Paul at Universal Orlando Resort

Disclaimer: As a travel advisor, I was able to purchase theme park admission at a discount for training purposes. However, this discount did not influence my trip report in any way. I paid for my own transportation, and my hotel was booked at the public offering price. All opinions shared here are completely my own honest impressions.

Back to Universal After 15+ Years

I’ll be honest – I haven’t been to Universal Studios Florida since before 2010, which is over 15 years ago. To put that in perspective, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter wasn’t even open at Universal’s Islands of Adventure yet! This trip was quite a refresh and often felt like visiting the parks for the first time all over again.

My wife and I decided to do this right with park hopper tickets for a full day at both parks. We arrived the day before to get settled and maximize our park time, and I’m so glad we did.

Paul at themed stone ruin backdrop

Dockside Inn & Suites: Our Universal Value Resort Experience

We stayed at Dockside Inn and Suites, one of Universal’s Endless Summer Resort hotels. Check-in was surprisingly smooth – our room was actually ready about an hour before the official 4:00 PM check-in time, which was a great start to the trip.

Our standard 2 queen bed room had everything we needed: a mini fridge, complimentary internet, and access to the fitness room and pool. The property is massive, supporting 2,050 rooms across two towers, each with its own pool in the middle. Here’s something to keep in mind when booking – each tower has 3 wings with two elevator banks at the “corners” of each tower. If your room ends up at the far end of a wing, you might have quite the walk to the nearest elevators, and an even longer trek to the lobby.

The lobby itself is well-equipped with a Universal store, Starbucks, Sunset Lounge (the bar), and Pier 8 Market, which offers both made-to-order meals and quick grab items. You’ll also find both the hotel customer service desk and a Universal customer service desk in the lobby, plus an onsite Avis rental car desk around the corner from check-in. Most importantly for park-goers, the resort shuttles pick up right outside the lobby.

Early Park Admission: Easier Than Expected

Getting to the parks for Early Park Admission was much easier than I anticipated. We were downstairs a full hour before Early Park Admission started at Islands of Adventure. Thanks to low crowds and cooler weather, we only had to wait for the second bus and were on our way to the parks within 15-20 minutes of arriving at the shuttle station.

Security was minimal, and we were at the park gates by 7:30 AM. The park promptly started admitting guests at 8:00 AM, with only a select few attractions available during Early Park Admission: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Flight of the Hippogriff, Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Ollivanders, and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.

By 10:00 AM, we had already completed both Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey – two of the park’s most popular attractions with virtually no wait times.

Food Experience: Captain America Diner

After tackling several more attractions, we grabbed lunch at Captain America Diner. The ordering system is entirely app-based, with food delivered to your table. Sodas come in disposable cups for one-time use at the Coca-Cola freestyle machines, while water cups are available at no cost upon request.

The menu is pretty standard theme park fare – burgers and fries, chicken sandwiches, salads, and chicken fingers. We ordered one of the burgers, and it was exactly what you’d expect from theme park food: not gourmet by any means, but it fills you up. It’s also overpriced, but Universal knows they have a captive audience, especially since they enforce a strict “no outside food or drink” policy with minimal exceptions.

Park Hopping Via Hogwarts Express: A Magical Transition

After lunch, we decided to park hop, and what better way than taking the Hogwarts Express from Islands of Adventure to Universal Studios? Upon arriving at Universal Studios, we had to take our first look at Diagon Alley – something both my wife and I had never experienced.

Wow! It absolutely took my breath away. I had seen countless photos online, so I thought I had some idea of what to expect, but experiencing it in person was completely different. Universal did an incredible job making this area fully immersive. Every detail, from the storefronts to the ambient sounds, transported us right into the Harry Potter universe.

Suspended Shark Photo Spot at Universal Studios Florida

Wizarding World Theme Park Area

My First Butterbeer Experience

After exploring numerous attractions, shows, and just soaking in the atmosphere at Universal Studios, it was finally time for my first taste of Butterbeer. This is one of those things that people can describe to you multiple times, but you just don’t understand until you taste it yourself.

Animal Actors Amphitheater Show

It’s very heavy on the butterscotch candy flavor – think liquid butterscotch hard candy. If that’s not your thing, I’d definitely recommend skipping it. But as someone who enjoys butterscotch, it was a unique experience that I’m glad I tried at least once.

Evening Wind-Down and CityWalk

We left the parks a few hours before closing but didn’t feel like we missed anything important on our personal to-do list. Instead, we took a leisurely stroll through CityWalk one last time, checking out the stores we had missed during our quick pass-through the night before.

We timed the bus pickup perfectly and walked right onto a shuttle back to Endless Summer Resort. The bus made a stop at Surfside Inn first before dropping us off at Dockside, which is standard for the shared shuttle service.

Ducks on a Resort Dock

Resort Hopping Adventure

The night before our park day, we actually did some resort hopping using Universal’s boat transportation system. We took a roundtrip boat ride from our hotel to Portofino Bay, then caught another boat to Sapphire Falls so we could walk over to Aventura Hotel to enjoy dinner and drinks at Bar 17 Bistro. It required multiple transportation hops and some walking, but it was totally doable and gave us a great way to spend our extra evening time while exploring different resort atmospheres.

Overall Impressions and Recommendations

The parks were genuinely a lot of fun, and we didn’t encounter significant wait times throughout our visit. However, I should mention that we strategically chose to visit during one of the lowest crowd periods between Thanksgiving and Christmas, which definitely worked in our favor.

One thing that became clear is that Universal’s attractions are much more thrill-focused compared to other theme park destinations. While there are certainly options for younger children and plenty of attractions offering child swap services, Universal is really better suited for families with older kids – I’d say starting around ages 5 or 6 at minimum.

Despite not being quite as “immersive” as some Disney resort experiences, I actually found myself enjoying the more compact size of the Universal Studios property. The Endless Summer hotels offer fantastic value for money, and the location is absolutely perfect if you’re planning to spend most of your time at Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay.

Why I Recommend Universal for Your Next Vacation

Having experienced Universal with fresh eyes after such a long absence, I can confidently say it offers a completely different but equally exciting alternative to other Central Florida theme park experiences. The technology in the newer attractions is impressive, the theming in areas like Diagon Alley is world-class, and the overall pace feels more manageable than some other destinations.

For couples or families with older children who enjoy thrills, Universal Orlando now spans four parks—three theme parks and one water theme park. To enjoy them fully, plan at least a day per park: a minimum of 4 days to cover everything, and 5 or more if you want time for CityWalk or nearby International Drive activities. The resort hotels, while not as themed as some competitors, offer great value and convenience that makes the entire experience more relaxing.

Ready to Plan Your Universal Orlando Adventure?

If my experience has sparked your interest in visiting Universal Studios Florida, I’d love to help you plan the perfect trip. As a travel advisor who has now experienced Universal’s current offerings firsthand, I can provide insights on everything from choosing the right resort hotel to maximizing your park time with the best ticket options.

Whether you’re looking for a quick weekend getaway or want to combine Universal with other Central Florida attractions, I’ll work with you to create an itinerary that matches your family’s interests and budget.

Start planning your Universal Orlando vacation with me today! Let’s turn your theme park dreams into fantastic memories that will last a lifetime.