Trip report 26th May to 2nd June universal

Question

Arrival day

We traveled with aerligus from dublin to orlando mco. All went well on the flight, food was the usual plane food, (chicken pasta, salad, lemon mousse) but we did get double the alcoholic drinks which was nice.

Unfortunately once we landed it took over 2 hours to get our luggae with no communication from aer lingus. A 25 minute lyft ride (about $35 plus tip) brought us to universal dockside inn (arrived about 9pm).

Check in only took about 5 minutes thankfully and the staff were friendly (just a 1p hold charge at check in). I asked for a high floor with a nice view and I got floor 8 with a view of the epic/ helios hotel. I really loved this resort, it was fresh, clean and so convenient for location, food and transport. I was concerned about noise since it was a value resort but the lobby was always pleasent and on a high floor we had no issue with noisy neighbours.

Having the starbucks in the lobby was a big plus for me (for my morning flat white) and my sister loved the refillable resort mug (about $30 for length of stay) and is now addicted to the minute maid peach drink.

At £540 for the week I would definitely stay again. Location wise you are a short walk/ uber to different restaurants/ attractions. Dennys is a must for breakfast and Red Lobster's cheddar biscuits are amazing, along with happy hour. (Although when we went to red lobster about 5.30pm there was a drug raid happening at the motel next door).

Day 1 - 5

We got up early most mornings to make it for early entry into Universal (definitely worth the early rise, you can get about 2/3 rides done).

Just a heads up if you have a digital ticket, you can't change it to a physical ticket anymore. But to open park lockers you can just use your hotel key, so bringing a lanyard can be useful.

Buses through out the trip were alway plentiful, either waiting there or arriving in a few minutes. We didnt even have an issue getting a bus at park close. (A nice change to staying at disney resorts in the past).

First ride was hagrids and it lived up to the hype, probably my favourite ride in all of the universal parks. Then velocicoaster which was intence but so fun and exhilarating. We also did the Velociraptor encounter which made for a fun interaction/ video. The heat definitely beat us about 1pm/ 2pm each day so we would usually head back to the hotel for a break and head back about 4/5pm.

My favourite ride in the studios park was probably the mummy (it just has a bit of everything). And its a shame rip ride rocket is going soon, as it was a fun ride. We used single rider to help cut down on the wait times and often we were sat togethier anyway.

Food wise we thought the quality has definitely improved a lot at universal from when we there 7 years ago. We had barbaque in jurrasic park which was tender, probably the best loaded baked potato of my life in harry potter 'london' and the fish and chips were tasty. I would definitely prefer butterbeer in the icecream form than the frozen drink. The only bad thing we ate was the coconut shrimp in simpsons land, we should have know better.

We had one day in epic universe, it really is a beautiful park with great rides. We went on the 28th and crowds were managable. We got to walk onto the werewolf ride (fun ride but quite short) and hiccups wing gliders (prob my favourite ride in the park, amazingly themed and great story telling) during early opening. We would have gotten onto stardust racers first thing but it was delayed a good bit of the morning (fun ride but a little rough, my sister still has a big bruse on her stomach).

My only gripe with the park is that most of the rides were delayed at some point, some for most of the day. Ministry of magic was either delayed or over a 3 hour wait which I didnt feel was worth attempting. The food was amazing, I would highly recommend the garlic pretzel stake in the burning blade, the stake bowl and the pulled pork mac and cheese cone at the spitfire grill.

It was our first time visiting volcano bay, for me it blows the disney water parks away. I love the theming, the fearless river and the water coaster is a cant miss. I would recommend using water shoes as I could see peoples feet getting hurt in the fearless river without shoes.

Return day

Flight home was thankfully uneventful with no delays. In the past we have usually done disneyworld trips with maybe 1 day at universal. But I think this trip has converted my lotaltys to universal. For me it gives me more thrills and value for my money, I will definitely be back again.

Answer

Arrival Day:

Your flight from Dublin to Orlando on Aer Lingus went smoothly, with satisfactory in-flight meals and a generous supply of alcoholic beverages. However, baggage retrieval at MCO took over two hours without updates from the airline. A Lyft ride of about 25 minutes ($35 plus tip) brought you to Universal’s Dockside Inn, where check-in was quick and pleasant with friendly staff and only a temporary $1 hold charge. You were pleased with your high-floor room on the 8th floor, offering a view of the Epic/Helios hotel, noting the resort was clean, fresh, and well-located.

The lobby Starbucks and refillable resort mug were appreciated, and you enjoyed the convenience of location for food and transport. At £540 for the week, you felt it was excellent value. Nearby dining included Denny’s for breakfast and Red Lobster for happy hour (noting a drug raid next door at the time).

Days 1–5:

You made use of early entry into Universal, managing to complete about two-thirds of rides before crowds increased. Digital tickets could not be converted to physical ones, but hotel key cards worked for park lockers, making a lanyard handy. Transportation via buses was plentiful and efficient throughout your stay, including at park closing times.

Highlights of rides included:

Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure – your favorite ride overall.
Velocicoaster – intense and exhilarating.
Velociraptor encounter – fun interaction and video opportunity.
The Mummy in Universal Studios – favorite for its variety.
Volcano Bay – impressed with theming, Fearless River, and water coaster; water shoes recommended.

You used the single rider lines effectively to reduce wait times, often sitting together despite using single rider. Midday heat often required returning to the hotel for a break, typically resuming activities around 4–5 pm.

Food experiences:

Jurassic Park BBQ – tender and satisfying.
Harry Potter area – best loaded baked potato you’ve had, tasty fish and chips.
Butterbeer – preferred in ice cream form rather than frozen drink.
Simpsons Land – coconut shrimp was a disappointment.
Epic Universe – standout meals included garlic pretzel steak at the Burning Blade, steak bowl, and pulled pork mac and cheese cone at the Spitfire Grill.

Epic Universe visit (28th May) was pleasant with manageable crowds. Early access allowed walking onto rides like the Werewolf ride and Hiccup’s Wing Gliders, which was your favorite. Some delays occurred, notably for Stardust Racers and Ministry of Magic, which had over three-hour waits. Overall, the park’s rides were enjoyable, well-themed, and offered a high-quality experience.

Return Day:

The flight home was uneventful. Your previous experiences leaned towards Disney trips with limited Universal visits, but this trip has significantly increased your loyalty to Universal due to thrill rides, quality food, convenience, and overall value. You plan to return for future visits.

Trip report 26th May to 2nd June universal

More Orlando Travel Questions

The attractions mentioned in this question

Popular Destinations

Popular Travel Questions