This one’s for the overachievers.
Whether you’re short on time, hopping in with a Park-to-Park ticket, or just determined to do it all, this is the ultimate guide for hitting both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure in one day.
We’ve created two separate deep-dive guides – one for Universal Studios and one for Islands of Adventure – each packed with everything you need to conquer a full day at either park. But if you’re looking to split your time between the two and still make the most of it? This guide is for you.
Note: Yes, Universal has a third park, Epic Universe, but for this post, we’re going to stick with the two parks most guests are trying to conquer in one day!
We’ll highlight some logistics, go over the major rides and experiences you’ll want to prioritize, and offer you a time-saving itinerary that’ll help you squeeze every last drop of theme park magic, thrills, and Butterbeer out of your day.
Spoiler: It’s gonna be a whirlwind. But it’ll be a glorious, action-packed, possibly-slightly-sweaty whirlwind you won’t forget.
Let’s dive in!
Important Things to Know
Fair warning, if you want to do both Universal and IOA in one day:
- It’s a lot (but it’s doable!), and
- You really should have Express Pass*
That said, if you only have one day and want to do both of these parks, we’re here to help!
We made this itinerary assuming you won’t be using Express Pass, but if you are using it, just feel free to add any attractions you want to do that we didn’t include.
*No worries if you aren’t using it, just know you’ll be waiting in some lines or skipping some attractions.
The Itinerary
Getting to the parks as early as possible AND deciding which attractions are priorities and what you’re okay skipping is critical.
If you have Early Park Admission, you’ll want to start your day at Islands of Adventure. If you don’t have Early Park Admission, you’ll want to start your day at Universal Studios.
Important Note: This itinerary is sort of extreme. If it’s a slower time of year or you are using Express Pass, you can fit a lot of this stuff in. If it’s busy or you’re planning on waiting in standby lines, this all might not be realistic. Pick your priorities, and skip what’s not important!
- If you have Early Park Admission, we recommend starting at Islands of Adventure and hitting Hagrid’s first. Then, try to squeeze in a ride on Forbidden Journey and/or VelociCoaster if there is time before the official park opening.
If you don’t have Early Park Admission, skip to Step 3. - Take the Hogwarts Express (Hogsmeade Station) over to Universal Studios right before the official opening of that park (if the hours line up).
- Choose your priority attraction to start with at the Studios: Despicable Me Minion Mayhem or Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. Experience that attraction.
- Ride Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit.
- Ride Revenge of the Mummy and/or Transformers.
- Ride Escape from Gringotts if you haven’t yet.
- If you want to eat at the Leaky Cauldron, have an early lunch here before lines get (very) long. You can also get Butterbeer and other drinks here!
- Spend the rest of the morning exploring Diagon Alley OR circling the lagoon and riding the following:
- The Simpsons Ride (skip if you’re prone to motion sickness)
- Men in Black Alien Attack!
- E.T. Adventure (don’t miss it!)
- Optional: See shows if you have free time. The Horror Make-Up Show is outrageous and good for adults, and The Bourne Stuntacular is popular with older kids. Animals Actors On Location! is great for families.
- If the lines are reasonable, experience Minion Blast and Jimmy Fallon before leaving the park. Otherwise, skip these. It wouldn’t be the end of the world.
- Take the Hogwarts Express (King’s Cross Station) over to Islands of Adventure (or walk!).
- If the Wizarding World is a priority, explore Hogsmeade as long as desired. Ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey if the wait time is acceptable and you haven’t yet.
- If you didn’t ride Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure during Early Park Admission, check wait times now. Ride if the wait is manageable—the line often drops around 4 or 5 pm. Otherwise, save it for the last hour of park time.
- Experience Seussland if desired and time allows – otherwise, proceed to the next step.
- Ride The Incredible Hulk Coaster.
- Ride The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man.
- Ride Skull Island: Reign of Kong if the posted wait is 25 minutes or less. Otherwise, we say skip (not that exciting).
- Ride Jurassic Park River Adventure.
- Ride VelociCoaster if you haven’t yet.
Use any remaining evening time to explore Hogsmeade and see the Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle, ride anything you missed, or re-ride any favorites. We like to queue for Hagrid’s Motorbike Adventure in the last 20 minutes of the evening.
Have Fun!
If you’ve made it this far, you’re clearly not messing around, and honestly, we respect that. Tackling both Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure in a single day isn’t for the faint of heart, but with the right game plan (ahem, this one), it’s 100% doable.
And hey, if after reading all this you’re thinking, “You know what? Maybe I do want to spend a full day in just one park,” it’s no sweat. We’ve got you covered with those individual park guides, too.
And don’t forget, we also cover everything Disney!