If you visited Universal for 3/4 hours a day, how many days would you select to do everything in both parks? Not fussed about kids shows but would want to explore hogsmeade in detail. Probably november time (outside of a pandemic!)
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How many days would you choose?
- Thread starter Bonbondisney
- Start date
PostScott
Well-Known Member
Well, it depends when in November you're going, if you're planning to get express passes or not, and if you're getting a park-to-park ticket.
If you're going Thanksgiving time, with no express passes and no park-to-park tickets, then I'd say about 2 days at each park. 3-4 hours won't be enough to even hit all of the big attractions during Thanksgiving time, you'd probably hit around 3-4 rides per day then. In this scenario it would have to be 2 days per park at the minimum if you want to do all the big stuff.
If you're going Thanksgiving time, with no express passes and no park-to-park tickets, then I'd say about 2 days at each park. 3-4 hours won't be enough to even hit all of the big attractions during Thanksgiving time, you'd probably hit around 3-4 rides per day then. In this scenario it would have to be 2 days per park at the minimum if you want to do all the big stuff.
Thanks. It would be before the thanks giving crowds. I have no idea how many days to budget for and if the fast pass would cut down the amount of nights I need to be there so balancing out a cheaper hotel for more nights
LittleMerman
Well-Known Member
I don't know if this helps but I did a 2-park 1-day ticket last Saturday but we were there all day. We were able to do the majority of what we wanted to do but not all of it. We rode:
ISLANDS
- Hagrid (twice with virtual queue)
- Hulk
- Spiderman
- King Kong
- Jurassic Park
US
- Race Through NY
- ET
- Rip Ride Rocket
- Escape from Gringott's
- The Mummy
We wanted to ride Forbidden Journey, Men In Black, Transformers, and Fast & Furious but didn't have time.
We also had a nice, long sit-down lunch at Mythos (which I recommend, it was so good and relaxing!). We were there from 8:30a to 9:30p so 13 hour so to do what we did in 3/4 hours you'd have to go maybe 5 days. But if you're more just interested in Harry Potter you could do those two sections alone in probably 8 hours with the attractions, shopping, and dining. So I'd say two days but it also depends how much you want to see/do outside of HP! Have fun!!
ISLANDS
- Hagrid (twice with virtual queue)
- Hulk
- Spiderman
- King Kong
- Jurassic Park
US
- Race Through NY
- ET
- Rip Ride Rocket
- Escape from Gringott's
- The Mummy
We wanted to ride Forbidden Journey, Men In Black, Transformers, and Fast & Furious but didn't have time.
We also had a nice, long sit-down lunch at Mythos (which I recommend, it was so good and relaxing!). We were there from 8:30a to 9:30p so 13 hour so to do what we did in 3/4 hours you'd have to go maybe 5 days. But if you're more just interested in Harry Potter you could do those two sections alone in probably 8 hours with the attractions, shopping, and dining. So I'd say two days but it also depends how much you want to see/do outside of HP! Have fun!!
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Weather_Lady
Well-Known Member
If you're only going for 3-4 hours at a time, I'd think you'd need a minimum of four visits (2 for each park), especially if you want to take your time with the Harry Potter sections. If I were you I'd consider buying 2-Park Seasonal Annual Passes (blockout dates are Easter, Christmas and the month of July, and the passes cost only a little more than a 4-day park-to-park ticket) so you can go as many days as you want -- right now, they've got a deal going where your pass is good for 15 months (instead of 12) from first use. Plus, you'd be eligible for passholder discounts to stay at one of the onsite hotels (Hard Rock, Royal Pacific, Portofino Bay) that offer free Unlimited Express Pass.
I've been running a few test plans for the Universal parks on the touringplans website, and FWIW, having Express Passes saves, on average, 2-4 hours (2 hours at low crowd times, 4 or more hours at higher crowd times like February break) in line, per park, assuming you visit each [non-show] attraction once. While my family of four can't afford the a la carte price of Express Passes as an add-on, staying at an onsite "free Unlimited Express Pass" hotel with the annual passholder discount is a terrific option.
(*Note: All of the above assumes the OP isn't a local, who wouldn't need a hotel and is eligible for the Florida resident discounts. If that's not true, kindly disregard!)
I've been running a few test plans for the Universal parks on the touringplans website, and FWIW, having Express Passes saves, on average, 2-4 hours (2 hours at low crowd times, 4 or more hours at higher crowd times like February break) in line, per park, assuming you visit each [non-show] attraction once. While my family of four can't afford the a la carte price of Express Passes as an add-on, staying at an onsite "free Unlimited Express Pass" hotel with the annual passholder discount is a terrific option.
(*Note: All of the above assumes the OP isn't a local, who wouldn't need a hotel and is eligible for the Florida resident discounts. If that's not true, kindly disregard!)
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JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
I was going to comment on leaving out MiB until I saw you took the time to enjoy Mythos. Fair trade IMO
LittleMerman
Well-Known Member
Is MiB awesome or something? I have no idea about it! And yes, we would have liked more time to see everything but didn't want to splurge on the Express Pass. And we had a lot of fun chilling for a while at Mythos!
JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
Yes! watch ride throughs or anything. It is the best shooter ride (not screenz) to date. You like buzz? think space aliens over run any part of buzz.
Thank you so much, that’s such A huge help
LittleMerman
Well-Known Member
Aww man! I'd like to go to Universal one more time after Velocicoaster opens to do the things I didn't do on my last trip and spend some more time in Harry Potter but then I think that'll be it for me.
Hard Question to answer.
I can spend 2 and half hours in Diagon Alley alone - wandering through the shops, eating some ice cream, drinking a Newcastle, eating at TLC and riding Gringott's. Alternately, I can walk through the land, glance at the stores, use EP for Gringott's and be out in 20 minutes.
I second @JoeCamel 's comment on MiB
I can spend 2 and half hours in Diagon Alley alone - wandering through the shops, eating some ice cream, drinking a Newcastle, eating at TLC and riding Gringott's. Alternately, I can walk through the land, glance at the stores, use EP for Gringott's and be out in 20 minutes.
I second @JoeCamel 's comment on MiB
JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
The people watching in DA is outstanding, from seeing the first timer's come through the wall, Michael do his thing in front of Leaky or seeing the wonder when the ironbelly blasts off. The rapt half smiles then joy on the kids and adults faces during an Olivander's show or the smiles as Celestina sings her heart out. Didn't even ride or stop to eat/drink yet but I can do hours here.
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You don't know how many times I witness people hesitantly start to go in near where Kreacher peaks out of the window. If I had a dollar for every time I heard "I don't think we can go this way"
Figgy1
Premium Member
We've spent a whole day RD to close in the Potterlands
Rob562
Well-Known Member
Our favorite people-watching spot is the fountain wand location near the Hopping Pot. We'll grab beers (a Dragon Scale and a Wizard's Brew) and then stand off to the side in the shade, keeping track of how many times the fountain spell is triggered, watching the unaware Muggles wandering through the area without seeing the wet patch on the ground, waiting for the inevitable.....
-Rob
trr1
Well-Known Member
I would stay for 5 nights at Royal pacific
jeanericuser001
Well-Known Member
If I was doing universal or IOA for only 3 or 4 hours then it would be september and that is because I would be hitting halloween horror nights. I would likely stay at what ever hotel is offering the cheapest deal. Since the price of tickets for hhn are cheaper than day tickets depending on where you buy them. I would likely try to get express as that will allow me to hit all the houses and all the rides that are open. Since it will not be a super long day at the park I might visit the outlet malls just outside universal property to get some xmas shopping done before heading to universal.