Best tactic to plan for two days questions

[vinmar4]

So this is our first trip to US and I need some help on planing those two days to get the best tout of them.
We are staying one night at PBR the Sunday before Thanksgiving. We won't make it to the parks until around 2 PM since we land at Tampa at 1130 am. We are renting a car to get there and then to go the the BW on Monday night. It's my DH, DD15 and DS 21. The kids love big rides, we do too, but I don't think that we are going to do the biggest ones. We are so lucky that we are going to be able to watch the Christmas concert that Sunday!. We also want to watch the Grinch show, and the parade. Since we never been to US before, we don't know how long it will take to get from one area to the next. We need help from the people that are familiar with the parks in planing the best tactic. We are buying the AP so we may go back that Friday after Thanksgiving because I just saw that they are having a special food and wine event at the PBR for adults, but don't know if the kids will stay at DW or go with us.
So here are the questions:

1.Where to start once we get to the parks and what rides to do first on Sunday since are going to have the express passes but we are getting there afternoon ?
2.What to do in order to catch the best shows those two days plus the parade and the Christmas Concert ?
3.On Monday, where to start early in the morning with the EP?

thank you all for your help !

 

[bobbie68]

Hello Glad to hear you are going to Universal. We love it there and just came back in August and another trip in June. I can't help with the shows, parade and Christmas concert I haven't done that but I can help with the other two.

It really doesn't matter where you start on Sunday because you are going in the afternoon and have express pass. The HP worlds in both parks will be busier in the afternoon. They are great first thing in the morning and later in the evening.
Other than the HP worlds I would pick your most important thing you want to see first and do it. I would stay in that park for a bit and do some rides. My personal favorites in the studios are the Minions, Transformers and the Mummy. We enjoy Rip Ride Rocket but it could be a little shaky sometimes. My favorites in IOA are Spiderman, Dr.Doom and Kong. What is good about IOA is it is in a circle so you can go right around and it is very easy. The studios is really kind of different streets.

For Monday I like to start with the Studios in the morning. We go right to DA before it gets crowded. Walk around and do Gringott's (best ride for us). Sometimes we will take the HE to IOA right away to do Hogsmeade before it gets crowded. There have times we will stay in the studios then take the HE later and to to IOA. DA is not as wide as Hogsmeade so it can feel more crowded during the day. Minions will always have a wait even with the EP so you could hit that in the morning if you are at the studios.

One time we went to IOA first and we started at the Hulk coaster than worked our way around to the left. We were up in Hogsmeade within about an hour. We did Hulk, Dr. Doom and Spiderman.

Hope this helps and someone is always ready to help here!

 

[vinmar4]

Hello,
Thank you very much!
I will definitely go back to your advice once we get there. I can't wait to get there and specially to go back the Friday after Thanksgiving to the special wine and food festival at the Portofino Resort.
I was also thinking that we could always watch the parade on Monday but we can only see the Christmas concert on Sunday, so we will do as much as we can before the concert on Sunday. We like rides but not the very shaky ones , so we will also try to see some shows while the "kids" get on all the other rides.
Again, thank you for taking the time to answer !