Hey guys!! So my family and I just returned home from a 5-day vacation at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL, and boy did we have a blast!! In all serious, I haven’t had that much fun since I was a kid, nor have I ever had that many sweets in a 5-day period! It has been a very long time since I have experienced Universal so I was like a kid on Christmas morning on our first day! I was most excited about The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Universal Studios did an excellent job creating and replicating each aspect of different movie sets, epsecially The Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Being a huge fan of Harry Potter, I was so amazed by both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade!! Now I don’t want to give out all the details and ruin the magical experience for you all but I am going to give you 10 tips to help y’all have the best Universal experience like we did!
TIP 1:
STAY ON SITE!! This was such a smart decision! My family decided to stay at Cabana Bay, first off it’s all retro vibes and extremely cute (aka perfect for instagram pictures) and second, staying on site allows you to get into the parks an hour before it actually opens to the public. How awesome is that?? We were at the park at 8am each morning and were able to head straight to Harry Potter World. Being in the park an hour early allowed us to get a jump start on the rides that we wanted to ride!
TIP 2:
GET A PARK TO PARK PASS!! This is a must, especially if you want to experience all of Harry Potter World. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is split between two parks. Diagon Alley is located in Universal Studios and Hogsmeade is located in The Island of Adventure. You will have to have the park to park pass in order to ride the Hogwarts Express, which I highly recommend you experience!
TIP 3:
DOWNLOAD THE UNIVERSAL STUDIOS ORLANDO APP!! You can use the app as a map, keep watch on how long ride wait times are, sign up for virtual lines, know where dinning options are, and much more!!
TIP 4:
PURCHASE A WAND!!! Out of all the souvenirs that you can purchase, I highly suggest that you opt for purchasing an interactive wand!! They are a tad bit on the pricey side but well worth the experience. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is interactive. You can use your wand to cast your own spells and make feathers float in the air!!
TIP 5:
GET YOU SOME FROZEN BUTTERBEER & BUTTERBEER ICE-CREAM!!! Yes, just go ahead and get both, you will thank me later!! And for the best ones, get them from Diagon Alley!!
TIP 6:
VISIT HOGSMEADE AT NIGHT!! From dusk till closing the park puts on a beautiful light show that you do not want to miss!
TIP 7:
MAKE A VISIT TO VOO-DOO DONUTS!!! All good things come in pink boxes! Some of the best donuts I have ever eaten. Be sure to get the Voo-Doo Man and the Orangesicle!
TIP 8
Be sure to plan a day for VOLCANO BAY!!! This is Universal Studios new waterpark! If you stay at Cabana Bay you can walk right across the street to it! I advise you just to go ahead and rent a family size locker to put your things in, instead of finding a chair and having to keep up with your items! There are 2 rides that are a MUST while you are there: The Krakatau Aqua Coaster and the TeAwa The Fearless River! Also, be sure to bring water shoes, the rides can be a little intense!!
TIP 9:
Let’s talk FOOD! Okay I have already touched on some food items that you have to try while you are there but I am going to add a few more to the list!!! Make plans to eat at The Chocolate Emporium! If you have a major sweet tooth like I do then this place is heaven!!! I suggest you try the Shrimp & Lobster Mac and Cheese and also save room for their famous extravagant milkshakes!! To add more sugar to your stomach be sure and stop in Dr. Seuss Land for some out of this world size cotton candy. I have NEVER seen cotton candy of this size!!
TIP 10
THE MOST IMPORTANT TIP!!! WEAR COMFY SHOES!!! Not once did I bring out my heels ( and if you know me then you know I love my heels), I rocked my sneakers the whole time and I was so glad I did!! We walked over 9 miles each day and my feet were definitely feeling it!!
Follow these tips and I can guarantee that you will have an absolute blast on your next trip to UNIVERSAL STUDIOS in ORLANDO, FL!!!
