Which day for unlimited express..and hogwarts nighttime question...

[ItsNotMuchofaTail]

My 15 year old Potterhead and I are going to Universal and WDW in July (I know, yuck, but I am a teacher, that's when I can go). We are staying at Cabana Bay so we need to purchase the express pass. I have done the math, its cheaper to stay at CBBR and buy the unlimited express pass, plus my DD loves that resort. So we are staying 7/24-7/27 and doing 2 park to park days. We really only do the HP stuff, we aren't into thrill rides, but we do ride the HP ones. Which day would you do the unlimited express pass? I know its personal preference, but we can't decide if we should ride until we drop the first day or the second day. Whichever day we don't have the pass, we will walk around and enjoy the atmosphere and cast spells with the interactive wand she already has from last time, and possibly wait once in the regular line for the rides she loves. I assume buying the pass both days will be cost prohibitive, so I haven't really considered that option. Last time, I think we rode Gringotts 4-5 times each day, lol. But we had the passes for every day, this time we are doing WDW too, so that isn't happening.

I also can't seem to find information on when they do the nighttime Hogwarts projection show. I would like to do that on our second day as then we can just sleep in and check out. But is it every day? The website says "select days."

Any suggestions or ideas?

 

[bumbershoot]

I assume buying the pass both days will be cost prohibitive, so I haven't really considered that option.

I have done the math, its cheaper to stay at CBBR and buy the unlimited express pass

So....I just want to make sure you’ve done all of the math.

Staying deluxe gives you unlimited express pass from the moment you check in (assuming parks are open) until the time the parks close the day of check out.

Doing the math for deluxe vs non-deluxe means comparing apples to apples IMO.

Now if it’s a total dollar amount (current price to stay deluxe), that’s a different thing.

But if the relative amounts are important, look at deluxe plus park to park tickets vs non-deluxe plus park to park tickets plus unlimited EO for the whole time (or even just the two days).


And assuming you’re booking directly and as a room only, the prices can change. I just looked at my history booking August 2016 and I changed my booking multiple times as the prices came down very close to the stay. So keep yourself flexible if possible.

 

[mjhtvchick]

I think the choice of which day to get the EP is really a personal choice - which do you prefer? - the rides or the atmosphere, etc.? We would probably lean towards having the EP on our first day and then relax, catch anything we missed, etc. on the second day.

With regard to the Nighttime Lights at Hogwarts Castle schedule, they haven't released it that far out yet, but this is the page you would want to check as you get closer to your trip - https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/plan-your-visit/hours-information/show-times/index.html

 

[macraven]

If I was going two full days in the parks, I would do potter at a slow pace for at least half of the day
Rest of that first day do things in rest of the parks

Second day I would use the purchased ep