First Timer to Universal Looking for Input into My Plan

[ashmac8]

We are headed to Universal for Two Days at the end of June. This will be after doing several days at Disney and a beach day. We are only staying one night and are hoping to use our check in/check out day for Express Passes. We are staying at the Royal Pacific. We are doing USF one day and IOA one day (no park to park tickets). Since this is our first trip we wanted to take our time and not try to cover both parks in one day.

From what I can gather it is about a half hour drive from WDW and we will need to plan for about 15-20 minutes in the lobby getting checked in / express passes etc.

After researching the rides, I used touring plans to determine that with express passes it will take us about 3 1/2 hours to do the rides we are interested in in each park. Of course this doesn't include breaks or meals and I am hoping that with the Express Passes I won't have to follow a stringent touring plan.

My question is, would it be reasonable to leave WDW by 9am and have the checkin paperwork sorted by 10ish and then enjoy the pool for a bit before heading to USF on our first day and arrive at the park around 3pm or so and have a late lunch and then enjoy the park later in the day. I don't want to feel rushed but with the express passes I wonder if starting at 9am would have us done and out of the park by lunch time.

For the second day we'd probably take an earlier approach and go at park opening and then wrap things up earlier.

Am I underestimating how much time it will take to do things? I hate to arrive late in the afternoon and find that we needed a bunch more time. Having said that at the end of June it will be hot and we tend to avoid being in the disney parks between 12 - 3 due to heat and crowds.

Interested in hearing your feedback.

Thanks

 

[Kivara]

Personally, I like to start in the parks early, then as it gets hot and crowded around noon, head to the resort pool (or nap in my room or get some lunch in the AC.) Then I'll go back to the parks after dinner, when most locals are clearing out to go home for dinner.
If you want to see/do it all, I wouldn't start too late, as you can't schedule some things (like when shows are on, if a ride goes down for a bit, meeting characters, etc)
If you feel you have seen all there is in the park by noon, then either re-ride your favorites later or enjoy some shows you missed, or spend the evening at a pool. JMO

And just in case you didn't know, without 2 park passes, you cannot ride the Hogwarts Express.

 

[Scifidiner]

I would get to the parks as early as possible especially if you're not able to go park to park. I would certainly devote an entire day to each side. The Express pass will save you some time, but there is still a lot to see......

 

[bchbetha]

Touring plans might be helpful for rushing you through the rides but you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you rush through all the amazing themes, settings, shows, shops, and character interactions. YOu would be far better off hitting the park in the morning simply because the parks are less crowded in the AM. Take a mid-day break, if you want. I would certainly aim to be at your Universal hotel no later than 8am. 2 half days just isn't enough. If you arrive late and find that you wish you had more time, you can't magically make that happen. If you go early and finish, well then that works fine for your needs. Just don't get yourself wishing you had done it differently.

 

[VacaPlanner2012]

It really depends on your purpose for the trip. If it is a "Hey, let's go to Uni overnight and see what the fuss is all about" knowing that if you like what you experience, you will come back for a more in depth vacation, then your plan is fine. If this is the only trip you plan on making to Uni, then give yourselves a few more hours at the park.

Also, keep in mind that it is so easy at Uni to leave the park, head back to your resort for a quick break, then head back to the park. Also, your room may not be ready when you "CHECK IN" at 10 am, so head over to the park, if it the Studios, you can hit Transformers, Mummy, and the Gringott's on your Express, and at least get the layout of the park before you head back to the pool.

On our last June trip, we would eat at Citywalk around 4:30 or 5 (off schedule), the parks cleared out a good bit after 6pm, and touring in the evening is awesome. Get a Big Pink doughnut for evening snack to take back to the room...

 

[ashmac8]

This is just what I needed. Thanks so much for the feedback. We will plan to arrive early and will take a break if need be.

As for whether we will return, who knows? If we like it I am sure we will be back as we regularly travel to Florida.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Your schedule doesn't include time moving around the parks or the time to visit stores or enjoy the incredible theming. Even with the EP, you will want to do a few queues at least once - if you have any Harry Potter fans in your group, save time for queues in Forbidden Journey and Gringotts. Those queues are absolutely part of the experience.

Our schedule when we take breaks is:

* Arrive as close to park opening as possible (cooler and smaller crowds)
* Go until we are ready for a break
* On the Islands of Adventure day, do Jurassic Park, Rip Saw Falls, and Popeye's Bilge before the break. We are normally SOAKED after these, so it is a good time to get in the pool or change clothes.
* Go back to the park in the early evening (again, cooler, and the crowds start slowing down

It is easy to go back to the room - you can walk or ride a boat to Royal Pacific, so it isn't like Disney where it takes a long time to get back to your onsite hotel.

 

[ashmac8]

Your schedule doesn't include time moving around the parks or the time to visit stores or enjoy the incredible theming. Even with the EP, you will want to do a few queues at least once - if you have any Harry Potter fans in your group, save time for queues in Forbidden Journey and Gringotts. Those queues are absolutely part of the experience.

Our schedule when we take breaks is:

* Arrive as close to park opening as possible (cooler and smaller crowds)
* Go until we are ready for a break
* On the Islands of Adventure day, do Jurassic Park, Rip Saw Falls, and Popeye's Bilge before the break. We are normally SOAKED after these, so it is a good time to get in the pool or change clothes.
* Go back to the park in the early evening (again, cooler, and the crowds start slowing down

It is easy to go back to the room - you can walk or ride a boat to Royal Pacific, so it isn't like Disney where it takes a long time to get back to your onsite hotel.

you are reassuring me that our normal disney touring plan might work at universal too. We rope drop and ride until we are hot, hungry and done with crowds.

Then we hit the pool and relax for a bit and have dinner and head back. Thanks for the tips about the water rides. I will keep that in mind.

Your approach makes sense. As first timers we are going to want time to explore and not beat feet from one ride to the next.

Thanks for the insight.

 

[KorbensMomma]

Also the water rides at IOA are different than Disney. As a pp said “you get SOAKED”
By that imagine jumping in a swimming pool fully clothed, make sure your electronics are in a bag or locker.
I LOVE the water rides!!! Even in January or February I still ride them.

 

[ashmac8]

Also the water rides at IOA are different than Disney. As a pp said “you get SOAKED”
By that imagine jumping in a swimming pool fully clothed, make sure your electronics are in a bag or locker.
I LOVE the water rides!!! Even in January or February I still ride them.

this makes me want to skip those rides. i'd rather pop back to the pool for a cooldown that have to get soaking wet on a ride

 

[lilmickeygirl]

What are the top things to hit in both parks if you only have a day to do them?

 

[ashmac8]

What are the top things to hit in both parks if you only have a day to do them?

Our wish list includes pretty much all the rides except kiddie rides and play areas. We will also likely skip the ‘you will get soaked’ rides (just not our thing). But we are only doing 1 Park per day

 

[only hope]

Most people don’t get soaked on Jurrassic Park, and it’s a fun ride. I’ve gotten fairly wet a few times and walked off nearly dry others. You do get soaked on the others.

You don’t miss any of the queue in the express line for Gringotts. You miss just two things for Forbidden Journey- a few dungeon doors and the greenhouse, which isn’t very exciting anyways. Spiderman misses most of the queue though; if you’re a huge fan you may want to hit that early and go through the normal line.