Daydreaming about your next vacation is easy, but sometimes planning it can be daunting. Fear not, as I share with you all of my tips and experiences in creating the dream Universal Orlando Resort vacation.
Below you will find the play-by-play of my recent trip, as well as some downloadable itineraries to help you plan the perfect theme park and resort vacation.
Complete Four-Day Itinerary
DAY ONE: RELAX AT YOUR RESORT & EXPLORE UNIVERSAL CITYWALK
Whether you’re traveling to Universal Orlando from across town or from across the globe, I’m a firm believer that your first day of vacation should be spent relaxing and getting adjusted to your new home-away-from-home.
My hotel of choice is Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort; the 50’s vibes and volcano views are straight out of a daydream. You can learn more about choosing your hotel here.
What I Did On Day One
- Sipped my morning coffee in bed while admiring the surreal view
- Grabbed breakfast at Bayliner Diner
- Relaxed by the pool and went for a swim
- Grabbed a refreshing drink from Atomic Tonic
- I tried the Froze’, and it did not disappoint!
- Took a bus over to CityWalk
- Depending on which hotel you stay at, you can travel to CityWalk and the parks by water-taxi or bus.
- Enjoyed a nice meal and milkshake from The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen (pictured below)
Pro Tip: When you stay on-site, you have access to every pool on property so make sure you carve out time to pool-hop! From the Caribbean setting at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort to the underwater music rocking Hard Rock Hotel, they are ALL worth the visit.
See my starter CABANA BAY BEACH RESORT itinerary below to start your vacation off right.
DAY TWO: A DAY AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA
It’s day two and time to jump into the theme park action of your favorite movies, make some famous friends, and squeeze in some thrills. Now that is what dreams are made of, folks.
What I Did On Day Two
- Kicked off the day with a Lard Lad Donut and some coffee
- Strolled down Hollywood Boulevard to meet some of my favorite characters
- Wandered through Diagon Alley and explored iconic spots inspired by the Harry Potter films (pictured below)
- Ate some Fish & Chips from the Leaky Cauldron
- Picked up an Interactive Wand from Ollivanders and tried my hand casting spells
- Went on a journey through Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
- Ended the day with some thrills by riding Revenge of the Mummy, Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket, and TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D
Pro Tip: If you’re traveling solo, there is a single rider line for Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack, Revenge of the Mummy, and TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D.
See my starter UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA theme park itinerary below to start your personalized journey.
DAY THREE: A DAY AT UNIVERSAL ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE
You know day three is sure to be an adventure when it consists of hungry raptors, a school of witchcraft and wizardry, and a coaster that travels at speeds up to 67 mph—just to name a few.
What I Did On Day Three
- Rode Skull Island: Reign of Kong, The Incredible Hulk Coaster, and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man
- Grabbed a bite to eat at Mythos
- Met up with some superheroes (pictured below)
- Explored Hogsmeade and cast a few spells with my Interactive Wand
- Rode on the Hogwarts Express back over to Diagon Alley to visit my favorite dragon again
- I highly recommend taking the Hogwarts Express both ways, to and from each park, for two unique experiences
- Ended the night by fulfilling my chicken tender craving at The Burger Digs and with a Raptor Encounter in Jurassic Park (I may or may not have screamed a little)
Pro Tip: If you stay on-site, you get Early Park Admission, which allows you to enter the parks an hour before anyone else. Take advantage of this for short waits at some of the more popular attractions!
See my starter ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE theme park itinerary below to start your amazing experience.
DAY FOUR: UNIVERSAL VOLCANO BAY
It’s day four. You may need some rest and relaxation after two theme park days, and Universal Volcano Bay water theme park is calling your name. Volcano Bay is the newest addition to Universal Orlando Resort, and describing it as paradise would be an understatement. Confession: I am completely obsessed with this place.
What I Did On Day Four
- Walked over to Volcano Bay from Cabana Bay Beach Resort
- It was especially nice staying at an on-site hotel because we were able to enter the park an hour and a half early.
- Tapped our TapuTapu on the totem outside of Krakatau Aqua Coaster
- You can learn more about TapuTapu and how the virtual line experiences work here
- Virtually waited in line for Honu while eating a Waturi Fusion Ice Cream cone
- Relaxed in the Kopiko Wai Winding River
- Watched the sunset at Waturi Beach, because there is certainly no better way to cap off your trip
Pro Tip: Make sure you explore inside the volcano, Krakatau, because you may get to talk with Vol—the interactive Spirit of the Volcano!
Check out my starter VOLCANO BAY theme park itinerary below to set the tone for your relaxing and fun-filled day.
And, that’s a wrap! I hope this guide helps you plan your perfect trip and create your own adventure of a lifetime.
Any Pro Tips or itinerary must-haves? Let me know in the comments below. And while you’re vacationing with us, be sure to share your best photos with #ReadyForUniversal on Twitter and Instagram, and they could be featured on our channels.
UNIVERSAL’S CABANA BAY BEACH RESORT ITINERARY
To start your vacation off with some initial ideas…
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS FLORIDA ITINERARY
For your enjoyment…
ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE ITINERARY
Go explore!
VOLCANO BAY ITINERARY
Relax and have fun!
