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Should I go to Island of Adventure or Universal Studios first?

Overall we would always lean towards Islands of Adventure for early park admission. The main reason is this park is home to the newest Universal ride the VelociCoaster. As you can imagine this ride can have one of the longest wait times in the parks throughout the day.



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If you're not eligible for Express Pass and Early Park Admission, you have absolutely no chance at accomplishing everything in both parks. On most days, you'll be lucky to accomplish half of what Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure have to offer. We strongly recommend you do at least 2 days.

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Hands down Islands of Adventure – Hogsmeade wins on rides. There are more choices plus they use superior technology. Hagrid's Motorbike adventure is unlike any roller coaster you will ever go on. Islands of Adventure Harry Potter is a great option if you love rides.

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With a Park-to-Park admission ticket you can board the Hogwarts™ Express in Universal Studios Florida™ and travel to Universal's Islands of Adventure™, or the other way around.

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On most days, you'll be lucky to accomplish half of what Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure have to offer. We strongly recommend you do at least 2 days. If you are eligible for Express Pass and/or Early Park Admission, that probably means you're staying in an on-site Universal Orlando.

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For that reason, we recommend devoting a minimum of a full day to each Universal Orlando theme park, especially if this is your first visit. Three days is ideal, particularly with a park-to-park pass, as it will allow you to fully explore each park and revisit your favorite attractions.

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3) Which Harry Potter Park Should I Go to First? For the most authentic Harry Potter experience, head to Diagon Alley at Universal Studios first—just like Harry did in the first book.

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Q: Which Universal park is best for adults? A: We find Universal's Islands of Adventure to be the best Universal Studios park for adults. It simply has the most exciting roller coasters and newest attractions.

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As you can guess if Saturday and Monday tend to be the busiest, Tuesday tends to be the best day to visit Universal Studios Orlando. We also find Thursday to be one of the least busy days of the week at Universal Studios, with Sunday being a great weekend option.

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When is Universal Orlando Most Crowded?
  • Presidents' Day week (third week in February)
  • Spring Break period from mid-March through late April.
  • Memorial Day weekend.
  • Summer (mid-June through Labor Day)
  • Thanksgiving week (including the weekends)
  • Christmas week through January 1.


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The cheapest and least crowded times to visit Universal Studios are: September. Weekdays in October. January through the third week in February.

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Both Orlando and Hollywood offer guests an engaging Wizarding World experience. However, Universal Orlando logistically has more to provide in the way of themed options for visitors to explore. Thus, travelers with time to spare wanting a comprehensive Harry Potter experience will find it at Universal Orlando.

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it's toadally possible to fit Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure into one day. What makes park hopping easy at Universal Orlando is the fact that the two parks are right next to each other. You can exit one park and walk to the entrance of the other, or you could take the Hogwarts Express!

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As long as you plan ahead and manage your expectations, you will have a wonderful time. Two days is plenty of time to experience all the main attractions and still have enough time to down a few Butterbeers. Want more help planning your Universal vacation efficiently so you can make the most of your money spent?

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The simple answer is: Yes! it's toadally possible to fit Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure into one day. What makes park hopping easy at Universal Orlando is the fact that the two parks are right next to each other.

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At Universal, the wait times can be long for the bigger roller coasters, but the parks themselves are generally much less crowded. There's usually more room to space out and breathe without other guests crowding around you.

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You can only access this attraction if you have a park-to-park ticket, though! In my opinion, you can absolutely fit everything you want to do in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in one day, even without Express Passes. You just need to be strategic about your itinerary!

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Hogwarts™ Castle Walk You can walk through Hogwarts™ castle without riding the ride attraction. Fully enjoy the world of Harry Potter™ including “Moving Portrait Corridor” and “The Portrait of the Fat Lady” like Harry Potter™ and his friends did! *Please ask crew members about the operation hours.

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You'll need a Park-to-Park ticket to ride the Hogwarts™ Express and visit both lands of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™. The train travels between Hogsmeade™ in Universal's Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley™ in Universal Studios Florida.

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Islands of Adventure has many more thrill rides, some of which are the best in the world. The ones at Universal Studios are worth checking out, but if you're a thrill seeker and can only visit one park, I'd go for Islands of Adventure.

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Across six different islands, you'll find 18 awesome attractions (19, if you have a park-to-park ticket).

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