Plan a Trip to Disney and Universal: Your Magical Adventure Awaits!
Planning a trip to both Disney World and Universal Orlando? You’re in for an unforgettable adventure! With so much to see and do, it can be overwhelming to decide where to start.
This guide will help you plan the perfect itinerary, from determining the ideal number of days, to exploring the benefits of staying at an on-site resort, best ways to travel in-between the parks and tips on maximizing your trip’s fun time!
Contents
- How Far is Disney from Universal Studios?
- Traveling Between Disney and Universal in Orlando
- Why Visit Universal Studios and Disney World in the Same Trip?
- How Many Days Do You Need to Visit Both Theme Parks?
- Tips for a Mega 2-Day, 2-Park Trip to Disney and Universal
- Orlando I-Ride Trolley System
- Benefits of Staying at a Disney or Universal Resort
- Make the Most of Your Time
- Use a Fun Travel Planner
How Far is Disney World from Universal Studios?
The distance between these two Orlando parks is roughly 9 miles. Without traffic, the driving distance is about 15-20 minutes. However, depending on the time of day, assume on a 20-30 minute drive between Disney World and Universal Studios.
Universal Studios is on the north end of International Drive (commonly called I-Drive), and when you head south for about 15 minutes, the entrance to the vast Disney World property will be on your right (you can’t miss it).
Traveling Between Disney and Universal in Orlando
There are several ways to get from one theme park to another. While there’s no official trolley between Universal and Disney, the ways to travel between both are fairly inexpensive and easy. Here are the top three ways to travel from one park to the other:
- Drive! If you’re in Orlando with your own car or a car rental, just drive it! It’s a very easy and relatively quick drive down one street… the main I-Drive (though we can’t guarantee you won’t get lost once you enter into Disney grounds, it’s huge so use a map!).
- Rideshare it taking an Uber or Lyft! There’s plenty and they conveniently pick you up and drop you off where you’d like, making thing very easy. Since it’s just a roughly 10 mile drive between both, the cost range is usually between $20-30. Most people that use this option say this is well worth it and the way to go!
- Stay at the Avanti Palms Resort and Convention Center! This family and pet-friendly resort hotel is just about a mile (next door) to Universal Studios (you can see the rides from the hotel). Why stay here? Included in the cost of your hotel room, they offer free shuttle service BOTH Universal AND Disney (and SeaWorld too)! Check the Avanti Palms Resort and Convention Center current prices here, expedia affiliate link.
Why Visit Both Disney and Universal in the Same Trip?
If you visit both Disney and Universal in the same trip, you are THE ULTIMATE adventurer! These are the mega theme parks with the best rides and fun anywhere in the world! And since they are just a 20 minute drive apart, why not visit both in the same trip!
While both theme parks offer incredible experiences, rides are undoubtedly the major draw for most visitors. Universal Orlando Resort is renowned for its more thrilling rides, while Disney World is known for its more unique blend of enchanting, nostalgic rides.
Most Popular Universal Rides:
- Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (Islands of Adventure)
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts™ (Universal Studios Florida)
- Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure™ (Islands of Adventure)
- Jurassic World VelociCoaster (Islands of Adventure)
- The Incredible Hulk Coaster (Islands of Adventure)
Most Popular Disney World Rides:
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Magic Kingdom)
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (Epcot)
- Millenium Falcon: Smuggler’s Run (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)
- Tron Lightcycle / Run (Magic Kingdom)
- Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain (Animal Kingdom)
How Many Days Do You Need?
The ideal length of your trip will depend on how much you want to see and do!
Minimum 2 Days:
If you’re short on time, you can experience the highlights of both parks in two days. However, this will be a whirlwind tour, and you’ll likely miss out on many attractions and shows.
Universal Studios has two parks (soon to be three in 2025) and Disney World has 4 parks (not including water parks, mini golf and Disney Springs).
We suggest planning to visit one park per day. Which means, you’ll want to choose your one top-choice park for Universal, and your one top-choice park for Disney (tough choices!).
5-7 Days: This is a more comfortable timeframe that allows you to experience both Disney and Universal, thoroughly. Consider adding on extra days to enjoy water parks, mini-golf, shopping, and shows.
- Days 1-3: Explore Disney World.
- Days 4-6: Immerse yourself in Universal Orlando.
- Day 7: Relax and enjoy some downtime or explore other Orlando attractions.
Tips for a Mega 2-Day, 2-Park Trip to Disney and Universal
Here’s a suggestion for your Mega Orlando 2-Day, 2-Park Trip, whether driving, flying into Orlando International Airport or taking the new Florida Brightline high-speed train:
Check-in at most Orlando hotels is 3pm. If you arrive early in the morning and it’s too early to check-in, ask the front desk if you can store your luggage there while you go enjoy Universal! Most all Universal area hotels are very accommodating to their guests.
Better yet, plan to stay 3 nights so you can have spend two full days at the parks, one night before and one night after your 2-day whirlwind adventure. Then you may also have extra time to enjoy the other attractions and fun all along I-Drive!
We recommend, especially if you’re on a budget or need a pet-friendly hotel, staying at a Universal area hotel on the I-Ride Trolley system. Or, stay at a Universal area hotel that offers free hotel-to-Universal park shuttle service.
- Day 1: Universal Studios or Universal Islands of Adventure theme park
Universal has a 1-day 1-park ticket (see current expedia ticket prices here, they change depending on the season, affiliate link) and a 1-day 2-park ticket for (currently) $50 more (check expedia current ticket prices here for possible discounted deals or packages, affiliate link).
Is visiting both Universal parks in one day… possible? Yes, but you’ll need to be strategic on skipping some things. Is it worth the extra $50 to visit both parks on one day? Most Harry Potter fans say ABSOLUTELY! If you have this ticket, you can ride the Harry Potter Express, which only runs from inside the parks, taking guests from one park to another.
Then… sleep soundly that night because you’ll be exhausted from all the fun! We recommend staying at a hotel on I-4 where there’s a huge selection of hotels offering kid-friendly, pet-friendly stays, and most are very budget-friendly too.Next morning… take an Uber or Lyft early and plan to arrive at your Disney park when it opens. Or, if your hotel offers free shuttle service, take advantage! Tip: Uber or Lyft will cost around $20-25 and will save you time, parking fees and other headaches that you may encounter with other methods.
- Day 2: Choose one of the Disney theme parks to spend the day in
You’ve got 4 parks to choose from: Disney’s Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom or Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Check current ticket prices for Disney World 1-day 1-park ticket, and check out price for multi-day discounted park tickets to save a little money (see all current ticket prices and discounted multi-day options on expedia here, affiliate link).
While you can choose to visit more than one of these Disney World parks in one day, it’s tough. Unlike Universal where the walk between both parks is a nice 5 minute stroll (or a WAY cool Harry Potter train ride from inside the park!).
The 4 Disney parks are all very spread out, though we fully admit to loving the adventure of getting going from the Magic Kingdom to EPCOT in the same day so we can take the monorail!
To travel between Disney parks in the same day, you’ll need to jump on a Disney Monorail, Disney Bus, and/or take the Disney Skyliner (and in some cases, more than one of these), depending on which park you’re heading to. Navigating from one park to another is easy, safe, and fun BUT it does take some time.
Orlando I Ride Trolley
Universal Studios is ON the main 1-Drive (International Drive, considered the main street) of Orlando. This street is lined (jam-packed!) with hotels and restaurants, attractions and shopping. This I-Drive main street has the “I-Ride Trolley” system which connects 100 different stops along this main I-Drive street.
In addition to Universal and hotels, there are also tons of mini-golfs and museums and fun activities and attractions, restaurants and lots more. The I-Ride Trolley offers an unlimited day pass (currently $6.00) so you can hop on and off where you’d like, and when (pick ups every 20 minutes or so).
So even if you have your own car, you may choose to get a 1-2 day trolley pass and enjoy the convenience of not dealing with any traffic or parking during your stay.
Here’s a link to the I-Ride Trolley website map so you can see all the hotels you can stay at, while using the (easy, convenient, inexpensive) trolley system to take you between Universal and any hotel you choose on this I-Ride Trolley route.
Benefits of Staying at a Disney or Universal Resort
Staying at an on-site resort can significantly enhance your vacation experience. Most especially, if you are Disney fan, the “feel” of staying at a Disney resort is just… in a league of its own.
Here are 4 benefits of staying at a Disney or Universal Resort:
- Free Shuttle Transportation: These resorts offer free, easy and convenient transportation to and from each of their theme parks. This can save you time and money on transportation and parking costs (plus it’s fun).
- Early Park Admission or One-Extra-Hour Perks: In the past, Disney and Universal resort guests, depending on the time of year, could take advantage of extra perks like early park admission, giving you an extra hour before the park opens or possibly an extra hour at night. Other perks could be a discounted ticket for express passes (shorter lines). It’s worth looking for perks if you’re flexible on your booking timeframe.
- Themed and Guest-Oriented Experiences: Immerse yourself in the magic with themed accommodations and amenities geared towards making guest experiences above and beyond. And one specific perk is shopping at their theme park. You can purchase, and request to have it sent back to your hotel so you don’t have to carry everything you buy around with you.
Our favorite Universal resort is the Universal Hard Rock Hotel which is a fantastic hotel, but there’s a lovely short walk to the Universal Parks or City Walk making it extra convenient and stress-free to get to the main gates when the park opens in the morning. The pool and amenities are great also and the whole atmosphere is fun and energetic. Check current prices for the Universal Hard Rock Hotel on expedia, affiliate link here.
Make the Most of Your Time
In addition to the mega Disney and Universal theme park fun, there’s even more to do! Consider adding these fun activities to your trip to Disney and Universal:
- Universal’s Volcano Bay: Cool off at this incredible water park.
- Universal CityWalk: Enjoy dining, shopping, and entertainment at this lively complex.
- Disney Water Parks: Splash around at Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach for a refreshing break from the theme parks.
- Disney Mini Golf: Enjoy a round of mini-golf at one of Disney’s themed courses.
- Disney Springs: Explore this vibrant shopping, dining, and entertainment district.
And there are tons more fun things to do all located in between the ten miles separating Disney and Universal including adventure mini golf, axe throwing, escape rooms, wax museums, roller coasters, ice skating, game rooms, bowling and so much more!
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Use a Travel Planner and Write All Your Ideas and Goals Down!
There are some really cute travel planners that fans of Disney, Universal and Orlando have created to help make planning great trips even easier.
Some travel planners are more like journals, others have helpful pages to fill in.
Whichever travel planner you choose makes a great way to plan out all of your Orlando fun while creating a great keepsake of your trip!
Here are two very highly-reviewed Orlando travel planners for sale on Amazon:
