Last week of December?

[thor369]

Hi all,

Thinking of doing a 15 hr road trip to Orlando for kids winter break and visiting universal for the first time. Thinking 1-2 days after Christmas, our kids are young and don’t like thrill rides, will the parks be wall to wall crowds? If we don’t take express pass, can we just walk the walk and see the characters and perhaps some of the 3D shows or lines will be extra long? Kids would love to see the grinch show, meet transformers etc. or is it a waste of money and we should visit when the parks are less busy.


If not the above, do you guys recommend anything else we can do in Orlando if not disney and universal.

Last time we were there we went to gatorland and kids had fun.

Will legoland be crowded? Will the water park be too cold to get in?

Looking for recommendation for a week in Orlando and we can drive to other places too if you guys don’t recommend any of the parks.

TIA

 

[Tatum20]

Curious too if anyone has any insight to this. We decided two days ago to go to Universal for Christmas week. Getting express passes is not an option for us at this point- I looked and it was $1,300 a day as an add on, and all 3 premier hotels are sold out for the days we will be there). I am really worried about crowd levels. We don't mind getting up early so I am hoping we can knock out the bigger rides during early entry and then do the less popular rides later.

I don't think it will be too cold for the water parks. The forecast calls for mid 70s and the water is heated. Water parks aren't really our thing, but since the park is included in our package we might check it out.

I personally would really like to drive over to Kennedy Space Center but my husband thinks the kids will be bored. So we will see. I've never been to Legoland, but I would have to imagine the crowds would be less than the main parks.

 

[Lynne G]

When all are off that time of year, parks and food places are packed, long lines and clogged traffic.

We stay onsite to take advantage of the early entry. In Universal, by afternoon, the lines are so huge, they even close a few of the express lines as too many people. And don’t think CityWalk doesn’t get a sea of people either. It does. Did you see if any of the lowest hotels of Universal have any reservations? They will at least give you transportation and early entry.

We have been that time of year, many times when our kids were school age. Patience, getting to shows as early as possible, eating off times, and using early entry to get to the one or two rides you definitely don’t want to miss. Think about a holiday tour too. They are not that expensive, and give you after hour fun, and guaranteed meetings with grinch, and Santa, and seats at the grinch show. And make reservations for food now. If you don’t have a reservation for a sit down restaurant in the parks and even CityWalk, they may not even take walk ups.

Besides doing Universal, we have done mini golf, a ride thru the orange groves, gone to SW and BGT, did a stay at Disney, and did go to a water park when 64 degrees out. Lots of towels, and the water is heated.

Only good thing that time of year? Most is open, and longer hours.

 

[Tatum20]

When all are off that time of year, parks and food places are packed, long lines and clogged traffic.

We stay onsite to take advantage of the early entry. In Universal, by afternoon, the lines are so huge, they even close a few of the express lines as too many people. And don’t think CityWalk doesn’t get a sea of people either. It does. Did you see if any of the lowest hotels of Universal have any reservations? They will at least give you transportation and early entry.

We have been that time of year, many times when our kids were school age. Patience, getting to shows as early as possible, eating off times, and using early entry to get to the one or two rides you definitely don’t want to miss. Think about a holiday tour too. They are not that expensive, and give you after hour fun, and guaranteed meetings with grinch, and Santa, and seats at the grinch show. And make reservations for food now. If you don’t have a reservation for a sit down restaurant in the parks and even CityWalk, they may not even take walk ups.

Besides doing Universal, we have done mini golf, a ride thru the orange groves, gone to SW and BGT, did a stay at Disney, and did go to a water park when 64 degrees out. Lots of towels, and the water is heated.

Only good thing that time of year? Most is open, and longer hours.

Oh good to know. We are booked at Cabana Bay, which besides Sapphire, is the only hotel available for all 5 days we are there. Portofino and Royal Pacific have 1-2 nights available but I really don't want to mess with changing hotels. Plus, skipping some of the lines still won't help with managing the general crush of crowds walking from point A to point B. We are definitely early risers so we have no problem getting to the parks early.