Universal advice sought by a newbee

[Mrs. Pirate]

For all the Universal pros out there, I am looking for some general tips for Universal. I am going with DD6 and DD11. We are very comfortable doing Disney but this is our first Universal trip specifically to target Harry Potter stuff. We do not have express passes. Any general tips?

We are staying at POP (5 days Disney, 2 Universal, 1 rest). I will have my own car. Any suggestions for parking?

Thank you in advance.

 

[scoopmorgan]

I am planning our first USF IOA trip for the fall. Not knowing your dates, I would recommend hitting WWOHP first thing in either park. It gets really crowded. My DD used to work there. Or consider hanging back until closing time (to ride that special ride again) when most people will have begun to get out to avoid traffic.

 

[Mrs. Pirate]

Sorry. We are going May 7 - 8 to Universal. The early admission those days is at IoA but we are not eligible.

 

[janicept]

I will be there those dates. The parks shouldn't be too busy. If they are having the nighttime firework show at Studios while you're there it's a good time to ride Gringott's again since people will be watching the show. Get the Universal app and in the morning reserve seats for Jimmy Fallon - it's a great ride. You didn't mention if you have two park tickets to let you ride the train. I personally don't think it's worth the extra cost. You can check Youtube for videos of the HP train and of the nighttime show just so you can decide if you want to see them. Both parks close at 7 pm Sunday and Studios doesn't close until 9 pm Monday - they will likely have a nighttime show Monday night. If you only go to one park a day I would pick IoA for Sunday since there's not as much to do there and a weekend will be busier than a Monday. If you have two park tickets I would go to Gringott's first both days because it's my favorite ride. If you get the Universal app on your phone you can check ride times for the other park from there. They do have ride times posted for the park you are in.

Go through all the rides with your kids and see what they want to go on. There are areas for little kids like Suessland (which is really neat to walk through) and Woody Woodpeckerland but they might be too old to care about more that ET at Studios. It's a cute ride. I should say I don't have kids so this is not my area of expertise. My husband and rode a couple of the Suess rides once and it was so slow. Really for little kids. Don't miss the shops and meet and greet though.

There are never really long lines at Dragon Challenge or MIB so you can go on those when the other lines are long. Minions always has a long line. That could be another option for the last ride of the night since as long as you're in line they let you ride.

You don't have much of a choice but to pay for parking. If you get there early you will be as close to the front as possible. It's a long walk but it has moving walkways. Keep an eye on were you park since it can be confusion getting back to your car. I think it's Kong and Dinosaurs and Spiderman. I'm not sure if they fixed it but GPS use to take you to valet instead of parking decks. When you exit off I-4 toward Universal you will turn left onto the road to Universal. The parking garage is on the right. There will be signs but if you're not in the right lane it could be a pain to get over. Give yourself some time to get from the parking garage into the park. They have security to go through before you get to CityWalk and it can be a mess. I would say at least 20 minutes from your car to the front of the park. I just checked prices and regular parking is $20 and valet is $40. Valet is well worth the cost since you get out right at the entrance to CityWalk and there is separate security. Usually not as many people in the morning so really fast. If you choose valet be aware there may be a wait if you pick up your car right after the park closes. Maybe stop and get some ice cream at Toothsome or a meal at one of the other restaurants. Actually stop at Toothsome for some ice cream either way - three people could split one sundae easy.

 

[bchbetha]

Aim to be in the parking lot at least 45 minutes before gates open for offsite guests.
Park to park tickets are awesome. I can't imagine not having them, especially as Harry Potter fans. Plus it's nice to use the wait time app and play dodgem with the crowds by park hopping.
Don't wait to ride must dos. If a ride breaks, you could miss your chance to ride if it doesn't reopen.
Hit Camp Jurassic. It's lots of fun!
Don't overpack as a fair number of rides require you to stow bags in lockers. Rides that go upside down require empty pockets too. Traveling light is just easiest. But lockers aren't terrible (and they're free for a limited amount of time based on wait time).
Try all the Butterbeer versions.
Chilling on the patio at the Hogshead Inn is a lovely break. They sell Butterbeer at the bar.

Have you considered moving hotels and finishing your vacation at Universal? The extra hour is great. 3 of the hotels will include express passes too (1 night at a hotel equals express passes for both check in and check out Day...it's a pretty cool deal). If budget doesn't go to one of those 3 hotels, Cabana Bay is really nice. Anyway, it's just nice to be onsite. Unlike Disney everything is so consolidated that it's easy and convenient. Something to think about.

 

[Robo56]

If Potter is your focus you need a park to park ticket to ride the Hogwarts Express. It's well worth it. We never get tired of it. It is part of the full Harry Potter experience. Not riding the Hogwarts Express would be like going to MNSSHP and not trick or treating.

Go to the Universal website and look at the park maps. This will give you the lay of the land on both parks. I will help a bit with the Potter things.

1. Get the girls interactive wands to do the magic tricks at Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. The map for the magic sites are included with the wands. TM's are standing at magic site areas sometimes to help. There are also metal medallions on ground in front of magic sites marking the spots.

2. Have a butterbeer at the Hogshead Pub in Hogsmeade.


Have lunch at Three broomsticks.

I like the Three Broomsticks food better than the Leaky Cauldron, but they are both a must visit for the Potter fan.

3. See the Ollivanders wand show in Diagon Alley as it is less crowded.

4. Don't miss the Parcel Tongue snake in the side window of the Magical Menagerie store in
Diagon Alley.

5. Listen for the moving bricks as you enter Diagon Alley.

6. Go have a visit with the Bus conductor outside Diagon Alley and listen to the shrunken head
Talk to you.

7. Have a ice cream at Florean Fortescue's.

8. Try on a robe at Madam Malkin's robes and stand in front of the talking mirror.

9. Get pic of fire breathing dragon on top of Gringotts Bank. Occurs every 10 a 15 minutes.

10. Visit Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley.

11. Toothesome is worth the visit

12 Mytho's in IOA has very good food.

 

[Mrs. Pirate]

Thank you for our suggestions. We do have park to park tickets.

My girls are timid so big rides don't interest them. But we love the minions. Seussland, water rides and Harry Potter are what they want to see. Plan to have lunch at 3 Broomsticks and Leaky Cauldron even though I have been warned the food is nothing to write home about. Toothsome sounds like a great idea.

I looked into Cabana Bay but it was $260 Canadian a night and I am paying $130 Canadian at POP when I looked into it. I think it is sold out now. I truly think we could spend both days just doing Harry stuff and would girls would be thrilled even if time doesn't let us do everything else at the parks.

Interactive wands are on the list for the first day so I have to figure out what to do with the wands and boxes on rides that require lockers.

 

[bchbetha]

The wands will fit in lockers. You can ask about having the boxes and bags sent to the exit for you to retrieve at the end of the day so you aren't stuck carrying them.
ETA- $160 for Cabana Bay on hotels.com, if that's of interest

 

[Kivara]

Visit the restroom in IoA (Hogsmeade) to hear Moaning Myrtle

 

[Chuckers]

Visit the restroom in IoA (Hogsmeade) to hear Moaning Myrtle

Does she moan in both sex's restrooms?

 

[ChipDale]

Glad to hear that you've got the Park-to-Park tickets (for the Hogwarts Express). Robo56 and janicept offer very good advice on the Harry Potter stuff. You'll be okay without the Express Pass if that's your main focus. Since Islands of Adventure has the Early Entry, I would plan to be at the Universal Studios gate a half hour before opening, go straight to Gringott's, then check out Diagon Alley when it's not so crowded. Ride the Hogwarts Express and go to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Even if it's a longer queue, the castle "tour" is worth it to take a little more time in there. Even if they don't want to ride, it is worth it just to walk through the Castle. There are so many little details in Diagon Alley to check out that you could spend hours in there. Have a great time!

 

[Robo56]

Does she moan in both sex's restrooms?

LOL...Might have to ask PC over on the Sans thread he would know for sure. Never thought of that....I also never thought to ask grandson if he heard it in the bathroom at Hogsmeade.

 

[pcstang]

LOL...Might have to ask PC over on the Sans thread he would know for sure. Never thought of that....I also never thought to ask grandson if he heard it in the bathroom at Hogsmeade.

Haha....yes she does.

 

[Disneymom1126]

Don't overpack as a fair number of rides require you to stow bags in lockers. Rides that go upside down require empty pockets too. Traveling light is just easiest. But lockers aren't terrible (and they're free for a limited amount of time based on wait time).

Is there an extra fee to stow bags in lockers? Also - do you know if they would make you store a lanyard (the kind that goes around your neck and holds phone, credit cards, etc.). Our first trip to Universal - I always take a backpack in with me at Disney, but I can take it on all the rides!

 

[pcstang]

Is there an extra fee to stow bags in lockers? Also - do you know if they would make you store a lanyard (the kind that goes around your neck and holds phone, credit cards, etc.). Our first trip to Universal - I always take a backpack in with me at Disney, but I can take it on all the rides!

Only charge is for the lockers by the water rides in islands or the family lockers at the front of each park. The rides that require lockers do have a time limit. You can take your lanyard on all the rides. No phones on the three metal detector rides that require completely empty pockets.

 

[Disneymom1126]

Only charge is for the lockers by the water rides in islands or the family lockers at the front of each park. The rides that require lockers do have a time limit. You can take your lanyard on all the rides. No phones on the three metal detector rides that require completely empty pockets.

Great, thanks! This is great info - trying to avoid a backpack if possible. We went to an amusement park last summer and had to pay to use a locker in order to ride a few of the roller coasters, which was annoying because I hadn't realized that would be the case. One last question - what are the "three metal detector" rides?

 

[bchbetha]

Great, thanks! This is great info - trying to avoid a backpack if possible. We went to an amusement park last summer and had to pay to use a locker in order to ride a few of the roller coasters, which was annoying because I hadn't realized that would be the case. One last question - what are the "three metal detector" rides?

Hulk, Dragon Challenge and RRR.
We went to Cedar Point last summer and thought it was silly that they charged for lockers in order to ride. Luckily I travel light with a cargo skort.

 

[scoopmorgan]

Sorry. We are going May 7 - 8 to Universal. The early admission those days is at IoA but we are not eligible.

Just try to get there at regular opening- within the first hour or so. It will be swamped by 1 pm.

 

[Chuckers]

LOL...Might have to ask PC over on the Sans thread he would know for sure. Never thought of that....I also never thought to ask grandson if he heard it in the bathroom at Hogsmeade.

Haha....yes she does.

Looks like I will have to go to the bathroom then

 

[dolewhipdreams]

One tip on any ride that uses lockers- you might want to bring a washable marker and write on your hand your locker number each time you get one. I have forgotten my number before and it was not fun to have to ask one of the attendants to open up every.single.locker. until I found mine. If you're not big on writing on skin, you can keep a slip of paper in your pocket.

Another note on lockers- the Hulk lockers are very small. A normal sized backpack may not fit. I had a little canvas backpack that wasn't very full and I had to shove it in there.

Sounds like you've got some good tips! One other thing is not to be intimidated by the wait time for Forbidden Journey, because the queue is just as amazing as the ride. 30-45 minutes actually gives you a great amount of time to absorb the details and get some photos, especially your first couple of times riding it.