We recently ticked Universal Studios Orlando off our travel bucket list, and it was every bit as fun, chaotic, and magical as we hoped. If you’re planning a trip from Australia, I’ve put together all my best tips and the things I wish I knew before we went.
Stay at a Signature Resort – and score FREE Express Passes!
Okay, this is my number one tip and honestly one of the best travel hacks I’ve come across. If you’re heading to Universal Orlando and have a few people going, stay at one of their Signature Resorts – like Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Royal Pacific, or Loews Portofino Bay.
Why? Because you get FREE Universal Express Unlimited Passes for everyone in your room. Not just for one day, but for both your check-in and check-out days! 🙌🏻
We stayed at Loews Portofino Bay, and there were five of us in the room. That meant five FREE Express Unlimited Passes, valid across both park days. If we had paid for those passes separately, it would have cost us $2,570 AUD 😳 (yep, you read that right – those passes aren’t cheap!).
But our one-night stay cost $1,120 AUD, so we basically saved over $1,400, and got a luxe hotel stay out of it too. Total win!
✨The Express Pass means you can skip the regular lines on most rides and it's SO worth it!
💡Hot Tip: Now that Epic Universe has opened, you might have to stay 2 nights to get the 3 days of express passes.
🥤 Grab a refillable drinks mug and share it! (Shh, we won’t tell 😉)
For around $18.99 USD, you can grab a Universal refillable souvenir drink cup that gives you unlimited refills at the self-serve Coke Freestyle machines throughout the parks. Soft drinks, Powerade and cold ice water! And yep, you can totally share one between the family. 🙈
👉🏻 Coming back for another park day? Just reactivate the mug for $11.99 and keep on sipping. It ended up saving us heaps on drinks and kept the kids (and adults) hydrated and happy.
⏰ Use Early Park Entry – it’s a lifesaver
If you’re staying on-site at a Universal resort, you get early park access that is usually 1 hour before the general public. It might not sound like a lot, but it’s honestly everything and gives you a head start. We headed straight to Universal’s Islands of Adventure as soon as the gates opened and went directly to Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, which one of the most popular rides in the whole park.
🎟️ Know your Express Pass options
There are two types of Express Passes:
- Universal Express Pass – lets you skip the line once per ride
- Universal Express Unlimited – lets you skip the line as many times as you like
If your budget allows and you’re visiting during a busy time, it’s worth the splurge. But don’t forget that if you're staying at a Signature hotel gives you the Unlimited one included, so definitely look into that option before buying them separately.
🗓️ Allow a full day per park
Universal Orlando Resort includes Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Epic Universe (the newest park) and Volcano Bay (the water park) and trust me, each one deserves a full day. There’s so much to see, eat, and ride that rushing just ruins the fun. We planned one full day per park and still could’ve gone back for more!
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