Universal or IoA tips?

[Blueskyze]

Does anyone have any general tips or suggestions for Universal or IoA? We'll be spending 2 days there during our January WDW trip. I've been there a couple of times, but it has been 7 years since my last visit, and my husband has never been. I'm planning on using a touring plan from The Unoffical Guide (had a lot of success with those earlier this year on our WDW trip, will be using them for every trip from now on!), but I was wondering if anyone had any other insider tips or suggestions for me. We DEFINITELY want to see WWoHP, ride all of the thrill rides as many times as possible, and just generally make the most out of our time there.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[Bairstow]

Be there before opening and hit Potter right away. The line gets ridiculous and stays that way. This goes triple for Olivanders.

Same goes for Rip Ride Rock-It due to how unreliable it is- if you save it for later it may have already broken down for the day.

If possible, avoid having to deal with bags and purses by wearing cargo pants/shorts.

Use an early dinner at Mythos to recharge and wait out the busy 5-6pm hours.

Don't ride Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges without a change of clothes and/or ponchos and watershoes.

Leave the Studios once you've had enough, but stick around at Islands until after dark- everything there looks even better at night.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

There are rides where they say "you will get wet" and you laugh it off. Don't do that with Ripsaw and Bluto's. You WILL get wet and will be very lucky if you don't get soaked. Bottom line, prepare to get soaked.

Two days at IOA and Universal will give you enough time. 1 day each. Soak up the atmosphere at each park. Make sure you ride Jaws, as they are apparently tearing it down

 

[JillC LI]

Check the time schedule for attractions. When we were first there, DD wanted to see ET, so we ran to the far end of US first only to discover that ET didn't open for another hour. So we had to regroup and it was a waste of time. Aside from that, I agree with the others to go to WWOHP first thing.

 

[Blueskyze]

Thanks! I will probably avoid the water rides (other than Jurassic Park, because I loved that one, and would really like my husband to experience it), since it's likely to be quite chilly in January.

I'm thinking we should go to The Forbidden Journey, Ollivanders, then Rip Ride Rockit to start the day? I know that I definitely want to spend a lot of time wandering around the WWoHP, but I also want to ride everything else and have time to really soak up the atmosphere. I read that you can get through the Forbidden Journey quickly if you go through the single rider line, but that you should experience the regular queue at least once, as well.

I think we have decided to spend Monday and Tuesday doing US and IoA, and we'll probably stay opening - close both days. The park hopper isn't a whole lot more, and since there seems to be so much more to do at IoA, I might go ahead and spring for that, just so we'll have the option of going back and forth.

If anyone has any other suggestions, please keep them coming!

 

[Bairstow]

Switching parks from Olivanders and going all the way over to Rip Ride Rocket would eat up a ton of time.
Even though the parks are adjacent, it takes longer than you would think to leave one and get into the other.

I know that the Bluto's Barges raft ride gets you soaking wet (you may as well just jump into the water) can anyone attest to how we you get on Ripsaw falls? When I rode that one it had been pouring rain all morning and I was already soaked, so I couldn't tell. I also sat in the back on that one. Fun ride- it was like Splash Mountain on meth.

 

[jonnyc]

I know that the Bluto's Barges raft ride gets you soaking wet (you may as well just jump into the water) can anyone attest to how we you get on Ripsaw falls? When I rode that one it had been pouring rain all morning and I was already soaked, so I couldn't tell. I also sat in the back on that one. Fun ride- it was like Splash Mountain on meth.

You will get soaked. I sat at the back in a full flume, and was soaked but not drenched when pulling round the corner, but some evil park-goer sprayed me with one of the cannons that you can pay a quarter to use :fork:.