VIP tours are a fantastic way to make the most of your day at Universal Orlando…BUT that is a whole other blog article and, of course, they cost extra!
Today, we’re talking about FREE tours! You read that correctly. You can currently get tours of 11 attraction queues across both of the main parks at Universal Orlando Resort! Now, these are not always available, however. If the parks are really busy or there are not enough Team Members, they will not be able to accommodate a tour. These are not advertised and there are no official times. I recommend checking mid-morning or late-afternoon, if the ride is down, or anytime you see more than 2 TMs and low wait times. Typically, you will find Team Members outside the queues for all these attractions. Simply walk up to one of them and inquire if they would be able to do a tour for you. They will do it if they can!
Here is the list of attractions that can be toured:
1. Hogwarts Castle Tour- Forbidden Journey is one of the most detailed queues you will see, this tour takes you through the halls of the castle, past Dumbledore’s office, through the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom, Gryffindor Tower, and even spot the Sorting Hat! Note: You can tour the queue on your own and let the cast member near the Sorting Hat know you do not intend to ride.2. Velocicoaster Paddock Tour- See how the InGen scientists and veterinarians care for the Velociraptors and see the Raptors themselves close up! Thank goodness those enclosures are strong…3. Skull Island Temple Tour- Get as close to the danger as possible seeing the massive temple to the infamous Kong! Get behind the scenes info about the uniqueness of the ride and the details hidden throughout the queue.4. Doctor Doom’s Villains Tour- While this is one of the less detailed queues, there are some Easter Eggs Marvel fans will appreciate! This is also the only way to get a photo on Doctor Doom’s throne!5. Incredible Hulk Gamma Tour- Another slightly less detailed queue, but Marvel fans will love seeing the Easter Eggs and getting a close-up look at the “gamma core,” which is notable as the largest plasma sphere in North America.6. Gringott’s Bank Tour- You better not be planning to steal from this goblin-run bank. Spend some time admiring the architecture here. The level of detail here is impeccable! Team members will chat about Easter eggs and the ride itself, and you can snag a photo up close to a Goblin. You may even get to sneak out with a Galleon, but don’t get caught, lest you get locked in a vault or worse- chased by a dragon!7. Men In Black Immigration Tour- Pack your Ray-Bans for this one as this highly classified tour may get “flashy thingied” away at the end. Get up close and personal with the aliens, sit at the agents’ desks, and don’t forget to sign in the visitor’s log!8. Jimmy Fallon’s VIP Studio Tour- This tour is for the history and television nerds. Learn about the history of NBC and artifacts from throughout the years of The Tonight Show. You’ll get to check out the views from the balcony usually reserved for private parties and you may run into Hashtag the Panda!9. ET Adventure Forest Tour- As the last surviving opening day ride, you’re going to get some great history on this tour. You’ll also get an up close look at the forest and may be able to spot some details you hadn’t before!10. Fast and the Furious Garage Tour – Car lovers rejoice as you’ll get to inspect Dom Toretto’s Garage and many very recognizable cars! Look for tributes to BeetleJuice, who had to make way for this attraction (RIP), Disaster (an older retired attraction), and even Paul Walker.11. Revenge of the Mummy Production Tour- This one is a favorite for sure! Get behind the scenes details on the storyline and the ride itself while your Team Member points out several Easter eggs! You’ll also get to see how the track system works to change the direction of the ride vehicles. Be sure Brendan gets his cup of coffee! He can get irritable.
Generally, these tours last about 20-25 min and are absolutely worth your time. This is a perfect option for those in your party that may be unable or unwilling to actually ride the rides but still want to experience the production value!
Remember, these are available ONLY at Team Member’s discretion and never a guarantee, no matter your perception of how slow it may be.
If you enjoy these tips, you’ll LOVE having a Smart Moms Travel Agent on your team! As Platinum Level Travel Partners, we have a great team of Universal specialists. If you are already working with a Smart Moms agent, I know you’re being well taken care of. BUT, if you are still in need of your very own Universal expert, I am your girl! Get started by filling in my quick form here with some basic info here and I will reach out!
Lindsy grew up loving theme parks, frequenting the smaller local parks as a child. Her love of Disney began with the animated classics and her first trip to Walt Disney World at just 18 mos old! Lindsy discovered Universal Orlando as a teen and it was love at first sight. She is now an Annual Passholder at BOTH, and is raising her two kids to love the parks as well! While all the Orlando parks are amazing, Universal sealed the deal with the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (WWoHP). As a Harry Potter Nerd, the WWoHP is her happy place. Her other favorites include: Star Wars, Tower of Terror, Marvel, Jurassic Park, and Doctor Who! Click HERE to book with Lindsy!
