Going to Universal for the First Time as a Disney Fan: What You Need to Know

I’ve been a Disney girl my whole life, with regular trips as a kid with my grandparents and parents and now trips with my own daughter (or sometimes on my own!). It is one of my favorite places in the world because I love the magic and the rides and the chance to escape and feel like a kid again.

But as our kiddo got older we knew that a trip to Universal Orlando Resort needed to be on our list for Harry Potter and bigger rides. Plus, the opening of the new Epic Universe park was on our must-visit list!

So, as a Disney girl going to Universal for the first time, what surprised me? There are definitely some big differences you need to know about, like the fact that you’ll need to keep up with paper tickets and use lockers for a lot of rides.

But there were also some smaller differences I noticed, like how Universal handles rider swap in a different way and how the parks seemed pretty different when it comes to theming.

So, if you’re used to Disney World but planning your first trip to Universal Orlando Resort, here’s what you need to know!

Ticketing is Different

Crowds of visitors walk toward the grand entrance portal of Universal’s Epic Universe, featuring an ornate teal and gold arch with celestial designs and a tall decorative tower rising above the gateway under a bright blue sky. — Entering into Epic Universe!

The first thing you need to know is that ticketing is a completely different process.

We spent 4 days at Universal Resort and booked directly through them. And when we got to our hotel we had to go to the ticket desk and get our PAPER TICKETS printed. And not just one ticket that you use for your whole trip (like at Disneyland) but a different ticket for each day at each park.

I was honestly kind of stunned. And while it’s fine and not a huge deal, it IS something you have to make sure you keep up with.

Here are my two biggest tips for keeping up with those paper tickets:

Take pictures of your tickets. As soon as you have them, take pictures of both the front and the back. This way if something happens, it will be easier for them to help you get new tickets printed.
Get a lanyard (especially if you’re also doing Express Pass). We just wore our tickets and our Express Passes on lanyards around our neck and that kept them protected and easy to access.

Skip-the-Line is More Expensive But Easier to Use

Both Disney and Universal have separate passes you can buy to wait in shorter lines at rides.

Disney’s Lightning Lane system is honestly pretty complicated. You’ll have to buy Lightning Lane Multipass (usually around $25 to $30 per ticket per day), and then book Lightning Lanes in advance and during your park day for each ride you want to do.

Universal’s skip the line is MUCH easier to use. You can choose between Express Pass or Express Unlimited Pass, but it is more expensive.

With Express Pass, you can go on any ride that takes Express Pass once at any point during the day (no scheduling like with Lightning Lanes!). And with Express Unlimited Pass, you can go on any ride at any point multiple times during the day.

However, you’re going to be paying more for this. Universal Studios Express Pass starts at $112 on my favorite money-saving site while a two-day Express Pass that includes Epic Universe starts at $264.

It’s pricey, but at the same time Universal makes up for those cost savings in other ways. The tickets to the park can sometimes be slightly cheaper than Disney World and hotel rooms can be less expensive.

Also, if you’re staying at certain Premier Universal Hotels, Express Pass is included with your stay. This didn’t make sense for us because it was still cheaper for the three of us to stay in a Value Resort and pay for Express Pass, but if you’re a bigger family it might be more economical to stay at a fancier resort!

Disney World does have a service similar to Express Pass: Lightning Lane Premiere Pass. But honestly, it’s A LOT more expensive (ranging from $129 at Animal Kingdom to up to $449 at Magic Kingdom!!!) and when you have Lightning Lane Multi Pass as a good alternative, it doesn’t seem worth it to me.

There are More Thrill Rides

A split image shows two theme park scenes: a large steel roller coaster looping over a lagoon at Universal Orlando on the left, and the colorful Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster winding through toy-themed structures at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on the right. — Lots of the coasters at Universal are for bigger kids and adults (like VelociCoaster on the left), while at Disney World you’ll find more coasters for younger kids (like Slinky Dog Dash on the right).

Universal Orlando has A LOT more thrill rides than Disney World! So this makes it a better trip to take with just adults or older kids.

At Universal you have the VelociCoaster, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, and Stardust Racers that are all SUPER intense roller coasters with inversions. And even some of the slower dark rides can have more intense elements.

There are some rides in each park that are aimed towards littler kids. All the Seuss Landing Rides in Islands of Adventure and the DreamWorks Land in Universal Studios are geared towards preschoolers. While Epic Universe has Yoshi’s Adventure and Constellation Carousel that will be great for littler kids.

But in general, you’re going to have a harder time finding things that the whole family can ride at Universal if you’re traveling with younger kids.

Family Waiting and Rider Swap is Better in Some Ways

While there are more thrill rides at Universal, I actually think they do Rider Swap really well, especially for our situation where we had a kiddo who didn’t want to go on some of the bigger coasters but didn’t necessarily need us to wait with her.

At Universal, the whole family can wait in line together, and then when you get closer to the ride there will be a family waiting area for a parent to wait with younger children. Then, once the first parent goes on the ride, they can switch places and the second parent can hop right one.

My favorite thing about this system was how great the family-waiting areas at the some of the rides were. There is space for kids to move around and some of the newer ones even had a TV.

And for us it was great because we felt perfectly fine letting our 11-year old stay in the family-waiting area on her own while Gerrit and I rode Stardust Racers through the single rider line. Whereas in the Disney Parks, I’m not sure if I would have wanted her just sitting out in the park by herself.

Now, there are cons to this system too, the main one being that the whole family still has to wait together. At Disney usually you can scan in at the front of the line and the rest of the family can go do something else while the first person waits in line. And while there is definitely merit to this, I was also just so impressed with how Universal thought of families with their waiting areas.

You’ll Need to Use Lockers

Hogwarts Castle rises atop rocky cliffs in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando, with tall stone towers and spires overlooking the entrance path below. — Even some indoor dark rides, like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey inside Hogwarts, require you to put your bags in lockers.

Because of the amount of thrill rides at Universal, there are lockers ALL OVER the place! And they aren’t always big, so you’ll want to pack light.

Pretty much every roller coaster or ride that is even semi-thrilling requires you to put your bags in a locker before you get on. Most of the times the lockers are located right outside the queue, but sometimes (like in VelociCoaster) the lockers are inside the queue.

The smaller lockers are free, and you’ll just scan your ticket (another reason for a lanyard!) to open one.

My small backpack jammed inside okay, but if you have a bigger bag you will have to pay for one of the bigger lockers.

Some rides also have metal detectors before you get on. This includes The Incredible Hulk Coaster, VelociCoaster, and Stardust Racers. So you can’t bring ANYTHING loose on the ride with you! Not even in zippered pockets!

Going Park to Park is Easier

One big difference between Universal and Disney World is that the parks are much closer together at Universal! You can easily walk between Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure and even up to Volcano Bay.

While I’m not a big fan of Park Hopper tickets at Disney World because it takes so much time to get from park to park, I think Park-to-Park tickets are great at Universal. It’s also the only way you can ride The Hogwarts Express because it transports you between Studios and Islands of Adventure.

Some Parts of the Parks May Feel Less Polished

Guests wearing rain ponchos walk through the colorful Seuss Landing area at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, passing the oversized red-and-white Cat in the Hat hat building and whimsical Dr. Seuss–inspired architecture. — I’ll just be honest: I was not impressed with the Cat in the Hat ride.

I’m just going to be completely honestly here: Not everything at Universal is done up to the same level as Disney. Yes, the parks are fantastic and fun. But there are certain areas where the attention to detail just isn’t quite the same.

And some of the rides (I’m thinking things like Cat in the Hat and The Simpsons Ride) really aren’t nearly the same quality as every single ride you’ll see at Disney World.

It’s still fun! But just know that going in. You don’t want to look at Universal through your Disney-colored glasses.

Epic Universe is the Closest to Disney-Level Theming

A large Viking statue holding a sword and shield rises from the water in the Isle of Berk area at Universal’s Epic Universe, surrounded by wooden walkways, themed buildings, and roller coaster tracks in the background. — I was obsessed with the theming in Isle of Berk in Epic Universe!

That being said, Epic Universe is a whole new level of theming and attention to detail for Universal! This is Universal’s newest park, and it is truly amazing!

I could have spent an entire day in Epic Universe just examining the theming. Super Nintendo World really makes you feel like you’re in a video game. Isle of Berk is so peaceful. The Ministry of Magic area has so many details. And Dark Universe is very imaginative for people who like monsters or horror (which I do not).

And every single ride at Epic Universe is great. While some are better than others, none of them are throwaway rides.

Epic Universe is definitely a place where you are safe putting your Disney-colored glasses on!

There is Less of a “Bubble” Feel

A large resort-style pool sits between two tall hotel buildings at Universal Orlando, surrounded by palm trees, lounge chairs, and bright orange umbrellas with guests swimming and relaxing. — I was glad we stayed “on-property” at Universal, but it didn’t always FEEL “on-property” in the same way Disney does.

One of my favorite things about Disney World is that once you are on-property, you are in the Disney “bubble.” When you travel around, everything you see is going to be Disney-owned and themed.

And while Universal does have it’s own bubble in a way, it’s not as intense as Disney’s. We stayed at Universal’s Endless Summer resort and there was an IHOP across the street from our hotel, along with a lot of other hotel chains.

This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There was also a Walgreen’s across the street, so it’s easy to buy things you might have forgotten. And there are lots of other hotel brands in the area, making it easy to stay “off-property.”

But personally it’s something I don’t like quite as much as Universal. Because honestly when I’m a theme park? I want to forget about the rest of the world and let myself live in a happy bubble for a bit.

You’re Going to Have a Great Time!

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!

Even though there are lots of differences at Universal if you’re used to Disney World, you’re still going to have a great time!

There are some truly incredible rides here, lots of areas (especially all of Epic Universe and the Harry Potter areas in each park) have incredible theming. We had some great food. And in general the pace of our trip felt a lot less pressurized than some Disney trips we’ve taken.

But I still wish I had known some of these things before we went to Universal for the first time.

Just remember not to judge everything at Universal by Disney standards. They are both amazing in their own way!

What’s Next?

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A collage shows the Isle of Berk Viking statue at Universal’s Epic Universe above a roller coaster looping over the lagoon at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, with the text “First Time Universal Tips for Disney Fans.”