Which Orlando Universal Park Is Better?

When it comes to booking your universal studios holidays you will most likely have questions about the resort and what it has to offer especially if it’s your first time. One such question we get asked at the house of travel is ‘which Orlando universal park is better’? So, in this post we break down the question and give you an insight as to which park may be best suited for to visit before you book your holiday

Best Choice

The obvious answer would be that they are both worth it and the ideal choice would be to try and spend one day at each of these parks. Unfortunately, for a lot of people they either don’t have the time or they just may not be able to afford both of them. Because of this, we’ll explore the pros and cons of both. We’re not including Volcano Bay because it’s really not considered a theme park because it’s really a water park and it has a different set of expectations and requirements. However, if you have time, it’s a great place to go visit on a really hot and humid day in Florida.

Great Things About Universal Studios Florida

There are a lot of different lenses that you can take a look at when it comes to which is better and here are just a few:

• Selection of what can be seen as intellectual properties
• Food
• Meet and greets with characters
• Park layout
• Music
• Attractions

When it comes to who has the better rides, in the earlier days, Islands of Adventure would have easily won in a landslide. Islands of Adventure includes absolutely breathtaking adventures that include:

• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man

But even though Islands of Adventure is the younger park, over the past few years Universal Studios Florida has systematically replaced every single one of their attractions and now in the attractions category Universal Studios Florida has risen to the top. The attractions they offer cause many people to choose it over the Islands of Adventure park if they can only visit one of the two parks.

One of the most popular attractions at Universal Studios would be the entire themed area known as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Diagon Alley. This themed area is truly a marvel to see and might honestly take up nearly half a day to be able to experience it all, especially if you truly want to see everything.

Another wonderful spot to visit at Universal Studios is Springfield, USA. This is a place that’s loaded with fun and really shouldn’t be missed on your visit. Other wonderful attractions you can enjoy include the following:

• Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem
• Transformers: The Ride – 3D
• Universal’s Horror Make-up Show
• Men in Black: Alien Attack
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
• Revenge of the Mummy
• Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon
• Fast & Furious – Supercharged
• T. Adventure
• Harry Potter and the Escape From Gringotts

Universal Studios Florida Events

On top of all the different themed attractions, you can also enjoy a variety of different events that go on at Universal Studios. These events contain some of the best entertainment in all of the themed park world and most of these great events take place at Universal Studios Florida has a lot more of them than Islands of Adventure. Here are some annual events of interest:

• Rock the Universe – This is an after hours event they have every year and is billed as the biggest Christian music festival in the world. Whether that’s true or not, it’s a great event if you love Christian rock. It takes place every last weekend in January.
• Running Universal at Universal Orlando Resort – This is a series of fun runs that always take place all through the Universal Orlando Resort and they’re designed for all runners of all skill levels and backgrounds.
• Mardi Gras at Universal Studios Florida – They have this every spring to celebrate all the excitement you’d get from the “Big Easy” and it’s as authentic as the real one in New Orleans and the celebration completely transform the entire Universal Studios Florida theme park.
• Easter at Universal Studios Florida – Unfortunately this lovely event was canceled this year due to the virus but it’s their hope it will return in 2021.
• Fourth of July at Universal Studies Florida – During normal circumstances this is usually a three day long celebration of the independence of the USA.
• Halloween Horror Nights – When possible this is an annual event that offers what they call Haunted Houses Weekends and they are usually done during the last two weekends of September and then run through the first of November. The haunted houses are wonderful for those who love to be scared or get a great laugh.
• Thanksgiving at Universal Orlando Resort – Offers of wonderful Thanksgiving meals complete with pilgrims and Indians.
• Grinchmas, Universal’s Holiday Parade, Wizarding Christmas & More – These events are jam packed with a variety of Christmas and New Years celebrations and normally run from November 14^th through January 3^rd.

Great Things About Islands of Adventure

 If you are more interested in the quality of themes than that of specific park rides, then Islands of Adventure should be at the top of your list to visit. This park was specifically designed from the ground up to be Universal Studios own version of Disneyland. Islands is simply overflowing with wonderful themes that are both small and big. All guests are completely transported from one themed reality to another as they cross over bridges or go around a bend and each themed park is complete with very effective transition tools such as world class soundtracks as you enter into the different themes.

A great example of a wonderful themed area of the park is Jurassic Park. This is as good as it gets. Jurassic Park is one of the biggest “islands” in this park and it has some very impressive touches. This theme is complete with a towering entrance that is flanked with torches and you’ll encounter 65,000 different plants along with 2,000 different trees all of which are true descendants from the actual Cretaceous period. Guests truly feel as if they’ve been transported back in time.

Another great theme is Seuss Landing. This cute themed area doesn’t contain one single straight line and it brings to life all of Dr. Seuss’s characters and whimsical designs, it even includes trees imported from the hurricane Andrew ravaged areas of the state in order to have trees with zigzag designs.

Next door to Seuss Landing you’ll be again transported back in time by entering the Lost Continent. This park sends visitors back 2,000 years into the past so they can visit different ancient Western civilizations.

And let’s not forget The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Hogsmead and Diagon Alley. These are a must for all Harry Potter fans.

As you can see, it depends on whether you’re more into rides or themes. If it’s rides, then Universal Studios Florida would be the pick. If it’s themed you are looking for, then Islands of Adventure would be the pick.