How Do Florida Resident Universal Tickets Work?
Florida residents are able to purchase Universal Studios tickets at a discount. However, the exact promotion and subsequent discount changes throughout the year.
These discounts are typically only available on multi-day tickets (excluding Volcano Bay where FL residents can get $10 off a one-day ticket). At the time of writing FL residents can save up to $65 on select multi-day tickets when buying online.
However, the savings will vary by day as Universal sells tickets based on a tiered price structure which is created based on estimated demand. This means that 3-day, 2-park tickets for the Universal Orlando Resort start at $235.99 for Florida residents instead of $294.99. Meanwhile, a 3-day, 3-park ticket for the Universal Orlando Resort starts at $268.99 for Florida residents instead of $335.99.
How Many Universal Studios Tickets Can A Florida Resident Buy?
A Florida resident can purchase up to 15 Universal Studios tickets online.
However, it’s important to remember that all guests over the age of 18 must have a valid Florida ID in order to use discounted Florida resident tickets to enter the Universal parks.
Can A Florida Resident Buy Discounted Universal Tickets For Friends?
Sadly you can not use your Florida resident discount to purchase Universal tickets for friends who are visiting from out-of-state.
This is because every guest over the age of 18 is required to have a valid Florida ID in order to use a discounted Florida resident ticket to enter the parks.
This does, however, theoretically mean that if your friends are under 18 or your friend’s children are under 18 then they would be able to benefit from a Florida resident discounted ticket. Although it’s worth noting this is something we personally have never tried.
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Of course, if your friends are over 18 and also Florida residents then you can purchase Universal tickets for them, however, they, along with yourself will need to present a valid Florida ID in order to use the discounted tickets to enter the parks.
Can A Florida Resident Buy Discounted Universal Tickets For Family?
Sadly you can not use your Florida resident discount to purchase Universal tickets for family members who are visiting from out-of-state.
This is because every guest over the age of 18 is required to have a valid Florida ID in order to use a discounted Florida resident ticket to enter the parks.
This does, however, theoretically mean that if any members of your family are under 18 then they would be able to benefit from a Florida resident discounted ticket. Although it’s worth noting this is something we personally have never tried.
Of course, if your family members are over 18 and also Florida residents then you can purchase Universal tickets for them, however, they, along with yourself will need to present a valid Florida ID in order to use the discounted tickets to enter the parks.
Do Florida Residents Get Discounts On Universal Studios Annual Passes?
Alongside single park tickets, Florida residents are also able to benefit from discounts on Universal Studios Annual Passes.
There are four tiers of Annual Passes available to Florida residents:
- Seasonal Pass: $324.99 (for non-Florida residents, it’s $424.99)
- Power Pass: $374.99 (for non-Florida residents, it’s $474.99)
- Preferred Pass: $439.99 (for non-Florida residents, it’s $539.99)
- Premier Pass: $639.99 (for non-Florida residents, it’s $754.99)
These annual passes only allow you to access the two theme parks at the Universal Orlando Resort (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure). If you want access to Volcano Bay, Universal’s water park, that’s an additional fee.
Seasonal Pass & Power Pass
The Seasonal Pass and the Power Pass are the most limited options, with quite a few blackout dates and minimal benefits.
Although the Power Pass does offer 50% off self-parking at Universal and free admission to select special events.
Preferred Pass
The Preferred Pass offers much more, including;
- Unlimited access to both parks with no blackout dates
- Free self-parking after your first visit
- Early Park Admission (some blackout dates apply)
- Free admission to select special events
- 10% discount on food & merchandise
Premier Pass
At the highest tier, the Premier Pass provides unlimited access to both parks with no blackout dates and is the best deal for Florida residents.
If you plan to spend more than a handful of days at Universal throughout the year, this pass quickly pays for itself.
The other benefits of this annual pass include;
- Free Prime self-parking & free Valet parking after your first visit
- Early Park Admission with no blackout dates
- Free Universal Express Pass after 4pm
- Free ticket to Halloween Horror Nights
- 15% discount on food and merchandise
Do Florida Residents Get Hotel Deals?
In addition to discounts on tickets and annual passes, Florida residents can also get deals on hotel rooms at Universal Orlando.
Although the exact promotions change seasonally, Florida residents can currently benefit from more than 35% off select hotel rooms at Universal Resorts.
Do Florida Residents Get Discounted Parking?
Unfortunately, Florida residents do not get a discount on parking and sadly parking at Universal Orlando does not come cheap.
Currently, parking at the theme parks carries the following daily price tag:
- General Parking – $27
- Prime Upgrade – $32
- Prime Parking – $60
- Valet Parking – $27 (for less than 2 hours)
- RV/Bus Parking – $32 per day
However, Florida residents do get discounts on Annual Passes, some of which include free or discounted parking.
How Do You Prove You Are A Florida Resident To Universal Studios?
In order to obtain any of the above Florida resident discounts at Universal Studios, you will need to demonstrate proof of Florida residency.
Eligible Florida residency documentation includes;
- Florida drivers licence
- Florida State ID card (which must have a Florida address)
- Florida voter’s registration card with corresponding photo ID
- College or university ID from any school in Florida
How Do You Purchase Universal Studios Florida Resident Tickets?
The best place to purchase your Florida resident Universal Studios tickets (and see the latest Florida resident promotions) is on the Universal Orlando website.
Universal Orlando Travel Planning Guide
🎟️ Where To Buy Tickets for Universal Orlando?
If you’re based in the US or Canada, I recommend Klook for your Universal Orlando tickets. Klook consistently has the most competitive prices. There’s also a range of different ticket options to suit all budgets and requirements.
Meanwhile, if you’re based in the United Kingdom. Then I recommend buying your Universal Orlando theme park tickets from AttractionTix. I personally use AttractionTix when purchasing Orlando theme park tickets. That’s because AttractionTix consistently has the most competitive prices and incredible customer service.
🏥 Should I Buy Travel Insurance for a Visit to Universal Orlando?
If you’re travelling to Universal Orlando for vacation, then travel insurance is recommended. Basic travel insurance coverage with Safety Wing averages between $5 – $10 per day and offers peace of mind.
However, if a trip to Universal Orlando isn’t part of a vacation. For example, you live locally. Then travel insurance isn’t likely to be necessary.
🚘 Do I Need to Rent a Car for a Visit to Universal Orlando?
You don’t need to rent a car to visit Universal Orlando, as the resort has Uber / Lyft pick-up and drop-off points. However, if Universal Orlando makes up the majority of your vacation, then you may want to stay on-site.
Staying onsite at the Universal Orlando Resort comes with several perks. Including complimentary transport from the hotel to the Universal Orlando theme parks. In some cases, you can even walk from your hotel straight to the theme park gates.
However, if a trip to Universal Orlando only makes up a portion of your vacation, then you may want to rent a car. I personally use Discover Cars to find the best car rental for all of my trips to Orlando.
🏨 Where to Stay When Visiting Universal Orlando?
If you’re spending the majority of your vacation at Universal Orlando, it’s a good idea to stay at a Universal Orlando hotel. Staying onsite at Universal Orlando comes with several perks, including;
- Early park admission
- Complimentary transport
- Complimentary Universal Express Passes (selected hotels only)
- Walking distance of the Universal theme parks (selected hotels only)
While staying onsite at Universal Orlando is great value for money, it can still be out of budget for many. Thankfully, there are several budget-friendly hotels close to Universal Orlando to choose from.
Meanwhile, if Universal Orlando only makes up part of your Orlando vacation, then you may want to stay elsewhere. Kissimmee, International Drive and Lake Buena Vista are all within a 40-minute drive of Universal Orlando.
When it comes to booking hotels in Orlando, I use either Booking.com or Hotels.com. However, for large families and groups, VRBO is my number one choice.
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