Today, we're walking you through all of the different ticket types, including the Universal Park-to-Park ticket, and providing a few details to help you choose the best Universal Orlando ticket for your family. Whether you're looking to include Volcano Bay or opting for a Park-to-Park or Base ticket, we've got you covered! Plus, we'll run through the best ways to save money on your Universal Orlando tickets (hint: we know some frogs that offer hoppin' discounts!). Let's jump in!
Universal Orlando Resort is a whoa-worthy destination, where you'll come face-to-face with dinosaurs, fast cars, wizardry, minions and so much more! There is a ton to tackle at Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Volcano Bay, which is why choosing the best Universal Orlando ticket for your family is so critical! We know it can be difficult to decide how many days and which ticket — or even which Universal park is best for your fam. But never fear, your resident theme park experts are here!
A Look at Universal Orlando Theme Parks
There is a lot to see and do — Universal Orlando just keeps growing and growing! Visitors can now enjoy a brand-new DreamWorks Land, which features family-friendly rides, character greetings and more. In even bigger news, in summer 2025, an entirely new park will open called Universal Epic Universe. When this new gate opens, we may revisit our advice! But for now, most families visiting Universal Orlando will want to spend three to four days in the parks. But what if you only have one day? It's toadally subjective, but we're gonna answer this (and even give you our top tips for saving some money on your next Universal Orlando vacay). But first, let's take a quick look at the parks.
Universal Studios Florida
This park is home to some amazing thrill and family rides based on blockbuster movies such as Transformers the Ride: 3D, Revenge of the Mummy and Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem. It's also home to the amazingly detailed Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Diagon Alley, plus Knockturn Alley (one of our favorite Universal Studios Florida hidden gems). We have an entire guide dedicated to the rides, food and experiences you won't want to miss at Universal Studios Florida. This park also hosts seasonal events such as Halloween Horror Nights, Mardi Gras and Grinchmas.
Universal Islands of Adventure
There are multiple lands, or is-lands rather, to discover at this park that features epic attractions such as Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, the Incredible Hulk Coaster, Jurassic World VelociCoaster and the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. The park is home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - Hogsmeade. Here's what not to miss at Islands of Adventure for even more information on this incredible park!
Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure & Universal Volcano Bay Ticket Types
There are quite a few ticket options for the Universal Orlando Resort, including Universal Volcano Bay water theme park. As always, as an authorized theme park ticket seller, we're hoppy to offer Universal Orlando tickets and hotels at a discount.
- The Universal Base Ticket entitles you to admission at Universal Studios Florida OR Universal Islands of Adventure for each day of your ticket (one park per day). You have an additional option of adding on Universal Volcano Bay for each day of your ticket (one park per day) with the 3-Day, 4-Day and 5-Day base tickets. For example, with a Universal 3-Day Base Ticket, you could go to Universal Studios on Monday, Universal Islands of Adventure on Tuesday and then go back to Universal Studios on Wednesday. Another example is the Universal 3-Day Base Ticket with Volcano Bay, which would allow you to visit Universal Studios on Monday, Universal Islands of Adventure on Tuesday and Universal Volcano Bay on Wednesday. Of course, which days you choose is up to you. And that brings us to another important point: Most of Universal's tickets are now date-based. That means you must pick a start date for your visit, and will be assigned a usage window.
- The Universal Park-to-Park Ticket entitles you to admission at Universal Studios Florida AND Universal Islands of Adventure for each day of your ticket (giving you the freedom to hop back and forth between the two parks). For instance, let's say you purchase a Universal 2-Day Park-to-Park Ticket. On Monday, you could go to Universal Studios Florida for the first half of the day, then head over to Universal Islands of Adventure for the afternoon. On Wednesday, you could start at Universal Islands of Adventure, go to Universal Studios Florida in the afternoon and then end the day back at Universal Islands of Adventure. Another option is the Universal 3-Park Park-to-Park Ticket with Volcano Bay, which would allow you to visit all three parks every day for three days. It's important to note that if riding the Hogwarts Express is a must for you, you must have a Park-to-Park ticket to do so.
You now have the option to choose from 1-Day, 2-Day, 3-Day, 4-Day and 5-Day tickets for your vacation. Are you a Florida resident? We've even got you covered with the Florida Resident Power Pass! We also offer discount Express Passes, which let you skip the regular lines, and VIP Experience tickets for the ultimate red carpet treatment.
Looking for Epic Universe tickets? Stay tuned! Details on tickets for this incredible new park have not yet been released, but we'll be sure to update as soon as we know more.
More Hopful Ticket Info
- The expiration of Universal tickets is generally dictated by the number of days. You will activate the ticket upon entry to your first Universal Orlando Resort Theme Park.
- Parking for all three parks (at Universal CityWalk) is not included with tickets and is currently $32 per day for regular parking. If you are staying at a Universal hotel, free transportation to the parks is included with your stay.
- The Universal Express Pass, which allows you to skip the regular lines on most of Universal Orlando's attractions, is a separate purchase and can be bought from us or directly from Universal, including in the parks. Don't worry — we have a whole post about when to use Universal Express. (And if you stay at a Universal premier hotel, Express Unlimited is included with your stay.)
- Want an even steeper discount on your vacation? Bundle select Universal tickets with a 2-night Universal Orlando hotel stay to save an additional $40!
Universal Orlando Resort Ticket Deals
On top of our everyday discounts, Undercover Tourist is excited to announce a new ticket offer — Buy 3 Days, Get 2 Days FREE! You can save up to $141 per ticket when purchasing through Undercover Tourist. These tickets are valid for visits through April 16, 2025. For additional savings, hop over to our Hot Deals page!
Is Base or Park-to-Park the Best Universal Orlando Ticket?
Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Volcano Bay are on the same property and within walking distance of each other, making the Park-to-Park Ticket a popular choice. Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure are right next door to each other, so it's super easy to hop between them.
The Universal Park-to-Park Ticket type gives you more flexibility than the Base Ticket type. Plus the Park-to-Park ticket is the only way to experience the Hogwarts Express, which takes you between both Wizarding Worlds. It's also a different experience in each direction. The Universal Park-to-Park ticket is a good choice when one park closes earlier than the others. For instance, if Universal Studios Florida closes at 5 p.m. and Universal Islands of Adventure closes at 7 p.m., the Park-to-Park ticket allows you to leave Universal Studios Florida and have two hours to enjoy the rides at Universal Islands of Adventure. (You can see park hours on our Crowd Calendar.)
The Universal Base Ticket is a good choice if you are traveling with little ones and one park per day is plenty, you don't care to experience the Hogwarts Express or you just want the lowest-priced ticket.
How Many Days Should We Stay at Universal?
With so many thrills to tackle, and so many great Universal hotel choices, it makes sense to stay and play longer at Universal Orlando. If you plan on visiting Volcano Bay, you may consider adding a day to your visit, or you could tack on water park time in the afternoons or evenings after a day in the other parks. How long to stay depends on many factors, including the ages and interests of your kids, your own interests, whether you are staying on property, how leisurely you like to tour the parks and how busy the parks will be during your visit. Most families visiting Universal Orlando Resort will want to spend three to four days in the parks, so we recommend five to seven days total to make the most of the property. If you're doing a combined visit to Walt Disney World, you would probably want to do two to three days at Universal.
Consider a longer stay if ...
- You and your kids are thrill-seekers and meet the height requirements for most rides (40 inches)
- You want to see and do everything during your visit
- The parks are expected to be busy
- You like to tour the parks leisurely and/or you don't like to get out of bed early
- You are staying at a Universal Orlando hotel and want more time to enjoy the hotel pools and amenities
Purchasing Through Undercover Tourist? Universal Orlando Ticket FAQs
Ready to make your discount purchase through Undercover Tourist? Woohoo — we're so hoppy to help! Here are some questions we get often. (Don't see your question answered here? Feel free to drop us a comment or give us a ring at 1 (800) 846-1302.)
How long will it take to receive my tickets?
Please allow up to 24 hours for delivery.
Are all tickets virtual?
Yes. All of Undercover Tourist's tickets are e-tickets, so they'll be delivered directly to your email.
Can I link my tickets in the Universal Orlando app?
Yes! Within the Universal Orlando app, select "Profile," then "Wallet." You'll then see an option to "Add Tickets & Passes." Tap "Scan" and you'll be prompted to scan the barcode from your email, or type in the numbers beneath the barcode manually. (You can also add Express Passes here.)
How long is my ticket valid?
This depends on your ticket type. You'll see your usage window on the ticketing page.
What if I need to cancel?
Check the individual ticket page for the cancellation policy (as this varies slightly from ticket to ticket).
Which Universal Orlando park do you love the most? Share in the comments below!
Related: Best Time to Visit Universal Orlando
Keep hopping!
