8 Things You Should Do When Planning A Group Trip To Universal Orlando Resort

7. Consider Staying Onsite

Universal Orlando Hard Rock Hotel
Universal Orlando

You might want to check out Universal Orlando Resort's on-site hotels when you first begin to plan your trip. On-site guests get a lot of perks that regular day guests don't.

One of the obvious reasons to stay in the resort is that you'll be close to the action. Perfect for those in your group who want to lie in and catch up with you later. You can get a leisurely boat ride back from CityWalk on an evening or even walk to your hotel after a day of fun.

The main reason we were attracted to staying onsite was the early access to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Early park admission for guests lets you into the park one hour early to explore. Guests also get early access to Universal's new water theme park Volcano Bay before day guests.

Three of the hotels also give their guests free Universal Express Pass. This means that you can skip the queues for some of your favourite attractions, so you get to enjoy more of the park. If you were planning on purchasing Express Passes , then staying at with Hard Rock Hotel, Portofino Bay or Royal Pacific Resort could be a convenient choice.

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Jen has been a writer and video editor at WhatCulture for over 10 years. She has a BA Hons in History from Newcastle University and in a past life worked at Beamish Open Air Museum and was a corporate trainer (BTC Award in Education and Training). Jen joined WhatCulture to discuss all things Universal Orlando Resort and Walt Disney World, as well as her love of all things movies. She has worked closely with Universal and Disney, giving WhatCulture readers breaking news and exclusives. Her knowledge of Disney parks has lead her to be published by The Sun. If you've ever completed a Disney movies or Friends quiz on WhatCulture it was probably written by Jen. Jen's love of all things Universal's Halloween Horror Nights brought her to WhatCulture's Horror Channel as a video editor. Her video edits can be found across WhatCulture's Film & TV and Horror channels, along with WhatCulture's Facebook, Instagram and TikTok accounts.