Orlando hints and tips

We would recommend you go first to the Krakatau Aqua Coaster where you will get at least two rides back-to-back before a line starts to form. Everyone in the room will be able to skip the regular lines at almost every single ride or attraction. So, if a family of four is staying at one of these three Premier category hotels, the cost of the hotel room itself is far less than the cost of purchasing Universal Express Unlimited at the parks.

We at Endless Summer Florida feel that Universal Express is the absolute best benefit to have when visiting a theme park. There is no need to make attraction reservations 30 days in advance or have a detailed plan your visit. You just show up to the parks and enjoy the day. If you feel like riding a particular attraction then Universal Express gives you the flexibility to do so without interfering with other plans during the day.

As a Premier Annual Passholders, our Universal Express benefit does not start until PM but we are typically able to ride just about every ride before the park closes and be finished in time to watch the Cinematic Celebration show. Depending on the time of year you may need to bring along light jacket or sweatshirt as well a place to carry phones, cameras, wallets, and other essentials.

Every time Endless Summer Florida visits Universal with bring a backpack that includes:. Just make sure someone has a video camera ready to go. A good number of the attractions at both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure have single rider lines which are separate queues from both the standby line and the Universal Express line.

The team members use single riders to fill in unused space on the ride vehicles when an odd-numbered parties are seated. While the number of odd-numbered parties is unpredictable, wait times can vary greatly. In our experience we have found that the single rider wait times can be just as fast as the Universal Express queue, and traditionally much quicker than the standby line.

Since your group will be separated, this tip may not be useful for families traveling with small children. But our next tip should help in that regard. When the remainder of the party is finished, the person who waited with the non-rider can board immediately without having to go back to the beginning of the line.

And if you are staying on site, Universal will have your purchases sent directly to your room which is another great benefit to staying on site. There is a check in desk where you will have to present your AMEX card for verification but once inside, guests enjoy a quiet air-conditioned lounge with access to bottled water and small snacks.

There is even a private and very clean single person bathroom for use by the lounge guests only. Check the Universal website or mobile app for all the details. A relatively new feature is ordering from the Universal app on your mobile device. Forget about waiting on long lines for food any longer. Just place your order and your chosen Universal dining establishment, go on a quick ride or attraction, then head over the restaurant and your food should be about ready.

We have used the mobile dining feature on very busy days and found it to be extraordinarily efficient. Race through New York starring Jimmy Fallon, also uses some of the latest technology. This fun and funny simulator ride uses a Virtual Queue. You can join the queue from the mobile app and you will be assigned a time to show up. Simply scan your phone on arrival and in you go!

For example, we really wanted to go to the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium but knew it would be mobbed during prime dinner hours. So, we had a light breakfast we were in a hurry to get the park early , early lunch, and then an early dinner. We arrived around 4pm and had to wait about 15 minutes for our table.

By the time we ordered and our food was served, it was nearly 5pm. When we got back to the parks, the crowds had thinned and the wait times were much shorter than early in the day. I find there is a really special feel to Diagon Alley in the evening.

The light adds to the magic and when the dragon breathes fire, it is even more impressive. If you have a Park-to-Park ticket, you should ride the Hogwarts Express in both directions as they are two different experiences.

Just keep in mind that they really add up check out my budget post. Make sure you read about the best place to buy a Pygmy Puff.

Universal offers free lockers for about the amount of time it should take you to get through the ride. First you need to go to a locker rental station and use your fingerprint to open a locker. You only have a few seconds to identify the locker and store your stuff. You may need two lockers if you have more than two day bags so two people should line up at the rental station.

When you come off the ride, you need to go back to the same locker rental station to open your locker so remember where it is! It is really tempting to bring your phone to take pictures inside Hogwarts and Gringotts but you have two options.

Either make sure you can later secure it in a zipped or buttoned pocket, or after the ride, grab your stuff and go back through to take a closer look and just skip the ride.

That seems obvious right? So even if you just bring a cheap pair of flip flops in your bag, switch out your shoes before the water rides. So while people think Disney is for young kids and Universal is for teens, both work for both see my teens favorite rides at Disney. First, Seuss Landing is like stepping into a dreamland, or the pages of a Dr. Seuss book. Of course, in my case it is more of a parent swap and I just walk through and enjoy the features of the queue and then wait for the kids to get off the ride.

I also make an excellent bag holder. Good news for allergy families! You just need to tell the guard at security that you have a family member with a food allergy.

Some rides may also offer single rider lines so if you are the only one that wants to ride the line, listen for them calling out for single riders and jump to the front of the line.

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There are pros and cons for each. Between the theme parks, the beaches, all the restaurants, and the smaller attractions, your to-do list may seem never-ending.

I cannot tell you how many guests I see at the end of their stay that are miserable and exhausted because they tried to do it all. Especially if you have been planning and saving for this special trip for your family for a long time. After waiting in line, bumping into crowds of people, being beat up by the sun, and battling traffic, a day to just relax can make all the difference. Your body and your mind will thank you for it! Central Florida is, of course, known for its theme parks, but if you want to get out and explore beyond that, there is certainly more to see.

Take a break from the parks and visit one of the many outlet malls that not only feature the usual mall shops, but also fun things like the Crayola Experience, which is located in the Florida Mall. Check out the Downtown Orlando area and take a ride on the swan boats in Lake Eola and feed the real-life swans that live there. Downtown Orlando is also home to the new state-of-the-art Dr. The City Beautiful is also surrounded by fun and unique towns that offer their own forms of entertainment and atmosphere, including Winter Park which is home to one of the largest annual art festivals in the country and Sanford which has a fantastic Oktoberfest celebration each year, as well as a pretty terrific zoo.

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