Is this itinerary possible in one day?

[ErinInCT]

1st timer planning to go to US/IoA Tues Feb 20th (week of Presidents Day). Can we get in all these rides?
Start at IoA at 9am and ride
Hulk
Dr Doom
Spider Man
Skull Island
Hippogriff
Forbidden Journey
Three Broomsticks lunch
Frog Choir (hoping for the 12:30pm show)
Tri Wizard Spirit Rally (hoping for the 1:30pm show)
Take Hogwarts Express to US and ride
Gringotts
Spend about an hour in Diagon Alley
Simpsons
Watch the 5pm parade
Transformers
Mummy
Dinner maybe Classic Monsters
Rip Ride
Despicable Me

Am I missing anything a group of 8th grade girls would want to do? Might switch Transformers to Shrek as this is a group of choir students and they are doing Shrek Jr as their school musical this spring.
If this is not do-able, what would you skip? Am I missing anything really good?

 

[bchbetha]

I have doubts. You’re trying to do too much before lunch. You’ll save yourself lots of time if you get to lunch by 11:30. That would be my goal.

You’ve also allotted no time for Camp Jurassic or any shows. They might really enjoy those!

I’ve never gone on a field trip to an amusement park where we were expected to follow an itinerary. We were allowed off into small groups with regular check in times. Is that not an option?

 

[wookiebeck]

IMHO, there are a few items in that list that I consider mini-movies instead of rides. By that, I mean they can eat up time. It causes those group queueing areas, and all of a sudden 45 minutes of your day are gone. Don't get wrong, they are fun. That is why Universal is now a destination vacation on it owns right. If you had more than one day, you could soak it all in.

8th graders I know like 'rides', not 'shows'. You could take out Simpsons, Shrek, Minions and the parade and the kids would not even know they missed it (except by seeing all those other blokes in line for them).

 

[ErinInCT]

I have doubts. You’re trying to do too much before lunch. You’ll save yourself lots of time if you get to lunch by 11:30. That would be my goal.

You’ve also allotted no time for Camp Jurassic or any shows. They might really enjoy those!

I’ve never gone on a field trip to an amusement park where we were expected to follow an itinerary. We were allowed off into small groups with regular check in times. Is that not an option?

Yes, they are allowed into small groups and I am the chaperone. This may be the only time some of these kids ever get to US/IoA so I wanted to make sure I covered the headliners. I suppose, at 13, they are old enough to put together their own itinerary! I've just done it for all our Disney trips and I don't want them wasting time wandering around not knowing what to do.

IMHO, there are a few items in that list that I consider mini-movies instead of rides. By that, I mean they can eat up time. It causes those group queueing areas, and all of a sudden 45 minutes of your day are gone. Don't get wrong, they are fun. That is why Universal is now a destination vacation on it owns right. If you had more than one day, you could soak it all in.

8th graders I know like 'rides', not 'shows'. You could take out Simpsons, Shrek, Minions and the parade and the kids would not even know they missed it (except by seeing all those other blokes in line for them).

I wish we had more than one day. The rest of the trip is spent at Disney so only one day allowed for Universal. We have Cedar Point about an hour away so I figure they can do rides there if they want. I was hoping they'd get more of the "universal" experience with the other stuff. But I should let them make the decision! Maybe I'll have a little get together at my house before we go where we look at everything online and they can pick what they want to do and then I can try to plan it so they are not wandering aimlessly. I didn't realize there were shows. I thought the only thing worthwhile in Jurassic was the water ride and I don't want them to get wet in Feb knowing they'll be in the park all day and it could get cooler when the sun goes down. I guess I better do more research!

 

[bobbie68]

Hi your IOA in the morning leading up to lunch looks good and very doable. When we went last time we started at Hulk and worked our way up to HP. We did the exact schedule as you and it worked good. The only problem is Forbidden Journey at that point could have a small wait time. The Frog Choir is cool and if you can get the 12:30 show that is good. I never did the Rally so I am not sure if you want to spend time for that show. I agree with taking the HE over to US.

You are really going into DA at a busy time so it will be crowded and Gringott's will be a longer wait. The rides you have in US are going to have longer lines that time of day and I am not sure if you can fit them all in time. I would see what the crowds are looking like that day and if so you might want to rearrange. I would save DA and Despicable Me for after dinner. The parade is nice but not sure if you want to spend that time with it.

If you have a 45-60 minute wait time on the 6 rides in US that will eat up time. The time seems to fly by waiting. With the park closing at 8 it could be tight. I would talk to the group and see what they want is important to them in order. This way if you have to cut something you cut the least important to them. For the age group you have I think Mummy, Transformers, Gringott's are a must. I personally like DM but it could go either way with teens. If they like coasters I think Rip Ride Rocket is worth it. I am familiar with cedar point and you won't get a coaster like that there.

We just spent a lot of time in the Jurassic area this past trip and I am not sure if the teens will find they want to put time there. I totally understand with putting a schedule together it will help so much and especially young teens can't make up their minds sometimes.

Enjoy!

 

[takethemoney]

The only thing I would add to what others have said is do not go on shrek. It is the worst ride I've ever been on. My daughter asked to go on it last week and since we had 4 days in the part I said sure (against my better judgement). That time is best spent in line for the mummy.

 

[damo]

I'm not sure your morning is going to work as you have it. I would leave out the Hippogriff ride.

Your day looks pretty tight and I would make sure you are ready for slow moving 8th graders!!!!

I enjoy the Shrek ride but I am a big Shrek fan. I would def. leave it in since they are actually invested in the Shrek franchise.

 

[KEW]

Would you consider dong one HP ride first, taking Hogwarts Express, and then doing the other HP ride (I'm not talking but the Hippogriff which I skipped both in Orlando and in Hollywood)?

I know I was probably there during the busiest time of the year (day after Christmas) but the HP rides (specifically Gringotts) was the most busy in the middle of the day, like you have in your schedule. During our stay, it was a 3-hour wait (40 minutes with EP...queuing actually started in the back!) in the middle of the day. We had also gone on Gringotts at the beginning of the day and Hogwarts Express right after that at park open (not early entry...we didn't quite make it for that) and the lines were not bad that I didn't even remember how long regular and EP lines were. Lines were almost nonexistent for Hogwarts Express at that time for both regular and EP (maybe because we might've just missed a train?). But in the middle of the day...there were definitely lines for Hogwarts Express...both regular and EP (about 20 minutes).

Also, when we were in Hollywood last year, the HP restaurant took A LOOOOONG TIME...before ordering and crazily even after ordering just waiting in another line for our food! We didn't even try in Orlando. I would be aware of that...ESPECIALLY for a large group. Unless you all REALLY, REALLY wanted to eat there, I would pick another place to eat.

Would you all consider the Jimmy Fallon ride? I heard some meh things about it, but we went on it and we surprisingly enjoyed it. It has a virtual line, so if you could choose a ticket time (for anytime during the day) for it first thing there isn't much of a wait after it's your time to show up. People with EP can get on anytime and the virtual tickets when we went were all out...so I would definitely try to reserve these early (again, reserve early but I think you can pick what time range you want).

Once you have a schedule, pick your "must-dos" and "okay to skip" attractions so if you are behind you can skip those okay to skip.

 

[shanew21]

1st timer planning to go to US/IoA Tues Feb 20th (week of Presidents Day). Can we get in all these rides?
Start at IoA at 9am and ride
Hulk - Must do
Dr Doom - Meh
Spider Man - Must do
Skull Island - Must do
Hippogriff - Can skip
Forbidden Journey - Must do
Three Broomsticks lunch - try to get here at 11:30
Frog Choir (hoping for the 12:30pm show) - should do
Tri Wizard Spirit Rally (hoping for the 1:30pm show) - should do
Take Hogwarts Express to US and ride - Must do
Gringotts - Must do
Spend about an hour in Diagon Alley - Must do
Simpsons - Should do
Watch the 5pm parade
Transformers - Must do
Mummy - Must do
Dinner maybe Classic Monsters
Rip Ride - Must do
Despicable Me - Should do

Am I missing anything a group of 8th grade girls would want to do? Might switch Transformers to Shrek as this is a group of choir students and they are doing Shrek Jr as their school musical this spring.
If this is not do-able, what would you skip? Am I missing anything really good?

Added my thoughts on the rides above.

I think it's doable with an express pass, but I'd skip all the non "must do"s if you don't