Time to set that alarm! Yes, I know, you’re on vacation but trust me, you do not want to miss a minute of Universal Orlando Resorts early park admission. This awesome perk is for Universal resort guests and other select groups to access either Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, or Volcano Bay one hour before the scheduled opening. During extra busy times, it could be both parks but remember valid theme park admission is required. When checking in, be sure to ask a team member which park has early hours as it does change often.
With early park admission, you’ll not only get the chance to walk around and take pictures in an almost empty theme park, you can also ride some of your favorite attractions without any wait time or in some cases without anyone else on the ride. During a recent stay at Universal Orlando, I was able to ride The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!™ with only 1 other person, my fellow Me and The Mouse travel specialist, Beth. We enjoyed taking in the scenes from high above the practically empty theme park. We also spent some time chatting with the team members on the platform who are always up for some good conversation. If you want that perfect picture in front of your favorite ride without crowds of people next to you, this is the time to do it!
Some areas of the parks are still closed during the early park hours, but you can get a fair share of attractions completed within the 1st hour, giving you plenty of time for the remaining rides and attractions during normal operating hours.
Some of the attractions currently available during early park admission at Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Volcano Bay include:
- Despicable Me Minion Mayhem™
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts™
- Ollivanders™
- Kala & Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides
- Ohyah of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides
- Ohno of Ohyah & Ohno Drop Slides
- Honu of the Honu Ika Moana
- ika Moana of the Honu ika Moana
- Krakatau Aqua Coaster
- Ko’okiri Body Plunge
I encourage you to set that alarm and head into the parks early when staying at Universal Orlando Resorts. The early park access without the typical theme park crowds will be well worth your time!
The available theme park(s), attractions, and times for Early Park Admission vary based on operational and weather considerations and are subject to change without notice.
Monica Zucol
Travel Specialist
