Question about Concert at Universal

[pdarrah]

I know the team has talked on the show about going to concerts at Universal and I'm afraid I've not really paid much attention since I didn't expect I'd ever go to one. It has been over 15 years since I last went to Universal!

Today, I just found out my absolute favorite singer, who is wonderful live, is going to have a concert at Universal while I am at Disney for my annual family vacation. Most of his concerts are overseas, so I haven't seen him live in a couple years.

The question is, what are concerts like at Universal? Is the sound good? How hard is it to see? (I'm only 5' 3") Is the ground sloped at all to help those farther back see or is it just flat?

If I do this, we'll most likely all go to the park for the day (Myself, DH & DS14). How early do people usually start staking out spots for a concert? I know there will be die-hard fans who will be there hours before, but if one doesn't have to be front row, but wants a decent spot - how early do you need to get there?

Last question I can probably find elsewhere on the DIS - is Universal a full day park or should I assume we need a 2-park pass & include Islands of Adventure if we are going to spend the whole day there?

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

I know the team has talked on the show about going to concerts at Universal and I'm afraid I've not really paid much attention since I didn't expect I'd ever go to one. It has been over 15 years since I last went to Universal!

Today, I just found out my absolute favorite singer, who is wonderful live, is going to have a concert at Universal while I am at Disney for my annual family vacation. Most of his concerts are overseas, so I haven't seen him live in a couple years.

The question is, what are concerts like at Universal? Is the sound good? How hard is it to see? (I'm only 5' 3") Is the ground sloped at all to help those farther back see or is it just flat?

If I do this, we'll most likely all go to the park for the day (Myself, DH & DS14). How early do people usually start staking out spots for a concert? I know there will be die-hard fans who will be there hours before, but if one doesn't have to be front row, but wants a decent spot - how early do you need to get there?

Last question I can probably find elsewhere on the DIS - is Universal a full day park or should I assume we need a 2-park pass & include Islands of Adventure if we are going to spend the whole day there?

You may want to ask these questions over in the Universal forum here --> http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=30

 

[DCTooTall]

It really depends.... Where is the Concert?

Is it part of their Summer Concert series or other event with the performance in the inside park amphitheater? Is it a Concert being held in the Concert performance area at the Hard Rock Restaurant in Citywalk? or is it a concert/performance at the Velvet Sessions at the Hard Rock Hotel at Universal?

for Obvious reasons, all 3 venues have entirely different vibes and things you would need to know.

That being said..... I've never actually attended a concert at Universal, so I can't give you a lot of information about sound quality. I can however relay some information about the Amphitheater location and stuff I've picked up from the people over in the Universal forum here that someone else linked.

If you remember where the Boneyard (the area with the old props outdoors) was, that's now where the amphitheater is located. There isn't any seating and it's standing room only. The Stage is elevated, but the ground does not have any real slope to it. If you are wanting a spot up close where you can see the stage pretty easily, You'll want to get there and stake out your spot very early. If you aren't so worried about having the best view however, You have a bit more leeway since it's a big open area and can probably find a place along the side or back a lot closer to showtime. The big concert series they tend to have at the park can draw locals who will start to show up after work, so they can sometimes be crowded even if the park doesn't seem that crowded that day.



As for the parks..... You can VERY easily spend a full day in the Universal Studios park if you want too. If the last time you went was 15years ago, It will be an almost entirely different experience than the last time you went. The only attraction still there that was there 15years ago is the ET Ride.... (and maybe the Terminator 2 3D show....). Even the Horror Makeup show has changed from how it was in the mid-late 90's. You can get away with just the 1 park ticket without any worries. If however once you are there you find you want to go see some of the things in the IOA park, You can always upgrade your ticket at various locations within the park and only would need to pay the difference in price. If you are doing the concert, I don't believe you'll have to worry about it, but the rest of the family may find they would want to check out some of the coasters or Harry Potter stuff while you are enjoying the concert. (IOA also often has a later closing time that the Studios park.).




For more information on what the Universal resort has to offer, I really would recommend visiting their website, and also stopping by the DIS Universal forum. The people in that group are extremely knowledgable and helpful and it's a great resource.

 

[safetymom]

I have been to a few concerts at Universal. It can be crazy when a concert is going on inside the park. In fact it can be scary with the large crowds of people when they all start trying to leave.

It is fun to see your favorite singer though perform inside the park. No slope in the area so if you want to see them I would recommend getting a spot early. Then don't be in a hurry to leave.

I don't think Universal crowd control is as good as Disney. Since they allow drinking at Universal it can get crazy.

I think twice now about going but know that many enjoy the great concerts at Universal. Just my two cents worth.

 

[pdarrah]

Cdn Friends of Pooh - Thank you When I get a few minutes I'll go check it out. I didn't even realize there was a dedicated Universal section on the boards!

DCTooTall - It is part of the Summer Concert Series. I expect it will be pretty crowded as it is the Saturday before the 4th of July. Thank you for all the info.

safetymom - Thank you for your take on it I'm not a big fan of huge crowds, but I might brave it for this. We are considering spending the day at Universal, so I would probably ditch DH & DS sometime in the late afternoon to head over to the concert area. I have a bunch of internet friends who are also fans who will be there, so that should make it a little less scary. (A few of those will be the crazy folks snagging spots first thing in the morning , but many are more sane and I can likely meet up with them in the afternoon!) It sounds like just staying put at the end and waiting for the bulk of the crowd to disperse is the best idea.

Since I posted yesterday, I found that a number of fans I 'know' from online will be there for the show which is making me feel a lot less crazy for considering this! In general, we are talking a very dedicated fan base - many of which travel long distances for shows (I'm not in this group - but I'll do what I can to see any show within 2 hours of my location ). There would be even more coming to Orlando just for this if there wasn't another show in San Diego on July 2nd that many are already traveling to. I know of at least 1 person who changed her flights to come to Orlando and then fly to San Diego! So hey, just making a minor change to our family vacation to spend a day at Universal instead of at WDW - no big deal