One of the world’s most popular theme parks, Universal Studios Orlando draws vast numbers of visitors every year.
The entrance to Universal Studios Orlando (Photo: LunchboxLarry via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
Opened over three decades ago, the world-renowned family entertainment venue is actually three theme parks in one – Universal Studios Florida, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Universal’s Volcano Bay water park. Themed around the entertainment industry, each offers a vast number of rides, attractions and live shows, inviting guests to immerse themselves in the worlds of movies and television. There are a significant number of online vendors selling tickets to the park, many of which offer great deals and discounts, as well as popular add-ons such as combined hotel stays and fast-track queuing. To help you work through the options, we’ve picked out two of the best.
Orlando Vacation
Founded in 1993, Orlando Vacation are a family-run business and our favourite pick for purchasing Universal Studios tickets. All you do is enter the dates you want to visit and then choose the type of ticket you want, with one or two-day options available, as well as options for visiting just a single park or all three. As for the cheapest time to go, on weekdays discounts seem to be a little more generous than on weekends. Orlando Vacation also promise to save you money by selling park tickets for the price they are at the time of your reservation. This is because the parks usually raise prices two to three times a year, often rising by up to 8%. Finally, another tip is that if you’re getting a multiple day ticket, you don’t have to use the tickets on consecutive days.
Orlando Vacation also specialise in combo packages that include park tickets together with your local accommodation, with these deals almost always cheaper than booking the two separately. Using their custom package builder, you enter your dates of travel and the number of adults and kids in your party. The tool will then show you the hotels and vacation home rentals available for your travel dates. Then, once you’ve selected your lodging, the tool walks you through selecting the theme part tickets that are best for you.
Tripster
An alternative option for visitors to Universal Studios seeking hotel + ticket bundles, Tripster are market leaders in US vacation package deals. They offer a wide range of packages that combine hotel stays with tickets to Universal, which can often work out a lot cheaper than buying them separately from one another. For example, when we searched for combined ticket and hotel packages, we found deals starting at $1,742 based on a family of 4 staying for 2 weeks in a mid-range resort hotel and accessing the park for 2 days – representing a $199 saying, according to the website. To help travellers identify the best prices available, the website offers a price comparison service, as well as customer reviews. The site is simple to navigate, and the booking process is straightforward too. For those concerned about mislaying paper tickets, e-tickets are also available.