Want a quick answer to some of the most frequently asked questions about Disney and Universal? These are my theme park quick start guides.

When you want to dive deeper into a topic, just tap the links on the slides, or check out the resource list below.

Theme park quick start guides

Harry Potter World Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

Disney World Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

Universal Orlando Resort Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

Universal Orlando vs Hollywood Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

Disneyland Avengers Campus Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

Paris Disneyland Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

Disney Genie Fast Facts

By Sue Winter

Disney World Christmas Quick Guide

By Sue Winter

View all stories

Direct links to each quick start guide

• Universal Orlando vs Universal Hollywood quick guide
• Wizarding World of Harry Potter quick start guide
• Disney World quick start guide
• Universal Orlando quick start guide
• Avengers Campus quick start guide
• Disney Genie quick start guide
• Christmas at Disney World quick start guide
• Disneyland Paris quick start guide

Looking for another fun destination? Here’s my Bora Bora quick start guide.

Go Informed theme park tips

With a little planning and strategy, you can have a fantastic theme park vacation. Check out these resources to get started:

• 33 things to know before you visit Universal Orlando
• 55 things to know before you visit Disney World
• Universal Orlando complete hotel guide
• Disney World complete hotel guide
• Disneyland walking distances and training tips
• Universal Orlando vs Universal Hollywood
• How to do Disneyland Paris in one day

Exclusive bonus tips in your inbox

Want to save money, avoid hassles, and have more fun on your theme park vacation? Sign up now to get two bonus mini-posts every month, exclusive to the Go Informed mailing list!

Click here to join now.

This post contains affiliate links.

The post Go Informed Theme Park Quick Start Guides appeared first on Go Informed.

These are the show notes for Go Informed Podcast episode 78. Click below to listen, or find it on your favorite podcast app, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify.

Want some quick Disneyland advice? Here’s ten things to know before you go.

Go Informed Podcast episode 78: Disneyland Christmastime trip report

These photos are from my November 2022 trip to Disneyland. The holiday season was in full swing, officially starting in the middle of November each year.

We spent 4 days at Disneyland, staying in the Grand Californian Hotel. Here are a few things I highly recommend, based on our experience on this trip.

As always, we made a few blunders on this trip, which you’ll hear me discuss on the podcast. A couple of them even made my top ten park touring mistakes list here. If you want to know what NOT to do, be sure to check it out.

Stay in a Disneyland hotel

The hotels

The Disney-operated hotels at Disneyland are:

• Disneyland Hotel
• Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel
• Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel

Early theme park entry every day

Guests staying in one of the three Disney-operated hotels receive a 30 minute early-entry into the parks every day. Even though it doesn’t seem like much time, it’s actually a huge advantage.

We were able to leverage early admission to get a double rope drop each day. This gave us a head-start on Radiator Springs Racers and Rise of the Resistance, even though these two headliners are not included in Disneyland’s early entry. Find out how we did it here.

Convenience

The Disneyland hotels are all within easy walking distance to both the Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks. Disney’s Grand Californian hotel is the closest to both parks and even has its own entrance into California Adventure.

Fly into John Wayne/Santa Ana airport

The closest airport to Disneyland is John Wayne/Santa Ana (SNA), less than 30 minutes from the resort. If your trip is only to Disneyland you won’t even need to rent a car, just catch a quick Uber or Lyft ride, then do everything on foot.

How far apart is everything at Disneyland? Check out this post for maps and common Disneyland walking distances.

Use Genie+ at Disneyland

Genie+ is Disney’s new version of FastPass. It allows guests to reserve time slots to skip long attraction wait times (this is called Lightning Lane). It’s not free, and you’ll have a less-than-simple app to deal with, but it really does make Disneyland touring much easier.

The first day of our trip was during a holiday weekend but we still had no problem reserving Lightning Lanes for top attractions. You can add Genie+ to your Disney vacation package so it’ll be activated automatically on every day of your trip.

At Disneyland, Genie+ also includes unlimited PhotoPass photos, which includes ride photos and those taken by the PhotoPass photographers around the parks.

Quick start guide to Genie+ and Lightning Lane

Disneyland Christmastime photos

Here are photos of some of the locations and Disneyland Christmas decorations mentioned in this podcast episode.

The Disneyland Christmas tree

Disneyland’s Main Street USA at Christmastime

The Disneyland castle during Christmastime

Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion Holiday

BTW, Halloween is also an amazing time to visit Disneyland. Here are 13 reasons why you should consider visiting Disneyland during Halloween season, from my newsletter.

The spectacular holiday lights on It’s a Small World

The Disneyland castle Christmas lights

Trader Sam’s Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel

Disneyland’s Blue Bayou restaurant

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel lobby Christmas tree

Giant gingerbread house in the Grand Californian Hotel

Christmastime in California Adventure’s Cars Land

Disney’s California Adventure Festival of the Holidays

Early theme park entry for Disneyland hotel guests

More theme park touring tips

Here on GoInformed.net, and on the Go Informed Podcast, you’ll find tons of tips for your trip to Disney and Universal. Here are a few of the most popular posts:

• Top ten all-time Disneyland tips
• All about Avengers Campus at Disneyland
• Disneyland walking distances and training tips
• How Universal Studios Hollywood compares to Universal Orlando
• How to rope drop
• 8 Disney park reservation quick tips

Join the mailing list for twice-monthly bonus tips

Want more tips, delivered straight to your inbox? Be sure to join my email newsletter list here!

Catch my weekly live Disney parks discussions on Facebook

This post and podcast episode were originally shared in a live Facebook chat. Tune in to my @goinformednet Facebook page Thursdays at 11am Pacific to join the conversation!

Thank you Joey McGirr, also known as The Disney Hack, for joining me in the live discussion. You can find more of Joey at TheDisneyHack.com.

This post contains affiliate links.

The post My Epic Disneyland Christmastime Photos and Trip Report appeared first on Go Informed.

In 2021, Disney unveiled a major revamp of its long-standing FastPass system. Gone are the Disneyland days of running across the park to get paper tickets, and the months-in-advance Disney World FastPass reservations. Guests can still skip the regular line, but the system has a new name, new technology, and a new cost. Here is a bare minimum guide to Disney Genie and Lightning Lane.

July 2024 note: Disney has made some updates to the Genie+ system, including changing the name! Read this post first.

Go Informed Podcast episode 76

These are the show notes for Go Informed Podcast episode 76. Click below to listen to the audio tutorial.

1 – Goodbye FastPass, hello Lightning Lane

FastPass has existed long enough that it’s become part of our everyday language, a brand-name like Kleenex or Band-Aid. Which makes it extra surprising that Disney has chosen to abandon this term.

If you’ve been to a Disney park in the last twenty years, you will recall FastPass as the system that allows guests to skip the regular line. It’s essentially a reservation to get in a shorter line at a specific time, thereby allowing more time to explore the park and skip a long queue.

During the 2020 park shutdowns, and subsequent reopening, Disney completely eliminated FastPass as an option. All guests waited in the same line for however long it took to ride.

It’s called Lightning Lane Now

Today FastPass is back, but without its legendary name. When you skip the regular queue, it’ll be a Lightning Lane you use. And you’ll get your Lightning Lane access using the Disney Genie app.

What else has changed since 2020? Here’s my glossary of the most commonly used Disney Parks words and phrases.

You can only book your Lightning Lane selections using Disney Genie

Disneyland’s paper FastPass kiosks are gone. If you want to get into the Lightning Lane you’ll need to use the electronic Disney Genie system. And it will not be free.

Got 60 seconds? Here’s a super-quick look at Genie and Lightning Lane

2 – Disney Genie is part of the Disney World and Disneyland app

You can access the Disney Genie system through the official Disneyland and Disney World park apps. It is not its own app.

As soon as you log into the park app, you’ll see the Disney Genie button. There is not a dedicated app called Disney Genie.

3 – Disney Genie is free, Disney Genie+ is not

Adding to the confusion, there are several different levels to the Disney Genie app.

Disney Genie provides tips and access to Individual Lightning Lanes

The basic Disney Genie service is free. It offers “plan your day” tips for where to go at the park. If you tell Disney Genie what you want to experience it’s supposed to give you a detailed park itinerary to make your day efficient and easy.

As of this writing, I do not recommend using Disney Genie to plan your day. The suggestions are not useful and won’t maximize your park time.

You can also use the free Disney Genie service to make Individual Lightning Lane selections. These are different from Lightning Lane, as you’ll see below.

Use the TouringPlans app to plan your day instead

TouringPlans.com offers a hugely useful free in-park touring app called Lines. This app really will help you get the most out of your day, including on-the-fly touring plans, ride wait times, dining info, and a lot more. It runs circles around Disney Genie’s functionality and will for sure make your day better.

You can also improve your park experience by getting an Unofficial Guide from TouringPlans.

4 – Disney Genie+ provides access to Lightning Lane reservations

Disney Genie PLUS is a paid add-on to the Disney Genie service. There is a daily charge to use this service, and every guest must have paid Disney Genie+ to get Lightning Lane reservations. (But not Individual Lightning Lane. Why Disney why??)

Disney Genie+ cost

Currently the cost to use Disney Genie+ is $20 per day at Disneyland and $15 per day at Disney World. Per person. Disneyland’s Genie+ includes the entire day’s PhotoPass photos but Disney World’s doesn’t.

Lightning Lane selections using Genie+

This is a bare-bones Disney Genie post so I will not get into step-by-step instructions. The main thing to know is that if you have paid Genie+ you can get Lightning Lane selections throughout the day, just by using the app.

Once you use a Lightning Lane reservation you can get another one. And since there’s no more running across the park to get a FastPass ticket the app is really quite convenient. You can get your next Lightning Lane pass while standing in line to ride something else.

Almost every attraction at Disneyland and Disney World has a Lightning Lane option, so if you really know your stuff you can avoid long lines most of the day.

5 – Individual Lightning Lanes using Genie

So, to recap: Lightning Lanes are the new version of FastPass, which you need to pay a daily fee to access. But there is also something else called Individual Lightning Lanes.

The top attractions in each park will not be available using the regular Genie+ Lightning Lane service. Yes, you can still get on these rides by standing in the regular standby queue. But if you want to skip the long line you will need to spend your way into the Individual Lightning Lane queue.

Individual Lightning Lanes are pay-to-ride for headliner attractions

The types of rides that require Individual Lightning Lane are Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Avatar: Flight of Passage. For most guests, these are the must-see attractions in each park. Especially during peak season, lines can be very long – sometimes two hours or more – for these rides.

To skip the regular queue, guests must use Disney Genie to buy access to the Individual Lightning Lane on these headliner attractions. You will pay somewhere between about $7-$15 per person to get those Individual Lightning Lane passes, regardless of whether you’ve also paid for Genie+ or not.

Note that Individual Lightning Lanes can sell out early in the day. If you plan to use this service, be ready to book those attractions first thing in the morning.

Quick look at Disneyland’s Avengers Campus

6 – The paid Lightning Lane system can be worth it

Yes, FastPass isn’t free anymore. But the new paid Lightning Lane system can be worth it. You will definitely save time in line, and using the app makes getting your next pass easy. Do your homework to decide if you’ll need to buy Genie+ for every day of your trip, or maybe just a day or two, and whether you’ll want to use Individual Lightning Lanes.

Check out this issue of the Go Informed newsletter for more Genie+ cost/benefit analysis.

7 – Disney Genie is new and evolving

Be sure to check for current information about which attractions have Lightning Lanes and Individual Lightning Lanes. As the system has rolled out, Disney has begun adding fireworks and parade viewing, and character meets, to the Lightning Lane options. Individual Lightning Lane attractions are subject to change too.

The cost to use Genie+, and the functionality will all be evolving as well. Be sure your research includes up-to-date information from several sources.

Disney Genie Bonus tips

• Plan ahead
  • If you spend the money for Genie+, having a plan will maximize your investment. As these illustrative TripAdvisor reviews demonstrate, showing up with no preparation can lead to disaster.
• Bring an extra battery
  • You’ll be on your phone a lot to get those Lightning Lanes. Toss an external battery into your park backpack.
• You don’t have to get Genie+ for every day
  • Check a crowd calendar to see if some days are busier than others. You may be able to just use the standby lines for part of your trip.
• Follow my Pinterest boards for more info
  • There’s a ton of great info out there about Disney Genie. I’ve shared some of my favorite resources on these Pinterest boards:
    • Go Informed Disneyland Pinterest board
    • Go Informed Disney World Pinterest board

More tips for your Disney vacation

Here on GoInformed.net, and on the Go Informed: Build a Better Vacation podcast, you’ll find lots of tips to make your theme park vacation the best ever. Check out these posts:

• 55 things to know before you visit Disney World
• How to get your family to the parks in time for rope drop
• Disney World complete hotel guide
• All about Avengers Campus at Disneyland
• 33 things to know before you visit Universal Orlando

Bonus tips delivered straight to your inbox

Join the mailing list to get my twice-monthly bonus tipsheet. It’s like a little blog post made especially for you! Get your bonus tips here.

Here’s an archived newsletter you might like: 8 Ways to Skip the Line at Universal and Disney

The post 7 Disney Genie and Lightning Lane Bare Essentials to Know Now appeared first on Go Informed.

If you’re planning a visit to the Disney or Universal theme parks, rope drop is excellent tool to keep in your toolbox. On this episode you’ll find out what rope drop is, why you should do it, and what to expect when you give rope dropping a try.

These are the show notes for Go Informed Podcast episode 44. Click the Play button to listen to the episode for lots more detail about this topic.

Rope drop is a great way to get ahead of the crowd for the day

Rope drop takes place at the beginning of the day when a theme park opens. If you are there in time for rope drop, you’ll be one of the very first guests in the park.

This is your opportunity to get on a popular ride without Lightning Lane or a long line, and see the park without big crowds. Especially for high-traffic lands like Diagon Alley and Galaxy’s Edge, rope drop is a fantastic opportunity to have the place almost all to yourself.

Yes, there usually is a rope

Theme parks use ropes to corral guests after they pass through the main park gate. This allows the park to let guests in even before official opening time.

Sometimes the rope is just inside the park, like in front of the Magic Kingdom train station. Or sometimes the rope is somewhere deeper, like at the entrance to Tomorrowland.

There can also be more than one rope at rope drop. In many parks, guests line up behind the rope that’s closest to whatever attraction they want to ride first. At Animal Kingdom for instance, there’s a rope holding guests before Flight of Passage and also a rope holding guests before Dinosaur and Expedition Everest. So make sure you know where you want to go before you get to the park gate.

Sometimes the rope drops, often guests walk behind the rope

Especially at the Disney parks, the rope will be used to corral the crowd towards a land or an attraction. So if you get there early enough you will probably wait behind the rope until a few minutes before park opening. Then the cast members up front will begin walking the entire group toward the attraction, only releasing the crowd near the attraction entrance.

Walking behind the rope in the big mob can be very intense. The pace will be high, there are obstacles to avoid, and everybody really wants to get to the final destination. Stay calm and know that you’ll only be walking like this for a few minutes, and the crowd is probably much smaller than you think it is.

Basic rope drop tips

Arrive at the park at least 30 minutes before official opening time.

When there’s a rope, guests will be admitted through the gates sometimes up to 45 minutes before official opening time. You’ll do most of your waiting in front of the rope instead of in front of the gate.

Don’t miss episode 19: Master Your Theme Park Morning to get my tips for how to actually get up and get your group to the park in time for rope drop.

Pay attention

If you aren’t right up front, you will miss the announcement when it’s time to move. The rope can move pretty much at any time. Sometimes the rope line will make multiple stops.

Watch for obstacles

In the crowd, watch out for strollers, wheelchairs, scooters and slow-movers. On the edges, look out for garbage cans, light poles, and curbs. Staying towards the middle of the crowd keeps you the most nimble as you move forward.

If you get there early enough you’ll be at the very front and won’t have to worry about other guests blocking your way.

Have a plan in case you get separated

It’s really easy to get separated from your buddies when walking behind the rope. I think it’s OK to catch up with your party once the rope is dropped and the line is formed for an attraction, as long as you do so outside the ride entrance.

If you get to the entrance before the rest of your group, wait at the door until they catch up with you. Or just ride the attraction and meet up afterwards. Make this plan before the rope drops.

Don’t run

Number One Rule of Rope Drop: No running. Walking very fast is totally fine.

Have a plan before you enter the park

When you get through the gate you may have to choose which rope to line up behind. Know what you want to see first so you line up in the right place.

A good way to figure out what you want to see is to listen to my park tour episodes:

• Universal Studios Florida audio tour
• Islands of Adventure audio tour
• Wizarding World of Harry Potter audio tour
• Magic Kingdom audio tour
• Epcot audio tour
• Hollywood Studios audio tour
• Toy Story Land audio tour
• Animal Kingdom audio tour
• Avengers Campus audio tour

Want to know what NOT to do at rope drop? Here are the top two most common rope drop FAILS.

Advice if rope drop doesn’t work for you

If you can’t deal with rope drop for mobility or other physical/emotional reasons, Disney and Universal have ways to make accommodations to help you skip lines in other ways.

Here’s the link to Disney’s accessibility accommodation info.

Here’s the link to Universal’s accessibility accommodation info.

Want to hear about a very extreme rope drop experience?

On episode 47 I tell the story about opening day at the Rise of the Resistance attraction. That morning I got up at 3am to be one of the first guests in the park. Listen now right here.

Did you know you can use early admission to get TWO rope drops on the same day at Disney and Universal? Find out how to use this advanced hack here.

Bonus tips delivered straight to your inbox

Join the mailing list to get my twice-monthly bonus theme park travel tips! Sign up, and read the archives, at GoInformed.net/Newsletter

More theme park tips for your best vacation ever

• 33 Things to know before you visit Universal Orlando
• 55 Things to know before you visit Disney World
• How to train for your theme park vacation
• Universal Orlando vs Universal Hollywood
• Pictures from rope drop at Disneyland

This post contains affiliate links

The post How to Rope Drop – Go Informed Podcast Episode 044 appeared first on Go Informed.

In this episode I share some of my favorite tips to help you get your family up and running for an early theme park morning. Whether you’re visiting Disneyland, Disney World, or Universal, these simple steps will get you ready for rope drop.

These are the show notes for Go Informed Podcast episode 19. Listen to the episode for lots more detail about this topic.

Getting Up Early Gives You a Huge Advantage

The best way to beat the crowds at any theme park is to get there first.

Being there early also means you get to experience the parks at a quieter pace, the weather is cooler, and you can get some awesome pictures when there aren’t a million people around.

Here’s what it’s like to be first in the park

First steps for planning your theme park morning

There are a few considerations when you start planning what time to get up for your theme park morning.

1. Know what time the park opens. Plan to arrive at the park gate at least 30 minutes before posted park opening time.
2. Figure out how long it will take you to get to the park, including parking, waiting for a bus, etc. If you’re visiting Disney World, the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World has detailed stats about travel times between the resorts and the parks.
3. Learn how to get from your room to the bus stop, walking path, or whatever conveyance you’re using to get to the park.
4. Decide how long it’s going to take you and the rest of your gang to get ready in the morning. Be realistic.
5. The night before, organize all your clothes and whatever else you need for the morning. Make sure your park tickets or magic bands are in a place where you won’t forget them.

An efficient theme park morning starts the night before

1. Lay everything out before you go to bed

No matter how tired you are before you crawl into bed, take the time to get everything ready for the next morning. Pretend you’re a firefighter. Lay out all your clothes, pack your bag for the park, even put your toothbrush where you can grab it easily. The less time you have to spend in the morning getting ready, the sooner you will be out the door.

This goes for everyone in your party. And decide who’s taking a shower when. Maybe it makes more sense to do this the night before so the morning goes more smoothly. Get your entire group on the same page before you turn out the light.

2. Don’t stay up too late

It’s hard to go to bed early when you’ve had an exciting day at the parks, but give yourself the best shot by hitting the hay before it gets too late.

3. Use a wake-up call

The on-site hotels at the Disney parks and at Universal have character wake-up calls. You can set them up on the hotel phone system – or make your own special wake-up call by using park music for your phone’s alarm.

Here’s what the wake-up call options were the last time we stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal Orlando.

4. Start your theme park morning with a room service continental breakfast

A continental-style breakfast is not too heavy or expensive. Usually it’ll include a pot of coffee – that’s much better than what you can make in your room – juice, and a few small pastries. Add a side of bacon and you’ve got a solid snack to power you to the parks. It’s easy to share a breakfast like this and you can eat it while you get ready.

Place your order the night before so you know it’s arriving at a set time. If you know that room service guy will be knocking on the door you’ll have even more incentive to get up on time!

If you have a ziploc bag on hand you can pop any extra pastries right into your park bag and enjoy them later while you wait for the rope to drop.

5. Bring a wake-up light

A wake-up light is an alarm clock which has a light that comes on at a set time. This can help you get over jet lag, brightens up a dark hotel room, and it really will help you wake up more naturally than with just a wake-up call or an alarm.

I also use a wake-up light at home. It turns on gradually to simulate a sunrise, and when it’s time to get up it plays the sound of happy birds chirping. Like how Cinderella wakes up!

What to Do After You Arrive at the Theme Park

Make sure you’ve got a plan for how you’ll be starting your day, so you don’t waste valuable early time trying to figure it out. My tips for how to rope drop include step-by-step advice for what to expect at Disney and Universal theme park openings.

Also check out my Universal Orlando and Disney World audio park tours to find out what you need to know before you go. And reviewing a good guidebook before your trip is well worth your time. My top picks are:

• The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando
• The Unofficial Guide to Disney World
• The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland

More from Go Informed

Here on GoInformed I’ve got lots more theme park morning advice for you. Check out these other posts and podcast episodes:

• Tips for your first day at the Universal Orlando parks
• Tips for your first day at the Disney World parks
• Universal Islands of Adventure early admission plan of attack
• Universal Studios Florida early admission plan of attack
• How to rope drop

Join me on social media

• Facebook.com/goinformednet
• Instagram.com/goinformednet
• Pinterest.com/goinformednet

This post contains affiliate links.

The post How to Master Your Theme Park Morning appeared first on Go Informed.

In today’s episode of the 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation series I share ten tips to help you get ready for your Universal Orlando vacation.

These are the show notes for episode 6. Listen to the episode for lots more detail about this topic.

Or listen on your favorite podcast app! Just search for the Go Informed Podcast.

Ten Tips To Get Ready For Universal Orlando

Tip #1: Get informed. Get a guide book, read online posts, check out Pinterest.

Tip #2: Start training for your trip. And get some good walking shoes.

Tip #3: Buy your park tickets before you go. Decide whether you want an Express Pass.

Consider buying a Universal Orlando annual pass. Annual passholders get big discounts on on-site hotels. Episode 40 helps you explore this option before you choose your park tickets.

Tip #4: Load park apps to your phone and try them out.

Tip #5: Know the park hours and which park has early admission.

Tip #6: Check out a crowd calendar.

Tip #7: Know what to expect from the weather. If you’ll be visiting Orlando between about May – October, be sure to listen to episode 24, which is my Orlando Summer Gear Guide.

Episode 28 is my Top 5 Orlando Summer Weather Tips.

Tip #8: Have a plan.

Tip #9: Things to buy before you go.

Anything you buy for your trip can be given as a gift. Surprise your fellow travelers with these top Universal Orlando vacation themed gift suggestions.

Tip #10: Things to bring.

Extra credit: Watch the movies and read the Harry Potter books.

Booking.com

Resources mentioned in this episode

33 Things to Know Before You Visit Universal Orlando

The Universal Guidebook I recommend: The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando

My Universal Orlando Pinterest board

Official Universal Orlando park tickets page

Eight Essential Apps for Your Universal Orlando Trip

Universal Orlando park hours information

Universal Orlando early admission schedule

Touringplans.com Universal Orlando crowd calendar

Weather at Universal Orlando: 5 Cool Tips for the Heat and Rain

Theme Park Rainy Day Tips: Xtreme Edition

Things to buy: Ponchos,  Antibacterial wipes

Universal Orlando Movies and TV Shows and the Rides They Inspired

The Harry Potter books

The Harry Potter books – audio version  (FREE with Audible Trial!)

Traveling around Christmas or Easter? Here’s some ideas for a Universal Orlando themed Easter Basket or Stocking Stuffers.

Tomorrow’s episode, Day 7 of 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation, is all about what to expect on your first day in the Universal Orlando parks. Click here to listen now.

Find all the episodes in the series 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation here.

Find all episodes of the Go Informed podcast here.

Join me on social media

Facebook.com/goinformednet

Instagram.com/goinformednet

Pinterest.com/goinformednet

This post contains affiliate links.

The post How to Get Ready for Your Universal Orlando Vacation appeared first on Go Informed.

Today’s episode in my 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation series is a virtual tour of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.

These are the show notes for episode 5. Listen to the episode for lots more detail about this topic.

Or listen on your favorite podcast app! Just search for the Go Informed Podcast.

Details About The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is located inside both the Universal Studios Florida park and the Islands of Adventure park. In Universal Studios you’ll find Diagon Alley, and in Islands of Adventure you’ll find Hogsmeade Village and Hogwarts Castle. The Hogwarts Express train runs between these two areas.

You will need a 2-park ticket to go to both Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village in the same day. In my opinion, it is well worth the additional cost.

Since this episode was recorded, Universal has opened a new attraction in the Wizarding World. It’s a roller coaster called Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure and you can learn all about it on episode 46, or read about it here.

Wizarding World Attractions, and Other Magic, Discussed in this Episode

Hogsmeade Village

Interactive wands

Ollivander’s Wand Shop

Hogwarts Castle

Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride

Shopping in the Wizarding World

Butterbeer

Hagrid’s Hut

Hogsmeade Train Station

Hogwarts Express

Kings Cross Station

London

The Knight Bus

No 12 Grimmauld Place

Stepping into Diagon Alley

The Gringotts Dragon

The Layout of Diagon Alley

Knockturn Alley

Shopping and dining in Diagon Alley

Gringotts Bank

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts ride

Episode 23 of the Go Informed podcast is all about how to use Universal Studios Florida early admission to maximize your time in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village. Listen to episode 23 here.

Episode 26 of the Go Informed podcast is your Islands of Adventure Wizarding World of Harry Potter early admission plan of attack.

Go Informed Podcast episode 73 includes a discussion of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando compared to at Universal Studios Hollywood. Click to read the post here.

Find out what the Wizarding World is like at Christmas time here.

Booking.com

Resources mentioned in this episode

Harry Potter fans, here’s how to make the most of Universal Studios Florida early admission

Get Early Admission to Diagon Alley and the Gringott’s Bank Ride

Is the Harry Potter Ride Too Scary? Use Universal’s Child Swap to Find Out

Universal Orlando Extends Express Pass Access to All Harry Potter Rides

33 Things to Know Before You Visit Universal Orlando

The Universal Guidebook I recommend: The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando

My Wizarding World of Harry Potter board on Pinterest

Tomorrow’s episode, Day 6 of 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation, is all about what to do to get ready for your trip to Universal Orlando. Click here to listen now.

Find all the episodes in the series 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation here.

Find all episodes of the Go Informed podcast here.

Join me on social media

Facebook.com/goinformednet

Instagram.com/goinformednet

Pinterest.com/goinformednet

This post contains affiliate links.

The post Wizarding World of Harry Potter Tour – Go Informed Podcast Episode 005 appeared first on Go Informed.

Today’s episode in my 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation series is a virtual tour of Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

These are the show notes for episode 4. Listen to the episode for lots more detail about this topic.

Or listen on your favorite podcast app! Just search for the Go Informed Podcast.

Audio Tour of Universal Islands of Adventure in Orlando

Click here for a link to the Islands of Adventure map on the official Universal Orlando website.

Universal Islands of Adventure opened in 1999 and the theming is inspired by popular culture icons like the Dr. Suess books, comics, and big-budget movie franchises. There is pretty much something for everyone here.

Attractions Discussed on this Islands of Adventure Tour

The Incredible Hulk Coaster

The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman

Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges

Kong: Skull Island

Jurassic Park

Raptor Encounter

The talking fountain in the Lost Continent

Suess Landing

Plus tips about shopping and other interesting sights at Islands of Adventure.

I’m saving Hogsmeade Village and the Harry Potter attractions for episode 5, which is a tour of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Listen to that episode here.

If you will have early admission at Islands of Adventure, don’t miss episode 26: Islands of Adventure Early Admission Plan of Attack.

At Christmastime, Seuss Landing turns into Whoville! Learn more about Christmas at Universal Orlando here.

Booking.com

Resources mentioned in this episode

33 Things to Know Before You Visit Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando Movies and TV Shows and the Rides They Inspired

The Universal Guidebook I recommend: The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando

My Islands of Adventure board on Pinterest

Tomorrow’s episode, Day 5 of 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation, is a virtual tour of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter! Click here to listen now.

Find all the episodes in the series 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation here.

Find all episodes of the Go Informed podcast here.

Join me on social media

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The post Islands of Adventure Tour – Go Informed Podcast Episode 004 appeared first on Go Informed.

Today’s episode in my 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation series is an audio tour of Universal Studios Florida.

These are the show notes for episode 3. Listen to the episode for lots more detail about this topic.

Or listen on your favorite podcast app! Just search for the Go Informed Podcast.

Audio Tour of Universal Studios Florida

Click here for a link to the Universal Studios Florida map on the official Universal Orlando website.

Universal Studios Florida was the first park to open at Universal Orlando Resort, and its theme is movies, TV, and entertainment.

Attractions Discussed in this Episode

Despicable Me, Minion Mayhem

Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit

Race Through New York With Jimmy Fallon

Revenge of the Mummy

Men In Black Alien Attack

The Simpsons Ride

Transformers: The Ride 3-D

Plus tips for where to take a break, shows and other interesting sights, and shopping in Universal Studios Florida.

I’m saving Diagon Alley for episode 5, which is a tour of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Listen to that episode here.

Get tips for early admission at Universal Studios Florida on episode 23 of the Go Informed podcast here.

During the Christmas season, Universal Studios Florida turns into a New York holiday, complete with the Macy’s parade. Learn more about Christmas at Universal Orlando here.

Booking.com

Resources mentioned in this episode

33 Things to Know Before You Visit Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando Movies and TV Shows and the Rides They Inspired

The Universal Guidebook I recommend: The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando

My Universal Studios Florida board on Pinterest

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida

Not specifically mentioned in this episode, but a popular reason to visit Universal Studios Florida, is Halloween Horror Nights. Halloween Horror Nights take place every fall and are a huge draw to the park. If you’re a horror fan and will be visiting in September or October, be sure to check out this post all about Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights.

Tomorrow’s episode, Day 4 of 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation, is a virtual tour of the Islands of Adventure theme park. Click here to listen now.

Find all the episodes in the series 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation here.

Find all episodes of the Go Informed podcast here.

Join me on social media

Facebook.com/goinformednet

Instagram.com/goinformednet

Pinterest.com/goinformednet

This post contains affiliate links.

The post Universal Studios Florida Tour – Go Informed Podcast Episode 003 appeared first on Go Informed.

In this episode, I share tips for visiting the Universal Orlando parks no matter where you choose to stay. This episode also covers the basics of Universal’s Express Pass system, and theme park early admission for on-site hotel guests.

Hey guys – I’ve created a comprehensive guide to the Universal Orlando hotels that you can find right here. Be sure to check it out!

These are the show notes for episode 2. Listen to the episode for lots more detail about this topic.

Or listen on your favorite podcast app! Just search for the Go Informed Podcast.

When visiting Orlando, there are several options for where to stay

On-site at Universal Orlando

On-site at Disney World

Elsewhere in the Orlando area

In the episode, I discuss the pros and cons of staying on-site vs off-site for your Universal Orlando vacation.

On-Site Hotels at Universal Orlando

The on-site hotels at Universal Orlando Resort are:

Portofino Bay

Hard Rock Hotel Orlando

Royal Pacific Resort

Sapphire Falls

Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Aventura Hotel

My top tip is to stay on-site at a Universal Orlando hotel, especially the Hard Rock Hotel, Portofino Bay Hotel, or the Royal Pacific Hotel . Listen to the episode to find out why.

You can save big on your hotel if you have a Universal Orlando annual pass. Even if you live far from Florida it may make sense to get a pass just for these discounts. Episode 40 explains how to use an annual pass to save money on your Universal Orlando vacation.

Interested in hearing more about early admission at Universal Studios Florida? Episode 23 is your USF Early Admission plan of attack.

Find out more about early admission at Islands of Adventure on episode 26 of the Go Informed podcast.

Resources mentioned in this episode

Get lots more information about Universal Express Pass on episode 33.

33 Things to Know Before You Visit Universal Orlando

Adding a Visit to Universal to Your Disney World Trip

This One Simple Tip Can Save Money on your Entire Universal Orlando Vacation

Early admission schedule on Universal’s website

A guidebook I really like that has lots of info about the Universal hotels: The Unofficial Guide to Universal Orlando

My Universal Orlando board on Pinterest

Booking.com

Tomorrow’s episode, Day 3 of 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation, is a virtual tour of the Universal Studios Florida theme park. Click here to listen now.

Find all the episodes in the series 7 Days to a Better Universal Orlando Vacation here.

Find all episodes of the Go Informed podcast here.

Join me on social media

Facebook.com/goinformednet

Instagram.com/goinformednet

Pinterest.com/goinformednet

This post contains affiliate links.

The post Universal Orlando: Where To Stay – Go Informed Podcast Episode 002 appeared first on Go Informed.