Universal for the hopelessly ignorant and confused

Soarin' Over Pgh

Soarin' Over Pgh

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I've booked my vacation and added 4 days of Universal rather than a solid WDW vacation.

But now I'm facing a bit of an issue... I know nothing about Universal, other than what has been mentioned in Spirit's threads over in News and Rumors.

No idea what rides are decent. No idea where to eat. Booked for 4 days... is that overkill?

I know where I'm staying (Cabana Bay!) and I know you'll find me, at some point, parked in an inner tube, on the lazy river....

Do they serve alcohol?

Any and/or all advice for a newbie would be greatly appreciated. Pictures are awesome, too.
 
Lucky

Lucky

Well-Known Member
There are some good Uni guide books. If you still have a Barnes and Noble store nearby you might just stop by and look through them.

I may go for a day in April, mostly to see the new HP area, on the way to or from a family reunion in St. Augustine.
 
prfctlyximprct

prfctlyximprct

Well-Known Member
I'm a newbie traveling to Uni for 2 days in November so any tips would be appreciated! Following along on this thread! All I ever see on Youtube videos are people in the Harry Potter sections. I need a printable map and I need to get a game plan! :)
 
Soarin' Over Pgh

Soarin' Over Pgh

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Corey P said:
Universal doesn't take the kind of planning WDW does.

If you are going for two days then Universal will most likely be running a buy 2 get the third day free, look for that.

I would say you don't need a park hopper unless you are a real Harry Potter fan, you need the park hopper for the train ride between the two Potter lands. Other then that I have never had a reason to jump from park to park.

Other then that check out JoeCamel's link.
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Thank you! I'm slowly figuring this all out. WDW planning is nuts- but it doesn't seem Uni is as bad.

Any help is appreciated, but I feel stupid asking. :(
 
sandam1

sandam1

Member
Congrats on your trip over to the dark side! I just got back from my first "Universal only" trip and my third trip since October 2014 so I will try to help where I can.

First thing to keep in mind is that this is not Disney. The meticulous planning is not as necessary. You will be fine with a vague outline of what you might like to do and where you might like to eat.

Four days sounds perfect for a newbie. During our trip, my best friend and I were actually having that very discussion. We first did a one-day which was WAY too short, then two-day trip which was still too short, and on this trip we were there for three days. On this trip we got to do everything that we wanted, but didn't have quite enough time for all of the repeats. I'm probably going back with another friend who has never been to Universal in the fall and will be recommending four days.

So a couple questions for you:
- Who are you going with and their ages
- What is your theme park style (go-go-go or a slightly slower pace, super crazy rides or not so much)
- Are you Harry Potter fanatics, just like it, or barely know who he is?

I LOVE Cabana Bay hotel. We stayed on-site there for our last two visits and am in love with it. Neither my friend nor I are into the super crazy rides so the Express Pass isn't really an issue for us. We didn't get to visit the lazy river this time (the first night was too cold, the second night we were toast), but fell in love with it on our first trip. There is a bar near the pool as well.

On our first trip, we stayed in a standard room, which was nice, but it was a little tight and there was only two of us. This trip we stayed in a suite for $5 more per night and the extra space was appreciated. We stayed in the tower as I'm not a huge fan of exterior corridors.

95% of the time, the bus system rocked - even in the early morning and closing time rushes - often with two or three buses waiting to load people. HOWEVER, on the second day of our recent trip, there was a huge back-up at closing time. We actually had someone from Universal recommend walking back, it was that bad. We got directions, trekked back through City Walk, and then miraculously found a rickshaw waiting on the path. For the cost of a nice tip, we got a ride most of the way back to the hotel. It all worked out in the end (a running theme on this trip), but it did remind me that even Universal's transport isn't 100% (although it is remarkably better than Disney).

So fire away with specific questions and I'll try to answer what I can.
 
BubbaQuest

BubbaQuest

Well-Known Member
Soarin' Over Pgh said:
Any help is appreciated, but I feel stupid asking. :(
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No stupid questions here!! :)

On my first trip I knew little more than "Harry Potter is cool" and "Portofino Bay is a hotel near Universal" and ended up having a great time. I second JoeCamel's recommendation of Orlando Informer if you are looking for detailed information. They have everything including hotel layouts and menus.

Since you have 4 days, a ton of preplanning is probably not necessary. Usually the biggest issue is how to cram everything into one day (hint: Early Morning Access is your friend). With 4 days, you should be able to enjoy at your leisure and then go back the next day in the early morning to tackle the normally crowded attractions.

Regarding alcohol, all the Uni hotels have poolside bars. I doubt you can take your drink into the Lazy River, but refreshments should be conveniently located nearby (and throughout the parks and CityWalk!)

Have a great trip and definitely feel free to ask more questions!
 
JoeCamel

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
BubbaQuest said:
No stupid questions here!! :)

On my first trip I knew little more than "Harry Potter is cool" and "Portofino Bay is a hotel near Universal" and ended up having a great time. I second JoeCamel's recommendation of Orlando Informer if you are looking for detailed information. They have everything including hotel layouts and menus.

Since you have 4 days, a ton of preplanning is probably not necessary. Usually the biggest issue is how to cram everything into one day (hint: Early Morning Access is your friend). With 4 days, you should be able to enjoy at your leisure and then go back the next day in the early morning to tackle the normally crowded attractions.

Regarding alcohol, all the Uni hotels have poolside bars. I doubt you can take your drink into the Lazy River, but refreshments should be conveniently located nearby (and throughout the parks and CityWalk!)

Have a great trip and definitely feel free to ask more questions!
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I have seen drinks in the lazy river (some of the elaborate floats have cupholders) but it is not allowed and I wouldn't do it.
 
Soarin' Over Pgh

Soarin' Over Pgh

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thanks guys!

There's only two of us going, both over 30. We like most rides except spinners (him) and most water rides (me). He was at universal as a child. Has not been to Disney or uni since then.

Is the Suess area for kids?

What restaurants would you recommend? Anything unique to the parks? Is city walk like Disney springs?
 
JoeCamel

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Suess is for kids and big kids, don't pass it by.

I had lunch at Mythos today, I love the place and it's service. City Walk is more about entertainment than shopping so no it is not like DS. Spend some time on the OI site I linked above, you will get a real feel for the parks as they are today.
 
Disneyhead'71

Disneyhead'71

Well-Known Member
Soarin' Over Pgh said:
Thanks guys!

There's only two of us going, both over 30. We like most rides except spinners (him) and most water rides (me). He was at universal as a child. Has not been to Disney or uni since then.

Is the Suess area for kids?

What restaurants would you recommend? Anything unique to the parks? Is city walk like Disney springs?
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Since it is just the 2 of you and you have 4 days, I strongly suggest at least one of their signature restaurants. All four are nice, and it really depends on what you like. BiCE at Portofino Bay is an upscale romantic Italian restaurant. Palm at Hard Rock is a classic NYC style Steakhouse. Emeril's Orlando in CityWalk is New Orleans influenced American fare. And Emeril's Tchoup Chop at Royal Pacific is Pacific Rim/Asian. I have not had a bad meal at any of them. They are a bit pricey, but worth it.

And yes, CityWalk is sort of like Disney Springs. Only less shopping, more drinking. The coolest restaurant in CityWalk is Cowfish. Hard to describe, but worth a visit. Vivo (Italian) and Antojito's (Mexican) are also quite enjoyable. And there are a bunch of other restaurants in CityWalk. From a Grilled Cheese Sandwich restaurant and the Hot Dog Hall of Fame to Margaritaville and The Hard Rock Cafe. CityWalk also has the coolest karaoke bar called Rising Star. You sing with a live band on stage with concert lights.

My 2 favorite places to eat in the parks are Mythos in IOA and Finnigan's Irish Pub in USF. I only eat counter service in either of the Potter lands or Springfield. Universal's Counter Service is pretty bad. And their Table Service restaurants are very reasonably priced. If you want a good counter service pizza, Red Oven in CityWalk is a short walk from either park. Much better than what's available in the parks.
 
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Soarin' Over Pgh

Soarin' Over Pgh

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Disneyhead'71 said:
Since it is just the 2 of you and you have 4 days, I strongly suggest at least one of their signature restaurants. All four are nice, and it really depends on what you like. BiCE at Portofino Bay is an upscale romantic Italian restaurant. Palm at Hard Rock is a classic NYC style Steakhouse. Emeril's Orlando in CityWalk is New Orleans influenced American fare. And Emeril's Tchoup Chop at Royal Pacific is Pacific Rim/Asian. I have not had a bad meal at any of them. They are a bit pricey, but worth it.

And yes, CityWalk is sort of like Disney Springs. Only less shopping, more drinking. The coolest restaurant in CityWalk is Cowfish. Hard to describe, but worth a visit. Vivo (Italian) and Antojito's (Mexican) are also quite enjoyable. And there are a bunch of other restaurants in CityWalk. From a Grilled Cheese Sandwich restaurant and the Hot Dog Hall of Fame to Margaritaville and The Hard Rock Cafe. CityWalk also has the coolest karaoke bar called Rising Star. You sing with a live band on stage with concert lights.

My 2 favorite places to eat in the parks are Mythos in IOA and Finnigan's Irish Pub in USF. I only eat counter service in either of the Potter lands or Springfield. Universal's Counter Service is pretty bad. And their Table Service restaurants are very reasonably priced. If you want a good counter service pizza, Red Oven in CityWalk is a short walk from either park. Much better than what's available in the parks.
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Wow, thank you!! I was definitely planning on mythos but was unsure of citywalk. This really helps!
JoeCamel said:
Suess is for kids and big kids, don't pass it by.

I had lunch at Mythos today, I love the place and it's service. City Walk is more about entertainment than shopping so no it is not like DS. Spend some time on the OI site I linked above, you will get a real feel for the parks as they are today.
Click to expand...

I've been going through that site page by page since you dropped the link.
 

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