How To Do Universal Orlando Resort in One Day

There’s so much to see at Universal Orlando Resort. There are three incredible theme parks – Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal Epic Universe, one thrilling water park – Universal Volcano Bay, 12 themed hotels, and an entertainment complex – Universal CityWalk. 

In fact, there’s so much to do that we usually recommend you spend two weeks at Universal Orlando Resort. But that’s not always possible, especially if you have a jam-packed itinerary for your Florida trip or if you’re on a flying visit.

If you only have one day at Universal Orlando Resort, here’s how we recommend you spend it.

One day at Universal Orlando Resort itinerary

We’ve put together these suggestions to help you make the most of your day at Universal Orlando Resort. Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, and Universal Epic Universe are all close to each other, so we recommend spending most of your time in the theme parks, as you only have one day.

Try to plan your activities in each park so that you experience everything you want to before moving on.

Before your visit:

• Check the opening times of the theme parks. These change depending on the season
• To really make the most of your one day at Universal Orlando Resort, you’ll need a park hopper ticket. This means that you can move around the theme parks as much as you like, you’re not just restricted to one park. Our Universal Orlando Resort tickets include access to multiple theme parks

Summary: what to do in one day at Universal Orlando Resort 

• Breakfast at The Kitchen Restaurant
• Arrive at the parks as soon as they open
• Take a picture in front of The Globe
• Explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️
• Lunch at a quick-service restaurant
• Must-do thrill rides
• Afternoon at Universal Volcano Bay
• Dinner at Mythos Restaurant
• Hogwarts Always

Breakfast at The Kitchen Restaurant 

Set your alarm, it’s going to be an early start! To make the most of your day, you’re going to want to maximise your time, and this means getting to the theme parks just before they open.

Because of this, we recommend eating breakfast at one of the Universal hotels rather than grabbing something once you’re in the parks. One of the best places to eat breakfast is The Kitchen Restaurant at Hard Rock Hotel®, so head there at 7am when it opens.

Here you’ll find a delicious breakfast buffet with an omelette station and range of cereal, fresh fruits, yogurts, pastries, French toast, and more. You can order a la carte instead if you’d prefer. They say it’s the most important meal of the day, so it’s guaranteed to get you off to a good start.

Arrive at the parks as soon as they open

We always recommend getting to the theme parks a little before opening time, but this is especially important if you only have one day to explore. The parks usually open at 9am, so get there for 8.45am, ready for the fun to start as soon as the gates open.

Top tip: If you stay at one of the Universal Orlando Resort hotels, you’ll get Early Park Admission. This means that you can access the theme parks up to one hour earlier than regular guests on each day of your stay. Tick off some of the more popular attractions before the queues start to build, or just enjoy extra time in the parks.

Take a picture in front of The Globe

It’s everyone’s favourite photo spot at Universal Studios Florida, so it would be rude not to get a snap in front of the Universal Globe. New profile pic, anyone?

Explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️

Fans of the boy wizard will need to carve out some time in their day to explore The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️. 

There’s a Wizarding World in each of the three theme parks. Each one is a themed area based on a location from the Harry Potter or Fantastic Beasts films, featuring a selection of attractions, shops, and food. In truth, you could spend a whole day exploring just these areas!

You can easily travel between Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure on the Hogwarts Express, so it’s worth doing everything you want to in one park before heading over to the other.

Things not to miss at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™️:

• Grab a frothy butterbeer in Hogsmeade
• Choose a wand at Ollivanders
• Cast spells with an interactive wand
• Get an Insta-worthy shot or shoot a TikTok video in front of Gringotts in Diagon Alley
• See Hogwarts Castle

Lunch at a quick-service restaurant

Time is ticking, so you don’t want to have a leisurely lunch today – there’ll be plenty of time for that later! Grab something on the go from one of the snack kiosks around the parks, or nip into one of the quick-service restaurants for some fast food.

Must-do thrill rides

If you’ve come to experience the thrills and spills, twists and turns of some of the fastest and biggest attractions in the world, then you’ve come to the right place. There are thrill rides at all three of the Universal Orlando Resort theme parks, so if these are your priority, you may want to plan your day around them. 

You’ll find the most rollercoasters and intense attractions at Universal Islands of Adventure, so plan to spend most of your time here.

Universal Express Pass

If thrill rides are top of your theme park to-do list, then it might be worth investing in a Universal Express Pass. This is the fast-track option for selected attractions, and can cut waiting times down by as much as half. With a Universal Express Pass, you can skip the regular queue and join an Express Pass line that usually has a shorter waiting time. 

There are two versions of the Universal Express Pass:

Each pass is valid for one person for one day. You can choose whether you want a pass that covers just one of the theme parks or all of them.

Top tip: If you stay at selected Universal Signature Hotels, you can get a free Universal Express Unlimited Pass for each guest in your room for every day of your stay (valid park admission required), including the days you check in and check out. That means you can get two days of Express Passes with just a one-night stay!

Participating hotels:

• Hard Rock Hotel®
• Loews Royal Pacific Resort
• Loews Portofino Bay Hotel

Grab a snack in Springfield

Fans of Bart and co will love exploring Springfield, U.S.A at Universal Studios Florida. There’s The Simpsons Ride, an epic 4D adventure through Krustyland, a theme park owned by Krusty the Clown, and you can even meet the characters here. 

One thing you should add to your list if you’re feeling peckish is to pick up a Big Pink Donut. This sweet treat is a giant donut with pink frosting and sprinkles on the top – fans of The Simpsons will recognise it as Homer’s favourite snack in the show.

And if you’re thirsty, grab yourself a Flaming Moe from Moe’s Tavern. This citrus-flavoured drink is served “flaming.” The liquid bubbles, and the effect lasts for up to five minutes – it’s a real novelty!

Afternoon at Universal Volcano Bay

Of course, there’s more than enough in this one-day itinerary to keep you busy in the Universal Orlando Resort theme parks all day, and we didn’t want to squeeze too much in and risk disappointment. 

However, if you’re really keen on visiting a water park today, then maybe you could fit a couple of hours at Universal Volcano Bay into your afternoon.

Dinner at Mythos Restaurant

As the day winds down, it’s time to relax a little with a sit-down dinner. Dining at one of the restaurants in the theme parks means you’ll still be around to finish off your evening with the nighttime show. 

Mythos Restaurant in Universal Islands of Adventure serves a mix of Mediterranean, Asian, and American cuisine. The Souvlaki Couscous Bowl is a must-try – the medley of flavours is an absolute treat, plus there’s a vegan version, too. 

Hogwarts Always

Hogwarts Always is a nighttime show in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade™️ at Universal Islands of Adventure. It shows projections from a year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry against the walls of Hogwarts Castle. The show finishes with a spectacular pyrotechnic display celebrating the different Hogwarts houses.

You’ll hear the voices of some of the most beloved characters from the films, plus the recognisable music, for an unforgettable experience.

The show takes place continuously from dusk until the park closes, so there’s plenty of opportunity to catch it. It’s around eight minutes long, so it’s well worth sticking around for. 

Best places to see the show:

• The Main Plaza directly in front of Hogwarts Castle
• The bridge connecting Hogsmeade to Jurassic Park for a slightly elevated view
• The Owlery near the entrance to Hogsmeade for a quieter spot

Now you’ve got a good idea of how to spend one day at Universal Orlando Resort, it’s time to book your tickets. Our Universal Orlando Resort tickets include park hopper access, or choose an Orlando Combination Ticket for the best value option if you’re planning to visit multiple theme parks. 

^{1Universal Orlando hotel guests must present hotel key card and valid theme park admission; all other guests must show theme park ticket stating Early Park Admission benefit. Early Park Admission begins up to one (1) hour prior to regular scheduled park opening to: (a) Universal Studios Florida and/or Universal Islands of Adventure as determined by Universal Orlando; (b) Universal Volcano Bay (weather permitting); and/or (c) Universal Epic Universe (Early Park Admission at Epic Universe to begin 5/23/25). Valid at select attractions at each park. Park-to-Park admission required to board the Hogwarts™ Express. Benefit is non-transferable. Parks, attractions, operational times, and offerings for the Early Park Admission benefit may vary and are subject to substitutions, change, availability, capacity and/or cancellation without notice, and not guaranteed. Additional restrictions may apply.}