Universal Orlando – A Great Getaway Even in These Times

 

It’s now been more than 60 days since both Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World re-opened their parks to both Florida residents and guests from around the country. By now, you may have heard stories of low crowds, zero wait times and empty parks that provide perfect backdrops for Instagrammable pictures. But you may be wondering is it true, and what kind of experience can you really have in each location.

I’ve just returned from a visit to Orlando where I spent time in both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando. Read on to learn how I rated each destination’s experience with regard to attractions, dining, shopping, characters, shows and photos. More importantly, I’ll breakdown what it all means to you and whether taking a trip to either theme park is a good fit for your family. Today is all about Universal including The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Stay tuned for a full report on Walt Disney World!

Attractions

Walking on to Hagrid's 

The crowds at Universal were low, but we were there in the beginning of the week. So, with that disclaimer in mind, we found the attractions at Universal smooth and with very little wait. The queues for rides were well mark for social distancing, but guests acted sort of on the “honor system” leaving space between them without much interaction from cast members.  The lines always seemed to move steadily. The line for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventures got to be about 90 minutes during our stay. That is nothing compared to what it was when we visited at the end of 2019! Plus, with getting to enter the Islands of Adventure park an hour early, we were able to walk right on two days in a row. But I’m getting a bit ahead of myself. In my opinion, Universal has an advantage over Disney in the attraction category on two counts.

1. The Express Pass system returned with the parks re-opening.  Express Pass allows you to use a special queue, sort of a “fast line.” You can purchase an Express Pass that allows one use per ride or an Unlimited option. When you choose to stay at select Universal Orlando Resorts the Unlimited Express Pass is included with your stay. We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel Resorts, which is one of the locations where the unlimited pass is included. We used it on most rides, although in many cases we did not even need to. The wait times were 5-10 minutes on average, with the exception of Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventures. (Note: The Express Pass is not valid at Hagrid’s)

2. In addition to the Express Pass, Universal brought back the Park-to-Park ticket along with the early entry into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter when you stay on site. These two factors proved to be key in helping us to enjoy every attraction that we wanted to during our time.

Of course, masks are required throughout the property, including at CityWalk and on. Universal cast members were standing by at each and every attraction with hand sanitizer. So, every single guest that boarded every single attraction received a squirt. Cast members were also careful to make sure that guests kept masks on - even telling us during the Hogwarts Express that we were under “active surveillance.” When we asked for more information about that last part, they kindly explained that they cleaned the train cars several times throughout the day but not after each trip, so therefore, guests were required to stay masked even though they rode with only their party.  

Periodic announcements and A-frame signs reminded guests of the health and safety requirements.

Directional signs also kept guests moving in the same direction so that one party wouldn’t literally bump into another.

 

U-Rest areas were easy to find and provided a few minutes of mask-free relaxation while still feeling the vibe

Dining:

Many restaurants in City Walk were closed, making dining less flexible in that area. Dining options were more plentiful inside the parks. In fact, some options, such as Green Eggs and Ham in Seuss Land in Islands of Adventure and Blimpie’s along the Comic Strip in Universal Studios, were open when they are typically open only seasonally.  Universal allowed you to walk and eat, but if you were not actively eating, cast members asked masks to be returned to covering nose and mouth.

Shopping:

Limited numbers of shoppers were allowed in stores, but the cast members kept the flow moving easily. We never had to wait to get into shops, and guests were courteous and happy to follow the social distancing guidelines.

Characters:

We were a little disappointed in Universal’s take on characters. We found them throughout the parks, but found that they appeared to be “zoo-like” in that they were always behind a wall or landscaping boundary. Some of the Marvel characters interacted with guests, and that was nice to see. Still, it was great to see them throughout the parks.

Shows:

We were thrilled to see that some of the shows in Diagon Alley and other musical entertainment throughout Universal Studios returned. To get the best view of the shows from the stage in Diagon Alley, you can sign up for a floor spot, marked with a circle. Others can view from a distance while standing.

Photos:

We were able to take photos without masks as long as we were away from other guests.

 

Seasonal fun:

Two Halloween Horror Night houses and a Scarecrow Scavenger Hunt showed that Universal was ready for fall festivities.

Overall:

We found plenty of kids in costume, waving wands; families with babies in strollers or toddlers, and even teenagers; groups of friends – young adults and the young at heart. There is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to have a great time at Universal Orlando while staying safe.