Early Park Admission at Universal Studios Orlando

Early Park Admission at Universal Studios Orlando

Early Park Admission at Universal Studios Orlando is something we recommend getting if you can. Especially if you’re planning to do the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in one day, it’s very helpful. But what is it? And how do you get it? Here is a quick guide to Early Park Admission at Universal Studios!

early park admission universal studios

What is Early Park Admission at Universal Studios?

Early Park Admission at Universal Studios is just like it sounds. It’s admission to the Parks early! It’s a little more complicated than just arriving to the Parks early and doing everything you want though. So we’ve created this guide to help you understand Early Park Admission. 

How do you get Early Park Admission? 

Early Park Admission is something that you can get in a variety of ways. Staying on Universal Studios’ property will get you early park admission. If you’re a preferred or premier annual pass holder at Universal Studios, you’ll also get Early Park Admission as a perk of your pass.

Guests staying at a good neighbor hotel, with a vacation package also receive early park admission. It’s important to note that guests staying at a good neighbor hotel must book a vacation package to get this perk. Staying at the hotel alone doesn’t give you this benefit. 

early park admission universal studios

Benefits of Early Park Admission 

Early Park Admission gets you into the Parks earlier than everyone else. This is especially important if you’re short on time or want to enjoy the parks without the crowds. Even when Universal Studios is not super busy, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is still usually very crowded. It’s a small space and it draws guests who have literally only come for this area; so having early admission is a great perk to be able to use. 

Guests who have Early Park Admission can enter Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure one hour early and Volcano Bay half an hour early.  Taking advantage of early admission is also a good way to secure your spot during busier times of year. During times when Universal Studios may reach capacity, using early admission gives you a little bit of a head start over other park goers. 

early park admission universal studios

What Parks offer Early Park Admission at Universal Studios?

Technically, all three parks offer Early Park Admission. However, they don’t all offer them all of the time.  Sometimes they alternate which park will open early and other times only one or two parks open early. If you want to use this benefit during your trip to Universal Studios, you’ll want to keep an eye on the Early Park Admission Calander to see which parks are opening early on the days you are traveling. 

It’s important to know which Park is opening early on which days because this will determine what rides will be available for your early park day. 

wizarding world of harry potter

What can you do during Early Admission?

Early Park Admission used to be limited to only rides in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter sections of Universal Studios theme parks. But that’s no longer the case. You can still access Escape from Gringott’s, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures, and Harry Potter and The Forbidden Journey during early admission, but other rides might also be available when you go! The rides that are available during early admission can change but in the past have included Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. You can check Universal’s website to see what will be available when you go.

Aside from rides, early admission also allows you to enjoy the Parks with fewer crowds. So if you want to grab some empty Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley photos, or get a head start on casting spells before the crowds roll in, early admission is a great time to do that. 

early park admission universal studios

Tips for Using Early Park Admission

As we mentioned before, always check which Park is hosting Early Park Admission and find out what time. This is important because Park hours change throughout the year. Plan to be there 30 minutes before early admission begins to allow time to get through security and the gates. You’ll also want to make sure that each member of your party has both their tickets and hotel key or annual pass. If you’re staying at a good neighbor hotel with a vacation package that offers Early Park Admission, we recommend checking with the hotel to see what credentials you will need for early admission. In the past when we’ve stayed offsite, we have just needed to show our room key for whatever hotel we were staying at. 

Be sure to make a plan. Even though you can get into the Parks an hour before everyone not using this benefit, an hour can go fast! Prioritize what you want to ride or see or do. If you’re planning to do the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the Hogwarts Express usually starts running 15-30 minutes before the official Park opening. Plan to do the rides you want to do in the park hosting early admission and then head over to the Hogwarts Express to be one of the first people in the other park.

wizarding world of harry potter

You can use your early admission benefit both the day you check-in and the day you check out.  We recommend planning ahead of time what days you want to use early admission. Check out our Loews Portofino Bay Resort Review to get a feeling for what staying on property at Universal Studios and the perks of Early Park Admission can do for you. 

Hopefully, this guide has been helpful in understanding how Early Park Admission works! We love this benefit and think it should be used whenever available. Have you used this perk before? Or do you have questions? Let us know!

How to Make the Most of Early Park Admission. When to Go, what to do and how to avoid the crowds! #universalstudios #themeparks #polkadotpixies

 

 

Co-Founder and Director at Polka Dot Pixie Co LLC | Website | + posts

Melanie Renee is a photographer, writer, designer and mom. Visiting Disney destinations since 2010, she is also an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. When she's not creating her next coffee recipe, or designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she's seeking beautiful sunsets and planning her next trip .


Related Posts

How To Do The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in One Day

How To Do The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in One Day

So we have a confession. We are obsessed with Harry Potter. Utterly and hopelessly obsessed. We have a Harry Potter movie marathon each February, complete with treats, like a copycat butterbeer recipe, wands, and yes, even Hogwarts House scarves. We own two separate versions of […]

Delicious New Snacks at Disney World 2024

Delicious New Snacks at Disney World 2024

Walt Disney World welcomes new snacks all year long! So we are here to help you see what’s new and where you can find it. Here are all the Best Snacks at Walt Disney World you can find in the parks for 2024. From Snacks […]