A ZILLION questions -Express Pass and touringplans advise?

[carpeperdiem]

I am a WDW veteran. I'll be going to UO for the first time myself at the end of August.
So, I have no solid advice to give you about touring the park, but...
I wanted to throw this out there...
Do you visit every year? Is this a once in a long time kind of trip?
If you'll be back at a less hectic time and with more advance notice to plan better, I'd put Universal off until your next trip.
One day during one of the very busiest times, without unlimited express - driving back and forth....paying top dollar to stand on the longest lines....it just sounds so much more stressful that what you'd want for a vacation. As for the 9 year old "telling" you that you're going - well, if my 10 yr old is going to do that, she better be handing me the money too!
Again, if this is your only shot, then take it, but if it isn't, I just thought I'd give you some food for thought.

LOL!
We are not veterans or regulars. Last WDW trip was only 2 days, about 5 years ago when DD#1 was 4yo (before there was DD#2). This is not a once in a lifetime trip, but it may once in a few years trip -- the kids get so little vaca time from school and then they have camp and family all over the country, and we like to travel to far away places as a family -- something has to give. There are only a finite number of days in our lifetime -- and if we can only get to Orlando once every 4 years, then call it blasphemy, but that's how it is for our family. Just sharing. ;-)

I'm just a dad trying to make the best possible trip for his girls. I know I'm, not the only one who has gone down this path... but the $35 wand (thanks for the clarification, hpriamson) just makes me shake my head. Can't they make their own from a tree branch? That's what I did "in the olden days".

I'll figure it out someday.
Thanks for the input!

Best,
J

 

[marlaine8]

Josh at easywdw.com has put together a nice touring plan for Universal. I love the way he explains his tours. They make a lot of sense. You should give it a look!

 

[bumbershoot]

Let's see what touringplans has to say. I trust them for WDW.

As I mentioned in my post, touringplans has been wonky recently. It took a LOT of coaxing to get it to actually optimize our WDW stuff either before the trip or during the trip. It kept telling me to do absolutely ridiculous things, and I had to really really urge it to make sense.

I truly would not trust them even for WDW right now.



The previous poster that just mentioned easywdw is probably very correct. That site (free) is probably a lot better, especially since he gives explanations, than touringplans is right now, at least from my February experience with TP at WDW.



It's really too bad the rates weren't as low when you booked elsewhere. That's a bummer.

 

[macraven]

OK -- let's see now...

KatieElizabeth said that FJ lines are 30 minutes during spring break season; hpriamson said that FJ lines can be 2 hrs if you let it go to the afternoon;
Touringplans estimates 66 minutes at 2pm, 67 minutes (+~29 minutes to walk from the main entrance) at 8am;
Unofficial guide (printed book) 2013 says get there at opening, or else (contrary to their touring plans)

http://touringplans.com/universal-orlando/universal-express


And Metro West suggests waiting until we arrive.

I respect ALL of you! I really do. And I appreciate the input. I really do! But without consensus, it's impossible to really know what's best, right?

Let's see what touringplans has to say. I trust them for WDW.

we all have gone during high crowd times on probably different dates.
if all of those that posted went on the same date, same park, there still could be a difference of time waits.
a ride could break down or be shut down for a reason.
a protein spill could blow any touring plan out the window due to clean up time and then testing the ride before anyone can get on it.

there are times that people will leave the regular ride line they are in.
kids need to use the restroom, take a break, hungry, need to meet up with someone else, etc.
could make your wait time less if you are behind any group that leaves the line.

i have seen FJ wait times run from 15 minutes to 80 minutes during weekends in october.
october is not a high crowd period.

if you do not plan to stay onsite for the park hotel perks, or do not plan to buy the express passes, use the single rider lines when available, if they are open. (none for fj)
that will help ease a longer wait time for a ride.

the dates after Easter can have less crowds in the parks.
it's like buying a lottery ticket.
you might get lucky or not.

i always look at the chart for the ex pass cost for the date and park to get an idea for crowds.

UO speculates the number of park guests and then sets the price for the EP.
if they assume many will be in the parks, the EP cost will be high.
expecting a low crowd, price will be low.
if i see $35.99 for the EP for a park, i know the park won't be bad for crowds.

buying the ep in advance is not something i recommend.
if the weather turns bad, cold/rain, peeps generally stay away.
the EP is date, park related.
no refunds.
but the studios has many of their attractions indoors so rain might not be a factor for that park.

buying the EP in advance at the price listed guarantees you won't have an increase to pay if the EP's rise in price for your date/park.

it really is a personal choice on buying the ep's.
it's your money and decision.
i only buy the EP's for hhn.
some nights i really need them and some nights i don't.
but, i completely and totally am addicted to hhn and can not take risk excessive line waits.

the touringplans you talk about isn't completely accurate on some dates.
i have looked at it for my trips to the darkside and motherland trips out of curiosity.
some days it worked, others it didn't.
so i win the $10 scratch off lottery tickets on some of my days then.

go with the plan you can live with.
if you feel more confident with touringplans and not the dis posts, go for it.

you do have the opportunity to purchase EP once in the parks if you feel the need for them.
or, just do the parks without the added expense of the EP's and return to the darkside parks an extra day.


my fall trip to the motherland is for 7 nights and the darkside for 10 nights.
i have more flexibility in park ride waits at the motherland since i am there for a decent stay.
for the darkside, i'm on site and use the express lines.
but, i hate waiting in long lines and do some planning for better days for each park.

i totally understand your situation.
you want to do the parks, hit certain attractions/rides and not have to waste an hour in a line to do so.

wish you the best.
don't throw out the suggestions from those that are trying to share their experiences in the parks.
all here just like to help others going through the same thing we did when we first started hitting theme parks.

 

[carpeperdiem]

touringplans has been wonky recently. It took a LOT of coaxing to get it to actually optimize our WDW stuff either before the trip or during the trip.

Yeah, I see what you're saying.
The thing about Josh's easywdw.com blog -- he visited on a day when express passes were essentially a total waste (selling at the minimum price).
Easter week will not be that empty. Simply based on the price of the express pass and inability to book a room onsite, I think we're just gonna buy the express passes @ $60 ea, and just chalk this up to a very expensive day. Only doing 1 day at US is kinda crazy -- the value play is 3 days, but then you have to choose WDW vs. US - and since my girls are still wannabe princesses, and we are not the thrill seekers and we value the WDW experience -- well, 5-day WDW pass and 1-day IOA. But 1-day IOA w/ express pass costs 60% of the MYW 5-day! (155 vs. $260 with undercover discount) - that is almost 3 days at WDW vs. 1 day at IOA. But this is entirely about Harry Potter... hopefully my 4yo will find enough fun things besides waiting for her older sis.

Thanks to all. I just bought the express passes. I'll report back if I survive this outing.

Best,
J

 

[carpeperdiem]

wish you the best.
don't throw out the suggestions from those that are trying to share their experiences in the parks.
all here just like to help others going through the same thing we did when we first started hitting theme parks.

Thank you so much.
This board is the most friendly, giving group that i've ever encountered in an online community. I guess when the subject is about having fun with your friends and family, there's not much to stress out about! Happy people. Thanks for being generous with your time and knowledge. I hope to give back after I return.

Best,
J

 

[bumbershoot]

Yeah, I see what you're saying.
The thing about Josh's easywdw.com blog -- he visited on a day when express passes were essentially a total waste (selling at the minimum price).

The poster earlier in the thread mentioned he has a touring plan for Universal; I don't think they were talking about the blog trip report I found. I promise I am not trying to be difficult, I just want you to know exactly what people are saying.

His touring advice (especially days to visit) was simple and spot on for WDW for our Feb trip....touringplans, not so much. I don't know (I find his site to be difficult to navigate, his brain and mine don't work the same way, website-navigation-wise) if it's so for Universal, but the track record for TP for me isn't so great.



And I finally realized what I wanted to say in my last post, but forgot when I actually started typing...you might continue to check back on the Universal hotels site, just in case the price drops so much it would make sense to book a room to get the perks more than buying the express passes would. Of course, that would mean not buying the passes now, and I get the feeling you're just not comfy with that.

ETA: though right now that doesn't look promising. Either the site is broken (after the sale fiasco not a surprise) or they are sold out. Then again, voice of experience, keep on checking if you wish. the hotels were sold out one hour and back with high rates the next, then with low rates the next, in the run-up to our Feb trip! I was checking multiple times a day trying to find a better rate, and it seems to be VERY responsive to when people cancel.

 

[carpeperdiem]

you might continue to check back on the Universal hotels site, just in case the price drops so much it would make sense to book a room to get the perks more than buying the express passes would. Of course, that would mean not buying the passes now, and I get the feeling you're just not comfy with that.

OK
I had my amex out and I was a moment away from pressing the buy now button. Literally a moment away. So I just closed the page without checking out. I wonder if they track abandoned carts and send bonus offers to those reluctant to press the button? My company does that. LOL

I'll watch the ep and the hotel prices daily - trying to out-guess yield management software can be as wild a ride as The Incredible Hulk .

Thanks,
J

 

[hpriamson]

we all have gone during high crowd times on probably different dates.
if all of those that posted went on the same date, same park, there still could be a difference of time waits.
a ride could break down or be shut down for a reason.
a protein spill could blow any touring plan out the window due to clean up time and then testing the ride before anyone can get on it.

A "protein spill". Nice euphemism!

carpeperdiem, I was recommending going to FJ first thing mostly because you said it's a must ride for your older daughter, and because you were buying Express Passes. If it were me, I wouldn't take the risk of hitting an exceptionally long line later in the day - I'd hit it first, then use the Express Pass on the other rides as the park got crowded. But I'm not much of a risk taker, and all my kids go on FJ - obviously having a 4 year old in tow changes the risk/reward calculations. Best of luck on your trip, however you decide!