12 Great, Easy, & Cheap Ways to Save Time and Money at Universal Orlando

This guide will share everything you need to know to save time and money at Universal Orlando before you book your next vacation. Start your vacation worry-free with this guide.

I will share tips on how to save money on tickets through discounts and deals, save over $150 by buying items ahead, and the best times to avoid crowds.

Going to Universal Studios? In ThIs EcOnOmY?

Yup. And although our salaries don’t stretch as much as Homer Simpson’s did to feed a family of 5, own a house, a car, and a dog, you too can stretch your budget with these money-saving tips and tricks and make Universal Orlando affordable. 

Read below to find the many ways you can save your adult money and still have fun.

How to save money on Tickets at Universal Orlando:

Decide which parks you want to visit

Universal Orlando Resort has 3 theme parks:  Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay. 

Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are home to roller coasters and propped with movie references, including Harry Potter.

(If you’re a mogul wanting to escape into the Wizardly world of Harry Potter, but cant decide on which park, I have guide for you. Learn what to expect from each park here.)

The third theme park is Volcano Bay. This is only a waterpark, and is only open when temperatures are above 55° F or 12.7° C. My recommendation is to check the weather during your time of visit before purchasing tickets for this park. 

Remember that all ticket purchases are final and there are no refunds even if it rains.   

Check the Universal Studios Site for deals

If you are buying a ticket for more than one day, visit their website for savings on multiple days or multiple parks packages. On their homepage, go to “Tickets & Passes” >”Deals & Specials” or simply click here. 

Make Universal Studios affordable and save time by buying your tickets online. Tickets are cheaper online vs. at the gate. And save time by avoiding waiting in two lines: one to buy your tickets and another to get inside.

Check third-party sites for offers 

Websites like Groupon, CityPass, Costco Travel, and Tickets at Work (this is not public and is only available through your employer. Ask your HR rep if they have a partnership.) are among a few of the websites that offer one-day deals, multiple-day deals, and even savings on hotels. 

Discounts for Florida residents, military personnel, teachers & students

Save money on Universal Orlando tickets if you live in Florida or are military personnel. There are also discounts on tickets for teachers and students.

ID verification will be required to prove you belong to any of these groups. More details when you purchase on the website. 

Bring your own snacks

Good news! You won’t have to supersize yourself hiding snacks or come up with creative ways to sneak them in like when you go to the movie theater. We’ve all done it.

Guests are allowed to bring in ‘outside snacks’ to Universal Studios. Make Universal Studios affordable by packing your own trail mix, cookies, fruit, chips, and water bottle and save time by avoiding stopping at stores.

Tip: Avoid chocolate, bananas, or items that can get sticky or messy with the sun. Remember these snacks will be exposed to the sun and/or humidity.

Save money on Harry Potter wands

Good news #2: You can bring your own Harry Potter wand. So, buy your Harry Potter wand before going into the park.

Walgreens, for example, sells wands for about $10. Inside the park, wands will cost $55 (non-interactive) and $65 (interactive wand). 

Note: Interactive Harry Potter wands trigger actions (or make magic happen) from selected displays throughout the Harry Potter park (both locations). But only if you hold the wand correctly and chant the spell right (wink). 

Save money on Harry Potter theme robes

Good news #3: You can bring your own Harry Potter theme robe. Instead of paying $140 for a robe at the park, save yourself over $100 by ordering it from Walmart for $15 or Amazon for $25. 

Note: Unlike Disney, which does not allow people to dress like their theme park characters, you can dress up as your favorite character or house. 

Ponchos

You’ll need one if it’s forecasted to rain on the day you are visiting (remember no refunds). 

You’ll also want one if you’re planning to get on any of these rides: Jurassic Park River Adventure, Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges, and Dudley-Do Right’s RipSaw Falls. They have variations of water splashes, but if you don’t want to risk getting wet, I recommend you bring one. 

Ponchos at Universal are about $20 each. Save yourself a few bucks by buying them ahead from Amazon or a local souvenir store.  

Book a hotel near Universal Studios

If you are out of town, save money on your Universal Orlando stay by lodging close to the parks. International Drive is surrounded by many hotels that are minutes away from the park. You can save time (sleep in?)  and money. 

I stayed in a hotel near the “World’s Largest Entertainment McDonalds” and these were the commuting times::

If you take a Lyft, it will take you 10 minutes to get to Universal Studios and it will cost you about ~$9 per ride. 

If you take the bus to Universal Studios, the commute is about 24 minutes and you only pay $3 per bus ride. The bus will drop you off where all the charter and hotel buses drop off everyone, so you can follow the crowd and not get lost. 

How to make the most out of your time at Universal Studios:

Visit during the off-peak season

Typically the slow months for Universal Studios are between after Christmas and the ones leading up to Spring Break. This makes January to April, the cheapest months to visit Universal Studios and September when kids are back in school. 

I enjoyed going in February because the temperatures were bearable. A pullover is enough for the chilly mornings. And by noon, the highest temperature was 70 degrees. And when you’re waiting 1 – 3 hours outside, under the sun to get on a ride, 70 degrees is hot enough. 

Note: Although these are months when school is in session, this doesn’t mean you will not see any children. You will see a lot less people.

Visit during the weekdays 

Like most entertainment options, weekends attract more crowds. The park also closes a little bit later on the weekends. But if you want to avoid the weekend influx, Universal Studios is less crowded on the weekdays and tickets are slightly cheaper too. 

Tip: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are the least crowded days at Universal Studios.

Early Park Admission

Early Park admission at Universal Studios allows you to enter the park up to 30 minutes earlier than the regular opening time for Universal Volcano Bay. You can go in up to 1 hour earlier for Universal Islands of Adventure before it officially opens to the general public. To qualify for Early Park Admission, you need to purchase a vacation package, stay at a participating resort, or have a preferred or Premier Annual Pass. 

Note: Only Universal Islands of Adventure and Universal Volcano Bay Participate in Early Park Admission. Check their website for participating dates and times. 

Tip: Get there 30 min-1 hour before early admission time to be one of the “first” in line. Especially, if you’re trying to take pictures, without big crowds in the background. If you wait till Early Admission opening time, there will be at least 200 people waiting in front of you. 

For more tips on how to take good pictures during your visit at Universal Studios, visit my Universal Studios Instagrammable guide or Harry Potter Instagram tips guide.

Bonus Tip:

Use one card to pay for all the expenses incurred, so it’s easier to track and split if needed.

If you want more tips on how to save time and money INSIDE Universal Studios, check out this easy read guide.

Let me know in the comments which tips you plan to use. If I missed anything, please share with others what else has helped you in the past.