What kind of plans are needed?

[lvdis]

OK, it's a Friday afternoon and my mind just isn't on work... it's on my trip, that's not until January! Here's our info: This will be our first trip to US/IOA. We'll be going 1/7 - 1/8/2012 and then moving over to Disney. I've purchased 2 day park to park tickets. We'll be staying one night at RPR (1/7) and hope to check in fairly early that morning. There will be 4 of us; me, my husband, and our 2 kids (20 and 17 by then). I'm used to planning our days at Disney and I feel at a loss for this part of the trip. I keep reading that you don't need to plan your days like you do at WDW and you don't need to go-go-go to get everything done, but I feel like I need some kind of a plan!

So far, all I've got is I'm thinking we will go to US on Saturday, January 7 first and try to ride the RRR roller coaster, from there I'm not sure. Sunday, the 8th, I want to use early entry to visit WWOHP first and then I'm not sure after that. Should we just wing it or should I have more things ironed out? Do you plan the order of the attractions you want to visit and do you plan where you will eat each day? I know... I'm probably overthinking it!

Thanks for any help you can give me!

 

[macraven]

just wing it.

you are staying on site and will be using the express line with the exception of a few rides.

i stay onsite and usually do my favorite ride first, then i go to the lines that are the shortest.
i work that area and then move on to the next.


what i tell newbies is:

if seeing parry hotter ville is the main reason to visit uo, go there first in the early entry period.
see and do all that you want in that section.

then, work towards the front of the park for the rides and shows.
do jurassic park section first to the front of the park.

once done with Hulk, go to the other side and do seuss, and move forwards from there.

after that is done, hop to the studios side.
go to the right once you enter the park.
do all along that side and circle from MIB to the other side up to the front of the park.

return to IOA a couple of hours before closing to do parry hotter again.

many homies post that PH has lower crowds closer to closing time.


i'm sure you will get a lot of suggestions from others.

they all make sense in the way they do the parks.

me, i just wing it and hit smaller lines.

 

[Zim]

The parks are definitely easier to wander than Disney. My only suggestion would be to time your movement to the times of shows you want to see.

I highly recommend Beetlejuice's Graveyard Review and if you like the Blue's Brothers check their little show out. All of the characters from both shows usually come out in the audience for pictures for a bit afterwards, so it makes for a different character bunch to run into!

 

[AJA]

You'll be fine without a solid plan of attack.

I am a hopeless Disney planner, even going as far as carrying my PassPorters book in to the park each day with the daily planner.
I think that's one of the things I enjoyed the most about Universal, no need to have detailed plans. You'll have fast passes for the rides (except FJ and RRR and you're already planning to do those early in the day). Just relax and enjoy your day.

I would do dinner at City Walk. Excellent food and very reasonable prices.

 

[Bonniec]

You really don't need a plan there. Especially if you are staying on site (so jealous you'll have the line passes!). The only time I would tell people to plan is if they were off site in busy season because HP can have a long wait. We have APs so we skip that ride on those days (but imo, it's the best ride of any theme park in Orlando).

The only plan I ever have is to buy a butter beer. THAT is worth a line wait (both the frozen and regular version).

 

[mjf]

Sorry to hijack this thread. This will be our first trip to Universal and like the OP we are used to having a detailed plan for the Disney parks. I've used UG and TGM in the past.

We (family of 3 with 6 year old boy) will be there for the busy time Mar 8 -20 and will not be staying on site, so no express passes for us. Unless you can buy them?? I looked on the ticket page and couldn't find any option for express.

We are used to getting to the parks early and ready for opening. Other than going to Harry Potter first, are there any other rides which should be tacked at opening? Is there a "Dumbo"? i.e slowest loading ride ever What if you want to do Harry Potter and Spiderman in the same morning?

thanks,

 

[mcjw2011]

We are used to getting to the parks early and ready for opening. Other than going to Harry Potter first, are there any other rides which should be tacked at opening? Is there a "Dumbo"? i.e slowest loading ride ever What if you want to do Harry Potter and Spiderman in the same morning?

thanks,

Do Harry Potter first (especially if you're wanting to do the Ollivander thing) and then Spiderman. I went to the Spiderman ride back in 2010 when the park opened for the day and there was no waiting line at all. It does pick up a lot during mid-morning and early afternoon, but you shouldn't have a problem with getting those done first.

 

[DisneyLoverUSA]

OK, it's a Friday afternoon and my mind just isn't on work... it's on my trip, that's not until January! Here's our info: This will be our first trip to US/IOA. We'll be going 1/7 - 1/8/2012 and then moving over to Disney. I've purchased 2 day park to park tickets. We'll be staying one night at RPR (1/7) and hope to check in fairly early that morning. There will be 4 of us; me, my husband, and our 2 kids (20 and 17 by then). I'm used to planning our days at Disney and I feel at a loss for this part of the trip. I keep reading that you don't need to plan your days like you do at WDW and you don't need to go-go-go to get everything done, but I feel like I need some kind of a plan!

So far, all I've got is I'm thinking we will go to US on Saturday, January 7 first and try to ride the RRR roller coaster, from there I'm not sure. Sunday, the 8th, I want to use early entry to visit WWOHP first and then I'm not sure after that. Should we just wing it or should I have more things ironed out? Do you plan the order of the attractions you want to visit and do you plan where you will eat each day? I know... I'm probably overthinking it!

Thanks for any help you can give me!

I don't have any advice for a touring plan because I just showed up and went through the park as I came up on it.

Universal is not nearly as good as IOA so I would do Universal FIRST so that it does not seem like a disappointment. Do IOA the second day.

That being said, there are 2 SHOWS at Universal I would make sure not to miss. The Horror Make Up Show and the Beetlejuice Rock N Roll show. Both awesome shows. The Terminator show wasn't that great, IMO.

You will probably be through with Universal by 1 or 2 if you get there at rope drop then you could hop over to IOA. Use your early entry the second day, the first full day at IOA.

Try to catch the TALKING water fountain at IOA. I think his name is Patrick. He is right by the SINBAD stunt show theater after you pass Seuss land but before you get to WWOHP. He interacts with ppl and it is hilarious. He jokes around and squirts ppl. I am not even sure if there are scheduled times for him to put on his show. We came upon him accidentally the first time and he was just gurgling and snoring, but when we came back later he had just started talking and my 3 kids walked out in front of it and the fountain started talking to them, joking with them, cracking on them and trying to get them wet. I caught most of it on video. It was the highlight of my day, besides drinking a Butter Beer. ( not to be missed)

 

[Metro West]

Try to catch the TALKING water fountain at IOA. I think his name is Patrick. He is right by the SINBAD stunt show theater after you pass Seuss land but before you get to WWOHP. He interacts with ppl and it is hilarious. He jokes around and squirts ppl. I am not even sure if there are scheduled times for him to put on his show. We came upon him accidentally the first time and he was just gurgling and snoring, but when we came back later he had just started talking and my 3 kids walked out in front of it and the fountain started talking to them, joking with them, cracking on them and trying to get them wet. I caught most of it on video. It was the highlight of my day, besides drinking a Butter Beer. ( not to be missed)

I agree...Rocky the Talking Fountain is a riot and you should definitely make time to visit.

 

[Eclectic Goddess]

I'm a planner, too, and just because you don't NEED to plan doesn't mean you can't have a plan. I love plans. Plans are cool. (Like bowties!)

Here's my 2 day plan:

If I'm not getting there for early entry on the first day, US is definitely a good place to start. I've found that things get started a bit later there. I'd hit my favorite rides first, catch a couple shows, then head over to IoA after lunch, when some of the crowd that started in that park is heading over to US. Again, I'd visit my favorite rides first, but save WWoHP for last, because the crowd thins out closer to closing.

On the day I have early entry, I head to WWoHP again, but just to do Ollivander's and FJ, then circle around the rest of IoA. In the first few hours the parks is open, only WWoHP is usually crowded, so it's a good time to go on some of the busier rides, like Spiderman and Hulk. After lunch, head back to US to revisit your favorites, take a load off for any shows you missed the first day. In the evening, I'd go back to IoA for another run at WWoHP and shopping.

Of course, on my next trip, I'll have three days and no express passes, so I'm working on a new plan. Yay!