Book your trip during the park's off season. During tourist seasons, the theme parks in Orlando are extremely busy. If possible, visit during times park attendance is lower. According to Orlando-Florida.net, Universal Studios has less visitors from mid-September until just before Thanksgiving, after Thanksgiving until the week right before Christmas and from mid-January through the week of Presidents' Day in February. Visiting during these times of year allows guests to avoid the longer lines during the park's peak season.
Create a plan of action before the trip. To make a plan, list every attraction that is a must-see for each family member. Then use a park map to figure the location of each attraction. Take the time to plan your day at the park, noting which attractions are close enough to each other so the family can move from ride to ride quickly.
Eat a good breakfast and plan to get there early. Arriving 30 minutes before the park opens allows guests to bypass the crowds and get in the gate sooner. Beating the rush can save a lot of time in the morning. By eating a good breakfast, you may not have to stop to eat until lunch time and will be able to spend the maximum amount of the morning hours on rides.
When entering the park, go the opposite direction of the crowds. Most people tend to start with the rides and attractions closest to them and work their way to the back of the park. However, starting in the back of the park not only ensures the least amount of wait time in the morning but also puts the guest closer to the gates when people are fighting to get out of the park at closing time.
Visit the various attractions in groups. It takes less time to visit attractions that are close together than walking back and forth through the park. If you have an Express Pass, you can get a ticket for a predetermined time to ride on the more popular rides and ride the other rides in that area until that time comes.
