You know how in Wicked, Galinda and Elphaba sing about “One short day in the Emerald City?” (Just us? Are we the only Broadway geeks around here?) Well, take our word for it, they do… but that’s NOT you!
You have three glorious days in Universal Orlando! With so much to see and do, it can feel like a mystery on how to prioritize it all, and still fit in some much needed relaxation and luxuriating. Leave it to us (and we’ll keep the showtunes to a minimum…maybe….) because we’re going to help you plan your BEST three days in Universal!
You’ve got three days in Universal Studios, and this might just be the most perfect allotment of time to experience all of the thrills, but also have that luxury of not feeling too rushed and even have a chance to revisit some of your favorite attractions and shows.
Let’s get a lay of the land. Universal Orlando Resort comprises the following:
- Two theme parks (soon to be three!)
- Universal Studios Florida
- Universal’s Islands of Adventure
- Coming Soon — Epic Universe opening in 2025
- One water park—Universal’s Volcano Bay
- Eight official hotels
- A shopping & dining district — CityWalk Orlando
The other big focus you must plan for is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The Wizarding World is not its own park, nor is it entirely inside a single theme park. Each park, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, has its section of the Wizarding World. Hogsmeade (in Islands of Adventure) and Diagon Alley (in Universal Studios) — and you’ll need to visit BOTH parks to see it all!
Since this is going to be your BEST 3-day itinerary, we’re going to assume a few things (which may require a bit of a splurge, but we’ll toss in some budget-friendly options, too).
First, we’re going to plan for you to have the Park-to-Park access ticket, so you can easily transition between Studios and Islands of Adventure. To get the maximum freedom and flexibility, we recommend the 3-Park, 3-Day Ticket, which allows you to visit any (or ALL) three Universal parks (Studios, Islands, and Volcano Bay) all three days. These tickets start at $341.99 per person.
Second, we’re going to plan for you to have an Express Pass for the duration of your three days. If you’re staying at Universal Studios Premier Resort, the Unlimited Express Pass is included with your stay and lets you skip the standby line at any of the participating attractions throughout the day. If you’re not staying at a Premier Resort, you’ll have to pay for the Express Pass (or Unlimited Express Pass) separately. For this situation, we’re just gonna focus on the Express Pass, which lets you skip the standby queue at participating attractions once per day. The price of the Express Pass varies based on the day and the park, but starts at $89.99.
And finally, we’re going to assume that you’re staying at a Universal Resort because even guests staying at the lowest tier, Endless Summer, get Early Park Admission to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Ok, you’ve got your hotel stay, you’ve got your park tickets, you’ve got your Express Pass, you’ve got your ruby slippers or flying broom…. ok, maybe not those last two… but you’re ready for your best three days in Universal!
To minimize backtracking and rushing all around the theme parks, we’re gonna focus on staying in primarily one park each day — but we have that Park-to-Park access, so you have that freedom to bounce between parks to catch some shows or revisit favorite attractions. It will especially be useful for riding the Magical Express between Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley and back again. So, let’s get started!
Day One: Universal Studios
Your morning should focus on completing these attractions:
- Despicable Me (if you have Early Park Entry)
- Rip Ride Rockit
- Transformers
- Revenge of the Mummy
- The Simpsons Ride
- Villain-Con Minion Blast
- Men In Black
- E.T. Adventure
Catch your breath, take a breath, and grab a quick bite for lunch at the Leaky Cauldron. Or, if you want a longer break, head over to Finnegan’s Bar and Grill.
Once you’ve fortified yourself, head back out for an afternoon filled with some great shows and entertainment, and that magical wizarding world!
- Blues Brothers / Sing It! / Marilyn / Beat Builders
- Bourne Stuntacular
- Animal Actors on Location
- Explore Diagon Alley & indulge in a Butter Beer
- The Tales of Beedle the Bard
- Escape from Gringotts
- Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem (unless you completed during Early Park Entry)
- Race Through New York (Virtual Queue)
- Fast & Furious (Virtual Queue)
By this time, you might be hankering for dinner. Whichever dining location you didn’t visit for lunch is what we recommend for dinner. Or you can wander out to CityWalk for additional options that suit your fancy.
- Continue exploring the details of Diagon Alley & Knockturn Alley
- Ice cream at Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour
- Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts or Universal Orlando’s Cinematic Celebration
This may seem like you’re racing through Universal Studios at a ragged pace, but remember — you’ve got Express Pass! So, many of those lines you can bypass to free up some time for a leisurely stroll to your next experience. You can take your time to enjoy the shows and entertainment throughout the park. And if those dining options inside Studios don’t feel particularly appealing, you can always wander out to CityWalk for something else that tickles your fancy. With Express Pass and Early Entry, you’ve got a bit of extra time to seek out some personal preferences.
Day Two: Islands of Adventure
Your morning should focus on completing these attractions:
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
- VelociCoaster
- Skull Island: Reign of Kong
- Incredible Hulk Coaster
- Jurassic Park River Adventure
- Ripsaw Falls
- Bilge-Rat Barges
- Cat in the Hat
- Caro-Seuss-el
- Mystic Fountain
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
While you’re in Hogsmeade, grab lunch at the Three Broomsticks, and by grabbing it at an off-time, you’ll avoid the bulk of the crowds. Be sure to check out the Mobile Order option to reduce your wait even more. You can let your meal digest while you watch one of the Hogsmeade shows.
- Triwizard Spirit Rally / Frog Choir
- Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear
- One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish
- Watch the other Hogsmeade show Triwizard Spirit Rally / Frog Choir
- Flight of the Hippogriff
- Dr. Doom’s Fear Fall
- The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
- Storm Force Accelatron
- Sky Seuss Trolley Train
- Explore Hogsmeade or Meet some favorite Universal Characters
By now, you must be ready for dinner! We suggest a quick meal at Hog’s Head, or for a more relaxed experience, head over to Mythos.
After dinner, you can continue exploring the details of Hogsmeade.
- Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle
- Queue for Hogwarts Express
It’s never a bad time to ride the Hogwarts Express, so if there is a certain attraction at either park that deserves a re-ride, then Hogwarts Express is a fun way to traverse between the two parks. And the experience is different either you board from Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley, so be sure to ride it both ways for the full experience.
Day Three: Volcano Bay & Revisit
Pull on the bathing suit, you’re in for a day of thrills of the water park variety! Visiting Volcano Bay is not like visiting the other Universal Parks — the water slides, giant wave pool, and lazy river may have given a hint about that. Universal Resort guests get Early Entry to Volcano Bay, too, so set your alarms because that means you can actually get into Volcano Bay as early at 8AM some days.
For optimum luxuriating, we recommend reserving a cabana or premium seating (just call 877-489-8068). This gives you a base camp to set your towels and things while you experience those water rides (lockers are available for your valuables). The cabanas can hold from six to sixteen(!) people, and come stocked with padded lounge chairs, a small refrigerator stocked with bottled water, complimentary fruit and snack basket, towel and locker service, plus concierge service with an exclusive menu of food and drink delivered directly to the cabana. There’s a premium price for this based on the size of cabana and the season, but it’s a great way to find that ultimate relaxation.
You’ll also need to snag a Tapu Tapu when you enter the park. This is how you join the lines at Volcano Bay. Just scan the wristband at the water attraction you want to experience, and then return when your ride time is ready. This saves you (and your poor tootsies) from standing on hot pavement in a line getting that classic Florida sunkissed looked while you wait to ride.
Your morning should focus on completing these attractions:
- Krakatau Aqua Coaster
- Ko’okiri Body Plunge
- Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides
- Punga Racers
- Maku Puihi Round Raft Rides
- Ohyah and Ohno Drop Slides
- Taniwha Tubes
- Honu Ika Moana
Plan to pack up around 3PM to head back to your resort to shower, cool down and spend your last evening in Universal’s parks. After all that sun and fun in the water, your crew is probably starving and ready for an early dinner. Head to CityWalk and dine at one of the many restaurants there. Antiojios Authentic Mexican Food is highly rated among our readers, or Hard Rock Cafe is popular for those looking for a solid burger or ribs. Both require reservations, though, so plan ahead!
Now that you’re relaxed, cleaned up, and fed, you can head back into Universal to revisit any of your favorite attractions! You still have a few hours and that Express Pass, so you can squeeze in a few more rides, or just enjoy wandering through your favorite areas like Jurassic Park or the Wizarding World and soaking in the details.
Don’t forget to stay for the nighttime shows, and you can even time it right and ride the Magical Express between the two parks to see them BOTH!
What a jam-packed three days! We fit in thrills, shows, food, magic, and also managed to have time to relax and re-ride some of our favorites! We did it all, and managed to keep the showtunes to a minimum!
How to Do a Universal Day If You’re Staying at Walt Disney World
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What do you think of our 3-Day Itinerary? Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below!
it’s just me and my husband with no littles (we’re empty nesters!) so I think we will skip the Dr. Suess rides but other than that this seems like a good itinerary!