If you are a fan of Harry Potter, Simpsons, Shrek, Spider-Man and other characters that spark our imagination, it’s time to pack your bags and get ready for an adventure in the Universal Studios Florida parks in Orlando.
With a combination of emotion, magic and adrenaline for all ages, the accommodation and entertainment complex Universal Studios Resort is an unmissable destination for entertainment lovers. However, its famous parks – especially during the high season in January, February, July and August – are crowded and the queues to enjoy the main attractions can be long, very long!
The parks at Universal Studios Florida
The complex has three parks, the Universal Studios and the Islands of Adventure neighbors and with exciting attractions for all ages. It’s worth checking out what each one offers.but we have already said that both are unmissable and, when visiting Orlando, take the opportunity to get to know both.
Buy a ticket that allows you to pass between the parks or reserve a day for each one, so you can enjoy everything from a Minions themed area for the little ones to roller coasters that leave you, literally, upside down and your hair standing on end. Not to mention the magical area of the most famous wizard of all time: Harry Potter!
In turn, the Volcano Bay is a perfect water park to face the scorching Florida heat. And, next year, the long-awaited Epic Universe.
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What is the Universal Express Pass and how to wait in line at the parks:
One of the ways to “shorten” the lines is with the famous Universal Express Pass a “queue skip” that visitors buy separately from the tickets and which literally offers a separate queue, next to the main one, with a much shorter waiting time.
Often, an attraction that has a wait of between 60-50 minutes, with the Express Pass, only takes 15 minutes. Within this category, they offer two options: Universal Express Pass and the Universal Express Unlimited Pass. The difference between them is that, in the first option, the visitor has the right to cut the queue only once at each attraction, while in the Unlimited version, as the name suggests, it is unlimited and the visitor can enjoy the same ride as many times as they wish. .
However, the complex offers a service option that few visitors know about. An experience that takes the acronym VIP (Very Important Person, which in Portuguese means “Very Important Person”) literally, ensuring that the queue is NON-EXISTENT . Yes, that’s exactly what you read.
Imagine arriving at an attraction, entering through “secret” doors – often behind the scenes of the parks, where visitors normally do not have access – and Don’t wait even a minute in line ? It seems like a dream, but CNN Travel&Gastronomy went to Orlando to check if this experience was real and confirmed: the dream (it’s expensive), but it can become a reality!
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What is the VIP TOUR and how to skip the line at Universal Studios and Island of Adventure parks in Orlando:
The dream of a park without queues is possible with the service Universal Orlando Resort VIP Tour Experience. Valid at Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure parks, as well as at Express, separate ticket is required for the theme parks, that is, the ticket + the additional ticket for this service that starts at $259.99 (about R$1,415.00) + taxes per person. It is worth mentioning that this value is flexible, that is, it can vary depending on the time of year and demand.
With two options, the VIP Experience Non-Private as the name suggests, is a non-private experience for a group with a limit of 12 people, where a maximum of 6 people from the same group, friends or family, are allowed. Already in Private VIP Tour accept groups of up to 12 people who know each other, with an exclusive guide just for your family or friends.
In both experiences, a lively guide who knows absolutely all the details of the parks will accompany the group from the beginning to the end of the tour. After all, without it, it is not possible to access the attractions in such a VIP way, where everything and everyone stops for the group to pass through. With the badge written “VIP TOUR”, which everyone wears around their neck, the feeling is that a magical and perfect world really exists!
In the VIP Experience Non-Private, the route is already pre-defined, but the group can reach a consensus and request changes. On the Private VIP Tour, the itinerary is completely free and defined together with the guide. In both cases, it is essential that the group reaches an agreement, as everyone must remain united during the visit.
Guides prioritize the most popular attractions, such as the roller coaster Velocicoaster and the incredible simulator Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts . However, group members are free to request changes and visit any attraction as many times as they wish! Here’s a tip: avoid getting excited and asking to go to the same attraction countless times. Even with “zero queues”, the parks are large and there are many other attractions to enjoy in a single day.
The VIP Tour service lasts until 5pm, after which the guide says goodbye and the VIP badge turns into an unlimited Express Pass for the rest of the day.
Other items included in the VIP Tour are the use of Valet Parking at no additional cost on the day of the visit and, with the dream badge, visitors have priority at CityWalk restaurants and a 10% discount on products from most stores in the parks and CityWalk . On the VIP Tour Non-Private, breakfast and lunch are included, while on the Private Tour, dinner is also part of the package.
- The main differences between VIP TOUR experiences with Universal Express Pass benefits:
| Private VIP Experience | VIP Experience | Universal Express Unlimited Pass* | Universal Express Pass** | |
| Skip regular queues | X | X | X | X |
| Priority access | X | X | ||
| Behind the scenes attractions | X | X | ||
| Valet Parking | X | X | ||
| Complimentary Meals | Complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner | Complimentary breakfast and lunch | ||
| Customize the Tour | X |
To obtain a quote for this VIP Tour service, the visitor needs to contact the VIP Call Center via phone only (+1) (866) 346-9350 and schedule in advance, after all, there are only a few spaces available each day for this exclusive service.
- Extra tips when planning your visit to Universal Studios Florida:
- Keep an eye out for promotions when purchasing tickets. For travelers from Latin America, for example, they have a “Buy Two Days, Get 2 Days Free”, available for travel from November 21, 2024 to April 30, 2025.
- Staying at Universal hotels has benefits, such as early entry to the parks up to one hour before other visitors ; free transportation by bus or water taxi to all Universal Orlando Resort theme parks, including Universal CityWalk, as it is necessary to pass through CityWalk to access the dry parks: Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure; pay for anything within the complex with your room key; and souvenirs purchased in the complex’s stores can be delivered to your hotel, so you don’t need to carry bags throughout the day.
- Don’t forget to download the Universal app on your cell phone. Essential information such as attractions, waiting times, restaurants, maps and shops are available in Portuguese. Functions related to transactions, such as purchasing tickets, hotel reservations, ordering at restaurants through the app, are only available in English.
*The journalist traveled at the invitation of Universal Studios Florida in August/September 2024.
The post How to avoid queuing at the Universal Studios Florida parks in Orlando appeared first on CNN Brasil V&G.
Source: CNN Brasil
Johanna Foster is an expert opinion writer with over 7 years of experience. She has a reputation for delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles on a variety of subjects. Her work can be found on some of the top online news websites, and she is currently lending her voice to the world stock market.
