Who doesn’t want to save money on a family vacation? From hotel to tickets and food, a lot of money goes into a Universal trip, but there are ways to maximize your dollar. In this post I am sharing ways to save money at Universal Orlando without sacrificing comfort and fun.
Before we get into the money saving tips I have to be upfront- Universal Orlando is expensive. There are a lot of vacations out there that you could probably do cheaper but if you are here I assume you are looking for ways to make a Universal trip happen for your family.
This is where I come in. We have been visiting theme parks for over a decade as a family of five and we always look for the cheapest way to visit, so we can visit more often.
Often this means skipping sit down meals for quick service/casual dining, as well as staying longer to take advantage of “Stay More, Pay Less” deals.
Below I am sharing all the ways we stretch our dollar during our Universal Orlando trips.
Insider Tip: Purchase tickets before you arrive to get the best deal and save time!
Best Money Saving Tips for Universal
- Avoid spring break and holidays. These are the most expensive times to stay at Unviersal.
- Purchase a “More You Stay, Less You Pay” Ticket deal. I talk more about this below but typically you pay less per day the more days you visit.
- Stay at an on property value resort to receive perks of guests at a budget friendly price.
- Don’t buy what you don’t need. Skip souvenirs and snacks. Share meals when possible.
I understand that a lot of people will say we are on vacation, I want to splurge. I get it, but if you want to save you need to think about where you feel comfortable saving and where you want to splurge.
For example we usually skip breakfast to eat quick granola bars, cereal or fruit we have in the room. Its not the best and can become annoying after a week but it saves us a lot of money as a family of 5. This money is then spent to do a nice sit-down or goes towards our next trip.
Take time to consider your priorities as you plan your Universal trip. Then use the tips below to help you stay on a budget.
Where You Will Spend Money
Let’s take a look at the five main categories where you can save money for your trip. I find these to be valued differently depending on your family priorities and what type of theme park trip you want to have.
The basic costs of a Universal vacation are:
- Tickets Prices
- Accommodations/Hotel Room
- Transportation Costs
- Food/Dining
- Souvenirs/Gifts/Extra Cost
Some families may value sit down meals over souvenirs, others may prefer to stay at a premier resort over a value.
One of the biggest costs for our family of five are the ticket costs. Then it is transportation or accommodations, and then dining and souvenirs.
10 Ways to Save Money on a Universal Trip
Compare Ticket Prices
Tickets for Universal start at $119.00 a day. If you add park to park tickets or express passes your daily price goes up even more.
I suggest starting with Universal Orlando Resort website to see what the price will be for the days you want to visit. Then I would check ticket prices through Get Your Guide. Your price per day will change depending on how many days you are visiting the Universal parks.
If you prefer having someone do all the research for you I highly suggest my partner Nikki from Royal Treatment Travel. Reach out for a free quote. She has helped plan numerous trips for us and is amazing to work with.
Consider an Annual Pass
We have saved over $1000.00 on Universal tickets by purchasing annual passes. Plus Annual Passholders have access to hotel discounts of 10%-40% off nightly rate, opportunity to attend Annual Passholder Night, and other discounts depending on which pass you purchase.
For a family of 5 with kids ages 17, 15, and 13 a 5 day park to park ticket with unlimited visits to Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, plus a 1 day ticket to Epic Universe cost $2724.95.
The cost of a Universal annual pass for my family of five is $2263.10. On our most recent purchase the annual pass special was 15 months for the price of 12 months and we purchased the Seasonal Pass, which is the lowest tier.
One important thing to keep in mind is now that Epic Universe is open the value of the pass may be a bit less. Epic Universe is NOT included in any annual passes as of June 2025. I expect this to stay this way until earliest 2026.
When you compare your ticket prices with purchasing an annual pass be sure to include the price of an Epic Universe day. Passholders do receive discounted Epic Universe tickets and the price varies but expect around $150.00 a ticket.
Even though Epic Universe complicates purchasing an annual pass, if you plan on visiting 5 or more days in a calendar year, it is worth looking into. We typically visit 2-3 times in a 12 month cycle and having the pass has saved us on tickets.
Visit During the Off-Season
Your tickets, hotel, flights and car rentals will all cost less if you visit during the off-season. Resorts offer deep discount on hotel rooms during the off-season when they are trying to fill rooms, which makes it one of the best time to visit.
The cheapest time to go to Universal is in the last two weeks of August, before Labor Day weekend, and January – February, after New Years and before Presidents Day Weekend. You can find weeks within the year that might have good deals.
Peak Season is spring break, holiday breaks, the month of July, and any holiday weekend. If you can avoid these times try to. If not you will be okay. We visit during February break week often and it is the only time we can travel with the kids, so we aren’t flexible with the dates.
Stay at a Value Resort On Property
When saving money people shy away from staying on property and it is a mistake. Universal offers places to stay on property for all budgets.
The value resorts at Universal are usually under $200.00 a night and often under $150.00 a night if it is not peak season. Staying on property includes early admission to the parks and complimentary transportation.
Research the resorts you want to stay at and compare the prices. You never know what they will offer during the dates of your travel.
Check out the reviews for the value Universal hotels we have stayed at:
- Stella Nova Resort Review
- Review: Universal Endless Summer Resort Dockside
- Review: Endless Summer Resort: Surfside Inn and Suites
- Review: Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort Family Suites Room and Resort
- Aventura Hotel Review
You Don’t Need Express Pass
Express Pass is a fantastic way to skip the lines at Universal but it is $150.00 a day, per person in addition to your admission ticket. If you are trying to save money purchasing express pass is not a necessity.
We have never purchased express pass because it is out of our budget but we have used it by staying at a hotel that includes express pass. Read this: Which Universal Hotels Include Express Pass
If we are trying to do Universal as cheap as possible and we stay at a value we will use the single rider line to have shorter wait times. Single rider does split up your party and is not for everyone but it is worth considering. Read this post to learn more: Maximize Your Day with Universal Orlando Single Rider Lines
Don’t Rent a Car
If you are staying at Universal for your entire trip you do not need a car. Honestly we have done Disney and Universal trip and relied on Lyft to get around or you can book a transfer with Universal Superstar Shuttle.
Parking at Universal resorts start at $26.00 a night depending on the resort you stay at and you don’t really need a car once you are there.
Share Meals for Lunch
When purchasing meals in the park share when you can. Meals are often big enough to share and can be split between an adult and a child or two adults. We shared this meal recently at Mead Hall and there was more than enough food.
I will often split a sandwich with my kids and then purchase a small snack later in the day if we are hungry. Typically I don’t want to eat huge meals during park days because of all the rides and the heat.
If you really want to save you can pack snacks and sandwiches for your lunch and avoid the cost of food inside the park. We have never done this because food at Universal is something we enjoy as part of the trip.
We do take advantage of grocery delivery services for snacks in our room. These food saving tips may not work for everyone but deciding on what meals are a priority and what meals you can save on will help you stay on budget for your trip.
Don’t Buy What You Can Bring from Home
Everything cost more at the theme parks. If you know you will need something purchase it at home and bring it with you. We purchase character t-shirts, ponchos, sunscreen, and everything you need for our trip before we arrive at the parks.
You can find everything in my theme park shop for more details on what I pack before I arrive.
Set A Souvenir Budget
This is a personal decision. I have given the kids a set amount of vacation money on some trips and we have visited without buying anything. It depends on the trip.
Be sure to think about how you feel about souvenirs before you find yourself in the middle of a gift shop! It will save you stress and everyone will know the expectations ahead of time.
Also consider the extras like wands at The Wizarding World or Power Up Bands at Super Nintendo World. These are interactive at the park and double dip as a souvenir.
I am a coffee drinker and usually buy a mug to add to my collection at the parks. We also purchase an ornament during our vacations and have collected many throughout the years.
Skip Breakfast & Drinks
This one may not be for everyone but on park days we skip breakfast. We will make coffee in our room and bring granola bars, dry cereal, fruit bars, or protein bars from home to grab and go in the morning.
We are usually hungry by 11:00am, but this is part of my park strategy. We arrive at rope drop, do not stop to eat breakfast, ride the most popular attractions, and are ready to sit down for lunch earlier than the rest of the crowds. It is less busy for the rides and our meal.
I will also pack a small bag of pretzels to snack on in between rides. It helps if you are prone to motion sickness too!
Another thing we skip to save at Universal is ordering drinks. Drinks cost around $4.00 (or more) each, for a family of 5 skipping drinks saves us at least $20.00 a meal. For the day that is $40.00. For the week- $240.00.
It all adds up. If you really want a beverage during your meal consider saving it for dinner and ordering waters for lunch. It is not about depriving yourself and suffering during your vacation but finding easy ways to save money where it works for you.
Universal does have Coke freestyle machines throughout the park. Water is free to all guests at this machine but you may want to consider purchasing a reusable cup if you want to purchase drinks.
The cost for the reusable cup is $18.99 for the day. It might make sense to purchase one and share. To recharge the cup each day it is $11.99. They also have deals if you want to purchase more than one reusable cup. If you purchase 2 cups the price is $16.99, for 3-6 cups the price is $14.99.
The little costs can add up and we try to save where we can without sacrificing our vacation.
Final Thoughts
Saving money at Universal is not really easy. Even with tips it is not a cheap vacation. We try to find places to save and also splurge on what we value as a family.
What I have learned over the decade of visiting the parks with a family is that you can do Universal on a budget. The best budget is what works best for your family. The best vacation is when you don’t feel as if you have overspent and can enjoy it.
Do what works best for you. There is nothing you have to spend money on to have a great trip. No matter your budget you can have a great time on a Universal Orlando vacation.
If you are overwhelmed with planning or you want someone to make all the reservations for you consider using a travel agent. Our friend Nikki at Royal Treatment Travel is amazing and has helped us plan and book many of our trips. She finds the best deals and her service is free! It is a win-win. Learn more here.
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Leah has been planning and writing about Universal trips since 2016. She loves finding the best places to eat and stay during her visits to the park. Leah enjoys the little details that make visiting the parks so immersive and special, and sharing that with her readers.
