First timers/Labor Day weekend/Onsite-HELP!!!

[susy]

Hi! We'll be staying onsite and enjoying our first trip to US/IOA. We are pretty good at park touring, but would like to know what is the best way to hit the main attractions at each. We don't like the big roller coasters and DS is 10, so he's over the kiddie rides.

 

[mslclark]

You've got it made if you're staying onsite, just show your room key to the team member at the ride entrances and you can enter the Express Pass entrance - no waiting in the regular lines for you!

We went Labor Day weekend last year, and it wasn't bad at all - and we didn't stay onsite then. I think you'll be able to ride whatever you want with minimal waits.

 

[macraven]

check out the interactive map to get an idea of how the rides are set up.
if you know in advance, you won't have to deal with the park guide map.

you will have fun.
labor day is a great time at the parks.

 

[klfrech]

YOU WILL BE SO SPOILED!!! We just returned from the Hard Rock Hotel (having stayed onsite at Universal 5 times), and there is no better experience! Touring both parks is a piece of cake! No getting up and running out of your hotel so that you can be there when the park opens, no extreme planning so that you can see and do everything--it is an absolute pleasure!

One piece of advise however--when you enter IOA, the Hulk and Spiderman (probably the parks biggest attractions), are to your right. 95% of the people entering the park go the right--we always go to the left and work our way opposite of everyone else.

As previous posters have said, you show your room key and proceed to a different line. Your wait for most rides will be minimal (5-10 minutes). We've done many rides over and over again simply by getting off the ride and going back to the Express line. There is no limit in the amount of times you can do this!

When we've done Disney and Universal in the same trip, we always save Universal for last. After "extreme planning" when touring the Disney parks, touring Universal is a pleasure.