-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Less than a week away from this Disney Family's first Universal Studios visit
- Thread starter Todd H
- Start date
Nope. Should be interesting. We've been a Disney family pretty much, with the occasional visit to some of the smaller parks like Dollywood. Never Universal though.
Disneyfanatic!!
Member
It really is so much fun! Here's a tip: DON'T COMPARE!
Universal is a great pace in its own right, so don't take advice from any negative nellies who constantly compare it to Disney. Much like you do when you're at Disney, forget about the outside world and just enjoy what you have in front of you. Trust me, it won't be hard to enjoy yourself. Have a blast!
Universal is a great pace in its own right, so don't take advice from any negative nellies who constantly compare it to Disney. Much like you do when you're at Disney, forget about the outside world and just enjoy what you have in front of you. Trust me, it won't be hard to enjoy yourself. Have a blast!
GLaDOS
Well-Known Member
Well, it's a very interesting time to be visiting, considering all the construction going on in USF. And I have to agree with the poster above, don't compare. I personally like Universal better, and I find it hard not to constantly compare when I'm at WDW, but I put it out of my mind and always have a great time.
Here's some tips from me:
Rides/Attractions you can't miss no matter what. No excuses: Spider-Man, Forbidden Journey, Pop Eye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges, Jurassic Park River Adventure, Cat in the Hat, Dragon Challenge, The Hulk, Mummy, Disaster, ET, Despicable Me, Simpsons, MIB, T2:3D
Rides that you should see, but understandable if you miss them: Poseidon's Fury, Doctor Doom's Fearfall, Dudley Do Right's Ripsaw Falls, Flight of the Hippogriff, High in the Sky Seuss Trolly Ride, Shrek 4-D, Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit
Hidden Gem: Universal Horror Make-Up Show. A really fun show, but only has a few showings each day, and has very limited seating. Make sure you figure out how it fits into your schedule. I wouldn't miss it.
More fun than it looks: One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. Sure, it looks like a normal spinner, but ride it and listen to the song. It's hints for when to move up and down to keep yourself from getting wet. It's a blast.
Skip-able: Stormforce Acceleration, Caro-Seuss-al (unless you're a Seuss fan), Sinbad, KidZone shows
Warning about the IoA water rides: It's not "You May Get Wet" here. It's "You Will Get SOAKED". I've never been on rides that get you more wet. But they're all very fun, so I wouldn't advise skipping them. Personally, I like to wear a bathing suit to IoA, along with something to get changed into after riding them. Then once I'm done with the water rides for the day, I change and put the wet stuff into a plastic bag and a locker, and then pick it up at the end of the day.
One thing I'd definitely recommend is to take the time and explore. Especially in Islands of Adventure. The park doesn't seem all that big, but it has so many explorable nooks and crannies. Really comb over areas like Camp Jurassic, the JP land in general, If I Ran the Zoo in Seuss, and Me Ship the Olive in Toon Lagoon. There's so many hidden little details to enjoy. Also, if you're a Marvel fan, look for all the injokes and winks in MSHI.
I'm not sure where you're staying, but I enjoy exploring the Uni hotels, like the Disney resorts. Royal Pacific and Portafino are both beautiful places, and it's fun to travel to them using the Universal water taxis.
Let me know if you have any questions.
AmongMadPeople
Active Member
I took my first trip a few months ago. I very deliberately didn't try to compare to Disney, but when I did, it was in a positive light. One thing I remember the most was how much I smiled on all the rides. It was so fun to experience new rides, not knowing what's coming next (Mummy...I'm looking at you!) Hope your family has fun and look forward to hearing about it after you return!
Day one in the books. Did US today and doing IOA tomorrow. Had a great time. Highlights included Despicable Me, The Mummy, and The Simpsons. Was looking forward to Rockit but was disappointed afterwards. Way too jerky and painful.
Looking forward to IOA tomorrow. Can't wait to ride Spider-Man and HP. After we get home I'll do a more in-depth review.
Looking forward to IOA tomorrow. Can't wait to ride Spider-Man and HP. After we get home I'll do a more in-depth review.
Disneyfanatic!!
Member
Yep
Disneyfanatic!!
Member
Sounds like a good plan but don't rush through the Forbidden Journey queue! It's part of the attraction and really just awesomely amazing in every way possible.
Absolutely. Make sure you queue in the standby at least once when it's around 20-30 mins.
captainkidd
Well-Known Member
Everything at Islands is great except for the stuff in Lost Continent.