What To Wear To Universal Studios Orlando (2023)

Are you struggling to decide what to wear to the Universal Orlando Resort? We have visited the theme parks here more than ten times in the past eight years, so it’s safe to say we’ve learnt a lot about what to wear (and what not to wear) during your visit to ensure a fun-filled, comfortable day!

Things To Consider When Deciding What To Wear To Universal Studios

When planning what you’re going to wear to the Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure theme park you’ll want to consider a couple of things;

• Time of year
• Comfort
• Universal dress code policy

If you’re visiting the parks during the cooler months such as January and February for example, then bringing a light jacket to keep warm is a great idea, especially during the mornings and evenings.

However, on hot summer days, you’ll likely want to trade in the long trousers or jeans for a pair of lightweight shorts and a tank top instead.

What To Wear To Universal Studios

The key to an epic Universal Studios outfit is to combine comfort with style. You’ll be spending long days at the parks, walking upwards of 10,000 steps, often in extreme heat and humidity.

However, you’ll also no doubt be taking some incredible photos to remember your time inside the parks so you’ll want to make sure you are happy with how your outfit looks.

Shorts & Skirts

When visiting Universal Studios in the summer months our go-to item is a good pair of shorts. We like a pair that’s got good pockets (ideally with zips) so we can store a bank card and our mobile phone in them safely and access them quickly as and when required.

While denim shorts are an option, they aren’t ideal if you get caught in the rain or go on a water ride since they take a long time to dry. Instead, we look for a pair made of cotton, ideally with some stretch in the waist (for when we’ve had one Butterbeer too many).

Trousers & Leggings

If you don’t enjoy wearing shorts or a skirt, or are simply visiting the Universal parks during the winter months then consider trousers or leggings as an alternative.

Depending on the daytime temperatures you’ll want to consider either a lightweight loose fabric such as linen, or something slightly thicker such as denim or joggers. Helen loves wearing leggings to the Universal Studios parks on slightly cooler days – especially ones with pockets!

Dresses, Jumpsuits & Playsuits

Dresses, jumpsuits and playsuits are a great alternative to the t-shirt and short combo for women. However, you’ll want to be conscious when going on rides and ensure that you reapply sunblock if you choose an item that exposes your shoulders.

🧍‍♀️Best Choice For Women: This casual crewneck one-piece provides shoulder coverage, comes in a range of colours and has pockets!

T-Shirts

We personally choose t-shirts over vests when visiting Universal Studios for extra protection for our shoulders in the sun. Thankfully t-shirts come in a wide range of styles and sizes to suit everyone including those who want to dress in Universal Studios inspired t-shirts, and those who are happy with more of a neutral look.

Personally, we love wearing Universal-inspired t-shirts including references to Harry Potter, Jurassic Park and Minions. Themed t-shirts can be purchased from a range of stores online in advance (the cheaper option) or purchased as a souvenir at the Universal Studios Resort during your visit.

If you’re visiting Universal Studios during the slightly cooler months, we’d advise against wearing long-sleeved shirts as it can still get very hot during the middle of the day (you’re still in ‘the sunshine state’ after all). Instead, we recommend layering your t-shirt with a light jacket which can be taken off and stored in either your backpack or a locker if it’s not required.

🧍‍♂️Best Choice For Harry Potter Fans: Helen adored wearing this Herbology t-shirt on our most recent trip. Meanwhile, I rocked this Quidditch-inspired option.

🧍‍♀️Best Choice For Jurassic Park Fans: I loved this classic Jurassic Park logo t-shirt that comes in a range of colours.

Jackets & Cardigans

If you’re visiting Universal Studios Orlando during the winter months (November – February) you’ll likely also want to wear a jacket and potentially even a hat or a scarf (we recently visited in January and it was FREEZING!)

Meanwhile, if you’re visiting during the shoulder months (March, April, September, and October) then it’s likely you’ll still need a jacket albeit just in the early mornings and in the evening, especially if you’re staying until the park closes to experience the Universal Studios Florida fireworks and evening performance.

As such we highly recommend finding a jacket that’s small enough and light enough to be put in a backpack, under a stroller or even in one of the lockers inside the theme park.

Footwear

During your trip to Universal Studios you’ll be doing a lot of walking (we often walk in excess of 15,000 steps a day during our visit). As such it’s incredibly important to ensure that you’re in comfortable shoes. The three most common styles of footwear worn at Universal Studios are;

• Trainers
• Flip Flops
• Sandals / Crocs

We personally find that our flip-flops and sandals begin to rub with so much walking at the parks so instead we save those for around the pool and at the water parks and instead opt for trainers.

🧍‍♂️Best Choice For Men: These Sketchers classic fit sneakers are both incredibly comfortable and stylish.

🧍‍♀️Best Choice For Women: These low-rise Converse are super comfortable and come in a range of colours.

Accessories

Some other items you may want to consider either wearing or bringing with you for a day at the Universal Studios park include;

• Sunhat / Baseball cap
• Fanny Pack
• Sunglasses
• Sunblock
• Small backpack

These items can help protect you from the sun, and make you feel more comfortable while exploring.

Meanwhile, if like my wife Helen you’re a big fan of Harry Potter you may also want to bring with you one of the Harry Potter robes to wear and an interactive wand to use while exploring The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.