Four days worth of stuff to do?

[beffiegirl]

Some opinions wanted on our trip plans. We are staying at Cabana bay 2/19-2/24. Getting there Sunday sometime(probably just gonna walk around or go to concert). Monday is president's day so I got a throw away room at PB for $350 Ap rate, so we can have EP for two days, when it's busy. Then on Wednesday we are gonna do Harry Potter stuff since we don't need EP. Thursday is extra day for riding things a second time.
Question is do we really need EP if we have four days? Just doesn't seem like their is that much to do. Would be great to save $350. I have been checking wait times lately on app and the ride waits don't seem that bad in morning and at night, but I know President's day is a whole different story.

Would you keep throw away room for EP? or we could start riding stuff on Sunday. Only do rides in morning and night on Monday since it's busy. Then have all day Tues-Thur. That enough time? Only want to go on rides with waits less then 30 min, since we have an infant with us. Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[sherlockmiles]

Doesn't sound like you need the throw away room, but a couple of other things to consider.
Are you going to do sit down meals? (takes time)
Are you going to watch some of the shows/performances/parades? (takes time)
Do you like to ride rides multiple times?
Do you go back to the hotel midday for a 'rest'? (takes time)
Are you planning on spending time at the pool? (takes time)

these are things that will take away from your park time and may make the EP useful

 

[bumbershoot]

Then on Wednesday we are gonna do Harry Potter stuff since we don't need EP.

FWIW Dragon Challenge and Flight of the Hippogriff use Express Pass.

And in case you didn't know, at Universal everyone can enter the lines, and you split for child swap near the seating area. So the infant can come into the lines with you, which means the family splits up for a shorter amount of time than at Disney.

 

[beffiegirl]

Doesn't sound like you need the throw away room, but a couple of other things to consider.
Are you going to do sit down meals? (takes time)
Are you going to watch some of the shows/performances/parades? (takes time)
Do you like to ride rides multiple times?
Do you go back to the hotel midday for a 'rest'? (takes time)
Are you planning on spending time at the pool? (takes time)

these are things that will take away from your park time and may make the EP useful

Yes we will sit down for dinner a few nights and will go swimming if it's warm. As for the parades will want to see them once.
I'm just worried about Monday(President's day) but if the rest of the week will be normal? It looks like monday will be warm so we might take a break on that day and just do rides early and then late and then have 3 full days Tues-Thurs. That should be enough time without EP, right?? And we can try to do some mardi gras stuff on Sunday. What do you think? We don't want to rush around crazy but saving $350 would be good. Plus I'm upgrading to AP so we can come back. We are in FL 4 times a year. Thanks for your thought!

 

[TommyJK]

If you're curious about Presidents Day crowds, go here:

https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/wait_times.php?a=history

Then pick last year's President's day time period, then have a look at UO and IOA.

From what I can see, wait times were pretty high. Gringott's and FJ seemed pretty constant at 45-60 min all day. Other headliners looked also to be high (Spiderman 30+, Transformers 45ish, Rip Ride 60+ etc.)

 

[beffiegirl]

If you're curious about Presidents Day crowds, go here:

https://www.thedibb.co.uk/forums/wait_times.php?a=history

Then pick last year's President's day time period, then have a look at UO and IOA.

From what I can see, wait times were pretty high. Gringott's and FJ seemed pretty constant at 45-60 min all day. Other headliners looked also to be high (Spiderman 30+, Transformers 45ish, Rip Ride 60+ etc.)

Great info! President day I would only do rides in morning or night. It was the rest of the week I was wondering, too. Looks busy all week according to that info!

 

[TwoMisfits]

Don't bother with the $350 throw away room...use the line app and ride strategically to fit in rides that might have a longer wait and enjoy the usually almost walk-on rides and shows during the interim...

 

[skier_pete]

We will be there at the same time. BTW - I just recently discovered that the Jurassic Park ride is closing for refurb on Tuesday Feb 21st...so plan accordingly! (I.E. Ride it on the 20th.) We are staying off-site, so will be seeing you in the standby lines!

 

[beffiegirl]

We will be there at the same time. BTW - I just recently discovered that the Jurassic Park ride is closing for refurb on Tuesday Feb 21st...so plan accordingly! (I.E. Ride it on the 20th.) We are staying off-site, so will be seeing you in the standby lines!

Yes I saw that. I plan on going on that on monday! Have you been there before? Do you think we will be ok without EP? Also does Jurassic park ride get you really wet? If not, we can try to do it Sunday night? Don't wanna be to wet at night.

 

[skier_pete]

Yes I saw that. I plan on going on that on monday! Have you been there before? Do you think we will be ok without EP? Also does Jurassic park ride get you really wet? If not, we can try to do it Sunday night? Don't wanna be to wet at night.

I haven't been in a long time, so I can't answer your question about EP...from what I've seen it'll be pretty busy on Monday, but not so much the rest of the week.

The Jurassic Park ride can get you a bit wet but not usually really wet. The two rides in Toon Lagoon get you soaked, though.

 

[schumigirl]

Yes I saw that. I plan on going on that on monday! Have you been there before? Do you think we will be ok without EP? Also does Jurassic park ride get you really wet? If not, we can try to do it Sunday night? Don't wanna be to wet at night.

Jurassic park we have done literally hundreds of times.......and every time it's different.

We have come off bone dry, slightly sprinkled, bit wet and totally drenched.

All depends on how the boat is loaded will depend how wet you get.......we have sat in almost every row and every seat and yep, different every time.

I have a picture of my son who last time he was with us, came off drenched to the bone........funnily enough I barely had a drop on me that time.......husband and son took the brunt of it lol

So, don't plan on being dry, no guarantees there. It's a fabulous ride though, so don't miss it........

 

[TheConsciousness]

I usually find the worst thing about the Jurassic Park ride is the people who step their wet shoes onto the seat, so you have to sit in dirty water.

 

[skier_pete]

Yeah - our plans were to start on the 21st, but we're going to go on the 20th, do Jurassic Park and then Dudley Do-right and BLuto's Bildge Rats and then we outta there. (The pleasure I guess of buying APs, though we will still have to pay $20 to park.)