Which park at Universal should I go to first?

It really doesn't matter which one you start at, honestly. I tend to feel like most people head to IOA first thing in the morning, because it is a straight shot from the parking garage. I would maybe just hop around both parks on both days, and play it by the crowds. There are great attractions at both parks.



People Also Ask

Everyone says go to diagon alley (studios side) first and get the whole “getting ready for hogwarts” experience. Gringotts gets extremely busy, so doing that early will save you a lot of time for the rest of your day.

MORE DETAILS

Theme Park 2. IOA is the second of the three Universal parks in Orlando, and it has a distinctly different feel from either USF or Volcano Bay. Whereas USF is oriented around classic movie franchises like Jurassic Park and Harry Potter, IOA is all about high-adrenaline rides and attractions.

MORE DETAILS

If you want to revolve the entire vacation around theme parks, then Universal Orlando is probably your best bet. However, if you consider visiting a theme park as only part of a larger itinerary, then Universal Studios Hollywood may be a better option.

MORE DETAILS

Best Attractions at Universal Harry Potter Right off the bat, Islands of Adventure has an advantage because it has 4 rides instead of just 2. Plus, while I'd say the experience is better coming from Diagon Alley, you can ride The Hogwarts Express on either side.

MORE DETAILS

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!

MORE DETAILS

With that being said, the theme parks are very different and which Universal Park is best is up to what you want to do with your vacation. If you want more thrills and adrenaline, you'd pick Islands of Adventure vs Universal Studios, which is better for families and movie lovers. We hope you find this post helpful!

MORE DETAILS

To make you think you must visit both parks to get the full Universal experience, they have broken The Wizarding World of Harry Potter up into both parks (extra well done, Universal). So you must buy tickets to both parks if you want to see Diagon Alley AND Hogsmeade. Which of course you do, because they are amazing!

MORE DETAILS

Yes, it is possible to see both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in one day. You will need a one-day two-park ticket to experience all that the Wizarding World has to offer, since Diagon Alley is located in Universal Studios and Hogsmeade is located in Islands of Adventure.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

So, which Universal park is better for kids? As a general rule of thumb, we find that Universal Studios is the better choice as it has plenty of kid-friendly options when it comes to rides, shows, and character meet and greets!

MORE DETAILS

You can also opt to visit Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure one day with a park-to-park ticket and spend your second day splashing at Volcano Bay. If you want to maximize your two-day visit, we recommend: Getting the Universal Express or Universal Express Unlimited Pass for skipping the general queues.

MORE DETAILS

Guests can also travel between parks by walking from main gate to main gate via Universal CityWalk, but the Hogwarts Express is certainly more magical. Note: In order to visit both parks — and both lands within the Wizarding World — you'll need a two-park ticket (more on that below).

MORE DETAILS

We usually recommend at least a full day at each park, and maybe more depending on the time of year and a few other factors, but sometimes that's just not possible.

MORE DETAILS

Yes there's definitely a difference. I would purchase a both park ticket. To have the whole Harry Potter World experience. It was indeed (well worth) the extra money.

MORE DETAILS

You get to walk through Platform 9 3/4 and experience a magical train ride just like Harry Potter did, versus taking a long walk on foot between the two parks that contain the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter worth it? Yes, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is worth it.

MORE DETAILS

Felt like we were definitely in wizarding world. If you want to see all of Harry Potter at Universal, you'll need to buy tickets for both parks (and that's the only way to ride the Hogwarts Express). Makes it very expensive, but we felt it was worth it after having enjoyed it. Absolutely awesome!

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Universal Prices. Another very popular question we receive is, is Disney or Universal Cheaper? And as a general rule of thumb, Universal is cheaper than Disney in almost every category, from tickets to theme park food, and the most noticeable being hotel rooms.

MORE DETAILS

Universal Studios Harry Potter- Diagon Alley If you are a die-hard Harry Potter fan you might want to have the experience where Harry did. Diagon Alley is where Harry purchased his wand. The Ollivanders in Diagon Alley has been said to have shorter wait times as well. Reservations are required only in Diagon Alley.

MORE DETAILS