Please help with plans....

[chefmb]

Hello. I'm getting to the point where I am trying to get a basic touring plan idea for our Universal trip. It's just DH and me. We're fine planning Disney, but this is our first trip to US and I'm getting frustrated trying to figure out the best way to tour. We'll have 3 day, park-park tix and we are staying on property, so Universal Express. We probably won't use the third day, as we head over to Disney that day for 3 nights there (if I really love FJ or G, I may run over in the morning to do them by myself!!). Crowd levels are 7/10 for the two main days we are touring (Sunday and Monday/ late April). I'm having a heck of a time with Touring Plans--they don't seem to use the early entry even though I've put it in. I'm trying to figure out if I should plan on one day doing mostly IOA (although it looks like we might be able to finish what we want to do in about 1/2 day!), and the other day doing mostly US. We want to ride HE, so we'll have to put that in there somewhere. DH won't ride thrill rides, so I'll be doing all of the HP rides alone. I plan to go through the castle tour with DH, then get in the single rider line. Don't know if I'll do the Hulk--I'll have to see it and decide. The only water ride I really want to do is the JP River adventure (DH won't do that either). I also don't care to do DDF, SFA, or the rides that spin or go in circles (love coasters, but can't do circle anymore!) Some plans seem to do about a half day at each park, but how to split and is that a good use of time?? Is it better to plan on one park each day (with that HE exception)?? Should we do the first day at IOA, doing what we want there, then skip over to US for the rest of that day, heading back to finish up at US on the second day?? Any ideas you wish to share would be appreciated.

 

[macraven]

i went to look at the cost of the eps for the dates you will be onsite in april.
27, ep costs are 79.99 for the studios and 66.99 on the 26

ioa runs about $65 each day.


i'm thinking crowds will be higher on that monday.
use the ee and cover the main rides at potter then.
might as well stay in that area until you finish everything there.
then switch to ioa and use HE for that.

might as well take advantage of the ee as there are no express lines for HE and a few other rides.

you have the ep for your stay, it will come in handy for the other rides in the parks.
it will lessen your ride waits in the afternoon period

 

[glocon]

The other thing to remember is that you do not have to plan a UO trip the way you do a WDW trip. No 120 day reservations for meals, no 60 day reservations for rides, unlimited ep for most rides... UO is a very different trip from WDW. Try to remember that so that you have the best time possible.
UO is more of a spur of the moment, do as you please, take your time, repeat rides as much as you want to kind of place.
The walk back to your resort or CW is short and sweet.

Don't fret- just go with the flow and do what you want when you want. You do not need a touring plan, you do not need reservations for meals. To have the best time possible, do not think that UO will be like any of your WDW trips, it will be a unique UO trip!

 

[sadossey]

We did UO last year for the first time and we are going back for week this year. We Loved it and the whole family agreed that it is way better than WDW and we have young kids. Anyway, in my limited experience, the only plan you need(since you have express) is to go to HP stuff during EE or late, then do everything else at your leisure. We were there in June last year and with EPs we never waited more than 10-15 minutes for anything(at the most). Usually longest express line was the minion ride. You may not want to leave to go to DW. We have done DW a few times and we liked it but me, my wife, and both my kids all agreed that we would never go back to DW.

 

[chefmb]

Thank you for the info! I'm looking forward to the less planned part of the trip compared with WDW. I hope to have more down time to relax, enjoy the pool, leisurely walks etc. Heck, I really just look forward to being warm again!! We did have a few hours in the 70s yesterday, which was heavenly, but today was 40s and tomorrow is 30s with low of 20! We just can't seem to get rid of winter

 

[macraven]

chefmb, if you want to do the JP river ride, sit in the middle of the row and not at the end.
last time i sat at the end and got totally wet when we splashed down after the drop.
those in the middle only got droplets.
wear a throw away rain poncho and tuck it under you when you sit.
it will help keep your shorts/pants dry.

i prefer to do that ride when it isn't a full load on the boat.
the heavier the boat is, the more of a splash.
i try to go when the lines are low and not many on the boat i get on.

lucky you with today's weather.
i woke up and had snow on the ground from lake effect snow.
8 degrees with the w/c but now we have warmed up to 24.
feels like a heat wave........lol

 

[chefmb]

Thanks for the tips. I planned on the poncho for the ride, and now I'll plan to sit in the middle

 

[macraven]

if the ride line is not packed, they do not fill all the boats up.
they only do a half fill in the boats.
it is at that time i get the best rides.
the boat is not weighed down due to a full load of peeps on it.

if i get on a boat that every seat is taken, you get more of a splash on that one drop.
but sit in the middle and you will take on less water.