Planning a theme park vacation can be daunting. Between booking travel, finding a hotel, buying tickets, and packing, there’s a lot to do! As someone who has made many trips to Universal Orlando Resort, I wanted to put together a list of tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years.

Tickets

Look for discounted tickets! Many times, AAA, local banks, or unions have deals for tickets to Universal Orlando Resort theme parks. Depending on how many days you plan to spend there, or if you go more than once a year, it might actually be more cost-effective to buy an Annual Pass. Of course, this used to be a more straightforward hack before Epic Universe opened. Now, for anything under 5 days, it looks like buying a 3-park ticket bundle is cheaper since Epic Universe tickets are not yet included for Passholders and must be purchased separately.

Transportation from the Airport

After landing at Orlando International Airport (MCO), you have a few options for getting to your hotel. Uber or Lyft is the most cost-effective if you are arriving with at least one other person and splitting the cost. But if you’re arriving alone and staying at a Universal hotel, I recommend booking Universal’s SuperStar Shuttle, which costs $39 round trip or $23 one way (meanwhile, tickets for children ages 3–9 are $36 and $21, respectively, and children 2 and under ride free). It isn’t heavily advertised by Universal, and you have to either book it as part of a vacation package or call guest services. Also keep in mind that the duration of the shuttle ride will depend on how many other passengers need to be dropped off and which resorts they are going to. I have taken the shuttle three times, and each time, it took roughly 30 minutes to get from MCO to my hotel.

Early Park Admission

Guests staying at select Universal Orlando Resort hotels are offered early admission to Universal Studios Florida and/or Universal Islands of Adventure on select dates. This typically means you can enter the park(s) at 8 a.m. and access certain attractions before the rest of the guests are let through the gates at 9 a.m., including Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. While it might seem like a good plan to try to catch this popular ride before the crowds descend, everyone else usually has the same idea, so the line can still be quite long first thing in the morning.

Something that I personally think is worth the effort is getting in line to be on the first Hogwarts Express ride over to Universal Studios Florida (if early admission is for Islands of Adventure). The train will run right at 9 a.m., which means you’ll be dropped off at King’s Cross while other guests are still making their way from the front of the park, giving you the opportunity to ride Gringotts as a walk-on and take photos in a nearly empty Diagon Alley.

Lockers

Many rides at the parks require guests to stow their belongings in lockers, which are free for the duration of the ride. However, these lockers are very small, so I recommend traveling light. You don’t want to be carrying a lot around the parks anyway, so a small backpack that can be squished flat or a belt bag are the way to go. If you absolutely have to bring more, there are lockers available to rent for the day for a fee.

Send Purchases to Hotel

To avoid dragging shopping bags around or trying to cram everything into the ride lockers, use the free package delivery service for resort guests, in which any shopping location can send purchases directly to the desk in the lobby of your hotel. It usually takes 24 hours for them to arrive, so you can’t do it on your last day there, but otherwise, this is a really good service to take advantage of. Just make sure you know your room number!

Staying Hydrated

It’s important to stay hydrated in the Florida heat, but it can also get expensive to keep buying bottles of water. Fortunately, you can bring a refillable water bottle or collapsible cup into the parks and fill it with water for free at any Freestyle drink station. You can also ask team members at quick-service restaurants to fill water bottles that have a wide opening with ice and water.

Download the Mobile App

Make sure you download the Universal Orlando Resort mobile app before your trip. Not only can you keep an eye on wait times for rides and make dining reservations, but you can also order ahead at quick-service restaurants such as the Three Broomsticks and the Leaky Cauldron. When you arrive, you just tap “I’ve arrived” on the app and your food will be out shortly. If you’re eating at the Leaky Cauldron, beware that cell service is spotty for many in the line to be seated. It’s something about that spot. I suggest ordering before you get in line to avoid frustration.

Wear Comfortable, Fast-Drying Shoes

This was a lesson I learned the hard way. Thunderstorms and torrential rain come out of nowhere in Orlando, and the drainage in the parks can’t always keep up, meaning you could be walking through ankle-deep water during one of these events. It’s not fun wearing wet sneakers all day. Get yourself a good pair of walking sandals or Crocs so you’re comfortable on your feet—but also waterproof.

Escape the Heat in Knockturn Alley

Is the heat getting to you as you’re walking around Diagon Alley? Duck into Knockturn Alley to cool off. The air conditioning is always cranked up in there, and it’s out of the sun. After a few minutes, you should feel recharged and ready to continue your park day!

Single Rider Lines

Knowing when to utilize single rider lines can help you make the most of your time in the parks. For some attractions, the single rider line moves faster than the general line, but for others, it’s actually slower or the same speed. Where this line actually saves time is Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. I do not suggest the single rider line for Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. When I tested this out myself, the wait time ended up being just as long as the 2-hour queue.

If it is your first time visiting the parks, I recommend you don’t do single rider right away, since these lines usually take you a back way to the ride vehicles, meaning you miss a lot of the beautiful theming of the queues and their Easter eggs. You especially don’t want to miss the line for Forbidden Journey if you haven’t seen the inside of the castle yet.

Once we learn some tips and tricks for Epic Universe, we’ll be sure to share! Don’t forget to tune in to a new episode of Revelio every other Thursday.