Visiting Universal Studios Orlando & Islands of Adventure
(Updated: 2023)
This spring we spent a few days at Universal Orlando in Florida. While we have been to Disney many times, this was our first time visiting Universal as a family, and we had a great time. Over the course of 3 days, we visited both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure and rode more rides than we could count.
Universal Orlando Parking - The fee for parking is $30 for regular parking. It is a long walk from the parking area to the park entrances. Security was quick and easy, but be prepared to put all your bags through the scanner and walk through a metal detector.
Universal Studios Florida
We visited during their Mardi Gras celebration which meant that there was special food, costumed characters, and parade. There are themed food stations around the park which was fun and delicious. Each one offers food and beverages from a different county such as France, Belgium, New Orleans, Caribbean and much more. You can find the menu for each one on the app. The tribute shop was great! It was amazing decorated shop with lots of decor.
After purchasing our Cake refillable cups, we have used them for every visit. We saved a lot of money on drinks and food this way and made sure everyone stayed hydrated. You can refill every 10 minutes. For us, we appreciated that the machines had more than just soda. There was tea, Powerade, waters, and more in both regular and sugar free varieties.
When first purchasing the cups, if you know you will be needing a few, the best deal is to purchase them all at once since there are quantity discounts.
To recharge the cup everyday for additional refills, the 2023 price is $11.99 plus tax. Once recharged for the day, they work at all the parks.
The Animal Encounter show was a favorite with the whole family. Because of the wide ranges of ages, we broke into 2 groups at times to maximize riding time. One group rode the Rip Ride Rockit while the other group rode the Woody Woodpecker roller coaster. (Note: for 2023 the Woody Woodpecker coaster and play area is being renovated)
Universal Studios is broken into sections decorated like New York and San Francisco and entertainment to match those areas. Louie’s Italian Restaurant and Finnegan’s Bar and Grill are two of our favorite places to eat in this area. With street shows and character visits, there is always something going on. We loved our time in Diagon Alley and stopped to eat at the Leaky Cauldron.
Islands of Adventure
Our time at this park was an adventure. We took time throughout our days at both parks to visit indoor attractions during the hottest park of the day to allow us to cool off and relax. We also ate a lot of snacks. The Key Lime cheesecake.
Again, we spent some time apart. One group was in the Dr. Suess area riding the Cat in the Hat and the trolley while another group rode the Mummy and Spiderman. This park offers lots of opportunities to get wet so plan to get drenched early and dry or bring a change of clothes - Bilge Rat Barges, Ripsaw Falls, & Jurassic Park River Adventure. (You can also get wet from the ride spray on the patio by Thunder Falls Terrace while enjoying a snack)
We ate one of our meals at Three Broomsticks. The chicken and ribs with corn and potatoes were really good! Of course, we had to get butterbeer, regular and frozen and ride some rides in Hogsmeade.
Other food favorites from around the park are the Crescent Moon Bakery for sweets. Fire Eater’s Grill is located in a quiet section of the park which is great for a meal and relaxing for a bit.
We can’t wait to visit again soon and spend a few more days riding, eating, and just having fun!
See more while we were walking through the parks and of course the Mardi Gras parade.