First time and 1 day for both

[twomind]

Hi,

We are visiting the park for the first time on Tuesday May 3rd and we have some doubts on what to do. Considering that:

We have only 1 day
We are a party of 4 including 2 kids (8 and 10 years old)
We will avoid heavy rollercoasters (I'm very easy getting dizzy and my wife and kids don't enjoy them)

Our main doubts are:

1. Which park should we choose. Is it crazy to do both parks in one day? My kids love Harry Potter and it would be a pity to miss half of it going only to 1 park. I understand that normally it can be too much for one day, but considering that we'll skip dizzy attractions, is it reasonable? or we still have enough with one of them? Are the 3D/4D atractions also easy to get dizzy?

2. Is it worth the Express Pass?. We have a reservation at Loews Royal Pacific hotel that includes it, but being a tuesday in a not peak season week (I think), does it really make the difference? We can cancel the reservation and go for a cheaper hotel outside the park if express pass and early entrance is not worth it for this day.

3. If we keep the express pass, would it work for both parks getting the hooper? or we would have to pay an extra fee? Can we buy the hooper the same day we are there and still use express park for the second park?

4. Any other tips?

Thanks!!!

 

[DisneyMom93]

In my opinion the EP is worth it especially if you will only be there one day.

I would do the park hopper tickets so that you can ride the HP train. The EP will work in both parks for no extra money. (Although obviously the park hopper tickets cost more.)

We usually go five days (two full days at each park) and on the fifth day we split it between both parks. I think both parks is very doable in my experience of splitting the last day. You just have to know which rides are must-do for your family and which you don’t mind skipping if you don’t have time. And that’s with EP. Without EP I don’t think one day is doable. In my opinion. Unless you only want to do Harry Potter worlds. Maybe someone else can chime in on that.

 

[Kit Jackson]

I agree with @DisneyMom93. If you only have one day and want to do both parks, than make it a Harry Potter only day and buy park hoppers so they can do the Hogwarts Express both ways. The only reason to cancel the hotel would be is if staying at a less expensive hotel would you allow you to spend another day or two in the parks.

 

[Krisshay13]

I've only been 1x last Nov so, I'm by no means, any type of expert.

I would stay at Royal Pacific & have the Express Passes to help with time, even if it's not a hugely crowded day. They also have the boat for transportation which the kids would love ........and it avoids the bus lines. And security is easier/faster.

1 day might be rushed but, still worth it. You will start looking at when to come back......I promise,,LOL

 

[Pooh's World]

1 Day:

Do all the Harry Potter stuff
Do Bourne Stuntacular
Do ET, Men in Black, Jimmy Fallon
Spiderman

Skip:
Fast and Furious
Kong
Transformers

Only do if you want to get really wet:
Blutos
and Log Flume

 

[twomind]

Thanks a lot for all your advise. I think we'll take the 2 parks tickets then, although what prices! $730 for the 4 tickets + the hotel with EP will be more than 1k, close to what we'll spend in the next 3 days at WDW!

 

[DisneyMom93]

Thanks a lot for all your advise. I think we'll take the 2 parks tickets then, although what prices! $730 for the 4 tickets + the hotel with EP will be more than 1k, close to what we'll spend in the next 3 days at WDW!

If you have plans to go back within the year look into annual passes. Compare the cost.

 

[DisneyMom93]

1 Day:

Do all the Harry Potter stuff
Do Bourne Stuntacular
Do ET, Men in Black, Jimmy Fallon
Spiderman

Skip:
Fast and Furious
Kong
Transformers

Only do if you want to get really wet:
Blutos
and Log Flume

We like Kong. Actually we go on all the rides you suggest skipping. Lol

 

[Kit Jackson]

I mostly agree with @Pooh's World. However, if you are going to do some non Harry Potter things, I would do Kong but skip Transformers and Spiderman.

 

[Skippyboo]

Express pass are good for 2 days- check in and check out days . Could you possibly 2 days? If you just focus on the Potter stuff don’t really need express passes. You could drop down to a lower tier onsite hotel and still get the early entry.

 

[FrankAZ]

1 Day:

Do all the Harry Potter stuff
Do Bourne Stuntacular
Do ET, Men in Black, Jimmy Fallon
Spiderman

Skip:
Fast and Furious
Kong
Transformers

Only do if you want to get really wet:
Blutos
and Log Flume

We're looking at the same - and pushing into one Day. I did Islands of Adventure many years ago just after Harry opened.

 

[ratherbeshiny]

I had one precious day to spend at UO, so bought a ticket for both parks so I could get the full Wizarding World experience - absolutely worth it.

I had planned on doing a few other rides while I was there, but once I went into WW (after a quick pass through Springfield USA) it was game over for me, you couldn't get me out of there if you wanted to!

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

We just got back. With only one day, I would do this:
- Arrive 1 hour before Early Entry is set to begin at IOA. Speedwalk/jog to Hagrid's and ride it. Even if you're not heavy rollercoaster people, it's a great ride, no inversions or anything to make you motion sick.
- Go to Ollivanders in Hogsmeade and get your kids' wands.
- Ride Flight of the Hippogriff next if interested, they're down to just one of the vehicles so it loads slowly even with Express Pass. Or skip it. It's a very gentle coaster, and short.
- Ride Forbidden Journey next, with EP. It's a motion simulator and did make me feel a bit queasy at parts, but it's nowhere near as bad as many of the other motion/screen-based rides at UO/IOA.
- Take the Hogwarts Express over to London/Diagon Alley. Say hi to the Knight Bus conductor, take a peek into the windows of 12 Grimauld Place, and call the ministry in the phone booth.
- Eat a late breakfast, or early lunch at Leaky Cauldron. If eating lunch, use mobile order to save time.
- Ride Gringotts using EP. It's a coaster, but not too bad and the screens are well-synced. Do spells/shopping in Diagon Alley.
- Grab Ice Cream at Florean Fortescue's.
- Ride Men in Black and/or ET using EP if interested. Skip all the coasters and screen-based rides in UO, especially Simpsons and Transformers.
- Take the train back to IOA. Ride Jurassic Park River adventure if you don't mind getting soaked (or bring ponchos), ride the Seussland rides, do spells in Hogsmeade.
- Watch the Castle show at Hogwarts.
- Dinner at Mythos in IOA
FIN

 

[wdwrule]

@twomind Taylor Strickland from Orlando Informer just posted this great video about one day touring at UO:

 

[ceeceegee]

We are just back from a one-day, 2-park spring break day - here are my thoughts:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/g...ay-help-4-11-22-updated.3869835/post-63942297

• If your kids love Harry Potter, definitely do the 2-parks for the full experience and Hogwarts Express
• We did not have Express Pass as our focus was HP stuff, not other rides; we were fine without it
• If don't mind spending the $$$ on Royal Pacific, I'd keep it - why not?!; we decided on Dockside instead to save $$ and were happy with our choice. 11 yr old loved the 2-room suite (looks to be about $200/nt around your date)
• Early Park Entry was critical with only one day in parks. We were on first bus from Dockside at 6:02am so at front of pack for Hagrids - that line builds fast as everyone is headed there!
• Agree with @ofcabbagesandkings recommendations above for a plan to start the day (although we skipped Hippogriff as niece wanted to move on to Forbidden Journey right away and never made it back on it as line was long)
• Niece favorites: Hagrids (she was apprehensive but loved it), Forbidden Journey, Gringotts, Hogwarts Express, Honeydukes!, trying all kinds of butterbeer and ranking them (our rank best to worst: ice cream, pudding, hot, fudge, frozen, regular), shopping in all the HP shops, mailing postcards to her friends from the Owl Post, doing spells (she got frustrated because it was so crowded and she wasn't really doing them by herself so wasn't sure if she was the one making them work or not - she loved Ollivanders and getting her wand though)