FREE Universal Studios Florida 1-Day Touring Plan – Accurate & Up-to-Date

The purpose of this plan is to give families an opportunity to experience nearly everything at Universal Studios Florida (USF) in one day.

This plan is written for guests with and without Express Passes; however, to accomplish everything on this list during busy days, we highly recommend that you consider purchasing Express access. You can learn more in our complete guide.

It’s important to understand that, with the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley in 2014, USF effectively added hours of additional entertainment to its roster. (The bigger a Potter fan you are, the more time you’ll want to spend in Diagon Alley.) We bring this to your attention so you know it’s now much more challenging to see and do everything at Universal Studios Florida in one day. For serious Harry Potter fans, consider adding an extra day to your visit just to explore the Wizarding World, both Diagon Alley (USF) and Hogsmeade (over in Islands of Adventure).

Finally, Universal features free resort-wide wifi and an updated mobile app that provides wait times for the rides and performance times for the shows. To download the app, follow these links: Android or iOS.

Tip: combine this plan with our Islands of Adventure one-day touring plan to create the Ultimate Universal Orlando two-day touring plan!

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Universal Studios Florida 1-day touring plan

1. Entrance to Universal Studios Florida
We recommend that you get to the turnstiles 45 minutes before the park opens for the best chance to jump-start your touring day.

Once you get through the turnstiles, be sure to pick up a park guide map. Universal’s in-park guide map covers both theme parks, and it includes times for the live shows and many of the character meet-and-greets.

Early Park Admission

Depending on the time of year, Universal Orlando hotel guests and vacation-package guests may be able to enjoy Early Park Admission (EPA) at Universal Studios Florida. We recommend you check our crowd calendar or with your resort upon your arrival to see if early admission is at USF. To take the best advantage of this benefit, be certain to get to the turnstiles 30 to 45 minutes before EPA is scheduled to begin.

Once you’re admitted into USF, simply follow the directions of the attending team members to get to Diagon Alley. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts is in the very back part of Diagon Alley – with a massive fire-breathing dragon on top, it’s tough to miss!

(If EPA is at USF)

1. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts – EP(Express Pass)/ SR (single rider)
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley

Restrictions and access: 42 inches; must stow loose articles in free lockers before the attraction’s entrance; has Express Pass access; usually has a single-rider line. Summary: an impressive tour through Gringotts Wizarding Bank is followed by a multidimensional, multisensory 3D track-based motion ride (the single-rider line skips the bank tour and the entire preshow).

Once you’ve completed Escape from Gringotts, we know you’ll be tempted to stay inside Diagon Alley. However, we recommend that you leave the area as soon as you can because our next stop is Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, and its wait times can sometimes rival those of Escape from Gringotts. If you’ve executed this plan correctly, you will be able to get back to Despicable Me before (or just as) regular admission guests enter the park.

If you do not have Early Park Admission or if it’s not at USF the day you are visiting, your first stop will be directly inside the turnstiles. Starting with Despicable Me Minion Mayhem, we will experience USF’s most popular attractions (outside of the Wizarding World) while it’s still early in the morning, thus minimizing wait times.

2. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem – EP
Illumination’s Minion Land

Restrictions and access: 40 inches to ride the motion simulator; otherwise, there are stationary platforms available; must be 48 inches to ride alone; has Express Pass access. Summary: join Gru and the girls in this family-friendly simulator ride featuring an all-new storyline and animation from the films – and plenty of Minion shenanigans.

As we noted in the Early Park Admission section above, it’s important to get to Despicable Me as early as possible. Even though it offers Express Pass access, the ride has a low capacity, which often makes the wait time over an hour, even on slower days—and the Express Pass wait can sometimes be around (or over) 30 minutes during peak season.

3. Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast – EP
Illumination’s Minion Land

Restrictions and access: Under 48” requires a supervising companion; hand-held infants are not permitted; has Express Pass access. Summary: Rise through the ranks of bad behavior while traveling through the convention on a motion-based pathway and using an “E-Liminator X” blaster to earn points. 

4. Transformers: The Ride – 3D – EP/SR
Production Central

Restrictions and access: 40 inches; has Express Pass access and a single-rider line. Summary: as a NEST recruit, jump into this intense, 3D simulator experience and prepare for battle alongside Optimus Prime and Bumblebee.

5. Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit – EP/SR
Production Central

Restrictions and access: 51 inches; must stow loose articles in free lockers just past the attraction’s entrance; has Express Pass access; usually has a single-rider line; also has a front-row line. Summary: high-speed outdoor roller coaster where you pick your soundtrack.

6. The Simpsons Ride – EP
Springfield: Home of the Simpsons

Restrictions and access: 40 inches; has Express Pass access. Summary: This motion-simulator ride is chock full of characters straight from the show and generous portions of Simpsons humor.

7. Revenge of the Mummy – EP/SR
New York

Restrictions and access: 48 inches; must stow loose articles in free lockers adjacent to the attraction’s entrance; has Express Pass access and a single-rider line. Summary: a not-to-be-missed high-speed indoor roller coaster.

8. The Blues Brothers Show
New York

Summary: street party that brings you face-to-face with the bad boys of blues, Jake and Elwood.

*This is a live stage show, and showtimes will vary. Verify the schedule in the Universal Orlando Resort app. It is not necessary to arrive at this show ahead of time.

The Blues Brothers Show is awesome; however, its premise is not particularly unique in that it’s just a short musical performance in the theme park’s streets. For this reason, if you happen to be visiting on the busiest of days and you need another attraction to skip, this would be one to consider.

9. Bruce the Shark photo op
Tucked slightly behind Chez Alcatraz on the pier next to Richter’s Burgers and across from Fast & Furious – Supercharged, the giant shark statue from the old Jaws ride is a classic photo opportunity.

10. Lunch time – Finnegan’s Bar & Grill or Fast Food Boulevard
Finnegan’s Bar & Grill is the fan-favorite, full-service restaurant located right next to the Blues Brothers stage. It comes highly recommended!

Not interested in full service? Then we suggest The Simpsons‘ Fast Food Boulevard. This quick-service dining venue offers the widest variety of food in a single restaurant, not to mention some pretty wacky theming (it’s a huge hit for Simpsons fans!). If you’re not quite up for fried food, Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck right down the way is just as good.

A word of caution: on busy days, Universal’s popular restaurants will also be quite busy. While you can get a reservation for Finnegan’s, a better plan to save some time might be to skip a full meal for lunch altogether. As an alternative, you can enjoy snacks along the way – those you purchase or those you bring with you in a backpack.

Now that lunch is over, we’re going to head back to the front of USF and tour the bottom side of the park (that is, the bottom side as you look at the park map).

11. Universal Orlando’s Horror Make-Up Show
Hollywood

Restrictions and access: none; has Express Pass access. Summary: It’s just as much of a comedy routine as a behind-the-scenes look at horror effects.

*This is a live stage show, and showtimes will vary. Verify the schedule in the Universal Orlando Resort app and try to arrive 15 minutes before the show is scheduled to begin.

We know what you’re thinking: “Oh, great – another show.” But this is easily one of Universal’s best stage productions outside of the Wizarding World (alongside the show that immediately follows this in our touring plan) and should be seen by all guests at least once!

12. The Bourne Stuntacular – EP
Hollywood

Restrictions and access: none; doesn’t have Express Pass access. Summary: a high-octane, thrilling, and totally immersive stunt show starring Jason Bourne.

*This is a live stage show, and showtimes will vary. Verify the schedule in the Universal Orlando Resort app and try to arrive 15 minutes before the show is scheduled to begin.

While we just as wholeheartedly recommend the newer Bourne Stuntacular as we do the classic Horror Make-Up Show, we understand that doing two shows back-to-back may not work out for your traveling party’s schedule (or interests). In this case, we suggest you pick one to tackle after lunch and save the other for later on in your vacation when some extra time may pop up. (But trust us – both productions are must-dos.)

13. E.T. Adventure – EP
Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone

Restrictions and access: 34 inches; has Express Pass access. Summary: gondola-style dark ride designed to appeal to younger guests but also considered a beloved classic by many older Universal fans.

14. DreamWorks Land
This area inside USF is the main center of activity for younger kids. There are multiple play areas (like Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp and Shrek’s Swamp for Little Ogres), plus another ride (Trolls Trollercoaster) and show (DreamWorks Imagination Celebration).

As you might imagine, if time is running short or you don’t have younger kids, you can skip this land altogether. The same goes for the next two attractions.

15. Animal Actors on Location
Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone

Restrictions and access: none; has Express Pass access. Summary: see the animal stars of Hollywood perform in Orlando.

*This is a live stage show, and the showtimes will vary. Verify the schedule in the Universal Orlando Resort app and try to arrive 15 minutes before the show is scheduled to begin.

16. Kang & Kodos’ Twirl ‘n’ Hurl
Springfield: Home of the Simpsons

Restrictions and access: 48 inches to ride without an adult; Express Pass access. Summary: silly humans are “captured” and forced to “attack” their fellow man using the flight path of their flying saucer to activate targets.

17. Men in Black Alien Attack – EP/SR
World Expo

Restrictions and access: 42 inches; must stow loose articles in the free lockers adjacent to the attraction’s entrance; has Express Pass access and a single-rider line. Summary: Alien Attack is a shooter ride where you are the newest MIB recruit.

The time has finally come: prepare to enter Diagon Alley. Depending on your family’s interest in Harry Potter, you should arrive at this point in the touring plan with two or three hours left before the park closes.

For guests who do not have Early Park Admission or if EPA was not at USF, we need to explain our mini-plan for Diagon Alley before we enter it. Essentially, the only attractions inside the land with a significant wait time are Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts, but this can be as long as an hour or two.

So, when you head into this area, you need to look up the Gringotts wait time and decide if you want to spend much of the rest of the evening in line for it or if you want to enjoy everything else in Diagon Alley. It’s worth noting that Escape from Gringotts does have a single-rider line, but it skips the entire bank tour and preshow, which are just as impressive as the attraction (for the record, the single-rider line is usually a quarter to a half of the posted standby time).

Given the explanation we just offered, we’re going to list Escape from Gringotts next. Keep in mind that the later you can get in line, the shorter the line will be… but you will be missing out on the Wizarding World at night. The other stops in Diagon Alley listed below may be done in any sequence.

For guests who do have Early Park Admission, you should have experienced Escape from Gringotts as your first stop this morning, so you can skip it now and proceed with the rest of the plan.

18. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts – EP/SR
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley

Restrictions and access: 42 inches; must stow loose articles in free lockers before the attraction’s entrance; has Express Pass access; usually has a single-rider line. Summary: Impressive tour through Gringotts Wizarding Bank followed by a multidimensional, multisensory 3D track-based motion ride (remember, the single-rider line skips the bank tour and entire preshow).

19. Ollivanders Wand Shop
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley

Restrictions and access: none; does not have Express Pass access. Summary: meticulously themed boutique where the wand chooses the wizard.

20. Interactive wands and spell-casting
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley

Summary: display your wizarding talents with your new interactive wand as you magically affect the displays in various storefronts and, possibly, other secret areas. Note: you’ll need to purchase an interactive wand at Ollivander’s or Wands by Gregorovitch to participate (and there are additional spellcasting locations over in Hogsmeade for later in your vacation).

21. Dinner time – The Leaky Cauldron
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley

Taking quick-service theme-park dining to its pinnacle, The Leaky Cauldron offers a variety of British fare set in a beautiful dining hall full of whimsical, wizarding decor.

22. Sights and sounds of Diagon Alley
Catch the live entertainment in Carkitt Markett (Tales of Beedle the Bard and Celestina Warbeck), taste the treats of Florean Fortescue’s Ice-Cream Parlor, and slink your way through the creepy corners of Knockturn Alley. And before you leave, make sure you’ve seen the sights of the London waterfront, including the Knight Bus with its conductor and interactive shrunken head, and 12 Grimmauld Place (keep an eye out for Kreacher!).

23. The Hogwarts Express – EP
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley (King’s Cross Station)

Restrictions and access: requires park-to-park admission; even wheelchairs and ECVs are allowed. Summary: the famous train takes guests on a magical journey from muggle London to the wizarding village of Hogsmeade and back (note that each ride is one-way; guests who wish to return to USF will need to exit the train, queue again, and re-board).

Very important: the Hogwarts Express is most certainly worth a ride. The issue with fitting it into our touring plan is that it takes guests over to Universal’s other park. With only one day to visit Universal Studios Florida, precious time may be eaten up by traveling to Islands of Adventure and then back. What’s more, the Express requires park-to-park admission, which guests with only one day for USF aren’t necessarily likely to have. For these reasons, we only recommend that you plan on traveling on the train if you have Early Park Admission, which, by getting you on Escape from Gringotts first thing in the morning, would free up considerable time for you in the evening for additional activities, like the Hogwarts Express.

Missing attractions

You may have noticed that we didn’t include a few experiences in our touring plan. For various reasons, we just don’t believe that these are a good use of your time while trying to see and do all the best stuff at Universal Studios Florida in one day. Nevertheless, if you find that you have more time than expected, we’ve included our information here:

Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon – EP
New York

Restrictions and access: 40 inches; has Express Pass access. Summary: a standard (albeit funny) motion-simulator ride that has you, well, racing through New York City against Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon. Beforehand, experience one of the best queues in all of (Universal) Orlando.

Fast & Furious – Supercharged – EP/SR
San Francisco

Restrictions and access: 40 inches; has Express Pass access and a single-rider line. Summary: join the Fast family by perusing their new base of operations and by facing off against their big villain.

We hope you had an awesome day at Universal Studios Florida! 

Reminder: combine this plan with our Islands of Adventure one-day touring plan to create the Ultimate Universal Orlando two-day touring plan!