Need Help with Touring Plan

[PurpleKomodo]

Hello All!

I am a Universal newbie. We are taking a day trip in the middle of our Disney trip this summer mostly to see Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I would also really like to ride the Hulk and RRR. Anything we have time to do on top of that is just bonus. Does anyone have any touring plan suggestions. Which park should we start at? We will be getting two park passes so we can ride the Hogwarts Express. We will have from Park open until about 4 or 4:30 because we have a dinner reservation back at Disney with the rest of our group. It will just be my DH and I and we are pretty efficient. Thoughts? Anything is helpful. Thanks!

 

[johde]

First of all, 3/4 of a day for 2 park is really selling Universal short. That being said, my "best of Universal" plan would probably be.

Arrive at USF enterance before opening.
Despicable Me
HRRR
ROTM (Use Single Rider Line if you can)
Transformers (SR)
MIB (SR)

Tour Diagon Alley and Ride Gringotts (don't use single rider line unless line is well over an hour)

Hogwarts Express over to IOA
Tour Hogsmead (Order in Hogmead isn't critical)
Dragon Challenge (The 2 side are different so if the lines are short ride twice or wait until you loop around)
Forbidden Journey (Castle Tour + SR)
Flight of the Hippogriff
Lunch at 3 Broomsticks

Exit Hogsmead towards Jurassic park.

If time is one your side and you don't mind getting totally drenched ride 1 on the water rides.
Jurassic Park if you sit in the middle will probably leave you the driest and is very will themed.
Dudley Do Right is a good log ride not as well themed as Splash Mountain but has a better final drop. Will get you soaked.
Popeye and Bluto - Best raft ride I've ridden, 10X better than Kali but you'll get off feeling like you jumped into a pool fully clothed.

Continue on to Marvel Superhero Island
Spiderman (SR)
Hulk

Depending on Time you can Exit Park Now or Continue to Seuss Landing
Cat in the Hat (if time)
Hogwarts Express back to USF

If there's still Time hit up
Simpson
E.T.

Exit Park.

 

[glocon]

With only 3/4 of a day for both parks, and since you are going mostly to see the Harry Potter areas, just plan on seeing the two Harry Potter areas. They are so incredibly themed, and both have little shows to see too. You can have breakfast at one of the restaurants and lunch at the other. There is a lot to see in the two sections, especially in DA, and unless you do not plan on exploring all of the details in the two HP areas, you most probably won't have time to do anything else.

If you don't plan on anything else, you will not be disappointed by not seeing anything else.
If you are happy to just walk through the areas and not explore the details and see the shows, then hit your other top picks. So- you should pick top 2 or 3 rides outside of Harry Potter in each park just in case you do have time (but don't count on it).

And as a last resort, you can always upgrade to a two day ticket before you leave the park if you decide to do so.

 

[sharona]

If you want to do more than the HP areas, you could pay for the express pass that gives you 1X per ride (except for HP) so that you can make the most of your time there. Not sure if it's worth it to you for just 3/4 of a day but... when we went to Universal Hollywood we only had until 3pm to spend there and it was totally worth it for us.

 

[Duanerice]

Honestly I'd suggest skipping dinner back at Disney because just like Disney, Universal is much better at night. Either way enjoy your trip.
Duane

 

[PurpleKomodo]

I am sure Universal is delightful at night. However, we have the DDP and we just can't jusify paying for a meal at Universal when we have prepaid meals at Disney. My DH and I are the only people in our group of 9 that were even interested in spending the extra money to take a day trip to Universal. The rest were scared off by the ticket price. Thanks for all the advise. It is helpful.