I need some help

[kacaju]

Thanks in advance!!

My husband has a business trip in Nov to Orlando (staying at the Boardwalk Inn)
I am going with him. Our plan is to do the Disney parks while he is there on business. (I will go during the day without him and then meet up with him when he is done)
We are taking 1 extra day so we can go to Universal. This all came about in the last two weeks so there has not been a lot of planning, other then I figured out what we will do at Disney.
Now I have moved on the Universal and I am getting confused.
So my questions:

We need separate passes for Universal and Islands of Adventure, right?

Since we will only be there one day which park would be better?

Could we do both in one day, is it worth it?

They both close at 6.. is there anything else to do there?

Is it even worth the hassle of getting to Universal for just one day since they close at 6?

 

[Melanie230]

We need separate passes for Universal and Islands of Adventure, right?

Since we will only be there one day which park would be better?

Could we do both in one day, is it worth it?

They both close at 6.. is there anything else to do there?

Is it even worth the hassle of getting to Universal for just one day since they close at 6?

You will need the 1 day 2 park pass.

If you only want to do one park it depends on what you like to do. Universal is more Virtual reality rides, and IOA is more thrill rides.

Yes, Citywalk is in between both parks and has lots of shops, and cool restuarants.

Yes it is totally worth it. You will LOVE Universal/IOA.

I would advise getting the 1 day 2 park pass, AND the Express Pass (get that when you get there)so that you can get the entire park in in one day.

Have a great trip!!!

 

[Metro West]

Thanks in advance!!

My husband has a business trip in Nov to Orlando (staying at the Boardwalk Inn)
I am going with him. Our plan is to do the Disney parks while he is there on business. (I will go during the day without him and then meet up with him when he is done)
We are taking 1 extra day so we can go to Universal. This all came about in the last two weeks so there has not been a lot of planning, other then I figured out what we will do at Disney.
Now I have moved on the Universal and I am getting confused.
So my questions:

We need separate passes for Universal and Islands of Adventure, right? Yes...you will need a 2 park pass to do both parks.

Since we will only be there one day which park would be better? That depends on what types of rides you like. If you like coasters and thrills, go to IOA...if not, head to the Studios.

Could we do both in one day, is it worth it? November isn't usually busy and if you go during the week, you could do both parks in a day. Get there at opening and you can do the bigger attractions before the crowds arrive. I doubt you would even need to get the Express pass at that time of year.

They both close at 6.. is there anything else to do there? As mentioned, CityWalk has wonderful restaurants and a club feel to it...especially after dark. You could have a great dinner and do some shopping.

Is it even worth the hassle of getting to Universal for just one day since they close at 6? Sure it is. Universal is a great resort so if you have the time, check it out.

My answers are in blue.

 

[swilshire]

My family has annual passes for Universal this year. After years of going to Disney, we thought we'd give it a try since my two young sons had never been there. I'm actually a bit sorry that we bothered. The lines are often SO long. My 14yo likes the coasters, and we've had some fun, but it doesn't compare favorably to Disney for me.

Since an extra day at Disney would not cost much and a one day Universal pass would be a bit pricey, I'd suggest you save Universal for another trip. JMHO of course, and there are many Universal lovers here. We'll be spending some time there in October since the passes are paid for, but I wouldn't go back otherwise. I DID really enjoy the Mardi Gras parade last Spring. That has been the high point for us so far.

Sheila

 

[Tink_Kel]

I would advise getting the 1 day 2 park pass, AND the Express Pass (get that when you get there)so that you can get the entire park in in one day.

Ditto!

I'm actually a bit sorry that we bothered. The lines are often SO long.

Unless you go over Thanksgiving, or the weekends, the lines should not be SO long!

It's definitely worth the price! Oh, and you have to go to Margaritaville for dinner and drinks, it's too much fun!

 

[kacaju]

thanks everyone! We are still up in the air as what we are doing. dh REALLY wants to go to Universal, but when I asked him last night... Did you know there are TWO parks there? he had no clue...that is my job to figure this all out!! LOL!!

 

[Nie0214]

My family has annual passes for Universal this year. After years of going to Disney, we thought we'd give it a try since my two young sons had never been there. I'm actually a bit sorry that we bothered. The lines are often SO long. My 14yo likes the coasters, and we've had some fun, but it doesn't compare favorably to Disney for me.

When have you gone? I'm guessing that since you have a 14yo, you must go during school breaks?

 

[angel703]

he had no clue...that is my job to figure this all out!! LOL!!

I know what you mean! Mine doesn't plan ANYTHING.

For What it's worth, I was a Disney girl for about 20yrs.At 21 ( celebrating 30 at HHN 9/26 & 9/27) I got married and there was no question that the honeymoon was going to be at the Dis. Well, as it turned out we got to stay longer than expected. Long story short, Went to Universal.... LOVED IT!.........been back to Disney 1 time to take kids (now 8 & 11). They prefer Universal as well.

 

[MNFootballMommy]

We just did this same thing last week. MK while DH worked and then a day for each Universal park.

Honestly, we LOVED IOA but were a bit disappointed in Universal. The theming and atmosphere was just better at IOA, imo. We spent a full day (9-6) at each park and missed a few things here and there, but were basically able to do just about everything there without the FOTL passes--and a few things twice!

 

[swilshire]

When have you gone? I'm guessing that since you have a 14yo, you must go during school breaks?

Yes. School breaks are our only options.

DS9 cried the last time we were there because every time we went by the Spiderman ride the lines were more than an hour long. I just can't stand in line that long. Nor am I interested in paying extra for front of the line access.

We're going to try again Columbus Day week. Hopefully he'll get to ride this time.

Sheila

 

[patster734]

Yes. School breaks are our only options.

DS9 cried the last time we were there because every time we went by the Spiderman ride the lines were more than an hour long. I just can't stand in line that long. Nor am I interested in paying extra for front of the line access.

We're going to try again Columbus Day week. Hopefully he'll get to ride this time.

Sheila

Do you mind me asking how long do you normally wait in a line at Disney? I remember the Disney lines having similar waits.

 

[macraven]

Do you mind me asking how long do you normally wait in a line at Disney? I remember the Disney lines having similar waits.

i'm not the person you are asking but i do disney each trip before i transfer over to universal.

disney lines are very long................
i don't care to use the fast pass as i then have to plan again of being in a certain park at a certain time to use a fp for a 2-3 minute ride.

whenever you have a 4 hour wait to use a fast pass, that day gets real long quite fast for us.


the longest i have stood in line at disney has been one hour and 45 minutes.
that has happened many times for me.
on holiday weekends, i think the longest time period was close to that time also.

some homies love the fast pass system but since i now have been going solo, it is definitely not for me. i have no one to run to a fp machine for a ride on the other side of the park to do that while i am waiting in a long ride for a different ride.

the past 2 years i have started to have longer than usual waits for rides like small world and the teacups. those aren't the best rides but now those lines are backed up for many also.

if you have a large group with you, the fp might be a good thing for the family.
but you still have a long waiting period to use them.

 

[macraven]

Yes. School breaks are our only options.

DS9 cried the last time we were there because every time we went by the Spiderman ride the lines were more than an hour long. I just can't stand in line that long. Nor am I interested in paying extra for front of the line access.

We're going to try again Columbus Day week. Hopefully he'll get to ride this time.

Sheila

if you are driving to UO, be in the line for parking at the garage by 7:45.
you'll be in the garage and out by 8:03 then.

head to ioa and you should be allowed in by 8:30.

go directly to spiderman ride.

no wait.....
and, do it as many repeat times you want.


very few people are aware that the gates open to the parks before the official opening time.
there will be some rides open around 8:30 ish.

(not all rides will be open but the most popular ones will be at IOA)


the park will get the crowds around 11ish.
people from the on site hotels don't have to rush over for short lines as they have the FOTL perk. i stay onsite and still get to the gate by 8:20 in the morning.

people that travel from disney or off site hotels usually don't count on the down time to get parked into the garage or they don't give themselves enough time to beat the traffic jams on I-4 early morning.

a lot of off site day guests are in the parks around 9:45- 10.

by you going early, parking the car and at the turnstile by 8:30ish, you will have the park to yourself for those special rides the kids want to do.

after you do spidey, go over to seussland and have the place to yourself.
so many day guests will go to the left once they enter the park instead of right/seussland. that section of the park does not get busy until 11ish each day.


i will be at the park on columbus day.
i have also been there on that day the last 4 years.

columbus day will become crowded by noon time.
and so will disney.

tue-thur should be lighter days at the parks that week.

i wish you the best and hope you and yours get to ride spidey as many times as you want with no lines.


when i took my kids when they were your son's age, we would use the single rider line when the lines were about an hour long.

and the TM would see the 3 of the boys were with me and place us in the same car. maybe we just got lucky on that as i did not have our group broken up to different waits for getting into a car for that ride.

 

[patster734]

i'm not the person you are asking but i do disney each trip before i transfer over to universal.

disney lines are very long................
i don't care to use the fast pass as i then have to plan again of being in a certain park at a certain time to use a fp for a 2-3 minute ride.

whenever you have a 4 hour wait to use a fast pass, that day gets real long quite fast for us.


the longest i have stood in line at disney has been one hour and 45 minutes.
that has happened many times for me.
on holiday weekends, i think the longest time period was close to that time also.

some homies love the fast pass system but since i now have been going solo, it is definitely not for me. i have no one to run to a fp machine for a ride on the other side of the park to do that while i am waiting in a long ride for a different ride.

the past 2 years i have started to have longer than usual waits for rides like small world and the teacups. those aren't the best rides but now those lines are backed up for many also.

if you have a large group with you, the fp might be a good thing for the family.
but you still have a long waiting period to use them.

Thanks Mac!

The last couple trips to Disney, we've gone with my sister's family the first week of June. The last trip being in 2005. We go that first week to beat the summer vacation heat-up, both temperature wise and attendance wise.

Most wait times aren't bad at that time, usually between 30 minutes and an hour. We do use the fastpass system, although I do agree that sometimes its a hinderance with the return time a couple hours or more later. We're usually on the otherside of the park when the return time starts, so we have to rush back to the ride.

At each Disney park, there's one, two or three rides where Fastpass is almost mandatory. At the Magic Kingdom, the express pass rides are Space Mountain and Splash Mountain. At Epcot, the express pass rides are Mission Space, Test Track and Soaring. At Disney Studios, The Tower of Terror and the Rock and Roll Rollercoaster jump out at me as Fastpass mandatory. At Animal Kingdom, I'd suspect Expedition Everest, but as I haven't visited since it opened, that's just a guess.

I will not do Space Mountain without Fastpass as the actually wait time for it are much longer than the posted wait times. The last time we went on Space Mountain without Fastpass, the wait time was posted at 60 minutes, but the actual wait was between 90 minutes to 2 hours.

 

[swilshire]

Do you mind me asking how long do you normally wait in a line at Disney? I remember the Disney lines having similar waits.

We take advantage of Fast Passes. If the line is longer than 15 or 20 minutes, we usually just skip it and try later. We might wait 30 minutes if it's something one of the boys REALLY wants to do.

There seems to be more that the 9yo is interested in at Disney, so we can skip the long lines and still have something to do. At Universal, if we skip the long lines, we're left with just wandering around.

Sheila

 

[swilshire]

i don't care to use the fast pass as i then have to plan again of being in a certain park at a certain time to use a fp for a 2-3 minute ride.

One tip that may be helpful to you .... you aren't really required to use the fast pass during the stated time frame. As long as it is after the begin time, you can use it anytime during the same day. A manager overheard us trying to figure out how to plan our day around the fast pass in the park once and explained that to us. I've seen it here on the disboards since.

Sheila

 

[swilshire]

when i took my kids when they were your son's age, we would use the single rider line when the lines were about an hour long.

My 14yo does this. Unfortunately not an option for the 9yo who uses a wheelchair and needs assistance.

Sheila

 

[Purseval]

The bottom line for any park anywhere that doesn't have something like Extra Magic Hours to mess you up (and something as simple as looking at the WDW calendar can allow you to avoid that): If you are there when the park opens and go directly to your favorite ride you will have a short wait to no wait at all, I don't care what ride it is.

 

[macraven]

My 14yo does this. Unfortunately not an option for the 9yo who uses a wheelchair and needs assistance.

Sheila

if you are at universal, go to guest services to help you for the special pass you can receive for you and your family. a child in a wheel chair will not have to stand in the regular line at universal like you have been doing.

disney and universal both help families that have special needs.


you don't wait in one hour lines for rides then.

 

[patster734]

We take advantage of Fast Passes. If the line is longer than 15 or 20 minutes, we usually just skip it and try later. We might wait 30 minutes if it's something one of the boys REALLY wants to do.

There seems to be more that the 9yo is interested in at Disney, so we can skip the long lines and still have something to do. At Universal, if we skip the long lines, we're left with just wandering around.

Sheila

Thanks for the reply.