Booked hotel w/EP and purhcased tickets- what's next?

[OhanaMomma]

Hi all! Still so new to planning UO! I know WDW like the back of my hand, but Universal is totally different.
I learned a lot about purchasing tickets - and ended up booking 2 nights at Royal Pacific bc it was cheaper than just buying tickets and EP's for 1 day. We will be in WDW from 8/24-8/31. We are taking 8/27-8/28 to go to Universal. My 2 DD's (10 and 12) are mainly interested in HP Wizarding World. Now that my hotel and tickets are booked and out of the way, what do I do about dining? Do I need any kind of dining plan for 2 days? Do I need to make any kind of reservations? I heard about breakfast at The Leaky Cauldron, which sounds fun! How does this all work? If anyone can steer me in the right direction, I would appreciate. I don't mind doing a little research, but it's been pretty busy here on my end, so any input would be helpful and save me some time. Thanks in advance!

 

[macraven]

Take a look at the menu sticky
Read from the last page and go backwards for current pictures, menus and poster comments

Also, look at the park maps on the UO website
You can locate all the eateries in the parks

Check out citywalk.com for their eateries
Onsite hotel dining is another choice for you if their menus fit what your family enjoys

 

[schumigirl]

With those dates reservations will be unnecessary.......unless you want The Palm....it always requires a reservation to guarantee a table.

Mythos you can make same day.

Check out the link Mac has given you in the previous post.....that sticky has all the info you need to choose restaurants for your family.....we can all make suggestions but you know what they like.

Planning for dining isn’t essential at Universal........and wouldn’t suggest the dining plan......you can eat fine without it.

 

[georgina]

Just checking - are you doing 2 days at Universal parks? You do know you only need to book 1 night at RPR to get 2 days of EP?

 

[OhanaMomma]

Just checking - are you doing 2 days at Universal parks? You do know you only need to book 1 night at RPR to get 2 days of EP?

Hi! Yes, we’re doing 2 nights because it worked out with our Disney resort. They didn’t have a standard view room so we had to switch to a lake view 2 nights in the middle of our trip (we’re DVC members and lake view costs more DVC points). Since we have to checkout/in anyway, we decided to save points and go to UO for those 2 nights and then check back in to WDW as scheduled to finish up our vacation.

 

[bumbershoot]

What’s next is...anticipate the fun you’ll have!

Universal is like a vacation from your Disney “vacation”.

 

[sam_gordon]

I'll tell you our story. We haven't been to Universal in DECADES (it was only one park back then). We went the day after Christmas. We booked into Royal Pacific for Christmas Night. I had glanced at maps and knew what rides I wanted. After we got into the room, before going to sleep, got all three kids to download the app and look/decide what rides they wanted to do the next day. We got up and hit the parks at 8am (couldn't get going early enough for early admission), started at Universal, ended at IoA, and left about 5pm. We got to enjoy most of the major rides, including HP World. The EP made all the difference. Most of the rides (except first thing in the morning) were 60+ minute waits and I think the most we waited was 20 minutes.

We had lunch at the Leaky Cauldron.

 

[bchbetha]

I replied to your other thread regarding planning food.
Don’t bother with the dining plan. Ask the cashier at your first meal checkout if you would benefit from it after you naturally order. Mostly you could save a few bucks, if any. Really not necessary. If you just like prepaying for food, buy some Universal gift cards. You’ll be able to use them on food, souvenirs...
eta- I wouldn't waste precious early morning (lovely, low crowd) park time eating breakfast. That's when you should be out practicing wand tricks and exploring- not sitting in a restaurant that isn't any more special for breakfast than lunch. Eat an early lunch then when everyone else eats lunch, you'll still have some space to explore without oodles of people.

 

[bumbershoot]

eta- I wouldn't waste precious early morning (lovely, low crowd) park time eating breakfast. That's when you should be out practicing wand tricks and exploring- not sitting in a restaurant that isn't any more special for breakfast than lunch.

Agreed!!!

 

[OhanaMomma]

I wouldn't waste precious early morning (lovely, low crowd) park time eating breakfast. That's when you should be out practicing wand tricks and exploring- not sitting in a restaurant that isn't any more special for breakfast than lunch.

Sounds good to me! Such an odd switch of pace from Disney, though. Just not used to *not* having to plan dining, lol!

 

[Jennygt]

Hi all! Still so new to planning UO! I know WDW like the back of my hand, but Universal is totally different.
I learned a lot about purchasing tickets - and ended up booking 2 nights at Royal Pacific bc it was cheaper than just buying tickets and EP's for 1 day. We will be in WDW from 8/24-8/31. We are taking 8/27-8/28 to go to Universal. My 2 DD's (10 and 12) are mainly interested in HP Wizarding World. Now that my hotel and tickets are booked and out of the way, what do I do about dining? Do I need any kind of dining plan for 2 days? Do I need to make any kind of reservations? I heard about breakfast at The Leaky Cauldron, which sounds fun! How does this all work? If anyone can steer me in the right direction, I would appreciate. I don't mind doing a little research, but it's been pretty busy here on my end, so any input would be helpful and save me some time. Thanks in advance!

I am in the exact some boat! Thank you for asking this because I have no idea what I am doing at Universal either. My friend is going over spring break, should she make dinning reservation? I thought perhaps for three broomsticks or leaky cauldron? Thanks

 

[Jennygt]

am I right on this, it seems leaky cauldron is a counter service and three broomsticks is a table service?

 

[bchbetha]

Neither Harry Potter takes reservations and both are counter service (though they bring you your food at Leaky Cauldron). They might take breakfast res at LC but that would be a waste of park time.

 

[bchbetha]

Disney has really done a number on some of you with regards to planning expectations. No where else is like Disney. You could go almost anywhere else in the world and need to do less advanced planning. Imagine you’re going to your local amusement park or a nearby one. How much work would you think you need to do ahead of time? That’s all you need for Universal too! Read the “you told me so” thread written by a Disney poster that totally gets Universal now.

 

[jpwest]

Read the “you told me so” thread written by a Disney poster that totally gets Universal now.

This was a fantastic read, especially for a nervous Disney vet planning our first visit to UO. https://www.disboards.com/threads/you-told-us-so.3729997/