1-day, 2 parks which park first? - help

[moongirl]

Need some insight from you experienced folks! This will be our first trip to US and IOA and we have purchased 1-day/2-park passes for the family (me, DH, DS7, DS10) as well as the express pass. We will be going on May 8th. (The express 2-park pass is still being sold for $25.99 so the crowd level does not appear too horrible.) I was thinking of going to US first, against the advice of many) so that we could see a lot of the major attractions once using the regular queue before the lines get bad. It seems that the regular queue has some important theming that builds up to the ride whereas going through the express line has us missing that. Also, DS7 and DH will not be going on the coasters at all and one ride for me and DS10 will be plenty - I'm worried he may get the pants scared off him already! I assume that we will not miss anything theme-related if we have to use the express pass for the coasters, etc. at IOA. I was also thinking that we could do the water rides last at IOA and go straight back to the hotel after we get all wet. Please tell me if my logic here is flawed!
Thanks!

 

[ky07]

Need some insight from you experienced folks! This will be our first trip to US and IOA and we have purchased 1-day/2-park passes for the family (me, DH, DS7, DS10) as well as the express pass. We will be going on May 8th. (The express 2-park pass is still being sold for $25.99 so the crowd level does not appear too horrible.) I was thinking of going to US first, against the advice of many) so that we could see a lot of the major attractions once using the regular queue before the lines get bad. It seems that the regular queue has some important theming that builds up to the ride whereas going through the express line has us missing that. Also, DS7 and DH will not be going on the coasters at all and one ride for me and DS10 will be plenty - I'm worried he may get the pants scared off him already! I assume that we will not miss anything theme-related if we have to use the express pass for the coasters, etc. at IOA. I was also thinking that we could do the water rides last at IOA and go straight back to the hotel after we get all wet. Please tell me if my logic here is flawed!
Thanks!

Since your not into doing the coasters then I think your fine with doing the studios first and I know alot will say IOA first cause thats where we start first every trip .
The only thing is the water rides later in the day will be busy but as you said you cn always et express passes if it gets to busy.
Hope this helps

 

[Metro West]

Need some insight from you experienced folks! This will be our first trip to US and IOA and we have purchased 1-day/2-park passes for the family (me, DH, DS7, DS10) as well as the express pass. We will be going on May 8th. (The express 2-park pass is still being sold for $25.99 so the crowd level does not appear too horrible.) I was thinking of going to US first, against the advice of many) so that we could see a lot of the major attractions once using the regular queue before the lines get bad. It seems that the regular queue has some important theming that builds up to the ride whereas going through the express line has us missing that. Also, DS7 and DH will not be going on the coasters at all and one ride for me and DS10 will be plenty - I'm worried he may get the pants scared off him already! I assume that we will not miss anything theme-related if we have to use the express pass for the coasters, etc. at IOA. I was also thinking that we could do the water rides last at IOA and go straight back to the hotel after we get all wet. Please tell me if my logic here is flawed!
Thanks!

Sounds like a good plan to me.

 

[macraven]

i usually tell people to do ioa first if they enjoy the coasters and if they want a head start on the crowds.

ioa, when they open earlier than the official opening time, have the coaster going once guest come in early.

your plan sounds good since coasters are not your goal in the park.

if you try the mummy, try the regular line if it is short.
you will see so much in there that you wouldn't if you used the express line.
i know you said the kids are not into coasters but they can do the chicken exit once you are at the top for loading into the ride.

 

[moongirl]

Is Mummy the only ride where the regular line makes a big difference?

 

[macraven]

you see more of the story line on the walls and around you.

you also see the table in the middle of the room in that line.

if you read secrets of ioa/universal, it tells you what to do with that table and what will happen.

when you use the express line for the mummy, you miss all that neat stuff.

i always stay on site and use the hotel key for the express line.

i try to go early morning when no lines are at the parks.
i head to the mummy and do the regular line then.

for the rest of the day, i rely on the fotl hotel card for express line usage.

the same for going to dr doom and spiderman.
the regular line has a lot to make the ride understandable.

people that do doom on the express line miss out on the story line for the ride. it all fits together once you are on that ride since you have just seen the background for it.