Families who aim for Disney-themed holiday often try to combine it with a day or two at Universal Studios, especially to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. This is particularly common for trips to Orlando or Los Angeles, as they are the birthplaces of these theme parks.

However, these trips to Universal Studios or Disney parks around the world can be very stiff, as the expenses quickly add up with entrance tickets, accommodation, plane tickets, express passes, meals, souvenirs and so on.

There are 5 Universal Studios parks around the world:

• Universal Studios Hollywood (Los Angeles, USA)
• Universal Orlando Resort (Orlando, USA)
• Universal Studios Japan (Osaka, Japan)
• Universal Studios Singapore(Singapore)
• Universal Studios Beijing (China)

As the name suggests, Universal Orlando Resort is different from the other Universal Studios parks. The resort has eight on-site hotels with exclusive perks and two parks (Universal Studios and Universal Islands of Adventure).

The rides are varied and full of twists and turns, featuring characters from Transformers, King Kong, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Hulk, The Simpsons and Fast & Furious.

Some theme parks have a shopping and entertainment district right next door, called Universal City Walk. Getting in is totally free. You’ll find restaurants, cinemas, souvenir stores and boutiques.

It’s an excellent way to stroll around, unwind, and wrap up a day at the parks.

What surprised me the most about Universal Studios is that there are “kid switch rooms” so that adults can switch out and go on all the rides without waiting in line again if their little one doesn’t meet the height requirement.

In my opinion, Universal Studios is aimed for adults and older kids, but the child switch rooms are great if you still want to visit this park with babies or small children.

I personally loved Universal Studios because I am a movie buff and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter alone made my day.

First and foremost, look for promotions and offers on Universal Studios park tickets. There are often bonus days with the purchase of a ticket.

Universal Studios also offers the Universal Express Pass to skip the lines.

The Express pass will allow you to do so once for each ride while the Universal Express Unlimited allows you to do it as many times as you want.

AIR MILES Dream Miles are always a great way to save on admission to Universal Studios in the U.S.

The BMO AIR MILES^®† World Elite^®* Mastercard^®* offers you 3,000 miles (exclusive offer for Milesopedia readers) after you spend $3,000 on the card. AIR MILES are transferred to your AIR MILES Collector Account on the statement date.

Take advantage of this offer by combining it with other AIR MILES promotions like the Shop the Block event to earn up to an extra 775 miles.

You can also simply use flexible travel reward points to earn a credit.

Although you can use American Express Membership Rewards points for any purchase, I’d favour using the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card and redeem Scene+ points. This card will allow you to save on the 2.5% foreign currency conversion fee and redeem the points for a statement credit.

Buying a ticket directly on the Universal Studios website is coded as “entertainment”. To use your points, the expense must be coded as “travel”.

To solve the problem, I recommend buying your Universal Studios tickets on a travel website such asUndercover Tourist, as the expense will be coded as “travel” instead of “entertainment”. This way, you can redeem your points for a Statement credit and reduce or even erase the cost of your tickets.

Getting to Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles or Universal Studios Resort in Orlando is quite easy and straightforward since both cities are well served from many hubs in the country. The strategy is the same for either location.

Airfares fluctuate a lot depending on the time of year and you can find some very good bargains on Google Flights. When the point valuation isn’t great, you’re better off paying in cash and using your travel points for a statement credit.

For example, NBC Rewards points from the National Bank World Elite Mastercard allow you to redeem points at a rate of 10,000 points for $100 when you use their reservation platform (which is the best redemption rate for this program).

Here you can see that the amount is almost identical to when booking directly with the airline; the small difference is due to the fact that the platform acts as a travel agency, and an OPC commission is added.

On the other hand, you can use Aeroplan points, as the valuation sometimes beats the cash price. If you plan ahead, you may get away with quite a steal during peak travel time.

For more in-depth strategies to get to Los Angeles and Orlando with reward points, here are our detailed guides:

From Canada, you can fly directly to Tokyo on award flights with Aeroplan points.

Although Air Canada travel with Aeroplan points is subject to dynamic pricing, it’s not always out of reach, and good deals are available.

Furthermore, All Nippon Airways serves Vancouver, and United flies to Japan from many U.S. hubs. So there’s no shortage of route options from Canada under the partners’ fixed award chart. As long as you can find availability, you’re set. If not, set up alerts on ExpertFlyer for your preferred dates.

Alaska Mileage Plan is also a very good program to use to fly to Japan, especially if you’re looking into a superior product such as Japan Airlines first class for as little as 70,000 miles for a one-way flight.

While you can fly directly to Osaka to get to Universal Studios Japan, you most probably will be connecting in Tokyo. You can take advantage of this opportunity to discover a wonderful country, from Tokyo to Hiroshima, for example, and slowly make your way to Osaka with Japan’s efficient transportation system.

For more information on how to reach Japan using points and miles, check out these guides:

From Canada, you can travel to Universal Studios Singapore with the Aeroplan program. For just 60,000 points, you can travel to Singapore from Canada on partner airlines.

If you’re lucky, you may even be able to get away with less, thanks to Air Canada’s dynamic pricing. Indeed, it sometimes works in our favour! Here’s a one-way ticket to Singapore for just 48,000 points Aeroplan:

For a full immersive experience in Orlando, you’ll have to stay at a Universal Studios Resort hotel. You’ll be able to get access to exclusive park benefits such as priority entrance and some discounts on souvenirs and food.

American Express Platinum Card^® and Business Platinum Card^® from American Express cardholders can book hotels at Universal Studios using the benefits of the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program. In addition, you’ll be able to use your $200 annual credit on that purchase.

Furthermore, you can redeem your Membership Rewards points for a statement credit towards your Universal Studios hotels.

There are plenty of Marriott hotels in the vicinity of Universal Studios parks in the United States where you can use your Marriott Bonvoy points or your annual one-night free certificate from either the Marriott Bonvoy^® American Express^®* Card or the Marriott Bonvoy^® Business American Express^®* Card.

Around Orlando, rates for Marriott hotels aren’t that high so you might not get the best valuation for points redemption but this is an opportunity to receive elite nights to reach a status without breaking the bank.

A very affordable option at reasonable points rates exists with the Fairfield Inn & Suites Orlando, Near Universal Orlando Resort. You get a free shuttle to the parks, plus free breakfast every morning for everyone.

Same with Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, there’s a fair amount of affordable hotels from the chain. Since Osaka is also a good base for exploring Japan’s Kansai region, you could benefit from a 5th night free if you book your stay with points. That translates into a 20% discount!

After covering park tickets, airfare and accommodations for a trip to Universal Studios, here are some additional tips to save even more money.

While Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Singapore can be accessed more easily with public transport, it’s less convenient in the United States.

When I went to Universal Studios Hollywood, we decided to park on-site and near the front gate to beat the crowds. The rate was US 60 (compared to US 30 for the regular rate), but we were in the park before the hoard.

This was money very well spent since this can mean being able to do one or even two rides before it gets crowded; we didn’t see many lines for nearly an hour after the park opened on a Saturday. We then used travel reward points to reimburse our expenses.

You can also look for hotels with free shuttles to Universal Studios parks, but you probably won’t be dropped off near the front gate.

As for seat selection in flights and checked baggage, you can use your annual credits from the National Bank World Elite Mastercard to cover the fees in that regard if you don’t qualify for a free luggage with an Aeroplan co-branded credit card.

The ScotiaGold Passport^® Visa* Card is the best credit card for saving on foreign currency transaction fees. This equals a 2.5% value on all your Universal Studios expenses.

There is a $150 annual fee for this amzing credit card, but the fee is more than justified with the conversion fee savings and 6 free airport lounge passes.

Most theme parks excel at making us spend money, and Universal Studios is no exception. Mastering the art of points and your credit card benefits can make a big difference to your budget. Getting and using the right credit cards for your everyday purchases will determine how many trips you can take for less.

If you want to visit Universal Studios and Disney World during your stay in Orlando, your wallet will definetly need hand! So don’t hesitate to treat yourself with your points.