Universal 8/2011-so confused!

[tink305]

Hi everyone! I will be staying onsite in WDW this August. I would like to go to Universal. I havent been in the parks in about 15yrs. We went to Hard Rock 2 yrs ago. I have a few questions. I will be with my daughter who will be almost 14 and son 15. How many days do you think we will need there if we want to see it to the fullest? I remember parking in a garage and had a long trek to Hard Rock. Is that where we park for the parks? What about food? Do they have a meal plan? If so, how does it work? Is it worth it or do we pay oop?Where are good places to eat?What is CityWalk? Thanks in advance.

 

[francie57]

If you are staying on-site you could do the parks in 2 to 3 days since you would have the unlimited express pass (not available yet on WWOHP ride or the new RRR roller coaster). If you are staying on-site you would park at the hotel be either self-parking or valet parking. The huge garages are where you would park if you are commuting from Disney to the parks. Once you exit the garage you would walk through City Walk to get to either park. City Walk is restarants, clubs, movie theaters, and shops. Universal offers a meal deal that is basically fast food all day. We have never used it since that is not the type of food we want to eat all day. We like Richter Burger for a quick meal and Finnegans for a sit down meal at Universal. In IOA we like Thunder Falls Terrace by Jurassic Park for a quick meal. We love Margaritaville in City Walk for a sit down dinner. If you are a member of AAA you can get discounted tickets for the parks, a good discount on the on-site hotels, and if you show your card you will get a 10% discount at all the restaurants and shops (not Emerils). We go mid Aug every year and start our trip at Universal for two days (we stay at the Hard Rock)and then check into the Boardwalk at Disney. If you are not staying on-site my advice would be to arrive very early on the day you want to go to IOA since Harry Potter world can get extremely crowded.

 

[ladylinda65]

I concur with Francie, however, a note about HP, if you stay on property at US then you get into IOA one hour early to allow you to get into HP. Otherwise there is no other way to get an express pass into the area and in August I would anticipate a minimum 2 hour wait.

On good days there is at least a 1 hour wait and if last August and this winter has been any indication, HP has shown no signs of slowing down.

I don't particularly like the food at Margaritaville. I have enjoyed the chef's menu at Emeril's (amazing) and I really liked both Latin Quarter and the Hard Rock.

I ALWAYS recommend Thunder Falls Terrace for eating inside IOA. Food is great and you get a lot of it!! It has been a long time since I have eaten in USF but I hear that they are reopening Monsters Cafe which has a coal fired oven for pizza and traditional roasting racks for their chicken. Also, Mel's is supposed to be good.

Just plan to have a long day and if you can get a night on property I would highly recommend it because your room key also gives you free express pass for all the other rides (except HP, see above, and RRR).

Have fun!!!

 

[tink305]

If you are staying on-site you could do the parks in 2 to 3 days since you would have the unlimited express pass (not available yet on WWOHP ride or the new RRR roller coaster). If you are staying on-site you would park at the hotel be either self-parking or valet parking. The huge garages are where you would park if you are commuting from Disney to the parks. Once you exit the garage you would walk through City Walk to get to either park. City Walk is restarants, clubs, movie theaters, and shops. Universal offers a meal deal that is basically fast food all day. We have never used it since that is not the type of food we want to eat all day. We like Richter Burger for a quick meal and Finnegans for a sit down meal at Universal. In IOA we like Thunder Falls Terrace by Jurassic Park for a quick meal. We love Margaritaville in City Walk for a sit down dinner. If you are a member of AAA you can get discounted tickets for the parks, a good discount on the on-site hotels, and if you show your card you will get a 10% discount at all the restaurants and shops (not Emerils). We go mid Aug every year and start our trip at Universal for two days (we stay at the Hard Rock)and then check into the Boardwalk at Disney. If you are not staying on-site my advice would be to arrive very early on the day you want to go to IOA since Harry Potter world can get extremely crowded.

Hi Francie! Thanks so much for the info. Im staying 10days in wdw w/dining plan @POFQ. I got a room only price from them yesterday and may do that either @the beginning or end of the trip so i can go to Universal. We belong to AARP so maybe they might have some nice discounts. I was looking @ some of the choices for food.I think it may have been @ citywalk, ex:the nba one? Another question. I have difficulty walking. Do they have a certain pass so i wouldnt have to wait on long lines? I dont think my kids are crazy for Harry Potter so i may be able to bypass that.

 

[ladylinda65]

Cheapest way to get a the express pass so that you don't wait for Potter is to stay at one of the hotels at Universal for one night. Express Pass is included in your stay and they open IOA an hour early for hotel guests only! this is the only way to get express into HP. No other way is available.

Dining - at Citywalk depends on what you want to eat.

 

[tink305]

Thank you both so much. Im really learning a lot from you. As far as i can see my kids arent really interested in Harry Potter. I was looking at hotels onsite, wow are they expensive. Does anyone know where i can look for discounts either hotel/park or just park?I noticed while looking on their website, they give you a discount coupon book if u order tickets online. I really have to plan this out thoroughly. We will be driving down in August from NY. So i have some time, i just wanna be as knowledgeable and prepared as possible.

 

[Metro West]

Thank you both so much. Im really learning a lot from you. As far as i can see my kids arent really interested in Harry Potter. I was looking at hotels onsite, wow are they expensive. Does anyone know where i can look for discounts either hotel/park or just park?I noticed while looking on their website, they give you a discount coupon book if u order tickets online. I really have to plan this out thoroughly. We will be driving down in August from NY. So i have some time, i just wanna be as knowledgeable and prepared as possible.

You might want to consider purchasing an annual pass to take care of the food and merchandise discounts in the parks as well as parking if you decide to stay offsite. $15.00/day adds up pretty quickly. You can also get the AP rate at the onsite resorts as well as purchasing up to six additional tickets with your AP discount. The AP discount on park tickets is 10% for single day tickets and 15% for multi-day tickets. They must be purchased at the gates. Just something to think about.

 

[tink305]

You might want to consider purchasing an annual pass to take care of the food and merchandise discounts in the parks as well as parking if you decide to stay offsite. $15.00/day adds up pretty quickly. You can also get the AP rate at the onsite resorts as well as purchasing up to six additional tickets with your AP discount. The AP discount on park tickets is 10% for single day tickets and 15% for multi-day tickets. They must be purchased at the gates. Just something to think about.

Thanks! Any idea how much annual passes are?The AP can only be purchased at the gate tho?

 

[Metro West]

Thanks! Any idea how much annual passes are?The AP can only be purchased at the gate tho?

The Preferred AP (which would be fine) is $229.99 plus tax for non-FL residents and these can be purchased online or at the gate. You will need to have the AP activated at the gate before any discounts can be taken.

Here's the link to the AP page for non-residents so you can see all the details.

http://www.universalorlando.com/Tic...s.aspx?ComponentId=12956&SourcePageId=13636#6

 

[tink305]

The Preferred AP (which would be fine) is $229.99 plus tax for non-FL residents and these can be purchased online or at the gate. You will need to have the AP activated at the gate before any discounts can be taken.

Here's the link to the AP page for non-residents so you can see all the details.

http://www.universalorlando.com/Tic...s.aspx?ComponentId=12956&SourcePageId=13636#6

I love this board! People are so friendly and helpful. Thank you so much Metro. I just noticed something i can pay monthly. What a great option. This year i will only be going with 2 of my 3 kids. Next trip i hope he and the hubby go. But i can always get them an AP when i would renew mine i think? My first post on here was about helping plan my trip. There havent been any responses to it. I know this is the wrong board. So im going to either bump it to the top or start a new one. If you or anyone else has some suggestions in helping me plan out the trip i would be very appreciative! TY

 

[Planogirl]

We were there this past August and stayed offsite. We learned to arrive before rope drop and then the wait wasn't quite as long for WWoHP. Some people have also gone at night and found the lines to be shorter.

I'll also add that we love to escape the parks and walk over to Citywalk for lunch with Margaritaville being a favorite. There are lots of choices in Citywalk but not all of them are open at lunch time.

 

[tink305]

We were there this past August and stayed offsite. We learned to arrive before rope drop and then the wait wasn't quite as long for WWoHP. Some people have also gone at night and found the lines to be shorter.

I'll also add that we love to escape the parks and walk over to Citywalk for lunch with Margaritaville being a favorite. There are lots of choices in Citywalk but not all of them are open at lunch time.

I think that sounds like a great idea. Hopefully my kids would be up to getting up and out early. I was looking at some of the restaurants. They look great. Just a matter of satisfying all. My daughter is a much pickier eater than my son and myself. I swear if she can live on chicken strips she would lol. Me, i cant even look at them lol. Now im really getting so into this planning thing lol.

 

[Planogirl]

I think that sounds like a great idea. Hopefully my kids would be up to getting up and out early. I was looking at some of the restaurants. They look great. Just a matter of satisfying all. My daughter is a much pickier eater than my son and myself. I swear if she can live on chicken strips she would lol. Me, i cant even look at them lol. Now im really getting so into this planning thing lol.

I have a teen that a bit picky myself. He loves chicken (strips or otherwise), burgers, steaks and anything Italian so he's fairly easy though.

I love to plan for Universal. It's so nice to be able to pick out restaurants just before we go or even the day of.

 

[tink305]

I have a teen that a bit picky myself. He loves chicken (strips or otherwise), burgers, steaks and anything Italian so he's fairly easy though.

I love to plan for Universal. It's so nice to be able to pick out restaurants just before we go or even the day of.

See so im not the only one. It seems easier to pick restaurants at Universal for the simple fact that at WDW you have to plan as much as 180 days in advance. So im making a list of things i want and dont want to do and try to work it all in.

 

[Metro West]

See so im not the only one. It seems easier to pick restaurants at Universal for the simple fact that at WDW you have to plan as much as 180 days in advance. So im making a list of things i want and dont want to do and try to work it all in.

Just don't panic yourself. We are here to help so ask those questions!

 

[tink305]

Just don't panic yourself. We are here to help so ask those questions!

Thanks, i really do appreciate it. I think im more excited than the kids lol. Actually ive had some foot surgeries and may have one more. Nothing major just more of an annoyance. Im not able to really do much so all this planning is therapy for me. I love it. Im sure i'll have so many more questions lol. Geez, with all the times ive gone to WDW/Universal you would think i know everything lol.