Universal in 1 day?

Model3 McQueen

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
Does it make sense to visit Universal Orlando with a 1 day park hopper, or should I consider getting a single 2-day ticket? I'm planning a trip for sometime in December and would like to see all the big rides if possible. Thanks!
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Does it make sense to visit Universal Orlando with a 1 day park hopper, or should I consider getting a single 2-day ticket? I'm planning a trip for sometime in December and would like to see all the big rides if possible. Thanks!
Can't manage a 2 day hopper? You can have plenty of good rides in one day or a two day that will get the big rides (early December right???) but for the full experience with re-rides, shows etc requires you be flexible to move where the people are not and make showtimes. Not hard but takes a bit of doing.
If you are talking Christmas week all bets are off this year and I doubt it will be a pleasurable experience. At least for me it would suck.
 

Model3 McQueen

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
Can't manage a 2 day hopper? You can have plenty of good rides in one day or a two day that will get the big rides (early December right???) but for the full experience with re-rides, shows etc requires you be flexible to move where the people are not and make showtimes. Not hard but takes a bit of doing.
If you are talking Christmas week all bets are off this year and I doubt it will be a pleasurable experience. At least for me it would suck.

Thank you! A 2 day park hopper is a bit more expensive correct? Correct me if I'm wrong, but without one, I'm aware that we will not be able to do the Hogwarts Express. We were planning on going in the beginning of December.

I'm really looking forward to comparing Universal to WDW. The plan is 4 days WDW, 2 days Universal, 1 day to walk around - and see Disney Springs. I was hoping to see Deluxe hotels and ride the monorail too but I'm not sure if COVID-19 restrictions apply there.
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Thank you! A 2 day park hopper is a bit more expensive correct? Correct me if I'm wrong, but without one, I'm aware that we will not be able to do the Hogwarts Express. We were planning on going in the beginning of December.

I'm really looking forward to comparing Universal to WDW. The plan is 4 days WDW, 2 days Universal, 1 day to walk around - and see Disney Springs. I was hoping to see Deluxe hotels and ride the monorail too but I'm not sure if COVID-19 restrictions apply there.
The hopper is more but it gives you flexibility to go where the people are not and can inflate your daily attraction count by three or more
 

Model3 McQueen

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
Is the layout similar to DCA and Disneyland? As in, one park is clearly better than the other.. but they're both busy like Disney?
 

Jon81uk

Well-Known Member
Is the layout similar to DCA and Disneyland? As in, one park is clearly better than the other.. but they're both busy like Disney?

I don't think one park is clearly better, as they are very different.
IoA has three water rides, some coasters, dark rides and a few others.
USF has a couple of coasters, a lot of dark rides and some shows.

Put together there is a good selection of rides, but although I love Spider-Man and the Hulk coaster, I don't go for the water rides so much so I slightly prefer the studios park with the larger number of dark rides compared to IoA for rides, but IoA is better looking.

I miss Earthquake though.
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Is the layout similar to DCA and Disneyland? As in, one park is clearly better than the other.. but they're both busy like Disney?
It is pretty even. Islands leans towards amusement rides while the studios is more experiences like shows, shooter ride plus classic dark ride. If one is busy expect the other to be as well but you can use the app to see where you want to be between the two tailored to your touring style. If you see a 90 minutes wait (gasp!) go elsewhere to cut the line time drastically and check the ride with the long wait, it may just be 20 minutes later on.
If you want to do absolutely everything stay at a deluxe one night for two days of unlimited express or purchase it in the park. You will get your money's worth and fill of fun no matter what level of pass you end up getting.
 

DCLcruiser

Well-Known Member
Is the layout similar to DCA and Disneyland? As in, one park is clearly better than the other.. but they're both busy like Disney?
They are very different. USO is like DHS, in that it is movie studio based and has stunt shows, etc. IoA is a more manly version of Magic Kingdom. You should go to both and won't have a problem doing both in 1 day, with the Express Pass.
 
Last edited:

Model3 McQueen

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
In the Parks
No
Thanks everyone! If you think there's anything else a Universal newbie like myself should know, i'm all ears :)
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Thanks everyone! If you think there's anything else a Universal newbie like myself should know, i'm all ears :)
Best thing I can recommend for anyone who has never been is to spend time on Orlando Informer's website, they have more excellent information on how to visit, what to visit etc than anyone else and it is all vetted and quality plus updated obsessively. You can spend days there with all the content
 

macefamily

Well-Known Member
We've done both parks in a day with a hopper, but I honestly think those days are gone. Last time we were there, four of the rides were unavailable by 1:00 PM because of the amount of Express Passes they sold. Regular queues were shut down. In the current climate we're in I would suggest two days (they may even have that 3rd day free internet special). And I would stay away from the weekends. Big difference.
 

rreading

Well-Known Member
Same question but different circumstance: we're going to Florida this next summer (life permitting) and thinking to break up a WDW trip with a night at Universal with their express pass/early entry that comes with the hotel stay. My question is whether to take the day before (should come with express pass as well) to do Universal or to try and do everything in one day.

Early entry should take care of most of the HP rides, which is most of what we're interested in seeing and then we would have the rest of the day to get the other rides done.

At WDW, we have Nemo and FotLK as the top tier shows. Are there good ones there at Universal worth spending another day there? There's been a HP nighttime projection show, I think? I imagine we can get the rides pretty well done in one day ($720) and would rather not spend $1200 on two days if it's not worth it (nor miss an additional WDW day as our time is maybe more limited than our money)
 

PostScott

Well-Known Member
Typically, I'd say that guests without early entry and without express passes should spend two days to experience everything with ease. However, your situation is very flexible. Since its the summer, the hours should be long enough to be able to experience all the main attractions and shows, and since you have EP, you should have no problem waiting in line.

As far as shows, I'd say that Bourne and the Hogwarts projection show are the do not miss shows. If you are interested and have time though, Posidens Fury is a neat little show with a cool walkthrough.

If you need a good park-to-park plan on what to do then I can give you one, but other than that, I hope you have a good trip!
Same question but different circumstance: we're going to Florida this next summer (life permitting) and thinking to break up a WDW trip with a night at Universal with their express pass/early entry that comes with the hotel stay. My question is whether to take the day before (should come with express pass as well) to do Universal or to try and do everything in one day.

Early entry should take care of most of the HP rides, which is most of what we're interested in seeing and then we would have the rest of the day to get the other rides done.

At WDW, we have Nemo and FotLK as the top tier shows. Are there good ones there at Universal worth spending another day there? There's been a HP nighttime projection show, I think? I imagine we can get the rides pretty well done in one day ($720) and would rather not spend $1200 on two days if it's not worth it (nor miss an additional WDW day as our time is maybe more limited than our money)
 

Disone

Well-Known Member
Right now, if you go on a weekday NOT near a holiday (Like Memorial day, Veterans day, Thanksgiving etc....) I would say yes. On weekdays they tend to not be busy. One or two days, you definitely want the park hopper so you can enjoy Hogwarts Express, which allows you to park hop between the two park with out leaving the parks. Added bonus, the experience is different depending on which station you depart from.
 

JoeCamel

Well-Known Member
Typically, I'd say that guests without early entry and without express passes should spend two days to experience everything with ease. However, your situation is very flexible. Since its the summer, the hours should be long enough to be able to experience all the main attractions and shows, and since you have EP, you should have no problem waiting in line.

As far as shows, I'd say that Bourne and the Hogwarts projection show are the do not miss shows. If you are interested and have time though, Posidens Fury is a neat little show with a cool walkthrough.

If you need a good park-to-park plan on what to do then I can give you one, but other than that, I hope you have a good trip!
Don't leave out Horror Makeup!
 

jeanericuser001

Well-Known Member
Its possible to do it all in one day but your timing has to be perfect if you do not have certain upgrades and plus there are some rides that will not be open during the winter. My advice would be first of all to stay overnight at one of the universal properties so you get early access and also get an express pass as the park will likely be very busy in december. Once you have early access it depends on the park you have access to. I do reccomend though that you get resservations for Hagrid's as soon as possible as the wait fills up quickly even if you have express. Everything else though should be a breeze. If you do not have the hotel or the express pass then you will likely have a lot of long waits ahead of you though if your timing is perfect it is possible to see just about everything at universal.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom