what time to leave WDW hotel to get to royal pacific for checkin and go to park?

[cmfitz14]

Hi, we will be at WDW for 9 nights in August. We planned to head to Universal for a 1 day visit in the middle of our WDW trip. After seeking suggestions here regarding tickets & prices (specifically 2 Park-park tickets with express pass), we have found it is actually cheaper to book a night stay to get the express pass for free (and early park privledges).
Assuming we do this, We originally planned to drive to Royal Pacific early in the morning, check in, get our passes and head to the park and probably not ever step foot in the room (unless there was a desperate need for a midday break). But now I’m starting to worry we’ll have to leave our WDW hotel (Polynesian) at a ridiculously early time... what time would you suggest leaving? We’ll be using Uber to get there. Would we have to leave the Poly prior to 630am to get checked in and to the park by 8am?
I just worry about my kids crashing hard early on if we start the day too early... and when you pay over $1000, you really want to avoid those situations if possible
My other thought was to actually stay the night at the universal hotel the night before, so we could wake up and go from to the universal parks the next day. The only issue... what do we do with our overnight bag? Once we check out of the room? Would the front desk hold it for us?
I still find this idea so crazy, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s saving us some money!

 

[macraven]

If you have older kids, this might work..
check into the hotel after midnight.

go straight to bed and up at 7:00 am.

grab breakfast and go to the park before 8:00
(Orchid Court Lounge in the lobby opens at 6:00 am.
Its a grab and go breakfast type of food - fruit, cereal, rolls, bagels, etc)

Yes, you can have bell services hold your belongings when you leave the hotel for the park.

It is a free service
Do not lose your claim ticket for them storing your belongings.
Take a picture of it for back up

Maybe it would be easier to check in and sleep there instead of an early start from the Poly at 6:30 to RPH
No crowds at the lobby desk to check in at midnight.
There can be more in line for early morning check in as many do book a throw away room and check in before 7:30 am

If your kids are littles, might be easier just to stay at the Poly and leave before 7:00 am for RPH
You can be in the park at 8am for early entry.

I'd flip a coin on which way to do this....

 

[bchbetha]

I love doing the park after arriving the night before vs rushing in the AM. Plan your day so you can actually enjoy your Universal Resort and maybe do dinner at CityWalk

 

[bumbershoot]

The only issue... what do we do with our overnight bag? Once we check out of the room? Would the front desk hold it for us?

Of course. Just like at Disney and almost any normal hotel and motel out there. That’s what bell services exists to do.

 

[pattyw]

I agree with staying at Universal the night before. No worry about traffic as you're already there. You'll have the entire day to enjoy the parks! They have a great pool so you may want to check in after dinner and enjoy a little down time before bed!

 

[rlduvall]

We have gone over to Universal numerous times to check in at the hotel prior to heading to parks for early admission. It has never taken me more than 25-30 minutes to get there - even as recent as last May - and then maybe at most 15 minutes to get checked in. That being said, even a slight fender bender on the highway could mess up any well made plans. Possibly, we've just been really lucky all those times.

 

[xuxa777]

Go the afternoon or night before, and stay at hotel, Universal on site hotels are a bit nicer than Disney. Get a two day pass (express passes are for both days when you stay on site), hit the park late afternoon/night, go to Diagon alley side, ride gringotts, check out the area then take train to Hogsmeade and ride FJ, see the Hogwarts lights at night, probably will be able to ride both Harry potter rides with very little wait with express passes that night. You will also ride a good bit of the others, lines are not as bad later in the day/night, eat somewhere at city walk. Parks close at 9.

Since you will already have ridden the Harry Potter rides you don't necessarily need to do rope drop the next morning. After doing rope drop once myself , with express passes it is not that critical. Only a couple rides are open in each park for early entry, and only one park is open for early entry.

With the express pass you will have plenty of time to ride everything else, perhaps a couple of times. Leave bags at the front desk, check out and Enjoy the day at universal and then head back when you feel like mostly likely later in the afternoon. Very low stress this way and you will be able to ride everything.

Also look into buying an annual pass for one person, that way you can get a significant discount for the hotel, it provides savings on merch and food also. It saved us some for our family.

 

[goofy4tink]

We've done this several times. We've taken the Mears shuttle, to the main bus area, and then walked to RPR to get checked in! We got picked up at our WDW resort at 7:15ish, and were at the park gate about an hour later. We now take Uber directly to the hotel. So, I would have Uber pick up around 7:00ish. That way you have plenty of time to get to the resort, get checked in and to the park. The early entry is nice but I really don't mind getting there a bit after it opens. Unless it's a really busy time of year, it's just not a big deal to get early entry...especially if you have two days there, with express pass!