Please Critique my Universal Studios Plan

[LibrarianBecky]

Hi there!

I've planned out our Universal Studios Orlando day for our upcoming vacation. I was hoping that I could get some feedback from people who have been before and know what they are doing! Our group will be three adults and one 9 year old boy. We are not huge thrill seekers, so no Mummy or HRRR for us. Here's my plan, please feel free to comment, especially on the time allowances I've made. Those are mostly just guesses on my part.


Touring Plans: Universal Studios Orlando

(Monday, November 2)

Hours: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Be at the gate by 8:30. 9:00 entry

1. Despicable Me: Minion Madness (9:00-9:45)
   
   
2. Explore Diagon Alley: (10:00-2:00)
   
   
   1. Ride Gringotts
      
      
   2. Buy interactive wand
      
      
   3. Try butterbeer
      
      
   4. Knight Bus photo opp
      
      
   5. Knockturn Alley
      
      
   6. Watch shows: Tales of Beetle the Bard, Celestina Warbeck
      
      
   7. Exchange muggle money at Gringotts Bank
      
      
   8. Lunch at the Leaky Caldron
      

4. Men in Black: Alien Attack (2:00-2:30)

5. Split a Big Pink Donut

6. Kidzone: (2:30-4:30)

1. Animal Actors Show times: 12:15pm, 1:30pm, 3:30pm, 4:45pm, 6:00pm
   
   
2. Fieval’s Playland (if we need to blow off some energy)
   
   
3. Ride E.T.
   

7. Terminator Show (runs all day) (5:00-5:30)

8. Ride Transformers (5:30-6:00)

9. Shrek 4-D (if we feel like it) (Park closes at 7:00pm)

 

[damo]

Looks good! Your time at Despicable Me might be a bit longer but you can shorten up your time at Diagon a bit. I'd skip Terminator and add in Horror Make Up show instead. It isn't scary.

 

[nkereina]

Are you going to have express pass? If so, I would do Diagon Alley first and use EP on Despicable Me whenever you get over to it. Gringotts doesn't have EP so we always try to do that first if we can.

 

[LibrarianBecky]

Nope, no express pass. We are staying offsite. I've read that Despicable Me can get really long wait times, so i thought it would be best to do that first thing. Plus, it is close to the entrance, making it easier.

I wouldn't mind trading Terminator for Make Up Show, but my son really wants to do terminator. If I can squeeze in another show, though, I'll definitely add the Horror Make Up show--it looks interesting to me.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

That seems like a lot of time at Kidzone if you are only planning to stay a day. I think you 9 yo will have plenty to do and not even bother with Kidzone. I'd think the 3 adults would be bored silly and itching to move on to other adventures.

 

[macraven]

Nope, no express pass. We are staying offsite. I've read that Despicable Me can get really long wait times, so i thought it would be best to do that first thing. Plus, it is close to the entrance, making it easier.

I wouldn't mind trading Terminator for Make Up Show, but my son really wants to do terminator. If I can squeeze in another show, though, I'll definitely add the Horror Make Up show--it looks interesting to me.

try if you can for the horror make up show.
absolute hoot to see!

 

[Krroth09]

When are you going, Becky? We are going the Sunday before Thanksgiving, just starting to do some research on Universal, so I grabbed your Diagon Alley schedule. The last time we were there Despicable Me was new, and they were building Diagon Alley. I was debating between starting at Despicable Me or Diagon Alley, the same as you. We saw the lines for Despicable Me get very, very long!! I'm just curious how your plan works. Thanks!

 

[johde]

If you're up for more walking, I'd save Diagon Alley for later in the day. If not, a good plan for me has been:

Despicable Me,
HRRR (not on your list)
ROTM (Not on your list but if you can handle BTMRR you should give it a try)
Transformers
Simpsons
MIB
Then hit Gringotts and Diagon Alley.

On a good day, you can breeze threw Transformers, Simpsons and MIB first thing in the morning. Probably getting to Diagon Alley before 11:00. Gringotts line doesn't get that much worse during those couple of hours and many days it gets better.

 

[Rovim]

try if you can for the horror make up show.
absolute hoot to see!

I would shorten the time in kids zone so you can see both terminator and the horror make up show.

 

[wilma-bride]

If you are fans of The Simpsons, there is a lot in that area to explore. We spent a good hour or so there, just looking around and enjoying the lifesize characters and having a drink in Moes.