Common Orlando has three theme parks, a water park, 11 resorts and a 30-acre buying, eating and leisure advanced. If it is your first go to to the theme park that allows you to “experience the films” or you have not visited shortly, this information may also help you identify the place to remain, what to do, and the place to eat.
Here is all the things you want to find out about visiting Common Orlando Resort.
The best way to begin planning your journey to Common Orlando
There are a number of questions it would be best to reply earlier than you dig into the small print of planning your Common Orlando trip:
- What’s your finances? The amount of money it’s important to burn will decide most different elements of your trip, together with the place you keep, what number of days you go to, the place you dine and whether or not you’ll go to one or a number of parks per day.
- When will you go? The very best instances to go to Common Orlando are just like the greatest instances to go to Disney World. It’s busier on weekends and through college breaks, together with spring break, the lengthy summer time break and the winter vacation season. You will see fewer crowds in the event you go to on a weekday when college is in session.
- The place will you keep? Common Orlando has 11 resorts; they vary from as little as $150 per night time for Worth Inns and Suites and climb as excessive as $800 per night time for Signature Assortment resorts. You’ll be able to base your selection on finances, theming or the place you propose to spend most of your time. Three of Common’s resorts are nearer to the brand new Epic Universe park, whereas the others are nearer to Islands of Journey and Common Studios Florida.
- Which parks will you go to on which days? This can assist you to select between buying one-park-per-day tickets or “Park-to-Park” tickets that grant entry to a number of parks on the identical day. It’s also possible to add entry to Common’s Volcano Bay Water Park and Epic Universe, in addition to Common Categorical passes that permit you to skip the standby line on most sights.
- What are your must-do rides and experiences? Assessment the rides and experiences at every of Common’s parks to search out your favorites. You’ll be able to examine our favourite rides at Common Studios and Islands of Journey, or see what’s coming to Epic Universe.
- The place will you dine? In case you are planning on certainly one of Common’s specialty eating experiences — like a Marvel character dinner, the Wantilan Luau at Loews Royal Pacific Resort or Sapphire Falls’ five-course dinner with rum pairings — you want to make reservations early. Reservations for many different desk service meals are straightforward to get inside a few weeks earlier than your trip.
What sort of Common Orlando ticket ought to I purchase?
Common ticket varieties
Common Orlando affords a number of ticket varieties, which you should buy for entry for one, two, three, 4 or 5 days. Which ticket sort you select will decide which parks you possibly can go to and whether or not you possibly can go to a number of theme parks in someday.
The most cost effective tickets permit entry to 1 park per day. You’ll be able to select between Common Studios, Islands of Journey, Volcano Bay or Epic Universe.
If you wish to go to a number of parks in someday, you may have to buy Park-to-Park tickets. These tickets could also be dearer, however Common’s parks are shut sufficient to one another that it’s straightforward to go to a number of parks per day. It is also the one strategy to experience the Hogwarts Categorical practice as a result of it travels between Common Studios and Islands of Journey.
Solely sure ticket varieties can get you into Epic Universe in the course of the grand opening interval for the brand new park. You should purchase a one-day ticket to Epic Universe, a lodge and ticket package deal that features a go to to Epic Universe, or a park-only ticket with as much as 4 days at Common’s different parks and a one-day admission to Epic Universe.
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In case you go to for greater than a few days or probably twice in 12 months, contemplate a Common annual cross.
Shopping for direct from Common
Common Orlando’s web site virtually at all times has particular affords. Learn the choices rigorously to see if any promotions make sense for you. You might get free park days, a reduction on lodge and theme park ticket packages, or different particular affords.
Shopping for tickets from different distributors
It’s also possible to purchase tickets from respected distributors like Undercover Vacationer or a certified trip planner like our companion Mouse Counselors. Certainly one of our favourite issues about buying by way of Undercover Vacationer is that your theme park tickets will code as a journey cost in your bank card. You probably have a card that earns bonus factors for journey purchases or comes with an annual journey credit score, you possibly can make the most of these advantages by buying your tickets by way of a third-party website.
FOR NO-COST ASSISTANCE WITH PLANNING AND BOOKING YOUR NEXT UNIVERSAL VACATION, CHECK OUT TPG’S THEME PARK BOOKING PARTNER, MOUSE COUNSELORS.
Utilizing factors to purchase Common tickets
You need to use Citi ThankYou Rewards to buy admission to Common Orlando. On the time of this writing, Common Orlando tickets will not be accessible by way of some other bank card journey portal.
Greatest instances to go to Common Orlando
You is probably not completely free to decide on the date to your go to to Common Orlando. After all, this 12 months, we advocate ready till Epic Universe opens Could 22 so you possibly can expertise this groundbreaking new park.
In case you are touring with school-age kids, you’ll in all probability have to come back to Orlando throughout lengthy weekends or spring or summer time breaks. These could be busy instances as a result of most college breaks coincide, however this information will share some methods it can save you time in line.
Traditionally, Common Orlando Resort’s slowest instances are between Labor Day by way of the primary two weeks of November (earlier than Thanksgiving) and the primary two weeks of December (earlier than the vacation rush). Notice, although, that in the event you go to near Halloween, it is going to be busier due to Common’s Halloween Horror Nights.
Most of January, aside from the primary week, can also be comparatively quiet, as is the primary week of February. Nevertheless, it rapidly will get busy with spring breakers the nearer you get to March. Crowds skinny out a bit after Easter and thru Could, then ramp up once more for {the summertime}.
You’ll be able to verify anticipated crowd ranges at crowd calendars like Undercover Vacationer, Touringplans or Orlando Informer.
What’s the easiest way to get to Common Orlando?
Attending to Orlando after which to Common Orlando Resort after arriving are two utterly various things. Let’s take a look at every.
What’s the closest airport to Common Orlando?
The closest airport to Common Orlando is Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO). Most main airways fly into MCO, and you’ll attain Common from the airport in about 20 to half-hour, relying on visitors. In case you are flying Allegiant Air or Solar Nation Airways, you may fly into Orlando Sanford Worldwide Airport (SFB). SFB is smaller than MCO and is farther from Common. From SFB, it’s a few 45-minute drive to Common.
What’s the easiest way to get to Common Orlando from the airport?
Due to its measurement and proximity to Common, MCO affords a number of choices for getting between the airport and Common.
From Orlando Worldwide Airport or Orlando Sanford Worldwide Airport, you possibly can hire a automobile or use a ride-hailing service like Uber or Lyft. In case you hire a automobile from MCO, you possibly can forgo paying tolls by way of the automobile rental firm (which frequently comes with an extra charge) and choose up a Customer Toll Go to save lots of on tolls throughout your journey.
In case you do hire a automobile, needless to say Common’s on-site resorts cost a parking charge; you may need to pay for parking in the event you select to drive to Common’s theme parks, too. With Common’s transportation choices, although, there isn’t any cause to drive between the parks in the event you keep on-site.
Your different possibility is the Common SuperStar Shuttle. The shuttle can choose you up from MCO and drop you off at your Common lodge. One-way service is $23 for adults and $18 for teenagers ages 3 to 9. Spherical-trip service is $39 for adults and $29 for teenagers. Reservations are required, and you’ll name 1-866-604-7557 to make one.
What’s the easiest way to get round Common Orlando?
In case you are staying at certainly one of Common’s on-site resorts, you could have a number of complimentary choices for getting between your resort, Common’s parks and CityWalk.
Shuttle bus
As a result of Common Studios Florida, Islands of Journey and CityWalk are shut to 1 one other, there is just one bus cease close to the principle parking storage, no matter the place you’re going. A separate shuttle will take you from the principle parking space to Volcano Bay water park until you keep at Cabana Bay Seashore Resort or Aventura Lodge. These resorts are shut sufficient to Volcano Bay that visitors should use the strolling path.
As a result of Epic Universe is farther from the principle campus, you’ll board a devoted bus out of your lodge or the principle parking space to get to that park.
Water taxi
All of Common’s Signature Assortment resorts and Loews Sapphire Falls Resort provide water taxi service to Common’s theme parks. Along with easy accessibility to the parks, you undergo safety earlier than you board the water taxi, so you may get into the parks with out ready in a protracted safety line.
Drive and park
In case you’re not staying in an official Common lodge, you should drive and park in Common’s foremost parking construction (6000 Common Boulevard). After you park and undergo safety, you possibly can stroll to CityWalk or certainly one of Common’s theme parks. In case you plan to go to Volcano Bay, you may be directed to a shuttle bus that may take you there.
Day by day parking charges are as follows:
- Common parking: $32
- RV/bus parking: $42
- Prime parking: $50 to $60
Valet parking is offered for an extra charge. Free self-parking is offered for visitors who arrive after 6 p.m. besides throughout choose nighttime occasions.
Backyard stroll
In case you do not thoughts a number of hundred further steps, you possibly can take a peaceable strolling path from the Exhausting Rock Lodge, Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Loews Portofino Bay Lodge, Loews Sapphire Falls Resort, Common’s Aventura Lodge and Common’s Cabana Bay Seashore Resort to Common’s foremost campus.
There’s a separate safety entrance on the finish of the strolling path that often has a a lot shorter wait than the principle safety station within the parking storage. In case you are staying at certainly one of these resorts and need to arrive for early park admission, the strolling path is usually the easiest way to get there rapidly and be close to the entrance gates earlier than they open.
Strolling paths to Epic Universe can be found on the three resorts closest to that park.
What’s the very best place to remain on a Common Orlando trip?
As soon as you have ironed out when to go to Common, you may need to decide the place to remain. You will have many choices between Common’s on-site resorts and several other close by factors resorts. There are such a lot of decisions that TPG wrote a complete information to picking the very best Common Orlando lodge to your journey, however this is a fast overview.
Advantages of Common resorts
All Common lodge visitors obtain early entry into the parks for particular sights as much as one hour earlier than the official opening time. The parks which might be open for early admission fluctuate day by day, and solely sure sights can be found. There is a useful web page on the Common website to find out what’s accessible to on-site lodge visitors.
It is a good freebie, and it is the very best technique in case your coronary heart is ready on driving an attraction that doesn’t take part within the Common Categorical cross skip-the-line program.
In case you keep in certainly one of Common’s on-site resorts, you need to use the park’s complimentary transportation choices described above to get between the parks and your lodge. It’s also possible to cost buying and eating purchases to your room and make the most of package deal supply to your lodge once you purchase souvenirs within the parks.
Charges at Common’s Worth and Prime Worth resorts align with different space resorts, however if you wish to keep in certainly one of Common’s high-end Signature Assortment resorts, you may pay significantly extra.
Most of those (Exhausting Rock Lodge, Loews Royal Pacific Resort and Loews Portofino Bay Lodge) include complimentary Common Categorical Limitless skip-the-line passes for all visitors in your room, including as much as important financial savings to the price of your trip.
You probably have The Platinum Card® from American Categorical or The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical, you possibly can maximize your keep at Loews Portofino Bay and e-book by way of the Amex Tremendous Accommodations + Resorts program. This won’t solely get you Common Categorical passes for all of the visitors in your occasion but in addition a full day by day breakfast for 2, a $100 property credit score, late 4 p.m. checkout and extra.
A number of Common Orlando resorts are bookable by way of Capital One Journey, Chase Journey and the Citi Journey portal, permitting you to earn or redeem factors and miles in your lodge keep.
Staying off-site
Common is surrounded by loads of factors resorts, so in the event you’d choose to remain off-site (utilizing factors or money) and do not thoughts lacking out on the perks and proximity of staying on-site, you possibly can simply achieve this. A few of TPG’s favourite close by factors resorts are inside strolling distance of Common or have a complimentary shuttle.
The best way to save time in line at Common Orlando
Like many different theme parks, Common has its personal model of a skip-the-line cross known as Common Categorical. There are a number of methods you may get Common Categorical passes.
As talked about above, the easiest way is to get it included without cost together with your keep at choose Signature Assortment resorts. An alternative choice is to purchase an Categorical Go for the day or days you want to use it. How a lot you pay is dependent upon the kind of cross you purchase, once you go to Common and which parks you propose to go to.
Costs begin at $119 per individual, per day for the Common Categorical cross, and it lets you skip the road as soon as per day on most sights. For Common Categorical Limitless, which lets you skip the road a number of instances per day, the worth begins at $149.99.
There are separate Categorical Go choices that embody Volcano Bay or Epic Universe. You’ll be able to evaluate all accessible choices on Common’s web site.
Take a VIP tour
One other strategy to keep away from the strains is to take a VIP tour. Common affords each small group and personal VIP excursions, and each choices may also help you chop the road. A non-public tour will price your group a number of thousand {dollars} for the day, however small-group VIP experiences could be a lot cheaper, averaging round $400 per individual.
The first distinction between the 2 excursions is the quantity of entry. The group excursions are much less non-public however solely assure that you will expertise front-of-the-line entry for eight to 10 rides. A non-public VIP tour is charged by the hour and operates sooner or slower as you favor.
Use baby swap
In case you journey as a household, you recognize that not everybody will need to go on each experience. Plus, a few of your children might not but be previous or tall sufficient to experience some sights your different children are dying to strive.
Associated: Extra than simply thrills: There’s massive enjoyable for little children at Common Orlando
Common’s child-swap program solves the issue of the whole household having to decide on between experiencing a experience or ready in line twice for each adults to experience. Most sights have air-conditioned ready areas with televisions displaying whichever film the attraction relies on, and oldsters can take turns ready there with their kids.
Simply ask the attraction attendant to level you towards the designated ready spots.
The best way to plan a Common Orlando journey on a finances
All of the extras like Common Categorical and top-tier resorts are enjoyable. Nevertheless, if these perks aren’t in your finances, there are methods to economize in your go to to Common Orlando. Listed here are a few of the most vital issues you are able to do to make your Common trip finances manageable:
- Keep at a Common Worth resort like Common’s Limitless Summer season Dockside or Surfside resorts, or use lodge reward factors to remain at one of many Hilton or Hyatt resorts talked about above. Listed here are the greatest playing cards to earn Hilton factors and the greatest playing cards to earn Hyatt factors.
- Buy groceries for meals and snacks, and solely purchase one or two meals within the parks day by day.
- Do not go to the parks on daily basis you’re at Common, and stick to 1 park per day. You will get monetary savings by skipping a Park-to-Park ticket.
- Swim at your lodge or go to CityWalk throughout your time off from the parks. In case you keep at a resort like Common’s Cabana Bay Seashore Resort, you may have a lazy river and waterslide on the pool, making it virtually like a water park.
- Do not forget to periodically verify Common’s web site for reductions. Even after you e-book, you could possibly apply a lodge or trip package deal low cost that may prevent much more cash.
- Go to throughout much less busy instances of the 12 months. Ticket costs are the most affordable in September, with one-day tickets beginning at $119.
Common Orlando pre-trip guidelines
Now that you have decided your finances, bought your tickets, booked your lodge and made a tough itinerary, your journey is almost deliberate. You will simply want to think about a number of different particulars to make your journey as memorable as attainable.
Here is our final Common Orlando pre-trip guidelines:
- Pack accordingly: Relying on once you go to, you possibly can be coping with warmth, humidity, afternoon showers, chilly temperatures or a mixture of all the above. It is vital to pack snug footwear and clothes regardless of once you go to, however you may additionally need rain gear, solar safety or a heat jacket, relying on the climate.
- Obtain the Common Orlando app: This app is a useful device that you’ll use day by day throughout your go to. You need to use it to verify wait instances and present instances; plus, you possibly can mobile-order meals and snacks from quick-service eating places. It’s also possible to hyperlink your ticket to the app. Or, in the event you save a bank card to your account, you need to use the app’s Common Pay function to make contactless funds at retailers and eating places all through the park.
- Examine the park hours earlier than your go to: You’ll be able to view the park hours on the Common Orlando web site or the Common Orlando app. Every park has separate opening and shutting instances, and parks often shut early for particular occasions like Halloween Horror Nights.
- Examine the peak necessities for sights: In case you are touring to Common Orlando with younger kids, you possibly can verify the top necessities for sights on the park’s web site or app. There are additionally measuring stations in any respect sights with a minimal top requirement, nevertheless it’s higher to know forward of time to keep away from tears in case your baby is not fairly tall sufficient.
- Know the place to search out your favourite characters: Most characters have designated assembly instances and places, which you will discover within the Common app below “reveals.” You need to see a filter for “character” that may convey up reveals and meet-and-greets together with your favourite characters.
- Resolve if you wish to buy a My Common Images package deal. Along with on-ride photographs, skilled photographers can be found round Common’s theme parks that can assist you seize your trip reminiscences. You should purchase one-day or three-day picture packages and save $20 by buying forward of time. In case you assume you want this feature, it is best to buy it earlier than your trip.
- Plan for downtime: One of many greatest errors folks make on a theme park trip is overscheduling their journey and leaving no time for relaxation and rest. In case you are visiting for various days, attempt to schedule a day away from the parks the place you swim, discover the opposite resorts or lounge across the lodge. It will assist rejuvenate you for the remainder of your journey. For shorter journeys, you could need to schedule a sluggish morning or return to your lodge early someday as an alternative of being on the parks from opening to closing on daily basis.
Backside line
Common is filled with rides, sights, character meet-and-greets and extra. But it is compact sufficient which you could cowl a variety of floor in just some days. With this information, you possibly can select the place to remain and what to do, in addition to the place to spend and the place it can save you. This fashion, you possibly can have the very best Common Orlando trip.
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