We had the amazing opportunity to travel to Universal Orlando this weekend for Mother’s Day. Thanks to Nicholas and Kelsea for suggesting it!
Deciding whether to visit Universal Orlando on Mother’s Day ultimately depends on personal preference. While it can be a special way to spend the day with family and create new memories, it’s important to consider the potential crowds and wait times at the theme park.
Are theme parks busy on Mother’s Day?
If you’re planning a trip to Orlando and want to avoid the crowds, May might be the perfect month for you. With school year-end events and other popular travel times behind us and summer not quite arrived, May tends to be quieter than other seasons. When we visited for Mother’s day weekend, we happily found that the crowds were even lower than usual and room rates were low. It was a fantastic experience to have more space to explore and shorter wait times for our favorite attractions. Mother’s day was particularly quiet, with minimal wait times and smaller crowds. I guess not everyone is like me and wants to brave Raptors for Mother’s day 🙂
How we celebrated
Our Mother’s Day weekend at Universal Orlando Resort was an absolute blast! We arrived at the parks on Friday and were thrilled to find that we were able to ride nearly all the attractions we wanted with very little wait times. Despite the parks closing early at 6pm for a middle school event, we were able to make the most of our time there. We took advantage of the early park closing with dinner reservations at Mama Della’s Ristorante at Loews Portofino Bay Resort. My dad didn’t attend the parks with us, so it was the perfect meeting point to enjoy some wonderful food and great atmosphere. We were also able to take family pictures afterward in the Bay.
After dinner, brother and sister-in-law graciously kept our girls so Isaac and I could have a few celebratory drinks at Jake’s at Royal Pacific.
To take advantage of the Unlimited Express passes, we stayed the night at the Royal Pacific on Friday night. This gave us an early start on Saturday, and even with a quick afternoon rain shower, we were still able to ride nearly all the rides. We enjoyed a fantastic dinner at one of my favorite in park restaurants, Confisco. As the night fell, we decided to take on Olivia’s Universal Challenges and headed towards Velocicoaster with our Express passes. The ride at night is particularly thrilling, and we finished it in no time. Not wanting to waste a moment, we dashed towards Hagrid’s and were lucky enough to join the line just a few minutes before the ride closed for the night. It was an exhilarating and fun-filled day that we won’t forget any time soon.
On Mother’s day, we are able to walk onto MIB: Alien Attack, where I maxed out (scored 999,999), get a Wizard’s brew without waiting at Fountain for Fair Fortune, take photos with Blue (one of my favorite activities), and try some amazing new food!
Activities for Mother’s Day
While Universal Orlando doesn’t have any particular mother’s day activities, here are some ideas:
- Stay at a Premier Hotel: Enjoy a stay at one of Universal Orlando’s 3 Premier hotels and take advantage of Express Passes, quicker access to the park, and the best sleep you can get
- Treat mom to Sunday brunch at one of the resorts Hotels and celebrate with mimosas: the Islands Dining Room at Royal Pacific, The Kitchen at Hard Rock Hotel, or The Palm at Hard Rock Hotel.
- Have a family photo shoot: Take advantage of the beautiful scenery at Universal Orlando Resort and have a family photo shoot. This is a great way to capture memories of the special day. You can even book a photoshoot in the parks with a local Orlando photographer
- Ride the rides: Take her on her favorite rides and create unforgettable memories together! Whether she prefers the heart-pumping roller coasters or the immersive 3D experiences, there’s something for every mom at the park.
- Go on a shopping spree: Universal Orlando Resort has a variety of shops that offer everything from souvenirs to high-end fashion. Treat Mom to a shopping spree and let her pick out something special to remember the day.
- Treat Mom to a spa day: The Mandara Spa at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel offers a variety of spa treatments, including massages, facials, and body scrubs. This is a great way for Mom to relax and unwind.
- Get a button: At the entrance of the parks, you can ask for a special button to wear throughout the day. You can get one for Mother’s day to feel special and get Mother’s day wishes from team members and other guests.
