Universal One Day Touring questions

[adventurer1971]

Planning for our (one) day at Universal Orlando (8/05) and want to ask a few questions to hopefully get the most out of our time. I'm assuming we'll plan for being there open (9am) to close (10pm). We are staying at Disney, not one of Universal's resorts.

These items aren't in any particular order.

1) How long before the parks open does the parking lot open? If we want to be there when they let you in at 9am when should we be there?

2) We're planning to get a ticket to let us go between the two parks. We want to try to get in the Harry Potter attractions in particular but we definitely want to make sure we get in Spiderman and Hulk. My current thinking is we go into IOA, pass through Seuss Land and Lost Continent (shorter path?) and then do the Hogsmeade Harry Potter attractions. Then we'd take the Hogwarts Express to US, do the Diagon Alley attractions and then do some other US items before returning to IOA to finish out the evening.

3) Aside from the Hogwarts Express is there any other way to move between the two parks aside from going out to City Walk and in through the front door? If the Harry Potter area gets very busy I understand that sometimes they close it off and you have to get a ticket to come back later. If so, does that block you using the train to cross between the parks?

4) Where is the best place to just walk up and get decent food? I'm thinking the Three Broomsticks might be a good choice for an early lunch. Is it impossible to get a table? Where is the best counter service in the two parks?

5) Is Universal Express worth it? It sounds very expensive and it sounds like the price can be different depending on when you go and it doesn't apply to all of the Potter stuff. Given we have a group of 10 and going in August, I'm thinking it's cost prohibitive.

6) One of our group has a bad knee. We are renting one of the ECVs/scooters. In making the reservation it sounds like you can drop it off at the entrance to the Hogwarts Express and pick up another one on the other side. Has anyone done this in practice? Is there a station on either side for pickup/drop off of scooters/wheelchairs?

Thanks for all of the advice!
Jim

 

[bumbershoot]

My current thinking is we go into IOA, pass through Seuss Land and Lost Continent (shorter path?) and then do the Hogsmeade Harry Potter attractions. Then we'd take the Hogwarts Express to US, do the Diagon Alley attractions and then do some other US items before returning to IOA to finish out the evening.

If that day's early entrance is going to be at IOA, I would rather be at US first at normal park opening to hit their HP stuff. Because otherwise you're ocming in when Wizarding World is already crowded with on-site people, then you're going over to US when it's already crowded with everyone. If you're first in line at US, at least you'll be there when it's a bit lighter for one Wizarding World area.

But check which one has early entrance, that's for sure.

4) Where is the best place to just walk up and get decent food? I'm thinking the Three Broomsticks might be a good choice for an early lunch. Is it impossible to get a table? Where is the best counter service in the two parks?

I like 3 Broomsticks. They change to lunch VERY early (something like 10:30 so if you do go early you shouldn't have much of a wait).

My fave food at the parks, though, is the veggie burger at Richter's. Not a lot of Richter's love here, but maybe they do the veggie burgers better than they do the meat-burgers.


Express Pass isn't good for all of Wizarding World. It ONLY gets you on Flight of the Hippogriff and on Dragon Challenge. The rest of the attractions are not usable for EP-holders.

 

[Nohal]

Can't help with all of your questions but here goes what I can help with.

1. Don't know what time parking garage opens. One or both parks will have 1hr early entry for on site guests (like Disney does). Find out which park it is and start at the other park. We just got back and IOA had early entry but UF opened at 8:30 instead of 9. Keep checking to find out if they are still doing it when you go.

2. Whichever park you go to at rope drop go immediately to the Harry Potter section as it will not be that crowded when you get there especially if the park opens before 9. Make sure you are aware of no bags on rides. You will have to use a locker at some rides.

3. As far as I was able to tell only Hogwarts Express is the only way to go from one park to the other without going out of one park and into the other. It really wasn't that long of a walk.

4. If you are looking at counter service remember it is theme park food. I didn't think the food was very expensive. We had chix fingers, hamburger, pizza. I wanted to eat at one of the Harry Potter restaurants for the chix and ribs but it never worked that we were there when it was time to eat.

5. It will be crowded in Aug just like Disney. The express pass would be very expensive for 10 people for 1 day. Download the Universal App which has the ride wait times and then decide what ride to ride. DH and I did single rider line when we could. That doesn't work with little ones.

6. Can't help with the scooter question.

 

[macraven]

garage opens early.
the line to park in the garage will be backed up if the parks open at 9 and you arrive at 8:30 to use the garage.
better to be early for the parking garage and wait in line until it opens then to be behind long lines of cars..

 

[adventurer1971]

Thanks for all of the replies. I'll definitely need to check to see which park opens early for the on site Universal Resort guests and go for the other park first. I think we'll shoot to get there by around 8am or so. I guess given that it'll be a weekday I should factor in Orlando rush hour traffic coming up the Interstate from Disney as well.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

One suggestion. I know it will mean a sizable financial outlay but for one day on August 5, I would do the fast pass option. As you are trying to do as many rides as possible, I would suggest the one ride option. Note that that Forbidden Journey, Hogswarts Express and Escape from Gringotts are not part of it but most other rides are.