Animal Actors On Location!
Closing for good: last day Mon, Nov 2, 2026; permanently closed from Nov 3 to make way for a new, unannounced experience.
Source ↗Next 7 days of hours
- Sun, Oct 25 9 AM – 5 PM
- Mon, Oct 26 10 AM – 7 PM
- Tue, Oct 27 10 AM – 7 PM
- Wed, Oct 28 9 AM – 5 PM
- Thu, Oct 29 9 AM – 5 PM
- Fri, Oct 30 9 AM – 5 PM
- Sat, Oct 31 9 AM – 5 PM
What's closed or changing
Hogwarts Express (King's Cross station)
Closed one day: Wed, Nov 4, 2026 (reopens Nov 5), at both stations. Walk to Islands of Adventure through CityWalk instead.
Source ↗Universal Orlando's Horror Make-Up Show
Closed: since May 12, 2026 for a reimagining; Universal lists a Winter 2026 return.
Source ↗Po Live!
Closed: since Oct 3, 2026; no reopening date announced.
Source ↗Finnegan's Bar & Grill
Closed: major refurbishment, scheduled to reopen in Winter 2026.
Source ↗Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift (coming 2027)
Under construction: Universal says 2027, no date yet. The older Fast & Furious: Supercharged closed permanently on Aug 16, 2026.
Source ↗What to ride first
"Which ride do you rope drop?" comes up constantly on r/UniversalOrlando ↗. Based on Ride Ready's fall 2026 wait data for this park (Ride Ready ↗):
- Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts first. About 15 minutes in the first hour, about 45 by early afternoon.
- Transformers: The Ride-3D next. Usually a walk-on in the first hour only, then around 30 minutes.
- Walk past Despicable Me Minion Mayhem at opening. It's the first ride inside the gate, so its line is longest right then. Come back late on a non-HHN evening.
On Halloween Horror Nights dates the park closes to day guests at 5 PM, so there's no quiet evening to save rides for. Those are typical waits, not guarantees; check live wait times on the day.
Early entry and Express: who gets what
- Universal hotel guests: Early Park Admission is listed at Islands of Adventure and Epic Universe every day through Nov 30, but not at Universal Studios Florida on the dates published so far (Universal's calendar via ThemeParks.wiki). Plan to arrive with everyone else.
- Annual passholders: passholder Early Park Admission covers Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure: Premier passes on all dates, Preferred on select dates. Universal ↗
- Premier hotel Express Unlimited (Hard Rock Hotel, Loews Portofino Bay, Loews Royal Pacific) works at participating rides here and at Islands of Adventure for everyone in the room, but not at Epic Universe or Volcano Bay. Universal hotels ↗
Halloween Horror Nights: six nights left
Remaining HHN 2026 nights on Universal's calendar: Oct 25, 28, 29, 30, 31 and Nov 1 (the last night). The event is a separate ticket, runs 6:30 PM to 2 AM on those dates, and day guests have to leave by 5 PM. official hours ↗
Holidays: parade and Diagon Alley (Nov 14 – Jan 3)
Universal Orlando's holiday season runs Nov 14, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027, included with park admission. At Universal Studios Florida:
- Universal's Holiday Parade featuring Macy's, nightly, with giant balloons and floats, ending with a Christmas tree lighting.
- Christmas in Diagon Alley: holiday lights, décor and holiday entertainment at select spots.
- Universal Holiday Tour (extra cost, from $69.99 per person + tax, select dates Nov 14 – Jan 2, needs a park-to-park ticket): optional reserved parade viewing plus Grinch, Max and Santa meet and greets.
Ticket deals that include Universal Studios Florida
- Florida residents: 2-Park Unlimited Days ticket, $199 + tax, unlimited Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure visits through Dec 16, 2026. Universal ↗
- U.S. residents: Get 2 Days Free with a 3-Day Ticket (five days of theme park access for the price of three). Universal ↗
- 3-Day, 3-Park promo ticket: one day each at Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Epic Universe within 7 consecutive days, from $99/day + tax, price varies by date. Not valid on Hogwarts Express; blockouts apply. Source ↗
Check which offers fit your dates in the deal finder.
Universal Studios Florida FAQ
What are Universal Studios Florida's hours?
Through Mon, Nov 30, 2026, Universal's calendar shows Universal Studios Florida open 9 AM – 5 PM on Halloween Horror Nights dates (Oct 25, 28, 29, 30, 31 and Nov 1) and 10 AM to 7 PM on most other days, with 8 PM closings Nov 21 – 28 (Thanksgiving week) and a 6 PM close on Nov 12. Hours change; check Universal's official calendar before you go.
Is there Early Park Admission at Universal Studios Florida?
Not for hotel guests on the dates published so far. Universal's calendar (via ThemeParks.wiki) lists Early Park Admission at Islands of Adventure and Epic Universe every day through Nov 30, 2026, but no early-entry window at Universal Studios Florida. Premier annual passholders have a separate passholder Early Park Admission that covers Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
What ride should I do first at Universal Studios Florida?
Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. Ride Ready's fall 2026 wait data has it around 15 minutes in the first hour and about 45 by early afternoon. Then go back for Transformers: The Ride-3D, which is usually a walk-on only in the first hour. Skip Despicable Me Minion Mayhem at opening: it's the first ride inside the gate, so its line is longest right then.
When is the last night of Halloween Horror Nights 2026?
Sunday, Nov 1, 2026, per Universal's published calendar. Remaining event nights from Oct 25 are Oct 25, 28, 29, 30, 31 and Nov 1. On those days Universal Studios Florida closes to day guests at 5 PM and the separately ticketed event starts at 6:30 PM.
When does Animal Actors On Location close?
Animal Actors On Location! closes permanently on Nov 3, 2026, so Mon, Nov 2 is the last day to see it. Universal says the space will make way for a new experience but hasn't said what.
Is the Hogwarts Express closed on Nov 4?
Yes. The Hogwarts Express, both King's Cross station at Universal Studios Florida and Hogsmeade station at Islands of Adventure, is scheduled to be closed for one day on Wed, Nov 4, 2026, reopening Nov 5. You can still walk between the parks through CityWalk.
When does Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift open?
Universal says 2027, with no exact date yet. The roller coaster is being built on the former Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit site. The older Fast & Furious: Supercharged closed permanently on Aug 16, 2026.
When is Universal's Holiday Parade featuring Macy's?
Universal Orlando's holiday season runs Nov 14, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027. Universal's Holiday Parade featuring Macy's runs nightly at Universal Studios Florida in that window, ending with a Christmas tree lighting, and Diagon Alley gets Christmas décor. Both are included with park admission.