1st trip - Spring Break - need reassurance!

[Corly]

Hi everyone! I love this place - you have been so very helpful as I have planned this trip

Here is the plan:
I am leaving my DH and two little ones at home in North Carolina and taking DS8 and DS7 on a surprise birthday trip/congrats for reading the book series to Universal to focus on WWoHP! We will be there 3/28 - 4/1 and staying onsite at RPR for express passes and early entry. We will stay at the hotel and go to Citywalk on the 1st and last day and spend 3 full days in the parks. Both boys are an inch or so above the 48" mark so we should be okay with the rides we want to go on Doom and Hulk, etc. are NOT for us!

My biggest concern is the Spring Break crowds. We have done Disney a few times, and I always have a plan, but having never been to IOA/US, will we be okay with Express pass as far as getting on rides in places like Seuss land and the Hippogriff coaster? We will be headed straight to FJ and Ollivanders at park opening and plan to head back for a swim during midday.

I made reservations at Mythos, Islands character dinner at RPR and Margaritaville already and just planned to bring breakfast and eat lunches at the pool or 3 Broomsticks - am I being realistic?

A few more questions:
Is it easy to grab a cab at the airport and head to Universal? Since it is just the 3 of us, I wasn't planning on making transportation plans - but again Spring Break... How long does it take to get from the airport to Universal? And any ideas how much the fare may cost?

The parks open at 9 while we are there, so IOA will have early entry at 8. I have heard they let people in even earlier than that - is this still true? So when would be a good time to leave RPR if we are walking to the gates?

Is one parent and 2 kids going to be an issue? I haven't come up with any reason why it would be (we will all want to ride the same things and see the same shows).

Thanks again! I am getting ready to create acceptance letters for the boys - we aren't going to tell them about the trip--- so on their birthday instead of driving them to school I will be driving to the airport and handing them their letters on the plane

 

[jaminmd]

We went the week before Easter last year and it was very crowded but very manageable. We stayed at the HRH. We left about 30 minutes before early opening and took our time walking to the park. We went to FJ first to get that over and done with but many will suggest going to Ollivander's first.

If you know how to tour Disney, just use the same skills for US/IOA. We wore cargo shorts and only brought phones, tickets, room keys and credit cards. Express pass is awesome!

We would be done by around noon and leave to do other stuff, either off site or at the hotel. We'd return around dinner time and spend another couple of hours wandering around.

We brought our dog and will again this time, too, so we come back and walk him.

You'll have a great time despite the crowds.

 

[hayleyp]

How exciting, it sounds like you have been busy planning! Your boys are going to get such a wonderful surprise I am sure they will remember forever. My family has been to Orlando spring break week multiple times. We will actually be at UO the same time you are 3/29-4/5 at HRH. I am a teacher and our 3 kiddos are all school age so it is our best option. I always plan to the second when we go to Disney but do not need to at US. The express pass is fantastic. You may have a short wait in the express lines due to crowds but absolutely nothing like the regular lines. I would definately plan to enter the parks an hr early. From HRH we will probably allow 30 min to get to IOA in the morning. Your plan & dining choices sound great and you are being completely realistic. We always do the mid day swim as well, for us it makes for a much more relaxing trip. You will LOVE the onsite hotels and pools. I would not do UO any other way.

Have a wonderful trip and make sure to get a pic of your boys when they hear their big surprise. I bet it will be priceless. Good luck with everything!

 

[macraven]

We will be there 3/28 - 4/1 and staying onsite at RPR for express passes and early entry. We will stay at the hotel and go to Citywalk on the 1st and last day and spend 3 full days in the parks. Both boys are an inch or so above the 48" mark so we should be okay with the rides we want to go on Doom and Hulk, etc. are NOT for us!

1. My biggest concern is the Spring Break crowds. We have done Disney a few times, and I always have a plan, but having never been to IOA/US, will we be okay with Express pass as far as getting on rides in places like Seuss land and the Hippogriff coaster?


2. I made reservations at Mythos, Islands character dinner at RPR and Margaritaville already and just planned to bring breakfast and eat lunches at the pool or 3 Broomsticks - am I being realistic?

A few more questions:
3. Is it easy to grab a cab at the airport and head to Universal? Since it is just the 3 of us, I wasn't planning on making transportation plans - but again Spring Break... How long does it take to get from the airport to Universal? And any ideas how much the fare may cost?

4. The parks open at 9 while we are there, so IOA will have early entry at 8. I have heard they let people in even earlier than that - is this still true? So when would be a good time to leave RPR if we are walking to the gates?

5. Is one parent and 2 kids going to be an issue? I haven't come up with any reason why it would be (we will all want to ride the same things and see the same shows).

1. unlimited usage for the express lines will be great for the 3 of you.
you will not have l.o.n.g. lines to stand in.

only 4 rides do not have express lanes.

the only thing to be concerned with are the crowds when you plan to eat or use the restrooms.......
eat at off times in the park so you can avoid crowds.

2. check out the dinner menu for rph. it is basically asian flair.
they changed to that type of food one day after i left rph on last years vacation.

if you don't care for the menu, look at the kitchen menu at hrh.

each hotel rotates the characters during the dinner hour.
there is no special menu for the character dining at the hotels.
you order off the regular menu and the characters will be there for a couple of hours that night they are assigned at that hotel.

you can get ala carte items at the orchid court lounge for breakfast items.
they open at 6:00 am each morning.
their menu is on the website in the rph hotel section.

3. i use car service and it takes less than 15 minutes for that, but i go during a time that is not a heavy traffic period.

a taxi could cost $30?
you are charged by mileage and time in the taxi.

4. there have been times during holidays where ioa has opened earlier than what we are used to.
be sure to check out the opening time of ioa once you arrive at the hotel.

yes, there are times that peeps are let into the park prior to the opening time.
i don't know the ifs and whys to how that is determined.
only parry hotter will be open that first hour to the onsite hotel guests.
the rest of the park will be dark until it is opened to the general public.

it can be walked in about 10 minutes.
if your kids are small, i'm sure it will take more time for the walk.

the boats can be used to get to city walk in the morning if you chose.

5. i took my boys when they were 6, 7, 8 years old and didn't lose them.
just the 3 boys and myself.
in case one wanders off, tell both of them how to contact you.
such as the TM that work there are someone they can go to for help.

 

[Corly]

Thanks so much - I will definitely check out the Islands/Kitchen menus...not so sure about Asian Flair. So excited!!!

 

[kelfox651]

FYI....The Mears website has a fare estimator. I ran it from the airport to RPH and it said $42.