hidden fees?

[LauraAnn630]

What did you have to buy or spend money on that you didnt buget for?

I also need to know...

parking fees?
stroller fees? single? double?
do they have the pressed penney machines? How much are they?
do they charge extra for anything other attractions or doings in the parks?

Whats the best sharpie markers to buy fat or skinny for autographs?

Do they have scheduled meet and greets?

What closes if it rains?
How much rain should we expect in December?

What time do the parks open Christmas week?
How early should we arrive? An hour before opening or more?

Thanks for any info you can give me!

 

[Luv2Roam]

I can't answer all your questions.
Parking fees will depend on what tickets you have or if you are staying on-site, off, etc.
Depending on your length of stay, cost, etc, you may want to buy an Annual Pass. USO/IoA are not expensive. And with that parking is included, and they offer discounts most anywhere on property to AP holders. That's one thing we love about USO and being AP-ers. (We have PAPs.)
Most any theme park extras will be whatever you decide to buy -- suvie photos, etc.
I think rain may not stop a lot. If there is lightening, that is a different story.
Also a few Christmas Eve's ago we went to IoA for the Grinch storyreading/tree lighting. Because of the constant rain, the tree lighting had no ceremony. But they did have the Grinch and characters inside the neighoring counter service building. Guests seemed to enjoy it in there too.

 

[jillybeene71]

There are so many pressed penny machines, They are in every gift shop. We must have spent 50.00 (for 2 kids) just on that alone...just remember to find the newer shiny pennies they look so much better.
each machine has about 3 or 4 different designs and cost .51 (actually .50, you get the penny back) There are also a few quarter machines (it presses quarters instead of pennies) im not sure how much its cost though.
The kids had a ball with these things...but the cost does add up. There are also the holders for the pennies in each gift shop.
Have fun.

 

[Metro West]

What did you have to buy or spend money on that you didnt buget for?

I also need to know...

parking fees?
stroller fees? single? double?
do they have the pressed penney machines? How much are they?
do they charge extra for anything other attractions or doings in the parks?

Whats the best sharpie markers to buy fat or skinny for autographs?

Do they have scheduled meet and greets?

What closes if it rains?
How much rain should we expect in December?

What time do the parks open Christmas week?
How early should we arrive? An hour before opening or more?

Thanks for any info you can give me!

OK...Here goes. I can't answer all the questions but will answer what I can:

Parking fees: If you aren't staying onsite, the regular parking is $10.00
Rain: If it's raining, the park will NOT close but lightening will shut down all the outdoor attractions due to safety reasons. We don't get a lot of rain in December but you might want to have a poncho just in case.
The hours are: 9-7 both parks until 12/25..the rest of the week 12/26-12/30 are 8-11. On 12/31 and 1/1 the hours are: 8-1am
Arrival: During Christmas week, all parks are extremely busy and getting to the parks an hour early is key. You will still have long lines to deal with but the earlier the better.
Extra charges: They have a wall climbing at IOA in front of Jurassic Park River Adventure and at the Studios next to ROTM. I don't know what the charges are but you do have to pay extra.

Here's a link that could help you: http://www.universalorlando.com/

 

[riu girl]

Sorry a small hyjack:
If US/IOA closes at 7 pm in Dec. does that mean that the rides completely shut down at 7 pm or that the last time you can enter a ride line is 7 pm (similar to how Disney operates)?
Thank you

 

[lorax123]

Always bring a bunch of ones to tip hotel staff, taxi/limo drivers, sky caps. I always try to bring at least 20-40 dollars in singles. That way I don't have to 'forget' tipping the guys who handle the bags, becuase the smallest bill I have is a ten.

HIJACK: what does everybody usually tip the hotel staff for taking your baggage, and bringing it to the room? We usually have 2 different handlers for our bags. One takes them from the car, the other brings them to the room. I usually give a couple dollars each.

 

[LauraAnn630]

Thanks for all the info! Come on December!

 

[ufbuilder]

On the arrival issue....if you are not staying on-property, invest in Universal Express....that time of year, it will be worth every penny.

 

[Snoopymom]

Not really a hidden fee, but to us, Universal has more of an adult vacation feel to it than Disney, so we tend to spend more on food and drink than we expect, especially at the pool restuarant/bars.