UNIVERSAL UNLIMITED EXPRESS
By staying on site at several of the Universal hotels you automatically qualify for Express Passes with your theme park tickets. This allows you to skip most queues at rides and attractions and can save literally hours of lining up. Be sure to pack your lanyards or purchase one at Universal. These come in very handy for flashing your express pass as you cruise past people waiting in line.
Refer to the Universal website for a comparison of on-site hotels and the benefits they offer in more detail.
Upon reading this, you may think a trip to Orlando seems more like work than a holiday. However, by planning months in advance, you can be more assured of having a great time once you are there. That’s not to say that hiccups won’t occur. On our last visit, our luggage went missing for a little while, and we had to move hotels due to construction. (That’s another tip, ensure your chosen hotel doesn’t have major building works underway during your visit. Disney are always upgrading their facilities).
Our holidays to Orlando are not of the spontaneous variety. Disney World and Universal are fun on an industrial scale. To make the most of all they have to offer you need to be organised. You don’t want to miss out on the fantastic rides (because without your reserved fast passes some wait times can exceed 4 hours and who wants to waste half a day standing in line for one ride!). You also don’t want to miss out on the best of their themed restaurants. Their most popular ones can book out on the day reservations become available (180 days prior to your arrival at Disney), especially on the school holidays. So do your research, there are a plethora of websites detailing which eateries you should book and which to avoid.
And finally, you’ll have a much better time if you get in the spirit. Suspend your disbelief. Don’t be embarrassed. Embrace your inner Elsa and Let It Go™. Pack your Mickey Ears and have a great time!
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