Universal Studios While Doing Your DCP (Plus My Universal Studios MUST-DOs!)

This is an all-inclusive Universal Studios post!! Hooray!

So first off, if you are on your College Program/going to be on it soon/applying to do it, then you're going to want to buy a season pass to Universal. It's like...$270 for the pass that includes free parking. The cheapest one I think I paid $240 for? Something like that, and it's a park hopper pass, which means it pays for itself in TWO visits. Totally worth it if you're going to go even just two or three times. Especially if you have a car and buy the upgraded pass :) It also gets you a 10% discount on food and merch!

If you are a CP without a car and can't hitch a ride from someone else, take the bus to Publix and you can walk to a trolley that takes you to Universal. With your blue I.D. you can take the trolley for just 25 cents. This trolley is kind of like a city bus, so it makes a TON of stops (AKA take a really early one). It drops you off 2 blocks away or something, so you have to walk, but it's almost free! We took it once, and honestly try to avoid taking it. It takes so much time out of your day. Also our driver on the way home was CRAZY and drove like he was drunk.

I also HIGHLY recommend going in the off season, Universal has absolutely awful crowd control. I went with my family during Christmas season, and you couldn't walk ANYWHERE because the crowds were so bad, and there were no (cast members? Employees?) Universal people ANYWHERE to direct traffic. Also pretty sure Universal doesn't have a cap like Disney does (where they stop letting people in when they hit a certain amount of guests) so there's way too many people in the park than there should be. We actually got so frustrated we just did Harry Potter and left mid day. BOTTOM LINE: try to avoid going in the really busy times.

ON TO THE MUST-DO'S!!

Obviously you have to go to both parks, and that includes taking the Hogwarts Express at least once. That's the train that takes you between the two Harry Potter areas of the two parks.

Islands of Adventure Park Must-Do's:

• The Hulk rollercoaster - one of my favorite rollercoasters! 
• Spider Man
• The Cat in the Hat
• Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls IF the weather is nice enough to get wet
• Popeye and Bluto's Bilge-Rat Barges ALSO if the weather is nice
• Go to the Eighth Voyage of Sinbad Stunt Show!
• Obviously drink Butterbeer - I recommend trying both cold and frozen
• Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
• The Dragon Challenge 
• Another couple that other people like are the Jurassic Park ride (if you like getting wet), and Doctor Doom's Freefall if you like drops
• I also recommend eating at the Three Broomsticks
• Get dinner at Mythos
• Shop at Honeydukes 

Universal Studios Must-Do's:

• Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
• Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
• Revenge of the Mummy
• Transformers
• Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
• Get the Butterbeer ice cream!
• Also eat at the Leaky Cauldron
• The Men in Black ride is similar to Toy Story Midway Mania at Hollywood Studios - fun but not a must-do
• Apparently E.T. is cool but I've never done it 

Universal CityWalk is pretty cool and has good food like Panda Express, Starbucks, and Menchie's fro yo. Also they hold lots of events and concerts there, my roommates saw Phillip Phillips there! 

That's pretty much what I have for Universal! I've spent more time in Islands of Adventure, so that's why that list is longer. There is more thrill rides at Universal than Disney, but less to do outside of attractions. Also the cast members are way nicer at Disney, but maybe I'm just biased ;) It might not seem like a lot to do, but I went quite a few times and just did the Harry Potter section and a few other things! It is SO much fun to be a witch for a day... drink some Butterbeer, ride a few rides, shop in Diagon Alley, the good stuff. It's a good change of pace from Disney!