Touring plan help please...haven't been to Universal in 15+ years

[marshallandcartersmo]

We're a commando type touring family: me, DH, DS14, DS11...one non-thrill rider DS, one non-thrill rider DS that is going to try and become a thrill rider. Arriving in late June on a Thursday afternoon, staying at Royal Pacific Thursday night & Friday night so we can have "front of the line" passes for Friday and Saturday.

We got 2 day park to park passes, with the 3rd day free...plan on going to the parks Friday, Saturday, checking into our Disney hotel Saturday night for the rest of our trip, but coming back to Universal Sunday to finish up what we missed or redo what we liked (but we won't have front of the line passes for Sunday).

I can plan a Disney trip with my eyes closed, but have no idea how to plan a Universal trip. We have no problem with "rope drop" but not really sure if it's necessary with FOL passes?? Do we need to make dining reservations?? DH would like to eat in the Harry Potter area if there's something "Harry Potterish" to eat.

TIA

ETA: I'd like to leave by 5ish Saturday so we can head on to Disney and check in there.

 

[johde]

To be honest, there is really not a lot of planning left to do since your staying at Royal Pacific and get Unlimited Express for your first 2 days in the park. The only planning you need to do is decide when your going to his the 2 HP areas since the main rides there don't take Express Passes. Everything else can be planned around testing the non-thrill rider DS's limits slowly. It's still too early to see which park with have Early Park Admission to decide on which parks to hit first.

As far as dining reservations go, in general they only need to be made a day or 2 ahead of time if that. Staying at a deluxe resort you get preferred walk up privileges at the restaurants. Three Broomsticks in Hogsmead and Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley are both counter service restaurants. Both are neat to look at but I would almost grab a snack there and eat at Finnegan for better Irish food.

 

[Liz Vogel]

You've almost got everything planned that you need to have planned. What I suggest is going to one of the parks at rope drop on one day and head straight to the Harry Potter area, enjoy the rides at which ever area you are, Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure or Diagon Alley at Universal Studios, and then take the Hogwarts Express to the other area and enjoy the rides and lunch. For the rest of that day use the EPs to enjoy the rides at that park until close or until you are content to leave. The next day I would hit the other park that you did not fully tour and leave whenever you wish.

As for dining, you don't necessarily need a reservation way ahead of time, I have gone to Universal at two peak seasons, Thanksgiving and Christmas/New Years and had no problem getting into a restaurant including The Three Broomsticks. You can chose to book a dining reservation a day or two in advanced but I will tell you it is not 100 % necessary. For Harry Potter themed food, there are only two extremely stand out food that scream Harry Potter, and both are actually beverages that you can get all around the Harry Potter areas of the parks. These are Butter Beer and Pumpkin Juice. I do recommend having a meal at The Three Broomsticks and at the Leaky Cauldron just for the atmosphere.

For your third day at Universal, I suggest hitting the favorite rides and then enjoying time at either of the Harry Potter lands and grab food at the Harry Potter restaurant you did not eat at on the first day.

As for the thrill rides, there are plenty to enjoy. At the same time, those traveling who do not like thrill rides as much can enjoy many things at Universal such as the theming and milder rides. I would suggest that the person who does not enjoy thrill rides still go through the cue to rides such as Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey and Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. For the first they get to see Hogwarts castle, there is a special line that is designated for a self guided tour through the castle. For the second, when they enter they just need to tell a cast member that they are not planning on riding the ride and they will have the opportunity to see Gringotts bank but get out before the ride begins.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Thank you! As a "Disney super planner" not knowing which ride to go on when, & no "plan" is really different for me

 

[atricks]

I highly recommend going to Diagon Alley and/or hogsmeade about an hour before park close, as a lot have people have left by then, and both are stunning areas at night.

 

[Liz Vogel]

No problem, I myself am a non thrill seeker. Below are my thoughts on whether or not the thrill seeker would enjoy the ride and if the ride would be a good "starter" thrill ride.

Universal Studios Florida:
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem - Yes, as long as neither of them get motion sickness
Disaster - Yes, this a great fun experience/ show, especially if chosen to participate
E.T. Adventure - Yes
Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket - No, and not a good starter
Kang and Kodo's Twirl 'n' Hurl - Yes, it's a more intense version of Dumbo
Men in Black Alien Attack - Yes, Universal's equivalent to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Revenge of the Mummy - No for the non thrill seeker, this might be a good starter thrill ride, it is somewhat intense there is one 39 foot drop and the ride moves backwards but never goes upside down.
Shrek 4D - Yes, but it is just a movie that isn't that great
Simpson's Ride - No for the non thrill seeker, for the new thrill seeker this can either be a hit or miss depending on how they like simulators
Terminator 2: 3D - Yes, this is mostly a stunt show/movie
Twister: Ride it Out - Yes, but it's more of a show, and not that great
Transformer the ride 3D - Again this is a simulator so if they handle simulators well this would be fine for both, this ride does move up and down but does not drop suddenly as far as I am award
Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Roller Coaster - This is a kid's coaster, if the non thrill seeker can handle a kids coaster then this is fine for both
Escape from Gringotts - No for the non thrill seeker, yes for the other if they can handle simulators
Hogwarts Express - Yes

Island of Adventure
The Amazing Adventures of Spider Man - Yes, if they can handle simulators
Caro-seuss-el - Yes
The Cat in the Hat - Yes
Doctor Doom's Fearfall- No for the non thrill seeker, for the beginning thrill seeker it depends if they have a fear of heights or not, this ride unlike most of it's kind shoots you up quickly and brings you down slowly, the opposite of Tower of Terror basically.
Dudley Do Right's Ripsaw Falls - If they are good with water rides like Splash Mountain yes, but be warned water rides at Universal leave you drenched
The High in the Sky Seuss Trolly Train Ride - Yes
The Incredible Hulk Coaster - No, and this is not a start out thrill ride, work your way up to this one
Jurassic Park River Adventure - Yes and No, depends on feelings of Dinosaurs, this ride is Splash Mountain with a giant T Rex head about to eat you at the top of the drop hill
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish - Yes Universal's version of Dumbo, be aware follow the instructions of the song to stay dry
Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges - Yes if they can handle pontoon rides such as Kali River Rapids
Pterodactyl Flyer's - Yes, but be aware they must be a certain height to ride 36"-56"
Storm Force Acceleration - Yes if they can handle spinning rides, Universal equivalent to Tea Cups
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey - No, Yes to beginner if they can handle simulators
Dragon Challenge - No
Flight of the Hippogriff - Yes, this is a very relaxed kids coaster

 

[macraven]

cat in the hat stopped the spinning last year.

it's like a different ride now that it is gone.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Thank you Liz, so much! Is there an order to do these you think is best? Touring wise?

 

[sharona]

I only disagree with the previous poster about Gringotts. It's more on the thrill level of BTMRR than RNRC, if that helps.

 

[soniam]

Depending upon the time of year, Early Entry and RD are still useful, especially for the Harry Potter areas. Plus, the non-HP areas are dead in the morning. Going early gives you an opportunity to ride some of these rides several times in a short trip, if you want. DS9 loved Simpsons and would have ridden it all day if he could. It's a motion simulator though.

One thing I found about the motion simulator rides is that you can always close your eyes. I am not a big thrill ride person, and some of the simulated drops were very anxiety producing at first. Then I realized I could just close my eyes or look upward or backward at the stationary car/theater. Looking away was very useful for Simpsons, Despicable Me, Transformers, and Spider Man. On Gringotts and Forbidden Journey, your car is moving a lot with simulated motion.

 

[Liz Vogel]

Well, you can go one of two ways, based on what park you start with. If you were to ride every ride there are two different two day plans.

If you were to start at Universal Studios:
Day 1 -
Escape from Gringotts
Enjoy Diagon Alley
Hogwarts Express
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Flight of the Hippogriff
Enjoy Hogsmeade (Grab lunch at The Three Broomsticks)
Dragon Challenge
Walk Through Lost Continent and maybe catch one of the shows (They are both kinda corny but Poseidon's Fury has some cool special effects for those who haven't seen it)
High in the Sky Seuss Trolly Train Ride
Caro-Seuss-el
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Cat in the Hat
Incredible Hulk
Storm Force Accelatron
Doctor Doom's Fear Fall
The Amazing Adventures of Spider Man
Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barge
Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls
Pteranodon Flyers
Jurassic Park River Adventure
If there is time left in the day, you are right by Harry Potter Hogsmeade, and can enjoy that area before exciting either through the Lost Continent and Seuss Landing areas of back through Jurassic Park, Toon Lagoon, and Marvel Super Hero Island. Either way you go you will end up at Port of Entry where there is plenty of shopping and a nice atmosphere to exit the park onto CityWalk
Day 2 -
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
Shrek 4D
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
Transformer's the Ride 3D
Twister Ride it Out
Revenge of the Mummy
Disaster
Walk Through Diagon Alley
Men in Black Alien Attack
The Simpson's Ride
Kang and Kodo's Twirl 'n' Hurl
Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster
E.T. Adventure
Terminator 2: 3D

If you were to start at Universal Islands of Adventure:
Day 1
Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
Flight of the Hippogriff
Enjoy Hogsmeade (Grab lunch at The Three Broomsticks)
Dragon Challenge
Hogwart's Express
Escape from Gringotts
Enjoy Diagon Alley
Men in Black Alien Attack
The Simpson's Ride
Kang and Kodo's Twirl 'n' Hurl
Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster
E.T. Adventure
Terminator 2: 3D
Despicable Me Minion Mayhem
Shrek 4D
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit
Transformer's the Ride 3D
Twister Ride it Out
Revenge of the Mummy
Disaster
Enjoy More Time at Diagon Alley
Day 2 -
Port of Entry
Cat in the Hat
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish
Caro-Seuss-el
High in the Sky Seuss Trolly Train Ride
Walk Through Lost Continent
Walk Through Hogsmeade
Jurassic Park River Adventure
Pteranodon Flyers
Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls
Popeye and Bluto's Bilge Rat Barge
The Amazing Adventures of Spider Man
Doctor Doom's Fear Fall
Storm Force Accelatron
Incredible Hulk

This is just a basic idea of how to navigate from one ride to the next closest one. I did not include any shows but that does not mean you should not include them in your vacation. If you go to Universal's website you can find a map of both parks including where all of the shows are, as well as the parade. For an ever quicker navigation to these resources just type in Universal Orlando Map in google and Universal's official maps are the first thing to pop up.

For the third day no matter which park you start with I suggest just starting at either park and going to everyone's favorite rides and/or the rides that you did not ride but really want to ride.

Hope this was helpful

 

[schumigirl]

Oh my goodness........Universal doesn't take any planning nor really need a touring plan...........

You will have EP.........perfect! Take your time and smell the roses..........you don't have to be commando at Universal.

Never made a dining reservation.....it's just not necessary.

Have a look at www.universalorlando.com

Loads of info on rides and lay out to give you an idea of what you want to go on or want to miss out.

I'll bet you'll love having to not plan by the time you leave Universal.......it's a fantastic place and I hope you have an amazing time

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Thank you all so very much!! I appreciate all your time!