Universal Orlando Resort is packed with high-speed thrills, state-of-the-art attractions, and immersive worlds based on blockbuster movies and pop culture icons. But if you’re traveling with a toddler or preschooler – especially those under 40 inches tall -, you may be wondering: Is it worth taking little kids to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, or Epic Universe?
The short answer is: Yes – with the right experiences.
My family and I, which included a 10 year old and a 4 year old at the time of travel, went to Universal Studios and had a fabulous time. Such a fabulous time that my 4 year old will tell people that Universal Studios Orlando was his most favorite vacation! (Well…Universal Studios and the Disney Cruise we went on, but that is a discussion for another time!) He absolutely loved seeing all the characters and riding some of the kid-friendly rides. Speaking of kid-friendly rides and attractions, let’s break down each park and take a look at what is available for those little ones!
Universal Studios
DreamWorks Land – This land is a vibrant and engaging area designed especially for families with young children. Opened in June 2024, this colorful land brings to life beloved DreamWorks franchises like Shrek, Trolls, and Kung Fu Panda, offering a variety of attractions and activities tailored for little ones.
- Trolls Trollercoaster: A gentle, kid-friendly roller coaster themed around the Trolls universe, perfect for young thrill-seekers.
- Poppy’s Playground: A whimsical, mushroom-themed play area where children can climb, explore, and let their imaginations run wild!
- Shrek’s Swamp for Little Ogres: An interactive play zone featuring Shrek’s iconic swamp, complete with water features and play structures.
- Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp: An engaging play area inspired by Kung Fu Panda, where kids can participate in fun, interactive activities.
- Po Live!: An interactive show where children can learn Kung Fu moves from Po himself in a fun and energetic setting.
- DreamWorks Imagination Celebration: A lively stage show featuring characters from various DreamWorks films, combining music, dance, and storytelling.
- Character Meet-and-Greets: Opportunities to meet and interact with favorite characters like Shrek, Princess Fiona, Donkey, Poppy, and Po.
Funny story – My little one’s birthday was less than a month before our trip to Universal Studios. When he got to meet Shrek, Donkey, and Princess Fiona, he told them it was his birthday. My oldest quickly informed Princess Fiona that it was not his birthday, but Donkey proceeded to get the whole crew to sing him “Happy Birthday”! I was hysterically laughing off to the side.
Springfield, U.S.A.: Home of The Simpsons – Guests are immersed in the animated world of The Simpsons, and this land features iconic landmarks like Krusty Burger, Moe’s Tavern, and the Kwik-E-Mart. While the area is rich in theming and offers a nostalgic experience for fans, its attractions are still fun for some of the littlest adventurers.
- Kang & Kodo’s Twirl ‘n’ Hurl: All Earth-Humas can enjoy this ride that will send you to the stratosphere. Pilots will fly their own flying saucer, swooping up and down and spinning through space while aiming lasers to zap their favorite Springfield citizens. Children under 48” require a supervising companion to ride this ride!
- The Simpson’s Ride: Guests can join the Simpsons on this indoor simulated rollercoaster on a trip to Krustyland where they will ride and crash through a theme park along with Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie. This is another adventure where children 48” and younger will have to ride along with a supervising companion.
- Carnival Games at Krustyland: Kids of all ages can step right up and take their shot at some beloved carnival games, such as Dunk or Flunk, all while winning some fun, Simpson-themed prizes!
Islands of Adventure
Seuss Landing – A goldmine for kids. This fun and quirky land looks like it is right out of a Dr. Suess book!
- Trolls Trollercoaster: A gentle, kid-friendly roller coaster themed around the Trolls universe, perfect for young thrill-seekers.
- Poppy’s Playground: A whimsical, mushroom-themed play area where children can climb, explore, and let their imaginations run wild!
- Shrek’s Swamp for Little Ogres: An interactive play zone featuring Shrek’s iconic swamp, complete with water features and play structures.
- Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp: An engaging play area inspired by Kung Fu Panda, where kids can participate in fun, interactive activities.
- Po Live!: An interactive show where children can learn Kung Fu moves from Po himself in a fun and energetic setting.
- DreamWorks Imagination Celebration: A lively stage show featuring characters from various DreamWorks films, combining music, dance, and storytelling.
- Character Meet-and-Greets: Opportunities to meet and interact with favorite characters like Shrek, Princess Fiona, Donkey, Poppy, and Po.
Jurassic Park: All dino lovers get a chance to step back in time into a prehistoric world where dinos roam! There is something just super fun about walking through the Jurassic Park entry where you enter into a world with lush vegetation and dino prints on the ground, leading you through the trail of Jurassic Park. What dino-loving little one (or big one) wouldn’t get excited about that!
- Camp Jurassic – This massive, multi-level playground has caves, slides, and spitting Dilophosaurus!
- Meet Blue and a baby velociraptor: There are rotational meetings with a baby velociraptor and Blue, live from the fan-favorite movie – Jurassic Park! While the baby is a little more relaxed encounter and not scary at all, Blue can be a little loud and the build-up of her arrival is very exciting. She rumbles through her pin and you can see the trees moving before you see her. Little ones may get a little scared of her oversized stature, but it is a fun experience and one worth waiting in line for (at least in my opinion). My little 4 year old was nervous at first, but by the end, he turned around and gave her his best dino roar!
Marvel ® Super Hero Island: Kids of all ages will be immersed in this vibrant, comic book-inspired world filled with thrilling attractions and opportunities to meet iconic Marvel characters. While many of the rides cater to older children and adults, there are still enjoyable experiences for younger visitors.
- Storm Force Accelatron: This spinning ride, similar to traditional teacup rides, allows guests to help Storm defeat Magneto. There is no minimum height requirement; however children under 48 inches must be accompanied by a supervising companion.
- The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man: A 3D motion simulator ride that takes guests on an adventure with Spider-Man. The minimum height requirement for this ride is 40 inches, and children between 40 inches and 48 inches must be accompanied by a supervising companion.
- Marvel Character Dining: At this character dining, you and your crew will enjoy a buffet-style dinner and get to meet multiple superheroes, whom wonder from table-to-table greeting fans of all ages! (Note: While this is a buffet-style dinner, I’d say that there is a little something for everyone. From shrimp, to pizza, to baked chicken, and salad, everyone in our party had something to enjoy. This is a reservation-only restaurant and this event takes place on specific nights. It does cost extra to attend this dinner!)
- Character Meet-and-Greets: While walking along the street, you may find yourself face-to-face with one of your favorite super heroes. While we were there, we saw Captain America and Spiderman!!
Epic Universe
Super Nintendo World – This vibrant land brings beloved Nintendo characters, such as Mario, Lugi, and Donkey Kong, to life with interactive experiences.
- Yoshi’s Adventures: A gentle, scenic ride where guests join Yoshi on a quest to find glowing eggs. It’s perfect for younger children and offers interactive elements during the journey.
- Mine-Cart Madness: An innovative coaster themed around Donkey Kong, designed to simulate jumps over broken tracks. While thrilling, it’s created to be a family-friendly and suitable for children meeting the 40 inches height requirement.
- Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge: An interactive ride using augmented reality to immerse guests in a Mario Kart race. Children must be at least 40 inches tall to ride.
- Power-Up Bands: These wearable devices allow guests to interact with the environment, collect digital coins, and participate in mini-games throughout the land. Something even littles will have fun doing!
- Character Meet and Greets: Meet some Vikings and snap pictures with them!
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk – Step into the Viking Village of Berk with attractions designed for younger adventurers.
- Fyre Drill: An interactive boat ride where guests help put out fires in Berk, combining fun with teamwork, and what little kid doesn’t love to work as a team to be the hero!
- Viking Training Camp: A play area filled with activities that let children train like Vikings, offering climbing structures and interactive elements.
- The Untrainable Dragon: A live stage show featuring characters and dragons from the franchise, providing entertainment suitable for all ages.
- Character Meet and Greets: Kids get to walk around and see some of their favorite dragons, as well as have the opportunity to meet Toothless, himself!
Celestial Park
Celestial Park – Serving as the central hub of Epic Universe, Celestial Park offers attractions for the whole family.
- Constellation Carousel: This beautifully designed carousel features celestial-themed creatures, ideal for young children.
- Astonomica: A splash pad area where kids (and adults) can cool off and play among interactive water features.
Did you notice that I left out a particular world in all three parks? You got it! Harry Potter’s Wizarding Worlds! Walking through any of these worlds: Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade, and the Ministry of Magic all have amazing aesthetics to look at. Not to mention, they can get their own magic wand and participate in various spell-casting activities in all three locations. There are character meet-and-greets, live shows, a huge fire-breathing dragon, a castle, a frog choir, and wizardry shops to walk through. What’s not to entertain a little in these worlds!?!
While Universal Studios is not a tailored-made entertainment theme park for littles, there is still plenty for them to do and to have fun, especially if you embrace the shows, character meets, playgrounds, and interactive zones. Combine that with the Rider Swap system, and you can build a memorable day that makes everyone in the family smile, even if your smallest traveler can’t ride every rollercoaster.
Planning ahead – and knowing what to skip and what to savor – makes all the difference!
“Traveling in the company of those we love is home in motion.”
Leigh Hunt
Crystal Castillo
Travel Agent
Crystal.Castillo@MouseTalesTravel.com
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