How many days?

[Tina in FD]

DH and I are planning a surprise trip for our 3 kids (dd-17, ds-15, ds-12) on Dec. 1-5 and are staying at HRH club level. Our first and last day are basically travel days, so we will have 3 days to spend at Universal. We've only been once before but the kids were much smaller so won't remember much.

Two of them are HUGE harry potter fans and the other is a Despicable Me fan, so I assume we'll spend a day at each park. Should we plan on spending the 3rd day splitting time between parks? My kids are on-the-move type of kids, so chilling by the pool won't last for more than an hour with them (unless there are good lookin' boys for my DD to look at!)... Trying to figure out tix and things to do... Been to SeaWorld, it was okay in our book, LOVE WDW but not venturing there this time, LOVE Discovery Cove but too much $$ for this unplanned trip. Will definitely try the mini-golf as youngest will be in heaven from reading those reviews. Would love help on figuring out how to spending the last day...

Thanks!!

 

[cbsnyber1]

DH and I are planning a surprise trip for our 3 kids (dd-17, ds-15, ds-12) on Dec. 1-5 and are staying at HRH club level. Our first and last day are basically travel days, so we will have 3 days to spend at Universal. We've only been once before but the kids were much smaller so won't remember much.

Two of them are HUGE harry potter fans and the other is a Despicable Me fan, so I assume we'll spend a day at each park. Should we plan on spending the 3rd day splitting time between parks? My kids are on-the-move type of kids, so chilling by the pool won't last for more than an hour with them (unless there are good lookin' boys for my DD to look at!)... Trying to figure out tix and things to do... Been to SeaWorld, it was okay in our book, LOVE WDW but not venturing there this time, LOVE Discovery Cove but too much $$ for this unplanned trip. Will definitely try the mini-golf as youngest will be in heaven from reading those reviews. Would love help on figuring out how to spending the last day...

Thanks!!

We just spent five days at Universal and thought that wasn't enough time to visit attractions multiple times, see the parade, all the shows, shop, and spend time at Citywalk - especially the new mini golf courses - do at night if possible, cool lighting effects. We did early entry one day for HP - that was great, low crowds, then slept in the other days. We did an afternoon at the pool, but would go down there in the evenings as well (HRH was doing the dive-in movies when we were there, Oct 4 - 8, a couple of the nights anyway). We always take half a day to dress in board shorts and quick dry tops, do a couple of favorites, do the water rides, then go back to the hotel and do pool time. Don't have to change.

If you throw in a Blue Man Group show (we did not this time), HHN (we did, one night), plus a couple of nice sit down evening meals - like I said, we just ran out of time, could have stayed a couple more days. But your time frame is a really slow time in the parks so your ride waits should be non-existent. Don't miss the Macy's parade - well worth seeing.

I would have used the extra time to go on the attractions a few more times. This is the second trip where I did MIB, Simpson's, Spiderman, and others only once. We got to the parks around 9:30 most days, visited attractions until about 1, then headed back because it was pretty darn warm and humid (you could have hot weather in December, but low humidity). Did pool time, then either dinner or go back to a park. Now, we did do Mummy - our favorite - multiple times with short waits, but the time really flew by even with the FOTL privilege at some attractions. For instance, Despicable Me took about twenty five minutes, from entry into line to exit (it was fairly busy that day).

There is plenty to see and do over three days, just depends on what you like to do.

 

[Batesl49]

I will be there for my third trip this November. Because this is your first trip since WWoP has opened, I think this might work for you.
On the first day go to IOA using a single park ticket. After experiencing this park, then decide if you wish to upgrade your ticket to park-to-park for the other two days. Check on the website to see the cost and what you need to do to upgrade first to see if it is right for you. You might find that One day for each park and then the third day have the park-to-park option ticket will work for you.

There is so much to see and do at WWoHP that one day is not enough. It is so much more than just riding the rides. Too many memories to make and remember them all.

Good luck.

Laurie

 

[kohlby]

My kids are younger and we could easily spend three days total - I'm sure it will be longer when they're older. With young kids and only two days, we found 1.5 days at IOA and half a day at US worked when we had a 2 day ticket. But when they're older, 2 IOA and 1 US would likely work well for 3 days. We have 7 day passes for our next trip - a year away - and I plan on doing the parks for 5 of those days likely!

Pre-kids, hubby and I spent one very full New Years eve day at US/IOA and filled it all up - from rope drop to close and had another day there later in the week too. We would do thinks like ride hulk 12 times and Dueling Dragons 22 times though - so if your teens are that sort, you'll find 3 days are not enough and you'll just have to come back again sooner!

*If you don't want a third day at US/IOA, I'd look into SW. Choose your date carefully though - SW does a lot of Christmas shows on the weekends but not during the week. Somehow, I didn't realize this the last time we went to SW and missed all the Christmas stuff as a result. This year, we're making sure we hit one of the Christmas show days. (I think they're on Fri, Sat, and Sun but you would need to check their website). SW often has ticket discounts going on too.

 

[GeorgiaPeach74]

DH and I are planning a surprise trip for our 3 kids (dd-17, ds-15, ds-12) on Dec. 1-5 and are staying at HRH club level. Our first and last day are basically travel days, so we will have 3 days to spend at Universal. We've only been once before but the kids were much smaller so won't remember much.

Two of them are HUGE harry potter fans and the other is a Despicable Me fan, so I assume we'll spend a day at each park. Should we plan on spending the 3rd day splitting time between parks? My kids are on-the-move type of kids, so chilling by the pool won't last for more than an hour with them (unless there are good lookin' boys for my DD to look at!)... Trying to figure out tix and things to do... Been to SeaWorld, it was okay in our book, LOVE WDW but not venturing there this time, LOVE Discovery Cove but too much $$ for this unplanned trip. Will definitely try the mini-golf as youngest will be in heaven from reading those reviews. Would love help on figuring out how to spending the last day...

Thanks!!

For three days, I would recommend the 2 Day Park-to-Park with the 3rd Day Free. The ticket is about $139.99 + Tax. By staying on-site, you have the unlimited express pass with staying on-site and that way you'll have time to fully enjoy everything. As others have mentioned, you will time to enjoy the Cinematic Show, Superstar Parade, Macy's Parade and others. There are a lot of things to do in the Holidays. I don't know when, but the Mainheim Steamroller will also be performing at Universal. Hope you have a great visit!

 

[damo]

For three days, I would recommend the 2 Day Park-to-Park with the 3rd Day Free. The ticket is about $139.99 + Tax. By staying on-site, you have the unlimited express pass with staying on-site and that way you'll have time to fully enjoy everything. As others have mentioned, you will time to enjoy the Cinematic Show, Superstar Parade, Macy's Parade and others. There are a lot of things to do in the Holidays. I don't know when, but the Mainheim Steamroller will also be performing at Universal. Hope you have a great visit!

Do you have a link to that ticket?

 

[Planogirl]

You might not spend much time at one pool but you can pool hop. DH and DS were just about ready to spend all day at the various pools but they settled for just two.

I also recommend the mini-golf. I noticed people of all ages having a great time at these. Plus you can see a movie one evening or just hang out in a park doing nothing in particular (my favorite ).

 

[macraven]

I will be there for my third trip this November. Because this is your first trip since WWoP has opened, I think this might work for you.
On the first day go to IOA using a single park ticket. After experiencing this park, then decide if you wish to upgrade your ticket to park-to-park for the other two days. Check on the website to see the cost and what you need to do to upgrade first to see if it is right for you. You might find that One day for each park and then the third day have the park-to-park option ticket will work for you.

There is so much to see and do at WWoHP that one day is not enough. It is so much more than just riding the rides. Too many memories to make and remember them all.

Good luck.

Laurie

if you buy a 3 day 1 park pass, and upgrade to a park to park pass, all the days on that original ticket would be park to park.

if you wait until the 3rd day to upgrade, you are still paying for all those days on the upgrade to make it a park to park one.

 

[Tina in FD]

Thanks everyone for all of their help... this trip has changed multiple times with originally it starting at Disney and ending here, to being cancelled, to now just Universal. I haven't told the kids that I re-booked the trip and its on, thinking I'll tell them the day before (after I contact all their teachers of course!). I'm thinking we'll just take our time and re-ride things we loved and hopefully (for my sake, with a cold frosty fruity drink in my hand) sit by the pool for a couple of hours!

any other advice, tips, tricks, whatever is always appreciated!