The Ultimate Guide to Theme Park Tickets
So here is where the fun can start, you are well on your way into planning out your trip to Orlando. Here we will look at Walt Disney World and Universal Studios tickets. One of the most important (and admittedly expensive!) and fun parts of your trip.
With so many options, it can get overwhelming, especially if you’re buying from outside the United States as most other counties get different deals and prices can vary..
But don’t worry we have you covered with this guide as we attempt to break down everything you need to know, including:
- Types of tickets available
- Annual pass options
- Where to buy tickets
- Best ticket options for UK and European visitors
Walt Disney World Tickets
Types of Tickets
Disney offers a range of ticket options based on how many days you plan to visit and how much flexibility you want and as mentioned in an earlier part of this guide, Disney park ticket prices also fluctuate based on seasons.
- Standard Disney World Tickets (USA & International Guests)
- 1 to 10-Day Standard Base Ticket, this allows entry to one park per day (choose from Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom).
- Park Hopper Add On, Allows visits to multiple parks per day (park hopping is currently available after 2 PM).
- Water Park & Sports Add On Option, Adds access to Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, mini-golf, and other select activities.
- Park Hopper Plus Ticket, Includes park hopping AND access to water parks and sports activities.
Disney also have tickets at a slightly reduced price for Florida Resident Ticket, these require you to provide proof of Florida residency at Park entry.
UK and Europe-Exclusive Disney Tickets
Guests booking from the UK and Europe get access to special multi-day tickets that offer better value for money.
- 7-Day Magic Ticket – Unlimited access to all 4 Disney theme parks AND water parks for 7 days.
- 14-Day Magic Ticket – Same as the 7-day ticket but valid for 14 days.
- All tickets purchased from the UK and Europe come with as standard, both Park Hopper & Memory Maker INCLUDED (These tickets automatically include park hopping and unlimited digital ride photos unlike U.S. tickets, where these are add-ons).
Where to Buy Disney Tickets
For U.S. guests, buy directly from:
- Disney’s official website
- Authorised resellers like Undercover Tourist.
For UK & European guests, purchase from:
- Walt Disney Travel Company
- AttractionTickets.com
- UK travel agencies like TUI or Virgin Holidays.
Walt Disney World Annual Passes
This is where tickets get interesting and are worth considering. For those outside the United States think Annual Passes are not available to them, this is because they can only be purchased from US sites, however these is an option available to all the Incredi-Pass.
Disney’s Annual Passes can offer great value to those planning to visit Walt Disney World at several times within the year or are staying for an extended period. They also include discounts on hotels, dining, and merchandise, as well as discounts on social event tickets and free standard parking. However, most of the lower priced passes are only available to Florida residents or Disney Vacation Club members. Below is a table of the Annual Pass options.
Current Disney World Annual Pass Options
Disney Incredi-Pass Benefits:
- No blockout dates – Visit any time of the year
- Up to 5 park reservations at a time (done via the MyDisney app)
- Standard theme park parking included
- Up to 20% off select dining, merchandise, and events
- Bonus reservations available (extra days beyond the standard limit)
- Exclusive Annual Passholder merchandise & discounts
Disney Sorcerer Pass (Available to Florida Residents & DVC Members Only) Benefits:
- Fewer blockout dates (some holiday restrictions apply)
- Up to 5 park reservations at a time (done via the MyDisney app)
- Standard theme park parking included
- Up to 20% off select dining, merchandise, and events
- Bonus reservations available
Disney Pirate Pass (Florida Residents Only) Benefits:
- More blockout dates than Sorcerer Pass (main holidays and peak periods)
- Up to 4 park reservations at a time (done via the MyDisney app)
- Standard theme park parking included
- Up to 20% off select dining, merchandise, and events
Disney Pixie Dust Pass (Florida Residents Only) Benefits:
- Most blockout dates (weekends and peak holiday periods)
- Up to 3 park reservations at a time (done via the MyDisney app)
- Standard theme park parking included
- Up to 20% off select dining, merchandise, and events
All Annual Passholder Benefits Include
- Free standard parking
- Discounts on select dining & merchandise
- Exclusive event previews & special offers
- Park reservations required for all passes
So lets put these annual passes into prospective, for this example with will take a 14 day vacation in Summer 2025 for a UK family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children under 10 years old) spending 10 days at Walt Disney World parks.
Option 1- UK exclusive 14 day magic ticket, total ticket cost (4 tickets) £2,130. Plus 10 days of parking fees £231.70. Total Cost £2361.70.
Option 2 -UK exclusive 14 day magic ticket, total ticket cost (3 tickets) £1585, one Incredi-Pass with water park add on £1355.76. No parking fee. Total Cost £2940.76.
Universal Orlando Tickets
Types of Universal Orlando Tickets
Universal Orlando Resort has two theme parks, Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, plus the Volcano Bay water park. In May 2025 Universal adds its third theme park Epic Universe.
Standard Universal Orlando Tickets (USA & International Guests)
- 1-Park Per Day Ticket – Grants access to one park per day. Either Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure.
- Park-to-Park Ticket – Allows access to both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure on the same day (needed for riding the Hogwarts Express).
- 4-Park Ticket – Includes Volcano Bay water park and Epic Universe in addition to Universal’s two other theme parks.
UK & Europe-Exclusive Universal Tickets
UK and European visitors can access special multi-day tickets at a better value:
- 3-Park Explorer Ticket (14 Days), Unlimited entry to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay for 14 consecutive days.
- 3-Park Explorer Ticket with one day Epic Universe Entry (14 Days), this is the same as above. Plus one day entry to Epic Universe.
Express Pass Upgrade, Available as an additional add on, this gives the ability to skip regular lines, but some queue time will apply (but significantly less then standard lines).
Two ticket types are available
Standard Express Pass, allowing one time use on selected rides, and a separate ticket is needed per park.
Express Unlimited Pass, allowing unlimited use on selected rides and a separate ticket is needed per park.
These tickets are available from:
- Universal’s UK site
- AttractionTickets.com
- UK travel agencies
Universal Orlando Annual Passes
Annual passes for Universal are at time of writing not offered to include Epic Universe. For visitors planning multiple trips per year, Universal offers four different annual passes, each with different perks.
Universal Orlando Annual Pass Options
Premier Pass Benefits:
- Unlimited access to Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure with no blockout dates
- Includes admission to select special events
- Free valet or Prime self-parking
- Universal Express access after 4 p.m.
- Early Park Admission to select attractions
- Discounts on separately ticketed events, multi-day tickets for friends and family, and select merchandise and food/beverage locations
- One free Halloween Horror Nights event ticket on select nights
Preferred Pass Benefits:
- Unlimited access to Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure with no blockout dates
- Free self-parking after the first visit
- Early Park Admission to select attractions
- Discounts on select merchandise and food/beverage locations
Power Pass Benefits:
- Access to Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure with some blockout dates
- Early Park Admission to select attractions
- Discounts on select merchandise and food/beverage locations
Annual Pass Benefits:
- Access to Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure with the most blockout dates
- Early Park Admission to select attractions on select dates
All passes offer the option to include access to Universal’s Volcano Bay water theme park for an additional fee.
Tips for Buying Tickets & Saving Money
- Buy tickets in advance as prices can fluctuate.
- Avoid park hopper options unless planned days in multiple parks
- Look for package deals some tickets include extra perks like free Memory Maker or Early Park Admission.
- Don’t pay for more days then you will use, have an idea how many days you need.
Which Ticket is Best for You?
- Visiting for a few days? Standard 1–4 day tickets.
- Staying 1-2 weeks? UK 14-Day Disney Magic Ticket & Universal Explorer Ticket.
- Visiting multiple times per year? Consider an Annual Pass.
- Hoping to skip the lines? Upgrade with a Universal Express Pass or if staying in a Universal resort hotel, consider upgrading to a Signature Hotel that includes Express Pass..
Final Thoughts
Purchasing the right Disney & Universal ticket is essential for getting the best value. If you’re visiting from the UK or Europe, take advantage of exclusive multi-day tickets. If you’re a frequent visitor, annual passes can save you money in the long run.