Loews Royal Pacific Resort

Hard Rock Hotel

Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

Our Orlando Travel Experts can help you choose the best hotel for your Orlando holiday.

Want to learn more about a holiday to Orlando?

So there you have it, a full lowdown of the wonderful parks that make up Universal Orlando Resort. If you would like more information on Orlando holidays, you can check out our website here, or alternatively you can speak to a member of our team seven days a week for the best advice and guidance on 01-6995329.