Advise Please on Universal - The DIS Discussion Forums

Clint · 03-14-2013, 12:25 PM

Hi guys

Ok, i have waded through many threads and spent days trawling the web to try to resolve these issues - as well as countless time on mail and phone. I need some experienced help.

We are spending a week at Disney - that is all sorted and was easier. On the 19th August 2013 - we start the rest of our Orlando stay and were planning on doing it as follows:

Cape Canaveral on the 19th
Universal & Islands of Adventure from 20th - 22nd
Aquatica on the 23rd
Seaworld on the 24th
Discovery Cove on the 25th

Was planning on staying at Fairfields at Seaworld.

After reading some posts, i decided to look at on site hotels at Universal but it is so expensive. Is the Universal Express Unlimited worth the money? Not sure if i should take my chances on a standard ticket?

I never expected Universal to be so expensive. You must understand that I am coming from South Africa and $1 costs me almost R10 so the exchange rate is not very favorable.

Please, any advise would be greatly appreciated. In a nut shell. Do i stay at Fairfields and buy the standard Universal ticket or the Unlimited ticket or do i spend the extra and stay at a Loews Hotel and just buy the standard ticket with the express unlimited included in the hotel benefit?

Thank you

conniehar90 · 03-14-2013, 12:35 PM

Many people will come on this thread and tell you that you must stay onsite. I found it much too expensive and we just bought the regular tickets without any front of the line extras. We were fine. We got there at opening and were able to get on everything we wanted. We did wait in some lines and it was hard not having the FP option like at Disney, but we were fine. I think we would have experienced less lines had I knew a little more about the crowds at some of the rides. For example -
-Simpson's gets very crowded and we should have gone here earlier rather than tackle the park in a counter clockwise manner
- we waited a long time for Pterydon Flyers and it wasn't that great

You will be there at the end of summer when lots of schools are back in session so you may have less crowds.

Good luck!

damo · 03-14-2013, 12:47 PM

It is never necessary to stay onsite. Is it more enjoyable? I think so. Is it worth the money? To me it is. To others, it might not be.

Most likely, in mid August, you'll enjoy yourself more if you stay onsite. With Transformers and the new Springfield area open, crowds are going to be high.

RMulieri · 03-14-2013, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by damo

It is never necessary to stay onsite. Is it more enjoyable? I think so. Is it worth the money? To me it is. To others, it might not be.

Most likely, in mid August, you'll enjoy yourself more if you stay onsite. With Transformers and the new Springfield area open, crowds are going to be high.

agree..It isn't neccessary, but worth every penny to us.I wouldn't go without staying onsite, but thats me.I expect crowds to definitely be large for our trip in August( I will be there over the same dates as the OP), crowd calendars are already projecting higher crowds there than last summer

Seeker615 · 03-14-2013, 01:22 PM

We stayed off site when we went at the very end of August/Early Sept.

We never had any issues with seeing everything. We chose to hop between the parks each day and everything was great.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn at the entrance to Universal. Nice reasonable hotel.

schumigirl · 03-14-2013, 01:26 PM

We have been at that time twice and it has never been empty.

If you can stay onsite I would. The hotels are lovely and so convenient to the parks. Ideal in the heat if you wanted to wander back for some pool time.

I would definately expect it to be busier this year with the new ride and upgraded Simpsons areas opening.

I think it`s worth every penny

03-14-2013, 12:25 PM	#1
Clint Confuzzled Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: South Africa Posts: 1	Advise Please on Universal Hi guys Ok, i have waded through many threads and spent days trawling the web to try to resolve these issues - as well as countless time on mail and phone. I need some experienced help. We are spending a week at Disney - that is all sorted and was easier. On the 19th August 2013 - we start the rest of our Orlando stay and were planning on doing it as follows: Cape Canaveral on the 19th Universal & Islands of Adventure from 20th - 22nd Aquatica on the 23rd Seaworld on the 24th Discovery Cove on the 25th Was planning on staying at Fairfields at Seaworld. After reading some posts, i decided to look at on site hotels at Universal but it is so expensive. Is the Universal Express Unlimited worth the money? Not sure if i should take my chances on a standard ticket? I never expected Universal to be so expensive. You must understand that I am coming from South Africa and $1 costs me almost R10 so the exchange rate is not very favorable. Please, any advise would be greatly appreciated. In a nut shell. Do i stay at Fairfields and buy the standard Universal ticket or the Unlimited ticket or do i spend the extra and stay at a Loews Hotel and just buy the standard ticket with the express unlimited included in the hotel benefit? Thank you

03-14-2013, 12:35 PM	#2
conniehar90 DIS Veteran Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Aurora, IL Posts: 1,025	Many people will come on this thread and tell you that you must stay onsite. I found it much too expensive and we just bought the regular tickets without any front of the line extras. We were fine. We got there at opening and were able to get on everything we wanted. We did wait in some lines and it was hard not having the FP option like at Disney, but we were fine. I think we would have experienced less lines had I knew a little more about the crowds at some of the rides. For example - -Simpson's gets very crowded and we should have gone here earlier rather than tackle the park in a counter clockwise manner - we waited a long time for Pterydon Flyers and it wasn't that great You will be there at the end of summer when lots of schools are back in session so you may have less crowds. Good luck! __________________ Connie

03-14-2013, 01:26 PM	#6
schumigirl I`ve bought one of those for this year....it`s in fuscia pink though......You`ll be able to see me from the air It`s a bit of a roodie doodie word for lady parts Join Date: May 2007 Location: Originally Scotland, Now in Cleveland, NE England, UK Posts: 1,425	We have been at that time twice and it has never been empty. If you can stay onsite I would. The hotels are lovely and so convenient to the parks. Ideal in the heat if you wanted to wander back for some pool time. I would definately expect it to be busier this year with the new ride and upgraded Simpsons areas opening. I think it`s worth every penny __________________ *Carole xx* SEPT 2007 2 WEEKS BUENA VISTA PALACE SEPT 2008 2 WEEKS POFQ AUG 2009 2 WEEKS RPR OCT 2010 2 WEEKS RPR AUG 2011 2 WEEKS RPR JULY 2012 17 NIGHTS RPR APRIL 2013 WEEK IN NEW YORK SEPT 2013...17 NIGHTS RPR

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03-14-2013, 12:47 PM	#3
damo Proud Redhead amok amok amok The curly haired dude said he wouldn't be joining me this vacation! Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hagrid's hut Posts: 26,182	It is never necessary to stay onsite. Is it more enjoyable? I think so. Is it worth the money? To me it is. To others, it might not be. Most likely, in mid August, you'll enjoy yourself more if you stay onsite. With Transformers and the new Springfield area open, crowds are going to be high.

03-14-2013, 01:22 PM	#5
Seeker615 Mouseketeer Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 443	We stayed off site when we went at the very end of August/Early Sept. We never had any issues with seeing everything. We chose to hop between the parks each day and everything was great. We stayed at the Holiday Inn at the entrance to Universal. Nice reasonable hotel.