Universal Orlando Florida: Preparing for a Trip with Books and Films

Proper planning goes a long way in ensuring a successful vacation. The latest apps, tech and social pages make it easier than ever before to plan a trip, take in the visual imagery of your destination, track your progress, and experience the richness of the local history and culture. The advantage of on the spot technology nowadays means you’ll have current hours and schedules at your disposal, be able to receive instant communication from your hotels or other bookings, make last minute adjustments and find alternatives when necessary. 

Travel pros recommend immersing yourself in the culture of your destinations through media such as film and literature and the library has myriad free resources to help!

Whether or not you tend to be a last-minute traveler, or one who plans everything way in advance, you’ll be able to access the library’s offerings, including:

  • Reading nonfiction for background; learning the local geography, history, culture and current events.
  • Accessing language tools to learn phrases in a new language.
  • Watching films; documentaries or movies for entertainment.
  • Reading the literature from native authors and poets.
  • Learning about famous or historical figures.
  • Researching native artists and their work.
  • Catching up on the latest happenings and reading news or magazines from local regions.

Most of the above can be done remotely while you are in travel status, through downloading ahead of time to your devices. You can catch up during down time by the pool, in flight, in lines, on trains, or waiting in between different legs of your journey.

Once you get your trip planned enough to feel confident your day to day details are on track, take time to schedule in those extra elements to make your visit richer and more complete. I always try to mix print and electronic resources if I think WiFi will not be a given at my destination, and generally carry lightweight print resources with me just in case. I make my in-flight entertainment of local relevance through books, TV series, or movies.

Universal Studios

In this post, I am suggesting resources for travel to Universal Orlando resort in Central Florida. Whether traveling as an adult group, multi-generational, solo, or with young children, I hope you’ll see that there are numerous ways to use the library’s abundance of free tools so that you can hit the ground running once you arrive. Theming at Universal Studios Florida makes visitors feel like they are on a movie set with rides, shows, and attractions inspired by popular film, television, and music productions. And Universal’s Islands of Adventure is made up of 8 areas that are themed to various forms of adventures from literature. The library is a natural starting point to prepare for your trip.

Before your visit, read aloud as a family or schedule watch parties. Let each member choose what interests them most. Keep it fun. With theme parks, there is usually something for everyone and you can enjoy the experiences and attractions regardless of your preparation. But theme parks also usually require time in lines and a fair bit of waiting your turn. Why not use that time to discuss the books or films? Trivia apps or the web in general can easily help you with this process. On hoopla, you can download The Great Universal Studios Orlando Scavenger Hunt: A Detailed Path Through Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Island of Adventure by Catherine F. Olen. For a recent trip of mine, our family re-watched all of the Harry Potter films the week prior. This was a great refresher for me, and made my trip so much better. It has been many years since I’ve watched some of the films, and certainly not all of them in order one by one. I had questions, and was able to look up the answers or we talked them through. I found that by doing this I sought out more details during my visit, and made many connections visually that I hadn’t noticed before. I wanted to read some of the books again.

In my research, I found this very helpful concise post in my research and recommend it: Movies to Watch and Books to Read Before You Visit Universal Orlando.

Below are my expanded reading and viewing suggestions for a Universal Orlando visit. You’ll want to use the library’s travel resources, the well-organized Universal Orlando websites and apps, and other online resources to gain familiarity with the two major parks and their attractions and layouts as they relate to this list and as they relate to your planned visit. (I’ll abbreviate as follows: Universal Studios UL, & Islands of Adventure IOA) Also follow travel bloggers, vloggers and podcasters, who post continuously updated park content online through daily park visits and research. Find those whose style and format you enjoy and connect with.

Check the library’s app and catalog for the suggested titles, and choose your favorite format, whether it be print or electronic. If you are a Universal fan, you may be able to think of some books and films that are not on this list. I did not include everything. (Shrek 3D, which recently closed, was based on the Shrek picture book by William Steig and later films.) The Jaws attraction is closed, but some props remain and you may have fond memories of it from former visits. Watch the movie again, just for fun. We like to watch it each year around the 4th of July. Or read the novel by Peter Benchley. He used to come into our library in the early days of my career here in reference. (He died in Princeton, 2006)

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling/ Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Diagon Alley (US), Hogwarts Express King’s Cross Station, and Wizarding World Hogsmeade (IOL) & related attractions:


Read any of the legendary series titles but especially books 4-7 and Fantastic Beasts related titles. Watch the films, particularly movies 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. The library has a wealth of supplemental materials to help you immerse yourself in the Wizarding World before you go. Check the catalog for cinematic guides, media tie-ins, books on the dark arts, myths and magic, crafts, science, jokes, Hogwarts, spell books, creatures, the stage production, quidditch, Lego HP, and tributes to individual characters. You may even be able to attend library events themed around Harry Potter, as they are offered rotationally. And check the Library’s Youtube channel for previous posts expertly presented by our system youth staff. (Assorted instructional activities to make and discover: troll boogies slime, pumpkin juice, sorting hat cupcakes, quidditch, wands, spells, trivia, pumpkin pasties, polyjuice, love potion, crystal ball, read-alikes, parchment & quill, dragon egg, cauldron cakes, monster book, magical bath bombs, bon-bons, butterbeer, knickerbocker glory, fudge, chocolate frogs, leaf herbology bookmarks, forbidden forest book nooks and more!)

We are huge Harry Potter fans in my household. A family member currently works in the Wizarding World—yes, his mom is me, who introduced him to the books from the Lawrence branch at an early age. Those books were a brand new world phenomena at that time for kids of that generation. And adults as well!

Curious George series by Margaret Rey, H.A. Rey/ Curious George Goes to Town Area (US):

Introduce your kids to this beloved character through the library’s picture books, early readers and numerous DVDs - films and animated series (PBS and otherwise) - from over the years. These books are as popular today as ever and will likely stay on the library’s shelves for years to come.

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton/Jurassic Park Area, Camp Jurassic Area, Jurassic Park River Adventure, Jurassic World VelociCoaster, Pteradon Flyers, Jurassic Park Discovery Center (IOA):


Read the original 1990 book and watch Jurassic World and the Jurassic Park movies 1, 2 & 3. Related: read the Lost World 1995. Borrow junior novelizations, Lego Jurassic World titles, Camp Cretaceous, Dino Files, junior graphic novel series, Jurassic world dinosaur field guides, “survival guides” or a biography on Stephen Spielberg. The library shelves are full of books on dinosaurs including nonfiction and fiction (catalogued as: Reptilia, Paleozoology and Natural Sciences). There are electronic resources to match.

ET: The Extra Terrestrial /ET Adventure (US):

Watch the landmark family film by Stephen Spielberg and read the picture book by Jim K. Thomas. Additionally, the library has resources on the film’s themes for the whole family, such as space travel, planets, aliens and telekinesis. Access biographical material on your favorite actors or view their other works. Borrow the soundtrack by Jon Williams.

The Cat in the Hat books by Dr. Suess (Theodor Geisel) /Seuss Landing area and related attractions (IOA):

Read or watch the film adaptations for the following works: The Lorax, Cat in the Hat, The Sneetches, Green Eggs and Ham, If I Ran the Zoo, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Including picture books, early readers and non-fiction. Read or download a biography on Theodor Geisel, otherwise known as Doctor Seuss. Borrow Cook it! The Doctor Seuss Cookbook for Kid Chefs or Green Eggs and Ham Cookbook: Recipes Inspired by Dr. Seuss. The Cat in the Hat has been featured many times over the years in the Library’s observances of Read Across America Day, through parties, crafts, breakfasts, scavenger hunts, performances, character greetings, science tie-ins and staff read-alouds.

The Mummy/Revenge of the Mummy (US):

Read background in general about the Book of the Dead, ancient Egypt and pyramids, Imhotep, biblical history, hieroglyphics, mummies and ancient burial, archaeology. On hoopla, use The Curiosity Stream BingePass history section for discovery. Watch Universal classic monster films from the 1930s-1950s. Read The Monster Movies of Universal Studios by James L Neibaur and Monsters: A Celebration of the Classics from Universal Studios by Roy Milano. Watch Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy on DVD. Frankenstein Vs. the Mummy and The Mummy Lives (with Tony Curtis) can be streamed on hoopla. Related adaptations of this ageless subject cover all audiences in the library system including fiction, short stories, comics and graphic novels.

The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum series, fiction and films/Attend the Bourne Stuntacular show (US):

Do you remember the original titles in this Jason Bourne Series? Or the continuations by Eric Van Lustbader and Brian Freeman? I have seen this new stunt show one time and highly recommend it. I’ve seen the films, but not read the books, and was able to follow along. It was very entertaining, and much better than I anticipated. The Bourne Fandom website summarizes the show as follows: “…a stunt show that blurs the lines between stage and cinema to a degree never seen before…is based off the four-decade old franchise of 15 novels…was opened on June 30, 2020…”

For readers, here are the books: (Also check the library’s catalog for related films, and the TV series Treadstone):

Robert Ludlum

  1. The Bourne Identity (1980)
  2. The Bourne Supremacy (1986)
  3. The Bourne Ultimatum (1990)

Eric Van Lustbader

  • The Bourne Legacy (2004)
  • The Bourne Betrayal (2007)
  • The Bourne Sanction (2008)
  • The Bourne Deception (2009)
  • The Bourne Objective (2010)
  • The Bourne Dominion (2011)
  • The Bourne Imperative (2012)
  • The Bourne Retribution (2013)
  • The Bourne Ascendancy (2014)
  • The Bourne Enigma (2016)
  • The Bourne Initiative (2017)

Brian Freeman

  • The Bourne Evolution (2020)

The Simpsons by Matt Groening / Springfield USA Home of the Simpsons Area, The Simpsons Ride, Kang & Kodos’ ride (US):

Trivia question: Do you know who are the only characters in the Simpsons with 5 fingers on each hand?

Faithful Simpson’s followers can reconnect with the antics, madness, pranks and journey of America’s favorite nuclear family before visiting Springfield USA through: Original comic strip collections, handbooks, holiday guides, parodies, DVDs, jokes, cookbooks, quotations mathematical references, popular culture, films, and more. (Trivia answer: God and Jesus)

The Men in Black by Lowell Cunningham /Men in Black Alien Attack (US):

Read about unexplained phenomena (there is a short guide, Men in Black by Kenny Abdo in the West Windsor library that gives information, theories and their place in popular culture) and also watch the Men in Black (MIB) science fiction action comedy films. The first film is loosely based on the Marvel comic book The Men in Black by Lowell Cunningham, which was itself based on a conspiracy theory.

Popeye the Sailor by E.C.Segar/Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges (IOA):

I found this Blog post, History of Popeye, to be a comprehensive and fascinating one for background and chronology.

Some of its contents can be found in library resources for you to borrow—histories of the golden age of animation and comics, cartoon classics to watch that have been digitally restored, the 1980 Robert Altman Film with Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall, shorts and color specials, vintage comic strips, DVDs of Max Fleischer’s Popeye the Sailor in the 1930s and 1940s and others.

Dudley Do-Right by Jay Ward and Alex Anderson/ Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls (IOA):

Watch the Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle Volumes 1-5 on DVD. The Library also has a copy of the book by Louis Chunovic, The Rocky and Bullwinkle Book. No longer found in the library system is the Hugh Wilson feature film Dudley Do-Right with Sarah Jessica Parker, Alfred Molina, Eric Idle and Brendan Fraser. You can buy it or rent it. Still a favorite to my 90s kids, we have many favorite scenes and still quote this movie.

Woody Woodpecker Walter Lantz, Ben Hardaway /Woody Woodpecker’s KidZone, Woody Woodpecker’s Nuthouse Coaster (US):

Borrow DVDs of the Classic Cartoon collections; Read TheWalter Lantz Story by Joe Adamson. Trivia fact: Woody Woodpecker is one of very few cartoon characters originally voiced by Mel Blanc, to be voiced by someone else during Blanc's lifetime. Woody also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. According to Universal Studios Fandom “…like Mickey Mouse of The Walt Disney Company and Bugs Bunny of WarnerMedia, Woody Woodpecker is the official mascot of NBCUniversal. Woody and his friends are also icons at the Universal Studios Theme Parks worldwide.

King Kong Merian C. Cooper, Delos W. Lovelace, Walter F. Ripperger/ Skull Island Reign of Kong (IOA):

“The character of King Kong has become one of the world's most famous movie icons, having inspired a number of sequels, remakes, spin-offs, imitators, parodies, cartoons, books, comics, video games, theme park rides, and a stage play. His role in the different narratives varies, ranging from a rampaging monster to a tragic antihero.” (from Wikipedia) Learn about the above with library resources that cover history and criticism, character rights, the King Kong franchise, collectibles, media-tie ins, primates, ancient primates in science and legend and soundtracks. Watch the RKO pictures 1933 original with Fay Wray, also: Son of Kong, the Peter Jackson 2005 film and Godzilla vs. Kong.

Marvel/Marvel Superhero Island (IOA) Spiderman--The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman (IOA) Related characters: Spider-Man, Captain America, Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, Dr. Doom /Incredible Hulk Coaster (IOA):

One summary of Marvel Super Hero Island can be found here:

The library’s holdings related to Marvel Comics and Cinematic Universe is abundant and spans materials for all ages. Visit the library’s catalog to search. Even the youngest library users will find titles.

This August 2021 YouTube slideshow contains many of them: Marvel Books and Materials with Laura. 

Honorable Mention:

Below are even more lands and attractions, and character meet & greets, that relate to materials you can borrow from the Library System ahead of your visit:

  • Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (US)
  • Fast & Furious Supercharged (US)
  • Despicable Me Minion Mayhem (US)
  • Blues Brothers Show (US)
  • Transformers the Ride 3-D (US)

Lost Continent (IOA) Known for rich theming including myths and legends, Grecian Gods and ruins, Sinbad, eating, shopping and the exotic. No attractions or rides.

Universal Orlando’s Horror Makeup Show (US) Read this thorough this Wikipedia article for background and included films and classic monsters.

Character meet and Greets. The Theme Park Prodigy website gives a good overview, recommended.

Enjoy your first trip, or next trip to Universal Orlando. Remember to visit the Library first or download what you need while you are traveling!

- by Laura G., Lawrence Branch

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