Which Universal Park is more worth it?

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.



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Winner: Universal Studios Universal Studios wins because there are more characters to meet all around the park. We love the two parks just about the same. If we had to choose the best park, Islands of Adventure might have the edge in terms of rides. Still, Universal Studios has the edge on most of the other factors.

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Universal Studios may be for you if you prefer a park centered around movies and TV with a more laid-back atmosphere. If you like superheroes and thrill rides, you'll want to travel to Islands of Adventure. No matter what you decide, it'll be a fun experience.

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Universal Orlando is unique, with both parks are located next to each other and within walking distance. I would highly recommend purchasing a 2-park ticket, as both parks are worth visiting (and with a 2-park ticket you can ride the Hogwarts Express!).

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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.

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Are you planning on doing shows? Smaller, kiddie rides? These would impact which park I would say requires more time. But, in general, I would agree that IOA probably needs more time if you are going to try and do it all, but Diagon Alley demands more time to truly experience it.

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Not all guests are going to spend a full day at Universal Studios Florida. We advise spending a full day at both of Universal Orlando's parks, though, and so this one-day plan is built with that in mind.

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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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Diagon Alley at Universal Studios Park is best for people who want to take in the atmosphere and those who have always wanted to explore the world of Harry Potter for themselves. Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure is for thrill-seekers looking for groundbreaking, jaw-dropping attractions.

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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).

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When it comes to which Harry Potter park is better at Universal, Diagon Alley in Islands of Adventure is the clear winner. They have more shops, more merchandise, and the fun of trading your money for Gringotts bank notes. Plus, the younger kids will love the stuffed animals at the Magical Menagerie!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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You could certainly spend multiple days there seeing all the theme park has to offer but 6-7 hours should cover the main sights and experiences to get through that you are interested in.

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Yes, we definitely think that guests can do Universal Orlando within one day. The main reason being how close Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure are. The ease of traveling from one park to the other is one of the biggest reasons we say that you can get a ton done at Universal Studios Orlando in one day.

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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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Here are the days we expect to have the lowest crowd levels at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2024: Weekdays in January (minus the week of New Year's Day and the days around MLK Day) Weekdays in February (minus the days around Presidents Day) The first few days in March (until March 9)

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The period just after New Year's and before March first is historically the least crowded time of the year to visit Universal Studios Orlando. Crowds increase on certain long weekends, like Martin Luther King Jr.

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Here are the days we expect to have the lowest crowd levels at Universal Studios Hollywood in 2023:
  • Tuesdays through Thursdays for the second half of September and the second half of October.
  • Mondays through Thursdays in November (minus the week of Thanksgiving)
  • Mondays through Thursdays during the first half of December.


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