Best Plan for Universal Studios Orlando (After Opening of Epic Universe) - Updated for 2026

Trying to make the best plan for Universal Studios Orlando for your upcoming visit? This is the right post for you!

It’s officially here! Universal’s Epic Universe, the first new theme park in Orlando in over 25 years, officially opened its doors on May 22, 2025.

With groundbreaking lands like Super Nintendo World, the Ministry of Magic, and an immersive How to Train Your Dragon land, this park isn’t just big—it’s massive, spanning 750 acres.

Since the late 1990s, Universal Studios Orlando has been home to just two parks – making it fairly simple to navigate and plan for (especially in comparison to Walt Disney World Resort).

But with the addition of this new, theme-park-world-altering Universal park, it’s all changing.

The plan that may have worked on a previous Universal Studios Orlando trip can’t just be copied and pasted for your next visit. Not if you plan on visiting Epic Universe.

So, let’s talk all about Universal and how you can formulate your best plan for Universal Orlando.

This post is all about how you can create the best plan for Universal Studios Orlando in 2025 and beyond (after the opening of Epic Universe).

Table of Contents

Best Plan for Universal Studios Orlando

Understanding Universal Studios Orlando

Existing Parks at Universal Orlando Resort

Universal Studios Orlando is already home to two theme parks and one water park:

Universal Studios Florida: This is the original park (which opened in 1990). Here, you’ll find lots of screen-based attractions and one of (arguably) the best theme park lands of all time: Diagon Alley at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. A more recent addition is Minion Land and DreamWorks Land (which is ideal for kids).
Islands of Adventure: This park opened in 1999, and is home to Universal’s most popular roller coasters like the VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. It has a plethora of water rides and family-friendly attraction in Seuss Landing.
Volcano Bay: Even waterparks deserve some love. Volcano Bay is equal parts relaxation and adrenaline. P.S. There is NOTHING relaxing about the Krakatau Aqua Coaster at Universal! Volcano Bay opened in 2017 and blew Disney World’s water parks out the water (pun intended!).

The New Universal Epic Universe

We’re talking 5 brand-new themed lands, including:

Celestial Park
Dark Universe
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk
Super Nintendo World
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic

In these lands, there will be 11 rides at Epic Universe on opening day. From thrilling roller coasters to more family-friendly rides, this park appears to be making an effort to appeal to all age groups.

Should You Wait to Visit Epic Universe?

This is probably the big question on your mind, right? Should you hold off on visiting Universal Studios Orlando until the hype around Epic Universe has lessened? Or, should you visit now? It really depends on what kind of experience you’re looking for.

Here are a few considerations:

If You’re the “Completionist” Type: If you want the full Universal experience—Epic Universe included—do it! You’ll get to see the resort in all its glory with everything on offer. Yes, Epic Universe will be busy, but likely have huge crowds for many years to come.
If You’re FOMO-Free: Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay are already jam-packed with world-class attractions. Even without Epic Universe, there’s plenty to fill a two- or three-day vacation (or even longer if you want a more leisurely experience).

Can you handle the crowds?: A new state-of-the-art theme park in Orlando has meant crowds. Lots of crowds. (and as of the November 2025 update of this post, Epic Universe still isn’t operating at full capacity). So, visiting Epic Universe right after it opens may not be best for you. If you’re not in a rush to visit Epic Universe and really don’t want to deal with the park being so bis, you may want to wait a year or two after opening and visit during a quieter period (i.e. not during school breaks, major holidays or weekends).

Ultimately, it’s about what kind of vacationer you are. And there isn’t a wrong answer.

Universal Studios Orlando is great without Epic Universe. And we’re pretty sure it’ll be even better with Epic Universe.

It’s never a “bad” time to visit Universal!

Crafting Your Perfect Universal Studios Orlando Itinerary

Planning your Universal Studios Orlando trip with two (soon to be three) parks and a water park can feel a little overwhelming. But trust me, it doesn’t have to be!

I’m usually visiting Universal Studios Orlando for a two or three nights a time, and have found the tips below to be helpful.

Considering Less Time at Disney World

Controversial? Yes. Wrong? Not for everyone.

I know Disney World is appealing. And it can be a big time-eater, with its four theme parks and two water parks (though only one water park is open at any one time).

But if you’re planning to hit up both Universal and Disney on the same trip, it’s time to rethink the balance.

With Epic Universe appearing to have some of the best Orlando attractions of all time, allocating more of your time to Universal Studios can be a no-brainer.

Originally, all multi-day tickets only offer one day at Epic Universe (unless you’re an Annual Passholder, who could buy discounted single day tickets), making it difficult if you wanted to schedule more time at Universal.

UPDATE: You can now purchase 3+ day tickets for Universal, which include Epic Universe every day. If you’re from the UK, you can even get a 2 week ticket, with Epic Universe included every day! You can even hop between the parks for the duration of your valid multi-day ticket.

Despite putting lots of time and money into Epic Universe, Universal has continued to invest into their existing parks during the development and construction of their third park.

For example, you can find some of the most popular roller coasters at Islands of Adventure, with Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and Jurassic World VelociCoaster.

Universal Studios Florida also has a couple of new lands: Minion Land and DreamWorks Land (they’re nothing to write home about for a lot of visitors, but they’re decent, especially for kids).

My biggest point here is that Universal has A LOT of new attractions on offer. Disney, not so much.

Granted, Disney does have some new-ish rides:

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (a re-theme of Splash Mountain) – Magic Kingdom

TRON Lightcycle / Run (roller coaster) – Magic Kingdom

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (roller coaster) – Epcot
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (slow-moving, trackless, 3D ride) – Epcot

But to be honest, the new offerings at Disney are generally less interesting and innovative than what Universal has achieved with new attractions and is aiming for with Epic Universe.

Although, Disney has announced new lands and attractions coming to the parks in the later 2020s, this means a lot of construction.

Would you be happy to pay hundreds (or thousands) to go to the parks to see a lot of construction walls?

That said, Disney is still home to lots of iconic attractions (think Pirates of the Caribbean, “it’s a small world” etc), and has a lot more choice when it comes to on-site resorts. So, it’s still perfectly reasonable to want to vacation here over the next few years.

Epic Universe

Don’t park hop: If you only get one day here with your park ticket, don’t waste time at another Universal park with less restrictions. Really aim to maximize your time here! If you have a multi-day ticket which includes Epic Universe, feel free to park hop across the Universal parks!
Arrive early: Staying at an on-site hotel grants early park access one hour earlier, and trust me, you will want every minute. Staying on-site is a great option (and there are both value to premium options offered buy Universal).
Prioritize rides: Read and watch everything you can about the rides, so you can determine which ones you’re most interested in.
Consider using single rider lines: Express Pass is being used at Epic Universe (for all rides, even including Harry Potter and the Battle of the Ministry, but it costs hundreds per person per day). Don’t want to overspend? Consider using single rider lines have been announced for select attractions, including:

Curse of the Werewolf (roller coaster) – Dark Universe
Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry (dark ride) – The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Ministry of Magic
Hiccup’s Wing Gliders (roller coaster) – Isle of Berk
Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge (dark ride, video-game inspired, competitive) – Super Nintendo World
Donkey Kong Mine-Cart Madness (family roller coaster) – Super Nintendo World
Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment (dark ride, with similar ride system to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at Islands of Adventure) – Dark Universe
Stardust Racers (roller coaster) – Celestial Park

This said, be aware that single rider lines are not *always* shorter than the standby line.

Maximizing Time at Islands of Adventure

When it comes to thrill rides, Islands of Adventure takes the lead. Here’s how to nail your day here.

Start strong with early entry: This is the same for all Universal parks. If you have
Ride order matters: Knock out VelociCoaster and Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure early on (ideally prioritizing Hagrid’s first. This may not open during early entry, but you can start lining up during this time). These are crowd magnets, and wait times jump quickly by mid-morning. (That said, if you have Express Pass, I wouldn’t worry as much about heading for Hagrid’s first; the pass should help to keep your wait time more manageable throughout the day).

Don’t forget the water rides: If you don’t mind getting drenched, check out the water rides at Universal – 1) Popeye & Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges, 2) Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls and 3) Jurassic Park: River Adventure (be aware that this ride is closing for most of 2026 for a refurbishment, between January 5, 2026 and November 19, 2026). But if you don’t want to be drenched for hours, consider riding these attractions shortly before leaving the park.

How to Maximize Time at Universal Studios Florida

This original park still holds its own, thanks to a mix of classic attractions and immersive lands. To hit every must-see ride and enjoy the occasional breather, follow this schedule:

Don’t spend too much time if you don’t like screen-based attractions: If you know anything about Universal, you’ll know they went through a period of adding A LOT of screen-based attractions to the park – and this is most prominent at this park.
Spend time exploring Diagon Alley: Even with Epic Universe being open, this is arguably still the most impressive land Universal has ever created. Even if you’re not the biggest Harry Potter fan, consider getting a Butterbeer, walking around and take in the beautiful details.

Check out the Wicked Experience: Here, you can see props and merch based on the Wicked movie. We assume this will be around for a while – with the brand new second Wicked movie, Wicked: For Good, which has just released in November 2025.

Choosing the Right Hotel – On-Site Info

If early entry and the convenience of staying on-site is appealing to you, check out the different on-site offerings.

Also, be aware that three of the Signature Collection hotels offer free Express Passes for all guests during your stay at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure:

Loews Portofino Bay
Hard Rock Hotel
Loews Royal Pacific Resort

Want to stay on-site? Check out our detailed guide on Universal Studios Orlando on-site hotels.

Dining Across the Parks

If you’re planning to dine at the parks, the best thing you can do is download the Universal Studios Orlando app and check out the menus!

Want some general recommendations? Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley are considered to be the best locations for dining, with their quick service locations, the Three Broomsticks and Leaky Cauldron.

does universal offer dining plans — Meatless Shepherd’s Pasty Pie at the Leaky Cauldron

Most dining locations are quick service, and don’t require a reservation. Plenty of locations also allow you to mobile order to prevent waiting in physical queues.

However, if you want to dine at a table service restaurant, it’s recommended to make reservations as soon as possible.

Money-Saving and Booking Tips for Universal

Planning a trip to Universal Studios Orlando can get expensive fast.

Between tickets, lodging, and, let’s face it, all those tempting souvenirs, costs can add up.

However, with a little planning, you can save a significant chunk of change and still enjoy everything the parks have to offer. Here’s how:

Finding Ticket Deals

Tickets are often one of the biggest expenses, but there are ways to score multi-day tickets and vacation packages at lower prices if you know where to look.

Check out authorized resellers like Undercover Tourist. They frequently offer tickets at a discount (I saved $121 on my 5-day park hopper Disneyland tickets with Lightning Lane Multipass when I bought them through Undercover Tourist, and had a great experience). Do your research and save money on those expensive tickets!
Membership clubs like Sam’s Club and AAA sometimes offer exclusive ticket discounts.
Keep an eye on Universal’s official promotions. Also, if you want to book a package, check the Universal website for current deals.

Consider a Universal Annual Pass

If you’re planning more than one visit in a year or staying for an extended trip, a Universal Annual Pass might save you serious cash (potentially hundreds of dollars).

See more information on the prices and perks of Universal Annual Passes here.

Be aware that annual passes don’t currently provide access to Epic Universe. However, you can purchase discounted one day tickets to the new park.

Frequently Asked Questions about Best Plan for Universal Studios Orlando

How long should I plan to spend at Universal Studios?

The real answer is: it depends on what you want to do.

If you’re just hitting the highlights—like Harry Potter, Jurassic World, and maybe a couple of thrill rides—one day at each park (Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure) might be enough.

But if you’re someone who likes to take your time, explore all the little details, or hit every single ride (including all the water rides and shows), plan for at least three days.

Don’t forget there’s also Volcano Bay if water parks are your thing. And Epic Universe when it opens.

Plus, if you want to enjoy the nightlife at CityWalk or double back for things you missed, adding an extra day can give you a buffer.

At a minimum, I’d say two days to avoid feeling rushed, but three or four lets you do more without stressing.

Does Universal offer dining plans?

There used to be dining plans at Universal, but they have not been available since July 2021.

What is the best month to go to Universal Studios?

The best month to visit Universal Studios really depends on how much you hate crowds and what kind of weather you can handle. January and early February can be ideal. The holiday rush is over, kids are back in school, and the parks are usually quieter.

Plus, the weather’s cooler, which makes waiting in lines way more tolerable.

You might miss out on some seasonal stuff like Halloween Horror Nights or the Christmas decorations, but the trade-off is shorter lines and less chaos.

If you’re all about the events, late August to early November is great for Halloween, though it gets ridiculously packed.

What is the cheapest month to go to Universal Studios?

Honestly, if you’re trying to save money on a trip to Universal Studios, your best bet is to go in mid-to-late January or early February.

These months usually have the lowest prices because it’s right after the holiday rush and theres. Plus, the crowds are way smaller, so you’re not just saving cash—you’re often also getting shorter wait times.

Final Thoughts & Ta Ta For Now

Do you have any tips for planning a Universal Studios Orlando trip in 2025 and beyond? Please share in the comments 🙂