Arrival day questions from a Universal newbie :)

[anneboleyn]

Hello everyone! My daughter and I will be visiting Universal Studios this August 9th-12th, and I just wanted to run my arrival day plans by the experts/ask a few questions if that’s okay!

We will be staying at HRH so we do have Express passes. Upon arrival to the hotel, I get these from the front desk, right?

Our flight land is scheduled to land at 3:00PM and I have arranged private transportation from MCO to Hard Rock. I am hoping to get to the park by 6:00PM at the latest, but am afraid that the parks will reach capacity. Is that a legitimate worry to have? Is there a way to see in advance (like from our hotel) if either park has reached capacity?

And finally, I see that there are dueling pianos some nights at Pat O’Brien’s. My daughter is 14 and would love this. Do they allow people under 21 in to watch (obviously she wouldn’t be drinking lol)?

Thank you to everyone in advance! I am very excited to experience Universal Studios. I actually said to my daughter “Find a fanny pack you like online so that I can buy it!”, which I never imagined were words that would ever come out of my mouth lol.

 

[macraven]

Your hotel room key is what allows you to use the express lines
Show it and you will be allowed to use the ep line

it is valid for as many times you want to use it

only the 3 premier hotels that have this perk

There is no limit for its usage

Yes, your daughter can be with you at O’Briens

 

[anneboleyn]

Your hotel room key is what allows you to use the express lines
Show it and you will be allowed to use the ep line

it is valid for as many times you want to use it

only the 3 premier hotels that have this perk

There is no limit for its usage

Yes, your daughter can be with you at O’Briens

Thank you!! So just to clarify...I pick up the room key/express pass at the hotel, NOT at the park, correct?

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Thank you!! So just to clarify...I pick up the room key/express pass at the hotel, NOT at the park, correct?

Yes

 

[anneboleyn]

Yes

Thank you very much

 

[AuroraluvsPhillip]

HRH veteran here, but pre-Covid.

There is no Covid related park capacity restrictions anymore, so the parks will fill up. I assume if capacity is reached (which I have never experienced, but things are crazy busy now) I assume you could call the front desk or check the Universal app.

Your plastic room keys serve as your Express Passes in the parks. Pop them into your lanyards (highly recommended) and have the barcodes facing out for easy scanning by the TM's at the Express line entrance.

I usually have the barcode of my room key facing outward on one side of my lanyard, and my park admission (ticket or annual pass) facing outward on the other side. Your park admission is scanned at the entrance gates, as well as the entrance to the Hogwarts Express in both parks ( park to park or annual passes only ).

Make sure your fanny packs have a three pronged closure, it's required on the rides. Plus the TM's have discretion on refusing the fanny pack if if interferes with the restraining mechanism of the ride. On Hulk, Rip Ride Rocket, and Velocicoaster, you need all belongings to go into a locker, even fanny packs.

The free lockers are great. They open with a swipe of your park admission (another good reason to keep in your lanyard with barcode facing out). They are good for 50 minutes. If you were able to get in and out of a ride quickly with Express Pass, you could easily ride twice in a row and leave your stuff safe in the locker. The lockers are about 17" deep and 5.5" tall, so no big plastic jugs or popcorn containers. When I use them I can fit in my baseball cap, a small drawstring backpack that contains our wands, my daughter's small crossbody purse and her water bottle. On the rides, I tuck my lanyard inside my shirt so it won't blow around. The TM's will ask you to do this. Also if you wear your hat in line (some of Hagrid's line is outside) you can take it off and sit on it or hold it during the ride.

I've never been to Pat O'Brien's but doing a search, it opens at 4pm and closes at 2am. A single piano player is there early on, but the dueling pianos start around 8:30pm and after 9pm it's 21 or over (due to drinking and rowdiness, I assume). Someone who's been may have more info.

 

[anneboleyn]

HRH veteran here, but pre-Covid.

There is no Covid related park capacity restrictions anymore, so the parks will fill up. I assume if capacity is reached (which I have never experienced, but things are crazy busy now) I assume you could call the front desk or check the Universal app.

Your plastic room keys serve as your Express Passes in the parks. Pop them into your lanyards (highly recommended) and have the barcodes facing out for easy scanning by the TM's at the Express line entrance.

I usually have the barcode of my room key facing outward on one side of my lanyard, and my park admission (ticket or annual pass) facing outward on the other side. Your park admission is scanned at the entrance gates, as well as the entrance to the Hogwarts Express in both parks ( park to park or annual passes only ).

Make sure your fanny packs have a three pronged closure, it's required on the rides. Plus the TM's have discretion on refusing the fanny pack if if interferes with the restraining mechanism of the ride. On Hulk, Rip Ride Rocket, and Velocicoaster, you need all belongings to go into a locker, even fanny packs.

The free lockers are great. They open with a swipe of your park admission (another good reason to keep in your lanyard with barcode facing out). They are good for 50 minutes. If you were able to get in and out of a ride quickly with Express Pass, you could easily ride twice in a row and leave your stuff safe in the locker. The lockers are about 17" deep and 5.5" tall, so no big plastic jugs or popcorn containers. When I use them I can fit in my baseball cap, a small drawstring backpack that contains our wands, my daughter's small crossbody purse and her water bottle. On the rides, I tuck my lanyard inside my shirt so it won't blow around. The TM's will ask you to do this. Also if you wear your hat in line (some of Hagrid's line is outside) you can take it off and sit on it or hold it during the ride.

I've never been to Pat O'Brien's but doing a search, it opens at 4pm and closes at 2am. A single piano player is there early on, but the dueling pianos start around 8:30pm and after 9pm it's 21 or over (due to drinking and rowdiness, I assume). Someone who's been may have more info.

Thank you so much! This is a massive help I was wondering about the lockers too but forgot to ask, so I really appreciate you covering that aspect as well!!

Thanks again!!

 

[macraven]

Thank you!! So just to clarify...I pick up the room key/express pass at the hotel, NOT at the park, correct?

When you check in to HRH, you will be given room key cards for all on your reservation.
( each listed guest receives the hotel room key)

The room key is your proof of staying at the hotel

You show your hotel key card to enter the express lines in the park
It is valid for rides and shows.

yes, you do all of the above when you check into the hotel

 

[anneboleyn]

When you check in to HRH, you will be given room key cards for all on your reservation.
( each listed guest receives the hotel room key)

The room key is your proof of staying at the hotel

You show your hotel key card to enter the express lines in the park
It is valid for rides and shows.

yes, you do all of the above when you check into the hotel

Thank you! I really appreciate it

 

[finedice]

I am also a USO n00b. We are arriving mid-afternoon as well in mid-July (party of 3), and staying at CB the first night - just for some pool time, dinner and rest for the next day, followed by 3 nights at PFB. One of us has purchased the Preferred AP, and the other two have 4 day PtP tix. What I am wondering (as we hope to rope drop the day after arrival) is if there is a way to get the PFB credentials for EP early enough to do that. We will get our tickets and the AP on arrival at CB, but we will be packing our stuff and checking out for the new hotel early AM. How early can we check in to PFB to get our keys? Can we leave our bags with bell services at PFB at whatever time that is?

Also - please forgive for hijacking the thread - not meaning to!

 

[DoryGirl1963]

You can check in at PBH as early as 6:00 a.m. I assume bell services is open at that time but I've never used them personally, so hopefully someone else can help with that!

 

[finedice]

You can check in at PBH as early as 6:00 a.m. I assume bell services is open at that time but I've never used them personally, so hopefully someone else can help with that!

Thanks!

 

[macraven]

There can be times it could be 6:30- 7:00 am that you can check in at the hotels
I ran into that a couple of times over the years

 

[finedice]

There can be times it could be 6:30- 7:00 am that you can check in at the hotels
I ran into that a couple of times over the years

Thank You. Hopefully that won't happen Hoping to get to the gate by 7! (I think EE is 8 at both parks that day)

 

[TikiTikiFan]

Do they wait until the park opens at 9AM to let in non-hotel guests that don't have early entry?

 

[macraven]

Early entry to the parks are for the onsite hotel guests
It is a perk for them

If you are not staying onsite, you have to wait for regular park hours

 

[TikiTikiFan]

Early entry to the parks are for the onsite hotel guests
It is a perk for them

If you are not staying onsite, you have to wait for regular park hours

Okay so no need to line up as early like you do at Disney, correct? If they don't let you in the gates until right at 9?

 

[macraven]

Okay so no need to line up as early like you do at Disney, correct? If they don't let you in the gates until right at 9?

Some will go early so they will be in line and be able to enter the parks when offsite guests are allowed in

( which should be about 9)

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Okay so no need to line up as early like you do at Disney, correct? If they don't let you in the gates until right at 9?

They let anyone in the gate during early entry. You can enter and wander around the entry areas, but if you're not entitled to EE you cannot go all the way to the Wizarding Worlds or go on any of the EE rides.