Easily overstimulated kids in crowded amusement parks can be tricky, but it’s not impossible. My kids were overwhelmed in the early afternoon and/or closing. A plan for each day that outlines when and where to eat (snacks and meals), break time (consider leaving the park around lunch and returning after a rest), and when to hit the kid’s must-do rides can be a game changer. Learn how to schedule your day, stay calm, and beat the crowds at Universal Orlando Resort.
How to Make Daily Schedules for Vacation Without Overscheduling
Let’s face it, it’s easy to overschedule. I’m guilty! Making an in-depth schedule isn’t harmful, but unwillingness to compromise or deviate from your plan can ruin your vacation.
Annie Eklöv
On our recent trip to Universal Orlando Resort, I came armed and ready with daily lists. I thought these reflected the perfect way to execute our day. I planned to check off our must-do items, and ensure we got to everything! The problem was my kids didn’t want to do everything. They got tired and needed more breaks and snacks than I planned.
My kids have ADHD. The oldest [ADHD hyper (17)] didn’t accompany us on our trip. My middle daughter [ADHD inattentive or ADD (14)], and my youngest daughter [waiting to be screened for ADHD (9)] traveled with me which made me realize that even older kids with ADHD need breaks in overstimulating environments.
Don’t get me wrong my lists were helpful. they included tips for saving time and ideas for what and where to eat, but the first day was the only day I took the time to check off activities after we finished them. After that, I looked at my lists in the morning before we left for the theme parks and I referred to them if we needed help deciding what to do next.
Sometimes I’ve kept lists on my phone and other times I’ve printed them out to reduce screen time. Both methods worked, and you may refer to your list as much or as little as you want. Just remember kids can’t always follow lists to a T and parents need to intervene before kids have a complete meltdown.
The Practicalities of Your Vacation Schedule
- Get out your phone, computer, iPad, or pen and paper
- Start with a framework for your day
- Schedule meals (these probably will be eaten at a restaurant in the park because Universal limits the amount of food and coolers you can bring into the theme parks.) When will you eat and where?
- Lunch or dinner reservations? (Don’t make reservations for every meal.)
- Snacks? Most kids need snacks, and it’s easiest to have some basic treats with you in a fanny pack (fanny packs are allowed on most rides.), so you can snack while you wait. Some bigger snacks should be scheduled by a popcorn stand or food truck.
- Decide if/when you will do EPA (early park admission)
- When will you leave the park?
- Midday break?
- Stay late?
- Leave early in the evening?
- Schedule meals (these probably will be eaten at a restaurant in the park because Universal limits the amount of food and coolers you can bring into the theme parks.) When will you eat and where?
- Ask your family for a list of things they must do while at the theme parks (or at a national park, museum, or city break.).
- Group the lists of must-dos into items from the same location.
- Give each group a time slot (i.e, before lunch, after lunch, after supper)
- Fill in each time slot with nearby activities (things you think your family will enjoy) if there aren’t enough must-do items in that area.
- Add some tips to your list to make your day smoother and you’re done! (I found a few tips in my notes like, ”The food truck is usually less buy between 10:00 am. and 11:30 am. if we want an early snack.” This is helpful because you can’t remember everything you read/watch when you are planning a trip.
You can read my list for our first day below. I wasn’t exactly sure what we wanted to do all day, but I still found the list helpful. I did decide we’d do EPA (early park admission), and since EPA was only in Islands of Adventure while we were there we went to Universal Studios between 9:00 am and 10:00 am every day. The idea was to beat the crowds to Diagon Alley and to eat breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron because they give you a free Harry Potter drink with your breakfast.
This is a long list, but I didn’t expect to get it done in one day and I didn’t even know what order to do it in. I checked some things we did off but not everything.
Help Kids with ADHD Avoid Being Stressed-out at Theme Parks
It may be a good idea to book your trip when there are low crowds at the parks. Websites that sell tickets have crowd calendars.
- Many kids with ADHD struggle with overstimulation, can’t read social cues, do poorly in school, etc.
- Because it’s been so hard for my kids to concentrate in school I’ve sometimes taken them out of school a week before or after a normal school break. The school usually gives us homework, but sometimes my kids learn more doing homework with me during breaks than they do in a normal week at school.
- We use the week when everyone else is in school to do something fun and the week of break we visit grandparents and make sure the homework gets done.
- If you homeschool, schedule a break when the crowds are low.
Start your day the same way every morning if your kids need routines. This strategy even works at amusement parks!
My daughter didn’t do well when I tried to change the theme park routine routine. We tried eating at the Minions Cafe at 11:00, but she wasn’t happy with the change in routine or the food. I’m, sure they have good food at the Minion’s Cafe she just didn’t like what she ordered.
- We did EPA every morning
- We went directly to Hagrid’s motorbike adventure (it was delayed one morning out of seven. It doesn’t take more than a half hour to get on the ride if you are 45 min to an hour early to the opening of EPA. They often let you in 15 min early.
- After Hagrid’s ride, we rode the Flight of the Hippogriff and got in line for The Forbidden Journey.
- We rode all the major rides during early park admission and then took the Hogwarts Express to Diagon Alley.
- In Diagon Alley, we rode Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts and ate breakfast at the Leakey Cauldron before looking in shops and enjoying Diagon Alley.
- One day Hagrid’s ride was delayed and we rode the velociCoaster instead.
Get a fast pass, to save time and allow for more breaks.
Sometimes you can’t get your kids out of school, and you must fight crowds. If your budget allows book one of the top-tier resorts at Universal Orlando to get fast passes for everyone in your room.
- Fast Passes saved the day for my kids when they wanted to ride rides, but their patience was thin.
- Book early to get the best deal. We booked 9 months in advance and when I called 6 months later to ask if we could add a night to our booking I was informed that the price had gone up significantly.
Go back to your Hotel and take a break from the theme park at lunch
A break may be what kids need to recharge and enjoy the evening at the theme park. This advice is best applied during the summer when amusement parks are open longer hours and the heat in the middle of the day should be avoided.
- Book a hotel close to your favorite area of the amusement park.
- The faster you can get to your hotel the more likely you are to actually walk or ride back to get a break.
- Nap, swim, or just rest without people punching and constant noise.
- Head back to the park when you feel recharged.
Use the Room Universal Orlando created for people who are overstimulated in the parks.
Unfortunately, there is only one room and there are many people who need it. The alternative is to find a quiet place to sit. Generally the closer to the water you get (in both parks) the quieter it gets. Most people are racing toward rides.
Places to seek quiet in Islands of Adventure:
- The caverns/caves in Jurassic World.
- possibly you can find a vacant spot in Camp Jurassic
- Close to the water
- By the water ride Popeye’s you can find a walkway down to the water that isn’t used for anything. It’s a dead end, so not many walk that way.
- Behind the Mythos restaurant is a bridge and an area where few people walk.
- Go into a less popular shop
- The area around the entrance to the park is usually less crowded
Places to recharge and hide from crowds in Universal Studios Florida:
- Central Park
- The steps in front of the library
- By the water
- Behind Lombards restaurant, you can usually find some decking/seating that isn’t solely for customers.
- We hardly saw people by the water at all in this park, and we were there during a busy time.
- By the Animal Actors on Location show, there is covered seating for people to eat snacks. This area is often empty or filled with a few families.
- By the Men in Black ride, there are usually not too many people, and the bathrooms by Men in Black often don’t have lines.
- Basically, get off the main path and you can find some empty space. The exception is Diagon Alley.
Quick Tips to Beat the Crowds at Universal’s Theme Parks in Orlando
The biggest tip is to plan your trip around low crowd times. If that is not possible get a fast pass.
Get to EPA 45-60 min early if it’s busy and at least 30 min early if there are low crowds. Wait by the turnstiles for the park to open. they usually start letting people in 15 min early.
See The Harry Potter areas of the park during EPA or as soon as the park opens. These areas will fill up by late morning and remain full until right before closing.
Ride Hagrids as soon as they open EPA.
Use Mobile ordering for your meals or plan to eat at 11:00 am and again at 3:00-4:00 pm.
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