What to Do at Universal Orlando Resort With Kids

There is so much to see and do at Universal Orlando Resort that trying to decide where to start can make your head spin! Here I want to share popular attractions my family loves at the two main Universal theme parks; Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.

Universal Orlando Resort with the Kids

Universal Orlando is fantastic for families, that is if you plan on spending time there. With the exception of Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which I will admit can be intense at times with its dark passages and fast moving rides, Universal does an amazing job masking the fact that this is Florida.

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The first thing to remember when planning your visit to Universal Orlando is actually 2 Universal parks, Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, Universal’s Volcano Bay water park, and the entertainment district, Universal Citywalk.

Universal Studios is all about movies and television, so the attractions are much more fast paced and high energy. Each and every one of the Universal Orlando Parks has free live entertainment that changes frequently. Shows such as Mac Sabbath , Superstar Parade, Grinchmas , and Universal’s Cinematic Spectacular: 100 Years of Movie Memories are just a few examples of shows you can catch.

Kids can love the thrill rides, crazy simulators, and all out action of Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit , Revenge of the Mummy , Simpsons’ Krustyland , Men in Black Alien Attack , E.T. Adventure, Twister…Ride It Out! Your family will have a blast at either park, but I can never do just one. Plus for Harry Potter fans like me and my family, riding Hogwarts Express requires a Park-to-Park ticket. This ticket provides access to both parks in a single day and board the Hogwarts Express.

Universal Orlando, just like Disney World, has so much for families to see and do. Let me help you narrow it down by sharing a few of my favorites. I’ll start with Universal Studios and then Islands of Adventure. All theme park vacations and especially Universal Studios theme parks should begin with a roller coaster ride, so let me share my favorite coasters first.

What to Do at Universal Studios Orlando

Universal Studio Roller Coasters

Revenge of the Mummy is my favorite roller coaster at Studios, hands down. It definitely gives you a thrill, but it’s not going to make anyone black out. Rip Ride Rockit is a step up on the thrill-o-meter, and has the added bonus of letting everyone ride to the song of their choice.

Who doesn’t love Harry Potter? No matter what park you are in, you can find Hogwarts. At Universal Studios Florida, your first stop should be Gringotts Bank to ride the incredible Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts ride. I definitely recommend riding this one more than once. You’ll have an opportunity to sit with friends or family that you might not be able to sit with on the second ride, so it’s fun to try again on another day.

Men in Black Alien Attack is the perfect chance for a friendly competition. Each person gets their own blaster gun, and the hunt is on to see who can get the highest score. Want an advantage? Shoot for the eyes in the bushes, and listen for the command to hit the red button!

Transformers, Escape from Gringotts, and ET are rides that are always on my agenda. I’m not sure if The Hogwarts Express from Kings Cross Station counts as a ride, but it’s for sure something you don’t want to miss! When you get to the top of the stairs get your camera ready! Look for a luggage rack before you go around the corner. If you look through the luggage rack you will notice the people in front of you disappear into a solid wall onto Platform 9 ¾!

Universal Studios Shows

The Bourne Stuntacular, the Horror Makeup Show, and Tales of Beedle the Bard are 3 of my favorite shows. The Bourne Stuntacular is a daring stunt show that is themed for the Jason Bourne movies. It’s exciting to be so close to that much action.

The Horror Make-Up Show is hilarious. Beetlejuice opens the show by chatting up the audience, and it just gets better from there. In Diagon Alley you can watch a group of wizards perform a set of stories from Tales of Beedle the Bard. My favorite is the Tale of the Three Brothers.

The Animal Actor’s show and Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees are also really fun to watch. Not to mention Ollivander’s Experience where you can be chosen by Ollivander himself to have the wand pick the wizard (or witch). The line can get long, but don’t worry the Ollivander Experience is available in both Diagon Alley and Hogsmead.

How much are wands to Universal Studios Orlando?

The standard interactive wands inside the parks cost $59. Limited edition wands are $75. Earlier this year Inside the Magic reported that you could get a free wand if you purchased a Universal Merchandise Shopping Card (aka a gift card) for $250.00 in the park. Definitely, something to consider if still available.

You can use an interactive wand to cast spells that will create amazing magical experiences throughout The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™—Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando® Resort.

You can also purchase your wands online prior to attending Universal Studios Orlando and save time once you’re at the parks. Wands are $59 online plus shipping.

Universal Studios Character Meet and Greets

It’s my opinion that meeting the Transformers is the best meet and greet in the parks. Standing in front of the giant autobots and decepticons can be a little intimidating, especially if you’re meeting Megatron. However, they are surprisingly funny, even Bumblebee who can’t talk.

You’ll also want to keep an eye out for Scooby Doo and the Gang, Shrek and Donkey, and Bart and Homer. If you’ve got younger kids in your crew, make sure you head over to DreamWorks Destination. It’s a continuous meet and greet party near the ET ride that rotates characters from Dreamworks movies every 20 minutes. You might see Poppy and Branch from Trolls or Gloria and King Julian from Madagascar!

Favorite Universal Studios Orlando Snacks

There are 3 foods I have to have every time I go to Universal Studios.

Lard Lad Donut (preferably maple bacon)
Crepe from Central Park Crepes
Butterbeer (in all its varieties)

Additional Things You Should Know

Do yourself a favor and take the time to explore Diagon Alley and the London section of the park. Stop by the Knight Bus to snag a picture with the conductor and the talking head. At the red phone booth you can dial MAGIC to talk to the Ministry. And if you’re patient outside Grimmauld Place you could see Creature keeping an eye on the muggles from the window.

If your little kids are sick of waiting in line, let your kiddos loose in Feivel’s Playland or Curious George Goes to Town.

What to do at Islands of Adventure with Kids

Best Roller Coasters in IOA

The new VelociCoaster and The Incredible Hulk Coaster are ridiculously fast and exciting, but not for the faint of heart or small of courage. My middle schoolers rode the VelociCoaster once, and decided it was a little too intense for them.

The Forbidden Journey ride gives you the chance to explore Hogwarts Castle while in line for the ride. Even if you don’t want to ride it you should walk through the line just to explore. The Flight of the Hippogriff is a smaller, shorter roller coaster that is great for younger kids. Plus it’s your chance to see Buckbeak! And, of course, don’t forget to Ride the Hogwarts Express from Hogsmeade station as well, because each direction has a different experience.

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure has got to be my favorite ride in either of the parks. You get to explore what’s in the back half of the castle and see Hagrid’s Hut in this line. It is so incredibly detailed that I don’t even mind the long wait!

I also want to give a shout out for the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride. Spidey was my childhood hero. Seuss Landing is a must for little ones. They will want to ride the Caro-Seuss-el and the Cat in the Hat ride, not to mention the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride.

IOA Water Rides

Islands of Adventure is where you will find the water rides. There are three. The Jurassic Park River Adventure will get you moderately wet, especially if you sit in the front row. Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls will soak you quite thoroughly. But it’s Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges that will make you feel like a drowned barge rat. They are all so fun to ride, and once you decide to do one, you may as well do them all!

Islands of Adventure Shows

If you’re visiting in late September – October you’ll be able to catch the Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle show projected onto Hogwarts Castle at the end of each day. I’ve never been so lucky, but hopefully one day I will be.

The Triwizard Spirit Rally is a show where you get to see students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang show off for everyone. And don’t forget that you can do Ollivanders Experience in Hogsmeade as well.

In Seuss Landing you can catch story time to hear your favorite Dr. Seuss stories along with your favorite Seuss characters.

IOA Character Meet and Greets

The best meet and greet in Islands of Adventure has got to be the Raptor Encounter. It doesn’t matter whether you’re meeting a full grown raptor or a baby raptor, you will want to make sure you do this. Just watch out, they often get hungry!

I also love to catch the Marvel Superheroes. You might see heroes like Rogue, Wolverine or Spiderman. The Mystic Fountain is just outside of Hogsmeade Station and it is always fun to stop and have a conversation with it.

Island of Adventure Food

It’s rumored that Wimpy’s has the best burger in the park, so if anyone gets a chance to try it let me know. I’ve also heard great things about Green Eggs and Ham’s tater-tots, and of course, don’t leave without getting a Butterbeer or two.

Additional Things You Should Know

Hogsmeade is home to Zonko’s Joke Shop, Honeydukes, and Dervish and Banges. They keep the Monster Book of Monsters caged in Dervish and Banges. Get a good look, but watch your fingers!

A great souvenir to send to people back home is a postcard. You can get it stamped with a special Hogsmeade stamp and mailed with Owl Post right in Hogsmeade. You can also mail them from Diagon Alley, and they have a special Diagon Alley stamp as well.

If your legs are in desperate need of a break, but your kids need to burn off some energy make your way to one of their playgrounds. Me Ship, The Olive in Toon Lagoon, Camp Jurassic in the Jurassic Park area, or If I Ran the Zoo in Seuss Landing. Oh, and make sure you check out the Jurassic Park Discovery Center. You can learn about dinosaurs and DNA, and even visit a velociraptor nursery!

I know it feels like we’ve talked about everything there is to do at Universal Orlando, but believe me when I tell you there is more., so much more….. If I’ve missed any of your favorite things I’d love to hear about them!

About the author

Candice Tuttle is a family travel and finance lifestyle blogger who loves to travel with her 4 kids and husband. She loves to write about her travels and to share her stories, tips, and tricks to help other families have amazing vacations, and hopefully do it all within a budget. You can read more of her work and travels on her website, CasuallyCandice.com.

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