Universal Orlando with Kids and Babies

Universal Orlando With Kids

Universal Orlando Resort has positioned itself as an edgier, more adult alternative to the Mouse. Even Disney diehards will admit that UOR sports more attractions aimed at older teens and young adults than Walt Disney World (WDW) currently does. But the commonly heard rejoinder is that there’s “nothing” for little kids to do at Universal’s parks.

That stereotype has seeds of truth. While the Magic Kingdom can claim more than a dozen rides with no height restrictions, Universal Studios Florida (USF) and IOA combined have only seven rides that accommodate kids less than 34 inches tall. And as popular as Universal characters like the Minions and SpongeBob are with the singledigit set, it’s tough to compete with the multibillion-dollar marketing machine behind Mickey’s menagerie. But numbers alone don’t tell the tale because a vacation at UOR can actually be a better experience for the youngest visitors (and therefore the family members around them) than the equivalent WDW escape.

For starters, while Universal lacks many moving attractions for tots, it makes up for it with the best themed playgrounds in town, as this family from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, learned:

We were concerned about the big rides at Universal leaving our youngest child (age 5) bored. In actuality, she had a blast at Fievel’s Playland, Seuss Landing, and Camp Jurassic. Even the older kids joined her to play at these areas whenever we got back together.

Second, without theme park reservations and Advanced Dining Reservations to worry about, a stay at UOR requires much less preplanning, which means less damage to your day when the inevitable toddler tantrum derails your carefully laid touring plans. Universal’s parks are more compact than Magic Kingdom and Epcot, which means that little legs won’t tire as quickly. Also, on any given day, the crowds are likely to be lighter at UOR, welcome news for anyone shoving a stroller through the streets. Finally, it’s far easier to travel from Universal’s on-site hotels to its parks and back, a key benefit when heading back to your room for that essential midday nap.

Ideally, your kids should be at least 42 inches tall to experience the bulk of the parks’ dark rides and simulators, or 54 inches tall to brave the biggest roller coasters. But traveling to UOR with a toddler, or even infant, can be equally rewarding, as long as you know what you’re getting into and prepare thoroughly. The biggest danger is in dealing with a child who’s barely under the minimum for something they’ll “just die” without riding, so read up on height requirements in advance to avoid disappointment on the day.

When you’re planning a UOR vacation with young children, consider the following:

Age: Though UOR’s color and festivity excite all children (with specific attractions that delight toddlers and preschoolers), and there’s no admission fee for those under 3 years old, Universal’s entertainment is generally oriented to older children and adults. Children should be a fairly mature 8 years old to appreciate USF, and a bit older to tackle the thrill rides in IOA, as this reader recommended:

Wait to visit until your children are tall enough, brave enough, and/ or interested enough to ride at least most of the rides. USF and IOA have a much different vibe from the Disney parks. If your children can’t or won’t ride most of the rides, it will just be a waste of money.

Note that Universal considers all kids ages 3–9 as children for pricing purposes, regardless of height or ability to experience rides.

When To Visit: Avoid the hot, crowded summer months, especially if you have preschoolers. Go in October, November (except Thanksgiving), early December, January, February, or May. If you have children of varied ages and they’re good students, take the older ones out of school and visit during the cooler and less congested off-season. Take advantage of the resort’s free Wi-Fi to virtually homeschool from your hotel, and arrange special assignments relating to the educational aspects of Universal Orlando. If your children can’t afford to miss school, take your vacation as soon as the school year ends. Alternatively, try late August before school starts. Please understand that you don’t have to visit during one of the more ideal times of year to have a great vacation.

Build Naps and Rest Into Your Itinerary: The parks are huge; don’t try to see everything in one day. Tour in the early morning and return to your hotel around 11:30 a.m. for lunch, a swim, and a nap. Even during off-season, when crowds are smaller and the temperature is more pleasant, the size of the parks will exhaust most children younger than age 8 by lunchtime. Return to the park in the late afternoon or early evening and continue touring.

If you plan to return to your hotel at midday and want your room made up, let housekeeping know.

Where To Stay: The time and hassle involved in commuting to and from the theme parks will be less if your hotel is on Universal property. It’s hard to overemphasize how convenient it is to commute between your room and the parks when staying at the top Loews resorts, and even the value-priced Cabana Bay is only a 15-minute stroller push away from IOA’s front gates. A number of off-site hotels along Major Boulevard and International Drive are also within walking distance, but you may not feel comfortable crossing busy roads with small kids in tow.

Be In Touch With Your Feelings: When you or your kids get tired and irritable, call a time-out. Trust your instincts. What would feel best? Another ride, an ice cream break, or going back to the room for a nap?

Least Common Denominators: Someone is going to run out of steam first, and when he or she does, the whole family will be affected. Sometimes a snack break will revive the flagging member. Sometimes, however, it’s better to return to your hotel. Pushing the tired or discontented beyond their capacity will spoil the day for them—and you. Energy levels vary. Be prepared to respond to members of your group who poop out. Hint: “We’ve driven a thousand miles to take you to Harry Potter and now you’re ruining everything!” is not an appropriate response.

Building Endurance: Though most children are active, their normal play activities usually don’t condition them for the exertion required to tour an Orlando park. Start family walks four to six weeks before your trip to get in shape.

Setting Limits and Making Plans: To avoid arguments and disappointment, establish guidelines for each day and get everybody committed. Include the following:

• Wake-up time and breakfast plans
• When to depart for the park
• What to take with you
• A policy for splitting the group or for staying together
• What to do if the group gets separated or someone is lost
• What you want to see, including plans in the event an attraction is closed or too crowded
• A policy on what you can afford for snacks
• How long you plan to tour in the morning and what time you’ll return to your hotel to rest
• When you’ll return to the park and how late you’ll stay
• Dinner plans
• A policy for buying souvenirs, including who pays: Mom and Dad or the kids
• Bedtimes

Be Flexible: Any day at Universal Orlando includes surprises; be prepared to adjust your plan. Listen to your intuition, and take advantage of the Lines app’s optimization tool to update your itinerary after any unexpected detours.

Stuff To Think About

Blisters and Sore Feet: In addition to wearing comfortable shoes, bring along some blister bandages if you or your children are susceptible to blisters. These bandages (which are also available at First Aid, if you didn’t heed our warnings) offer excellent protection, stick well, and won’t sweat off. Remember, a preschooler may not say anything about a blister until it’s already formed, so keep an eye on things during the day.

Overheating, Sunburn, and Dehydration: These are the most common problems of younger children at Universal. Use sunscreen. Apply it on children in strollers, even if the stroller has a canopy. To avoid overheating, stop for rest regularly in the shade, in a restaurant, or at a show with air-conditioning.

First Aid: If you or your children have a medical problem, go to a First Aid Station. They’re friendlier than most doctor’s offices and are accustomed to treating everything from paper cuts to allergic reactions. And if your kid just needs some rehydration and a short nap, they can provide a quiet cot.

Children On Medication: Some parents of hyperactive children on medication discontinue or decrease the child’s dosage at the end of the school year. If you have such a child, be aware that Universal Orlando might overstimulate him or her. Consult your physician before altering your child’s medication regimen.

Glasses and Sunglasses: If your kids (or you) wear them, attach a strap to the frames so the glasses will stay on during rides and can hang from the child’s neck while indoors.

Things You Forgot Or Ran Out Of: Raingear, diapers, baby formula, sunburn treatments, memory cards, and other sundries are sold at the parks and at CityWalk. If you don’t see something you need, ask if it’s in stock. Basic over-the-counter meds are often available free in small quantities at the First Aid Stations in the parks.

Infants and Toddlers At The Theme Parks: AT THE THEME PARKS All Universal parks have centralized Family Services facilities for infant and toddler care adjacent to the First Aid Stations. Everything necessary for changing diapers, preparing formula, and warming bottles and food is available. Supplies are for sale, and rockers and special chairs for nursing mothers are provided. In USF, Family Services is in the Front Lot near Lost and Found, and on Canal Street behind Louie’s Italian Restaurant, on the border between New York and San Francisco. In IOA, Family Services is in Port of Entry near Guest Services, and in The Lost Continent near the Mystic Fountain; look for the red cross behind the coin vendor. In Volcano Bay, Family Services is immediately on your left as you enter the park. Dads are welcome at the centers and can use most services. In addition, most men’s restrooms in the resort have changing tables.

Running Out Of Gas: Hikers preparing for a challenging ascent— such as the 5,000-foot climb from the Colorado River to the rim of the Grand Canyon—are often advised to mix an electrolyte-replacement powder in their water and eat an energy-boosting snack at least twice every hour. While there’s not much ascending to do at Universal, battling the heat, humidity, and crowds contributes to pooping out, especially where kids are concerned.

Strollers at Universal Orlando

Strollers are available for rent inside USF and IOA but not Volcano Bay, to the left of the front gates as you enter. A single stroller is $17.99 (tax included) per day, and a double stroller is $27.99. A $50 deposit (cash or credit card) is required, which will be fully refunded when you return the stroller. If you leave the park and return, or switch parks during the day, you can get another stroller for free by showing your receipt.

Strollers are a must for infants and toddlers, but we’ve seen many sharp parents rent strollers for somewhat older children—the stroller spares parents from having to carry kids when they sag, and it provides a convenient place to tote water and snacks.

Rental strollers are too large for all infants and many toddlers. If you plan to rent a stroller for your infant or toddler, bring pillows, cushions, or rolled towels to buttress him or her in. Bringing your own stroller is permitted. Your stroller is unlikely to be stolen, but mark it with your name.

Stroller-Rental Options: Several Orlando companies are able to undercut the parks’ prices, provide more comfortable strollers, and deliver them to your hotel. Most of the larger companies offer the same stroller models (the Baby Jogger City Mini Single, for example), so the primary differences between the companies are price and service.

Stroller Wars: Sometimes strollers disappear while you’re enjoying a ride or show. Universal staff will often rearrange strollers parked outside an attraction. This may be done to tidy up or to clear a walkway. Don’t assume your stroller is stolen because it isn’t where you left it.

Sometimes, however, strollers are taken by mistake or ripped off by people not wanting to spend time replacing one that’s missing. Don’t be alarmed if yours disappears. You won’t have to buy it, and you’ll be issued a new one.

While replacing a stroller is no big deal, it’s inconvenient. Through our own experiments and readers’ suggestions, we’ve developed a technique for hanging on to a rented stroller: affix something personal (but expendable) to the handle. Evidently, most strollers are pirated by mistake (they all look alike) or because it’s easier to swipe someone else’s than to replace one that has disappeared. Because most stroller “theft” results from confusion or laziness, the average pram pincher will hesitate to haul off a stroller containing another person’s property. We tried several items and concluded that a bright, inexpensive scarf or bandanna tied to the handle works well as identification. A sock partially stuffed with rags or paper works even better (the weirder and more personal the object, the greater the deterrent).

Lost Children

Though it's amazingly easy to lose a child (or two) in the parks, it usually isn’t a serious problem: Universal employees are schooled in handling the situation. If you lose a child in the resort, report it to the nearest Universal employee, and then check at Guest Services. Paging isn’t used, but in an emergency, an all-points bulletin can be issued throughout the park(s) via internal communications.

Iron on or sew a label into each child’s shirt that states his or her name, your name, the name of your hotel, and your cell phone number. Accomplish the same thing by writing the information on a strip of masking tape.

An easier and trendier option is a temporary tattoo with your child’s name and your phone number. Unlike labels, ID bracelets, or wristbands, the tattoos cannot fall off or be lost. Temporary tattoos last about two weeks, won’t wash or sweat off, and are not irritating to the skin. They can be purchased online from new.safetytat.com. Special tattoos are available for children with food allergies or cognitive impairment such as autism.

Universal, Kids, and Scary Stuff

Though there’s plenty for younger children to enjoy at the Universal parks, most major attractions can potentially make kids under age 8 wig out. To be frank, they freak out a fairly large percentage of adults as well. On average, Universal’s rides move more aggressively and feature more intense (some would say assaultive) audiovisual effects than their Disney counterparts. There are attractions with menacing mummies, exploding insects, and man-eating dinosaurs—not to mention demonic soul-sucking Dementors and firebreathing dragons. And while Walt Disney World rides always end on a happy note, Universal is equally as apt to send you out with a final scare or snarky parting shot, which is less likely to soothe shaken nerves. Universal also sets surprisingly strict minimum height requirements for some kid-centric rides, ruling out attractions such as Cat in the Hat and The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride! for the infants who might enjoy them most.

You can reliably predict that a visit to UOR will, at one time or another, send a young child into system overload. Be sensitive, alert, and prepared for almost anything, even behavior that is out of character for your child. Most children take Universal’s macabre trappings in stride, and others are easily comforted by an arm around the shoulder or a squeeze of the hand. Parents who know that their children tend to become upset should take it slow and easy, sampling milder adventures like the E.T. Adventure, gauging reactions, and discussing with the hildren how they felt about what they saw. If your child has difficulty coping with the cartoon creatures in Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and Men in Black Alien Attack, you should think twice before exposing him or her to the photo-realistic Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts.

Sometimes young children will rise above their anxiety in an effort to please their parents or siblings. This doesn’t necessarily indicate a mastery of fear, much less enjoyment. If children leave a ride in apparently good shape, ask if they would like to go on it again (not necessarily now but sometime). The response usually will indicate how much they actually enjoyed the experience.

Evaluating a child’s capacity to handle the visual and tactile effects of UOR requires patience, understanding, and experimentation. Each of us has our own demons. If a child balks at or is frightened by a ride, respond constructively. Let your children know that lots of people, adults and children, are scared by what they see and feel. Help them understand it’s OK if they get frightened and that their fear doesn’t lessen your love or respect. Take pains not to compound the discomfort by making a child feel inadequate; try not to undermine selfesteem, impugn courage, or ridicule. Most of all, don’t induce guilt by suggesting the child’s trepidation might be ruining the family’s fun. It’s also sometimes necessary to restrain older siblings’ taunting.

A visit to UOR is more than an outing or an adventure for a young child. It’s a testing experience, a sort of controlled rite of passage. If you help your little one work through the challenges, the time can be immeasurably rewarding and a bonding experience for you both.

A Word About Height Requirements at Universal Orlando

All attractions at Universal Orlando require children to be at least 48” tall to ride without a “supervising companion,” a/k/a older family member or guardian. Most moving attractions at Universal Orlando require children to meet additional minimum height requirements. If you have children too short to ride, instead of skipping the ride or splitting up, consider using the child swap (see below). For more information, see these pages:

Universal Studios Florida Height Requirements

Islands of Adventure Height Requirements

Please note that height requirements only relate to the physical needs of the rides’ safety restrain, and are not measure of whether an attraction is intellectually or psychologically for a given child, as this Illinois parent discovered too late:

It is very important to stress that height requirements are NOT a good indicator for whether a child is "ready" for a ride. My almost-4 year old is a big Harry Potter and Transformers fan and met the height requirements for Transformers and Escape From Gringotts, so we let him go on. He went through the entire ride without tears or screaming, but immediately upon the ride stopping in the bay, he turned to me and said "I am NOT going on that ride again!" In retrospect, it was waaay to intense for a child of that age, whether he met the height requirement or not.

Child Swap (a.k.a. "Rider Swap," “Baby Swap,” or "Switching Off")

Most Universal Orlando attractions have minimum height requirements. Some couples with children too small or too young forgo these attractions, while others take turns riding. Missing some of Universal’s best rides is an unnecessary sacrifice, and waiting in line twice for the same ride is a tremendous waste of time.

Instead, take advantage of child swap, also known as baby swap, rider swap, or switching off. To child swap, there must be at least two adults. When you reach a team member at the entrance of an attraction, say you want to child swap. Child swap at Universal is similar to Disney’s version but superior in several respects. Instead of one adult waiting at the exit with the children and returning after through the FastPass+ queue, at Universal the entire family goes through the whole line together before being split into riding and nonriding groups near the loading platform. The nonriding parent and child(ren) wait in a designated room, usually with some sort of entertainment (for example, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey at IOA shows the first 20 minutes of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on a loop), a place to sit down, and sometimes restrooms with changing tables. And nearly every attraction at Universal offers child swap, which can even be used if you don’t have children; it works equally well for skittish or infirm adults who don’t like thrill rides, or for designated baggage handlers in families who hate to use lockers.

Attractions where switching off is practiced are oriented to more mature guests. Sometimes it takes a lot of courage for a child just to move through the queue holding Dad’s hand, especially in lines like Skull Island with lots of spooky decor. In the boarding area, many children suddenly fear abandonment when one parent leaves to ride. Prepare your children for switching off, or you might have an emotional crisis on your hands.

Universal Orlando Characters

Though often overshadowed by the fur-clad cartoon celebrities down the street, Universal Orlando also has a stable of characters to call its own, but the interest in oversize cartoon vermin isn’t anywhere near as intense as at Disney World. You’ll occasionally see a Minion getting mobbed or a couple dozen families queued to meet SpongeBob, but never anything like the hour-plus waits that Disney’s princesses can draw at the Magic Kingdom.

Almost all characters are quite large, and several, like Sideshow Bob, are huge! Small children don’t expect this, and preschoolers especially can be intimidated. Discuss the characters with your children before you go. On first encounter, don’t thrust your child at the character. Allow the little one to deal with this big thing from whatever distance feels safe. If two adults are present, one should stay near the youngster while the other approaches the character and demonstrates that it’s safe and friendly. Some kids warm to the characters immediately; some never do. Most take a little time and several encounters.

There are two kinds of characters: animated, or those whose costumes include face-covering headpieces (including animal characters and humanlike cartoon characters such as the Simpsons), and celebrities or face characters, those for whom no mask or headpiece is necessary. The latter includes Marilyn Monroe, Doc Brown, and the Knight Bus and Hogwarts Express conductors, among others.

Only face characters speak. Because team members couldn’t possibly imitate the animated characters’ distinctive cinema voices, Universal has determined that it’s more effective to keep such characters silent. Lack of speech notwithstanding, headpiece characters are warm and responsive, and they communicate effectively with gestures. Tell children in advance that these characters don’t talk. Exciting exceptions are character encounters such as the Shrek meet and greet with Donkey and the Transformers photo op, where hidden actors or prerecorded audio clips are employed to allow interaction between costumed characters and guests.

Some character costumes are cumbersome and give performers very poor visibility. (Eyeholes frequently are in the mouth of the costume or even on the neck or chest.) Children who approach the character from the back or side may not be noticed, even if the child touches the character. It’s possible in this situation for the character to accidentally step on the child or knock him down. A child should approach a character from the front, but occasionally not even this works. If a character appears to be ignoring your child, the character’s handler will get its attention.

When social-distancing measures are not being enforced, it’s OK for your child to touch, pat, or hug the character. Understanding the unpredictability of children, the character will keep his feet still, particularly refraining from moving backward or sideways. Most characters will pose for pictures or sign autographs. Costumes make it difficult for characters to wield a normal pen, and some characters can’t sign autographs at all. If your child collects autographs, carry a pen the width of a Magic Marker.

Universal Character Greeting Locations

Some Universal Orlando characters are confined to a specific location and visit with guests on a schedule. Characters who appear in the Superstar Parade also make daily Character Party Zone appearances in Hollywood, which include a mini-show and meet and greet. Other characters appear at random times in a few regular areas. Most mornings you’ll find a rotating collection of characters near the entrance of the park. Not every character will appear every day; the busier the season, the more likely lesser-known characters will come out.

Here is a guide to the places you're likely to find famous friends in Universal's parks:

Universal Studios Florida

• Beetlejuice Hollywood; Classic Monsters Café
• Betty Boop; Hollywood
• Doc Brown from Back to the Future Hollywood; at the DeLorean outside Fast Food Boulevard
• Knight Bus Conductor and Talking Head; London Waterfront outside Diagon Alley
• Marilyn Monroe Hollywood; New York near Macy’s
• The Men in Black Hollywood; World Expo outside Men in Black Alien Attack

• Despicable Me Minions Hollywood; exit of Despicable Me Minion Mayhem ride
• Dora the Explorer and Diego; Hollywood
• Gru, Agnes, Edith, Margo, and Vector from Despicable Me; Hollywood
• Hello Kitty; Hollywood outside her store
• Homer, Marge, Bart, and Lisa Simpson Hollywood; Springfield outside Kwik-E-Mart
• Madagascar Penguins; Hollywood behind Cafe La Bamba
• Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Megatron from Transformers; Eighth Avenue between the Shrek 4-D exit and Mel’s Drive-In
• Poppy, Branch, and Guy Diamond from Trolls; Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone
• Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, and the Mystery Van Hollywood; Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone
• Shrek, Donkey, and Princess Fiona; Eighth Avenue across from the Shrek 4-D exit
• Sideshow Bob and Krusty the Clown; Springfield outside Kwik-E-Mart
• SpongeBob SquarePants, Squidward, and Patrick; Hollywood, Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone near SpongeBob StorePants

Islands of Adventure

• Betty Boop; Toon Lagoon outside The Betty Boop Store
• Captain America; Marvel Super Hero Island
• The Grinch (live-action version); Seuss Landing inside Mulberry Street (seasonally)
• Hogwarts Express conductor; Hogsmeade across from Honeydukes
• Popeye and Olive Oyl; Toon Lagoon outside Comic Strip Cafe
• Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Cyclops; Marvel Super Hero Island
• Spider-Man; Marvel Super Hero Island

• Alex, Gloria, and King Julien from Madagascar; Port of Entry, Lost Continent
• Beetle Bailey; Toon Lagoon outside Comic Strip Cafe
• Blue the velociraptor; Jurassic Park at Raptor Encounter
• Cat in the Hat, Thing 1, and Thing 2; Seuss Landing at Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear!
• Green Goblin and Doctor Doom; Marvel Super Hero Island
• The Grinch (cartoon version); Seuss Landing at Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear!
• The Lorax and Sam-I-Am; Seuss Landing at Oh! The Stories You’ll Hear!
• Po and Tigress from Kung Fu Panda; Port of Entry, Lost Continent
• Puss in Boots and Kitty Softpaws; Port of Entry, Lost Continent

Character Dining

Universal Orlando offers character meals at both its theme parks and hotels, but unlike Walt Disney World’s rodent royalty, you have a reasonable shot of supping with Spider-Man or Gru on short notice. A Marvel character dinner, featuring favorites from the Avengers and X-Men, is held in IOA every Thursday–Sunday. The Royal Pacific Resort hosts a Despicable Me character breakfast with the Minions every Saturday. During the holiday season, the Grinch hosts a breakfast at IOA. For further details, see our Dining page.

Babysitting at Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando Resort Child-Care Centers

Child care isn’t available inside the theme parks, but the top three Loews hotels each offer on-site kids’ clubs that operate in the evenings to allow Mom and Dad a night out alone at CityWalk. Only on-site hotel guests may use the clubs, which rotate their days of operation seasonally. Guests of any on-site hotel can register their kids at another hotel’s club if the club at their hotel is closed. Camp Portofino at Portofino Bay, Camp Lil’ Rock at Hard Rock Hotel, and The Mariner’s Club at Royal Pacific all feature story time, arts and crafts, computer games, and a movie room. There is one counselor for every 8–10 children; participants must be toilet-trained and between ages 4 and 14. Childcare costs $15 per hour, per child, and an additional $15 per meal if they stay through dinnertime. The clubs operate Sunday– Thursday, 5–11:30 p.m., and Friday–Saturday, 5 p.m.–midnight; hours vary seasonally and are subject to change. Call 407-503-1200 for information and reservations.

In-Room Babysitting at Universal Orlando Resort

A couple of companies provide in-room sitting in Universal Orlando and surrounding areas, but Kid’s Nite Out (☎ 407-828-0920 or 877-749-7594; kidsniteout.com) is the resort’s preferred provider, and who the concierge will call if you ask for a babysitter; the company also staffs the hotels’ childcare centers. Kid’s Nite Out also serves hotels in the greater Orlando area, including downtown. It provides sitters older than age 18 who are insured, bonded, screened, referencechecked, police-checked, and trained in CPR; bilingual sitters are also available. In addition to caring for your kids in your room, the sitters will, if you direct (and pay), take your children to the theme parks or other venues. Kid’s Nite Out cares for children as young as six weeks old and can care for kids with special needs as well. Rates start at $20 per hour for one child, up to $29 per hour for four children, plus a $12 transportation fee.