Universal Studios in Orlando is one of my families favorite destinations. We have traveled from Utah to spend at least a week at Universal Orlando Resort for the past 3 years. We have learned a lot and have come up with some important tips and tricks to help you stay hydrated and happy while having a blast in these fun parks!
First thing that we need to note. No matter what time of year you visit, it will be humid! We usually travel on or around the summer and it is also HOT! You will be also be doing A LOT of walking. Hydration is extremely important. We have all experienced the symptoms of dehydration and it is possible to get dangerously dehydrated in August in Florida. To the point that it can be scary. Universal Studios Orlando wants you to stay dehydrated too! There are a few different ways you can accomplish this.
Here are our tried and true tips to staying hydrated at Universal Orlando.
{photo credit: Universal Orlando Blog}
1-Purchase the refillable Freestyle Cups.
This is a great option and one of the most popular. Once you purchase the Freestyle Cups, you can refill them at any of the filling stations or concessions kiosks located in the park. This option allows you to get any beverage you choose including the different varieties of soda. The downside to this is that almost everyone will need a mug and you can only refill 24 oz at a time and then have to wait to refill again, I believe it was 10 minutes the last time we were there.
There are kiosks and refill machines everywhere though so it might be a good option for some. We found that the mugs didn’t fit well in the backpacks and you had to make sure they were empty when you went on rides or you risked spills on your bag. They worked OK for us for two years. We purchased two of them and shared them with the kids and took turns choosing drinks. I found it was too much of a temptation to get soda instead of water and while soda will hydrate you to some degree water is a much better choice.
2 -Buy cold bottled water in the park.
While this is the most simple option, it can get very expensive. I enjoy cold water but I don’t like paying $3.00 a piece for bottled water so we don’t choose this option very often.
3 – Bring your own Double Wall Insulated Vacuum Stainless Bottles!
This year we struck gold. On a whim I had my husband throw our insulated stainless bottles in our suitcases.
We picked up two sized on Amazon and had been using them while doing yard-work in the summer and when we went to outdoor activities near home. They are amazing. They hold ice for a very long time and even when ice can’t be had, they will keep cold water for hours!!! We bought the larger size for the adults and the smaller size for the kids. They have sealing lids and fit perfect in the backpack.
Universal want’s you to stay hydrated too. They are happy and willing to give you FREE ice water, you just need to ask. We used this to advantage.
Here’s what you will want to do. It works GREAT! Our procedure was to fill them up with hotel ice and water in the morning and then drink a little every time we stopped in line or to rest in the shade. We kept the two larger ones in the bottle pockets on the side of the backpack, and the two smaller ones inside the backpack with some snacks. Once they were empty of water, they almost always still had plenty of ice. We would simply stop by a concessions kiosk and ask politely if they would fill them with water or asked for cups of water and poured them into our bottles. We were told over and over again that they are happy to give anyone cold water upon request.
4 – Make sure children are drinking!
This one seems like a no-brainer, I’m sure. But it’s so easy to get busy and having fun that kids forget to drink. Children are more susceptible to getting dehydrated or even heat exhaustion than are adults. Make it a point to make sure your kids are drinking water and drinking A LOT of it!
5 – Bring items to help you cool down.
Bringing a little spray misting fan or something that will help you stay cool is also very helpful. You will lose less water, and remain hydrated, if you are trying to cool down as well as drinking water. Take needed breaks inside. Universal Orlando is FULL of TONS of inside rides, dining options, and shops. Take breaks and cool off.
Hopefully our experience can help you. Universal Studios Orlando is so much fun! There is a big difference in your experience hydrated as opposed to the alternative.
