In this guide we tell you EXACTLY what to bring to Universal Studios in Orlando. This covers things that should be on every Universal Studios Packing List for Florida as well as some park specific additions to ensure you have a fantastic day in this amazing park.
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What to Bring to Universal Studios in Orlando
Note: This packing list works for both parks at Universal Studios in Orlando. However if you are looking for a specific Islands of Adventure Packing list we have this dedicated post.
What to Bring to Universal Studios in Orlando
Comfy Shoes
For me the two of any theme park packing list should be comfy shoes.
Any day at any theme park around the world will involve a LOT of walking. And this is definitely true of a day at Universal Studios. You will do a lot of walking between attractions and will spend a lot of time on your feet in a long queues that don’t have Express Pass options.
Last time we were at Universal Studios we walked thousands of steps therefore you are going to want to wear your comfiest shoes to the park.
Personally I like to wear my comfiest pair of sneakers for a day at Universal Studios. For me this includes some of my favourite sneaker brands such as:
- Hoka,
- Sketchers Go Walks or
- All Birds.
However you should pick the brand that you feel most comfortable in.
If you do decide to buy new shoes for your trip to Universal Studios we recommend wearing them in before you travel as there is nothing worse than getting a blister at a theme park.
Crocs or Flip Flops
Now although my go to shoes are sneakers for theme parks, my kids prefer wearing crocs.
You can read here about if you can wear Crocs to Universal in depth and about which rides you can wear them on. However even if you, like me, don’t like the look fo Crocs I would advise packing either a pair of Crocs or a pair of flip flops for Universal Studios.
The reason for this is that because there are some water rides at Universal Studios. These are mainly at Islands of Adventure however.
But also because you never know when you are going to get a down pouring of rain in Orlando. The rainy season in Orlando runs from May – October and you do also get hurricanes at Universal. If you are in Universal on a rainy day you will want to have a pair of quick dry shoes with you so you aren’t left walking around in wet shoes all day!
Spare Clothes
And for the same reason, and many others, I also advise you to pack an extra set of clothes for everyone in your party and maybe even two sets of spare clothes if you are traveling to Universal Studios with toddlers.
Toddlers are renowned for getting dirty and there are many opportunities to get messy at Universal. For this reason I would pack 2 changes of clothes for little ones just in case.
Poncho
If you are worried about getting rained on at Universal or if you plan to also go to Islands of Adventure you may want to pack a poncho with you to stop yourself getting soaked.
These are available in the shops at Universal however you will pay a premium for them there. For this reason we recommend buying them in advance and bringing them with you.
Sun Hat
The sun is fierce in Orlando and some of the ride queues have very little shade. To keep sun safe be sure to bring a sun hat with you.
Sunglasses
For the same reason as above you will need sunglasses with you.
Sun Screen
And be sure you bring plenty of sun screen with you into the park and reapply it regularly. We like to have waterproof sunscreen with us because of all the water rides but this is personal choice.
Click here to shop sun screen.
Phone
You will be on your phone regularly at Universal from taking photos to checking wait times. Don’t leave this at home.
And if you do take lots of photos be sure to check out our best instagram captions for Universal Studios.
Water and Reusable Water Bottle
Water in the parks is very expensive. In the wizarding World of Harry Potter are you can pay over 4USD for a bottle of Gilly Water, basically Harry Potter branded water.
This can really eat into your Universal Studios budget. Therefore we recommend bringing water in a reusable water bottle into the parks with you.
One of my favorite things to do in Diagon Alley at Universal Studios is spell casting with an interactive wand. One of my favorite smells to try is the Aguamenti spell. For this reason I love the above water bottle that matches this spell.
Click here to shop reusable water bottle
Next Read: Want to know what movies to watch before going to Universal? Check out this post
Snacks
Best Snacks to Take to Universal Studios
Snacks at Universal Studios are expensive. For this reason we recommend the you bring snacks to take to Universal Studios. We try and bring things that are not perishable and are individually packed to make your life easier.
Soft Sided insulated bags – check the size here
If you are bringing water and snacks into the park you will need to pack them correctly to prevent spoilage. The best way to do this is to bring your snacks into the parks in a soft sided insulated bag.
However bags that are hard or over the size of 8.5” wide x 6” high x 6” deep are on the what not to bring to Universal Studios list. Be sure that any insulated bag you bring meets the requirements otherwise it may be confiscated at the entrance.
Click here to shop soft sided insulated bags
Ziplock Bags
And we also recommend packing snacks, especially those that spoil, into ziplock bags. This way you can portion out everyone’s snacks before you go into the parks which can help prevent arguments over who gets what in the park.
Backpack
A backpack is absolutely necessary to take into the parks with you as you will be able to store everything that you need for a long day in the parks.
It is worth pointing out there that there are some of the rides i.e. Escape from Gringotts, you will be asked to store your bag before riding. There are lockers outside of the entrance to do this. However even with having to store your bags on some rides we still think it is essential to take one with you.
If you want to make a fashion choice for the parks you could consider buying a Universal Studios themed lounge fly backpack like the one picture above. I have found ones that are themed for Harry Potter, ET and Spongebob loungeflys that would be perfect for a day at backpacks.
Fanny Pack
We aren’t usually fanny pack people when we travel but it can be really useful when you are in a theme park. That is because on some of the rides you will be asked to store larger bags.
Fanny packs allow you to store your most valuable and most needed items on you i.e. phones, batteries, cards and tickets without worrying about losing anything.
Click here to shop fanny packs.
Card Holding Lanyard
But if you don’t like fanny packs then you definitely will need a card holding lanyard to store your ticket and your express pass if you have them (and we do recommend getting an express pass if you can – you can why we think a Universal Studios Express Pass is worth it here).
Click here to to shop card holding lanyards.
Battery Pack
A battery pack is nowadays top of my theme park packing list. Your phone will be used constantly in the theme parks.
Firstly to take all the photos but you will also need it to check the theme park map and most importantly check the waiting time of the rides.
Our phone batteries drained very quickly at Universal Studios and we used our battery pack every day.
Don’t get caught and ensure you have a battery pack with you.
Click here to shop battery packs
Stroller
Hogwarts Express
Now if you are traveling with a toddler to Universal Studios we strongly advise you to bring a stroller with you. Even if your little one has given up the stroller at home you will want to have one with you at a theme park.
Theme parks, especially Universal can be an overwhelming place and requires a lot of walking. You will all be happier if you have a stroller with you.
They can also be useful if you want to try and get your little one to nap while you are in the parks.
Click here to shop the best strollers for theme parks.
Rain cover
And if you have a stroller with you, you absolutely have to have a rain cover with you. This is because the Orlando weather can get very rainy especially if you are traveling to during the Orlando rainy season.
We recommend that you put a rain cover on your stroller every time you leave it in Universal Stroller Parking if there is a chance of rain on your day of travel.
Trust me there is nothing worse that parking your stroller when you join a long queue and coming out to a rain soaked seat.
Click here to shop universal rain covers.
Fans
And while we are talking about the weather, it is impossible not to mention the heat and humidity alongside the rain.
Universal Studios is a hot place to be, especially if you are traveling to Orlando in summer. For this reason we recommend getting a fan with a mist spray for ultimate cooling and if you are traveling with a stroller also getting a stroller fan.
Wet Wipes
Wet wipes are handy to have at a theme park whether or not you are traveling with a baby, toddlers or kids. No matter what your group looks like we recommend packing some wet wipes with you.
Hand Sanitizer
These days I don’t think you need to extol the virtues of hand sanitzer so just pack a bottle with you.
Harry Potter Interactive Wand
If you have already spent a day at Islands of Adventure and purchased a wand already be sure to bring it with you. Diagon Alley is at Universal Studios and Hogsmeade is in Islands of Adventure.
There are interactive spell spots in both parks and plenty of places to buy an Interactive wand in both parks. While I prefer the Ollivanders Wand Experience in Universal Studios, if you have already purchased a wand you won’t want to leave it at home.
Please note: while we usually recommend buying many things in advance of entering any theme park as a cost saving measure a Harry Potter wand is not on that list.
This is because interactive wands are only available in the parks, not on Amazon or other online retailer and it is so worth having an interactive one as it will add to your experience in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
To find out more about the the best Harry Potter wands to buy at Universal Studios check out this post.
Robes
Dressing up is not as common at Universal Studios as say Disney World, especially at Magic Kingdom but you will see plenty of people wearing robes in Universal Studios.
The nice thing about Universal is that even adults can dress up in their Hogwarts robes. These can be bought in Universal Studios, the quality of the robes in the parks is amazing but you will pay a premium for them.
Therefore if you want to wear robes then you should purchase them in advance if you want to save money at Universal.
Click here to buy Hogwarts Robes.
Motion Sickness Medication
Now this isn’t something that I recommend for all theme parks but I do find that there are quite a lot of rides that can cause motion sickness at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. You can read more about the rides that cause Motion Sickness at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure here.
If you are prone to motion sickness then we recommend taking some motion sickness pills with you. This will help you enjoy the rides while keeping the motion sickness at bay.
Click here to shop motion sickness medication.
Alternatively you could try using travel wrist bands or other methods of motion sickness remedies if you prefer these to motion sickness medication.
Travel First Aid Kit
No matter the destination, we always recommend having a travel first aid kit with you. No one wants to need this when traveling but it is always good to have a small one with you.
Click here to shop travel first aid kits.
Have you been to Universal Studios? What would you add to this Universal Packing List