9am being hauled vertically with Abba's Waterloo blaring in your ears as the Rip Ride Rockit tips you over the top is a great way to blow the cobwebs out first thing in the morning, so good you have to do it again before escaping from Gringots and the Mummy all inside the first hour in the park. This was followed up with a trip round New York with Jimmy Fallon, then another visit to the Rip Ride with the rest of the party and a second encounter with Imhotep. The main benefit of the rest of the party turning up was they were able to look after the bags for us rather than having to use the lockers which at $3 a ride to store the rucksack was starting to get pricey. After watching the Blues Brothers show and a spot of lunch we headed to MIB which is one to avoid if you have motion sickness and then the Simpsons ride which is another queeze inducing one. It was at this point and being furthest from the gates that a massive storm hit and the roadways turned into rivers with ponchos being sought from every retailer and the restaurants filling up with park guests trying to stay dry. With no respite in sight we braved the rain and made it back to the main entrance soaked through where the smarter members of the group were able to change into dry gear. Why there is no covered walkways I can't quite fathom but its warm rain as opposed to dreary rain you get in the Uk.

We travelled to Orlando from Ireland and visited the 3 Universal theme parks in October with our three children two 16yos and a 12 yo. Our son who has autism, an intellectual disability and is non-verbal struggles with queuing so we qualified for Universal's GAP pass. This essentially allows you to use the express lane at each ride. This in itself was really helpful but we found some rides still had longish waiting times in the Express lanes (which is not always obvious when you start queuing). Whilst at Universal Studios, we went on a ride which had a longer than expected express lane queue and our son got very agitated and distressed at the length of time he had to queue in a fairly enclosed space. When we went to the next attraction we told the staff member at the entrance of the experience at the previous ride which had been very difficult to manage and had blighted the experience for all the family. The staff member was extremely helpful and understanding and took us to a different entrance to the ride so that we didn't have to queue as long. We were then able to make the same request at any of the other particularly busy rides and the staff always looked after us. I cannot tell you how much easier this made our visit which could have otherwise been very stressful for our son and our family. This assistance was also available at the other two parks Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay which we visited and thoroughly enjoyed. I would like to congratulate Universal for providing not only the attraction assistance pass but for the training of their staff to understand and recognise needs of families with special needs children. This made such a difference to our holiday and it has been one of the most enjoyable vacations we have ever had as a family together. Well done Universal!

we went late mid October /November and found the parks extremely busy when they are usually quiet . there were too many construction walls up in both parks and some always seem to need work done on them . usually very good it is in my opinion better value than Disney .i try new rides each time i go and do enjoy the mummy which is my current favourite. universal are constantly changing and am happy for this to continue .

Starting with the entrance to the parking lot and the huge parking garage, you first become aware of the dimensions of the parks. Amazingly, things then go quite well in the parks and we were also lucky and there was little going on, so we never had to wait longer than 20 minutes in the normal line. Parking costs a hefty $32. If you arrive after the cinema opens, you can buy two matinee tickets for just over $20 and get a refund for the parking ticket. We haven't had the cinema open yet, so we haven't waited extra. We only stayed at Universal Studios because we only had one day and the tip to have one park a day if you don't want to have stress really makes sense. Basically, it makes sense to deal with the attractions in advance and use the app. The park is actually not very well signposted or poorly described, whether it is a roller coaster, 4D coaster or just an experience like Ollivander for example. We were really excited about the layout of the park. Super detailed and well done, nice to look at, although of course it is questionable whether it even has to cost that much. But if you can get a little excited about the films and stories presented, it is really worth it. On the subject of backpacks: there are small lockers that cost nothing during the journey and then 3 dollars per 30 minutes, and large lockers that cost something from the start. One locker can be used per parking ticket. A medium-sized backpack with Tetris experience will definitely fit in a small locker. We had the allowed 2 liters of water per person with us and then drank bottles before using the lockers. We didn't take anything to eat because it was on the internet, but apparently it depends on the folder if they let you in with it. We saw a lot of people with sandwiches they brought. Small advance warning, food and drinks are very expensive in the park. Half a liter of water costs $3, a Coke $5, a beer a hefty $13 and a quarter of pizza $12. Highly recommended are the Michshakes at the small shop next to Mel's Diner, at the latter was a huge queue...

We spent two days at Universal, one day at each of the parks, December didn't seem the right time to visit the 3rd, water park. Whilst the general layout and attention to detail is easily as good as what Disney provide, it was so refreshing to be away from the Disney experience, Homer Simpson being stupid in photos, Bart being a clown was hilarious. By the time we visited Universal on day 7 of our two week holiday, I was getting a little fed up of the 3d rides and simulators, whilst they are very clever, I longed for good ol' fashioned roller coasters. The "Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit" certainly did that, whilst we had to wait for the rain, thunder and lightning to pass, it was a crazy ride. I love you can choose your own music for the experience, once I had reattached my head at the end, I was just about able to walk to the exit. Other notable rides that I would gladly go on in a second, Men in Black, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, VelociCoaster, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is a long queue, but well worth it. Here is the shocker. The Food was actually edible, all the Disney / SeaWorld parks we have experienced so far have inedible, vile food, this was really good, I had the cottage pie which was delicious. Still a shortage of veg, but really tasty. Others reported the fish and chips was excellent too - noting proper English chips rather than crisps.

Sure it's fun, but... They REALLY overdid the Minions to the point of absurdity! They got rid of the beloved Shrek 4D ride (yes I know about the DreamWorks area that will include Shrek) and the classic monsters cafe (ok whatever) to turn an ENTIRE street as in multiple buildings, signs and experiences into Minions! Sure they're adorable but it's beyond overkill. The new ride isn't really a ride but a stand up shooter. Why, when we already have the awesome men in Black. Then there's the other ride which is really 2 holding queues and a stationery ride. Once done with them you walk down the block with nothing but Minions and more Minions plus their awkward villains. The other issue is with the Gringotts rides idiotic restraint system. I'm tall & cold use a few pounds like so many people and the restraints push you down so hard into the seat and the guards dig into and hurt your shins. There's really no need for this whatsoever. The worst part was how badly they gauge you on school vacation week at $180 per ticket. Especially for the old rides which I really like but they've been in place for years so why charge so much? And they know we're in a terrible economy and everyone is really hurting. On a positive note I really love Jimmy Fallon Escape ride. They should add more rides, experiences and a water feature..

My first visit to a theme park! First thing, the place is pretty big although, I've been told, not as big a Disney. Second, the tickets aren't cheap. You'll easily pay $200 a person for single day tickets to Universal Studios and Island Adventure. Third, be aware of the weather. Even late April/ early May can easily over 30c/86f, so plan accordingly. There's not a lot of shade, so use the shops/rides for the a/c. The park is, however, amazing with loafs of rides just be aware of the potentially long wait times (posted around the park so you can plan which rides to visit better). Tip: each a big breakfast, usually included at most hotels. That way you can try to avoid the very pricey food in the park.

After a somewhat disappointing visit to Islands of Adventure, we had a really good visit next door at Universal Studios Orlando. We learned a valuable lesson: visit theme parks before schools are out in late May. Other than paying $141 for each ticket, we enjoyed USO more than IoA for the first time! We arrived at 9 am again, and it was a great morning. It was in the upper 80’s, but the cloudy skies made it feel more like the 70’s. There were hardly any lines, so we quickly got on every ride. The highlight of the day was the very first ride you come to, the Ripride Rocket. Like the Hulk and VelociCoaster, it is not for the faint of heart, but it’s another great ride. One in our family likes the Mummy ride the most. We didn’t make the time to review the USO restaurants like we did IoA, so we went with Mel’s Diner, which is decent theme park fare. We enjoyed chicken strips, a hot dog and a salad for $56, a little higher than and not as good as Three Broomsticks the day before. $4.50 for a soft drink and NO free refills is frustrating! After lunch we went to the Jason Bourne Stunt-tacular. It’s a good show and a nice break from the heat. When we came out of the theater, the clouds were gone and the heat returned. As I said about IoA, we wish they had more shade and more places to sit. A second visit to Kings Crossing and the world of Harry Potter was just what we needed. It really feels like you are in the land of wizards. Take your kids to see the “show” at Ollivander’s Wand Shop.

Just returned from a 2 week vacation back to the UK after a 10 year absence. This time though with a 7 year old granddaughter in tow. She loves everything Harry Potter and had an awesome time visiting the Harry Potter world and travelling on the Hogwarts Express. We queued for over an hour for the Hagrid ride only for it to be delayed so that was disappointing. The Jimmy Fallon ride through New York was excellent and there wasn’t a big queue for this attraction so we we repeated it a few times during our stay. The Macy’s Holiday Parade was magical and was definitely worth seeing. Overall a great experience and left great memories of our time spent together there.

We did the 2 parks in 1 day, which requires a lot of energy. Some great rides and attention to detail is impressive, but why is there a charge to everything? We all pay for the tickets, which are not cheap, the cost of express tickets are ridiculous, then they charge you $32 to park your car and $3 every time you want to put your bag in a locker! We were going to play some Crazy Golf on the way out but that would have been an extra $50!! There were only 2 of us so I can’t imagine the financial hit it does to a family of 4. Choice of food was all ‘junk food’. We had a great day but the unforeseen charges are annoying. Didn’t realise having fun could be so expensive!