Parks & Attractions · 2024 · Enhanced edition

Ormond Beach & Universal Studios Orlando

A family road trip combining two beach days in Ormond Beach with Disney Springs and four days across Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay.

Trip at a glance

Dates: April 19–27, 2024
Destinations: Ormond Beach and Orlando
Parks: Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and Volcano Bay
Food favorites: Absolutely CheeZee, Tipsy Taco, bao at CityWalk, Giordano’s, and Cowfish

April 19–20: The road to Ormond Beach

We started the long drive on April 19 and stopped for McDonald’s before spending the night at a Red Roof Inn. The next morning, we got back on the road early and made several stops, including lunch at Buc-ee’s. We tried sausage on a stick, a turkey sandwich, and a meat-and-cheese bowl for the kid.

We reached our beachside room around 2:30 p.m. and went straight to the sand. The kid loved the beach, which made it easy to decide how we would spend the next day.

Dinner was at Absolutely CheeZee. We shared The Big CheeZee, a grilled cheese loaded with spinach, tomato, avocado, pimento, Swiss, provolone, cheddar, and muenster. Dessert was PB & CheeZee, a peanut butter cheesecake with jelly.

April 21: A full beach day

We spent most of the day at the beach, and by the end, the kid was happy and completely worn out. Dinner at Tipsy Taco was one of the food highlights of the trip: a bandit chicken burrito with pineapple guacamole.

April 22: Disney Springs and CityWalk

We left early for Orlando. Disney World was not part of this trip, but we visited Disney Springs so the kid could still enjoy some Disney magic. We ate chicken sandwiches at Guy’s, rode the small train, and caught a glimpse of Mickey Mouse.

On the way to the hotel, we made our first Trader Joe’s stop. We checked in around 2:30 p.m. and stayed on the 11th floor with a view across the main road toward the parks. Dinner at CityWalk was our first time trying bao. We ordered brisket, duck, and pork belly versions.

April 23: Universal Studios

We arrived early for our first park day. Universal Studios had fewer rides for a small child than we hoped, but we still managed to ride nearly everything available to us. Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts was a highlight, and we rode Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit several times. We also tried frozen Butterbeer.

Dinner was Giordano’s deep-dish pizza, which quickly became one of our favorite meals of the trip.

April 24: Islands of Adventure

Islands of Adventure offered much more for the kid, especially in the Dr. Seuss area. He enjoyed the carousel and the colorful fish, while the bigger rides—including VelociCoaster and the Harry Potter attractions—made this our favorite park overall.

We ate at Cowfish that evening. I ordered the peanut butter and fried banana burger, while she chose a chicken sandwich.

April 25: Volcano Bay

The kid spent the day enjoying the fountains and splash areas at Volcano Bay. With my sister watching him for a while, we were able to try the water slides and lazy rivers.

Back at CityWalk, dinner was a two-foot hot dog topped with chili and blue cheese. We finished the night with a doughnut from Voodoo Doughnut.

April 26–27: One last park visit and home

We returned to Islands of Adventure for a half day, but after a full week of traveling and parks, everyone was getting tired. Dinner was Margherita pizza with hot honey from NYPD, followed by an early night.

We drove home on April 27, making just one Buc-ee’s stop for breakfast before finishing the trip.

Final thoughts

Splitting the trip between the beach and Orlando worked well. Ormond Beach gave us a relaxing start, and Islands of Adventure ended up being the best Universal park for our mix of kid-friendly areas and bigger rides.

Plan your own trip

Ormond Beach & Universal Orlando Guide

This section goes beyond our personal trip and collects practical ideas for building your own beach-and-theme-park vacation. Attraction availability, operating hours, and ride requirements can change, so confirm the details with the official destination before traveling.

Things to do around Ormond Beach

The beach can easily fill an entire day, especially with a younger child, but there are several options when your family wants a break from the sand.

Central Park

A four-park, 149-acre area with lakes, fishing access, a canoe and kayak ramp, playground, picnic areas, tennis, basketball, and walking or biking paths.

Environmental Discovery Center

A self-guided, 2,000-square-foot center inside Central Park that introduces visitors to the area’s different ecosystems through hands-on education.

The Casements

John D. Rockefeller’s former winter home is now a cultural center. The city offers guided and self-guided tours, making it a useful indoor or history-focused stop.

Birthplace of Speed Park

A small beachside stop celebrating Ormond Beach’s early automobile-racing history, with a replica of the Ormond Garage and historic race-car displays.

How we would plan it: Keep one full beach day flexible. Add one short local attraction before dinner rather than trying to crowd the beach, sightseeing, and the drive to Orlando into the same day.

Central Park details Discovery Center The Casements Birthplace of Speed

Universal Studios Florida: what to prioritize

Universal Studios worked better for us as a mix of bigger rides, themed areas, and shows than as a park packed with rides for a small child. The current attraction list still offers a useful balance if you plan around everyone’s height and interests.

Thrill and larger-family rides

Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts — a multidimensional ride through Gringotts Bank; minimum height 42 inches.
Revenge of the Mummy — indoor thrill ride; minimum height 48 inches.
MEN IN BLACK Alien Attack — interactive alien-shooting ride; minimum height 42 inches.
TRANSFORMERS: The Ride-3D — motion-based 3D attraction; minimum height 40 inches.

Options for younger families

E.T. Adventure — gentle flying-bike ride; minimum height 34 inches.
Trolls Trollercoaster — family coaster; minimum height 36 inches.
Villain-Con Minion Blast — interactive standing attraction with no published minimum, though children under 48 inches require a supervising companion.
DreamWorks Land play areas — useful for children who need time away from queues and larger rides.

Our experience: Gringotts was our highlight. We also rode Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit several times in 2024, but the current planning list above focuses only on attractions Universal presently includes in its official requirements.

Official park page Current height requirements

Islands of Adventure: the best balance for our family

This was our favorite park because the adults had major thrill rides while the kid had more rides, play areas, and colorful environments to explore.

Big thrill priorities

Jurassic World VelociCoaster — two launches and four inversions; minimum height 51 inches.
The Incredible Hulk Coaster — high-intensity coaster; minimum height 54 inches.
Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure — story-driven coaster through the Forbidden Forest; minimum height 48 inches.
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey — adventure inside Hogwarts Castle; minimum height 48 inches.

Family and child-friendly areas

Seuss Landing — includes Caro-Seuss-el, One Fish Two Fish, play areas, and the High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride.
Flight of the Hippogriff — family coaster; minimum height 36 inches.
The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man — 3D motion ride; minimum height 40 inches.
Camp Jurassic and Me Ship, The Olive — climbing, slides, water features, and room to play without another long line.

Our experience: The Dr. Seuss area gave the kid much more to do, while VelociCoaster and the Harry Potter attractions made the park worthwhile for the adults. If your group includes both small children and thrill riders, this is the park we would prioritize.

Official park page Interactive resort map

Volcano Bay: slides, rivers, and areas for small children

Volcano Bay can work for a mixed-age family, but it helps to know which areas are designed for younger children and which slides require taller riders.

For younger children and relaxing

Runamukka Reef — water-play structure designed for children under 54 inches.
Tot Tiki Reef — shallow splash area designed for children under 48 inches.
Puka Uli Lagoon — pool with spraying water and play elements.
Kopiko Wai Winding River — the slower lazy-river option.
Waturi Beach — wave pool at the base of the volcano; children under 48 inches need an approved life vest.

For taller and stronger swimmers

Krakatau Aqua Coaster — four-person canoe-style water coaster; minimum height 42 inches.
TeAwa The Fearless River — fast-moving river with rapids and waves; minimum height 42 inches.
Honu ika Moana — multi-person raft slides with 42- and 48-inch requirements depending on the side.
Ko’okiri, Kala, and Tai Nui body slides — major body-slide thrills; minimum height 48 inches.

Our experience: The kid enjoyed the fountains and splash zones. Having another adult watch him for part of the day allowed us to ride the larger slides. For families with one small child, that extra adult can make a major difference.

Official park page Current height requirements

A practical beach-and-Universal itinerary

Day 1Travel toward Florida and stop overnight if needed.

Day 2Arrive in Ormond Beach, settle in, and enjoy a short beach visit.

Day 3Full Ormond Beach day, with an optional local park or historic stop.

Day 4Drive to Orlando, visit Disney Springs or CityWalk, and check into the hotel.

Day 5Universal Studios Florida.

Day 6Islands of Adventure.

Day 7Volcano Bay.

Day 8Return to the favorite park or use a rest day.

Day 9Begin the drive home.

What worked for us

Starting at the beach kept the beginning of the trip relaxed. Islands of Adventure offered the best combination for our family, while Volcano Bay worked because we had help watching the kid. By the fourth park day, everyone was tired, so a rest day or shorter final visit is worth considering.

Original trip gallery