First time to Universal..totally lost

[P.I.G.mommy]

I have no clue where to start with our Universal trip. We have gone to Disney the past 6 years and are trying something new this time. We will be at Universal April 1-3 staying at the Royal Pacific Hotel....we will then head on a 3 day Disney cruise and then go to Disney for 4 days when the cruise ends....

What are the better restaurants at Universal? Are both parks worth going to? We have 3 kids, ages 7, 6 and 4.....what are the must dos?

 

[RMulieri]

Both parks are definitely worth it.I would go to Universalorlando.com and see what appeals to you.If you need a good guidebook, Universal Orlando By Seth Kubersky/Kelly Monaghan is well worth it.AS for dining, Universal does not require the extensive planning Disney does ( same for park touring).There are alot of good restaurants.We love Mythos ( though it is not open as late as the park is) and at the resorts we love the Kitchen at Hard rock, Mama Dellas at Portofino. If you are interested in ressies, you can book them at opentable.com , but they arent required like they are at disney.

 

[damo]

Take a look at the food sticky for recommendations and menus.

 

[visi]

That's sort of a big question, but as a Universal fanboy, I'll do my best to answer it as informatively and concisely as possible.

Both parks are DEFINITELY worth going to, especially considering that the price difference between a one and two park ticket is not outrageous. We have an amazing time at both Universal and IOA, so definitely check it out.

As far as dining goes, the options are not what they are in Disney. So don't go in there thinking you're going to find a Cali Grill on property. The options at Universal/IOA are more like what you'd imagine from a theme park. That being said, Mythos is a fantastic place (and has been named the best theme park dining a bunch of times). THe Three Broomsticks is also a pretty awesome place, and a must if you or your kids are HP fans.

In addition, the Butterbeer and Frozen Butterbeer are the maybe the best things in the entire world.

As for the must dos. The Wizarding world is an experience that you wont soon forget. Even if the younger kids are a bit small for the rides there. The atmosphere is truly magical.

If the older kids are tall enough for the Spiderman ride, I strongly suggest it. We love Twister and Cat in the Hat; which is open for the entire family without restriction. Shrek and Despicable Me are amazing, and we love the makeup show.

Posidien's Fury is fantastic and the Dr. Suess storytime is fun for smaller kids too. Also, Univeral puts on a surpringly good parade.

Keep in mind these are only my opinions. SOme people might disagree with them, but I really think your family will enjoy their time in the parks.

Hope this helps.

Have a great vacation. I'm totally jealous reading through your plans.

 

[momto3pirates]

In addition to the great rides, my kids love the shows. We usually see the Horror Makeup show twice each trip. Explore the Curious George section. There is a ball pit/shooting gallery in the back that kept our kids entertained for a long time.
Have fun.
We love it.

 

[bopper]

If you are staying on-site at Universal, then you can use your room keys like "Fast passes" FOR (almost) ALL RIDES ...generally you have a 10 minute or less wait for everything (except a harry potter ride). You will be able to do everything! There are some little kid oriented playground attractions like Curious George and Feivel's Playland at Universal and Camp Jurassic, If I Ran The Zoo, Jurassic Park Discovery Center, Me Ship, The Olive at Islands of Adventure.
What you need to figure out is what rides your kids are too small for and avoid that. But you and your spouse must figure out a way to ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, kids or no.

 

[glocon]

When my son was 6, he loved every single part of the JP area. Camp Jurassic, JP River Adventure, the hands on areas in the JP building (forget what that is called), all of it. And the Dr. Seuss area is cute too.

 

[Hug the Mouse]

Relax, you are going to have a great time. By staying on site, you've just ensured yourselves a great vacation. You can tour the parks at your own pace without chasing after fast passes.

 

[macraven]

i always tell newbies to go to www.universalorlando.com and check out that site.

you can get an idea of the parks layout and info on the rides and shows.
you can decided in advance what will suit your family.

read about the child swap set up as with a 4 yo, height restrictions might be an issue on some rides.

read some of the trip reports for more pictures of the parks/city walk, etc.
sometimes that helps in deciding if your kids are interested in it.

others here have given you great ideas.

come back if you need help or have more questions.

it is difficult to go to a new park the first time.
so much to learn in advance and determine what to do ..

 

[rowan555]

I was a newbie to Universal until our visit last August, and all I can tell you, having just been in your shoes, is RELAX. By staying on site, you have NOTHING to worry about. Just head to the parks and ENJOY. It's truly that simple. We went with no plans, no specific places to eat in mind, just a loose plan of spending all day in the parks and crashing in the hotel to do it again the next day. It was absolutely amazing. So much so that we're doing it again in May. The lack of having to spend hours planning an itinerary makes for a wonderful, relaxing, fun vacation.

 

[TinkerbellsMagic]

You must eat at Mythos! YUM!