The Ultimate Weekend Guide to Disney World and Universal Studios
Disney World and Universal Studios bring you the best Orlando vacation you, your family, and your friends can have. There is so much to see and do that unfortunately in just an extended weekend you won’t be able to get to everything. However, if you are like me and need to return home for work, I have outlined the best way to maximize your few days at BOTH Disney World and Universal Studios. This is the ultimate weekend guide to Disney World AND Universal Studios.
How to Get to Orlando
Your best bet is flying into MCO, Orlando International Airport, which is about 20ish minutes to, most likely, where you will be staying. I would suggest getting an uber or a shuttle for bigger groups. Shuttle services that offer great deals are Universal Super Shuttle and Disney’s Magical Express Service. You can also rent a car if you feel it is necessary but we found that it is still doable not having a car, even if you aren’t staying at a Universal Hotel or Disney Hotel.
Where to Stay
When To go
I definitely would not suggest going during summer. It is usually very crowded and the weather in Florida is so hot. I do, however, love and definitely suggest going to Universal Studios and Walt Disney World during the holidays. I love the Halloween spectacular and Christmas feels that come from both Disney World and Universal Studios. There isn’t ever technically a shoulder season when it comes to Orlando. Wait times for rides, especially the more sought-after ones, are usually a long wait. It is crowded most of the time however historically, May is usually the least crowded out of all the months. Disney World for 2022 has created a Walt Disney World crowds calendar to show the best times to visit without the park being overly crowded.
Where to Get Tickets
I would also suggest, for an extra cost, purchasing an express pass for Universal or a MaxPass for Disney (Disney Genie+ is the new Fastpass program). Especially since you are jampacking a trip to both destinations on a weekend, skipping the line will help!
The Ultimate Weekend Guide to Disney World And Universal Studios
Day One
Universal Parks
I would suggest spending a full day here as you can definitely see everything you want to in just one day. You can do both parks (if you purchase the Park to Park ticket) Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. When you go to Universal Studios you can’t miss the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. You can also go to Volcano Bay which is Universal Orlando’s waterpark. At night, you can head over to the Universal City Walk for shopping, dining, and entertainment. Some of the more popular restaurants include Toothsome Chocolate Emporium, Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar, Bigfire, Hardrock Cafe, and voodoo doughnuts.
Day Two
Walt Disney World Resort
For which Disney park to visit you will have to make a personal decision based on your personal preference. When we went, we found that we would rather go to Animal Kingdom rather than Magic Kingdom. My only suggestion would be to skip Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I don’t believe it will be worth your time, especially if only visiting for a short weekend. Both Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom have an array of rides and things to do. I don’t have a particularly favorite ride but I will list out the popular rides/experiences for each park so you can make the best decision for which park to spend day two at. If you have never been to Disney World, Magic Kingdom is definitely more of your iconic and magical Disney feel.
Magic Kingdom
Rides/Experiences: Kali River Rapids, Avatar Flight of Passage, Triceratop Spin, DINOSAUR, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Wildlife Express Train, Na’vi River Journey, Up! A Great Bird Adventure, and Expedition Everest
Dining: Flame Tree BBQ, Harambe Market, Tiffins Restaurant, Satu’li Cuisine, Yak & Yeti Restaurant, and Restaurantosaurus.
Magic Kingdom circa 2006
Magic Kingdom circa 2006
Animal Kingdom
Rides/Experiences: Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Tomorrowland Transit, Under the Sea, Space Mountain, Dumbo the Flying Elephant, Splash Mountain, It’s a Small World, and Peter Pan’s Flight.
Dining: Liberty Tree Tavern, Cheshire Cafe, Be Our Guest Restaurant, and Cinderella’s Royal Table.
Day Three
Epcot Theme Park
I would suggest spending day three at the wonderful Epcot. Epcot is probably my favorite Disney theme park. Epcot celebrates human achievement and culture and is definitely a must-visit. And why not save the best for last? The front half of the park is broken into a few different sections including World Nature, World Celebration, and World Discovery. The back half of the park showcases a beautiful display of 11 different countries where you can eat and drink each country’s delicacies. We spent our day getting an appetizer and a drink in each country, allowing us to experience and explore the beautiful cultures. If not your ideal meal, Epcot has some of the best restaurants in all of the Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Studios.
Epcot
Rides/Experiences: Guardians of the Galaxy, Soarin’ Around the World, Frozen Ever After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Spaceship Earth, and Mission: Space
Dining: Spice Road Table, Regal Eagle Smokehouse, La Cava Del Tequila, Space 220, San Angel Inn, Chefs De France, and Nine Dragons
Leave a Reply