Our 4 Day Universal Orlando Itinerary: Perfect for Your First Visit!

Planning your first trip to Universal Orlando Resort? Here’s the 4 day Universal Orlando itinerary I wish I had when I was planning our trip!

Listen, I’m a Disney girl through and through. But as soon as Universal unveiled their incredibly detailed Epic Universe and my kiddo started getting old enough (and brave enough) for some of the bigger coasters, a trip to Universal Orlando went to the top of our travel list. And while there are definitely some big differences between Universal and Disney, we had an absolute blast!

This is a full recap of exactly what we did during our four days at Universal Orlando. But keep in mind that your priorities may be different, and your ride availability may vary. For example: We definitely would have ridden Escape from Gringotts earlier in the day, but it was shut down almost our entire day in Universal Studios!

So I’m going to do my best to tell you what we did, and what I would recommend you plan for based on lessons we learned! I’m also including timestamps so you can get an idea of what a realistic day might look like.

Universal Orlando Resort Basics

Before you go, here are the basics you need to know about Universal Orlando Resort!

There are three theme parks and one water park at Universal Orlando:

Universal Studios
Islands of Adventure
Epic Universe
Volcano Bay (water park)

Universal Orlando Resort has eleven on-site resorts, but there are also nearby off-site hotels you can choose from.

What characters and IP will you find at Universal? The biggest draws for most people are Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and Nintendo (Mario). But you’ll also find DreamWorks characters (like Shrek and Trolls), Marvel Super Heroes, and How to Train Your Dragon.

PS – You can get all my best Universal tips here!

Hotel & Tickets

First up, lets talk planning for just a bit, mostly hotels and tickets!

Where We Stayed

There are three classes of hotels at Universal, and we chose to stay in one of the Value Inn & Suites.

The Value Inn & Suites at Universal are:

We stayed at Universal Endless Summer Resort Surfside, and I thought it was a great place to stay! This is a Value Resort, so on the less expensive side. But honestly? Compared to Disney’s Value Resorts like Pop Century, I thought this one was nicer and with more space in our room!

I was also glad we chose Surfside over Dockside, because Dockside is MUCH bigger and more crowded. So Surfside felt a little more peaceful and had much less crowded bus stops!

Modern hotel room with two neatly made beds, white bedding, and light wood furniture. Above the beds are three surf-themed artworks. A large window with sheer blue and white tie-dye curtains lets in natural light. The room also includes a flat-screen TV, a wooden dresser, a wicker chair with an orange cushion, and light wood flooring. — Our room at Endless Summer Surfside

There are also Prime Value Hotels at Universal (think of these like Moderates at Disney). They are:

Universal also has higher priced resorts in the Signature Collection:

With certain Signature Collection hotels (Hard Rock, Royal Pacific, and Portofino Bay) you get Unlimited Express Pass included (a pass that lets you skip the standby line). This may make sense for your family, but since we only have 3 people in our family it actually was cheaper for us to stay at a Value Resort and then pay separately for Express Pass.

Grand hotel with a domed clock tower and large arched windows, framed by a wide fountain pool with decorative jets and landscaped greenery in the foreground. The building features a symmetrical design with warm terracotta roof accents and a clear blue sky overhead. — The Helios Grand Hotel is literally inside Epic Universe!

Tickets & Express Pass

While we purchased our tickets in a vacation package from Universal, I definitely recommend checking to see if buying tickets though Undercover Tourist would help you save money! (In our case, it just happened to not for this trip because of a sale Universal was running when we booked the trip.)

We also bought Express Pass because we knew we wanted to make this a BIG Universal trip and try to do everything we possibly could without waiting in too many lines.

And yes, I know Express Pass is expensive. But considering that the rest of the trip was generally cheaper than Disney, adding Express Pass in made it feel like it cost more like a Disney trip and I was honestly fine with that and very happy to not be waiting in lines (especially at Epic Universe!).

Universal Orlando Transportation

Getting to Universal Orlando

We flew into Orlando (MCO) and took an Uber to get to Universal Orlando Resort. It was honestly super easy! You can also take Universal’s Super Star Shuttle to your Universal resort from MCO, but it was cheaper for us to take an Uber.

Getting Around Universal Orlando

Transportation varies by resort, but you’ll find buses, water taxis, and walking pathways to get to the theme parks. We took a bus everywhere from Endless Summer.

For Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, you’ll get dropped off at CityWalk (so you’ll want to look for a bus heading to CityWalk). You access both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure from CityWalk.

If you are staying at any hotel except Endless Summer or the hotels near Epic Universe, you can also take the Garden Walkway to CityWalk and Volcano Bay.

If you’re staying at Hard Rock Hotel, Sapphire Falls, Portofino Bay, or Royal Pacific, you can also take a water taxi to CityWalk.

For Epic Universe, again, most resorts use a bus. The exception here is Grand Helios Hotel, which is literally attached to the park! You can also walk from Stella Nova.

Day One: Universal Studios

Okay, let’s get into the itinerary! We chose to start our trip with Universal Studios. This is the oldest park and the one I remember visiting most when I was a kid, although not much is left from when I was a kid!

Most of the rides here are motion simulators, which, I’ll be honest, can get old after awhile. But it’s also home to my favorite Harry Potter world: Diagon Alley!

Rustic waterfront area at Universal Studios Orlando featuring weathered wooden docks and themed buildings styled like a vintage fishing village. The scene includes a small lighthouse, signage like “Chez Alphonse & Son Co.” and “Boatyard,” all reflected in calm water under a partly cloudy sky. — I love the lake views at Universal Studios!

Morning: Minion Land, Breakfast, & New York

Your Plan: Head to the park about an hour before it opens. Do the Minion Land Rides, Race Through New York, The Mummy, and have breakfast. If you don’t have Express Pass, head to Escape from Gringotts first, then come back to these.

The park opened at 8:00, so we headed down to the bus stop from our resort around 7:00. We were waiting in line by 7:40 and heading into the park just before 8:00.

We decided to head straight to Despicable Me Minion Mayhem because it’s a pretty popular ride where the line can sometimes get long. I thought it was a super cute ride!

Entrance to the “Despicable Me Minion Mayhem” ride at Universal Studios Orlando, featuring a whimsical gray brick facade with a steep roof and cartoonish details. Large orange signage with Minion figures decorates the front, alongside a metallic pod-shaped structure and themed character murals. — The entrance to Despicable Me Minion Maybe is right as you walk into the park.

Then, because it was right there, we did Villain-Con Minion Blast at 8:15, which feels less like a ride and more like a standing shooting game. I’ll be honest…it’s completely chaotic though and I didn’t really get a hang of it until it was almost over.

We weren’t quite hungry yet, so we headed to Jimmy Fallon’s Race Through New York at 8:30 (with no wait even without our Express Passes). This ride gets a lot of hate, but I honestly really enjoyed it.

At 8:45 we had breakfast at TODAY Cafe. It was fine. Convenient to where we were, but nothing special. Lots of people like to have breakfast at Leaky Cauldron, but it was out of the way of where we wanted to be in the morning. So TODAY Cafe was our best option.

After a quick stop with Scooby Doo characters when we spotted them at the front of the park, we headed to The Mummy at 9:25. The Mummy is a dark coaster and I liked it, but my 11-year-old thought it was a little intense (I think mostly because you couldn’t see what was coming).

We also stopped by Central Park to look for the hiding pets from Secret Life of Pets.

Freddy, Shaggy, Scooby -Doo, Daphne, and Velma posing in front of a low brick wall with shrubs and a larger blue wall behind them. — It was super fun to meet the Mystery Gang!

Mid-Morning: San Francisco and Diagon Alley

Your Plan: Ride Fast and Furious (if you want to) and head to Diagon Alley to enjoy it! Go ahead and ride Escape from Gringotts if you want to, or wait until after lunch.

Next we headed to the San Francisco area in the back of the park and did Fast and the Furious – Supercharged at 9:45.

Can I be honest? This is maybe the worst ride I have ever been on. I hated every second of it and I wish we had gotten out of line when there was a 15 minute delay. It’s a motion simulator party bus that is entirely too loud. Some people love it, but personally I’m glad it’s closing when Universal gets their new Fast and the Furious coaster in 2027.

After that, we headed into Diagon Alley around 10:20, stopping first to see the Knight Bus that’s outside the main Diagon Alley area.

The Knight Bus from the Harry Potter series on display at Universal Studios Orlando, shown as a tall, triple-decker purple bus surrounded by manicured greenery and trees. A lamppost and ornate black fountain sit nearby, with guests stopping to take photos in the sunny themed area. — The Knight Bus is just outside Diagon Alley and you can peak inside!

Then we honestly just spent about an hour exploring Diagon Alley (and Knockturn Alley, the dark wizard area!) and shopping a bit. We also got to go into Gringotts and take pictures since the ride (and therefore the queue) was closed.

The theming in Diagon Alley was amazing, and out of all three Harry Potter lands at Universal Orlando, this was my favorite!

Whimsical, crooked buildings in Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Orlando, styled with steep rooftops, turrets, and signs for fictional shops like “Mrs. Skower’s Magical Mess Removers” and “Flea Powder.” The cobblestone alleyway and fantasy architecture evoke the magical world of Harry Potter under a partly cloudy sky. — The theming in Diagon Alley is just so fantastic!

Lunch in Diagon Alley

Your Plan: Head to Leaky Cauldron and mobile order your meal from your table. Then get ice cream at Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlour. Then ride Escape from Gringotts if you didn’t before lunch.

At 11:20, we headed into lunch at Leaky Cauldron. The food was fine, nothing amazing but a solid option. I had the fish and chips. But they have other British pub food too like Cottage Pie and Bangers & Mash.

At 12:00 we had ice cream at Florean Fortescue’s. They are really popular for their different flavors like Butterbeer and Sticky Toffee Pudding. But since I’m a pretty basic girl, I just got chocolate. I liked it, but it didn’t blow me out of the water as like amazing quality ice cream or anything.

Then we continued to wait to see if Gringotts would open. But since it didn’t look like it would, we headed to the rest of the park.

Pro Tip: If a ride is closed and you want to know when it opens, you can set a Reopen Alert on your app . This was how I knew as soon as Gringotts opened later in our day!

Afternoon: World Expo, Springfield, DreamWorks Land, and Hollywood

Your Plan: Head across the water to ride The Simpsons Ride, Men in Black Alien Attack!, and E.T. Adventure. Then see a show like Animal Actors on Location!, Dreamworks Imagination Celebration or the Bourne Stuntacular.

Around 12:20, we headed into Springfield and rode The Simpsons Ride. Again, this was not a ride I really enjoyed. It just wasn’t that great and definitely felt really dated. So I would skip this next time.

(You can also ride the Twirl ‘n’ Hurl here, which is a Dumbo-like ride. But we skipped this.)

Immediately after this, we rode Men in Black Alien Attack!, which was honestly more fun than I expected!

Pro Tip: For a high score, just keep your trigger held down the whole time!

At 1:05 we got in line for E.T Adventure. This is one of the few rides that’s still there from when I was a kid that I remember! It’s weird, but it’s nostalgic and family-friendly, and I loved going on it again!

Entrance to the E.T. Adventure ride at Universal Studios Orlando, marked by a large wooden archway with a forest silhouette and moonlit image of Elliott and E.T. flying on a bicycle. Guests walk beneath the sign, surrounded by pine trees and vibrant wall art, with a posted wait time of 35 minutes. — The entrance to the ET ride

At 1:30 we headed to the Bourne Stuntacular for the 1:45 show. The technology in this show is truly incredible and it is worth seeing for sure! But do be aware than it can feel kind of intense and definitely has violence in it. It was honestly almost a little too much for me at certain points.

As soon as we were walking out of the Bourne Stuntacular, we got a notification that Escape from Gringotts had reopened, so we rushed over there to ride it! (I’m not even sure what time this was exactly because we were in so much of a rush that I didn’t take any pictures for timestamps!)

Massive fire-breathing dragon perched atop Gringotts Bank in Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Orlando, its wings spread wide and mouth open in a roar. The detailed white building contrasts with the surrounding whimsical, medieval-style rooftops under a bright blue sky. — The Dragon at Diagon Alley occasionally breathes fire, but didn’t seem to be working the day we were there.

Late Afternoon: DreamWorks Land

Your Plan: Explore DreamWorks Land and ride the Trollercoaster (you’ll want to allocate more time here if you have super young kids!).

Around 3:30 we headed back to explore DreamWorks Land. This land really caters to the youngest of kids, with some adorable areas themed after Trolls, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, and more. (The Kung Fu Panda area has lots of water play, so be prepared for potentially wet kids.)

We rode the Trollercoaster with pretty much no wait. It’s a cute kiddie coaster, but not worth waiting on for long.

Honestly, if I had a younger kid we would have spent a bunch of time here. But my kiddo is 11, so we were good with just looking around a bit and then moving on.

Colorful fountain display at the entrance of DreamWorks Imagination Celebration in Universal Studios Orlando, featuring large statues of Poppy and Branch from the Trolls movie. The characters stand joyfully atop a pink and purple flower pedestal surrounded by playful water jets and whimsical scenery. — The Trolls fountain in DreamWorks land!

Then at 4:00 we headed for the last ride we hadn’t done yet that we wanted to: Transformers: The Ride-3D. Honestly, out of all the motion simulators, this may have been one of my favorites in Universal Studios park. It’s loud and there’s a lot going on, but it was well done.

Evening: Head Back To Your Hotel OR Islands of Adventure

Your Plan: You’ve got three options here. 1) Head back to your hotel for an early evening. 2) Repeat favorites or do something you didn’t get to earlier. Or 3) Head over to Islands of Adventure if you have a Park-to-Park ticket.

The day that we were in Universal Studios was a Halloween Horror Night, which we had no interest in. (It’s also a separately ticketed event.) So we hopped on the the Hogwarts Express around 4:15 to head over to Islands of Adventure.

Note that you can only do this if you have a Park-to-Park ticket.

Because Studios was closing early that night the line was long even with Express Pass. But I’m glad we got to ride the Hogwarts Express!

Full view of the iconic red Hogwarts Express steam engine inside King’s Cross Station at Universal Studios Orlando, with guests lining up along a railing to board. The train’s number 5972 is visible on the front, along with its bright headlamp and classic black and red detailing under a tall arched glass ceiling. — Hogwarts Express in the Diagon Alley Station

We spent the rest of the evening enjoying Islands of Adventure. We knew we were coming back another day so I didn’t really feel the need to get a lot done. But we hopped on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (twice!), rode the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride, The Cat in the Hat (what a weird fever dream), ate dinner at Doc Sugrue’s Desert Kebab House, and hopped on The Incredible Hulk Coaster before the park closed. All without Express Pass!

Day Two: Epic Universe

Okay, I’m going to do my best to give you a play-by-play for our day in Epic Universe. But I honestly felt like we bounced back and forth around different areas of the park so much today! Most of this was because we finished things before we expected and wanted to squeeze in more fun.

Smiling guest in a pink Yoshi t-shirt poses in front of the entrance to Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe park, featuring an ornate green and gold gate with a towering art deco-style clock structure in the background. Morning sunlight casts long shadows as other visitors queue at the entry points. — Me ready to go into Epic Universe for the day!

We also did have Express Pass for Epic Universe, and honestly this is the park where I am MOST glad that we spent the money! We talked to some people who had been there the same week as us and waited FIVE HOURS for Ministry of Magic. For us, with Express Pass, the entire experience took about an hour total.

You’ll also notice that we did not take a break today. We wanted to maximize our time in the park (we did this pretty much every day since we only had 3 park days). But you could totally take an afternoon break if you want and skip the shows and a couple of the rides.

Morning: Super Nintendo World & Isle of Berk

Your Plan: Start your morning in Super Nintendo World for Early Park Entry and ride Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge, Mine-Cart Madness, and maybe Yoshi’s Adventure. Then head over to Isle of Berk and ride Dragon Racer’s Rally and Hiccup’s Wing Gliders.

The day we were there, Epic Universe opened to Universal Hotel guests for Early Park Admission at 9:00. We got on the bus from our hotel a couple minutes after 8:00. Then we got to the park at 8:20 and started heading into the park a little before 9:00.

(Because the park opened on the later side, we ate breakfast at our hotel before we left.)

We were in Super Nintendo World by 9:01 and in line with our Express Passes for Mario Kart pretty much immediately after.

Vibrant Super Nintendo World area at Universal Studios featuring Princess Peach’s pink-roofed castle surrounded by colorful hills, giant mushrooms, and game-like elements such as question blocks and Piranha Plants. Guests walk along multi-level platforms styled like a real-life video game world under a bright blue sky. — The theming in Super Nintendo World is just so incredible!

If you are a fan of Mario Kart, you will LOVE this! Even the theming in the line truly made me feel like I was in a video game. It’s incredible!

The ride itself is fun, if a little chaotic and hard to understand at first. You wear a VR visor that you use to play the game, while at the same time slowly moving through rooms. If you grew up playing Mario Kart like I did, make sure you look at the rooms beyond the games, because you’ll recognize them from different race tracks!

We were off Mario Kart by 9:30 and headed back to Donkey Kong Country where we used our Express Pass for Mine Cart Madness at 9:35. Then we spent a little more time soaking in Super Nintendo World before heading over to Isle of Berk.

Tropical-themed Donkey Kong Country area at Universal Studios Orlando, featuring palm trees, tiki-style huts, and a golden temple facade with a large carved face above the entrance to the Mine Cart Madness ride. Guests walk through the vibrant, jungle-like setting with oversized barrels and playful signage inspired by the video game series. — Entering Donkey Kong Country

(We could have ridden Yoshi now, but wanted to get onto Dragon Racers Rally as close to regular park opening time as possible because of it’s lack of Express Pass.)

The first thing we did in Isle of Berk, at 9:55, was head to Dragon Racers Rally, because this one of the few rides in Epic Universe that doesn’t take Express Pass. It was fun, but honestly not worth a long wait.

Large Viking statue with a sword and blue shield rises from a rocky lagoon in the How to Train Your Dragon-themed area at Universal Epic Universe. Behind it, colorful buildings, dragon sculptures, and looping roller coasters create a vibrant fantasy setting filled with Norse and dragon-inspired details. — Everything at Epic Universe is really well done, but the theming in Isle of Berk is probably my favorite!

Then at 10:15 we got caught in a downpour and ducked into a gift shop to wait it out. Honestly, the forecast said it was going to rain a lot the day we were there (and this isn’t a great park to do in the rain), but we got super lucky because this morning storm was the only one we had!

The rain started to clear up after a bit, so we had our first ride on Hiccup’s Wing Gliders in a bit of misty rain at 10:35. It’s a family-friendly coaster, perfect for younger kids (think Slinky Dog Dash at Disney World). This was my absolute favorite ride in the park, and, as you’ll see, we came back to it a couple times during the day!

Lunch in Harry Potter the Ministry of Magic

Your Plan: Have lunch in the Ministry of Magic, enjoy the theming, and then ride Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry using Express Pass. If you don’t have Express Pass you might decide to do this ride first in the morning instead of Super Nintendo World (then head straight to Mine Cart Madness and Mario Kart!).

Lively Paris-themed street in Universal Epic Universe’s Wizarding World expansion, featuring ornate French architecture, striped banners, and signs for “Le Cirque Arcanus” and “Café L’Air de la Sirène.” A crowd of park guests strolls beneath theatrical signage and red tents, with a replica of Sacré-Cœur visible in the background. — The Harry Potter area in Epic Universe is 1920s Paris themed

Just before 11:00, we headed into the Ministry of Magic portal at Epic Universe and we spent a bit of time walking around and soaking up the amazing theming. This area is much more focused on the Fantastic Beasts franchise and is themed after 1920’s Paris. I’m not as familiar with this franchise, but I still loved this area!

At 11:15, we had lunch at Cafe L’air De La Sirene. This is a French-style bistro, and honestly I thought the food was fantastic! I had the roast chicken and Gerrit and I split a Butterbeer Crepe. It was all really good, and nice to have something that felt a little healthier.

Close-up of a folded crepe from Café L’Air de la Sirène at Universal Epic Universe, topped with whipped cream, fresh strawberry slices, powdered sugar, and a decorative cookie. The plate rests on a tiled tabletop with a Harry Potter-themed cup and napkin nearby. — Butterbeer Crepe!

Then at noon, we decided it was time to tackle Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry. This ride is notorious for a long wait, and I am SO glad we had Express Pass for it! The whole experience took us about an hour.

And it really is an incredible ride! The technology is very cool and immersive, and I’m so glad we rode it. Here’s what I’ll tell you though: If you can’t get on it, don’t let it ruin your park day. It’s a great ride, but Epic Universe is also full of so many other great rides.

If you can’t get on the ride but still want to see the inside of the Ministry of Magic, you can go through the exit into the big room! So no matter what, you can still see this incredible theming.

Dramatic interior of the Ministry of Magic at Universal Epic Universe, featuring a giant banner announcing "Dolores Umbridge Stands Trial Today" beneath a dark, enchanted sky ceiling. The scene includes glowing windows set in glossy red and green tiled walls and a striking golden statue of a wizard seated above the crowd. — The inside of the Ministry of Magic is incredible!

Afternoon: Dark Universe, Shows, and Stardust Racers

Your Plan: Head into Dark Universe to Ride Monsters Unchained, Curse of the Werewolf, and enjoy the land and characters. Then go to either Le Cirque Arcanus show or The Untrainable Dragon show.

We floundered a bit in the afternoon because of some plans getting messed up, but we definitely made the most of it! So here’s what we did. At 1:00 we rode Constellation Carousel. I kind of wish we had saved this one for the evening though, because it’s super pretty how it lights up when it’s dark!

Then we headed into Dark Universe. I’ll be honest, we are not Dark Universe people. So we did not spend very much time here. But if you are a big fan of monsters, you will want to spend more time here soaking in everything and meeting characters. The character interactions here are really incredible!

Dimly lit stone hallway themed as a gothic dungeon at Universal Epic Universe, featuring life-sized figures of Frankenstein’s Monster and the Bride of Frankenstein posed near a wooden door. Flickering faux candles and medieval-style architecture enhance the eerie, classic horror atmosphere. — Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein had a meet and greet down this hallway. We didn’t wait in line, but the Bride of Frankenstein caught me taking this picture and turned and stared at me and it was hilarious!

At 1:25 we rode Monsters Unchained. It is very similar to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, but with monsters. My 11-year-old was a little scared but still handled it okay. But as I said, we are not people who like scary things, so I didn’t really love this ride.

We thought about doing Curse of the Werewolf, but it was delayed so we moved on.

Gothic-style stone castle tower at Universal Epic Universe featuring pointed turrets, arched windows, and a detailed crest above the entrance. The upper section displays a circular stained-glass window framed by sculpted serpents, all set against a cloudy sky. — The entrance for Monsters Unchained in Dark Universe.

At 2:00 we headed back into Ministry of Magic to get in line for Le Cirque Arcanus show at 2:15, but they made an announcement that the 2:15 show was cancelled while we were in line so we left.

And that called for some ice cream, which we got at Frosty Moon. It was really good and very pretty, but one of my few complaints about Epic Universe is that they need more ice cream spots!

Close-up of a decadent chocolate dessert topped with turquoise, white, and gold candy pearls and sprinkles, served in a paper cup. Rich brownie chunks are arranged around the creamy base, and a black plastic spoon is tucked in for scooping. — Ice cream with brownies and celestial sprinkles from Frosty Moon.

At 2:50 we headed back to Isle of Berk for the 3:10 showing of The Untrainable Dragon. This was a cute show and if you have young kids who love How to Train Your Dragon, they will love this. And the dragons in the show are amazing. But I did feel like the plot was not that exciting, and they had the showstopper moment too early in the show.

Then we used our Express Pass for Stardust Racers at 3:40. Y’all! This was SO FUN but it is also the most intense roller coaster I’ve ever been on in my life. So be warned. But if you are a coaster fan, DO NOT miss it!

Late Afternoon: Another Show + Repeating Favorites + Things You Missed Earlier

Your Plan: Go see the other show you missed earlier, then go back to some of your favorite lands or get in line for attractions you might have missed earlier in the day.

Because we had missed it earlier, we headed back into the Ministry of Magic portal to see the 4:45 Le Cirque Arcanus show. I loved this show! It’s based more on the Fantastic Beasts franchise, which I don’t know as well, but I still enjoyed it so much.

I’ve heard a lot of people say The Untrainable Dragon is the can’t-miss show here, but I disagree. I think Le Cirque Arcanus is the can’t-miss show in this park.

Then at 5:15 we headed back to Super Nintendo to ride Yoshi’s Adventure. This was fine, but honestly, you couldn’t totally skip it if you don’t want to wait in line. Even with Express Pass I’m not sure it was worth it. It goes in a very small circle, and sure, you get some cool views, but it’s a super short ride.

Evening: Our Progressive Dinner + More Rides We Missed + Fountain Show

Your Plan: You can do what we did and grab parts of dinner at different restaurants, or pick one to eat at. Then go back to rides you loved or rides you missed, and end your night with the fountain show!

At 6:00 we went back to Isle of Berk to start what I deemed as are Epic Universe Progressive Dinner. There were lots of different foods I wanted to try, so we spent a lot of the evening going around to different restaurants trying more rides.

We started by getting the Classic Mac and Cheese cone at Spitfire Grill. I LOVED it! This was my favorite food item of the day to be honest. Basically if you like carbs and cheese, this is a no-brainer.

Close-up of a bread bowl filled with creamy mac and cheese and topped with a generous handful of cheddar Goldfish crackers. The soft, seeded bread has a golden crust, and the dish is held in one hand against a blurred outdoor background. — The classic mac and cheese cone in Isle of Berk.

Then we rode Hiccup’s Wing Gliders again at 6:15 because it was a pretty short wait and we had loved it so much earlier.

When we were on our way out of Isle of Berk, we noticed that Fyre Drill had *just* opened after being closed ALL day! So we hopped on that at 6:45.

At 7:15 we rode Stardust Racers again. Gerrit and I rode in the single rider line, while our 11-year-old waited on her own in the family waiting area. It was starting to get dark, and it’s a completely different experience once the lights start to come on!

Gerrit rode it again a third time, but twice in a day was enough for me for this intense coaster.

At 7:35, we headed into Oak and Star Tavern and had the Smoked Cheddar Biscuits as part of our dinner. The restaurant was SUPER quiet and I think this is an underrated spot. The biscuits were SO good, and I’d love to go back and try more of the food sometime!

At 8:00 we headed back into Dark Universe, because Curse of the Werewolf was the only ride we had left. I had my doubts about this spinning coaster, but it was SUPER fun! Do be aware that if you are a tall person the seats can be pretty cramped. They aren’t really built for people over six feet.

At 8:30 we made our last dinner stop at Pizza Moon. This is definitely one of the most popular spots to eat in the park. And even this late in the night it was very busy!

I wanted to try the Pizza Lunare with its ube crust and it was pretty good (although honestly not as memorable to me as the Mac & Cheese Cone). We also got a Brownie Eclipse for dessert, which was good but almost too rich even for me!

Whimsical, cosmic-themed dining area at Universal Epic Universe featuring vibrant murals of planets, stars, and floating figures under a fantasy night sky. The stage backdrop includes a rocket launch scene surrounded by playful celestial characters, while guests enjoy meals in booths beneath oversized glowing light fixtures. — The interior of Pizza Moon is super imaginative.

At 9:00 we went back into Super Nintendo World, which is SO cool to see at night! We were going to do Mine Cart Madness through the Single Rider Line. But we thought it was a pretty bad sign when the people in line were sitting down and looked like they hadn’t moved in awhile.

So we shifted plans and headed back into Isle of Berk to ride Hiccup’s Wing Gliders one last time!

By 9:45 we found seats for the 10:00 Cosmos Fountain show, which I think is a must-see! It’s so much fun, and I loved how they had sections in the show for each portal in the park.

And that’s a wrap on our day! Honestly, this park was SO MUCH fun, and this was one of my favorite theme park days I’d had in a long time.

Nighttime view of the illuminated fountain show at Universal Epic Universe, with colorful jets of water dancing in sync across a large lagoon. A grand hotel with glowing windows and domed rooftops stands in the background, surrounded by twinkling lights and distant themed attractions under a dark, starless sky. — Sitting at the Cosmos Fountain waiting for the show to start.

Day Three: Volcano Bay

For our third day, we headed to Volcano Bay, Universal Resort’s Water Park. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but we had SO much fun!

Here’s what I will say though: the crowds were SUPER low the day we were there.

So this meant the lines were pretty short for us. And for the most part, I’m not going to give you a super detailed itinerary here. But I do recommend you head to Krakatau Aqua Coaster first thing in the morning for the shortest waits!

Towering artificial volcano at Universal’s Volcano Bay water park, surrounded by lush tropical landscaping and palm trees. Water cascades down the rocky surface into turquoise pools, with colorful lounge chairs and umbrellas dotting the sunny scene below. — My favorite view in Volcano Bay!

One note: Volcano Bay did away with their Tapu Tapu system in fall of 2025, so all rides are now stand-by waits. So any advice you see online about how to tackle this park with Tapu Tapu? Ignore it.

Morning: Krakatau Aqua Coaster & Other Slides

Your Plan: Put your things away and then head straight to Krakatau for the shortest wait times! After that, spend the morning doing whatever other slides you want or enjoying the Lazy River or Fearless River.

To start out the morning, you’ll want to grab your towels (yes you have to pay for them, so if you can bring your own that might be preferable) and your locker. You also have to pay for a locker, but since this park is SO spread out, if you have anything of value I recommend getting one.

You might be able to swing it with just keeping your phone in a waterproof carrying case, but since we had some camera equipment with us, we got a locker.

We wanted to head back to the Rainforest Village area to set the rest of our stuff down, but that part of the park wasn’t open yet (it just wasn’t open during Early Park Admission).

Shallow pool at Universal’s Volcano Bay water park featuring a central rock formation with a large fountain jet spraying water into the air. Surrounded by tropical palm trees, colorful life vests, and rows of lounge chairs, the scene evokes a relaxing island oasis. — We ended up camping out for most of the day in this back Rainforest Village area and it was great.

In fact, many things in the back half of the park (lockers, food, etc.) weren’t open at all because the crowds were so low the day we were there.

We ended up wasting some time which wasn’t great, but my recommendation would be to just set your stuff down anywhere you can find and head to Krakatau for your first ride in the morning. This is the water coaster and it’s lots of fun, but the line can get VERY long!

After we did this we just enjoyed some of the other slides in the park. Our favorites were the Raki and Taniwha Rubes in Rainforest Village and the Honu of Honu ika Moana slide over in River Village. We also enjoyed some time in the wave pool in the front.

My husband also loved Ko’okiri Body Plunge and talked our 11-year-old into doing it, but since it’s a drop-floor slide it was an automatic no from me.

Bright, sunny day at Universal’s Volcano Bay with guests swimming and relaxing in the large wave pool bordered by tropical palm trees and colorful lounge chairs. In the background, the sleek blue-glass hotel rises above the lush greenery and beach umbrellas. — The wave pool at the front of Volcano Bay.

Lunch: Kohola Reef Restaurant & Social Club

Your Plan: Grab lunch at any of the food stands near you! But for the main restaurant, head to Kohola Reef Restaurant and Social Club at the front of the park.

We took the Lazy River over toward the front of the park and had lunch at Kohola Reef. Honestly, the food here was pretty good! They are known for their Lava Chicken Sandwich, but I had the Huli Huli Chicken Sandwhich and thought it was pretty good!

My one complaint about Volcano Bay though is that there were not enough places for ice cream! At a water park, frozen treats seem like a given, but aside from the rainbow soft-serve at Koka Poroka Ice Cream, which I wasn’t interested in, I couldn’t find one. And I’m not sure Koka Porkoa was even open the day we were there! Again though, this could be different on days when more things are open.

Afternoon: Fearless River and More Slides!

Your Plan: Honestly, just have fun with whatever!

Our favorite thing in the whole park ended up being the Fearless River. This is a lazy river except fast and with rapids, and you’re required to wear a lifejacket in it.

Tangled network of blue and green water slides weaving through the rocky interior of the volcano structure at Universal’s Volcano Bay. The scene is viewed from a calm pool below, with tropical plants and support beams surrounding the slides as they twist and turn above. — Not the greatest pictures because I took it through my waterproof phone case, but when you go through the Fearless River you go under the volcano and the aquacoaster!

It’s so much fun and we honestly rode it around probably about ten times throughout the day!

And we also hit some more slides we had liked earlier in the day and had a bit of time lounging at our chairs in Rainforest Village.

Evening: Back at Your Resort or Universal CityWalk

Your Plan: Head back and have dinner either at your resort or in Universal CityWalk. Then turn in early for a busy last day!

Volcano Bay tends to close earlier than the other theme parks at Universal. The day we were there, it closed at 5:00, so we headed back to our resort around 4:45.

Honestly, we were pretty worn out, so we just had dinner at our resort. But, if you have a little more energy than us you could freshen up and then head into Universal CityWalk for dinner.

Day Four: Islands of Adventure

For our last day, we did a full day in Universal’s Islands of Adventure! I was so excited for this one because I couldn’t wait to ride Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure and the Velocicoaster. And they did not disappoint!

Sweeping view of the Jurassic World VelociCoaster at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, with its towering black track looping over a serene lagoon. The sleek roller coaster twists through lush palm trees and past the iconic Jurassic Park Discovery Center under a clear blue sky. — Ok yes, Velocicoaster looks intimidating, but it’s so fun!

Morning: Hogsmeade & Jurassic Park

Your Plan: Head back to Hogsmeade to ride Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure and other Harry Potter rides. Grab some breakfast, and then ride Velocicoaster. (Or maybe do that in the opposite order if you want to eat a big breakfast.) Then enjoy other parts of Jurassic Park (but save the water rides for the afternoon).

Islands of Adventure opened for Early Park Admission for Resort guests at 8:00 am on the day we were there, and we were in line to get into the park by 7:30.

Our plan had been to go straight to Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure or Velocicoaster first thing, but BOTH were in a delayed start. Which just goes to show that you have to keep your plans flexible!

Instead, we decided to go on Forbidden Journey (again) because it was our kiddo’s absolute favorite ride.

Majestic replica of Hogwarts Castle at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, perched atop rocky cliffs and surrounded by tall evergreens. The towering spires and gothic architecture recreate the magical school from the Harry Potter series, set against a soft sky. — Forbidden Journey is inside the Hogwarts Castle.

Then at 8:30 we hopped in line for Flight of the Hippogriff. It’s a kiddie coaster and it’s fun to see Hagrid’s hut in the queue, but it’s also definitely not worth a long wait. (Honestly, the 20 minutes we waited with our Express Pass didn’t really seem worth it.)

By that time, Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure had finally opened, so we went on it with our Express Pass at 8:52. And gosh, what a fun ride!

I think this is definitely the best ride at all of Universal Studios Resort! It’s a family-friendly coaster. It goes plenty fast, but also doesn’t have any big drops or inversions that may scare younger kids. (Although there is a surprise track drop at one point where you get lowered onto a different track.)

At 9:30 we headed back to the front of the park and had breakfast at Croissant Moon Bakery. Honestly, I thought this spot was really good and the service was so friendly! They have pastries and croissant sandwiches.

The front section of Islands of Adventure. (I took this uncrowded picture through the gate before the park was open.)

By the time we were done it was about 10:20, and Velocicoaster had FINALLY opened! So we headed straight there and rode with our Express Pass and were off the ride by 10:45. Again, our 11-year-old didn’t want to go with us, so we all waited in line together and then they let her pass through the train and wait on the other side of the load/unload area for us to go on the coaster.

And y’all! Velocicoaster is SO fun! The inversions are a blast. I was even a little worried about the big drop, but honestly it wasn’t too bad. I appreciate that you get going a bit first and go up and down pretty fast instead of a slow incline where you dread what’s coming.

After Velocicoaster we explored the rest of the Jurassic Park area. We watched the River Adventure drop come down a few times and walked through Camp Jurassic (honestly a really fun little area!).

Then at 11:08 we hopped in line for Skull Island: Reign of Kong with our Express Pass. This is a similar ride concept to the Fast & Furious ride that I hate so much at Studio, but this one is MUCH better done so I actually enjoyed it.

Early Afternoon: Lunch, Suess Landing, and Marvel Super Hero Island

Your Plan: Have lunch at Mythos and then explore Suess Landing for kiddie rides and/or Marvel Super Hero Island for more thrilling rides. If you want an afternoon break, switch this plan with the water rides next, then do these things once you come back into the park (after you have dry clothes on!) and skip the repeat ride time later.

We had a lunch reservation for lunch at Mythos at 11:45, so that was next up for us. We had a great meal here, and I had a view of the Hulk coaster launch which was fun to watch. I have heard Mythos is going to be closing and being rethemed at some point soon, but we don’t have a lot of details on that yet.

After lunch we headed into Suess Landing to do the things we hadn’t done previously like the Caro-Seuss-al and One Fish, Two Fish, Red, Fish, Blue Fish. It’s a cute land for sure, but definitely not one we wanted to spend a ton of time here. The lines were also pretty short for everything, so we went through things pretty quickly!

If you are visiting with super young kids, Seuss Landing is a land you’ll want to spend a lot of time in though because all the rides are geared toward the preschool set.

Whimsical entrance to the Cat in the Hat ride at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, marked by a giant red and white striped hat structure. Guests in ponchos walk along the colorful, cartoon-style path surrounded by Seussian architecture and bright pastel buildings. — Entrance to The Cat in the Hat in Suess Landing

At 1:20 we headed into Marvel Super Hero Island and rode The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman. I thought this was a really fun ride! It’s a dark ride with some motion simulation elements. Plus it had some of the best air conditioning of the day!

Gerrit and E rode Dr. Doom’s Fearfall at 1:40 (I’m always out on drop rides). Then we did Hulk with our Express Pass and Storm Force Accelerator (which is like a more intense version of the Tea Cups at Disney).

Entrance to The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, featuring a giant 3D figure of Spider-Man leaping from the Daily Bugle building facade. The bold, comic-style signage is surrounded by skyscraper theming and web graphics for an action-packed superhero vibe. — Entrance to the Amazing Adventures of Spiderman

Mid to Late Afternoon: Water Rides and Ice Cream

Your Plan: Knock out the three big water rides in the heat of the afternoon. (Don’t forget your ponchos and shoe ponchos!) Get some ice cream in Toon Lagoon.

Around 3:00 was the hottest part of the day, so we decided to knock out all the water rides at once. And y’all….Islands of Adventure water rides do not mess around! We got SOAKED!

Next time I am for sure buying these shoe ponchos or these reusable shoe covers. Because as much fun as the rides were, I did not enjoy wringing my socks out on the park bench.

First up was Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges at 2:45. It’s a super fun raft ride, but water pretty much pours on your here. So again, shoe ponchos and regular ponchos are a must.

Sunny view of Toon Lagoon’s cartoon-style lumber camp area at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, featuring the entrance to Me Ship, The Olive and Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges. The playful, hand-drawn aesthetic includes wooden signs, colorful buildings, and whimsical props inspired by classic comic strip characters. — Walking toward Bilge Rat Barges in Toon Lagoon. You can also see the Velocicoaster in the distance.

Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls was closed for refurbishment while we were there, so we skipped right back to Jurassic Park River Adventure at 3:10. This is a pretty calm ride though some beautiful dinosaur areas, until things go wrong inside the building and then there is a big drop at the end.

Then at 3:45 we went back into Toon Lagoon for some ice cream at Cathy’s Ice Cream.

Evening: Repeat Rides and Hogsmeade Again

Your Plan: Go back and re-ride anything you really loved. Then have dinner at Three Broomsticks, and if you still have enough energy hop in line for a nighttime ride on Hagrid’s to end your day!

Late in the afternoon we tried to ride Hagrid’s again through the single ride line, but it was closed.

It does seem like they should have a better system for knowing whether the single rider line is open or not, because we had to walk through the queue to the part where the single rider line is to find this out. (It would be nice if they could communicate with the ride entrance so the team members there know if it’s open or not.)

So instead, we went back and rode Velocicoaster in the Single Rider Line around 5:00. The ride went down while we were in line, but we decided to stick it out and were off the ride just before 6:00.

Then we headed back into Hogsmeade for the evening. We did Forbidden Journey (twice) because it almost never has much of a wait and our kiddo was begging for it one more time.

Bustling street scene in Hogsmeade at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, with snow-covered rooftops, chimneys, and medieval-style shops like Honeydukes lining the walkway. A red Butterbeer cart stands among the crowd of park guests exploring the enchanting Harry Potter-themed village. — Walking through Hogsmeade!

Then we had dinner at Three Broomsticks. The food was fine, but nothing amazing. I had the Rotisserie Smoked Chicken, but they also have Fish and Chips, Sherpherd’s Pie, and ribs.

Then we decided we would end our night with a ride on Hagrid’s even with the long wait.

The park closed at 8:00, and we jumped in line for Hagrid’s a little after 7:00. Our total wait was an hour and twenty minutes, but honestly it wasn’t too bad! We chatted with the people in line around us and made our way through.

And can I be honest? It was worth it! Rarely do I ever feel like a wait that long is worth it, but riding Hagrid’s at night was such a different experience than during the day and it was so fun!

And then we strolled out of the closed park soaking in the views!

What’s Next?

And that’s a wrap on our Universal Orlando trip! As you can see, we did A LOT and we had a blast! Planning a trip to Orlando? Here are some more resources!