Welcome to the OI Universal Center!
Prepare to upgrade your adventure to Universal Orlando Resort with our obsessively updated collection of Universal insider information and expert advice.
The OI Universal Center is home to our free next-generation encyclopedia of Universal Orlando vacation-planning information. It contains over 200 pages covering Universal’s theme and water parks, hotels, and more. In addition, we offer our readers six extraordinary advantages over traditional guidebooks and other websites:
- Nearly same-day updates to our insider information as changes take place in the parks
- Comprehensive analysis of all construction projects and anticipated resort developments
- Immersive multimedia, including more than 10,000 full-screen photos and hours of HD video
- Intense, first-hand coverage of annual events with advice written based on this year’s activities
- Over a thousand “real guest reviews” of Universal’s theme park attractions and dining venues
- In-park photo updates broadcast live from Universal Orlando each and every week
Last year, over three million families used our website to plan the perfect vacation and gain complete confidence in their knowledge of the parks. As we now celebrate an even bigger and busier year, we are very proud to take our place as the premier independent resource for guests visiting Universal Orlando Resort.
First-time visitors, please read this page:
How to use our FREE online guide to plan your Universal vacation
OI Universal Center table of contents
Skip to…
Tickets and Planning | Vacation Tips | Wizarding World guide | Events | Touring plans | USF | IOA | VB | CityWalk | Hotels | Prop Graveyard
Overview and Introduction:
- Read guest reviews of Universal or submit your own
- View our daily updates
- 12-month Universal Orlando crowd calendar
Tickets and Planning
- Best Day of the Week to visit Universal Orlando
- Best Time of the Year to visit Universal Orlando
- Which Universal Orlando Theme Park is Better?
- The Best Orlando Theme Parks by Age Group
- How to Save on Flights to Orlando
- How Many Days to Spend at Universal Orlando?
- Maps, Rider’s Guide, & Vacation Brochure
- Universal Orlando Annual Passes – Complete Insider’s Guide
- Accessibility Accommodations
- Top 10 Easiest Ways to Save Time & Money at Universal
- Ride Wait Times Based on Crowd Levels
- Universal Express Passes – Complete Insider’s Guide
- The Secret to Getting UNLIMITED Express Passes
- Dining Reservations at Universal Orlando
- Parking & Universal’s Transportation Hub
- Shuttles, Taxis, & Ride Sharing – Transportation Recommendations
- Orlando Average Monthly Temperatures
- What to Pack for Your Vacation
- What’s Coming to Universal in 2022 and Beyond
Insider Tips on Your Vacation
These guide pages will give you the inside scoop on how to get the most out of your vacation to Universal Orlando Resort. From internet access to mobile food ordering, all your questions can be answered here. Perusing these pages now will save you countless hours later, allowing you to spend more time on what’s important – your trip!
- Shopping & Merchandise at Universal Orlando
- Ultimate Adult’s Guide to Universal Orlando Resort
- Visiting USF with Kids – Complete Insider’s Guide
- Visiting IOA with Kids – Complete Insider’s Guide
- Visiting VB with Kids – Complete Insider’s Guide
- Virtual Lines at Universal Orlando
- Single-riders’ Lines at Universal Orlando
- Mobile Ordering at Universal Orlando
- Rental & Ride Lockers at Universal
- Characters at Universal’s Theme Parks
- Child Swap at Universal’s Thrill Rides
- Men in Black – How to Max Out Your Score at 999,999
- Refillable Cups, Popcorn Buckets, & Coke Freestyle
- Free Internet Access at Universal Orlando
- Phone Charging at Universal Orlando
- My Universal Photos & Ride Photos
- 20 Ideas for Free or Inexpensive Entertainment around Orlando
- Breakfast at Universal Orlando Resort
- Grocery Delivery in Orlando
- VIP Tour Experience at Universal Orlando
- Ultimate Seating Guide to ALL the Rides
Insider’s Guide to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
With Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade Village, Universal Orlando changed the game for what it meant to be immersed in a theme park. These guide pages will cover our best insider tips on getting the most out of your visit to the Wizarding World.
- Only Guaranteed Ways to Beat the Crowds at the Wizarding World
- How to Ensure Your Trip to the Wizarding World is a Success!
- Early Park Admission to the Wizarding World – a Complete Guide
- Return Tickets & Standby Line to Enter the Wizarding World
- Interactive Wands & Spell-Casting in the Wizarding World
- Complete Insider’s Guide to Butterbeer
- The Specialty Drinks, Meals, and Desserts of Diagon Alley
- Leaky Cauldron: The Grandest Feast a Wizard Can Have
- Three Broomsticks & Hog’s Head: Drink in the Details
- Shopping & Merchandise at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley
- Shopping & Merchandise at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade
Annual Events at Universal Orlando
There’s more to do than just rollercoasters! The following guide pages provide information on annual events at Universal Orlando Resort. Check here periodically for updates and news.
- Rock the Universe 2023
- Running Universal Orlando 2023
- Mardi Gras 2023
- Easter 2023
- Fourth of July 2023
- Halloween Horror Nights 2022 (overview & explanation)
- Thanksgiving 2022
- Holidays 2022
- New Year’s Eve 2022
Universal Orlando Touring Plans
We combined our years of expertise and insider experience to build the best touring plans for you so you don’t have to! Whether you’re staying one day, or all week, we’ve got you covered!
- Universal Studios & Islands of Adventure 1-Day Touring Plan
- Ultimate Universal Studios 1-Day Touring Plan
- Ultimate Islands of Adventure 1-Day Touring Plan
- Volcano Bay Touring Plan
- 3-Day Touring Plan for Hotel Guests: Day 1
- 3-Day Touring Plan for Hotel Guests: Day 2
- 3-Day Touring Plan for Hotel Guests: Day 3
- Wizarding World of Harry Potter Touring Plan
- Bite-Sized Touring Plans
- Design Your Own Universal Orlando Touring Plans
- OI Priority List: Universal Studios Florida
- OI Priority List: Islands of Adventure
Universal Studios Florida – Complete Guide and History
Universal Studios boasts The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley, Men in Black, Springfield, U.S.A, and more. Use these guide pages to help plan your ultimate vacation.
- Production Central
- New York
- San Francisco
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
- The Hogwarts Express
- Tales of Beedle the Bard & Celestina Warbeck
- Ollivanders Wand Shop in Diagon Alley
- London waterfront
- Diagon Alley shopping
- World Expo
- Springfield: Home of the Simpsons
- Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone
- Hollywood
- Park-wide Entertainment
Universal’s Islands of Adventure – complete guide and history
Islands of Adventure features lands such as Seuss Landing, Jurassic Park, and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade Village. That means you can ride The Cat in the Hat, come face to face with dinosaurs, and attend Hagrid’s magical creatures lesson. These pages contain great insider tips and tricks to make sure you have a great vacation.
- Port of Entry
- Marvel Super Hero Island
- Toon Lagoon
- Skull Island: Reign of Kong
- Jurassic Park
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Hogsmeade
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- Filch’s Emporium of Confiscated Goods
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
- Flight of the Hippogriff
- Triwizard Spirit Rally & Frog Choir
- Ollivanders Wand Shop in Hogsmeade
- The Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle
- Dark Arts at Hogwarts Castle
- The Three Broomsticks & Hog’s Head (quick-service)
- Owl Post
- Honeydukes
- The Lost Continent
- Seuss Landing
- The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride!
- Caro-Seuss-el
- One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
- Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear
- The Cat in the Hat
- If I Ran the Zoo
- Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous (quick-service)
- Green Eggs and Ham Cafe (quick-service)
- Moose Juice, Goose Juice (quick-service)
- Hop on Pop Ice Cream Shop (quick-service)
- Park-wide Entertainment
Universal’s Volcano Bay – complete guide and history
The water theme park at Universal Studios, Volcano Bay takes your vacation to a whole new level of relaxation and excitement – all in the same day! Go with the flow in a raft, or climb to the top of Krakatau volcano just to slide back down again! But whatever you do – use our guide pages to plan your day at Volcano Bay and maximize your trip.
Park-wide tips
- Volcano Bay’s TapuTapu – complete guide
- Volcano Bay’s cabana rentals – complete guide
- Volcano Bay tickets – complete guide
- Visiting VB with kids – a complete guide
- Early Park Admission to Volcano Bay
- Complete Guide to Shopping at Universal’s Volcano Bay
Universal’s Epic Universe – complete guide and history (opening expected in 2025)
Epic Universe will be Universal Orlando Resorts’ biggest park, housing three major intellectual properties: DreamWorks Animation, Illumination, and Nintendo.
Universal CityWalk Orlando
These guide pages will walk you through everything you need to know about Universal City Walk and all you can find there! With formal dining options, to-go pizza, and even a tattoos parlor, you’ll find what you need (and more) at City Walk.
- Restaurants
- Full-service restaurants
- Quick-service restaurants
- Food and beverage carts
- Breakfast options at Universal CityWalk
- Shows and other entertainment
- Clubs
- Stores
Universal Orlando’s hotels (general information)
Universal Orlando Resort boasts eight hotels, and each has something the others don’t! Use these guide pages to read about each one and decide which is best for you and your family on your unforgettable vacation.
- Comparing Universal Orlando’s on-site hotels
- Loews Portofino Bay Hotel: Jet away to the Italian Riviera
- Hard Rock Hotel Orlando: Live the rock-‘n-roll lifestyle
- Loews Royal Pacific Resort: Your South Seas escape is waiting
- Loews Sapphire Falls Resort: A paradise where blue waterfalls cascade across lush grounds
- Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort: Splash back to the 1950s & ’60s
- Universal’s Aventura Hotel: A sleek and streamlined resort experience
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Surfside Inn and Suites: Never-ending fun in the sun, part I
- Universal’s Endless Summer Resort – Dockside Inn and Suites: Never-ending fun in the sun, part II
- Hotel discount for annual passholders & the logistics of checking in
- Breakfast options at the hotels
The Prop Graveyard: TOURING THE EXTINCT ATTRACTIONS
Unfortunately, even good things must come to an end. Universal Orlando Resort opened more than 20 years ago, and in their journey to keep things fresh and updated, sacrifices had to be made along the way! Use these guide pages to read up on the attractions of days gone by.
- Universal Studios Florida
- Islands of Adventure
- Resort-wide
- CityWalk
- Annual events
