A responsibly irresponsible Universal trip report- 12/17-12/22

[WendiDarling]

Great report, thank you! I'm with you - I'm not sure I would do Universal without Express passes! We are going during the perfect storm of President's week/Valentine's Day/Mardi Gras so I am thankful to be staying at PBH. When we were there in September we found dining during COVID to be one of our biggest challenges. I will definitely be going back through your report for the dining tips. Also, it was cool hearing about the afternoon breaks-evening returns. When we were there (our one and only trip), the parks closed at 5pm and 6pm. Hoping they stay open a bit later next month so we can have some evening experiences like you did!

Thanks for taking the time to share

 

[disneyseniors]

Thank you so much for that fun trip report! We absolutely love Universal, and our favorite resort is RPR. We wouldn't do Universal without EP's now.
I hope you get to do the Horror Show when you return. It is alot of fun and we see it every time.
I am with your husband on Forbidden Journey! I rode it once and got queasy and wasn't comfortable during the whole thing. I thought it was going to tip over backwards several times, and don't like that feeling. But we loved Gringotts
We are big disney fans, but find we like the no planning part, the resort, the food choices, and especially the attractions at Universal.
I am impressed that your daughter, age 7, rode all those "scary" rides. Very impressive, and thanks again for the TR

 

[cfoxga]

Thanks for the trip report, it was great to read!

We went to Universal over Thanksgiving and had a great time. Because PBH was closed, the EP lines were super short, so we rarely had to wait. The parks were crowded, but much less so than previous Thanksgivings (which were a zoo). My daughter loves all things HP and Universal, so when she started to tell me about the parks hitting capacity around Christmas, I began to get concerned about our trip scheduled in February over President's Day weekend. It is the last week before our APs expire, so it might be a while before we make another trip to Universal.

My hope now is that a large part of the Christmas crowd was local FL residents who we able to have unlimited return tickets in 2020. That might mean lower crowds for our trip. But I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the weekends look like in 2021...

 

[emarie]

Great report, thank you! I'm with you - I'm not sure I would do Universal without Express passes! We are going during the perfect storm of President's week/Valentine's Day/Mardi Gras so I am thankful to be staying at PBH. When we were there in September we found dining during COVID to be one of our biggest challenges. I will definitely be going back through your report for the dining tips. Also, it was cool hearing about the afternoon breaks-evening returns. When we were there (our one and only trip), the parks closed at 5pm and 6pm. Hoping they stay open a bit later next month so we can have some evening experiences like you did!

Thanks for taking the time to share

It was definitely nice to have the parks open both early and late when we were there since it allowed us to enjoy the pool at the hotel and to experience times when it was less crowded. I love the parks at night- it was so beautiful with the Christmas decorations! I hope your trip next month goes well- we were hesitant about dining indoors before we went, but felt much more comfortable with this once we saw the precautions that were being taken with distancing and plexiglass between tables. And it was a little cold in the mornings and evenings to eat outside comfortably, at least for me!

 

[emarie]

Thank you so much for that fun trip report! We absolutely love Universal, and our favorite resort is RPR. We wouldn't do Universal without EP's now.
I hope you get to do the Horror Show when you return. It is alot of fun and we see it every time.
I am with your husband on Forbidden Journey! I rode it once and got queasy and wasn't comfortable during the whole thing. I thought it was going to tip over backwards several times, and don't like that feeling. But we loved Gringotts
We are big disney fans, but find we like the no planning part, the resort, the food choices, and especially the attractions at Universal.
I am impressed that your daughter, age 7, rode all those "scary" rides. Very impressive, and thanks again for the TR

Thanks for reading! We're happy that we have experienced both Universal and Disney now and are fans of both for different reasons.
I'm thankful that DD7 is the youngest as DS14 would never have been brave enough to do most of the rides we did at that age. But maybe she has become brave by being the youngest and being forced to tag along for everything...

 

[emarie]

Thanks for the trip report, it was great to read!

We went to Universal over Thanksgiving and had a great time. Because PBH was closed, the EP lines were super short, so we rarely had to wait. The parks were crowded, but much less so than previous Thanksgivings (which were a zoo). My daughter loves all things HP and Universal, so when she started to tell me about the parks hitting capacity around Christmas, I began to get concerned about our trip scheduled in February over President's Day weekend. It is the last week before our APs expire, so it might be a while before we make another trip to Universal.

My hope now is that a large part of the Christmas crowd was local FL residents who we able to have unlimited return tickets in 2020. That might mean lower crowds for our trip. But I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the weekends look like in 2021...

I was definitely worried about crowds before our trip...not necessarily because of COVID, but just because it isn't much fun to wait in long lines. I think you were one of the people who reassured me that the EP would make it fine even during a crowded time when I had asked a question about this a few months ago, so thanks for that ☺! I'd say that the crowds were just as bad as I expected when we were there, but that the express pass lines were even better than I expected as we rarely waited more than 15 minutes. I can't even imagine how crowded Universal would be during a normal year if it truly was reduced capacity this year- the main walkways were crammed with people, especially in the Harry Potter areas. Regardless, we had a terrific time and felt like celebrities having the express pass!
I'm sure you'll have a great trip in February even if it is crowded

 

[Jasperann]

Thank you for your report! We are visiting Universal for the first time in March. We are staying at Royal Pacific. I'm excited to go.

 

[bobafemme]

Thank you for the thorough report. We cancelled our April plans (or they were cancelled for us). Every family has their own risk tolerance--I appreciate your factual approach to what the parks were like.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Thank you for trip report. I love Universal and had plans for this weekend but cancelled because I was worried I was exposed .
I had a great AP rate for Cabana Bay I tested negative but still plan to Q for 14 days. Universal was very nice to refund my deposit.
Actually they are always very nice with excellent guest services.
Thank you Universal Studios Orlando...

 

[CheriePenguin]

Thanks so much for your trip report! Our family of 5 is going to Universal and Royal Pacific for the first time this June - just booked (rebooking from a cancelled 2020 trip). Still a little nervous with the whole COVID situation, and hoping all goes well and we get to actually go this time, and that no one gets sick.

My sons are 9, 14, and 17. Hoping for the best with 5 of us in the small room with no housekeeping for a week. (We're going to get or bring an air mattress in lieu of the rollaway.) But we're splurging for a RP Club level room (with AP rate), and hopefully the extra food, beverages, and lounge space make it worth it.

I appreciated all the details and tips you gave! We've done semi-commando type trips to Disney in the past, and are looking forward to a less stressful, more easy going experience at Universal with the included Express Pass.

 

[Calidisneyfam]

Thanks so much for your awesome trip report! I am heading there with three teenagers at the end of March. This was originally going to be a Disneyworld trip at Presidents Week, but as with so many things this year, was changed. I just couldn’t bear the thought of super long lines without fast pass. So we will stay at Portofino Bay and use Express Pass. I really appreciated all your insights!

 

[LisaDougKaylee]

Thank you for your trip report.

We've talked about visiting over Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, however missing the holidays at home with our family traditions, etc always leaves us apprehensive. This past year would've been a great year to visit.

I was happy to read older DD and DS decided on the wands! Such a shame if younger DD missed out or felt less "cool". I understand that with my girls. Younger DD is always looking to older DD's approval.

As for the early park visit with midday break...always been our plan of attack be it UO or Disney. We much enjoy the downtime middle of the day - especially in the warmer seasons, and a break down the crowds in busier seasons.This large child is prone to meltdowns in heat and large crowds! Quiet park mornings are my favorite!

 

[mamamelody2]

Just found your report! Very helpful, thanks for sharing!
We are also from Michigan, doing our first UO trip this June. We are definitely planning lots of afternoon breaks!