lots of questions

[JUDYKN]

We are planning a trip 4/17 to 4/24 and will be staying at a DVC resort. There will be 8 of us, youngest being 16. Planning on doing 2 days at Universal/Island of Adventure. Lots of questions.....

Are there two days during the week that are better than others with regards to crowds? I know Easter is early in the month but are these dates spring break?
Is Mears the best way to get from WDW resort to Universal?
Is the meal deal worth it?
What restaurants for lunch and dinner? I was thinking counter service for lunch and sit down for dinner (nothing too expensive).

Thanks so much for any and all advise
Judy

 

[donaldduck352]

Apiral is in the middle of spring break.Weekdays M-T is the best,but its still gonna be busy.
I'm no expert on transportation-I live local- but herd Mears is the best.
The Meal Deal is all you can eat at only certain restraunts.If you like eating alot its worth it.If your A light eater then no.
At IOA Def try Mytho's for sit down and Thunder Falls for CS
At the Studios Finnegans for sit down and Louies pizza for CS

Now City Walk rest are alot diffrent.Some very good food at almost all the restruants.Hope this helps.

 

[DisneyFan2008]

Universal Orlando is awesome. I just recently returned from a family vacation there in early July. The dates that you stated, near the end of April, are during most of Florida's spring breaks. I am sure that the crowds will be manageable, as they were everyday of our vacation (and that was the 4th of July week! ). From my experience with doing both Disney and Universal, I believe that the beginning of the week is more crowded for Disney and less crowded for Universal, but that is just an option. Some families decide to start at Disney and then move to Universal. Both of the Universal parks can be seen in 2 days (1 day at each park) easily.

Since you are traveling with a large group I STRONGLY recommend the Universal Meal Deal ($19.95 for adults for one park for one day). You are then able to eat as much as you want (at select counter-service restaurants only) all day long!! We did the MD and thought it was worth every penny!!

If I had to choose the best counter service restaurant at each park I would have to choose: for Universal- The International Food and Film Festival (a food court with different cuisines and it is one of the restaurants included in the MD). For IOA I would have to say Comic Strip Cafe (for the same reasons as stated for FFF).

Hope you have a great vacation!!

 

[JUDYKN]

Thanks for the info!! I am excited about going to Universal, as it has been about 10 years since we were there. I have been reading great reviews on Mythos and Finnegans

DisneyFan2008, did you buy the express pass when you were there on that busy week?

 

[DisneyFan2008]

The EPs were $45.99 a piece!!! So, no. LOL We never stood in lines longer than 30 minutes. If the line was longer than that, we either came back later OR did single-rider. Single Rider is the way to go, if you don't mind splitting up with your group. You get on at the same place and you all get off at the same place. For example, MIB was 50 minutes at one point and 5 of the eight of us went into the single rider line. We got on in 5 minutes, most of us in the same car!!!! Hulk's SR can be a little long. SpiderMan's SR is amazing. If you don't mind by-passing the cool pre-show vids, you can literally walk right onto the ride!!!
I was surprised that the lines at the Studios were not daunting. Mummy was only 20-25 minutes all day!! Disaster (aka EARTHQUAKE) was 30 minutes, only because of the slow loading of the next "show". JAWS was a bit long at times (try to ride it at night!). SIMPSONS was 35 minutes (ride this early, there is little A/C in the queue...if you get what I'm saying! ). ET was only 15 minutes.
Now IOA is a bit of a different story. HULK was over an hour by noon (SR), DOOM was only 15, SM was 45 (SR), DDRSF was over 100 minutes by noon (SR), POPEYE was 15, JPRA was 25, DD was 10 minutes (btw it takes 10 minutes, with no one in line, to get to the ride), CITH was 45.
Sorry for the long response, just giving you some sort of overview!!
HOPE IT HELPED!!!!

 

[LilMommyBug]

Mythos for sit down!