4 park to park days with no express pass-touring plans?

[JoyW]

Y’all-I need help. We are WDW veterans, and I’m attempting to plan our first Universal trip, and am having trouble getting a handle on it. We purchased a package for Jan 4-8. We will have 2 park tickets for 1/4-1/7, Tuesday-Friday. We are staying at Cabana Bay and will be checking in 1/3 on a one night hotel reservation. Three kids aged 10-16, so they are candidates for everything but the babiest of rides.

Does anyone have suggestions for where to find touring plans for early park entry and no express pass? (Express pass isn’t in the budget. Based on the dates and price of the promotional package we booked, I’m assuming crowd levels should be fairly moderate) I would also love to make some dining reservations, but don’t really know when or where, and was hoping getting together a good plan would help that as well. Any blog suggestions to study up? TIA for any expertise thrown my way.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

That’s the same week we we’re going.
Touring plans has touring plans for Universal in addition to Disney. Or you might be able to find ones from Orlando informer or other places you can Google. We’ve been going with Express Pass so only used the TP ones our first year.

For dining reservations, you can make them now by looking up dining on the Universal website and following the links on each restaurant’s page. Most people will say you don’t need them or can make same day, but we’re a party of 5 and usually go at busy times and have definitely needed them. When I made mine a week ago, the reservations for all the places that week were wide open. It’ll likely be busiest early in the week and less so later if you want to make a couple early on and leave the rest of your week more free. As for where, there are some pinned threads above about dining options. Here

One thing to know about planning for Universal vs Disney is that it takes a lot less planning.

 

[georgina]

Y’all-I need help. We are WDW veterans, and I’m attempting to plan our first Universal trip, and am having trouble getting a handle on it. We purchased a package for Jan 4-8. We will have 2 park tickets for 1/4-1/7, Tuesday-Friday. We are staying at Cabana Bay and will be checking in 1/3 on a one night hotel reservation. Three kids aged 10-16, so they are candidates for everything but the babiest of rides.

Does anyone have suggestions for where to find touring plans for early park entry and no express pass? (Express pass isn’t in the budget. Based on the dates and price of the promotional package we booked, I’m assuming crowd levels should be fairly moderate) I would also love to make some dining reservations, but don’t really know when or where, and was hoping getting together a good plan would help that as well. Any blog suggestions to study up? TIA for any expertise thrown my way.

Universal requires a lot less planning than Disney! At a low crowd time, with 4 park days, you will be fine. Most likely only 1 park will open for early entry, and then it is only the Harry Potter area and one other ride. EE park has been IOA for 2 months, so maybe US will be the EE park in Jan?

Generally, hit the most popular rides early or late in the day.

Many restaurants are available on Open Table for reservations. Toothsome Chocolate Emporium is popular. We like Antojitos for Mexican. Kids might like Margaritaville? I like the Bayliner diner at CB also.

 

[JoyW]

@PrincessWithABlaster and @georgina, thank you both! We love Disney so much, and had a trip booked for this week, but I wasn’t feeling great about the cost with absolutely no discount. I’m very excited about trying something new, and having a couple of people affirm that it will all work out is very much appreciated!

The only dining reservation I’ve made so far is for our first non park night at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium. I’ve read that Universal is much more walkable. Is it doable to go to City Walk for lunch or dinner, then go back to the parks, or does that eat up a bunch of time?

 

[macraven]

It is very walkable from the parks to city walk and return back to the parks

 

[Krisshay13]

JoyW.....I've been doing Disney a lot over the past 8 years. Never even thought about Universal until the Disney prices & issues started up.....and my 13 yr old granddaughter mentioned how much she is into Harry Potter......so, we did Universal for the 1st time ever, for 5 days last week (strange to think I was there a week ago).
I will say, I felt so lost.....planning was nothing like Disney (I'm a planner & love it) but, this was so easy going!!!
Like Disney...the more popular rides, try to hit them during Early Entry.....you will be speed walking to those rides, along with everyone else.
The only planning we did was at the end of each day, we pulled out the paper map/guide and marked off what we did that day. And decided what we wanted to get to the next day.
Also, I'm big on ADRs at Disney but, didn't make any for Universal. Only because I didn't want to have to be anywhere by a certain time. We did try to eat at Antojitos one night in City Walk & it was going to be a 2 hr wait. We tried the next night & got right in. Good idea to make reservations if it's somewhere you absolutely want to eat at.
With 4 days, you will have plenty of time to do things. The walkability of these 2 parks & City Walk will surprise you....in a good way!!
Just take time to look around & take it all in. If you are into Harry Potter, the details in the Wizarding World are awesome. Make sure to visit the Knight Bus & chat with the shrunken head. Make sure to do the Raptor Encounter.....our family is loving the video of that (hahaha). We walked up on many characters....short lines (nothing like waiting in line at WDW). And as far as rides, most are for older kids so, I think your kids will love it!!

I will not say I won't go back to Disney at some point but, for now, this Disney girl is already planning our next 2 Universal trips!!!
As always........this board is a world of information & so helpful!! If you have any questions, just ask.

 

[elledubs]

JoyW.....I've been doing Disney a lot over the past 8 years. Never even thought about Universal until the Disney prices & issues started up.....and my 13 yr old granddaughter mentioned how much she is into Harry Potter......so, we did Universal for the 1st time ever, for 5 days last week (strange to think I was there a week ago).
I will say, I felt so lost.....planning was nothing like Disney (I'm a planner & love it) but, this was so easy going!!!
Like Disney...the more popular rides, try to hit them during Early Entry.....you will be speed walking to those rides, along with everyone else.
The only planning we did was at the end of each day, we pulled out the paper map/guide and marked off what we did that day. And decided what we wanted to get to the next day.
Also, I'm big on ADRs at Disney but, didn't make any for Universal. Only because I didn't want to have to be anywhere by a certain time. We did try to eat at Antojitos one night in City Walk & it was going to be a 2 hr wait. We tried the next night & got right in. Good idea to make reservations if it's somewhere you absolutely want to eat at.
With 4 days, you will have plenty of time to do things. The walkability of these 2 parks & City Walk will surprise you....in a good way!!
Just take time to look around & take it all in. If you are into Harry Potter, the details in the Wizarding World are awesome. Make sure to visit the Knight Bus & chat with the shrunken head. Make sure to do the Raptor Encounter.....our family is loving the video of that (hahaha). We walked up on many characters....short lines (nothing like waiting in line at WDW). And as far as rides, most are for older kids so, I think your kids will love it!!

I will not say I won't go back to Disney at some point but, for now, this Disney girl is already planning our next 2 Universal trips!!!
As always........this board is a world of information & so helpful!! If you have any questions, just ask.

Glad you had so much fun!!
We have 1 day only! Next Sunday! We are only doing Harry Potter at US/IOA. We do not have early entry or EP. we are hoping to get AAP as my son is autistic and can become very uncontrollable if he’s too anxious and stressed. I’m very worried about Universal!!
if anyone has advice please let me know. We want to ride the HP rides and train both ways. Sounds like with AAP, if they give us posted wait time, then we enter EP line at come back time, we will essentially be doing 1.5x the wait?
We could just use advice in general. We’ve watched you tube videos and I’m trying to find info about getting AAP before park opens. Desperate for info. (I am also autistic and planning eases my anxiety!!)

 

[cfoxga]

@JoyW

Another difference between Disney and Universal is that Universal packages usually don't save much money. And if you can get an APH rate on the room, packages can cost more. Here is an example for Jan 4-8 at CB in a family suite for US/IOA:

Regular price: $218/nt
Savvy Traveler Rate: $174/nt
Annual Pass Rate (APH): $125/nt

Here is the direct link with the APH rate (https://res.windsurfercrs.com/ibe/d...ls=&ada=0&currid=1&vouchercode=&attendeeCode=).

The other non-obvious thing about Universal is that Annual Passes can be cheaper than regular tickets. For your dates, a 2-park Seasonal Pass at $350 pp is less than a 4-day park-to-park ticket by a couple dollars. It would not only allow you to go into the park Saturday morning if you have time, but would also allow you make additional trips if you fall in love with Universal (like we did).

So if your package is more than $2250 (4x125 + 5x350 assuming no VB) then you might look at rebooking direct and getting Seasonal Passes for the whole family.

 

[cfoxga]

The only dining reservation I’ve made so far is for our first non park night at Toothsome Chocolate Emporium. I’ve read that Universal is much more walkable. Is it doable to go to City Walk for lunch or dinner, then go back to the parks, or does that eat up a bunch of time?

Definitely. We usually go in for EE and make a loop around one of the parks to hit the popular rides before the crowds show up. Then we take a 3-4 hour break in the afternoon to grab lunch and head back to the resort. If the parks are open late, we do an early, small dinner and then go to the parks. If not, then go back to the parks first and eat later.

If you are HP fans definitely take a look at https://www.disboards.com/threads/wizarding-world-touring-plans-and-details.3666427/

 

[macraven]

That page above is not functioning now

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

If it were me:
Find out which day UOR opens early for resort guests. Let’s say it’s day 1.

Day 1: Early entry UOR. Pre pay and register for Leaky Cauldron breakfast at 9 am. Head straight to Disagon Alley. Ride gringotts no problem, then eat, then explore the every living daylights out of diagon alley. Take the hogwarts express to hogs Meade and finish out the day in Hogsmeade. That way all the HP stuff is done and you’re not rushing. Then back to the hotel for relaxation and eating there.
Day 2: Start at IOA. Get must do rides in (rope drop Spider-Man you will walk on). Hogwarts express to UOR. Find lunch or a snack and get must do’s done then (tho if you do want to eat at Simpsons, I recommend doing rides like Simpsons and MIB before eating). Back to the hotel, then city walk for dinner (I highly recommend Big Fire and Antojitos). Then walk around, grab some voodoo doughnuts (one for dessert one for breakfast-they will not go stale I promise).
Day 3: sleep in a little, figure out what you haven’t hit and head to that park first. Be lesiurely this day. You can always head out to city walk for lunch and shopping, head back for pool time and come back at night.
Day 4: if you are heading out that day, I’d be up early hitting must do’s but not going crazy. Then I’d head out to city walk to grab lunch before heading out.

My must do’s:

UOR:
*Simpsons fast food boulevard lunch
*Leaky Cauldron for Any meal
*Granny Smith apple or Earl grey and lavender ice cream at Florean Fortescues
*Gringotts
*Ollivanders
*Simpsons
*ET
*MIB
*Minions
*Animal Actors
*Horror Make Up Show
* Shrek (I believe you are there right before it’s closing!)
*Tribute Store

IOA:
*Confisco Grille for Lunch
*For some reason the frozen butter beer is better in this side in my opinion lol
*HoneyDukes
*Nighttime Hogwarts Castle Show
*Spiderman
*Dudley Do Rights
*Jurassic Park River Adventure (I have not gotten to ride Velocicoaster or Hagrids)
*Forbidden Journey
*Hippogriff
*Cat in the Hat

City Walk:
*Legacy Store
*Universal Store
*BigFire
*Antojitos
*Voodoo
*Mini golf


Enjoy your trip!