family travel tips for your next visit to universal orlando

We are theme park fans. We purchased our first annual passes for Disney World when our daughter was 2 1/2 years old and we continued the tradition for another 3 1/2 years. Our daughter turned 6 and we took advantage of the Universal Orlando annual pass with an extra 6 months free attached. We had previously visited February 2020, for the Mardi Gras celebrations. Then along came Covid-19 and everything went into lockdown. Our annual passes were set to expire in June, and an extension was granted till the end of October.

BEST TIME TO VISIT

After some back and forth with dates, we settled for the weekend of September 11th. We wanted to avoid crowds of the Labor day weekend, which was the first weekend in September. The parks actually hit capacity that weekend, so I am happy we didn’t travel that weekend, Best tip is to avoid holiday weekends if you can. Hotels and parks are always more crowded on the Holiday weekend. Look at your calendar and pick the dates that work best for your family.

WHERE TO STAY

Currently not all Universal hotels are open. These are the properties that are currently open, Hard Rock Hotel, Lowers Royal Pacific Resort, Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort and Universal’s Endless Summer Resort-Surfside Inn and Suites. Universal hotels are divided into 4 categories, value hotels, prime value hotels, preferred hotels and premier hotels.

Value hotels are the least expensive hotels. In that category is Universal Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites, Universal’s Aventura Hotel, and Universal Cabana Bay Resort. Preferred hotels offer more amenities and mid-range rates. Lowes Sapphire Falls Resort is a preferred hotel. Premier hotels are the higher priced properties. They offer spacious accommodations, a higher level of service, and most importantly FREE express ride access to most Universal attractions.

We booked 1 night at Cabana Bay, and 2 nights at the Hard Rock hotel. Cabana Bay and Aventura are the 2 hotels closest to Volcano Bay. Always an easy walk to Volcano Bay from either hotel. We booked the suite room at Cabana Bay, 2 Queens bed, and a sitting area with a pull-out couch. Suite room is a great choice if there will be more than 3 people staying together.

We arrived on a Friday afternoon at about 1:30 pm. Signs were up reminding everyone to social distance and masks are required. Upon arrival in the lobby, we had our temperature check and we were each given a colored wristband. The wrist band colors change each day after you have your temperature taken.

Cabana Bay is a good fit for the budget traveler, and if would like easy access to the Water Park. The layout takes you back to the ’50s and 60’s retro theme beach resorts. There are 2 pools, a lazy river, a waterslide, and a bowling alley. During our stay, there was a fee to use the lazy river, and tubes were not provided, you were required to bring your own tube. The water slide was also not open. At the pool, there was frequent cleaning of the chairs and high touch surfaces. It was reassuring the level of cleaning taking place at the pool.

On Saturday morning, we got an early start and walked over to Volcano Bay. I honestly wanted to sleep in and get to the water park at 9:30 am. We decided to get there a bit earlier and I am glad we did. There were at least 50 people plus waiting outside the entrance to the park when we arrived at 9:10 am. We had our temperature taken at the entrance to Volcanao Bay and were issued different color wristbands for the day.

You can rent cabanas, beach towels, lockers, etc, We bring towels from the hotel and skip the locker rental. I am not a thrill-seeker, you will find me lounging poolside, having a drink, while my husband and daughter are off seeking adventure on the thrill rides. There is a huge wave pool, which is great on a hot summer day, but it gets very crowded. Saturday morning, the weather wasn’t great so we opted for a spot away from the crowded area. We spent about 2 1/2 hours at Volcano Bay, more than enough time for thrill-seekers to enjoy the water rides. I would have ventured in the lazy but there are no tubes, basically, you are floating along in a life vest and not in a tube.

After Volcano bay, we arrived at the Hardrock hotel around 1:30 pm that Saturday afternoon for check-in. A much different check-in experience. There were no lines and the lobby had a glamorous look and feel. Face masks are required and lots of hand-sanitizing stations. Our room was a standard room, 2 queen beds, and a bit retro with the record player on the wall and a mirror that based on your height told you what celebrity you are. Another perk of staying at the Hardrock hotel is the location of the Theme Parks. A 10m walk, and you at Universal Studios or 5 minutes via the Water Tai. Staying at the Hardrock also gives you the express pass to skip the lines, a total game-changer in the age of Covid.

Another tip is when visiting the theme parks, skip breakfast at the hotel, and head directly to the park. We bring protein bars or purchase small bites once we are inside the park. With our Express pass, we were able to skip the lines and avoid the 45m to over an hour wait times. The wait times will be longer as the rides are spaced out and you can only be on a ride with your family. Another perk of the annual pass is the 10-20% discount available on food and shopping. Who doesn’t like to save, especially in these Covid times?

My daughter is a Harry Potter fan, she’s watched the entire series before the age of 8. My daughter is tall enough now to do most rides at Universal Orlando and Islands of Adventure. Her favorite ride is Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike. This is also one ride that does have an express pass, but boarding groups are available on the app, and you must be in the park and check the app frequently to get an open spot.

Our first trip back to Universal during the pandemic was a success. We had a plan, avoided the crowded areas, took advantage of the Express pass, and wore our masks. The hotels were clean and staffed. The Hardrock was definitely worth the extra $$$ for peace of mind, not crowded, and perfect for our family of 3.

Universal Orlando is currently running a promotion for the Premier hotel. The Hardrock Hotel has savings up to $800 for travel till August 2021. If you are ready for a Universal vacation contact, jess@travelcruzan.com. Sign up for my blog and receive special promotions and discounts delivered directly to your inbox.