Touring Plan for Universal with Universal Express Unlimited Unnecessary?

[LoopyDoopy]

I created a mock touring plan for Universal Orlando with Universal Express Unlimited in July. I added all the rides whether I wanted them or not but skipped over breaks and dining just to get an idea how long it would take.

Much to my surprise, I can do every ride at Universal (not counting Islands of Adventure) in 5 1/2 hours. Basically, it sounds like with the Universal Express Unlimited added to your ticket, your wait time is short enough that you can just walk the park and go on the rides as you like without much though to planning.

Is this assumption correct?

 

[crazylady]

Yes. Not alot of planning is needed. I will say that the express pass is awesome. It did get a little overwhelming (Maybe that's not quite the right word) riding so many rides close together all day. I found my self occasionally hoping for a little line. . I definitely wouldn't try to do everything in the park in 5 1/2 hours!

 

[soniam]

I have found that the Universal planning in Touring Plans is a little optimistic. Not terribly. It's not off by hours, but it can be off by 30 minutes or more for a whole day easily. Whereas, the WDW planning is almost spot on minute by minute. There are some EP lines that get long and rain can really screw stuff up and now there's the Fallon ride. I find the Minions and Mummy EP lines can get pretty long. I have seen the Men in Black EP line get a little long too. However, many of the rides are pretty much walk-ons, way shorter than FP+ at WDW. If Forbidden Journey breaks down, which happens fairly frequently, that can really screw stuff up. We can usually hit one of the parks at rope drop or early entry, do most of the rides we want at both parks, including doing Hogwarts between the two, and do lunch, and be back to the onsite hotel by 2-4pm for swimming. This is during Spring Break with unlimited EP.

 

[gotomu212]

The only real touring plan for us is to get to the Harry Potter area early in the day and then abandon it for the rest of the day until evening. That's the area that can be PACKED. The rest of the time we just walk up and ride (there can be a 5-20 minute line in our experience on some rides).

 

[princessebird]

The only real touring plan for us is to get to the Harry Potter area early in the day and then abandon it for the rest of the day until evening. That's the area that can be PACKED. The rest of the time we just walk up and ride (there can be a 5-20 minute line in our experience on some rides).

Exactly. Do WWOHP early (and possibly minions), and then go elsewhere and enjoy the magic of the EP. I had a touring plan for my first visit in 2014, but we were so ahead of everything with the EP that I stopped bothering with it after about 4 hours.

 

[crazylady]

Just curious... Where did touring plans put HP? I would do that first thing also

 

[soniam]

Just curious... Where did touring plans put HP? I would do that first thing also

It usually puts it first thing. However, sometimes it puts Minions first. Minions, even with EP, can get a long wait. Plus, it's right by the main entrance and is open during EE.

 

[jeffbeardreams]

Yeah, I also think it's important to have a game plan for how you're going to attack the HP attractions and Minions. Other than that, with EP you can just pretty much free form it.

 

[schumigirl]

I created a mock touring plan for Universal Orlando with Universal Express Unlimited in July. I added all the rides whether I wanted them or not but skipped over breaks and dining just to get an idea how long it would take.

Much to my surprise, I can do every ride at Universal (not counting Islands of Adventure) in 5 1/2 hours. Basically, it sounds like with the Universal Express Unlimited added to your ticket, your wait time is short enough that you can just walk the park and go on the rides as you like without much though to planning.

Is this assumption correct?

You really don't need a plan with EP.

Get yourself knowledgable about the park layout, where everything is that you want to do. The beauty of it is you can take your time and not have to do everything in a rush.

Minions always has a queue, from very early........but with EP you don't need to think about that. Go straight to one of the Potter areas and work back from there.

Last September for example the queue for Despicable Me was over 100 minutes......we were on in less than 15 minutes, and that was the longest we waited our whole trip. Usually we walked on with EP.......occasionally 5 minutes or so if we just missed a group going in.

It's worth it's weight in gold.

 

[jeffbeardreams]

Yeah. For some reason the misconception that Express Pass is some sort of front of the Lee guarantee has lingered strongly. Thus sometimes people freak out when they have to wait at ALL with an EP. Even Minions, which is probably the single worst wait you'll have at either park with an EP is almost always less than 15 minutes' wait ... usually more like 5-10.

 

[schumigirl]

Yeah. For some reason the misconception that Express Pass is some sort of front of the Lee guarantee has lingered strongly. Thus sometimes people freak out when they have to wait at ALL with an EP. Even Minions, which is probably the single worst wait you'll have at either park with an EP is almost always less than 15 minutes' wait ... usually more like 5-10.

Yep, I think some people, a lot from the UK call it front of line pass........so there's an expectation that isn't going to happen.

We hate queueing with a passion, so wouldn't be without EP.......have been booed many times bypassing long lines..........doesn't bother us at all. Some of the booing was in jest though........

 

[cschaaf]

Yep, I think some people, a lot from the UK call it front of line pass........so there's an expectation that isn't going to happen.

We hate queueing with a passion, so wouldn't be without EP.......have been booed many times bypassing long lines..........doesn't bother us at all. Some of the booing was in jest though........

Ha! I think I'd enjoy beeing boo'd while bypassing the line.

 

[schumigirl]

Ha! I think I'd enjoy beeing boo'd while bypassing the line.

We`re with you..........

The best one was Jaws queue years back.........some guys were doing it in jest and they were funny as they recognised us.......but this group were mad that we had passed them twice........sorry, but not my problem.......

Most recent was despicable Me.

We don`t think twice about it........