Park-to-Park Ticket Questions

[KCBuckeye]

Apologies if this has been addressed in another thread. I tried searching but had no luck.

I'm heading to Disney World & Universal Studios next week, and I have a few questions about how Universal's park-to-park tickets work. I purchased the "2-Day Park-to-Park Ticket - Plus 2 Extra Days FREE" ticket from Undercover Tourist. As I understand it, that gives me access to both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure for 4 days (within a 7 day period). My questions are around the logistics of how to actually use park-to-park aspect of the ticket.

1. After entering one park, how do I then get to the other park? I know I can take the Hogwarts Express which will go between the Harry Potter areas of each park. But if I didn't want to take the train, how do I get from one park to the other?
   
   • Can I simply exit one park through the main gate and walk over to the other via the City Walk area?
     
   • Are there other means of travel between the two parks?
2. Do the tickets allow for re-entry in a single day?
   • For example, if I enter Universal Studios, then leave to have lunch somewhere in City Walk, can I re-enter Universal Studios?

 

[bchbetha]

1. Walk or train, just as you described.
2. You can bounce back and forth all day. Beauty of the park to park.

 

[Livelovedance]

I'd also like to add that, in my opinion, the train is the faster and more convenient way to travel between parks...

1) because I spend most of my time in the Harry Potter areas, so I'm already that far into the parks (it is a long walk in Islands of Adventure).

2) because they check your ticket when you go into the train entrance, so you arrive within the next park and aren't waiting in the ticket lines at the regular entrance.

The Hogwarts Express is very popular but I've always found the ride to be quick, even with a line. However, if you aren't as far into the parks as Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, I could see walking through City Walk to be easy enough as well.

 

[schumigirl]

Have you checked the park layouts on the website? I've put the link to park maps below.

It will give you an idea of how close the parks are and where the Potter areas are positioned within each park. It doesn't take long to walk from anywhere into Citywalk......one of the gems of being at Universal.

The parks aren't that large and doesn't take long to walk back out to Citywalk even from the back of the parks, we have done it many times as we always have park to park tickets.

It can be quicker walking if the queue for the Hogwarts Express is lengthy.......takes only around 10 minutes to walk from the back of the park to the front. If the queue for HE is an hour you will be quicker walking. The ride itself is only a few minutes, but the queue can be long in peak times.


https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/plan-your-visit/resort-maps/index.html

 

[Livelovedance]

Have you checked the park layouts on the website? I've put the link to park maps below.

It will give you an idea of how close the parks are and where the Potter areas are positioned within each park. It doesn't take long to walk from anywhere into Citywalk......one of the gems of being at Universal.

The parks aren't that large and doesn't take long to walk back out to Citywalk even from the back of the parks, we have done it many times as we always have park to park tickets.

It can be quicker walking if the queue for the Hogwarts Express is lengthy.......takes only around 10 minutes to walk from the back of the park to the front. If the queue for HE is an hour you will be quicker walking. The ride itself is only a few minutes, but the queue can be long in peak times.


https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/plan-your-visit/resort-maps/index.html

Wow, I've never been there where the Hogwarts Express is an hour wait! If that's the case I'd definitely recommend walking through CityWalk. I guess I've always been lucky.

The last time I was there I was running late to a breakfast on the US side. The line was longer than I had ever seen it so I considered turning back. When I stopped to ask a nearby employee if I would be allowed to go back, she told me the train ride was faster, even with the wait! She was absolutely right, I got to US pretty quickly and made it to the restaurant before the rest of my group did!

I can only speak from my experiences and with my opinions, but I personally consider Hogsmeade to be pretty deep into IoA. I never would've made it to the restaurant that fast if I had went back up to the IoA entrance, walked though CityWalk, and then went through the US entrance and further into the park. But again, it depends on where you're trying to go.

 

[schumigirl]

Wow, I've never been there where the Hogwarts Express is an hour wait! If that's the case I'd definitely recommend walking through CityWalk. I guess I've always been lucky.

The last time I was there I was running late to a breakfast on the US side. The line was longer than I had ever seen it so I considered turning back. When I stopped to ask a nearby employee if I would be allowed to go back, she told me the train ride was faster, even with the wait! She was absolutely right, I got to US pretty quickly and made it to the restaurant before the rest of my group did!

I can only speak from my experiences and with my opinions, but I personally consider Hogsmeade to be pretty deep into IoA. I never would've made it to the restaurant that fast if I had went back up to the IoA entrance, walked though CityWalk, and then went through the US entrance and further into the park. But again, it depends on where you're trying to go.

We all have different perceptions of distance.

We feel the parks are fairly easy to cover quickly when walking. Walking from Dragon Challenge for example isn't far from the park exit when you cut through Zeuss. Takes us about 5 minutes if we don't stop for anything. We walk fairly quickly.

One of the joys of the Universal parks is that they are so close together. Park gate to park gate is a couple of minutes.

We have seen the HE queue extremely long......we have done it so many times we only use it if it's more or less a walk on. Otherwise we walk.

 

[jeffbeardreams]

Yeah. Hogwarts Express lines will spike pretty heavily at times during the day, including the weird rush first thing in the morning during early entry hour when people ride it from Kings Cross to Hogsmeade before doing anything else. Even during peak crowding, you can easily walk from gate to gate through City Walk in about 5 minutes. Now, how long it takes you to get to the gate from where you're starting in the first park is variable ... parades, getting distracted by a character, stopping for a churro, etc.

 

[KCBuckeye]

It can be quicker walking if the queue for the Hogwarts Express is lengthy.......takes only around 10 minutes to walk from the back of the park to the front. If the queue for HE is an hour you will be quicker walking. The ride itself is only a few minutes, but the queue can be long in peak times.

This was my primary concern. While I plan to take the Hogwarts Express each way once during the trip, I at least wanted to know what other options existed in case I wanted to get to the other park when the lines were very long.

Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[cschaaf]

If you walk between parks, don't go the whole way out to City Walk. Take the paths that go past Hard Rock and Toothsome. It saves a few steps and it's not as crowded as walking through City Walk in my experience.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you walk between parks, don't go the whole way out to City Walk. Take the paths that go past Hard Rock and Toothsome. It saves a few steps and it's not as crowded as walking through City Walk in my experience.

Exactly. I'm sure that area on that side of the waterway is considered CityWalk, but it doesn't feel like it. So when you exit a park don't go out to cross a bridge. Just turn right (from Studios) or left (from IOA) and walk in front of Hard Rock Cafe and Toothsome to get to the other park.

 

[jeffbeardreams]

Exactly. I'm sure that area on that side of the waterway is considered CityWalk, but it doesn't feel like it. So when you exit a park don't go out to cross a bridge. Just turn right (from Studios) or left (from IOA) and walk in front of Hard Rock Cafe and Toothsome to get to the other park.

Yeah ... plus, navigating the bridge in front of the Universal globe while the whole world snaps selfies can be a challenge even on light days.

 

[pcstang]

Yeah ... plus, navigating the bridge in front of the Universal globe while the whole world snaps selfies can be a challenge even on light days.

With selfie sticks...

 

[jeffbeardreams]

With selfie sticks...

Yup. Took one of those to the face on that bridge recently.

 

[Livelovedance]

If you walk between parks, don't go the whole way out to City Walk. Take the paths that go past Hard Rock and Toothsome. It saves a few steps and it's not as crowded as walking through City Walk in my experience.

This is a definite mistake I have made! I never thought of that or ventured to that side. Thanks for the tip!

 

[cschaaf]

Exactly. I'm sure that area on that side of the waterway is considered CityWalk, but it doesn't feel like it. So when you exit a park don't go out to cross a bridge. Just turn right (from Studios) or left (from IOA) and walk in front of Hard Rock Cafe and Toothsome to get to the other park.

Good clarification. The Toothsome side of the waterway is CityWalk, too. It's just CityWalk 'lite'

This is a definite mistake I have made! I never thought of that or ventured to that side. Thanks for the tip!

We walked the 'long' way so many times. One day, my wife said, "Couldn't we just go this way?" and our lives were changed.

 

[ELSA711]

I have a quick question about the park to park tickets on UCT site. There is a 2day plus 2 free days that doesn't include Volcano Bay.
Can we still purchase those and use them this summer, even after Volcano Bay opens?
My corporate discount only offers 2Park (park to park) option prior 5/25, after 5/25 it is strictly only the 3 park option so I just want to be sure I don't screw myself over by going thru UCT just to save $153

 

[Kivara]

As long as there isn't a "use by" date that interferes with your travel days, it should be fine. It will just be park-to-park for IoA and Studios...can't use it for Volcano Bay.

 

[jeffbeardreams]

This is a definite mistake I have made! I never thought of that or ventured to that side. Thanks for the tip!

Caution ... going that way will take you directly in front of Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and depending on your group, that in and of itself might mean a delay :0)

 

[jeffbeardreams]

I have a quick question about the park to park tickets on UCT site. There is a 2day plus 2 free days that doesn't include Volcano Bay.
Can we still purchase those and use them this summer, even after Volcano Bay opens?
My corporate discount only offers 2Park (park to park) option prior 5/25, after 5/25 it is strictly only the 3 park option so I just want to be sure I don't screw myself over by going thru UCT just to save $153

Yeah ... check to see if there is a "must use by fill in date here" indicated on them somewhere in the fine print. But Universal tix are typically good for up to 7 days from initial use so you should be fine.