Another Newbie to Universal

[eeyoregon]

We are veterans of Disney World but are branching out (couldn't pass up the buy one get one free Universal 2 park unlimited during your stay passes) and visiting Universal Studios during our October stay.

So, how are the crowds at Universal in October (8-11)??

My boys are 13 and 16 and aren't adrenaline freaks but they do like the occasional coaster. Will they like Universal?

I know that there are 2 parks but that is about it.

Would love some insight.

Gina

 

[RAPstar]

The crowds may not be too big. HHN will be going on at that time, Thurs-Sun. nights. That means the Studio side will be closing at 5pm to set up for that. The only big coasters are the Hulk and Deuling Dragons and the soon to be opened HRRR. The Mummy is technically a coaster, but its inside and there are no inversions or big drops or anything. The 3-D shows (Shrek and Terminator) are both excellant. There's plenty of fun for your teens to be had.

 

[Metro West]

We are veterans of Disney World but are branching out (couldn't pass up the buy one get one free Universal 2 park unlimited during your stay passes) and visiting Universal Studios during our October stay.

So, how are the crowds at Universal in October (8-11)??

My boys are 13 and 16 and aren't adrenaline freaks but they do like the occasional coaster. Will they like Universal?

I know that there are 2 parks but that is about it.

Would love some insight.

Gina

Crowd wise...October is fairly light but you're going during a HHN weekend so the afternoon crowds at the Studios could be pretty large. The Studios will close at 5pm those nights to get ready for HHN but otherwise the crowds aren't bad.

I think your kids will like Universal just fine. They could do Revenge of the Mummy, MIB and the new HR3 (Hollywood Rip, Ride, Rockit). Plus...Jaws and Shrek 4-D are fun too. At IOA, make sure they don't miss Hulk, Dueling Dragons, Spiderman and Jurassic Park River Adventure.

You can check YouTube for a sneak peek of the rides at Universal and IOA.

I think you guys will have a great time and ask any other questions you may have.

 

[Cupmom]

We are veterans of Disney World but are branching out (couldn't pass up the buy one get one free Universal 2 park unlimited during your stay passes) and visiting Universal Studios during our October stay.

So, how are the crowds at Universal in October (8-11)??

My boys are 13 and 16 and aren't adrenaline freaks but they do like the occasional coaster. Will they like Universal?

I know that there are 2 parks but that is about it.

Would love some insight.

Gina

Wondering how you got the buy one get one tickets?

 

[eeyoregon]

Wondering how you got the buy one get one tickets?

We booked our airfare and a 1 night hotel for the night before we fly home (staying at Disney for Free Dining the other 8 nights) thru Southwest Airlines Vacations and they are offering BOGO Universal tickets right now if you stay at one of their partner hotels. We got 4 of the 2 park unlimited admission for 7 days tickets for $210...I hope that is a good deal .

They are also offering friends fly for free to Orlando but you have to depart/return Monday-Thursday but unfortunately that didn't work for us.

RE: Horror Nights. If we have no desire to attend should we visit Universal on Wednesday and Thursday and avoid the weekend?

Thanks everyone.

 

[Metro West]

RE: Horror Nights. If we have no desire to attend should we visit Universal on Wednesday and Thursday and avoid the weekend?

HHN is only at night so you can go to the parks during the day and probably wouldn't notice a lot out of the ordinary. Going during the week would cut down on the crowd as the weekends are going to be busier but it's still not bad.

 

[macraven]

We booked our airfare and a 1 night hotel for the night before we fly home (staying at Disney for Free Dining the other 8 nights) thru Southwest Airlines Vacations and they are offering BOGO Universal tickets right now if you stay at one of their partner hotels. We got 4 of the 2 park unlimited admission for 7 days tickets for $210...I hope that is a good deal .

They are also offering friends fly for free to Orlando but you have to depart/return Monday-Thursday but unfortunately that didn't work for us.

RE: Horror Nights. If we have no desire to attend should we visit Universal on Wednesday and Thursday and avoid the weekend?

Thanks everyone.

you got a good deal with the tickets.
the 7 day 2 park passes sell for $99 a person.


i would avoid the weekends.
with people off work on the weekends and probably also off work for columbus day, the parks will start to have the crowds around 2ish on the weekend.

go on a wednesday or thursday.
no hhn on that wednesday but there will be one on the thursday of the time period you mentioned.

go early and be at the parking garage well before 8:00.
there are times the parks will let the guests in prior to the official opening time if the line is long at the turn stile.

if you go wednesday, do ioa first then switch over to the studio side.
since there will not be hhn on that wednesday, the crowds will not be there.
ioa generally has more rides open if guests are let in early than the studios side.

if you go on a thursday, do the studio side first then switch to ioa for the afternoon. you will avoid late afternoon crowds that are coming in for hhn that night.
ioa should be open until 6 while the studios will close at 5.

check out universalorlando.com and look at the interactive map of what you can expect in the parks.

be sure to pick up a park guide map when you enter the parks.