Early entry question

[kelmac284]

We are going for the first time in 6 years. We have done Hogsmeade but not Daigon Alley. How does the early entry work.

Do you just get to go to one park? If you want to ride the train one way or the other do you have to wait till regular hours?

And we are going right after xmas. Jan 2nd and 3rd. Any suggestions on strategy for crowds?

 

[janicept]

I just check the early admission calendar on their website and there is no early entry for those dates. On Jan 2 both parks open at 8 am and on Jan 3 both parks open at 9 am. As far as strategy I would go to Diagon Alley first and ride Gringotts a couple times then take the train to Hogsmeade and ride that HP ride then go to Kong. Then ride what you want in IOA, have lunch, then back to US to look around and ride everything you want. Day two you can focus on things you want to ride again and things you missed. Both parks are open until 10 pm each day so you can always go back to the hotel room and rest a bite before going back at night. Citywalk is also fun at night. Citywalk admission used to be included in a ticket like you must have but now it doesn't seem to be at least when I looked at the ticket page. In the citywalk section where it gives prices it says that if you buy a multi-day ticket you can get a Citywalk pass free. I would guess you go to guest services at the entrance to Citywalk and they could give you those. Most of Citywalk closes at 2 am and is super fun when you don't have to worry about driving home .

https://www.universalorlando.com/Resort-Information/Early-Park-Admission.aspx

https://www.universalorlando.com/Theme-Park-Tickets/CityWalk-Tickets.aspx

 

[bumbershoot]

Kelmac, be sure you have a park to park ticket or you can't ride the train.

Hop in line for the the train towards the end of early entrance.

Janice, citywalk itself is free. The passes include club cover charges in the later evening for those clubs with cover charges. That's all. Plenty to do in CW without needing to pay a cover charge!

I think there's another thread discussing the lack of calendar coverage of early entrance in January. So it might just be that they don't have January up yet, not that there won't be early entrance.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/when-does-epa-for-2017-become-available.3560496/

 

[daraweb]

We are going arriving 12/22 and that doesn't show either park opening early either. I am assuming that they just haven't made it public yet...one park would have to open early xmas week, right?

 

[kelmac284]

I meant the thing where you get into Harry Potter an hour early if you are staying onsite. Is that something that would be posted? We have never stayed onsite before or done this. I looked and we do have the park to park tickets. I was pretty sure I got those because I knew to ride the train you had to have those. We bought a package. The only thing we don't get is the FOTL because we are at Cabana Bay.

Thanks for all the info. That is pretty much what I figured is we would do Daigon Alley first and then go to Hogsmeade. Is the early entry for one park or another or can you do either?

 

[rdominy]

We are going arriving 12/22 and that doesn't show either park opening early either. I am assuming that they just haven't made it public yet...one park would have to open early xmas week, right?

December 22 shows both parks open early: https://www.universalorlando.com/Resort-Information/Early-Park-Admission.aspx

I would bet they haven't posted for January yet.

 

[damo]

We are going arriving 12/22 and that doesn't show either park opening early either. I am assuming that they just haven't made it public yet...one park would have to open early xmas week, right?

Starting on the 19th, both parks have early admission.

On the calendar, if there is a star, it means that park does not have early admission.

 

[damo]

I meant the thing where you get into Harry Potter an hour early if you are staying onsite. Is that something that would be posted? We have never stayed onsite before or done this. I looked and we do have the park to park tickets. I was pretty sure I got those because I knew to ride the train you had to have those. We bought a package. The only thing we don't get is the FOTL because we are at Cabana Bay.

Thanks for all the info. That is pretty much what I figured is we would do Daigon Alley first and then go to Hogsmeade. Is the early entry for one park or another or can you do either?

During normal times, early admission is at one park. During busy times it is at both. It will be posted here ... https://www.universalorlando.com/Resort-Information/Early-Park-Admission.aspx

 

[Deacon022]

Just looked for my stay in Jan. Looks like there is no early entry at all for the entire month. 1st the ticket increase. Now this. Two strikes already

 

[Mom3girls]

Just looked for my stay in Jan. Looks like there is no early entry at all for the entire month. 1st the ticket increase. Now this. Two strikes already

The early entry times for January are probably not posted yet

 

[Deacon022]

The early entry times for January are probably not posted yet

That's great to know. Thank you

 

[Mom3girls]

You're welcome

 

[damo]

That's great to know. Thank you

There will always be early admission. It is a major perk of the hotels.

 

[kelmac284]

Thanks all for the info!!

 

[bumbershoot]

Just looked for my stay in Jan. Looks like there is no early entry at all for the entire month. 1st the ticket increase. Now this. Two strikes already

Aw man I even posted a link yesterday to the thread discussing that full park hours weren't up yet.



Kelmac, the early entrance is posted on the website for hotel guests. Well, it is once they work it out. It's like Disneyland with late notification of schedules it seems!