Is three days enough without express pass?

-Hope-

Always dreaming of adventure...
Joined
Dec 5, 2009
Messages
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Hi all! :wave: We are planning our first trip to UO in the fall of 2013. (I know, I know... I'm an obsessive planner what can I say...)

Part of the reason that we start planning so early is that we need time to plan the budget and save. I had originally planned to stay off site until I wandered over to the dark side of the dis and learned about early entry and express pass. :rolleyes:

Ah, but then I discovered that we could early entry with a partner hotel! :thumbsup2

The partner hotel is will save us about $400 which, while it probably won't make or break our trip is also nothing to sneeze at. My biggest concern is not getting the express pass. We are planning on late September (either the third or fourth week, not sure yet) and are not huge roller coaster fans. We plan on two days at IOA and one at US with base tickets. I'm hoping a few of you experienced dark siders will look over my list of the rides and attractions we want to experience and tell me if you think it's feasible with late September crowds and no express pass.

Oh, and our days will be Tues/Thurs at IOA and Wed at US (not really flexible because Legoland isn't open on Tues/Wed and that's where we're spending the rest of the week).

Tuesday, first IOA day
WWoHP
Ollivander’s Wand Shop
Forbidden Journey
Flight of the Hippogriff
Frog Choir
Triwizard Spirit Rally
Explore shops, send a letter from the Owl Post, etc.
Go through DD line even though not riding to see the Weasley’s car
3 Broomsticks Breakfast (included with HP package)

The Lost Continet
Poseidon’s Fury
The Mystic Fountain
The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad Stunt Show

Suess Landing
High in the Sky Suess Trolley Train Ride
Caro-Suessal
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
The Cat in the Hat

Early TS Dinner at Mythos

Wednesday, US
Woody Woodpecker’s Zone
ET

World Expo
Simpsons
MIB Alien Adventure

San Francisco/Amity
Disaster
Beetlejuice

New York
Twister

Production Central
Shrek
Despicable Me (not sure if this is the right area for this)

Hollywood
Terminator
Horror Make-up show

QS lunch in park

Thursday, Day 2 at IOA
WWOHP
Anything we want to do again or missed

Jurassic Park
River Adventure
Discovery Center

Toon Lagoon
Rip Saw Falls
Bilge-Rat Barges

Marvel Super Hero Island

Spider Man
Storm Force Accelerator

QS lunch in park
 
I think that plan is completely doable without Express, especially in late September mid-week. :thumbsup2

And Despicable Me, or what I think I read a few minutes ago will be called Minion Mayhem, will be right across from Shrek.
 
I think you'll be fine without Express. I went the first weekend in October last year, crowds were very low and I had plenty of time in three days to do everything I wanted to do, multiple times. And I didn't even get to the park until after 10 a.m. If you're willing to get there earlier, you will have even more time and probably get more done than I did.

The good thing about that time of year, is that crowds are pretty low and you don't really need an elaborate plan, other than to be sure you have a schedule for the shows that only happen a few times per day, and make sure you get there in time to see them. Other than WWoHP (and maybe Despicable me, when it opens), there are not really any crowds anywhere, and most lines are relatively short.

Keep in mind that I did not have any children along and I used single rider lines when available, but here is an overview of what I did (note, attractions are not in the order I did them):

Day 1 - IOA
-Forbidden Journey - 7 times
- Ollivanders
- Dragon Challenge - at least twice
- Poseidon
- Suess Carousel
- Suess Trolley
- Cat in the Hat
- Hulk
- Spiderman
- Dr. Doom
- And I saw all the shops in WWoHP, drank Butterbeer, stopped and laughed at the fountain, watched the Marvel Heroes parade, spent at least an hour taking pictures, shopped for souvenirs, etc.

Day 2 - US until 5, then IOA until close
- Shrek
- Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
- ET
- Revenge of the Mummy - several times
- Simpsons - several times
- MIB - several times
- Terminator 2
- Twister
- Beetlejuice (I think I picked up lunch and ate during the show)
- Photos of characters, souvenir shopping, etc.
- Back to IOA to ride FJ five more times, have some more butterbeer, and have a evening snack

Day 3 - Park Hopping
Mummy - several times
Simpsons - several times
MIB - several times
Disaster
FJ - at least five more times
Dragon Challenge - at least one more time
Hippogriff
Frog Chorus, Triwizard Champions
Ripsaw Falls
Jurassic Park
Jaws (now closed)
Plus more photos, souvenirs, lunch and snacks, etc.
 
I think that plan is completely doable without Express, especially in late September mid-week. :thumbsup2

And Despicable Me, or what I think I read a few minutes ago will be called Minion Mayhem, will be right across from Shrek.

Great, thanks for the feedback! :goodvibes

I think you'll be fine without Express. I went the first weekend in October last year, crowds were very low and I had plenty of time in three days to do everything I wanted to do, multiple times. And I didn't even get to the park until after 10 a.m. If you're willing to get there earlier, you will have even more time and probably get more done than I did.

The good thing about that time of year, is that crowds are pretty low and you don't really need an elaborate plan, other than to be sure you have a schedule for the shows that only happen a few times per day, and make sure you get there in time to see them. Other than WWoHP (and maybe Despicable me, when it opens), there are not really any crowds anywhere, and most lines are relatively short.

Keep in mind that I did not have any children along and I used single rider lines when available, but here is an overview of what I did (note, attractions are not in the order I did them):

Day 1 - IOA
-Forbidden Journey - 7 times
- Ollivanders
- Dragon Challenge - at least twice
- Poseidon
- Suess Carousel
- Suess Trolley
- Cat in the Hat
- Hulk
- Spiderman
- Dr. Doom
- And I saw all the shops in WWoHP, drank Butterbeer, stopped and laughed at the fountain, watched the Marvel Heroes parade, spent at least an hour taking pictures, shopped for souvenirs, etc.

Day 2 - US until 5, then IOA until close
- Shrek
- Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
- ET
- Revenge of the Mummy - several times
- Simpsons - several times
- MIB - several times
- Terminator 2
- Twister
- Beetlejuice (I think I picked up lunch and ate during the show)
- Photos of characters, souvenir shopping, etc.
- Back to IOA to ride FJ five more times, have some more butterbeer, and have a evening snack

Day 3 - Park Hopping
Mummy - several times
Simpsons - several times
MIB - several times
Disaster
FJ - at least five more times
Dragon Challenge - at least one more time
Hippogriff
Frog Chorus, Triwizard Champions
Ripsaw Falls
Jurassic Park
Jaws (now closed)
Plus more photos, souvenirs, lunch and snacks, etc.

AWESOME- thank you so much! I feel so much better about forgoing the express pass now. :thumbsup2
 

your Tuesday early dinner at Mythos could end up being at 3:00 pm.

they have shorter hours in the value/low season.
 
your Tuesday early dinner at Mythos could end up being at 3:00 pm.

they have shorter hours in the value/low season.

Thanks! I'm aware of the early hours. Since we have the 3 Broomsticks Breakfast we'll skip lunch and then just snack back at the room for dinner. So I guess it's really more of a late lunch/early dinner. I appreciate the feedback though. :goodvibes
 


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