We used TourGuide Mike a couple of years ago to plan our Disney vacation and he was extremely helpful HOWEVER....I haven't found where he offers a guide for US Orlando....are there any helpful sites out there that have CURRENT specific tips and advice like TourGuide Mike has for Disney? Any advice is most appreciated!!
Universal Studios Strategy?
- Thread starter jonistan
- Start date
Metro West
On the west side of Orlando
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2005
I don't know of any websites but this is the best book you can buy:
http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Orl...0905/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304083950&sr=8-1
LuvMickey36
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2007
I was in the same boat you are in. I plan for disney, but there is not much for US/IOA. I ended up printing out a map of the parks along with the rides/shows we wanted to do. You can do that on the website. I planned what days we would do WWOHP, water ride day and a US only day and IOA only day. That seemed to work well.
One thing I do swear by is getting to the parks early. Be there when they open if you are going during a busy time. The crowds didn't get bad last week until 10ish. By then we had been there 2 hrs and had done a lot! We didn't stay onsite or use express pass when we were there last week. We just used the plan, got there early and either stayed all day or stayed until 1ish and then came back about 6ish. It worked well for us and we did everything we wanted to do (sometimes more than 3-4 times) and it was a relaxing vacation.
One thing I do swear by is getting to the parks early. Be there when they open if you are going during a busy time. The crowds didn't get bad last week until 10ish. By then we had been there 2 hrs and had done a lot! We didn't stay onsite or use express pass when we were there last week. We just used the plan, got there early and either stayed all day or stayed until 1ish and then came back about 6ish. It worked well for us and we did everything we wanted to do (sometimes more than 3-4 times) and it was a relaxing vacation.
TallandGoofy
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2005
I found this website EXTREMELY helpful: http://www.orlandoinformer.com
He (Dan) has a whole bunch of articles about US/IOA and lots of tips on how to navigate Harry Potter. e.g.:
http://www.orlandoinformer.com/2011/03/09/harry-potter-forbidden-journey-book-1/#axzz1KwH1icU6
He is actually very much like a free Tourguidemike (I'm using TGM for the first time this year). Similar to how TGM worked for WDW, Dan worked for Universal in their Vacation Package department so he has a lot of "insider" info.
He also personally answered some questions I had and helped me alot.
I also recommend checking out the thread stickied here - "Harry Potter Crowd Report". That has been very helpful as I plan our upcoming trip.
Between the two, I feel pretty good about my upcoming trip to US/IOA!
He (Dan) has a whole bunch of articles about US/IOA and lots of tips on how to navigate Harry Potter. e.g.:
http://www.orlandoinformer.com/2011/03/09/harry-potter-forbidden-journey-book-1/#axzz1KwH1icU6
He is actually very much like a free Tourguidemike (I'm using TGM for the first time this year). Similar to how TGM worked for WDW, Dan worked for Universal in their Vacation Package department so he has a lot of "insider" info.
He also personally answered some questions I had and helped me alot.
I also recommend checking out the thread stickied here - "Harry Potter Crowd Report". That has been very helpful as I plan our upcoming trip.
Between the two, I feel pretty good about my upcoming trip to US/IOA!
Bluer101
Waiting till vacation comes, oh that's next week!
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2008
I found this website EXTREMELY helpful: http://www.orlandoinformer.com
He (Dan) has a whole bunch of articles about US/IOA and lots of tips on how to navigate Harry Potter. e.g.:
http://www.orlandoinformer.com/2011/03/09/harry-potter-forbidden-journey-book-1/#axzz1KwH1icU6
He is actually very much like a free Tourguidemike (I'm using TGM for the first time this year). Similar to how TGM worked for WDW, Dan worked for Universal in their Vacation Package department so he has a lot of "insider" info.
He also personally answered some questions I had and helped me alot.
I also recommend checking out the thread stickied here - "Harry Potter Crowd Report". That has been very helpful as I plan our upcoming trip.
Between the two, I feel pretty good about my upcoming trip to US/IOA!
Thank you for posting.
xerotheory7803
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2009
Honestly, my "strategy" for US/IOA is the Express Pass. I've been a passholder since 07, and have never visited without a pass. A group of 13 of us were there last August, in the the middle of the WWOHP craziness and still did EVERYTHING. We started the day at IOA, headed right for WWOHP, did everything in there, hit the rest of IOA, then over to US, with enough time to head back to WWOHP for more butterbeer and another run on FJ.
Karpkg
I talk to imaginary friends
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2009
I found this website EXTREMELY helpful: http://www.orlandoinformer.com
He (Dan) has a whole bunch of articles about US/IOA and lots of tips on how to navigate Harry Potter. e.g.:
http://www.orlandoinformer.com/2011/03/09/harry-potter-forbidden-journey-book-1/#axzz1KwH1icU6
He is actually very much like a free Tourguidemike (I'm using TGM for the first time this year). Similar to how TGM worked for WDW, Dan worked for Universal in their Vacation Package department so he has a lot of "insider" info.
He also personally answered some questions I had and helped me alot.
I also recommend checking out the thread stickied here - "Harry Potter Crowd Report". That has been very helpful as I plan our upcoming trip.
Between the two, I feel pretty good about my upcoming trip to US/IOA!
Thanks, TallandGoofy. Extremely helpful website. Bookmarked.
Disneybound!!
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2009
Thanks TallandGoofy for the web site suggestion! Looks like a great site with wonderful info! I read through a bit of the WWoHP info, and it was very informative!!
I found this website EXTREMELY helpful: http://www.orlandoinformer.com
He (Dan) has a whole bunch of articles about US/IOA and lots of tips on how to navigate Harry Potter. e.g.:
http://www.orlandoinformer.com/2011/03/09/harry-potter-forbidden-journey-book-1/#axzz1KwH1icU6
He is actually very much like a free Tourguidemike (I'm using TGM for the first time this year). Similar to how TGM worked for WDW, Dan worked for Universal in their Vacation Package department so he has a lot of "insider" info.
He also personally answered some questions I had and helped me alot.
I also recommend checking out the thread stickied here - "Harry Potter Crowd Report". That has been very helpful as I plan our upcoming trip.
Between the two, I feel pretty good about my upcoming trip to US/IOA!
This website is wonderful! Thanks so much for posting it.
TallandGoofy
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2005
Glad y'all are finding it useful!
This article was particularly helpful to me:
http://www.orlandoinformer.com/2011...er-guaranteed-ways-beat-crowds/#axzz1LJNiF0p1
I knew from the boards here that getting to the park early for WWoHP was imperative and early entry ideal. The article gave me the idea of booking a vacation package for a cheap hotel - in my case, the Holiday Inn right across the street. (and it wouldn't surprise me if someone here had already mentioned it, but that is the first place I happened upon that idea) I was gonna buy my tickets anyway so for just $70 more, I get the early access and we have a convenient place to park (for free) and go to for a mid-afternoon break.
Anyway...we'll see how it goes...
This article was particularly helpful to me:
http://www.orlandoinformer.com/2011...er-guaranteed-ways-beat-crowds/#axzz1LJNiF0p1
I knew from the boards here that getting to the park early for WWoHP was imperative and early entry ideal. The article gave me the idea of booking a vacation package for a cheap hotel - in my case, the Holiday Inn right across the street. (and it wouldn't surprise me if someone here had already mentioned it, but that is the first place I happened upon that idea) I was gonna buy my tickets anyway so for just $70 more, I get the early access and we have a convenient place to park (for free) and go to for a mid-afternoon break.
Anyway...we'll see how it goes...
OrlandoInformer
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2010
TallandGoofy
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Apr 14, 2005
Well....Speak of the devil! (and by "devil" I mean really cool, helpful devil...)
OrlandoInformer
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2010
Does someone have a question about Universal?
proud_canadian
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2009
Great site!
proud_canadian
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2009
Sucks that you have to pay to get most of the info though 
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