Trips to the theme park are always rife with stress, anxiety and frustration. Some people are able to manage it a little bit better than others, but the best approach is to avoid these types of negative feelings with a good amount of proactive planning.
Here are just a few quick pointers on how to enjoy a stress-free Universal vacation.
How to Have a Stress Free Universal Orlando Trip
Stay on Property
The easiest way to keep your Universal Orlando vacation free of stress is to stay in one of the resort hotels on property. Most of these hotels are in such close proximity to the parks and Universal Citywalk that the whole time you are there can be very relaxing. Walking, or taking a scenic boat ride wherever you want to go takes the edge off of dealing with stressful transportation plans. Especially if you are driving in an area unfamiliar to you where there are lots of other confused travelers doing the same.
It feels good to arrive and drop your bags, never having to give outside matters a second thought until you check out. The hotel rates are also relatively low with significant perks that also aid in a stress free Universal Orlando vacation.
Some of the perks besides complimentary transportation include early park entry and, in the case of the three top hotels, free Express Unlimited passes for front-of-line access to most attractions. All of these add to your stress free Universal Orlando trip!
Buy Tickets Online
Lines are a real obstacle when trying to have a stress-free Universal Orlando vacation. It’s not that the lines themselves are so bad, but they can tie you up and slow you down so that you aren’t able to do as much as you like. This results in stress as you try to make up for the lost time.
While one solution is to mitigate that rushed feeling by having more realistic expectations, skipping lines whenever possible is a huge help. The first line you encounter at Universal Orlando is the line to buy tickets, but you don’t have to buy tickets on site. You can buy them online in advance. It’s actually cheaper to do so. When you pre-purchase your Universal passes you can skip the ticket booth and go straight to the gate.
When you make your advance purchase, make sure you give yourself enough days to experience all the attractions. Save additional stress by choosing the Park 2 Park option which allows you to switch parks midday. If you want to take the Hogwarts Express between Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, you will need this pass.
TIP: Be sure to carefully research any discount offers you may find on-line to make sure they are a legitimate seller of Universal Orlando tickets. This is a big mistake made by some and will definitely start your trip on the wrong foot. A stress free Universal Orlando definitely won’t happen if you aren’t careful here.
Download the App
Download the app before you arrive. Make yourself familiar with how it works as well as what can be done on the app. Do this before you arrive at Universal Orlando. You can use the app to get into virtual queues for the most popular Universal attractions and save even more time. This will definitely help in having a stress free Universal Orlando visit!
While in the parks you can utilize the in-app map to find yourself around – check attraction wait times and more!
Plan Meals Ahead of Time
Part of planning your stress-free Universal Orlando vacation means working out a smooth path that you can take to easily move around the park and visit each of the attractions on your must-do list. As you gather intel about the lay of the land and you work out the logistics of your visit, you’ll encounter several restaurants.
Mealtimes will be essential to work out and the choices you make on where/when/what to eat will greatly impact how stressful your overall experience will be. As you plan meals during your trip, consider the following:
Do you need a large breakfast and can you eat before the park opens? There is no right or wrong answer, but you need to know what’s important to your party as it pertains to your stress levels.
Do you plan on having two or more meals inside the parks? More meals in the parks can be more relaxing, but it can also be stressful due to the amount of time spent in the restaurants. A good idea is to plan a good dinner in CityWalk or at one of the hotels after you leave the park.
Would you prefer to avoid decisions about food while you are in the park? Whether you stick to your plans or prefer to leave things open, you should always do your homework in advance as a way to avoid stress. Last-minute decision-making can yield undesirable results and lead to bad moods.
Make Time for Plenty of Sightseeing
I alluded to this earlier, but it’s very important that you give the party enough time to enjoy the resort overall. Don’t try to shoehorn your theme park experience into only a day or two.
Also, remember all the other things you can do while at Universal. You will want time to explore Universal CityWalk. You may find some things you want to do in your research. If not, you will undoubtedly discover something you want to try while you are there.
Plan your trip so that you are not merely rushing from ride to ride. Allow enough time to stop frequently to smell the roses. These are the moments where you will be able to process where you are, bond with your companions, and make the best memories of your stress-free Universal Orlando vacation.
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