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Universal Orlando Tips for First Time Visitors

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I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me sooner to write a Universal Orlando tips post. However, I am finally posting it in case anyone needs help planning their first trip!

Universal Orlando Tips

Universal Orlando Tips

As of this writing, I have visited UO five times! So, while I won’t claim to be a true expert on the resort, I do have some experience in visiting it. Thus, these are things I keep in mind when visiting or wish I had known when I first started visiting.

General Information

As of 2023, Universal Orlando Resort consists of two theme parks and a highly themed water park. They are currently building a third theme park, scheduled to open in 2025. The resort also currently has two value resorts, two prime value resorts, one moderate, and three premiere hotels. I’ve visited both theme parks and stayed in all but one of the resorts. You can read my reviews of the Universal Resorts to see what I think of most of them.

Pro tip: I highly recommend staying on-site at one of their resorts as the free transportation is very useful. I feel safe using it, especially as a female traveler at night. Plus, you get additional time in the parks when you stay at a resort hotel.

Do You Need a Park-to-Park Ticket?

I suspect lots of people ask this question as theme park tickets can be expensive. Honestly, if it’s not in the budget, don’t fret. The only thing you miss with a single park per day ticket is riding the Hogwarts train between the two parks. While it’s a must-do for any Harry Potter fan, it’s not necessary for other folks. As a passholder I must admit that I enjoy starting at whichever park has early entry and then heading to the other one. However, that’s because I’ve visited several times now and have done most of what I want to do by now.

Now, if you can only afford one day at one park, that is trickier. Personally, I have spent the most time in Universal Studios Florida. However, that is also where the majority of seasonal events take place. It’s also where the new Minions Land just opened up. However, I also love Grinchmas at Islands of Adventure. I would recommend checking out the rides and lands in each park to determine which one is most appealing to you and your group.

Seasonal Events

If you are looking to add a little more entertainment or food options to your trip, then you may want to consider visiting during a seasonal event. There are three seasonal events at UO: Mardi Gras from early February to April, Halloween Horror Nights from early September until the end of October, and Christmas from early/mid-November to early January. I have written posts on each of them previously and they are linked above for further descriptions of each. Needless to say, I highly recommend visiting during these events if once catches your eye.

Universal Orlando vs Walt Disney World

Personally, I visited UO after WDW. So, if that’s you, then this section is for you. First, you should understand that UO is much smaller and more relaxed than WDW. No need to make dining reservations 60 days out here. However, you should make reservations for the more popular restaurants such as Mythos or character dining a few weeks in advance. Logistically, a UO visit is much calmer than a WDW one.

I would like to point out that UO has more thrill rides than WDW. UO rides also tend to be screen heavy, i.e. they rely on screens to show you stuff versus animatronics like at Disney. It’s definitely easier to experience motion sickness at Universal. While it’s never been a problem for me, I believe Universal’s rides may not be as accommodating for larger folks. So, if you get motion sick easily or are of a bigger stature, this may not be a place you want to spend several days in.

Additionally, I think it’s worth pointing out that Universal can be edgier than Disney. While it’s still a family-friendly park (aside from HHN), you can expect to see things here that Disney would never do. For instance, you may see some humor in the rides or on signs with jokes that Disney would never allow.

Final Tips

It’s impossible to condense my Universal Orlando tips into a little list. Nonetheless, I hope you found some helpful ideas here. For what it’s worth, I think 2-3 days is an ideal amount of time to spend at this resort. So, have you ever visited Universal Orlando Resort? Do you have any tips?

Disney’s Pop Century Resort Review

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Back in May, I started my Walt Disney World Resort reviews with All Star Resorts Overview. Today, I’m doing another value resort, but it’s a step up, in my opinion. I’m talking about Disney’s Pop Century Resort!

Disney's Pop Century Resort

Disney’s Pop Century

This is a retro themed resort wherein different sections of the resort are themed to different decades! Beginning with the 1950’s and ending with the 1990’s, you can stay in a decade with lots of nostalgia. There’s lots of fun life-sized pieces of memorabilia around the resort. Think Rubik’s cubes, cell phones, a foosball table and more! It’s definitely fun to walk around and see everything. Plus, there are lots of fun historical facts posted around the resort/lake. For reference, the preferred sections include the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s theme.

While this resort is technically a value, like the All Stars, it is more expensive and has some added perks. Similarly to how I reviewed the All Stars, I think I will do a pros/cons list to help people decide if this is a good resort for their stay.

Pros

  • Cheaper rates – While it’s more expensive than the All Stars, it is cheaper than all of the other on-site resorts.
  • Skyliner – I love the addition of the Skyliner at WDW. It’s a gondola system that makes getting between certain resorts and parks easier! If you stay at Pop, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach Resort, or Riviera Resort then you will use the gondolas to get to/from Hollywood Studios and Epcot! Personally, I consider this to be one of the biggest perks of staying here!
  • Fun Theme for Older Folks – My mom enjoys seeing things from her childhood here. Likewise, I enjoy seeing stuff from the 90’s.
  • On-Site Perks – Staying on-site at WDW gives you access to free park transportation, early park entry, and dining reservations 60 days out!

Cons

  • Theme May Not Enthuse Kids – While adults may love the nostalgia of staying here, I don’t know that many kids will like it.
  • Noise – Personally, I find there to be more noise at all of the value resorts, regardless of the resort. The walls and floors are thin and I’ve heard all kinds of things here.
  • Crowds – Again, similar to other value resorts, this one attracts groups and can be crowded or rowdy depending on the time of the year.
  • Pull down bed – I don’t know why they made the decision to remodel all of the value rooms with a pull down bed. However, you get another bed/table combo here just like at All Stars.

Is Disney’s Pop Century Worth It?

This was the first resort I stayed at with my husband. In fact, I’ve stayed here several times in the past. Between the costs and Skyliner, it can be a no-brainer in some situations. My only hesitation now is the pull down bed for a longer trip and the noise. So, if those things aren’t of concern to you, then this may be the perfect resort for you!

Tusker House Breakfast Review

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During my February 2023 trip to Walt Disney World with my mom, I booked a 10:10 AM reservation for the Tusker House breakfast at Animal Kingdom. Today, I’d like to share my experience with you.

Tusker House Breakfast

Tusker House Breakfast

For those who don’t know, the Tusker House Breakfast is a buffet meal wherein characters dressed up in their safari outfits come around to tables to visit! It’s the only character dining experience at the Animal Kingdom theme park and an advanced dining reservation is required to dine here. Breakfast costs $45/adult and $29/child, plus tax and gratuity.

The Food

If you have visited a breakfast buffet at Disney World previously, then you can probably guess what kinds of food you will encounter here. If not, think typical American breakfast foods: eggs, sausage, bacon, waffles, fresh fruit and yogurt, etc. However, they also have Simba waffles in addition to the typical Mickey waffles! Plus, they have Zebra coffee cake as well as a special sunset picture bread. The Zebra coffee cake was tasty but not anything groundbreaking. The sunset bread tasted like regular bread dyed to look pretty. However, I love that they have added these fun themed foods to the buffet to make it unique!

Technically, breakfast is served from 8:00 AM until 10:30 AM, with lunch beginning at 11:00 AM. However, if you get a late enough breakfast reservation, you can actually enjoy two different selections here! Our 10:10 AM reservation allowed us to eat breakfast foods as well as some lunch items while paying the breakfast price! Lunch (and dinner) is typically $59/adult and $38/child. So, it saved us some money. I liked the chicken legs, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and dessert spread from the early lunch options! While that is pretty basic food, keep in mind that I didn’t get to try everything from lunch. I suppose I need to go back for another review. Haha!

You can view pictures of the food and characters in my Instagram post below.

Characters

While dining here, you can meet several characters in their safari attire! Donald Duck is one of my favorite characters, so I love that he’s considered the host of this shindig! He’s the only one you are guaranteed to meet. However, you will meet others as well. On our visit, we got to meet Donald, Mickey Mouse, Daisy, and Goofy! We were able to snap pictures with each one. We were also given an adorable signature card souvenir! If you are looking to meet characters, I highly recommend booking at least one character meal during your trip as it’s a great way to meet characters without sacrificing a long time in line. Plus, you get to eat!

Tusker House Tips

  • Arrive hungry. There’s a full buffet to choose from, with something for every palate. It’s a great time to try something new to you!
  • Book an advance dining reservation. Currently, you can begin booking the Tusker House breakfast 60 days in advance. If you can’t find one, don’t give up! Keep checking back and set up monitoring alerts to notify you when a reservation opens up.
  • Interact with the characters. Don’t be afraid to engage with the characters a little bit. Maybe even have some prepared things to say, if you have a nervous one in the group.
  • Be prepared. As with almost any other character dining experience, it can be a loud or over-stimulating meal for some folks. Also, the dining room here is a little dark. So, go in knowing these things and you’ll have a good time.
  • Try the POG Juice. It’s a passionfruit, orange, guava juice mix and it’s really good. Unfortunately, on this particular visit, our drinks were watered down. However, it’s definitely worth trying.

Is it worth it?

As with anything else I’ve reviewed, I think the value of an experience is based heavily on the individual. The Tusker House Breakfast is an expensive breakfast. However, it is a nice way to see some characters while enjoying a buffet meal. If you have the means and enjoy seeing characters, it’s worth it. If you are in a hurry or on a tight budget, maybe consider grabbing a pastry at the Starbucks instead.

You can view more of my posts for reviews and tips for visiting Walt Disney World here!

Summer in Orlando Theme Parks

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Now that school is out in most places, lots of people are going to be spending the summer in Orlando theme parks. Since I did my spring in the theme parks post three months ago, I thought I would do another one for this season! Here’s a look at what you can expect to experience during the hottest months of the year in the Florida theme parks!

Summer in Orlando

Summer in Orlando

Summer in Orlando is hot. So, be sure to plan breaks indoors and stay hydrated if you are heading there during this season. It may also be crowded during your visit, so pack lots of patience and understanding! Aside from those things, it can also be a fun time to visit with lots of special activities to participate in!

Walt Disney World

For the past couple of yeas, Epcot was pretty much a year round festival theme park. However, the Flower and Garden Festival ends on May 27, 2024 and the Food and Wine Festival doesn’t begin until August 29th (goes to November 23, 2024). So, for the first time in several years, there will be a regular festival less Epcot to enjoy this summer.

There will be several After Hours events to enjoy when the sun goes down. You can read my review of the Magic Kingdom After Hours event here. Additionally, there’s a new drone show at Disney Springs this summer! Plus, the newly re-themed Tiana ride will open in June at Magic Kingdom. So, there’s still plenty to do here.

SeaWorld Summer Spectacular

SeaWorld Orlando seems to have cancelled their regular summer event this year. They are celebrating their 60th Anniversary for the rest of the year. Additionally, they will have some special weekend events this summer including Viva la Musica in June and Bands, Brew & BBQ in July and August. So, it should be a good place for food and music this summer.

Universal Orlando Tribute Store

Universal Orlando has announced several special things coming this summer. First up, DreamWorks Land will open on June 14th! Then, a new nighttime spectacular begins the same day. It’s called Cinesational and it should be awesome! Next, there will be a new Hogwarts castle light show premiering on the same night! Then, on July 3rd, a new parade called the Universal Mega Movie Parade will begin!

Lastly, there will be a special seasonal tribute store this summer. If you don’t know, a tribute store is a highly themed limited time pop up merch store that is typically a can’t miss experience. This year’s store has an 80’s mall theme! You can see a preview of last year’s store in UO’s Instagram post below.

Water Parks

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that each of these three parks also has a water park that you can visit to cool off at! Disney actually has two water parks. However, one of them, Blizzard Beach, is currently closed. Disney’s open water park is Typhoon Lagoon. I visited it for a special night time event at Disney’s Social Media Moms event way back in 2016 and it seemed like a nice place. I think the special ticketed nighttime event, H20 Glow After Hours at Typhoon Lagoon looks fun!

Universal has a water park that is highly regarded online. Volcano Bay can be seen from the Cabana Bay and Aventura resorts. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet visited this park. However, I hope to someday.

SeaWorld’s water park is called Aquatica. They will have special daytime entertainment and food for summer. Plus, they are having a new after hours event called AquaGlow that looks fun. Once again, I’ve never visited this one, but I’m sure it’s fun. Technically, SeaWorld also owns Discovery Cove as well. That is an all-inclusive day resort where you can swim with dolphins! I was lucky enough to visit it last year and wrote a Discovery Cove review.

Summer in Orlando Theme Parks

As you can see, there are lots of fun things to do during a summer in Orlando vacation! Did I miss anything your family likes doing?

You can view my other seasonal theme park guides here:

Disney’s All Star Resorts Overview

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In the years that I wasn’t blogging, I visited Walt Disney World many times. So, I have a lot of content I can put out on those experiences. I figured that I would start with reviewing the resorts since there are so many options available. Over the years, I have stayed at most of the on-site resorts. To kick-off my coverage of the resorts, I’m starting with the most affordable, Disney’s All Star Resorts!

Disney's All Star Resorts

Disney’s All Star Resorts

There are three Disney’s All Star Resorts: Music, Movies, and Sports! Each of them is considered a “value” resort at WDW. That simply means these rooms will be the cheapest on-site rooms available. Personally, I’m a fan of staying on-site due to the included transportation to the parks. Often times, that makes it worth the higher prices to stay at an official Walt Disney World resort. So, here’s a look at the three cheapest hotels.

Disney’s All Star Movies

Of the three resorts, All Star Movies has my favorite theming. I guess it feels more Disney-like to wander around seeing big statues of movie characters. The sections here include: Toy Story, Fantasia, Love Bug, 101 Dalmatians, and Mighty Ducks. I have stayed here a couple of times, but I think I prefer the Toy Story section the most. It reminds me of my childhood and gets me in the mood to visit Toy Story Land in Hollywood Studios. Plus, it’s considered a preferred section as it’s closer to transportation and the lobby, which is worth a lot after a long day in the parks.

Disney’s All Star Music

I’ve stayed here only once and it was a great solo trip. In fact, it was my last trip before the pandemic and my last as a WDW Annual Passholder. All Star Music has sections themed after popular music genres including: country, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, calypso, and Broadway. I paid extra to stay in the preferred section or calypso section and it was worth the few extra dollars to be close to everything.

Disney’s All Star Sports

Lastly, there’s Sports. This is the only one of the Disney’s All Star Resorts that I haven’t stayed in. I guess it’s because I’m not super into sports. Also, this is a super popular one for guests competing at ESPN Wide World of Sports to stay at. So, it can sometimes be easier to get a room at the other two. Sports had a room refurbishment most recently, to match the other two All Stars. It’s unclear if the refurbishment is ongoing or complete at this time. Sports themed sections include: baseball, basketball, football, surfing, and tennis.

Pros

  • Cheaper rates. This is compared to other on-site hotels and not necessarily off-site ones.
  • Family Suites at Music are usually the cheapest suites on property and great for a larger family.
  • On-site perks, including transportation, early entry, and booking dining length of stay 60 days out.
  • Fun theming to suit your tastes.
  • Newly refurbished rooms.

Cons

  • Noise. There are outside corridors, which leads to more noise. Additionally, the walls and floors tend to be thin. I’ve heard all kinds of things while staying in a value resort. In fact, I find the All Stars to be comparable to the Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites at Universal Orlando in terms of room quality and noise.
  • All three are popular with sports/tour groups. My advice: avoid them during competitions or school breaks.
  • One bed is a pull down bed. With the refurbishment, one of the beds became a pull-down bed/table. It’s just not as comfortable as a regular bed. It’s definitely not optimal for longer stays or older folks.
  • Buses are crowded. In fact, during slower times of the year, a bus will be shared between all three resorts.

Overall, I find Disney’s All Star Resorts to be great for a short trip on a budget. However, I think it’s worth it to spend a little extra for a longer trip or one when you need two actual beds.