Christmas Week Advice

[Colestat]

We will be there christmas week. We have 7 day - 2 park tickets. Staying offsite - no FOTL and no express passes. We can be at the parks before opening each day.

Where should we head first? What touring plan should we follow? What do you recommend to somewhat limit the lengthy lines I know we will be up against or are we just doomed? We have not been to Universal before.

 

[donaldduck352]

You got 7days so you will see it all..Like you said get there before opening..
At US go straight to the simpsons then hit MIB.Then make a brisk walk too the Mummy.After that the lines will start growing!!These are the main rides that grow real quik!!after them I dont know what the lines are going to be like!!

At IOA hit the Hulk then do another brisk walk to DD and then JPRR.. After that the lines will grow but try to get Spiderman in before its too late!!

These are all the major attractions at both parks,there is alot more to do then just them and you got 7days!!

 

[Metro West]

We will be there christmas week. We have 7 day - 2 park tickets. Staying offsite - no FOTL and no express passes. We can be at the parks before opening each day.

Where should we head first? What touring plan should we follow? What do you recommend to somewhat limit the lengthy lines I know we will be up against or are we just doomed? We have not been to Universal before.

During Christmas week the only touring plan would be to get there early and do what you can before the crowds arrive...but during that week, it will get VERY busy VERY quickly. If you have seven days, just take your time and try to enjoy yourselves.

 

[macraven]

are driving or taking a hotel shuttle?

if you drive, be at the parking lot garage line by 7:45.

 

[phamton]

I'd be there way before park opening. During the busy season the parks usully open around 8:30 AM and sometimes even earlier. So don't assume it will only open at 9:00 even though that is the official opening time.

 

[pixeegrl]

It doesn't get super busy until the 26th though right?

 

[Metro West]

It doesn't get super busy until the 26th though right?

 

[Colestat]

We will be driving. We will plan to get to the garage by 7:30. Thanks for the help.

 

[macraven]

if you are the 4th or 5th car in line for the parking garage, you will be in there and out within minutes once it opens.

the walk to the park gate could take about 12 minutes.

i go to the park in the spring time and always in october.
even in october when the crowds are lower, i get to the turnstile area by 8:20. (and i stay on site).
most of the times people are let in around 8:30ish....

like i mentioned before, IOA has more rides opened when guests are let in before the official opening time.

phamton said that the parks can open before 8:30 during the holiday season time.

don't know if the garage parking lot will open prior to 8:00 if the park opens before 8:30...

if you would wait until 8 or after to get to the parking garage, you would have a very long wait to enter it. this would be the case during the holiday season time, not during a regular season.

 

[Metro West]

phamton said that the parks can open before 8:30 during the holiday season time.

During Christmas week, the hours are 8am - 10pm per the website!

 

[Colestat]

Based on an 8am scheduled opening, should we plan to arrive at the garage at 6:30am?

 

[macraven]

Based on an 8am scheduled opening, should we plan to arrive at the garage at 6:30am?

normally, the garage parking lot opens one hour before the park is opened.
official opening time of 9, that is.


i'm not sure what time to tell you to be there now.
with the parks opening at 8 and the garage at 7, it wouldn't be a bad idea to be there very early.

i know you might end up sitting in line for a lengthy time, but if the parks are packed, it would be well worth it in the long run. stop along the way and buy a box of donuts to eat in the car while waiting.

crowds usually start to grow around the 10:30-11:00 time period in regular season.
with the holiday season, i'm sure many will want to be at the parks early to avoid the early crowds that will be there.

if you can start doing the rides at 8:00, you will be able to hit a lot of what you want to do within the first 2 hours.
once the people come and crowds begin, there will be long waits for about everything.

when i stayed off site, the earliest i got to the garage parking lot was at 7:30 in the regular season.

hopefully, some one will be able to answer your question better than i have.
i am not sure what to tell you about arriving at 6:30

if it were me, i know i would but i am anal on those things.

 

[Colestat]

Thanks for all the advice. We are back home and had a wonderful time. We went to the parks every day for 7 days 12/26-1/1. We were usually the 5th car in the lot and always parked in Jaws 212. We were usually one of the first familys in the parks each day. One day we even got to open Islands of Adventure, got a free picture and rode the hulk with no one else on the ride.

We usually got so much done in the first 2-3 hours. We rode DD like 5 times in a row. The first row is worth waiting for. Very intense.

Crowds grew worse each day. New Years Eve in Universal was the worst.

We saw the Blue Man group - great show - lots of fun.
We really had a great time.

Only 1 pet peeve - why do they have a single rider line at some rides - like Mummy and then not open them?

 

[macraven]

i'm so glad you came back and gave us a heads up on your visit there.

i tell you and i tell everyone, be in the line for the parking garage early and you will be off to a great start for the parks.

glad to hear you were number 5 in that line!

newbies usually think i am nuts when i tell them to go that early..


from what i have been told in the past, the single line is open when the regular lines are long and they have a TM that is available to over see that single line at the entrance. sometimes, the single line ride does not open until after a certain time. i have not seen it open much before noon before.

i could be wrong but that is what i was told last year for the spiderman single line ride.


that is awesome you got to ride the hulk by yourselves.
and, a free picture.....

lucky ducky!!

 

[Pikester]

Thanks for all the advice. We are back home and had a wonderful time. We went to the parks every day for 7 days 12/26-1/1. We were usually the 5th car in the lot and always parked in Jaws 212. We were usually one of the first familys in the parks each day. One day we even got to open Islands of Adventure, got a free picture and rode the hulk with no one else on the ride.

We usually got so much done in the first 2-3 hours. We rode DD like 5 times in a row. The first row is worth waiting for. Very intense.

Crowds grew worse each day. New Years Eve in Universal was the worst.

We saw the Blue Man group - great show - lots of fun.
We really had a great time.

Only 1 pet peeve - why do they have a single rider line at some rides - like Mummy and then not open them?

This is the kind of stuff I like to hear. I've been looking into going to Universal over the kids Christmas vacation in 2010 and being able to see what you were able to do during that time is a big help.

 

[minniejack]

This is the kind of stuff I like to hear. I've been looking into going to Universal over the kids Christmas vacation in 2010 and being able to see what you were able to do during that time is a big help.

We just got back from the same time period. We stayed at PBH ate late breakfasts and usually got to the parks around noon. The first couple of days after Christmas, the crowds weren't too bad and even the regular lines had max 60 minute waits. Starting around the 29th--hold on. The lines started maxing and more and more people were buying express tickets. Then the express ticket lines started jamming--usually because there always seemed to be someone who didn't know how to use their tickets or had to look for them.

Come on people: buy a $5 lanyard and be ready for the attendant.

Or let the "professional riders" that have theirs ready go past you--quit holding up the Express while you ask stupid questions like "Where are the lockers?" Try looking right behind you.

And look at the maps--they clearly state that you cannot take any loose items with you--be ready to use those lockers. That means no purses!

 

[Pikester]

We just got back from the same time period. We stayed at PBH ate late breakfasts and usually got to the parks around noon. The first couple of days after Christmas, the crowds weren't too bad and even the regular lines had max 60 minute waits. Starting around the 29th--hold on. The lines started maxing and more and more people were buying express tickets. Then the express ticket lines started jamming--usually because there always seemed to be someone who didn't know how to use their tickets or had to look for them.

Come on people: buy a $5 lanyard and be ready for the attendant.

Or let the "professional riders" that have theirs ready go past you--quit holding up the Express while you ask stupid questions like "Where are the lockers?" Try looking right behind you.

And look at the maps--they clearly state that you cannot take any loose items with you--be ready to use those lockers. That means no purses!

Looking ahead and guessing what our school district will do for Holiday break I'm pretty sure that we would be arriving on Sunday the 19th of December 2010. We haven't decided if we will be staying there the whole time or only for 4 or 5 days and then going to the Gulf Coast to stay on the beach for the Christmas Holiday.

DH wanted to go in Feb but I didn't want the kids to miss that much school as oldest DS will be in 7th grade by then. (That would have to be Feb 2011 because we want to wait till Harry Potter is open and I don't think it will be open by Feb 2010)

Sounds like those days before Christmas wouldn't be all that bad!

I'm also glad that I'm hearing about not being able to bring bags and purses onto rides. I'd rather know now then while I'm standing in line.

 

[Metro West]

DH wanted to go in Feb but I didn't want the kids to miss that much school as oldest DS will be in 7th grade by then. (That would have to be Feb 2011 because we want to wait till Harry Potter is open and I don't think it will be open by Feb 2010)

Sounds like those days before Christmas wouldn't be all that bad!

I'm also glad that I'm hearing about not being able to bring bags and purses onto rides. I'd rather know now then while I'm standing in line.

The days leading up to Christmas aren't that bad at all but the week after is pretty insane for lines.

HP should be up and running by 2/2011 and you will have learned all about it from the homies.

Yes...no loose articles on most rides. I would suggest cargo shorts/pants and stuff the pockets so you won't have to go through the security check points and not have to worry about lockers.

 

[Pikester]

The days leading up to Christmas aren't that bad at all but the week after is pretty insane for lines.

HP should be up and running by 2/2011 and you will have learned all about it from the homies.

Yes...no loose articles on most rides. I would suggest cargo shorts/pants and stuff the pockets so you won't have to go through the security check points and not have to worry about lockers.

I would really like to go in December 2010 so I hope HP is open well before that date.

 

[Metro West]

I would really like to go in December 2010 so I hope HP is open well before that date.

I'm thinking HP will be open sometime that summer...maybe June or a little before. I can't wait to see the rest of the construction.