What kind of day is a Universal day?

Universal is louder, faster and — for the right age group — arguably more thrilling than Disney. Where Disney is about immersing you in a world, Universal hits you with the full weight of the franchises you already love, turned up to eleven.

Harry Potter lives here in two fully realised sections — Hogsmeade in Islands of Adventure and Diagon Alley in Universal Studios — connected by the actual Hogwarts Express, which requires a park-to-park ticket and is worth every penny of it. The moment families step off the train at either station, something happens. People who said they weren’t excited get very excited.

Alongside Harry Potter: Jurassic World, The Simpsons, Transformers, Despicable Me and the best roller coasters in Orlando — Velocicoaster and Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure chief among them. Hagrid’s, in particular, is the ride we’d recommend above almost anything else in Florida. The queue theming alone is worth a look.

Epic Universe — Universal’s third gate — opened in 2025. It adds more Harry Potter (The Ministry of Magic), Monsters (classic Universal horror), How to Train Your Dragon and more. It’s the most ambitious new theme park opening in years.

Best for: Older children, teenagers, adults who love film franchises and families who want something that feels different from Disney’s pace and tone.

Should you bundle Universal with Disney?

If both parks are definitely in your plan, a Disney and Universal bundle is usually cleaner than booking separately — one transaction, both park groups sorted. Compare the bundle price against individual tickets before deciding; the saving varies depending on trip length and ticket type.

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