Please Help Me Plan a November 2012 Trip

[Mike Bartenhagen]

We will be in Orlando from Sun 11/17 through Wed 11/21, we will be staying on Disney property but my wife and daughter would like to spend one day at IOA and Universal. They are both big fans of Harry Potter and were there 2 years ago shortly after WWOHP opened but the lines were long and they didn't get to see everything they wanted to, I understand that has changed. I have never been to either park and have some quesitons so I can help them plan.

I know from what I have read here that the best day in terms of crowds would probably be Sunday, my assumption would be that this would probably be true of the Disney parks also. Would it make the most sence, if my assumption is correct, to spend Sunday at a Disney park and pick another day for IOA\US and purchase an Express Line pass?

In regards to pricing and Express Line passes, am I understanding correcty that there is a regular addmision, express line add on, and unlimited express? The difference between the last two is that the add on allows one time express line and the unlimited allows multiple access?

From what I can gather the ticket prices for the three options for a one day two park ticket are as follows:

Regular - $123 Sat - Wed
Regular plus add on - $159 for Sat and Sun and $179 for Mon - Wed
Unlimited Express - $199 Sat - Wed

I understand that the pass won't work for two of the most popular attractions in the HP park but their plan would be to go to the wand shop first, since they missed that last time, and if more time was spent standing in line at the other ride in HP this would be offset knowing they would have shorter waits.

Right now I think my plan would be for them to go to IOA\US on Monday November 19th and I would purchase the $199 Unlimited Express pass. Granted this would cost us about $150 more than the regular pass but if it would allow them to get on several more rides that day it would be worth it.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[Metro West]

I would strongly advise against purchasing Express Plus passes before you arrive. You need to see what the lines are like before you spend the money. EPs are date specific and non-refundable. I really don't think you will need them when you're here...crowds aren't that bad before Thanksgiving so you might be getting ahead of yourself. If you arrive and decide the lines are too long, you can purchase the EPs at either park.

 

[macraven]

wait until you are in the park before you decide to buy the express passes.


there are no express lines for Ollivanders, Forbidden Journey, Pflyers or RRR rides.

if the weather turns bad, rains, cold, etc, there will not be large crowds in the parks.



if they are doing both parks on the same day, do the parry hotter section first, then wander to the other lands at ioa.


skip over to the studios side for the rest of the afternoon, leave the studios when they close and return to parry hotter near closing time for repeats in that land.


i'm not totally sure of your dates.
you list sunday as the 17th but that date is the 18th.

monday 11/19 hours for ioa are 9-9
the studio hours on that date are 9-7


if they do not do any of the shows, they could cover highlights that day without the express pass.

if lines are hanging at 30 minutes, then decide if the ep will be a help for them to do both parks that day.


i don't remember if the vip express pass covers both parks or not.

 

[Mike Bartenhagen]

I would strongly advise against purchasing Express Plus passes before you arrive. You need to see what the lines are like before you spend the money. EPs are date specific and non-refundable. I really don't think you will need them when you're here...crowds aren't that bad before Thanksgiving so you might be getting ahead of yourself. If you arrive and decide the lines are too long, you can purchase the EPs at either park.

Thanks for the reply, I thought I had read that they can sell out....is this not the case?

 

[Metro West]

Thanks for the reply, I thought I had read that they can sell out....is this not the case?

I don't know if they ever truly sell out since there is no way to know for sure. But you would only need to worry about that during the busiest travel times around major holidays. The week you're going isn't one of the busier weeks so selling out will not be the case.

 

[CinderellaDreamer]

We went that week last year in the few days before Thanksgiving. We went one day without passes and two days with (from hotel stay + bought one for someone in our party mid-day). The passes were really, really nice, but we would have been fine without them.

We returned last March without any express passes for the two weeks before the 'official' spring break. We found that we were able to do anything we wanted without the express passes.

They are a luxury item, not a necessity, for touring.

If you have plenty of money for your trip, it is a nice luxury though. But I too, think you would be fine to wait and buy it there if needed. Its not much help for the Harry Potter fan.