Which parks to Rope Drop for a 2 park/1 day plan

[wareagle57]

Hi all. I've been racking my brain trying to decide on a plan of attack for our 1 day 2 park trip in 9 days. (Sat March 2) It will be 6 guys, late 20ish in good shape, so we don't mind park hopping or doing things out of order to save time. I'd like to knock out as much in the first 2 hours as possible so we don't have to worry about the crowds and massive waits that I'm sure we will meet that afternoon. We'll have Early Entry to do Gringotts and Olivander's, but from there I feel like I have 3 options and I don't know which is best.

1. Stay put in DA and line up for the HE around 8:40 - Riding the HE in this direction is a must do for the day and wait times never seem to be below 30 minutes on a Saturday so I think this might be a good idea. We'd then skip FJ (because if we are going to wait in a queue, this is one we definitely won't mind waiting in later) and head to either Kong or Hulk, probably Kong and hope the wait times there haven't built yet. Hope to do Kong, Hulk, and SM by 10:30, then head back to Hogsmeade to do FJ and lunch at 11:30. Then do the water rides and head back to USF after exploring Hogsmeade as much as we want. Maybe checking out one of the shows. Goal would be to be back in USF by around 2pm. That should leave us time for Mummy, RRR, MIB, FatF, Fallon, and maybe end the day at ET if the lines never drop. We'll also probably check out the Mardi Gras parade.

2. This one would be pretty much the same as #1, but instead of being at the mercy of the HE, we'd instead head out of USF around 8:30 to line up for rope drop at Islands, which I would think would give us a bit more of a drop on those rides. We'd probably start with Hulk in this plan. Rest of the plan would be the same, except we'd have to find time in the afternoon to ride the HE, only to take it right back.

3. This one probably makes the most sense, but I like it the least. Since we are already in USF, stay put and rope drop everything there. Enjoy DA until 8:50 or so and head over to RRR at rope drop and then Mummy. Then we could hit ET when it opens around 10 and do MIB several times. Then take the HE (I can only imagine what the wait might be like at this time) and start our plan from #1 in reverse. Lunch at 11:30, water rides, Kong, Hulk, SM. I'm just imagining having to wait an hour for all 3 of those by then. So that maybe puts us at 4-5. Still not bad. Plenty of time for re-rides in single rider and to head back to USF, which closes latest so that is where we will end the day reguardless.

The reason I don't love this plan, is that RRR, Mummy and MIB are the only must do rides of USF (and MIB we'll just use SR after the first time), and I feel like the wait for them will be considerably less than what we'll find at Islands. And waiting an hour for Hulk is no fun. Much better queues to be stuck in.

I've also considered a hybrid #2 and #3 where we do just RRR before walking over to Islands, but I don't think that gains us all that much, and risks being put behind the crowds at Islands I think.

So what are your thoughts? Which plan would you vote for in our situation?

 

[Disxuni]

If you feel that passionately about not being stuck in the Hulk queue, I suggest one. Also, suggest that if you had to pick between Hulk, or Kong first once (when you get over to the other side), I'd do Kong, since you're already on that side of IoA and no offense, but Kong is disappointing to me compared to Hulk, so I'd rather not wait that long for Kong, and then maybe wait a little longer for Hulk. Also, if you do not take your time walking over to that side after Kong, it shouldn't be too long of a wait.

While as you said, you can easily do three and achieve a lot quickly for three, which I've done something similar to that several times on my solo trips, you'll be waiting for all your other rides that you want later and more than likely waiting a longer wait time as you stated.

Also, the bonus with your number one, is that it's best to get a glimpse of Hogsmeade first thing in the morning anyway. As Hogsmeade gets crowded a lot faster in the morning than DA, since Hogsmeade is more narrow. Where as DA first entry point is narrow too, but there's a lot more shops, Knockturn Alley, and other directions you can go, which you do not have in Hogsmeade. By the time you get on the HE (the time you estimated) and get to the other side of IoA there will either be no one, or barely anyone in Hogsmeade.

Also, I do not know if you care about the big show they have at the end of the night, or not, but if not, a general tip I give to people is what whatever ride that might have had an obscene wait time you weren't willing to wait for, you get on that ride during the show at night since a lot of people will be watching the show, or already leaving the park to beat the crowd.

 

[wareagle57]

If you feel that passionately about not being stuck in the Hulk queue, I suggest one. Also, suggest that if you had to pick between Hulk, or Kong first once (when you get over to the other side), I'd do Kong, since you're already on that side of IoA and no offense, but Kong is disappointing to me compared to Hulk, so I'd rather not wait that long for Kong, and then maybe wait a little longer for Hulk. Also, if you do not take your time walking over to that side after Kong, it shouldn't be too long of a wait.

While as you said, you can easily do three and achieve a lot quickly for three, which I've done something similar to that several times on my solo trips, you'll be waiting for all your other rides that you want later and more than likely waiting a longer wait time as you stated.

Also, the bonus with your number one, is that it's best to get a glimpse of Hogsmeade first thing in the morning anyway. As Hogsmeade gets crowded a lot faster in the morning than DA, since Hogsmeade is more narrow. Where as DA first entry point is narrow too, but there's a lot more shops, Knockturn Alley, and other directions you can go, which you do not have in Hogsmeade. By the time you get on the HE (the time you estimated) and get to the other side of IoA there will either be no one, or barely anyone in Hogsmeade.

Also, I do not know if you care about the big show they have at the end of the night, or not, but if not, a general tip I give to people is what whatever ride that might have had an obscene wait time you weren't willing to wait for, you get on that ride during the show at night since a lot of people will be watching the show, or already leaving the park to beat the crowd.

Thanks for the input. This is the one in my gut I felt was best. Sounds like a winner and I need to just quit second guessing myself.

I've never ridden Kong and I realize a lot of people do not like it, but others seem to love it. But I have heard that the queue is at least impressive, and better than all the switchbacks and nothing to look at in Hulk. Plus as you said, we'll get there first.

I've never seen the nighttime show and I'm interested in it, but would probably rather get in another ride on RRR or something we missed. I haven't been able to find any information on if it's even running right now or if so, what time.

 

[TommyJK]

One other point to make is that rides like RRR, Hulk, Mummy etc. have single rider lines that could be shorter later in the day, whereas Kong does not, and will get busy (and stay busy) after the first hour of the day. So if Kong is a priority at some point in time, I'd pick a plan that knocks Kong off the list early.

 

[Disxuni]

For the IoA (Hogwarts Castle), it states from Dusk to Park Close, for the Universal show, it's between 7 to 8, depending on the day.

When it gets closer to the time you want to go, you can just check on their website:
https://www.universalorlando.com/we...ormation/show-times/index.html#show-times-usf

I believe I was disappointed in Kong due to the amount of hype over the ride. The queue is interesting and the AA in the ride impressive, even though it's brief. If you want a good look, when it comes time to seating, I suggest ask one of the back rows, whichever row has no one seated in yet, so you can be the first to go into that row. That way you have plenty time to look. If you're sitting in the middle of the row that's fine too, but you definitely want to be in a back row so you can take it all in. This is the one ride that you do not want to be in front row for.

 

[wareagle57]

One other point to make is that rides like RRR, Hulk, Mummy etc. have single rider lines that could be shorter later in the day, whereas Kong does not, and will get busy (and stay busy) after the first hour of the day. So if Kong is a priority at some point in time, I'd pick a plan that knocks Kong off the list early.

I thought Kong had SR. The Universal App shows that it does anyway.

For the IoA (Hogwarts Castle), it states from Dusk to Park Close, for the Universal show, it's between 7 to 8, depending on the day.

When it gets closer to the time you want to go, you can just check on their website:
https://www.universalorlando.com/we...ormation/show-times/index.html#show-times-usf

Thanks. I wasn't aware they had anything on the Castle other than Christmas. Looks like for the Universal show, they aren't showing it on Saturdays right now. I assume due to the concerts.

 

[TommyJK]

I thought Kong had SR. The Universal App shows that it does anyway.

When I go here: https://www.universalorlando.com/we...ons&attraction_interest=&attraction_location=

And then under "Accessibility Options" filter for Single rider, Kong does not come up.