"Universal Studio" Tour - Orlando, Florida

ezgsumer
May 16, 2020
3 min read

Orlando, Florida was my first ever visit to the USA. In general, every year because of my work I attend the world wide partner conference of Microsoft. This travel was for one of those.

If I wanted to summarize Orlando, Florida in a few words, these are the ones I can think of; suffocating heat, freezing A/C, very large restaurant portion sizes and lots of crocodiles. 😊

I spent a week in Orlando but what I'm going to write about in this blog post is definitely going to be the exhausting but amazing day I spent in Universal Studios. But most importantly I'm going to be writing about the enchanting experience I had in Diagon Alley. If you are also a Harry Potter fan like me, please keep reading. 😊

Microsoft WPC 2015

Let's start the blog with the reason for my Orlando visit. Every year a Microsoft partner conference is held where thousands of attendees come together from all around the world. For 5 days we attend meetings, events, workshops. It is a really unique and exhilarating experience. As Orlando was my first ever Microsoft conference, it has a special place for me.

ree — "Welcome to Orlando" - Microsoft WPC 2015

Take advantage of the heat

Event though I complain about the heat, this also created an amazing opportunity for me to take a dip in the pool and have a cooling cocktail by the pool while sunbathing whenever I could get the chance. So don't forget to pack your swimsuit with you. As you can use your hotel's pool, there are also water parks which allow a daily usage. So take advantage of the heat and get a good tan going. 😊

Stroll the streets of Orlando

After a fulfilling breakfast in the morning (as a habit I always prefer Egg's Benedict for my America travels) if you can ignore the heat, put on your walking shoes and start strolling around the town. My trip was in July, so the heat made me rethink my every activity decision but walking around the town is always the best way to explore a city. As this was my first ever trip to the USA, it was an exciting experience for me to see examples of the classical American culture which was embedded in our brains from all the movies and the TV shows we've seen.

For dinner, don't even worry about gaining weight and enjoy the super size meal portions. Even one portion can feed a small family. 😊

See Orlando from above

For anyone who is not afraid of heights, I'd definitely suggest a helicopter ride above Orlando. As it would be an easier option for sightseeing around the city in heat, it would also be an experience which you cannot forget. My choice was Orlando Heli-Tours.

Universal Studios

And the final topic of the blog; Universal Studios... All the comics you've watched as a kid, all the classical Hollywood movies you've seen, all the unforgettable movie characters you love.. Everything that you can ever dream of an more, you can experience in this wonderfully designed park plus with some adrenaline filled rides.

Here are a couple of tips for all the visitors:

- Buy an Express Pass: Even though you might think it's a bit expensive, splurge and buy the express pass. Because the lines for the express pass holders are different and all the normal ticket holders wait in line for hours, no I'm not kidding really for hours, the express pass holders can go on the rides after 10-15 minutes of wait-time. For ticket information you can click here.

- Drink lots of water: Under the sun you'll be spending approx. 10-12 hours. So don't forget drinking a lot of water. You'll see some amazing sugary beverages and mouth watering smoothies, in order not to have a sugar crush stick with water.

- Start early: There is so much to do, so much to experience. So start very early.

- Wear your most comfortable shoes: This is not a place for glamour. Go for comfort and wear your most comfortable walking shoes.

- Transportation: As you can go by your car, you can also quickly access the park with a taxi or a bus.

- Have so much fun: Probably my biggest suggestion would be to have lots and lots of fun. Experience everything, go on every ride, try and see everything. 😊

Enter the world of Harry Potter

Maybe the most exciting part of this blog for me is the Harry Potter experience. They've built a very good replica of the Diagon Alley in the park. You can walk through the stone wall behind the Leaky Cauldron and step into the magical atmosphere of the Diagon Alley. The experience is worth every penny.

Start your adventure from the Leaky Cauldron...