Which park first and why?

[missypie]

We will arrive on a Sunday evening, so our first park day will be a Monday. We'll have all day Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and half day on Thursday to tour the Universal Parks (and enjoy the resorts). Our party will be me (celebrating birthday number 5-0 on that Wednesday) and my DD12. She loves roller coasters and thrill rides.

Which park should we do first, and why?

 

[yaytezIOA]

Honestly, Monday and Tuesday next week.......it doesnt matter....but I'd say do IOA first. In my experience its the park that gets busy the fastest and stays that way.

 

[missypie]

Honestly, Monday and Tuesday next week.......it doesnt matter....but I'd say do IOA first. In my experience its the park that gets busy the fastest and stays that way.

It's not next week. It's in March...spring break crowds.

 

[yaytezIOA]

It's not next week. It's in March...spring break crowds.

Well you didnt say that now did you
Get there early early early....EARLY. You'll be fine.

 

[missypie]

I actually said "a Monday"....anyway, no problem arriving early. We're "30 minutes before rope drop" people at Disney...I assume that's early enough...

 

[yaytezIOA]

If the park opens at 9, be there at 8. On really busy days they tend to open the park at 8:30...at least thats what I've seen the last two times I've been in the past two months.

 

[missypie]

If the park opens at 9, be there at 8. On really busy days they tend to open the park at 8:30...at least thats what I've seen the last two times I've been in the past two months.

OKay. Even with FOTL?

 

[bubba's mom]

Missypie...are you staying onsite? Early is good, but not 'imperative' if staying onsite

We always do whatever park we are in the mood for. But, maybe this will help: IOA is mostly 'outdoor' stuff, while the Studios has more 'indoor' rides and queues. Some like IOA early to beat the heat and hit the Studios in the afternoon when it's hot out. Some like Studios early on (sets the 'mood' ).... they are both great parks and you'll figure out what your fav is!

 

[PlutoLuvr]

The weather, amount of time it takes for us to do each park and how tired we are, are our guiding influences.

IOA is not a great rainy day park -- Universal is better for rainy days, IMO.

IOA is a shorter park for us to get through. So, for instance, arrival day or a day where we need to get back to our hotel early generally ends up being a good IOA day (as long as it's not raining!).

Other things we think about:

Universal day = getting pretty toasted at Finnegans. This isn't a good day, say, for checking into a timeshare or hotel after downing three or four pints at lunch. Mythos & IOA is better for that

IOA is a park we get wet at, though. We're heading down this Saturday and we wanted a short park that we can enjoy from around 10 in the morning until we check into our timeshare at 4 (BMG at 8 that night - busy day!). I don't want to be soaking wet from the Popeye ride at IOA, having to sit in my car to drive over to the timeshare, plus having to check in with wet shorts. Can't do Universal that day because of the Finnegan's dilemma with pints; I seriously need to have my wits about me when checking in with the Westgate sharks. Hence we're doing MGM.

So weather, short/long park, degree of toastedness from tasty beverage consumption expected at either park, and the "wet short" factor are our biggest guides. Never mind tired

Have a blast!!!!

 

[Spidey7]

Staying on site you should be ok even at a peak time like Springbreak, although I'm assuming Springbreak isn't much worse than we I went last at peak time in July. With the fastpass/roomkeys makes it great, shouldn't have to wait more than 5-10 minutes if that.

I do IOA first mainly because I feel like it has the most magic to it, ambience and just the feel you have when you are there is much more "other" world type experience than the main park to me. Plus it has some of the best rides. I kind of think of IOA to Universal as MK is to Disney in a different kind of way.