Best Itinerary For Universal Studios Orlando (Universal Studios Florida & Islands of Adventure)

As previous annual pass holders, we have had the pleasure of visiting the Universal Orlando Resort multiple times over the past decade and as such, have got the perfect day inside the park down to a tee.

In this perhaps, over-enthusiastic article we’ll be going into detail regarding the best way to;

• Spend one day at Universal Studios Florida

• Spend one day at Islands of Adventure

• Spend one day at both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure

However, a fantastic day at the Universal Orlando Resort actually begins before the day itself with planning and preparation.

Before Your Trip To The Universal Orlando Resort

Before your trip to the Universal Studios Orlando Resort, you need to do a couple of things to ensure your day runs as smoothly as possible.

Purchase Park Tickets

First, is to go ahead and purchase your Universal Studios Orlando theme park tickets.

While tickets can be purchased at the gate, we’d advise against this since it’s often more expensive and time-consuming.

If you’re based in the US or Canada we recommend booking direct using the Universal Studios Orlando website.

If you’re based in the UK we recommend AttractionTix for Universal Studios Orlando theme park tickets. They have the most competitive prices and incredible customer service.

Decide How You’re Travelling To The Universal Studios Orlando Resort

Depending on where you’re staying and how you’re planning on getting to Universal Studios Orlando will depend on how long it’ll take you to get to the resort.

If you’re staying on-site at one of the Universal Studios Orlando hotels then you’ll want to consider how you’re going to get from your hotel to the parks (complimentary bus, walking or water taxi where eligible).

Each method takes a different amount of time and some will have larger queues than others.

For example, the amount of time we spent waiting for a bus from Dockside at Endless Summer Resort at 6.45am to arrive for the early access was similar to what it would have been should we have chosen to walk to the park ourselves.

Be sure to factor in an additional five or ten minutes here for those unexpected queues or any traffic to avoid disappointment.

Agree On Your ‘Must Go On’ Rides & Experiences

We recommend putting together a list of all the roller coasters and attractions you would most like to experience during your day at the theme park.

This list is unique to you and your family and will drive the order of your day inside the park.

A full list of all the rides inside the Universal Orlando Resort is available which includes a brief description of the ride with minimal spoilers. This can then be filtered based on your requirements.

Check Kids Heights

If you’re travelling with kids then be sure to measure them and compare their height with the height requirements for selected rides within the park.

This is good planning for two reasons;

Firstly, it gives you a chance to prepare them for the fact that they aren’t able to go on selected rides within the park.

Rather than being surprised and disappointed inside the theme park, which combined with the excitement of being at the park itself can lead to a meltdown (been there!)

Second, it saves you from waiting in line for a ride that you’re not eligible to go on.

It’s a race against the clock inside the park, especially during the first few hours when the park has just opened. Waiting in line here for a ride that you don’t go on could add hours onto your day later down the line.

Decide Whether You’ll Purchase An Express Pass

In certain situations, you may also want to invest in an Express Pass.

While this can be purchased upon your arrival at the theme park, this again wastes valuable time.

As such we highly recommend deciding (and budgeting for) an Express Pass ahead of time so that once you’re in the park you can use it straight away.

Check The Park Opening Times

The first hour inside the theme park is the best you’ll experience all day.

As such we recommend checking out the opening times for the park you’re visiting in advance and planning your morning accordingly to ensure that you’re at the entrance of the theme park with plenty of time to spare.

Make Dining Reservations

If you’re visiting the Universal Orlando Resort during the peak season then we recommend making dining reservations in advance – especially for dinner at CityWalk.

Without a reservation, you may find yourself eating dinner either super early, super late or not at all.

Check Early Park Admission

If you’re staying on-site at the Universal Orlando Resort then you’re eligible for early park admission to a selected Universal Orlando Resort theme park.

The theme park varies throughout the year, therefore it’s worth researching in advance as to which one you’re able to gain entry to and adjusting your morning schedule accordingly to ensure that you’re at the park gates with plenty of time to spare.

Universal Studios Florida – One Day Itinerary

This Universal Studios Florida theme park itinerary allows for one full day at the park. If you’re planning a second day at Universal’s Islands of Adventure we’ve covered that itinerary here.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking to cover both Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure in one day we’ve covered that itinerary here.

7.00am – Head To The Park

You want to ensure you arrive at the entrance to the Universal Studios Florida theme park at least 20 minutes prior to opening.

From there you can work backwards to better understand what time you’ll need to set off and subsequently wake up in order to arrive on time.

For example;

If the park is opening at 9.00am during your visit, then you’ll want to be at the park gates at 8.40am.

If you’re driving to the Universal Studios Orlando Resort from another hotel or villa, then you’ll need to park at CityWalk.

The walk from the CityWalk parking garage to the Universal Studios Florida theme park is around 30 minutes (including security checks). So you’ll want to make sure you’re vehicle is parked up at 8.10am.

If you’ve got young kids with strollers then getting out of the car and ensuring you have all your belongings may add another 10 minutes here.

Arriving at the resort, paying for parking and making your way into the parking garage is another 10 to 20 minutes during the peak-morning time. So we want to make sure we’re at the entrance to the resort in our vehicles by 7.50am.

Depending on where you’re travelling from that morning will depend on how long the drive to the resort takes.

However, in all cases, you’ll want to add on an additional 10 to 20 minutes to allow for commuter traffic.

In this case, we’ll assume it’s usually a 20-minute drive, which we’re rounding up to 30 minutes.

This means we need to be setting off from our hotel or villa at 7.20am.

If you’ve not already had breakfast inside your hotel or villa then you’ll want to grab that on the way and account for how long it will likely take when planning.

Remember, the first two hours inside the Universal Studios theme parks are the most important since this is the quietest the park will be all day.

As such you don’t want to be waiting 10 to 30 minutes of this time grabbing breakfast or a coffee (not to mention it’s also significantly more expensive inside the parks).

9.00am – Park Opening

If you’re staying in an on-site Universal hotel then you’ll be eligible for early park admission.

Only one of the two Universal theme parks has early admission at one time. So, depending on when you visit it may be Universal Studios Florida, or it may be Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

If it is the Universal Studios Florida theme park during your visit then you’ll want to shuffle this park opening time back to that time and adjust your arrival time at the park entrance accordingly.

---

The first two hours at the Universal Studios Florida theme park are the most important since these two hours will be the quietest you’ll experience inside the park.

For example; the wait time for the Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit in the first hour is likely to be less than 30 minutes.

However, by lunchtime, you could easily be waiting in excess of an hour – adding on an hour of ‘waiting in line’ time to your day from just one ride.

That being said, not everyone is going to want to head to the same ride.

This is where deciding which rides are most important to you and your family comes in.

You want to go ahead and take that list, and check out the average standby wait time for each of the rides.

Remember, you’ll also want to ensure that everyone who wants to ride is tall enough to do so.

The ride you want to head to first should be the ride with the highest standby wait time on that list.

For adults and older kids it’s likely to be;

• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
• The Mummy
• Escape From Gringotts

Meanwhile, for kids it’s likely to be;

• Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
• The Simpsons Ride
• Men in Black: Alien Attack
• Escape From Gringotts

If you’re travelling with Harry Potter fans, then you may want to skip the rides altogether and instead head straight for Diagon Alley inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Getting here early makes for some incredible photo opportunities and gives you a chance to explore with plenty of space around you – something you will not get the chance to do later on during the day.

Between the park opening and lunch, your goal is to get on as many rides as possible. Since the amount of time you’ll save later in the day is so significant.

For this reason, it’s well worth grabbing an online copy of the Universal Studios Florida map.

Locate the ride you’re going to first. That’s the ride that’s on your ‘must go on’ list with the longest average standby wait time.

Then you’ll want to find the closest ride to that ride that’s also on your ‘must go on list’.

For those with Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, the second stop is likely to be The Mummy.

For those with The Simpsons Ride, the next stop is likely to be Men in Black etc.

This not only saves your legs, but also minimises the amount of time you’ll spend walking around the park between rides.

12.30pm – Lunch

After ride hopping across the park all morning, you’ll no doubt be ready for lunch.

There are a number of different fantastic lunch spots within the Universal Studios Florida theme park or outside in CityWalk.

If you’re just looking for food, and nothing else then we recommend using a map to find the nearest restaurant rather than wasting both your legs and your time wandering around the park.

However, if you’re looking for more of a dining experience or a specific type of food then it’s worth considering this in advance of your trip.

For example; Harry Potter fans will no doubt love to dine on British cuisine inside The Leaky Cauldron at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Meanwhile, fans of Mexican cuisine may prefer grabbing a taco from Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck in Springfield, home of The Simpsons.

If you’re looking for more of a formal lunch experience then it’s worth heading out of Universal Studios Florida and into CityWalk where you can choose from The Hard Rock Cafe, Vivo, Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, Cowfish, Margaritaville and more.

1.30pm – Shows & Performances

By lunchtime, Universal Studios Florida has likely reached its peak capacity for the day and will be the busiest you’ll experience during your one-day visit.

As such, wait times for popular rides within the theme park will likely be significantly longer than what you were seeing earlier this morning.

This makes for a perfect time to experience some of the incredible live shows and performances within the park.

Shows inside the Universal Studios Florida theme park include;

• The Bourne Stuntacular
• Animal Actors
• The Blues Brothers Show
• Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-Up Show

Shows take place multiple times a day, however, the exact start times vary. Display boards within the theme park will list the show times for the day you’re visiting specifically.

Alternatively, you can check show times on the Universal Orlando mobile application.

---

If shows and performances aren’t your thing, then we recommend grabbing the Universal Orlando mobile app and looking for rides that have the lowest wait time.

Alternatively, if there are any rides on your ‘must ride list’ that you’ve not already ticked off, you can go ahead and do those now (although be prepared for a long wait) or aim to come back to them after dinner as guests prepare to leave the park.

5.30pm – Dinner

After an afternoon of fun-filled shows and performances, it’s time for dinner.

Again, if you’re looking for something more formal we highly recommend heading out into CityWalk – although make sure you have a dining reservation if you’re visiting during the peak season.

Meanwhile, if you’re happy with anything, then just head to your nearest food serving location.

Some of our favourite dinnertime locations within the Universal Studios Florida theme park include;

• Mel’s Drive-In
• Finnegan’s Bar and Grill
• Richter’s Burger Company

7.00pm – Missed Rides & Attractions

After dinner, the park will begin to quieten down with many guests leaving the resort for dinner and not returning.

This makes this time of day the second-best time (after the first hour(s) in the morning) to head on rides and attractions within the park.

Your first choice should be the ride on your ‘must ride list’ that has the lowest wait time. You’ll want to combine your list together with the wait times shown on the Universal Orlando Resort mobile app to find this.

You’ll then move through your list, finding the next ride with the lowest wait time and so on and so forth until you’ve gone on everything you want to inside the park.

Once you’ve completed your ‘must ride list’ you can go around the park and either go on rides that you haven’t experienced or go on some rides you’ve already been on again.

Meanwhile, for those with a park-to-park ticket, now is also a great time to go on the Hogwarts Express to Islands of Adventure.

The journey from Kings Cross Station at Universal Studios Florida to Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure differs from that from Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure back to Kings Cross Station at Universal Studios Florida.

As such we recommend that once you arrive at Hogsmeade you get back in line and come back to the Universal Studios Florida theme park ready for Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration.

9.00pm – Fireworks & Park Closing

Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration takes place one hour before the park closes. As such if the park closes at 10pm, the fireworks show usually takes place at 9pm – which is the case for the majority of the year.

The performance lasts approximately 18 minutes. During that time there are roughly 20 fireworks with the majority coming in the final minute of the performance.

It’s worth noting that while this show is fantastic, it is in our opinion nothing compared to the fireworks you’d experience at Magic Kingdom within the Walt Disney World Resort.

This is predominantly due to zoning laws which restrict the height and sound that the fireworks within the Universal Studios Orlando Resort are able to produce.

That being said, if you do want to stay and watch the performance then the best place to do so is in the Central Park area.

From here you’ll not only get the best view of the fireworks but also the water and light display that takes place on the lagoon with the backdrop of Richter’s Burger Co.

If you don’t want to see the fireworks performance, then this can be one of the best times to head on some rides since the majority of guests who remain inside the theme park are in the Central Park area watching the performance.

Once the show ends, you’ll exit out of Production Central and into CityWalk from where you’re able to go to either your on-site hotel or back to your car in the CityWalk parking garage.

Universal’s Islands of Adventure – One Day Itinerary

This Islands of Adventure theme park itinerary allows for one full day at the park. If you’re planning a second day at Universal Studios Florida then we’ve covered that itinerary here.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking to cover both Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure in one day we’ve covered that itinerary here.

7.00am – Head To The Park

You want to ensure you arrive at the entrance to the Islands of Adventure theme park at least 20 minutes prior to opening.

From there you can work backwards to better understand what time you’ll need to set off and subsequently wake up in order to arrive on time.

For example;

If the park is opening at 9.00am during your visit, then you’ll want to be at the park gates at 8.40am.

If you’re driving to the Universal Studios Orlando Resort from another hotel or villa, then you’ll need to park at CityWalk.

The walk from the CityWalk parking garage to the Islands of Adventure theme park is around 25 minutes (including security checks). So you’ll want to make sure you’re vehicle is parked up at 8.10am.

If you’ve got small children with strollers then getting out of the car and ensuring you have all your belongings may add another 10 minutes here.

Arriving at the resort, paying for parking and making your way into the parking garage is another 10 to 20 minutes during the peak-morning time.

So we want to make sure we’re at the entrance to the resort in our vehicles by 7.50am.

Depending on where you’re travelling from that morning will depend on how long the drive to the resort takes.

However, in all cases, you’ll want to add on an additional 10 to 20 minutes to allow for commuter traffic.

In this case, we’ll assume it’s usually a 20-minute drive, which we’re rounding up to 30 minutes.

This means we need to be setting off from our hotel or villa at 7.20am.

If you’ve not already had breakfast inside your hotel or villa then you’ll want to grab that on the way and account for how long it will likely take when planning.

Remember, the first two hours inside Islands of Adventure are going to be the most important since this is the quietest the park will be all day.

As such you don’t want to be waiting 10 to 30 minutes of this time grabbing breakfast or a coffee (not to mention it’s also significantly more expensive inside the parks).

9.00am – Park Opening

If you’re staying on-site in a Universal Studios Orlando Resort hotel then you’ll be eligible for early park admission.

Only one of the two Universal theme parks has early admission at one time. So, depending on when you visit it may be Universal Studios Florida, or it may be Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

If it is the Islands of Adventure theme park during your visit then you’ll want to shuffle this park opening time back to that time and adjust your arrival time at the park entrance accordingly.

---

The first two hours at the Islands of Adventure theme park are the most important since these two hours will be the quietest you’ll experience inside the park.

For example; the wait time for the Jurrasic World VelociCoaster in the first hour is likely to be less than 30 minutes.

However, by lunchtime, you could easily be waiting in excess of an hour – adding an hour of ‘waiting in line’ time to your day from just one ride.

That being said, not everyone is going to want to head to the same ride.

This is where deciding which rides are most important to you and your family comes in.

You want to go ahead and take that list, and check out the average standby wait time for each of the rides.

Remember, you’ll also want to ensure that everyone who wants to ride is tall enough to do so.

The ride you want to head to first should be the ride with the highest standby wait time on that list.

For adults and teens it’s likely to be;

• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• Hulk Coaster
• Jurassic World VelociCoaster
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey

Meanwhile, for kids it’s likely to be;

• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
• Flight of the Hippogriff
• Jurassic Park River Adventure

If you’re travelling with Harry Potter fans, then you may want to skip the rides altogether and instead head straight for Hogsmeade inside the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Getting here early makes for some incredible photo opportunities and gives you a chance to explore with plenty of space around you – something you will not get the chance to do later on during the day.

Between the park opening and lunch, your goal is to get on as many rides as possible. Since the amount of time you’ll save later in the day is so significant.

For this reason, it’s well worth grabbing an online copy of the Islands of Adventure theme park map.

Locate the ride you’re going to first. That’s the ride that’s on your ‘must go on’ list with the longest average standby wait time.

Then you’ll want to find the closest ride to that ride that’s also on your ‘must go on list’.

For those with Jurassic World VelociCoaster, the second stop is likely to be Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

For those with Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, the next stop is also likely to be Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey etc.

This not only saves your legs but also minimises the amount of time you’ll spend walking around the park between rides.

12.30pm – Lunch

After ride hopping across the park all morning, you’ll no doubt be ready for lunch.

There are a number of different fantastic lunch spots within the Islands of Adventure theme park or outside at Universal CityWalk.

If you’re just looking for food, and nothing else then we recommend using a map to find the nearest restaurant rather than wasting both your legs and your time wandering around the park.

However, if you’re looking for more of a dining experience or a specific type of food then it’s worth considering this in advance of your trip.

For example; Harry Potter fans will no doubt love to dine on British cuisine inside The Three Broomsticks at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Meanwhile, fans of Mediterranean, Asian and American fare will want to head to the award-winning Mythos.

If you’re looking for more of a formal lunch experience then it’s worth heading out of Islands of Adventure and into CityWalk where you can choose from The Hard Rock Café, Vivo, Cowfish, Margaritaville and more.

1.30pm – Secondary Rides & Attractions

Unlike the Universal Studios Florida theme park, Islands of Adventure has little to no shows and performances and instead is a more rollercoaster-heavy theme park.

As such, after lunch, you’ll be heading back on some of the park’s most popular rides.

However, keep in mind that the wait times will likely be significantly longer than what you were seeing earlier this morning.

As such we highly recommend grabbing the Universal Orlando app and using this in combination with your ‘must-ride list’ to find the rides you’ve not yet experienced with the lowest wait times.

5.30pm – Dinner

After an afternoon of fun-filled experiences, it’s time for dinner.

Again, if you’re looking for something more formal we highly recommend heading out into CityWalk – although make sure you have a dining reservation if you’re visiting during the peak season.

Meanwhile, if you’re happy with anything, then just head to your nearest food serving location.

Some of our favourite dinnertime locations within the Universal Studios Florida theme park include;

• Mythos
• The Burger Digs
• Comic Strip Café

7.00pm – Missed Rides & Attractions

After dinner, the park will begin to quieten down with many guests leaving the resort for dinner and not returning.

This makes this time of day the second-best time (after the first hour(s) in the morning) to head on rides and attractions within the park.

Your first choice should still be the ride on your ‘must ride list’ that has the lowest wait time.

Again, you’ll want to combine your list together with the wait times shown on the Universal Orlando Resort mobile app to find this.

You’ll then move through your list, finding the next ride with the lowest wait time and so on and so forth until you’ve gone on everything you want to inside the park.

Once you’ve completed your ‘must ride list’ you can go around the park and either go on rides that you haven’t experienced or go on some rides you’ve already been on again.

Meanwhile, for those with a park-to-park ticket, now is also a great time to go on the Hogwarts Express to Islands of Adventure.

The journey from Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure back to Kings Cross Station at Universal Studios Florida differs from that from Kings Cross Station at Universal Studios Florida to Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure.

As such we recommend that once you arrive at Kings Cross Station you get back in line and come back to the Islands of Adventure theme park.

9.00pm – Nighttime Show & Park Closing

The Universal Hogwarts light show illuminates the park with majestic lights and sounds – it’s the perfect way to finish your incredible day at Islands of Adventure.

The performance begins as the sun sets and runs in intervals roughly every 20 minutes until the park closes.

This performance causes a large portion of the guests remaining inside the Islands of Adventure theme park to be isolated within the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

As such it can also be a great time to experience the rides and attractions elsewhere in the park with little to no wait time.

Universal Studios Florida & Universal’s Islands of Adventure – One Day Itinerary

Trying to visit Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure in one day is not something we would recommend.

However, should you wish to take on this challenge we recommend;

• Avoiding the peak season
• Staying on-site for Early Park Admission
• Staying in a Premier on-site hotel or purchasing one of the Universal Express Passes

8.00am – Park Opening

Which of the two Universal Studios Orlando theme parks you begin your day at is going to depend on which theme park is offering on-site guests early park admission for that particular day.

If it’s Islands of Adventure then you’ll begin your day there. Alternatively, if it’s Universal Studios Florida then you’ll begin your day at that theme park instead.

The first hour inside the park when admission is limited to on-site guests only is the quietest hour inside either of the parks you’ll experience all day.

However, sadly you’re only limited to selected areas and rides during this time.

At Universal Studios Florida these rides are;

• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
• Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
• Ollivanders

In this case, we recommend heading straight for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and then coming back to Despicable Me Minion Mayhem.

Unless your kids are too small to go on Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. In which case, we recommend going on Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and then heading towards the first ride within the park on your ‘must ride list’.

Meanwhile, over at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, these rides are;

• Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• Flight of the Hippogriff
• The Incredible Hulk Coaster
• Ollivanders

In this case, we recommend heading straight to Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure since this is one of only three rides inside the entire Universal Orlando Resort which is currently ineligible for use with a Universal Express Pass.

From there we recommend heading to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff and then The Incredible Hulk Coaster.

If you’re travelling with younger children then you’ll want to go on Flight of the Hippogriff and then head towards the first ride within the park on your ‘must ride list’.

Once the park opens for general admission, all rides within the theme park will be available and crowds within the park will begin to increase.

Between the park opening and lunch, your goal is to get on as many rides as possible. Since the amount of time you’ll save later in the day is so significant.

To do this you’ll want to go ahead and take your ‘must ride list’, and filter it by the park you’re currently in due to early park admission.

From there you’ll want to select the ride with the highest average standby wait time.

At the Universal Studios Florida theme park your first ride is likely to be;

• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
• The Mummy
• The Simpsons Ride
• Men in Black: Alien Attack

Meanwhile, over at Islands of Adventure, your first ride is likely to be;

• Jurassic Park River Adventure
• Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls
• Skull Island: Reign of Kong
• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

This list assumes that you’ve covered all of the eligible rides available to you in the early park admission period. If you haven’t then include those rides in this list and go with the one with the highest average standby wait time.

From your selected starting ride you’re then going to move around the park going to the next closest ride that’s also on your ‘must go on list’.

So for those with Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, the second stop is likely to be The Mummy.

For those with The Simpsons Ride, the next stop is likely to be Men in Black etc.

This not only saves your legs but also minimises the amount of time you’ll spend walking around the park between rides.

1.30pm – Lunch

After ride hopping across the park all morning, you’ll no doubt be ready for lunch.

There are a number of different fantastic lunch spots within the Universal Studios theme parks or outside in CityWalk.

If you’re just looking for food, and nothing else then we recommend using a map to find the nearest restaurant rather than wasting both your legs and your time wandering around the park.

However, if you’re looking for more of a dining experience or a specific type of food then it’s worth considering this in advance of your trip.

2.30pm – Swap Parks

After spending five and a half hours in one park (excluding lunch), it’s time to swap to the other park.

So, if you started out at Universal Studios Florida you’ll be heading over to Islands of Adventure.

Meanwhile, if you started out at Islands of Adventure you’ll be heading over to Universal Studios Florida.

How you get between the parks is up to you.

You can either walk out of the main exit of one and in through the main entrance at the other, crossing through CityWalk as you go.

Alternatively, you can take the Hogwarts Express.

However, the Hogwarts Express usually reaches its peak wait times around this point during the day and as such you may find yourself waiting in line for up to an hour (without an Express Pass).

This will of course deduct from your time in the second park and may result in you missing out on one or more of the rides on your ‘must-ride list’ for that park as a result.

Once you’re inside the second park you’re going to want to begin with the ride on your ‘must ride list’ with the lowest wait time according to the Universal Orlando mobile application.

You’ll then move through your list, finding the next ride with the lowest wait time according to the app and so on and so forth until you’ve gone on everything you want to inside the park.

If you're heading to Universal Studios Florida in the afternoon as your second park then be sure to take note of the show and performance times. 

Many live shows have their last performances between 5pm and 6pm. As such you'll only have a limited amount of time to experience these when inside the park.

7.30pm – Dinner

After an afternoon of rollercoasters and performances, it’s time for dinner.

Again, if you’re looking for something more formal we highly recommend heading out into CityWalk – although make sure you have a dining reservation if you’re visiting during the peak season.

Meanwhile, if you’re happy with anything, then just head to your nearest food serving location.

Both of the Universal theme parks usually close between 8pm and 10pm (the exact time varies between parks and the time of year).

As such after dinner, it’s highly unlikely you’ll have time to head back inside either of the parks.

Of course, depending on your in-park performance and how hungry you are, you could go ahead and just have a snack, pushing back dinner to maximise more time in the parks.