Set a date early. Avoid the obvious crowd lures such as holidays and special events (Halloween Horror Nights in September and October, for example) and, if possible, stay away from weekends.
Take advantage of resort discounts for Florida or Southern California residents, if applicable.
Shop around. Unlike other packaged deals, deep discounts are often available if necessities are purchased separately rather than together. Visit travel websites like Travelocity and Hotels.com for room accommodations. They even offer deeply discounted rates for on-site Universal Studios hotels, which may translate to savings on gas and parking. There are some instances, however, when packaged deals are the best option; for example, Universal Studios Hollywood offers a discount on a joint ticket to Disneyland.
Wait until you get there to buy tickets to the Orlando site. They're often available at well-advertised road-side stands throughout Orlando and on the major highways leading to it. Tickets not purchased in advance can be bought at the gate. In Hollywood, however, the Universal Studios website tends to offer recurring deals for prepurchased tickets and online-only deals.
Take advantage of promotional offers. Bottles of Coca-Cola often offer discounts on Universal packages, particularly during Halloween Horror nights. A visit to Universal's website will tell you which products are offering these discounts.
