My kind of weekend getaway? A short road trip to Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida. Luckily for me, it’s only a few hours in the car but no matter where you live in the world, you must put it on your list! I have been a few times in the past but I just got back from my most recent trip (July 2019) and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.

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Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Orlando Resort is home to three parks, Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure and Universal’s Volcano Bay. Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure can be traveled to and from through City Walk or by way of the Hogwarts Express. There is so much to offer in every park & in order to get the full experience, I recommend the multi-park passes.

City Walk

City Walk is totally awesome and full of fun activities, shopping, entertainment and a large selection of great restaurants. There you will find the Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, Hard Rock Cafe and the Blue Man Group. City Walk also has a movie theater & mini golf. Seriously – there is something for everyone! It’s open until 2 am and you don’t need Universal Orlando Resort passes to enter.

What We Did

We were there for all of Saturday and a few hours on Sunday morning and we were able to see almost every single thing we had planned to. I have to say that without our Universal Express Passes, that probably wouldn’t be the case. I highly recommend purchasing express passes in order to cut down significantly on wait times. Because of these passes, we were able to get on some of our favorites multiple times.

To be honest, every ride was our favorite, but here are some that we believe are must-dos.

The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman

This is one of my all-time favorites since I have been coming to the parks. It is located in Universal’s Islands of Adventure and it will leave you feeling like a superhero.

Skull Island: Reign of Kong

This was actually one of our longer wait times on Saturday but it’s definitely worth it. On this ride, you are on seated on a large bus and it would be really fun with a large group of people. Get ready to meet Kong!

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Hogsmeade

We are both huge Harry Potter fans so this was truly the highlight of our trip. You can spend an entire day going through all of what The Wizarding World of Harry Potter has to offer. In Universal’s Island of Adventure you enter into a snowy village, pass through shops including Ollivanders and arrive at Hogwarts. Inside the corridors you can ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and the newest addition, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. This ride is popular so you be prepared for longer than usual wait times.

Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle

This happens throughout the night and will vary during different parts of the year. You can check details here before your trip. I highly recommend making your way to see this show. It’s beautiful and magical.

Hogwarts Express

There are two ways to get from park to park and one option is to take the Hogwarts Express. You can only ride the train if you have a two-park pass because you will get off in a new park.

Diagon Alley

Walk through the streets of London to find the hidden entrance to Diagon Alley. I don’t want to give away too many details but this piece of the park is truly incredible. Expect to see lots of wizards practicing magic and if you want to join in on the fun, you can purchase an interactive wand to cast your own spells.

Where We Ate

Universal Orlando Resort has an endless amount of restaurants throughout the parks and my suggestion is you do your research online before you go. We ate at The Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley for lunch and for breakfast the next day we ate at Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade.

Dinner in Citywalk

We had dinner in Citywalk after a full day in the parks. We were nervous about long wait times for dinner on a Saturday night but surprisingly that was not an issue at all. We had plenty of available options with zero wait time. We chose Vivo Italian Kitchen, an Italian restaurant in Citywalk and it was magnificent. The food was out of this world, the service was excellent and the atmosphere was relaxing, secluded but still in the middle of all of the nightlife and entertainment. After dinner, we ended up going back into the parks and I even hopped back on a ride in my dress.

There are also some options within the parks. One of the restaurants we looked into was Mythos, an award-winning, full service restaurant located in Universal’s Islands of Adventure. We didn’t end up going but walked by to check it out and it’s on our list for next time.

Where We Stayed

There are endless options as far as hotels and resorts near the park that will shuttle you to and from the parks. If you stay in a park resort, you will get to enter the park an hour before the public in the morning. We stayed at Universal’s Endless Summer Resort: Surfside Inn and Suites and it just recently opened. It’s a very affordable option and really easy access to the parks. The shuttles run every 10-15 minutes and drop you right at the entrance. The hotel itself was very clean, has a beautiful outdoor area with a pool and sand bar, fitness center, grab and go bites and a Starbucks in the lobby. I highly recommend you check it out and don’t forget, if you are a Florida resident, you get a discount!

What to Wear

Florida is known to be hot, so keep that in mind but also know that most of the rides have indoor lines so you will be in the AC. It is okay to bring a bag, but read the guidelines before you go. I brought a small purse and I still had to check it in a locker on some rides. The lockers are really easy to use and the process is actually pretty quick so don’t let that discourage you. Don’t forget your sunscreen and comfortable walking shoes. There is a lot to see and you don’t want sore feet to keep you from the fun.

I cannot say enough good things about Universal Studios Resort and I hope that if you have a chance, you plan a trip and get to experience it for yourself. Leave any questions you have below and don’t forget to check out our video!