Which Park Will take longer? IOA or US??

[ColleenS]

We are planning on spending one day each at IOA and US. We'd like to eat at City Walk one night, but would like to eat at Disney the other night.

We're going in June so we are expect a crowd. Not sure if we're getting express passes, it depends on the price.

Tentative plan for US following Unofficial Guide(will be modified for less backtracking)

1. Ride Mummy
2. Men in Black
3. Jaws
4. Earthquake
6 Shreck 4D
7. Twister
8. Animal Show
9. Make-up show
10. meet characters

What we want to see at IOA (not in any order)
1. Spiderman
2. Ripsaw Falls
3. Incredible Hulk
4. Popye Barge
5. Jurassic Park
6. Dueling Dragons (probably just one)
7. Cat in the Hat
8. Maybe one show -we're not overly interest in any of them.
9. Meet characters

So which should we plan on spending more time at? Are they both the same?

I anticipate longer waits for the roller coasters at IOA but also earthquake/twister since you need to wait for the next show.

Come one US/IOA experts, I need your opinions!

 

[tartangirl]

I think Universal will take longer as you will need to wait for the show times and the shows dont start until late morning.

If you arrive at about 8:30 you will get ahead of the crowds and you can do the major rides before the queues build up.

At IOA you can do Hulk, Spiderman & Duelling Dragons before the park gets busy and the water rides tend to be relatively quiet in the morning. If you're only doing the dragons once try and get the front row - it's a completely different experience when you can see what's happening (if you're brave enough to keep your eyes open).

At Universal if you do Shrek and then the Mummy the rest of the park remains quiet for a while although you may end up waiting for the shows, For the make up show try and get in the front row in the middle - it's our favourite show.

 

[patster734]

For us, Universal Studios takes longer because it has more shows: Beatlejuice, Fear Factor Live, Animal Actors, Horror Make-up Show, etc.

 

[ColleenS]

Thanks for the response. I was thinking US since it has more shows.

How long should we expect to be at IOA. Is it realistic to think we could be done by 4:00 or 5:00?

 

[Melisa1]

We usually seem to spend more time at US due to the shows...
I think you can see IOA in a day without a problem.

 

[tartangirl]

If you are there at opening you can easily be done by 4 or 5 unless you want to do the same rides several times. Especially if you only want to do one show. I would do the Sinbad show and try and get to the first show time which will probably be about 12ish.

You can keep ahead of the crowds until you get to Seuss landing so queues at One Fish, Two fish will be long and perhaps also at the Cat in the Hat.

I think you could be done at Universal by not far off that time as well if the show times are favourable.

 

[robvia]

You can be done with IOA by noon or 1pm if you are first to the gate. I tell everyone to arrive the parking garage at 07:45am, then walk to the gate, and get in line.

The attack plan for IOA is Hulk (front seat), Hulk (back seat), Spiderman, Dr. Doom, Deuling Dragons (front seat of each coaster), JPRA, Ripsaw Falls (you're soaked at this point), Popeye (now you're really soaked), kiddie stuff, meet characters, leave.

The herd of people shows up at 11am. On any day of the year, you can show up early and beat the crowd because they don't do a rope drop. The order you arrive the front gate is the order you are let into the park. This is the best advantage to showing up early and getting in line first.

At USF it's a little bit tuffer because some of the attractions have pre-shows. To see everything at USF you'll be there till 3 or 4pm, and even then you might not see all shows because there are 4 you could see. That's alot, because for each one, you have to show up 30 minutes before it starts, and then the show is about 30 minutes.

 

[kirbsam]

You can be done with IOA by noon or 1pm if you are first to the gate. I tell everyone to arrive the parking garage at 07:45am, then walk to the gate, and get in line.

The attack plan for IOA is Hulk (front seat), Hulk (back seat), Spiderman, Dr. Doom, Deuling Dragons (front seat of each coaster), JPRA, Ripsaw Falls (you're soaked at this point), Popeye (now you're really soaked), kiddie stuff, meet characters, leave.

The herd of people shows up at 11am. On any day of the year, you can show up early and beat the crowd because they don't do a rope drop. The order you arrive the front gate is the order you are let into the park. This is the best advantage to showing up early and getting in line first.

At USF it's a little bit tuffer because some of the attractions have pre-shows. To see everything at USF you'll be there till 3 or 4pm, and even then you might not see all shows because there are 4 you could see. That's alot, because for each one, you have to show up 30 minutes before it starts, and then the show is about 30 minutes.

i like your attack plan for ioa, now give me the attack plan for usf.

 

[robvia]

The attack plan for USF would be The Mummy, MIB, Jaws, ET, and then it doesn't matter where you go next. The rest are movie attractions or shows where you have to wait.

If you have kids, you'd probably hit Shrek or Jimmy Neutron first as you enter the park. In the past, Shrek was always first because it had a long wait, but now they've added the 2nd show building.

 

[macraven]

you have to calculate the down time for the shows.

get to the show area about 20 minutes in advance, wait in line.

have the pre show and then the show.

then the crowds when you leave the show.

you can count on one hour easily for beetlejuice review with all of that and animal planet.

for the sinbad and posiden adventure, an hour easily.

if the park has crowds and you go during the summer, you might need 30 minutes prior to be in line for the show before it opens up.


i always say be at the park at 8ish in the morning. many times the gates open when the lines are long for the entrance. there are rides available if you get in before 9 in the morning.