Will be at Universal for the first time Sept. 16/17. Anyone have tips on how best to attack the parks and experience as much as possible?
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
First Time at Universal Sept 16/17 - Any tips?
- Thread starter daveo43175
- Start date
SleepingMonk
Well-Known Member
Stay at one of the resorts on property, you'll be allowed to enter IOA an hour early, which means you'll walk right on Forbidden Journey and your room key works as an unlimited ExpressPass. No lines, no waits.
Have lunch at Mythos, dinner at Tchoup Chop.
Enjoy!
Have lunch at Mythos, dinner at Tchoup Chop.
Enjoy!
Great! The resorts won't be do-able (tight budget) but was looking at getting the express passes for my daughter and I for the two days. Would that be a wise move?
Mythos and Tchoup Chop are definitely on the to do list!
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
If you get the express passes you will be good to go. Universal Orlando information is hard to come by.
You are also going at probably my favorite time of year. Generally considered to be the slower season with crowds and it is a tad cooler and less humid. Take your time and take it all in. It is a resort with two great theme parks and lots to offer. You should have time to see all of the shows and little details to explore. Hope you have a great time. There is a pretty good number of Universal veterans that are able to help out with tips and advice.
You are likely going to see a lot of street props set up for the Halloween Horror Nights season. Kind of neat in a way because you will sort of get a sample of the kind of awesome effort that goes into that.
You are likely going to see a lot of street props set up for the Halloween Horror Nights season. Kind of neat in a way because you will sort of get a sample of the kind of awesome effort that goes into that.
JillC LI
Well-Known Member
If you'll be there two whole days, I'm not sure you really need to spring for those Express Passes. If you arrive at opening, hit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter first thing on the first day, and then carefully make your way around the parks over the afternoon and next day, you should be able to do just about everything without too much wait. Pre-WWOHP our family did everything we wanted in both parks in one day in October without an Express Pass.
Great tips!
My thanks to disney4life2008, celluloid and JILLc LI for the advice. I knew I could count on my friends here at WDWmagic!
All other tips/tricks/advice welcome!
Will be attacking the 4 Disney parks the following 2 days after Universal.
My daughter and I are calling this trip our Florida Commando raid. 6 parks in 4 days. My knees hurt already!
My thanks to disney4life2008, celluloid and JILLc LI for the advice. I knew I could count on my friends here at WDWmagic!
All other tips/tricks/advice welcome!
Will be attacking the 4 Disney parks the following 2 days after Universal.
My daughter and I are calling this trip our Florida Commando raid. 6 parks in 4 days. My knees hurt already!
JillC LI
Well-Known Member
I always used to tell people that we toured Disney commando-style as well until someone once responded with a comment about how free and breezy that must feel
and now I can't say it anymore without cracking up at that thought!McClane713
New Member
Buy the 2 Day-2 park tickets because if it's slow, you may be able to do both in a day, but if it's your first time maybe not. If I remember right though, it isn't that huge of a price difference, and if you end up with extra time on your last day you can jump back to a different park for your last ride on your favorites.
Use the first day to judge the crowds, and if needed get the express pass for the 2nd day. As others said, you may not even need it.
Wish I could go. Want to see WWOHP so bad, but I had to be a dummy and buy a house so my vacation budget went bye bye.
Use the first day to judge the crowds, and if needed get the express pass for the 2nd day. As others said, you may not even need it.
Wish I could go. Want to see WWOHP so bad, but I had to be a dummy and buy a house so my vacation budget went bye bye.
Take your time and enjoy both parks and what the resort has to offer. Enjoy the theming and each little diversion attraction like Lucy: A Tribute. Give a park one day this way each and go back and forth with what you have left or what you and your group want to go do again. Enjoy the shows too. If there is one show or thing to skip I would say Fear Factor Live but since you are there and first time you might as well check it out. But if pressed for time let that be your skip. I enjoy all the shows at the Universal parks. Should be no need for any kind of express pass if you get to the parks reletivley close to opening on each day and even then I can't imagine coming across any kind of trouble. Especially this time of year.
The regular standby queues are like Disney are part of the attraction themselves most of the time.
Have fun!
The regular standby queues are like Disney are part of the attraction themselves most of the time.
Have fun!
shipley731
Well-Known Member
Express passes are the way to go with Universal. (Granted I hate waiting in line.)
If you are going to buy the express passes for both days, I would check the savings of staying at another hotel for 1 night versus what you will pay for the express passes. If you are visiting on a Friday & a Saturday and you stay at an on property Uni resort Friday night - check in early on Friday am, the express passes you get with the room will be good all day Friday & all day Saturday. The room express passes also have the added bonus of letting you ride most of the express pass rides more than once in a day. The ones you buy in the park only allow one express ride per day. i.e. If you love the Hulk coaster, you can go through that express line 4 times in a row with the hotel express pass. This of course doesn't apply to Forbidden Journey at all.
Even with my Florida resident discount, I think the Uni resorts are crazy expensive, but the fast pass generally makes it worthwhile. We usually only stay 1 night, get in early (10am) on Saturday, then get the use of the express passes all day Sat & Sun.
Just something to think about.
got2lovedisney
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
We went to Universal Memorial Day weekend and didn't get the Express pass and we did fine. I checked online and the price for the 2 park express pass for your dates is $25.99. If I'm not mistaken, that's the lowest price level. To me that indicates slow crowds expected. (for example: May 29th, the pass just for IOA was listed at $39.99, higher crowd levels expected). Just head straight to WWoHP first thing in the AM and you should be fine.
PS Don't wait at the carts for your Butterbeer and/pumpkin juice...we walked into the Hogs Head and got both with no wait. Also, the pumpkin juice was cheaper as it comes in a regular cup instead of the souvenir bottle.
PS Don't wait at the carts for your Butterbeer and/pumpkin juice...we walked into the Hogs Head and got both with no wait. Also, the pumpkin juice was cheaper as it comes in a regular cup instead of the souvenir bottle.
Diane Hughess
New Member
Now, you've made me re-think MY vaca!! We are at CBR for 6 nights, then we have ressies at HRH for 2 nights-Thur/Fri, but are going to GF for Sat. night (Got a 40% off!). Now I'm thinking, since the hotels are the same price, maybe I'll just stay at HRH Thurs. night, using the Express Pass for Thur/Fr. then just staying at GF Fri AND Sat. Thanks!! Only 13 days to go, so I better change the ressies now!!
If your spending a lot of time in their parks the meal deal they do is worth it. Last time i was there you just pay something like $20 and you eat as much as you want all day, one main dish and one dessert each time you go on line. i ended up splitting i with someone, so every now and then through out the day we could take a break, grab a snack and then go back to whatever
That is a great tip! Thanks!