Kids are getting older...time to head to the dark side! Lots of questions!

[Jenny-momof3]

Just starting my research on heading to Universal for the first time. My family includes 5 kids...ranging from 5 to 21 years old. We've been Disney AP holders for years. We live in Ohio but plan 4 1 week trips on each set of AP's...so we really get our money's worth!

To start out with, we plan on staying onsite but unfortunately not one of the hotels that has express pass We have to have 2 rooms so we'll stay at Cabana Bay. Thoughts on this resort? Comparable to the moderates at Disney? Food courts,nice pools,etc?

We would like to plan 3 trips with the Universal passes. Is there enough to keep coming back?

Is there any sort of nighttime show or fireworks at the parks?

How long am I looking at for lines without express? We will be at the parks at opening, take a mid day break to swim, then come back to close. We do this at Disney no problem for a week straight. we don't mind hour long lines. We'll go mid July, week before Christmas and spring break. Yes...peak times...but we're used to peak times and crowds at Disney.

Any sort of refillable mug at Universal? Food discounts with AP?

Any and all info you can send my way will be awesome! So excited to finally get the kids there and ride some big rides! We're all coaster and thrill ride junkies!

 

[macraven]

I would start first at
www.universalorlando.com

Read about the parks and descriptions of the rides so you can decide your must do list.

Also use the link for Cbay and what it has to offer your family

Read the forum threads that give more details of specifics on parks, eateries, hotels, shoes, extra

Wish you the best trip ever!

Oh, after a few days in the park decide if this park is for you
If so, upgrade your tickets to the annual pass if it is
You will get credit from your tickets if you do this

 

[dixonsontour]

Cabana bay is a really fun hotel. We've stayed twice. Plenty to do in the hotel and an easy 5 minute bus to the parks.

Lots to do to keep coming back, will be our 3rd trip in May in 18 months.

My 2 trip reports are in the section below.

 

[Heidi K]

My husband and I just returned from our first trip to Universal, so we're not experts, but we LOVED it, esp Islands of Adventure. And I'm a big Harry Potter fan, so that part was amazing. We kept talking about returning with our kids.

We enjoyed our stay at Cabana Bay, probably comparable to a Disney moderate although we've never stayed at one. It was definitely nicer than a value. Great pools, one of them had a water slide and a sand-play area. Also a hot tub. The other has the lazy river. The resort shows nightly movies. Busses were very efficient. We never waited more than 5 minutes. We also used the walking path a couple times which was pretty and allows you to bypass security and Citiwalk (they their own mini-security). Their quick service dining was excellent--fresh foods made to order. Cabana Bay does have the refillable mugs exactly like Disney, and you can get Icees!

We used the same site mentioned above, as well as the Unofficial Guide.

Have fun!

 

[mikejuliestl]

Been doing WDW for 13 years - sometimes twice a year and we too have recently converted.

Been to Royal Pacific twice and Cabana Bay once. Aside from one stay at Shades of Green we have stayed at Disney Moderates the entire time with Coronado and Caribbean being our favorites

I would liken Cabana Bay to a value+, the rooms are all stacked on top of each other like a motel but the pools at CB are much nicer than what I have seen at value reports. CB has a lazy river and a water slide (different pools) and pool bars. The dining option is similar to Coronado where you stand in a separate line for each kind of food you want then stand in another line to pay. Overall I give the edge to Disney Moderates over CB. We had some sort of suite at CB that had a sleeper couch beyond a barrier and two queens. It was nice to put the teen in his own area with his own TV!

We have another trip coming up at Royal Pacific in June. The grounds are phenomenal the rooms are Dis Moderate style,,, the pool is great but oddly no slide. Cool area for kids to shoot water jets and play and the entire thing is surrounded by lush garden/palms.

The real reason we stay here though is Express Pass. You will NEVER go back once you've had it. When Mummy is 30 minutes EPs are walk on. When Rip Ride Rollercoaster was an hour EPs are 15 minutes. You almost feel guilty,,, almost. ;-)

CB busses were better than Disneys mainly because there aren't 200,000 people trying to use them. Another perk of Royal Pacific - it's a 5 minute walk to Islands of Adventure. No busses!

 

[macraven]

I agree the ep is what keeps me returning

 

[Jenny-momof3]

Thanks for all the info so far! I've been reading as much as I can to prepare us for our first trip. Since we have to get 2 rooms, Cabana Bay is our only affordable option. Even that is still going to run me close to $400/night. I simply can't afford 2 rooms at the hotels that offer EP. So going to work on a plan that allows us to tour as efficiently as possible without them

 

[pa. dad]

For your touring plans, I think you have to do Harry potter real early as they are very popular. Have a butterbeer there.
The coasters get the long lines too. It can be challenging to do everything without "fastpasses" and not get stuck with some long waits somewhere. They'll sell you an all day fastpass but its not cheap most days.
One other tip- you don;t have to eat in the parks all the time as Universal City is right there and there are many more choices on CityWalk.
Also a lot of the Universal rides you can't carry much on and you have to get a locker. So if you bring in bags or purses, they do have to be checked in at many rides.