The Orlando airport is full of families and friends wearing Mickey ears, Harry Potter t-shirts, and pulling large suitcases tiredly behind them. Now, I’m all for Mickey ears and Harry Potter t-shirts. The one thing I’m not for? Bringing a large suitcase with you for every single trip–especially a trip to a theme park. The reality is, you truly don’t need that much when taking a week long trip to somewhere like Universal.
That’s why I’m always first in line for Hagrid‘s while everyone else is still circling the carousel. And the timing couldn’t be better—with Epic Universe hitting its one-year milestone, the parks are busier than ever. Mastering the ‘park-hopping carry-on’ is the only way to ensure you’re exploring new portals instead of waiting for lost luggage.
In general, I’m passionate about packing light. It saves me money on my flights, saves me time in the airport, and it makes my day to day decisions on what to wear so much easier when I’m on my trip. You will never catch me checking a full-sized suitcase at the airport if I’m traveling for two weeks or less. How do I manage it every time? The key to this is planning ahead and being realistic.
For a trip to Universal Orlando, you should know ahead of time how many days you’re planning to spend in the actual theme parks, how many relaxing pool days you’ll be having, or how often you’ll be going to the City Walk or out to a nice dinner. With all of that in mind, you can easily pack everything you’d need for those events in one carry-on. Now, grab your wizard wand, and let’s get packing.
Related: How I Pack For a 7-Day Disney World Trip With A Single Carry-On
The Park Outfits
Melissa Cabey
If you’re taking a week long trip to Universal Orlando, you’re probably going to spend one day at Epic Universe and two days jumping between Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios. I decided to bring exercise dresses for two of the park days: one blue one that reminds me of the Beauxbatons Academy girls from Harry Potter, and one pink one that gave me pure Princess Peach vibes. Then, to switch things up, I packed a pair of comfortable white shorts and a tank top. It can get extremely hot in Orlando, so choosing outfits that allow your skin to breathe is key for your long park days in Universal.
Related: A Flight Attendant Taught Me This Secret Carry-On Hack
City Walk, Volcano Bay and Pool Days
Melissa Cabey
If you’re staying at one of Universal’s resorts (which I highly recommend) you will most likely be spending your non-park days at the resort pool, at the City Walk, or even at Universal’s waterpark, Volcano Bay.
For those days, I decided to pack one sun dress, which is perfect to throw over a bathing suit. Then, I packed two pairs of shorts and two t-shirts. Each pair of shorts and tops match each other, so technically, those 4 items create 4 possible outfits. All of these are great for a casual trip to the pool, shopping and eating, or hanging out around the resort. They are casual, comfortable, and cute.
I decided to pack two bathing suits, although I definitely had room to fit more. I just knew that I would be spending one day at Volcano Bay and one day at the resort pool, so that’s all I needed.
Related: The Genius ‘3-Shoe’ Carry-On Rule I Wish I Knew Sooner
Outfits For Nice Dinners
Melissa Cabey
One of the best parts about staying onsite at Universal Orlando is being able to have easy access to great restaurants for dinner each night. For my trip, I knew that I had three “nicer” dinners planned, where I’d want to change out of my day clothes into something else. I packed two longer dresses, both of which are super breathable and great for hot weather, but they look very put together and nice. Then, I packed one black short dress, just to change up the style of dresses I’d be wearing to the dinners.
A lot of people overpack when it comes to dinner clothing, because they’re not sure what they’re going to want to wear for certain nights out. As your packing, be strict with yourself, and force yourself to choose exactly what you’ll be wearing to each scheduled dinner. This will prevent you from packing extra clothing that will end up being unnecessary.
Accessories, Shoes and Misc. Items
Melissa Cabey
I recently went on a 7-day trip to Disney World, and I packed three pairs of shoes. Two of them were the ones that I chose for this Universal trip: my white pair of Dr. Scholl’s sneakers for the park days, and a comfortable pair of sandals for pool days and dinners. On my Disney trip, I only wore the third pair of shoes (a cute pair of ballet flats) one time, and I decided that they truly weren’t necessary. I’d rather have room in my luggage for extra souvenirs. So, ultimately, two pairs of shoes is perfect for a trip like this.
Melissa Cabey
What else haven’t we packed? Undergarments, toiletries, hair supplies, makeup, accessories, electronics, pajamas, and medication. Easy!
I can always fit two weeks worth of socks and underwear in one small compression bag, and for this, I only needed one week, so it’s even smaller than usual. I was then able to sneak my pajamas into that compression bag as well. For toiletries, I know that the resort hotel will provide shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Therefore, I only need face wash and lotion, a razor, and deodorant. Then, I’ll buy a large sunscreen once I get to my resort. My toiletries fit in a very small toiletry bag.
Lastly, I threw in a hot hair tool, a hair brush, my makeup bag, and a baseball hat. All of this fit seamlessly into my carry-on, with extra room to spare! For any other items, like the electronics and medication, I keep those packed in my personal item, that way they’re more easily accessible while traveling.
The Universal Insider’s Carry-On Strategy
- Leave the ‘Souvenir Sleeve’: Don’t pack your carry-on to the brim. Between Interactive Wands, exclusive house robes, and collectible popcorn buckets, you’re going to need a “souvenir sleeve” of space. Since many of these items are only sold within the parks, you don’t want to be forced to buy an expensive “emergency” suitcase at the airport.
- The App is Your Command Center: Before you head to the airport, make sure you have the Official Universal Orlando Resort App updated. It’s the only way to manage your Virtual Lines and mobile food orders, and it completely eliminates the need for bulky paper maps or printed itineraries.
- The Lanyard Hack: Pack a sturdy lanyard with a clear pouch. It’s a theme park pro move for keeping your room key and Express Pass accessible for quick scanning at ride entrances, saving you from digging through your bags every time you hit a new attraction.
- Dry Bag for the Water Rides: If you’re hitting the big splash attractions at Islands of Adventure or spending the day at Volcano Bay, you will get wet. Pack one small, lightweight dry bag to keep your phone and electronics safe, rather than relying on a Ziploc that might fail.
There you go! You are fully packed for a week in Universal Orlando, with nothing extra weighing you down, but tons of options to feel fresh and stylish throughout your trip. Plus, room for souveniers!
Related: How I Pack for a 7-Day Hawaii Vacation with a Single Carry-on
