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Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990 as the Floridian cousin to the popular Universal Studios theme park in Hollywood. The original idea of the park was to experience how movies were made. Actual filming would be done in the park too.
Over the years, the park’s focus has changed, and Universal now allows you to ride and “experience the movies” instead of seeing how they are made.
The park hosted 10.9 million guests in 2019.
Note: Average attraction waits noted in this section here are estimates for busy summer days during school breaks. Wait times may well be lower at other times of the year. They may also occasionally be higher, especially during the week of 4th July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year, and other public holidays.
Where we list food prices, this information was accurate during our last visit to the restaurant. We include a sample of the food on offer and not the full menu. Meal prices listed do not include a drink, unless otherwise stated. When an attraction is listed as requiring lockers, all loose items must be stored in complimentary locker storage outside the attraction.
COVID-19 CHANGES - VIRTUAL LINE SYSTEM
You will likely encounter rides that are using the Virtual Line system to control the flow of guests in the queue lines and to aid social distancing. It is not possible to know in advance which rides (or even if rides) will be using this system. It may be used instead of the standby line or as a replacement for the standby line, depending on demand.
To ride attractions with the Virtual Line System, open the Universal Orlando app and log in. Select ‘Virtual Line’, choose an attraction with a Virtual Line, select the number of people in your party, select a return time and confirm. Return to the attraction during the return time and show the QR code to a Team Member. Waits in the ride queue line should be minimal. Guests with Express Pass and the Attraction Assistance Pass do not need to use the Virtual Line System. Attraction return times are released throughout the day, so it is worth checking again if an attraction initially looks fully booked.
Production Central is the gateway to Universal Studios Florida. You pass through it to get to the rest of the park; it contains shops and several attractions.
Production Central is home to Guest Services where you can request disability passes, make dining reservations, ask questions, and give feedback.
You will find lockers, stroller and wheelchair rentals, Lost and Found, and First Aid.
You will also find the American Express Passholder Lounge, opposite the Shrek shop. This lounge is reserved for guests who use an AmEx card to buy park tickets or an annual pass directly from Universal.
Inside the AmEx lounge, you will find bottled water, snacks, and phone charging facilities. Simply show your ticket receipt, the ticket itself, and your AmEx card for entry. Guests must use an AmEx card to purchase their theme park tickets (either on
UniversalOrlando.com or at the park ticket windows) to have access to this lounge.
If you need to mail something, you can drop off your letters and postcards at the mailbox, located to the left as you come in after the turnstiles, to the right of the lockers.
Stamps can be purchased from the On Location shop here on the Front Lot.
Family & Health Services, which includes a nursing room, is here too.
Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem
Height Restriction: 40 inches (1.02m)
Attraction length: 4 minutes + 2 pre-shows totaling 12 minutes
Express Pass Available: Yes
Average Wait: 45 to 90 minutes
Lockers required: No
A simulator ride featuring the characters from Despicable Me. A must-do for fans of the movies!
Due to the low hourly capacity and the popularity of its characters, waits are almost always very long.
Top Tip: A stationary version of this attraction operates with benches at the front of the theater. These do not move and do not have a height requirement.
When this is available, the wait time is usually short, e.g. 10 minutes versus 90 minutes. There is a separate queue line for this.
Children between 40” and 48” must be accompanied by a supervising companion.
Fun Fact: The trees outside the ride are banana trees as The Minions love the yellow fruit!
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Height Restriction: Minimum 51 inches (1.29m) / Maximum 79 inches (2.00m)
Attraction length: 1 minute 45 seconds
Express Pass Available: Yes
Average Wait: 45 to 90 minutes
Lockers required: Yes
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit is a unique rollercoaster that dominates the skyline from the distance even before you step foot inside the park.
Once on-board, prepare to be held in by just a lap bar-style restraint as you start your vertical climb to the top for your musical thrill adventure.
On this ride, you get to choose from a pre-selected number of songs to play during your ride. Your choice of music will pump into your ears through individual seat speakers as your adrenaline races.
Disney fans can think of this as Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster but with more music choices, without the loops and much bigger drops.
Straight after the first drop, you enter a unique ‘almost-a-loop’ that is really fun; you do a loop but stay upright all the way around - a really unique experience.
In addition to on-ride photos, you can purchase a music video of your ride filmed using on-board cameras which includes your choice of song as the soundtrack!
A Single Rider line is available at this attraction.
Top Tip: Don’t trust the Single Rider wait time that is posted at the attraction entrance - it is often exaggerated. We have often waited less than half of the official Single Rider wait time posted.
To help you estimate, in the Single Rider line, from the bottom of the stairs to being on the train is usually about 30 minutes.
Top Tip 2: As well as the songs displayed on the screen, there are many secret bonus songs that you can choose from. To access the secret song list, after closing your restraint, you will need to push and hold the ride logo on the screen for about 10 seconds. When you let go a number pad appears; type in a three-digit number to load the song. A full list of the songs is available online but below we have listed a few of these.
The Secret Song List
128 – Vertigo by U2
302 – I Want You Back by The Jackson Five
305 – Brothers Gonna Work It Out by Public Enemy
306 – Lose Yourself by Eminem
308 – Run to You by Bryan Adams
309 – Save Room by John Legend
310 – Vogue by Madonna
311 – You Make Loving Fun by Fleetwood Mac
507 – Who Did You Think I Was by John Mayer
703 – For Whom The Bell Tolls by Metallica
901 – Moving Right Along by The Muppets
902 – The Rainbow Connection by The Muppets
Height Restriction: None. No handheld infants.
Attraction length: 12 minutes main show + 5 minutes pre-show
Express Pass Available: Yes
Average Wait: 15 to 45 minutes
Lockers required: No
Stepping into Shrek 4D, you know you are getting into a different kind of attraction – it is not just a 3D, but a 4D experience.
The unique part of this attraction is the seats, which act like personal simulators. For those not wishing to experience the seat movement, a limited number of stationary seats are also available.
The movie is great fun with some corny jokes and lots of jabs at Disney thrown in.
Height Restriction: 40 inches (1.02m)
Attraction length: 4 minutes 30 seconds
Express Pass Available: Yes
Average Wait: 30 to 60 minutes
Lockers required: No
TRANSFORMERS is a 3D screen-based moving dark ride, similar to The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man at Universal’s Islands of Adventure.
The storyline follows the Autobots (good guys) protecting the AllSpark from the Decepticons (bad guys).
Your ride vehicle moves from set to set, acting as a moving simulator immersing you in the action.
TRANSFORMERS: The Ride is doubly impressive for fans of the franchise, though those who have not seen them are still likely to enjoy the action-packed experience.
A Single Rider line is also available - it typically reduces your wait to about half of the regular standby line or less.
Children between 40” and 48” must be accompanied by a supervising companion.
An engineering marvel:
Ever wondered how such a long ride is packed into such a small building?
Universal’s engineers came up with an ingenious way to reduce the ride’s footprint: during the ride, while you are watching a scene on one of the giant screens, you and your vehicle go up in an elevator up one floor that houses more of the ride.
Here the ride continues its course and you later come back down to the first floor via another elevator while you watch another giant screen – this is all done seamlessly and really is an incredible feat.
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Universal Studios’ Classic Monster Cafe – Quick Service. Accepts Universal Dining Plan. Serves chicken, lasagne, cheeseburgers, pizza & other fast-food style meals. Entrees: $13-$20.
Height Restriction: 48 inches (1.22m)
Attraction length: 4 minutes
Express Pass Available: Yes
Average Wait: 20 to 60 minutes
Lockers required: Yes
This unique roller coaster features fire, smoke, forward and backward motion, and more.
Revenge of The Mummy is one of the most original and fun coasters in Orlando. It starts as a slow-moving dark ride and then turns into a traditional roller coaster themed to the world of The Mummy.
Although the ride does not go upside down and is not exactly the fastest attraction, it does tell its story very well and really immerses you in the atmosphere. It is a great thrill, with surprises throughout.
The queue line is also incredibly detailed and contains several interactive elements. For example, while watching guests in another location on a screen, you can press a scarab beetle and the guests will feel a quick blast of air from underneath them, guaranteed to give them a fright.
But beware where you put your hands while waiting in line, as the treasure you see around you may not be all you think it is... and you might be in for a surprise or two.
Single Riders have a dedicated queue line available. We recommend first-timers see the regular standby line once before using the Single Rider queue.
Fun Fact: Revenge of the Mummy replaced Kongfrontation (a ride based on King Kong), that was previously housed in the same building; a statue of the great ape has been left behind as a tribute in the treasure room. See if you can spot it!
See Jake and Elwood, the Blues Brothers, take to the stage in this show. Unlike other shows where you sit in a show-style amphitheater, The Blues Brothers Show takes place on a small stage in the street with more of a street-performer feel to it.
Crowds are not very big, and most people walk in and out during the show - it is worth stopping by.
Next to Revenge of the Mummy, there is a small alleyway that has a 50-foot tall rock-climbing wall.
Climb it and once you reach the top, ring the bell to claim victory!
Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
Height Restriction: 40 inches (1.02m)
Attraction length: 25 minutes (including all pre-shows)
Express Pass Available: Yes
Average Wait: Less than 15 minutes or Virtual Line System
Lockers required: No
This is a 3D simulated adventure with American comedian Jimmy Fallon.
Once inside “NBC’s Studios,” you will be given a colored ticket and can then explore two rooms with NBC and Tonight Show memorabilia and clips from the show’s 60+ year history, as well as interactive games, more video clips, and live performances. There are also seating areas. Once your color is called, you collect your 3D glasses.
These waiting rooms are great fun and much better than standing in a standard line. You will wait for about 15-20 minutes from entering the building to riding - the show is about 4 minutes.
Then you board the world’s first “flying theater” where Jimmy will challenge you “to a white-knuckle race.”
Prepare to “speed through the streets and skies of The Big Apple, encountering everything from iconic landmarks to the deepest subway tunnels and anything else that comes to Jimmy’s mind.”
Finnegan’s Bar and Grill – Table Service. Accepts Universal Dining Plan. Serves salads, sandwiches, fish and chips, chicken, corned beef, salmon and more. Entrees are priced at $15 to $25. This is our favorite place to eat in this theme park outside of Diagon Alley.
Louie’s Italian Restaurant – Quick Service. Accepts Universal Dining Plan. Serves spaghetti and meatballs, pizza slices, whole pizza pies and fettuccine alfredo. Entrees are $10 to $16.50. Whole pizza pies are priced between $35 and $40.
Starbucks and Ben & Jerry’s– Quick Service/Snacks. Food and drinks are $3 to $6 each.
San Francisco
Fast & Furious: Supercharged
Height Restriction: 40 inches (1.02m)
Attraction length: 5 minutes
Express Pass Available: Yes
Average Wait: Less than 15 minutes
Lockers required: No
Fast & Furious: Supercharged is a simulator-style attraction in which you take part in a simulated high-speed chase with the cast of the movies.
Fast & Furious operates a Virtual Line system but during quieter periods, you can simply walk right into the first show room. A Single Rider queue line is also available.
Theme park fans generally seem to agree that this is the worst ride in the park - perhaps something to do when it is wet, or the waits for other rides are too long.
Fans of the franchise will likely enjoy seeing some race cars up close and some familiar faces on screen.
Children between 40” and 48” must be accompanied by a supervising companion.
Richter’s Burger Co. – Quick Service. Accepts Universal Dining Plan. Serves burgers, salads, and chicken sandwiches. EntrÈes are priced at $11.50 to $15.
Lombard’s Seafood Grille – Table Service. Accepts Universal Dining Plan. Serves salads, sandwiches, catch of the day, mussels and more. EntrÈes are priced at $17 to $29.
San Francisco Pastry Company – Snacks and Quick Service. Serves sandwiches, soups and pastries. Accepts Universal Dining Plan. EntrÈes are priced at $6 to $14.
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Height Restriction: 42 inches (1.07m)
Attraction length: 5 minutes
Express Pass Available: Yes
Average Wait: Less than 45 minutes
Lockers required: Yes
At Men In Black, your mission is to protect the city and defeat the attacking aliens.
You are sent in teams of six in vehicles and, using hand-held laser blasters, compete against another group of riders to defeat the aliens and get a high-score.
This ride is a fun, family-friendly experience that we highly recommend. A Single Rider line is available.
Children between 42” and 48” must be accompanied by a supervising companion.
Top Tip: Hold down the trigger throughout the ride. You get points for doing this, regardless of whether you hit any targets or not.
Top Tip 2: For major points, shoot Frank the Pug who is hidden on the ride in the newspaper stand on the right side of the second room.
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Show length: 20 minutes
Express Pass Available: Yes
Lockers required: No
Get ready to watch theme park guests face their fears live on stage as they compete against each other in Fear Factor Live. This is a fun show that unites the crowds.
Or, why not apply and be one of those guests? To participate in the show, you will want to be near the entrance 60 to 90 minutes before showtime. Guests must be over 18, have photo ID on them and be in good physical condition to participate.
Volunteers are also chosen to play minor roles during the show.
This show is starting to show its age, but for the moment, it’s a fun distraction - especially if you have never seen it before.
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The Springfield Area:
There are many photo opportunities here, including a giant Lard Lad donut sculpture, Chief Wiggum by his police car, a statue of Jebediah Springfield, Duff Man flexing his muscles and more. Characters often meet in this area, and there are carnival games you can pay to play.
Height Restriction: 40 inches (1.02m)
Attraction length: 6 minutes
Express Pass Available: Yes
Average Wait: 20 to 40 minutes
Lockers required: No
The Simpsons Ride brings the famous yellow Springfield family to life in a fun-filled simulated roller coaster ride in front of an enormous screen in Krustyland.
Your adventure is filled with gags throughout and is a fun family experience. Simpsons fans will love this ride!
Children between 40” and 48” must be accompanied by a supervising companion.
Fun fact: During the pre-show video, look out for the DeLorean car and Doc Brown from Back to the Future. This is a tribute to the Back to the Future attraction that previously occupied the same building.
Height Restriction: None
Attraction length: 1 minute
Express Pass Available: Yes
Average Wait: Less than 10 minutes
Lockers required: No
This is a relatively standard fairground-style spinning ride, like Disney’s Dumbo attraction.
Here, you sit in flying saucers and spin around. A lever allows you to control the height of your saucer.
Around the attraction, there are pictures of Simpsons characters; when you fly past them, they speak.
Fast Food Boulevard – Quick Service. Accepts Universal Dining Plan. Despite looking like several separate Simpsons buildings, this is actually one area with the following sections:
• Moe’s Tavern sells Buzz Cola, Flaming Moes and Duff Beer ($4 to $9)
• Lisa’s Teahouse of Horror sells salads and wraps ($7 to $11)
• Luigi’s sells personal-sized pizzas ($11 to $16.50)
• The Frying Dutchman sells fish-based dishes ($5 to $21.50)
• Cletus’ Chicken Shack sells fried chicken and chicken sandwiches ($8 to $11)
• Krusty Burger sells burgers and hot dogs ($9.50 to $19)
Duff Brewery – Bar with snacks. Drinks are $4-$9, a hot dog is $10 and chips are $3.
Bumblebee Man’s Tacos – Quick Service. Drinks are $4 to $8, tacos are $10.
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Universal’s Horror Make Up Show
Show length: 25 minutes
Express Pass Available: Yes
Lockers required: No
Go behind the scenes and see how gory and horror effects are created for Hollywood movies in this fun and educational show that is sure to have you in stitches.
The script is very well thought out, with laugh after laugh, and some fun audience interaction too. This is one show we highly recommend you visit!
The theatre is relatively small, so do get there early.
If you want to be part of the show, the hosts tend to choose young women in the middle section of the theater. They also tend to go for someone who they think will speak no English, for comedic effect.
Show length: 25 minutes
Express Pass Available: Yes
Lockers required: No
The Bourne Stuntacular is an indoor live-action stunt show based on Universal Pictures’ blockbuster Bourne film franchise.
The show blurs the lines between the action stage and the screens incredibly well.
The show is action-packed and features live performers, high-tech props and a huge LED screen that makes it impossible to tell where the live-action ends and the cinema begins.
This is a great show, although it is not suitable for anyone who is sensitive to loud noises.
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Mel’s Drive In – Quick Service. Serves burgers, chicken fingers and milkshakes. Accepts Universal Dining Plan. Entrees are $11 to $17.50.
Schwab’s Pharmacy – Snacks. Serves ice cream priced between $4 and $9.
TODAY Cafe – Quick Service. Serves sandwiches, pastries and salads. Accepts Universal Dining Plan. EntrÈes are $9 to $14, pastries are $3.50-$5.50.
Woody Woodpecker’s Kid Zone
Show length: 20 minutes
Express Pass Available: Yes
Lockers required: No
This is a behind-the-scenes look at how animals are taught to act in films – there is even some audience participation.
Animal fans (and children) will enjoy it, but in our opinion, the show is lackluster with a significant reliance on video clips and a lack of flow.
It is a shame to see this show, especially when compared to a similar show at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park – Disney’s show has humor, a great storyline, and a real wow factor. This one doesn’t.
We would advise giving this a miss unless you are a big animal fan or you have time to fill.
A Day in the Park with Barney
Show length: 15 minutes
Express Pass Available: Yes
Lockers required: No
Join Barney and his friends for a fun-filled show where little ones can sing along. After the show, there is a play area, and you can meet Barney.
This is a water play area. Be sure to bring a change of clothes for the little ones.
Height Restriction: 36 inches (0.92m)
Attraction length: 44 seconds
Express Pass Available: Yes
Average Wait: Less than 30 minutes
Lockers required: No
Think of Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster as a kid’s first rollercoaster – a way to get them introduced into the world of coasters before trying something a bit more intense.
The ride is great fun for the little ones or just for those not wanting to jump on the likes of The Incredible Hulk Coaster just yet.
It is a short ride but should be more than enough to please young thrill-seekers.
Children between 36” and 48” must be accompanied by a supervising companion.
This play area is the perfect place to get the little ones to let off some steam. There is quite a lot of water here, including a dinghy slide, so be sure to bring a change of clothes.
Height Restriction: 34 inches (0.87m)
Attraction length: 4 minutes 30 seconds
Express Pass Available: Yes
Average Wait: Less than 20 minutes
Lockers required: No
On this cute, if aging, ride you sit on bicycles, like in the E.T. movie, and soar through the sky while trying to keep E.T. safe.
It is a fun little ride with a relatively high capacity and one of the few Universal Studios Florida attractions that remains from the park’s opening day.
The ride system allows you to ‘cycle through the air’ and makes for a truly immersive experience.
If you do not like heights, avoid this attraction.
Children between 34” and 48” must be accompanied by a supervising companion.
KidZone Pizza Company – Quick Service. Accepts Universal Dining Plan. Serves pizzas, pretzels and corn dogs. Entrees are priced at $11 to $14.
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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is one of the best-known areas at Universal, and it is split between the two theme parks. The Hogsmeade area is in Islands of Adventure, and Diagon Alley is in Universal Studios Florida.
Diagon Alley is a high street in the Harry Potter universe. As it cannot be seen by Muggles (non-Wizards), Universal has hidden this area of the park behind a recreation of London’s Waterfront at Universal Studios Florida.
On the waterfront are façades of London landmarks. As well as the Statue of Eros, is the Knight Bus which features an interactive shrunken head experience as seen in the Prisoner of Azkaban film.
Visitors enter Diagon Alley through Leicester Square station and transition into the Wizarding World via brick walls and the help of some sound effects.
Hidden secret: On the 12 Grimmauld Place building, if you look carefully at the windows above the door, every once in a while, a curtain will open and Kreature, the house elf from the Harry Potter series, will peer outside.
There is an incredible variety of shops in the main stretch of Diagon Alley.
• Quality Quidditch Supplies – Sells apparel, hats and pendants, brooms, Golden Snitches, and Quaffles.
• Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes – Sells prank items, toys, novelty items and magic tricks, such as Extendable Ears and Decoy Detonators.
• Madam Malkin’s – Find Hogwarts school uniforms, with ties, robes, scarves, and more. Also sells jewelry themed to the four school houses.
• Ollivander’s (show and shop) – See a short show in which a wand picks a wizard. Then, buy your own.
• Wiseacre’s Wizarding Equipment – Stocks a wide range of items from hourglasses to compasses, and telescopes to binoculars.
• Wands by Gregorovitch – The legendary wand shop.
• Shutterbuttons – Get a personalized “moving picture” just like the Harry Potter newspapers for $89.95. Up to 4 people can take part in the experience. You are supplied with robes, but you must bring your own wand.
Fans of the boy wizard will not go hungry in Diagon Alley:
• Leaky Cauldron – Quick Service. Accepts Universal Dining Plan. Serves English fare such as Banger’s and Mash, Toad in the Hole, Fish and Chips and more. Breakfast entrÈes are $13 for kids and $18 for adults. Lunch and dinner entrees are $11.50 to $22.
• Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream – Quick Service. Serves ice cream and other treats, as well as breakfast items and pastries in the morning. Does not accept the Universal Dining Plan. Ice Cream Flavors include Earl Grey and Lavender, Clotted Cream, Orange Marmalade, Butterbeer, and others. Ice creams are $6 to $9.50. We highly recommend the Butterbeer ice cream – there is even an option with a souvenir glass.
Running alongside Diagon Alley is the darker Knockturn Alley, described as a “gloomy back street” by Universal. The shops and storefronts here are filled with items related to Dark Magic.
The flagship store here is Borgin and Burkes, which sells dark items such as Death Eater masks, skulls, and other sinister objects. Make sure to check out the vanishing cabinet.
This area is covered, so it is always dark and creates a nighttime atmosphere. It is popular during Orlando’s frequent rain showers.
Be sure to look out for the animated “Wanted” posters of the Death Eaters.
Check out the window with the tarantulas on it - though it may give you a bit more than you bargained for if you get too close.
There are also many interactive wand experiences available in this area (more on these later).
Two other streets in Diagon Alley have themed shop fronts and interactive wand touches – Horizont Alley and Carkitt Market.
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Attractions
Height Restriction: 42 inches (1.07m)
Attraction length: 5 minutes
Express Pass Available: Yes
Lockers required: Yes
Average Waits: 30 to 60 minutes
Outside Gringotts Bank, marvel at the fire-breathing dragon on the roof. Then, head inside and prepare for the experience of a lifetime.
Just like Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey in Islands of Adventure, the queue line is as much of an experience as the ride itself. The storyline begins to unfold as you see signs of Harry, Ron, and Hermione discussing their plans.
The ride itself is a “multidimensional” rollercoaster-type attraction. It mixes real-world sets with 3D video on huge screens, much like Forbidden Journey.
There are drops and turns (but the ride never goes upside down) in the layout, and it is more a 3D-style ride than a rollercoaster - more Transformers than The Incredible Hulk. The ride features 4K-high definition technology as well as 3D screens, with glasses worn by riders.
Apart from one drop and a short high-speed section, this is not a hugely thrilling coaster. You are definitely there for the story and not huge thrills.
Single Rides have a dedicated queue line, but it skips all the queue line scenes and leads directly to the loading area. The Single Rider line can save you a considerable amount of time.
Children between 32” and 48” must be accompanied by a supervising companion.
Storyline – Spoiler Alert: The ride is inspired by the final movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. In this installment, Harry, Ron, and Hermione break into Gringotts bank to steal a powerful Horcrux to help them defeat Lord Voldemort. On Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, you encounter the trio during this quest – but expect to meet some dangerous creatures and malicious villains as well!
During the ride, you will come face to face with Bellatrix Lestrange, security trolls, fire breathing dragons, and even Voldemort himself.
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Height Restriction: None
Attraction length: 3 to 4 minutes
Express Pass Available: No
Average Wait: Less than 10 minutes
Technically, this is a pre-show to a shop. You enter Ollivanders in groups of 25 people.
One person is chosen by the wand-master to find the right wand for them through in a short, interactive show with special effects. When the right wand is found, they are allowed to buy it in the shop next door (optional).
This is a fantastic experience that we highly recommend you visit. It is suitable for people of all ages.
The queue line at this Ollivanders moves much more quickly than the one in Islands of Adventure.
Kings Cross Station and the Hogwarts Express
Height Restriction: None
Attraction length: 5 minutes in each direction.
Express Pass Available: Yes
Lockers required: No
Average Waits: 15 to 45 minutes (A park-to-park ticket is required)
At Kings Cross Station, break through the wall onto Platform 9 æ, and catch the Hogwarts Express. This real train ride transports you through the countryside to Hogsmeade Station (at Universal’s Islands of Adventure).
On the 5-minute journey, as you look out of train windows, you will see stories unfold – all on a full-sized train just like in the movies.
During the journey, you may see Hagrid on his motorcycle, the English countryside, Buckbeak the Hippogriff, the purple Knightbus, the Weasley twins, and even some Dementors. There are many more surprises in store, of course, and not everything happens outside the train carriage.
Each of the Hogwarts Express trains seats 200 passengers, and the story in each direction is unique.
Once you hop off the train at Hogsmeade, you can explore the area and its attractions, including the incredible Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride.
Important: To experience the Hogwarts Express, you must have a Park-to-Park ticket as you will physically move between theme parks. A Single-Park ticket does not allow you to experience this ride – guests with Single Park tickets can experience each of the theme parks’ Wizarding Worlds on separate days, but cannot travel on the Hogwarts Express.
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Interactive wand experiences are available at The Wizarding World, both at Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.
To participate, guests must purchase an interactive wand from the Wizarding World’s shops. These are $55; this is $6 more than the non-interactive wands.
Once you have purchased a wand, look for one of the 25+ bronze medallions embedded in The Wizarding World’s streets that mark locations you can cast spells. You also get a map of the sites included with each wand purchase.
Once standing on a medallion, perform the correct spell: draw the shape of the spell in the air with your wand and say the spell’s name. Then, watch the magic happen.
This is a fun bit of extra entertainment, and wands can be reused on future visits.
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At Carkitt Market, two shows are performed daily:
The first brings to life two fables from “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” – The Fountain of Fair Fortune and The Tale of the Three Brothers. This trunk show uses set pieces, props, and puppetry.
The second soul-filled show features a musical performance by The Singing Sorceress: Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees.
As well as the live stage shows, the area hosts other interactive experiences. Just outside Diagon Alley, you will find the Knight Bus and its two occupants: a shrunken head and the Knight Bus Conductor. Both are happy to chat, joke around, and take photos.
At Gringotts Money Exchange, you can swap Muggle currency (US$) for Wizarding Bank Notes, which can be used at both Universal parks to purchase snacks and in stores.
Stores in The Wizarding World accept regular US dollars and credit or debit cards, but these Potter banknotes are a cool souvenir.
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Universal Studios Florida is home to live entertainment throughout the day. Character meet and greets can be found throughout the park and there is a daily parade as well as a nighttime show.
Expect to see The Minions and Gru from Despicable Me, Sponge Bob Squarepants, Dora the Explorer, characters from The Secret Life of Pets, and many others in the daily Universal Superstar Parade.
This parade is great fun for character fans. Both the floats and the characters are great to see, and the upbeat music adds to the fun.
The parade route starts by Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-Up Show, moves towards the lagoon, past TRANSFORMERS, round the front of Revenge of the Mummy, down past the Universal Stage and Despicable Me, and back along Hollywood Boulevard ending back at Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-Up Show where it starts.
One of the best things about Universal’s Superstar Parade is that it is much less crowded than the parades at Disney’s theme parks. You can usually get a front-row spot as the parade starts. Many people simply do not know this parade exists, and others go to Universal for its thrill rides.
Having said this, although the parade is enjoyable, it is not up to the standards of a Disney parade. The parade is performed once each day; the time will be printed on your in-park map.
Top Tip: Twice per day, before the parade starts, there are dance parties hosted by Mel’s Drive-In. During the dance parties, floats and characters from the parade come out to meet and greet, dance and sign autographs.
Round off your evening at the park with Universal’s nighttime spectacular.
Presented on the theme park lagoon, this 20-minute-long show features scenes from Universal blockbuster movies, plus fountains, water projections, dramatic music, lasers, and pyrotechnics.
You can expect to see scenes from Jurassic World, Fast & Furious, E.T., How to Train Your Dragon, Trolls, Transformers, Despicable Me, and Harry Potter.
The ideal viewing location is from a dedicated area located near Springfield, although the show is visible from around the lagoon. It is a great show and worth watching!
During the Halloween season, this show is not performed - on nights when Halloween Horror Nights takes place, an alternative show is usually presented.
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