Thanksgiving Universal... VIP/ Passes/ HALP!

[crayforvaca]

Thanks for reading this! I'm a first timer at Universal and I so excited because I love Harry Potter. We are not staying onsite, and I can't change that and we will be there Thanksgiving Day and Friday. I'm trying to plan ahead and think how the best way to do this. I'm confused though... I know nothing about Universal.... there are two parks (hides)? I really want to see the one with Harry Potter.

Now I have Long QT and can't ride crazy rollercoasters and my son who (19) is older gets motion sickness easy. My husband would jump out of a plane on the other hand. I also have a 13 year daughter who will ride a lot of things. I don't want to stand in massive lines so I considered the Express Pass but that doesn't cover HP things and then there's the VIP stuff but it's crazy expensive but it seems sorta worth it.

Anyone have experience with the group VIP tours?

 

[RMulieri]

There are 2 parks (next to each other ).Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios.They BOTH have a Harry Potter section. In Islands is Hogsmeade complete with Hogwarts. In the Studios, you have Diagon alley and Gringotts. The Hogwarts express runs between them and you need a PARK TO PARK ticket to ride it ( park hopper).Thanksgiving itself will be busy but not insanely so.Friday is going to be a lot more busy. Get to the parks well before opening and be ready to go.Express pass wont help on most of the HP stuff, but it helps with just about everything else. Express pass is NOT good on : Forbidden Journey, Gringotts, Ollivanders, Hogwarts express, Pteranodon flyers and Kang and Kodas twirl and hurl. It is good for everything else in both parks including shows.
If you are at all interested in Despicable Me, keep in mind that that attraction is insanely busy as well and is sometimes busier than HP stuff.
Not sure about the VIP tours

 

[schumigirl]

You really should look at www.universalorlando.com

It will give you park layouts and at least you will have an idea of what you`ll see and what you want to see.

 

[crayforvaca]

Thank you-- this was very helpful!

I think even doing non-private VIP passes doesn't get you Harry Potter.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

FYI - both of the big HP rides have single rider lines. With older kids, you could make use of these. I strongly suggest doing the full queue at least once - they are are incredible. I would go through the queue even if I wasn't riding. Then anyone who wants to re-ride can do the single rider line.

I would do a VIP tour if it wasn't going to break the budget (unfortunately, it would break my budget). However, while the Express Pass doesn't help with most of the stuff in the Harry Potter areas, it does get you through the rest of the park significantly faster, freeing up more time for the HP areas.

 

[crayforvaca]

THE VIP tour is outrageous, right? Like $3000 plus tickets? And you don't get to see the inside of the bank or anything? I read you get pushed through exits? We are not staying at the hotel to get the early access so I'm just nervous and really torn... we are also at Disney so this is one expensive vaca!

 

[Brenda Kim]

I would wait on the Express Pass, once you are there you can buy the Express Pass at anytime and in multiple locations in each of the parks. I have been there during very busy times with no express pass and have been just fine. The single rider lines help a lot!

As previously stated go through the Hogwarts Castle tour line. Go into the main entrance and ask a Hogwarts Student where the entrance is for the Castle Tour, not the main ride line. You will miss a some cool things that you would see in the main line, but you will get the majority of the good stuff. You will need a Park to Park ticket to do everything Harry Potter, but it is so worth it.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

THE VIP tour is outrageous, right? Like $3000 plus tickets? And you don't get to see the inside of the bank or anything? I read you get pushed through exits? We are not staying at the hotel to get the early access so I'm just nervous and really torn... we are also at Disney so this is one expensive vaca!

There is also a group tour that is $350ish per person (plus tickets). That is more reasonable than the private tour if you don't have 10 people, but it is still quite expensive. The benefit of the tour is that you get to do your most important things in one day, so it frees up another day to wait in long lines. I like tours in general (though I haven't done this one), so your like or dislike of tours might influence your enjoyment.

 

[crayforvaca]

I thought I read for $350 though-- the group tours don't include Harry P? Maybe I should call.

 

[*LittleMermaid*]

Harry Potter is included.