Stay At A Universal Orlando Hotel
The first method is to stay at one of Universals hotels, which include Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel, Royal Pacific Resort, Sapphire Falls Resort, Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Aventura Hotel, and Endless Summer Resort. All guests staying at a Universal resort, regardless of how they booked their rooms or which venue they chose, will get EPA as a benefit, including on both their check-in and check-out days. Just make sure to have your room key-card ready to show as you enter the park.
Gate Prices For Tickets
The prices of Universal Studios Orlando tickets rise and fall based on season and demand. If traveling during peak season, it is wise to purchase tickets in advance to avoid surge pricing.
While there are a variety of ticket options, here are some current ticket prices for some popular Universal Orlando tickets if purchased at the gate. Prices rise and fall depending on the time of year and the date, but general gate pricing is as follows:
- 1-Day- Park-to-Park ticket: Valid for 2 parks in 1 day at $227.91 per adult and $222.59 per child.
- 2-Day Park-to-Park ticket: Valid for admission to both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure Florida for two days. Guests can visit both parks on the same day. Prices are $406.82 for adults and $396.17 for children.
- 3-Day Base Ticket : Valid for guest admission to either Universal Studios Florida or Universals Islands of Adventure for each day. Ticket is valid for any three days within a seven consecutive calendar day period. Prices are $371.67 for adults and $361.02 for children.
- 4-Day Base Ticket : This ticket entitles guests admission to either Universal Studios or Universals Islands of Adventure per day, for 4 days. Prices are $386.58 for adults and $375.93 for children.
How Do I Get My Return Ticket For Diagon Alley
If you find yourself on a day where return tickets are in use, the good news is that their kiosks are very easy to use all you have to do is send one person to them, who will be able to obtain tickets for your entire party. Once you have your pass, youre free to roam the park until the time listed. Here is a look at the machines and the sequence to obtain your ticket:
Finally, if either return tickets or the standby line is implemented, you will have to proceed to the far end of the London waterfront, near Fear Factor Live, to enter Diagon Alley see the red marker on our custom map. You will not be able to enter Diagon Alley from the main entrance next to Kings Cross Station.
And here is a friendly reminder: as weve already said, we always recommend grabbing a return ticket rather than waiting in the standby line.
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Guide To Harry Potter World Hogsmeade Shops
In our opinion one of the coolest aspects of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is how much attention to detail went into everything. This couldnt be more true for the shops located in Hogsmeade as they are right out of the books and movies. Here is a list of the shopping things to do at Wizarding World of Harry Potter:
Three Broomsticks Harry Potter Restaurant Orlando
The Three Broomsticks Restaurant is one of the most well-known and visited restaurants of Harry Potter World in Orlando. Located in Hogsmeade with the Hogwarts castle and all of the snow-topped buildings, this restaurant transports you directly into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with classic British food and décor.
Another quick service restaurant, you dont need to have Three Broomsticks Reservations to eat here. You can simply walk in and place your order for any of its delicious meals. From the Harry Potter Great Feast, which serves up to four people and includes an overflowing platter of ribs, chicken, potatoes and vegetables to the best Fish & Chips in Harry Potter World, youre sure to find something for everyone. And dont forget dessert! With apple pie, chocolate trifle and even a container of butterbeer ice cream, youre guaranteed to finish your meal in a very happy place.
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What Rides Are Open With A Harry Potter Early Admission Ticket
- Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
- Flight of the Hippogriff
The best part is you do not have to be staying at a Universal Orlando hotel in order to get early park admission. In fact all guests who buy their Universal Orlando tickets from our friends at The Park Prodigy will receive Early Park Admission absolutely FREE!
We also find early park admission tickets to be the best bet for families regardless of if you are trying to figure out if the express pass tickets are worth it or not. The main reason is Hagrids Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and also the newest ride the VelociCoaster are not included as part of the Universal Express Pass.
How To Use Points To Buy Universal Tickets
Savvy parkgoers might want to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou points to buy their Universal Orlando theme park admission. But, at least for now, this option may not be available when you search.
If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal at a rate of 1.5 cents per point. Or, if you have the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or the Ink Business Preferred Credit Card, you can redeem for travel through the portal at a rate of 1.25 cents per point.
Historically, Univeral Orlando tickets have often been available through the Chase travel portal at rates comparable to Universals direct pricing. However, as of writing this article, we werent able to find any Universal Orlando tickets bookable through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal. So, although its worth checking, dont get your hopes up.
If youve got a stash of Citi ThankYou points, you can use them through the Citi ThankYou travel portal to redeem for activities, including tickets to select attractions and theme parks. However, as of writing, we didnt find any options to redeem for Universal Orlando tickets. This may change though, so check out the Citi ThankYou portal to review your options.
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Can I Use Early Park Admission On My Check
If you are eligible for Early Park Admission through your hotel, you can use it each day you are checked in to the venue, including your check-in and check-out days. If you book one night at, say, Cabana Bay Beach Resort, you will get the benefit of two days with early entry: both the morning you check in and the morning you check out. We have helped many guests book one night at a resort even an economy partner hotel just for the two days worth of EPA to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Volcano Bay.
Make Sure You Get A Park
Universal Orlando operates three separate parks: Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and the Volcano Bay water park. Each park requires a ticket for admission.
The resort sells two basic types of one-day tickets for the two theme parks: single park admission and park-to-park admission. As its name implies, a single park pass grants admission to one of the two parks. Guests cannot leave one park and go to the other using a single park ticket. A park-to-park pass, however, allows park hopping between the two parks. You could add a single-day Volcano Bay ticket to the mix, but itd be crazy to expect that you could reasonably visit all three parks in one day and enjoy everything they offer.
Universal also makes multi-day passes available. Visitors can purchase from one- up to five-day passes. There are two kinds of multi-day passes: two-park passes include the two theme parks, Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida, and three-park passes that include the two theme parks plus the Volcano Bay water park.
Here is where a gets a bit tricky: The multi-day passes also come in one-park-per-day and park-to-park versions. A two-day, two-park, one-park-per-day pass, for example, would allow a ticket holder to enter Islands of Adventure or Universal Studios Florida on each of the two days, but not both parks on any one day. A park-to-park pass, however, would allow a ticket holder to go back and forth between both parks. Got it?
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Take In A Harry Potter
While youre finishing breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron, take a look at the Universal Orlando app and find out when the shows in Diagon Alley will take place.
During our trip, we saw two shows here, including The Tales of Beedle the Bard complete with puppets and Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees. Theres seating around the stage if you arrive early enough, or theres always plenty of standing room.
Florean Fortescues Ice Cream Parlour Best Snack Restaurants In Harry Potter World 2022
This is the place to go to enjoy unique ice cream flavors that reflect both Harry Potter World and classic British flavors. From Butterbeer to Chocolate Chili to Earl Gray and Lavender, youre sure to find an ice cream flavor to please your palate. You can also find delicious breakfast pastries such as crumble cake or shortbread if you need a little extra something in the morning.
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Universal Orlando Early Admission During The Holidays
Many people dont realize that the parks can sometimes reach capacity, specifically during the holidays. This means theyre only allowing a certain number of people in the park and on rides. Theres also a lot of families who love visiting Universal Orlando during Christmas.
Because of this, we find that during the Holidays guests will get to the parks as early as possible to ensure they get into the park before it hits capacity- something it does within 1-2 hours after opening almost every day. So, Universal early admission is absolutely worth it if visiting the parks during any of the busy holiday seasons. You wont have to worry about getting turned away, and can go straight to rides like Escape From Gringotts that will be a 2+ hour wait later in the day.
Ready To Plan Your Next Universal Orlando Vacation
Beat the crowds with our discount Universal Orlando tickets! All guests who purchase their tickets from The Park Prodigy will get EARLY PARK ADMISSION to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter absolutely FREE! This could save you a ton of time in the parks and avoid buying express passes!
If youre not sure when to plan your next Universal vacation, Our Universal Orlando Crowd Calendaris the best tool to help you get the most out of your time in the parks. We breakdown the park crowds, park hours of operation, ticket prices by day, and average temperature.
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Park To Park Tickets With Shuttle Transportation
One of our favorite tickets is the 1 or 2 Day Park to Park Tickets with Shuttle Transportation. You will get round trip transportation from your Disney or Orlando Hotel to Universal Orlando. This also includes your theme park tickets. It is the perfect ticket combo if you are staying outside of Universal Orlando Resort.
Besides these ticket options, we can also book Florida Resident discount tickets and Annual Passes.
How Will I Know If I Need A Return Ticket
Universal does not publicize this return-ticket system for The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, so not only is there no easy way to get information about it from the company, you also cannot find out in advance whether the system will be used or what the current return times are. Although we can make our best predictions about crowd levels, its impossible to know for certain if a land will reach capacity.
To see how busy Universal will be during your trip, visit our crowd calendar. On very busy days, there is a good chance the system will be used on busy days, there is only a small chance on moderate and slow days, there is very little chance. If you must come when its going to be busy, then be sure to follow our ideal plan to ensure your trip to the Wizarding World is a success.
Should either the return-ticket system or a standby line be in use during your visit, it generally kicks in around 10:00 am and is used until around 5:00 pm, with wait times of approximately two hours to get in. Of course, these numbers will fluctuate depending on exactly how busy the parks are.
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Things To Do At The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter
Rides the Hogwarts Express between parks: this rides at The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter is a fun ride and it saves you the trouble of walking from park to park.
Enjoy the rides: The golden goblin statue in Diagon Alley marks the entrance that will take you to Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. The interior of Gringotts and Forbbin Journey are some of the most immersive scenery youve have ever seen.
Use a Wand: You can buy standard wands that are wands certain characters use through the movie series. You can also buy interactive magic wands in also from various gift shops of the theme Park. If you head to Olivanders wand shop, you can experience the magic just like Harry Potter did in the movie when selecting a wand. Purchasing the wand selected for you is not necessary.
Go to the gift shop: Youll find a variety of fantastic books and magical items in the gift shops. You can find many souvenirs from the movie series. The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade stores are almost as fun as the rides. Get acquainted with practical jokes in Weasleys Wheezes and get ready for the dark arts in Borgin and Burkes, which is in the darkness of Knockturn Alley.
Butterbeer: Butterbeer, is a sweet and irresistible drink that is delicious to all magicians. Available in frozen, cold, or hot, even as ice cream or fudge, butterbeer sure quenches the thirsty palate. You can even get a souvenir cup for your drink.
Harry Potter World Orlando Restaurants Hogsmeade
- The Three Broomsticks Head on into the rustic tavern for a quick service meal of shepherds pie, fish & chips or even The Great Feast. Inside the theming has beautiful cast-iron chandeliers, exposed wooden beams and the normal wizarding trinkets youd find laying about.
- Hogs Head Located on the backside of The Three Broomsticks, this pub offers Pumpkin Juice, Butterbeer, specialty drinks, wine, spirits and brews.
Bonus: Universal Studios Diagon Alley Restaurants
- The Leaky Cauldron Start right where Harry did at this charming British pub! You can grab an English breakfast here, or even some bangers & mash for lunch or dinner! This is perfectly themed after the movie and worth a stop in for the reasonably priced food.
- The Hopping Pot This is a mostly drinks kind of stop, but you can pick up some beef pasties with your Fishy Green Ale. It is also a stop for butterbeer or even regular draft beer on tap.
- Florean Forescues Ice Cream Parlour Strawberry and Peanut Butter sundae? Earl grey, lavender or clotted cream? You can try many different flavors of hard-packed or soft serve ice cream at this shop.
- The Fountain of Fair Fortune Inside a curious looking tavern, you can grab specialty drinks or just another glass of your favorite butterbeer!
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Phase : Islands Of Adventure
Construction of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter began seven months after the official announcement, in January 2008. By July, the Flying Unicorn and Enchanted Oak Tavern were closed. The Flying Unicorn then began an almost two-year refurbishment which transformed it into the Flight of the Hippogriff. The Enchanted Oak Tavern was later demolished. A bridge was built to connect The Lost Continent with Jurassic Park allowing guests to avoid the construction zone that was to become the Wizarding World. Construction progressed with the Hogwarts Castle slowly taking shape. By September 2008, the Dueling Dragons entrance was moved to Jurassic Park to make room for construction of Hogsmeade. One month later, the old entrance was demolished. By September 2009, the top shell of Hogwarts Castle was completed. On September 15, an announcement was made detailing what was going to be included in the Wizarding World. In early 2010, Universal increased its marketing of the area, which included newspaper advertisements, billboards and television commercials. The Dueling Dragons were closed for some maintenance before being transformed into the Dragon Challenge. Construction was completed by June 1, 2010, when the area began soft openings.
Harry Potter Land Shops Universal Orlando Florida Vs California
Double, double toil and trouble! Looking for a cauldron, magical creature or your very own wand from the famous Ollivander? Both Universal Studios Harry Potter Worlds offer a variety of shops to get all of your witch-y needs! But which shops are better California or Florida? Lets compare Wizarding World shops in Florida and California.
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Is The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter A Separate Park
Just to help understand the process of how to plan the perfect Harry Potter vacation, we are also going to cover if the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a separate park. Unfortunately at Universal there is not a separate Harry Potter theme park. Both Wizarding World of Harry Potter areas are lands inside of the larger theme parks with limited shopping, dining and attractions. That is why you do not need a separate Harry Potter World ticket.