New Comer! June 2016

[MorganR]

Hello DISers
My name is Morgan!
I've been a member of this site for a LONG time...and the main reason i made the account was for our many Disney world Vacations!

But this year in June We are switching it up and going to be spending a few days at Universal and 5 days of the Corresponding Royal Caribbean Cruise

Anyone out there is going to Universal around that time?
How about the Cruise?

Like I said above we are annual Disney Vacationers and have never been to universal studios before! I would love to get Fed back on some helpful tips for New-bees!
Tips, Tricks, and even some Hacks (I love being crafty )
Thank you in advance for anyone who replies and helps Me on my journey of planning out this trip!


​

 

[macraven]

to your new home.

we love having newbies join us and many will be stopping by to add their thoughts to your questions.


some of the stickies are old and have changes over the past years, but they are still worth a look at.

if you are interested in the hotels, start at the sticky hotel thread and read backwards.


sorry but i don't do boats but many here do cruise and i'm sure they can add their info and discuss transportation with you.


i could add a lot of info here for you but tell me what plans have you already made.
are you staying onsite or offsite?
need transportation during the vacation?

just want park info?
i would first go to www.universalorlando.com and check out the layout of both parks and city walk.
get an idea of what is in all of them and read the descriptions of the rides and entertainment.
one link in that section will lead to other links.

tell us more about your traveling family and your likes so we know where to begin to help you.


i do annual stays at both the motherland and the darkside each fall.
throw in a few short trips during the year and i'm good.

 

[MorganR]

@macraven Thank you for the Welcoming!

Let me start off by informing who is in my Party!
This trip instead of taking EVERYONE...Its just going to be, My Mother (Shannon), My Son (Jordan), My Sister (Melissa), and My brother (Mitchell)!
We have been going to the DCL cruises since they first set sail and are very familiar with the planning aspect of things...I even called a Travel agent a few weeks ago to get dates, pricing on Cruises with Park combinations ect.

We have never been to universal at all before....so I think the Dinning would be a must need thing to get info about
Is there a water park included inside one of the Universal parks?

We are planning on staying on Site!...The travel agent offered us a good deal and we might just take it

Thank you again for your Reply! Look forward to hearing more from you about how to make our trip more special

 

[macraven]

Where to eat at Universal Orlando including menus...UPDATED REGULARLY

to get an idea of food/menu options for in the park and elsewhere, check out the above sticky that damo keeps current.

since you plan to stay onsite, read through the stickies on the UO Resorts and Hotel forum.
the 3 deluxe hotels allows 5 to a room.
but, you can't have 4 adults and 1 child booked in the same room, unless you book a suite (hospitality, etc)
details for onsite rooms are given on www.universalorlando.com

if you are working with a travel agent, that person should be aware of meeting your needs for your group.

there is a water park but not on the UO property.
all the onsite hotels, deluxe and basic, have pools.
any guest at the UO hotels are allowed to pool hop.

getting back to food, i have found that only the counter dining plan was beneficial to me.
i would buy the higher up priced meal (lunch/dinner, not breakfast) and request the meal plan purchase.
i get the meal and beverage at that restaurant and issued two coupons that can be used up to 14 days from that date.
one coupon for a beverage and one for a snach anywhere in the two parks.
you don't come out way ahead of the game with it but it can be a $6-7 savings over all by using the coupons.
(when you buy it at the restaurant, it covers that meal plus a beverage. which i factor in on the savings.)

buy a mug in the park and it is reusable forever for a discounted price on soda.
refills are $ .99
i'm still using my dueling dragons mug from 1999 for the discounted refills.
universal mugs never expire.
any mug sold at universal is honored in the discounted soda price

venturering out to hotel and city walk eateries is another subject to cover.
many great places that some are repeats while a few may be a once and done.
we all enjoy different types of foods for different reasons.
hopefully you will get a variety of suggestions from the other posters here.