Nervous about our first Universal trip - June 30th & July 1

[Primpcess]

We are spending 2 days at Universal and Islands of Adventure, June 30th and July 1st. With all the speculation of Diagon Alley opening at the end of June, I'm worried it's going to be crazy and we'll spend the whole time waiting in long lines. Would it be worth it to us to book a night at Royal Pacific for the express pass and the early access to HP? We are already booked at Coronado Springs since this is in the middle of a Disney trip. So I would be paying for both Coronado and Royal Pacific for that one night since it's too late to cancel Coronado. I'm also thinking now though that it would be nice to stay right at Universal so we can take an afternoon break at the pool without having to go all the way back to Coronado. If I booked Royal Pacific for the night of June 30th, we would each get an unlimited express pass and early access to HP on both June 30th and July 1, correct? And this would be cheaper than buying unlimited express passes in the park both days? Is the express pass really worth it? I'd imagine that a lot of people would be buying the express pass in the summer, plus all the onsite deluxe hotel guests would have it, so that would be a lot of people with express passes.

Sorry for all the questions, we've never been to Universal before and the Diagon Alley opening is freaking us out.

 

[RMulieri]

I would book a night onsite.It is going to be packed.The express pass is absolutely worth it.Yes alot of people buy them and yes the deluxe resort guests get them, but instead of a 60-90min wait for Despicable me or Transformers, you will have a 10-20 min wait.Well worth it.It wont help you with most of Harry Potter, but the early entry will most certainly help.Not sure yet what the plans are for Diagon alley and ealry entry .If you book June 30, you will have the express pass for June 30 and July 1st

 

[macraven]

go for it.

stay onsite june 30th.


well worth it

 

[Selket]

We were there just a few days after the HP area opened at IOA a few years ago and I can tell you - it was insane the lines. We stayed on-site so we had the express pass and early entry and we certainly needed them. There were lines snaking through the part almost to the entrance just to get into the HP area by later in the day. It was a madhouse.

So this year as it so happens, we planned to tour US/IOA on July 1st so I booked June 30th at one of their hotels so we can again get the early entry and express passes. I think you have up to 5 days before your stay to cancel the Universal room so if it turns out the opening is later you can cancel. I would hope we would know by then exactly when that area is going to open!

I would book the room at Universal - don't think twice - if you can afford it.

 

[Poly-Anna]

I would definitely recommend staying on-site. We will be there also during that time and anticipate insanity. The benefits to staying on-site will be worth their weight in gold - makes the difference for a more relaxed vacation. We're staying at PBH - close enough yet far enough from it all!