Is one day enough time and Meal option?

[tkbbmom]

We are going to WDW in Dec. - we have the opportunity to have deeply discounted one day park hopper tickets for Universal. The one day could be either Sunday, Dec. 9 or Monday, Dec. 10. We plan to stay at an on-site hotel so that we can have the fast pass option and I thought I read they had early entry. We've never been to Universal. The ages in our party will be dh and I - and kids ages 24, 16, 14 and 9.

So can we do this in one day?

Is the meal option a good thing to purchase? If so should we pre-purchase or can we purchase the day we go to the park?

 

[macraven]

We are going to WDW in Dec. - we have the opportunity to have deeply discounted one day park hopper tickets for Universal. The one day could be either Sunday, Dec. 9 or Monday, Dec. 10. We plan to stay at an on-site hotel so that we can have the fast pass option and I thought I read they had early entry. We've never been to Universal. The ages in our party will be dh and I - and kids ages 24, 16, 14 and 9.

So can we do this in one day?

Is the meal option a good thing to purchase? If so should we pre-purchase or can we purchase the day we go to the park?

i don't think the meal deal would be worth it for a one day visit to the parks.
it is time consuming and limiting of which place you can get food w/ the meal plan.
eat light in the park and have dinner at city walk after you leave for the evening.

for that (approx) $123 for the meal plan, you are better off using that money towards your second room onsite.

the meal deal can be bought in advance or in the parks.

 

[damo]

You can't see everything in 1 day. It becomes a race from ride to ride and you don't really get to enjoy the parks as they were meant to be enjoyed. You can certainly do the highlights of both parks, but keep in mind what you are missing.

 

[Metro West]

Since you're staying onsite in early December, you should have no problems doing everything you want because of two factors: crowds are light and you'll have unlimited Express access. You can afford to take your time and do attractions multiple times w/o much of a wait. That said...ideally you would want to be able to spend two days so you can see and do everything in both parks.

The meal deal isn't that great of a deal unless your party likes to eat a lot. There are much better restaurants available that are not on the meal deal and some platter portions are large enough to share. I would skip the meal deal but if you decide to purchase it, you can do so at either park...you do not have to purchase it ahead of time.

 

[tkbbmom]

Thank you - so it seems like the meal deal isn't that great an option.

I'm wondering if we would be wiser to forgo the park to park option tickets and just go w/ two day tickets where we do one park each day.
Am I reading correctly that if we purchase the 3 day park to park tickets we have 14 days in which to use them -- that it doesn't have to be three days in a row?

If so perhaps we should plan the first two days at Universal and then save the last day for the end of the trip and let the kids go back if they want -- we wouldn't have the fast-pass option then though as we'd be staying Disney by then. Maybe two days would work better and then if they like it as much as Disney we can plan a return trip.

 

[damo]

Thank you - so it seems like the meal deal isn't that great an option.

I'm wondering if we would be wiser to forgo the park to park option tickets and just go w/ two day tickets where we do one park each day.
Am I reading correctly that if we purchase the 3 day park to park tickets we have 14 days in which to use them -- that it doesn't have to be three days in a row?

If so perhaps we should plan the first two days at Universal and then save the last day for the end of the trip and let the kids go back if they want -- we wouldn't have the fast-pass option then though as we'd be staying Disney by then. Maybe two days would work better and then if they like it as much as Disney we can plan a return trip.

I think that all of your points are good ones. You do get 14 days to use the tickets...the days don't need to be consecutive. 3 days is perfect. One day for each park and then the last day for favourites.

I would skip the meal deal as well. There are so many great restaurants and the meal deal doesn't let you explore them. Also with the 3 day pass, you can take your time and actually sit down to eat instead of rushing through your meals.

There is also a Costco 3 day ticket that doesn't expire for 3 years. You can use your days however you want over those 3 years. It is actually a bit cheaper than the normal 3 day park to park ticket. Not all Costcos carry them so you'd have to check your local one.