Just a couple of quick thoughts...

[sarah4291]

Went to universal 2 days ago! Haven't been in about 11 years I think...
We did really enjoy our day but we had a couple of problems!
1. The food really was bad...I have read on here people say it before but went with an open mind!!! We ended up skipping tea!
2. Quick queue...we paid for this! Now I feel the Disney version is better! It was good that we got it and it did benefit us...but 3 times (rip ride rocket, despicable me and transformers) we still had to queue 45 mins, which when we paid to queue a minimal amount it is rather annoying!
3. Now the rides are great...amazing technology...but we felt that a lot of them were all so similar...motion simulator after motion simulator!!!

Now we did have a good time! Transformers really was out of this world!!! And we enjoyed most rides! Used the Mears shuttle service which was great and highly recommended! The theming is great as well!!!

 

[RMulieri]

welcome back!
Where did you eat that the food was bad? I have enjoyed most of my meals at Universal( we had a couple that were awful, but we didn't listen to the suggestions here and should have )

I stay onsite for express passes and prefer that over Disney anyday,Sorry you didn't like it, but without it you would have likely waited LONGER.. the 3 rides you posted, tend to have LONG waits even with express pass.That is why the boards here recommend hitting them first even with the passes..I agree with the motion simulators..It seems alot of the rides are simulators

 

[keishashadow]

OP i'm going to take a stab at it and guess you're a Brit Yes, our tea selection here is rather dismal at best in most restaurants that don't specialize in it. I'm big on iced tea, at least the twin peaks brand is better than the nestea swill. fyi Starbucks can brew u a decent tea, but coffee is king in the states.

Agree, there are few CS venues i'll bother with @ both Universal & WDW. Was surprised to get decent chicken/waffle sandwich in new Springfield area.

 

[gayles]

How was Harry potter ? Where did you eat that was bad? === We are going on Oct/ Can't wait

 

[marypoppins81]

If the poster is british then tea will mean dinner

 

[snoopboop]

You mentioned Quick Queue.... I remember they were testing this in the parks a while back, but then I hadn't heard any more about it!

FYI to others reading/posting - Quick Queue is NOT the same as Express Pass. Rather, it's very similar to Disney's Fast Pass. You get a little electronic gadget, and you stop by a ride and get a return time, which is stored in the device. You check back in to the ride at the predetermined time and, as the OP stated, you're then supposed to have a certain (shorter than posted?) wait time.

I, too, would like to know where you had the bad dining experiences. I have yet to have any really terrible experiences... In fact, most of my dining experiences at IOA and UO have been wonderful!!

 

[Metro West]

Moving to the Trip Reports board.

 

[SammySlythers]

You mentioned Quick Queue.... I remember they were testing this in the parks a while back, but then I hadn't heard any more about it!

FYI to others reading/posting - Quick Queue is NOT the same as Express Pass. Rather, it's very similar to Disney's Fast Pass. You get a little electronic gadget, and you stop by a ride and get a return time, which is stored in the device. You check back in to the ride at the predetermined time and, as the OP stated, you're then supposed to have a certain (shorter than posted?) wait time.

I, too, would like to know where you had the bad dining experiences. I have yet to have any really terrible experiences... In fact, most of my dining experiences at IOA and UO have been wonderful!!

Quick Queue is what Seaworld calls their version of Express Pass. The electronic device at Universal is called a Ubot and the overall system is the Ride Reservation System. It holds your place in line virtually (like a fastpass) while you're riding something else or watching a show, etc. It's the same device that Legoland Windsor (Qbot?) and Six Flags (Flash Pass??) use. Basically a lower tier of the express system at Universal.

 

[Seeker615]

I thought all the places I ate at Universal were pretty good. We really enjoyed Hard Rock and Mythos.

Counter service wise we enjoyed Mel's. All the other places were okay. Nothing special but nothing awful.

We did really enjoy the Harry Potter breakfast at Three Broomsticks as well.

 

[wiigirl]

Following along.

 

[sarah4291]

Hi again!

Sorry to confuse you all! We went to universal studios...not islands of adventure so we haven't done Harry potter yet! When I mentioned 'tea' I actually did mean 'dinner' - but you are right I am british! I also meant express pass! Plus we ate in the Simpsons area! We queued 45mins just to get food in that food court!

 

[waikiki]

I look at the queue at "Be Our Guest"...

 

[sarah4291]

I look at the queue at "Be Our Guest"...

We never really noticed much of a queue when we went last week! For counter service meals we have never had to queue anywhere near that long at Disney!

 

[keishashadow]

Hi again!

Sorry to confuse you all! We went to universal studios...not islands of adventure so we haven't done Harry potter yet! When I mentioned 'tea' I actually did mean 'dinner' - but you are right I am british! I also meant express pass! Plus we ate in the Simpsons area! We queued 45mins just to get food in that food court!

well I learned something new

we had quite a wait early in June for that food court. Glad they were seating people though vs letting guests camp out to hold a table, but think it'd be difficult to enforce. Were they still using that system during your visit?