Replacing the former Universal Orlando “Resort Guide” is the “Official Universal Orlando App.” This updated application has a more modern design and a more user-friendly interface, along with better way-finding functions that use a new interactive map with GPS-enabled features.
(Oh, and the fact that there’s now free wifi across Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure makes it all the handier.)
Universal Orlando app guide.
The official app is a free download from either iTunes or the Android Google Play store. It can help with planning your vacation before you arrive, but most of its functions are best used when you are actually in the parks. For example, wait times will not show until you are actually in one of the parks, and this function will not display if you do not enable location services, since the app will check if you are physically at Universal Orlando. Additionally, once you are inside the resort, you can select the “Guide Me” function when you are viewing a ride, and it will give you walking directions from your current location.
Along the bottom of the screen you will find three simple options: “rides,” “shows,” and “dining.” Then, along the side, there is a menu that can be expanded that shows a lot more options.
Universal Orlando app guide.
Let’s run down the list of what each of these does.
Home
This is pretty self-explanatory. This will bring you back to the home page, where you can access the resort map and the three main options of rides, shows, and dining.
My Favorites
Anytime you view a specific ride, show, or dining location, you can touch the heart in the corner of the screen and mark it as a favorite.
Universal Orlando app guide.
This function is helpful when you are planning your trip and want to perhaps make your “My Favorites”’ a collection of rides, shows, and restaurants that you know you definitely want to experience on your visit. For frequent visitors, this function helps mark your own individual collection of past favorites. And when checking wait times, having a list of favorites will make it easy to quickly know the wait times of your favorite rides.
Park Notifications
I have not seen this function in action, but it would appear that any important park announcements would be displayed here.
Parking Reminder
Universal’s Parking Structure is huge. You can use this function to take a picture of the sign that labels the section and row where you parked. There’s even a space to jot down your parking section, level, and row, to help you remember.
Universal Orlando app guide.
You must enter the information in order. The first selection is “Parking Garage,” and you must choose either North or South. The challenge here is that most people do not know which garage is which. My advice is to just pick one and take a look at which sections are in it; you should be able to tell which is which right away. If you picked the incorrect garage, simply switch to the other one.
Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida
These are the first options under the “Explore Parks & Hotels” header of the side menu.
Upon selecting each park, a map will open up. Initially, the map will display icons that show the location of rides, but you can also select “shows, “dine,” and “shop” along the top. These selections can be displayed all at once (by selecting multiple categories) or one at a time, which can be accomplished by deselecting the other categories at the top.
Universal Orlando app guide.
There is also a restroom icon at the bottom of the map. This is just like the categories at the top and will display in addition to any other subsets you have already selected. There is one icon for regular restrooms and another which shows three people, indicating a companion restroom.
You can also zoom in on the map, which will be necessary to get a better sense of the exact location of the item in which you are interested. The details on the maps, once you zoom in, are fun to look at, as well.
Universal Orlando app guide.
When you tap an icon, you can then view more detailed information about the ride, show, dining option, or store it represents. For the rides, for example, it will show you if Express Pass is accepted, if there is a single-rider line, and child swap information, as well as height requirements, accessibility information, and info for guests with hearing or visual impairments. To view this information, click the drop-down arrow under the blue circular icons.
Universal CityWalk
This section opens up a similar map. The categories here are “entertainment,” “dine,” and “shop,” and the restroom function makes a return appearance, as well.
These categories work in exactly the same way as those on the park maps – the more you select, the more icons will show, and in order to remove a certain category, you must touch it to deselect it.
(Note: when you are viewing the theme parks or CityWalk and you would prefer to view a list of available rides, shows, restaurants, and shops, select “List” at the top right corner. This will display each category you’ve selected in alphabetical order as a list without an accompanying map. If you have selected more than one category, then the first one you chose will be displayed at the top, with the others following afterwards.)
On-site Hotels
This selection will also display a map showing the four on-site hotels. You can view the hotels using the “list” function at the top right corner.
Universal Orlando app guide.
Once you’ve selected the hotel of your choice, you can scroll through information about it, including features, dining options, contact information, and directions.
Rides
Under the “Explore All Resort Activities” header, there are several more options to choose from, starting with “rides.”
A map of the entire Universal Orlando Resort will open. From here, you can select one category of ride at a time or view them all at once. (As always, to deselect a category, tap it again.)
Universal Orlando app guide.
As with all the other options under the “Explore All Resort Activities” header, the rides can be viewed as a list, which will be in alphabetical order and will display in whatever order you initially selected the categories.
Shows
The “shows” option functions the exact same way as “rides”: on a map, the different types of shows will be displayed.
Four categories are available to peruse:
Action
Comedy
Music
Parade
Dining
The “dining” option functions the exact same way: on a map, the different types of restaurants will be displayed.
There are three categories here:
Fine
Casual
Quick Serve
Shopping
The “shopping” option functions the exact same way: on a map, all of the resort’s stores will be displayed. The only difference here is that they aren’t broken down into different categories, so you’ll need to zoom in in order to view the locations better.
You can also view “shopping” as a list, which will be in alphabetical order.
Restrooms
“Restrooms” is the first option under “Guest Amenities,” which is the side menu’s final header.
Universal Orlando app guide.
Just as with the other options, a map of the entire Universal Orlando Resort will open, and you can select either restrooms or family restrooms (or view them both at the same time).
Lockers
A map of the entire Universal Orlando Resort will open. You can select either rental lockers or ride lockers, or view them both at the same time.
Guest Services
This will open a sub-menu. From here, you can select the following options, all of which will show up as icons on a map:
Universal Orlando app guide.
Vacation Package FAQs
Find the answers to such frequently-asked questions as “where do I pick up my theme park tickets?” or “what time can I enter the park with Early Park Admission?”
Hours and Directions
Personally, I think this section of the app could be a lot better. The only hours that are currently shown anywhere in the app are today’s – there’s no way to look ahead to future days.
The “Directions” function, however, is helpful because it gives the address and GPS coordinates of Universal Orlando. You can also select to use Apple or Google Maps straight from the app.
Settings
From here, you can turn on or off the “Guide Me” function and view the Privacy Policy, Privacy FAQs, Terms of Service, and Copyrights & Trademarks.
Universal Orlando app guide.
All in all, this new version of the Official Universal Orlando App is a big improvement over its predecessor. It certainly is the most helpful for in-park use and definitely replaces and a regular park map.
You can read more about Universal Orlando in the OI Blog Archive, or you can chat with fellow theme park enthusiasts in the OI Community Forums. And one more reminder: Universal now offers free public wifi at its parks and CityWalk.