I just got back yesterday evening and it was a great trip; if you haven't visited Universal Studios Orlando yet and were planning to, do it as soon as possible because it's worth checking out.
My sister and I just about hit every attraction in both parks with the exception of a select few (The Blues Brothers Show, A Day in the Park with Barney, and Woody Woodpecker's Kid Zone playgrounds for USF; Pteranodon Flyers, Ollivander's Wand Shop, One Fish, Two Fish, and again the playgrounds/interactive areas for IofA), all thanks to the Express Pass provided by staying onsite at the Hard Rock Hotel.
My favorites: Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey (simply unreal), Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit ("Intergalactic" was my song of choice), Revenge of the Mummy (I couldn't get enough of the twists and turns in the dark), The Incredible Hulk Coaster (great visuals while entering the loops), Dragon Challenge (rode Ice then Fire back-to-back, easily the most intense of all the Universal coasters), and Men In Black Alien Attack (Left side = more points and better targets, but the spinning is the best part).
We had the opportunity to eat at a few really good restaurants while staying onsite, including Mythos (@ IofA; I had the Blackened Mahi-Mahi and it was excellent), Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville (Jerk Chicken was nice and spicy), Hard Rock Cafe (Portion sizes were huge for Hard Rock Nachos and Smokehouse Chop Salad, but were full of flavor) and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. (Shrimp-Kabobs were good for a light lunch). Note: This was spread out over several days, not all at once.
I would highly recommend seeing The Blue Man Group while you're there, too; it is very hard to describe to someone, but the experience is one that you will look back on fondly once your vacation is over. It is a very entertaining show, so much so that the 1-hour, 45-minute time length (with no intermission) flies by without a dull moment.
Also, if you have the time while visiting or are looking to kill time at City Walk, play through at least 18 holes at the new Hollywood Drive-In Mini Golf (we chose The Haunting of Ghostly Greens) and catch a movie at the AMC Universal Cineplex (we saw Men In Black 3). Mini Golf is fun for all ages, and you can't beat the comfort and shade of a clean, plush theater such as the one at City Walk.
Here are some photos from my trip, and I can't wait until I get the chance to go back.
Universal Studios Florida (the park) entrance
The iconic Universal globe
Entrance to The Blue Man Group (RIP Nickelodeon Studios
) with Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit lift hill in the background
Gorgeous views from all directions of City Walk, including this one
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit drop, as seen from within the park...
...and from a distance!
The entrance to Krustyland (home of The Simpsons Ride)
Out front of The Simpsons Ride
The Kwik-E-Mart, as seen from exiting The Simpsons Ride
Great use of the space outside Kwik-E-Mart, don't you think?
Love the re-theme of SpongeBob to this souvenir shop
If only I'd been here first thing this year, I could have rode the now-extinct Jaws ride
Walking through The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is an experience in and of itself
As is Jurassic Park, to a much lesser extent
Doctor Doom's Fearfall was definitely a nerve-racking (albeit short) wait, but totally worth it for the view of the park
Wolverine atop the display of a Marvel souvenir shop in all his glory
It just feels awesome walking over this to enter Marvel's section of the park
The entrance to Cafe 4, a small dining area among the comic rides and shops
The Incredible Hulk Coaster can be seen and heard from all angles
Who's ready for a launch?
By the way, thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread; I did a lot of research and planning before leaving for the trip and I would say that it paid off.
If you have the early park admission when you go (by staying onsite), USE IT, especially for Harry Potter. Get up and wait in line 15-20 minutes early, at the very latest, and chances are you'll knock out most of the rides by mid-day. Water rides in Islands of Adventure are also much less crowded when you go early (like, before 10 a.m.).
Oh, and we ended up spending about half a day at Wet 'n Wild, for those interested. We didn't ride everything (mostly just group slides combined with laying in what little sun we had), but it's a nice water park that I would imagine is best in really hot, sunny weather (it was cloudy for the most part when we were at the water park and barely reached the mid-80s).
If we ever get a chance to go back, I think we could easily make a full day out of Wet 'n Wild, but I'd rather be at the two Universal parks for more than just one day each.
