Universal Studios Florida 2026 Review

Disclosure

Affiliate links are used in this post. You can read my full disclosure here.

Right next door to Islands of Adventure is Universal Studios Florida. 

Of the three parks, Universal Studios Florida has the best Harry Potter section. The snowy roofs of Hogsmeade in Islands feel wrong in the Florida heat, but Diagon Alley must have more shade, as it feels much cooler, and if that's not enough, you can escape into Knockturn Alley, where you almost need a jacket. Unfortunately, our child found Knockturn Alley too creepy, so we only passed through it this time around. 

Rides

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts 

Only my husband went on this one, and he said it was alright. It can get up to a 40-minute wait, but it's not as bad as other rides.

Revenge of the Mummy 

My husband went on this one, and it was one of his favorite rides. He rode it several times while we were there. The line only has about a 15-minute wait. 

E.T. Adventure 

We kept passing on this one because it usually opens late (around 11 AM) and the wait times can get up to 45 minutes. On our last day, we walked by and saw it had a 25-minute wait, so we decided to get in line. 

It was a bit faster than I remembered it being when we went on it years ago, but not too bad. Our child thought it was creepy and wasn't a fan, though. 

Hogwarts Express (King's Cross Station)

The ride is different going both ways, so even though it wasn't the best ride ever, we had to satisfy our curiosity and ride back to Islands of Adventure. But as I mentioned in my review of Islands of Adventure, it's not worth waiting 40 minutes in line for. 

 

Shows

Animal Actors on Location!

We've watched this every time we've gone to Universal Studios. The animals are adorable, and every show is different. If you're an animal lover, definitely recommend. 

Tales of Beedle the Bard 

This is a puppet show performed on an outdoor stage, so it will depend on the weather whether they perform. Unlike the bigger shows, there weren't lines, and we actually had a front row view. I'm guessing it was either because it was the last performance of the day or because times are only displayed in the Universal App. Only after the performance began did people gather around the stage. 

They did the classic tale of the Deathly Hallows. My husband said it would have been more interesting had they done a lesser-known story from the Tales of Beedle the Bard, and I thought that would be a neat idea. It was still a nice performance though, worth seeing at least once. 

Universal Mega Movie Parade

We originally planned on watching the parade on our first day, but the forecast wasn't looking too good, so we switched up our plans. Glad we did, as it did rain! Instead, we watched the parade on our second day at the parks. It was a fun parade, featuring many familiar movies, from Back To The Future and Jurassic Park to Trolls and Kung Fu Panda. 

CineSational: A Symphonic Spectacular

I was unsure what the best viewing spot would be for this, and when we arrived, it was already pretty crowded. We probably could've gotten a better, more-centered spot, but we still were able to see everything from our location. Unlike Disney, Universal seems to do a better job of making their shows easy to see from all around. 

It was a cool combination of a light show with projections featuring scenes from their movies. I did find the projections hard to see at times. What was really cool was that they actually used drones! They had drones make images in the sky. And yes, there were some fireworks, but it was not as heavy as Disney, and I preferred that, as there were enough things to look at already.

DreamWorks Imagination Celebration

This was a last-minute decision as I noticed a show was starting soon while my daughter and I were killing time waiting for my husband, who had gone to ride The Mummy again. There were only five minutes until show time, but we were able to get in, and it wasn't that full, so we actually got some good seats. 

My child was hoping to see Puss N Boots characters, but they didn't make an appearance in this show. We got to see the characters from Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, Trolls, and even Madagascar. While it didn't have her favorite characters, she liked the mural on the wall near the exit. It had all the DreamWorks characters as clouds, including her favorites from How to Train Your Dragon. 

Activities

Mama Luna's Feline Fiesta

This is a fun interactive game. There are digital screens, and the kids have to ring bells or press buttons in a certain order. Buttons light up green so they know which ones to press. If it's red, it means it's wrong. The goal seemed to be to find Puss N Boots. My child absolutely loved this area, and we visited twice. The second day we visited, we noticed one of the bells had been covered up (guessing some children were a little too aggressive with the ringing), so unfortunately some tasks could not be completed. She didn't mind too much as she had done it all the day prior. 

King Harold's Swamp Symphony

This area has lily pads on the ground, and they play music when you jump on them. My 9-year-old did it once, but she's on the older side, so it wasn't that exciting for her. 

Wicked Store

There is a Wicked Store that doubles as a museum. It showcases outfits from the movies and even has some fun photo props, like Elphaba's broom and Glinda's bubble. 

Characters

Puss in Boots

We lucked out after the E.T. ride and saw Puss in Boots was doing meet-and-greets. The line was short, so we jumped in. Shortly after we did, they cut off the line, so she was the last one to meet Puss in Boots before he took a break. He was great and gave her lots of hugs. 

We noticed him coming back out later, so it seems their breaks aren't too long. I would suggest hanging out at Mama Luna if you don't see him and see if he'll return.  

Kitty Softpaws

After leaving Puss in Boots, we caught Kitty Softpaws standing in front of Mama Luna! Puss in Boots interacted with her for a bit. We thought she might be leaving, but then her handler waved us over, so my child got to get hugs and take pictures with Kitty too. 

Food & Drinks

Leaky Cauldron

We preferred this restaurant over the Three Broomsticks, so if you're on a budget or only able to eat at one of the restaurants, pick the Leaky Cauldron. It has better vibes and was easier to get seats. 

I had the kids' Mini Pie as I wasn't feeling hungry enough for a large portion. The kids' size was quite filling, and it was delicious! I would get it again. I also got the Souvenir Butterbeer™ 25 Years of Magic with Frozen Butterbeer. After having Frozen Butterbeer, you'll never go back to regular. It's so good on a hot day.

My child had the Macaroni Cheese with chips on the side, which she liked.

My husband got the Shepherd's Pasty Pie, which was good. He also got a Frozen Butterbeer, but in a Butterbeer™ Stainless Souvenir. The stainless mug is double-walled, so the drinks stay extra cold. It's twice the price of the plastic mug and lacks the "25 Years of Magic" graphic. 

The Fountain of Fair Fortune

After looking at menus online, this was the cheapest location for Butterbeer Soft Serve Ice Cream. The cup is actually quite large, so we split it three ways, and it was so good. Definitely will need to visit again!

In Summary

Highlights:

The Leaky Cauldron

Revenge of the Mummy 

Frozen Butterbeer

Butterbeer Soft Serve Ice Cream

Disappointments:

E.T. Adventure 

Hogwarts Express (King's Cross Station)