Universal Orlando
If you make one transatlantic theme park pilgrimage, make it this: the Wizarding World of Harry Potter — riding the Hogwarts Express between the two parks, wand in hand — is the most convincing themed environment ever built, and the new Epic Universe park raises the bar again.
- Best forFamilies · Groups of friends
- In August32°C · 25 rainy days
- Ideal stay4–6 nights
- Approx. flying time~4h 50m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyUSDUS dollar
- LanguageEnglish
- Local time08:095h behind the UK
- PlugsType A / BBring an adapter
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+1
Why go
Three theme parks and a water park sit on one resort north of the Orlando convention district, with hotels and a restaurant strip between them. Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios face each other across a lagoon, joined by a train running through the two Harry Potter areas, and Epic Universe opened as a further gate built around Nintendo, dragons and the classic Universal monsters.
Most British families give it four to six days, often alongside a couple of days at Walt Disney World or the Kennedy Space Center. Heat and afternoon storms make June to August hard going, while late September, early December and the weeks either side of American school holidays are far easier. Ride heights rule out much of it for under-fives.
- Ideal stay
- 4–6 nights
- The vibe
- Loud, immersive, relentlessly engineered
From our guides
Stay at a premier on-site hotel and the included Express Pass roughly doubles what you'll ride. Go outside American school holidays; September is quietest.
Featured in Ten theme park trips that are actually worth the hype
Things to do
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The Wizarding World
Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley sit in different parks, linked by the Hogwarts Express, which you can only ride with a park-to-park ticket.
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Epic Universe
The newest park is arranged as separate themed worlds around a central garden, with Super Nintendo World and a Ministry of Magic area as its headline builds.
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VelociCoaster
A raptor-themed launch coaster in Islands of Adventure that sits near the top of most enthusiast rankings and is not for the nervous.
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Hagrid's Motorbike Adventure
A launched family coaster weaving through the Forbidden Forest, with long queues from opening, so ride it first thing or last.
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Volcano Bay
The resort's water park queues virtually through a wristband, which makes a hot afternoon with children far more civilised than it sounds.
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CityWalk
The free-to-enter strip between the two original parks handles evening food, cinema and live music without needing a park ticket at all.
Getting there
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Fly to
Orlando (MCO)
Nearest airport to Universal Orlando, about 13km away as the crow flies.
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Then
To Orlando
About twenty five minutes by car, shuttle or ride hailing from Orlando (MCO) to the resort area.
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On the ground
Getting around
On-site hotels connect to the parks by walking path or water taxi, and the Hogwarts Express links the two theme parks. Anything else is a short ride hailing hop.
Public transport: Poor by British standards, but resort shuttles and ride hailing make a hire car unnecessary if you stay on site.
Flights
Los Angeles Universal Orlando, Florida, USA
Fly from anywhere — search 4,000+ airports worldwide.
Roughly 4h 50m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
Check dates and prices
Pick your departure date, then your return.
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Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.
When to go
Daytime highs run from about 22°C in January to 32°C in July. Driest December to March; wettest in August, with rain on about 25 days.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
August32° · rain 25 daysHot and often wet.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Highlighted months are warm and mostly dry — December to February. Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
On-site resort hotels at three price tiers, chain hotels along the tourist strips, and rental homes with private pools out in the suburbs. Little is walkable except on-site.
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Best base overall
Universal Orlando resort hotels
Walking or boat distance to the parks, and the premier tier includes the Express Pass, which roughly doubles what you ride. You pay handsomely for that shortcut.
Find stays in Universal Orlando resort hotels -
Best value
International Drive
A long strip of mid-range hotels minutes from the parks, with restaurants, outlets and shuttle buses. It is noisy, carbound and nobody's idea of pretty.
Find stays in International Drive -
Best with children
Lake Buena Vista
Handy if you are splitting the week with Disney, with pools, suites and free shuttles to both estates. Twenty minutes of traffic each way to Universal.
Find stays in Lake Buena Vista -
Quietest
Dr Phillips
A residential district behind Restaurant Row, with rental homes and good places to eat that are not themed. You will drive to absolutely everything.
Find stays in Dr Phillips
Worth knowing before you book: Express Pass comes free only with the premier on-site hotels, so compare the total rather than the room rate. Avoid American school holidays if you can; September is calmest.
Search everything else in Orlando by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Express Pass
- Guests at the premier on-site hotels get skip-the-queue access included, which can be worth more than the difference in room rate during peak weeks.
- Timing
- Early entry for on-site guests is the most useful hour of the day. Newer rides build long queues within minutes of opening.
- Weather
- Summer thunderstorms are near-daily and rides close for lightning. Keep indoor shows and dark rides for mid-afternoon.
- With kids
- Height limits start around a metre and rise sharply. Check them before promising anything and use the rider-swap system.
- Getting there
- Orlando International is roughly twenty minutes away. Water taxis and shuttle buses connect the on-site hotels to the park entrances.
Similar places
Nearby destinations
Volcano Bay
Orlando, USA · 4km away →
Miami
Florida, USA · 321km away →
Key West
Florida, USA · 434km away →
Havana
Cuba · 597km away →
New Orleans
Louisiana · 854km away →
Cancún & Tulum
Mexico · 974km away →Elsewhere in the USA
Related articles
Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Universal Orlando?
For warm, mostly dry days, December to February. That means highs of 20–34°C with rain on six days a month or fewer. Daytime highs run from about 22°C in January to 32°C in July. Driest December to March; wettest in August, with rain on about 25 days.
How long should I spend in Universal Orlando?
Our suggestion: 4–6 nights.
How do I get to Universal Orlando?
About twenty five minutes by car, shuttle or ride hailing from Orlando (MCO) to the resort area.
Do I need a car in Universal Orlando?
No. Poor by British standards, but resort shuttles and ride hailing make a hire car unnecessary if you stay on site.
What currency and language are used in Universal Orlando?
Currency: US dollar (USD). Language: English. Plugs: type A and B.
Who is Universal Orlando best for?
Best for families and groups of friends. In a phrase: loud, immersive, relentlessly engineered.