Newbie to US/IOA....please help.

[ms.ojo]

Hi all, I am so excited to be including US/IOA during our upcoming Disney trip. We will be staying 2 nights at HRH so we can do Universal w/ FOTL! I figure w/ 2 young children (dd almost 3 and ds 6) this will really help. Who needs lines!

I've been lurking a lot on these boards before posting so as not to duplicate. Sorry if I missed a thread on these questions.

-- we will be transfering to HRH early on a Friday morning (12/9) but after having the luggage stored and picking up our room key I doubt we'll be at a park entrance before opening. So...this being our day#1 should we head to IOA or US and why??? I haven't picked out all the rides we want to do yet but plan to mostly focus on things both children can do...a couple dd(3) might not be able to do....and perhaps The Mummy for daddy and me w/ child swapping both kids not riding. We won't be doing The Hulk I know that. This is also the 1st day Whoville is suppose to be open and Macy's parade will be running.

-- Our 2nd day at the parks is a Saturday. Is either one of these parks less crowded (or more crowded) on a Saturday?

-- Focusing on the Macy's parade a bit....does this only run 1x/day? Morning or afternoon typically? In which park? Is there an area where you can walk up and look at the floats/balloons when they aren't actually in a parade???

-- What are typical park hours in December? Do they do early entry for hotel guests anymore?

-- anything else I should know to help make this trip go more smoothly?

Thank you very much!!!

 

[phamton]

-- we will be transfering to HRH early on a Friday morning (12/9) but after having the luggage stored and picking up our room key I doubt we'll be at a park entrance before opening. So...this being our day#1 should we head to IOA or US and why???

It won't matter with FOTL. Just go to the park or parks you choose for that day.

I haven't picked out all the rides we want to do yet but plan to mostly focus on things both children can do...a couple dd(3) might not be able to do.

I would suggest you look at these two articles and decide if there are some things there that your little ones would like:

Kids at Universal

Kids at Islands of Adventure

-- Our 2nd day at the parks is a Saturday. Is either one of these parks less crowded (or more crowded) on a Saturday?

Islands seems a little more crowded on Saturday but again it won't matter with FOTL.

Focusing on the Macy's parade a bit....does this only run 1x/day? Morning or afternoon typically? In which park? Is there an area where you can walk up and look at the floats/balloons when they aren't actually in a parade???

It is the late afternoon, an hour or so before park closing. Looks like it will probably be around 5:00 or 6 when you are there. You'll be able to see the parade very well. There really isn't a place you can walk up and see the floats before the parade as they are basically stored in the backstage area. The parade is in Universal (not IoA).

What are typical park hours in December? Do they do early entry for hotel guests anymore?

Hours for December are here:
http://themeparks.universalstudios...._park_hours.html&year=2005&month=12&year=2005

There are some special packages that have an hour early entry for only one or two rides but I don't know if that will be offered in december or not. Most hotel guests do not have early entry but then again, you won't need it.

 

[ms.ojo]

thank you so very much for all the really helpful information!!!!!