Theme parks in the United States: Disney, Universal, tickets and skip-the-line passes

Orlando and Southern California are home to the biggest theme parks in the world. You can spend a day there on the side of a road trip, or a whole week.

Either way, it’s the most expensive item of the trip per day, and the one where organisation makes the biggest difference.

The big resorts

In Florida, around Orlando

Walt Disney World: four theme parks, two water parks and more than twenty-five hotels on an estate the size of a city.

Park	The spirit
Magic Kingdom	The castle, the classics, the youngest children
EPCOT	The country pavilions, technology, adults
Hollywood Studios	Star Wars, Toy Story, thrills
Animal Kingdom	Safari, Avatar, animals

Universal Orlando: three theme parks since Epic Universe opened in May 2025, plus a water park.

Park	The spirit
Universal Studios Florida	Cinema, Harry Potter (Diagon Alley)
Islands of Adventure	Roller coasters, Harry Potter (Hogsmeade), Jurassic Park
Epic Universe	The newest: Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon, a third Harry Potter world

The Hogwarts Express train links the first two parks, provided you have a ticket valid for both.

Nearby: SeaWorld, Legoland Florida, and the Kennedy Space Center, an hour’s drive away, which isn’t a theme park but a fascinating visit.

In California

• Disneyland Resort, in Anaheim: two parks side by side, Disneyland (the original park, opened in 1955) and Disney California Adventure. Smaller than Florida, it can be visited in two days.
• Universal Studios Hollywood, in Los Angeles: a theme park and a real tour of working film studios. One day is enough.
• Knott’s Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain for roller coaster fans.
• Legoland California and SeaWorld San Diego further south.

Tickets

Prices vary every day according to the expected crowds. The ranges noted for 2026, for one adult and one park:

Park	One-day ticket
Walt Disney World	$119 to $209 depending on the park and the date
Disneyland (California)	$104 to $224
Universal Epic Universe	$139 to $199
Other Universal parks	Of the same order

Add tax (6.5% in Florida), parking (30 to 35 dollars a day) and meals.

Good to know

• The one-day ticket is the most expensive. From three or four days, the price per day falls sharply, especially at Disney in Florida.
• Children pay almost the full price from the age of 10, and a barely reduced rate from 3 to 9. It’s free under 3.
• The multi-park option (Park Hopper at Disney, Park-to-Park at Universal) lets you change park during the day, for 60 to 90 dollars more. For a first stay, one park a day is plenty.
• At Disney, you sometimes have to reserve the park as well as the ticket, depending on the type of ticket and the date.
• Buy in advance, on the official website or from an authorised reseller. Tickets sold along the roads of Orlando or on classified ad sites are often scams.

City sightseeing passes don’t cover Disney or Universal (see our comparison).

Skip-the-line passes

Without them, the wait for the headline attractions reaches 60 to 120 minutes in high season.

At Disney: Lightning Lane

• Multi Pass: 15 to 39 dollars per person per day depending on the park and the date. You book time slots for several attractions in the app.
• Single Pass: an individual supplement for the two or three most popular attractions.
• Premier Pass: one-time access to all the fast lanes, in limited numbers and at a high price.

At Universal: Express Pass

• Sold by the day, at a price that varies from under 100 to over 300 dollars depending on the date.
• Included free for guests of certain upmarket Universal hotels: over two days for four people, the room can work out cheaper than the passes.

Without paying

• Arrive before opening: the first hour is worth the next three.
• Single Rider queues: you ride alone to fill the empty seats, in a quarter of the time.
• During parades and fireworks, the queues melt away.
• The official apps show waiting times live.

When to go

Period	Crowds
Mid-January to mid-February	Low
Late August to late September	Low, but hot, humid and in the middle of hurricane season in Florida
Early May, early December	Moderate
Spring break (March-April), summer, Thanksgiving	High
From Christmas to New Year	Maximum: some parks close their gates during the day

• On weekdays, from Tuesday to Thursday.
• In Florida, from June to September, it’s 33°C with storms every afternoon. Outdoor rides stop during lightning.
• In California, the climate is pleasant all year round.

How many days?

• On the side of a road trip: one day in one well-chosen park. Magic Kingdom for the magic, Epic Universe or Islands of Adventure for the thrills, Universal Hollywood if you’re in Los Angeles.
• A stay in Orlando: four days for the four Disney parks, two to three for Universal, and a rest day in the middle.
• Disneyland in California: two days.

Organising your day

• Download the park’s app before you leave and create your account: tickets, map, waiting times, meal orders, skip-the-line passes, everything goes through it.
• Arrive 45 minutes before opening: parking, shuttle, bag check.
• Start with the headline attractions, at the back of the park.
• Take a break in the early afternoon, when the heat and the crowds peak, and come back for the evening.
• Order meals in the app (mobile order) to avoid the queues. Allow 15 to 20 dollars per person for a quick meal.
• Bring water and snacks: it’s allowed. Fountains and cups of iced water are free.
• Bring a power bank: the app drains your phone before midday.
• Check the minimum height for the rides if you’re coming with children.
• Comfortable shoes, sun cream, a poncho for the rain in Florida.

Where to stay

• In the park hotels: expensive, but with perks such as early entry, free transport and, at Universal, skip-the-line passes.
• Outside: hotels on International Drive in Orlando or in Anaheim cost half or a third as much. Check the resort fees and the price of parking (see motels, hotels and lodges).
• A holiday home in Kissimmee, with a pool, for a family or a group.

The budget for a day

For two adults in a big park, in mid-season:

Item	Amount
Tickets	$300 to $360
Parking	$30 to $35
Meals and drinks	$80 to $120
Skip-the-line passes (optional)	$50 to $80
Total	$460 to $600

That’s more than three days in the national parks, pass included. It’s up to each of us to decide where our wishes lie.

For a family, see also travelling with children.