Trip planned for late April - multi-day ticket questions

[a-mad]

So we are going to head to Universal/IoA for two days within our WDW trip in late April/early May. We have tentatively planned on Wed and Thurs, April 28-29. We are staying on-property at WDW and aren't planning on a split stay, so we will likely take a Lyft to the parks those two days. Since we are going middle of the week, we will likely not purchase EP, but we will get park-to-park so we can experience Hogwarts Express, etc.

I've been researching tickets and had some questions. We know we are giving up valuable time for early entry not staying at a Universal property. I had read in a different thread that Dreams Unlimited offers 2-day passes which includes early entry. I haven't called them yet, but their prices online seem to be quite a bit higher than Undercover Tourist (which appears to be the best deal I've found so far). Also - Dreams Unlimited doesn't mention early entry in any of their online advertising... so I want to make sure it is offered before I purchase.

Anyone have any advice on the best resource to purchase these? Also, is Hagrid's open on the IoA early entry days? That might be a motivating factor.

Thanks in advance!

 

[mvansear]

This post has some great information that might help you make decisions https://www.disboards.com/threads/how-i-plan-a-universal-trip.3794121/

 

[cfoxga]

I know it may sound odd if you are used to Disney, but you really should consider getting at least 1 Annual Pass and booking 1 night at a deluxe resort. You'll likely pay around $20 extra for the AP and RPR is $219 for that night with an APH rate. So for around $250, here is what you get:

- EPs for up to 5 people for both days
- EE for both days
- A room to take a break in that is very close to the parks
- The option of spending the night there. That cuts down on the number on Lyfts you'll need and lets you get more sleep.

Even though the parks are not likely to be crowded, EPs are always nice to have. And if you find that you love Universal, you can upgrade your other tickets to APs and make additional trips without having to buy tickets over the next 12-15 months.

 

[a-mad]

I know it may sound odd if you are used to Disney, but you really should consider getting at least 1 Annual Pass and booking 1 night at a deluxe resort. You'll likely pay around $20 extra for the AP and RPR is $219 for that night with an APH rate. So for around $250, here is what you get:

- EPs for up to 5 people for both days
- EE for both days
- A room to take a break in that is very close to the parks
- The option of spending the night there. That cuts down on the number on Lyfts you'll need and lets you get more sleep.

Even though the parks are not likely to be crowded, EPs are always nice to have. And if you find that you love Universal, you can upgrade your other tickets to APs and make additional trips without having to buy tickets over the next 12-15 months.

Not odd at all... thank you for the recommendation. Certainly some things to think about for sure. We are a large party (14... 3 separate families), so logistically we need to figure out how to make it work... but I'm sure we could make it happen.

 

[cfoxga]

Wow, 14 is a large group for sure. I can see why you are looking to skip the EPs, as it would take 3 rooms to get EPs for everyone. We're always at the parks during peak season, so EPs are a must for us. But I would not expect it to be as big a deal on your dates.

I forgot to answer your Hagrid's question. Yes, when IOA has EE, Hagrid's is open. We did it on our last day a week ago. We got to the gates right when the opened, and were backed up quite a bit. It was a 45 minute wait, so I wish we had gotten there a bit earlier. May not be an issue mid-week in April.