Would love some planning advice.....

[PrincessDuck]

I accidentally posted this in the hotel forum, sorry.

We have been to Disney lots, but have only spent 1 day at Universal. We are planning a trip this December and I would love some advice. We will arrive the morning of Saturday December 9th. We have a room at Royal Pacific Resort for 2 nights and we have 3 day park to park tickets. My plan is to go into the parks the afternoon and evening of the 9th, early entry on Sunday the 10th and Monday the 11th. We will switch over to Disney the afternoon of Monday the 11th.

I don't even know where to start with Universal. It seems that you really don't need to do the planning like at Disney, but I would like some sort of game plan?

Thanks so much for any advice that you can give!
Daisy

 

[wagman67]

Well, I have some great news...it sounds like you have done all the 'planning' you need to for your Universal Trip:

2 nights at RPR...which include Express Passes all three days...check
3Day P2P Tickets...check

Done!

Okay, seriously, from this point, you just need to relax and take your time, taking in the sites...walk the parks at your leisure...ride the rides at your leisure (remember, you have Unlimited Express Passes)...head back to the room for a break, if needed (without feeling like you are missing the action).

If there is something you are particularly excited about, do that the first day...maybe a few times. You have really scheduled about about 2 full days in the parks, which gives you time to fit it all in without an issue.

Since you have Express Passes, you will be able to bypass the main line...but, that is also bypassing some interesting queue items...like Hogwarts Castle, or Gringott's...take some time to hit the main line, if wait times are low.

Enjoy.

 

[ForMyBoys]

I agree there is not as much planning needed as Disney. I did make reservations at Mythos for our stay. It was a nice and was glad I had a resi, but we went middle of July. We also ate at Cow Fish and did not need a reservation.

My boys are really into Harry Potter so getting there early to get wands was priority.

I read trip reports to sketch out what we wanted to do. I reviewed menus online to get an idea of where we would want to eat.

So you can do some loose planning but overall with express passes it’s much easier to go with the flow.

 

[imprint]

Spend some time on the USO website deciding which rides and shows you want to experience. Also that will give you a chance to get familiar with the map. With 2.5 days and express passes, you should be able to do everything you want. I like to have a loose plan each day (which park, rides, pool?, shows, meals, snacks), but play it by ear throughout the day.

 

[biochemgirl]

Universal with EP is amazing. However, there is more to discover than just rides! I'd get familiar with the shows and restaurants so you have a rough idea of what you want to see/do. Also, knowing the basic layout of the parks and what is nearby helps when you are ready for a break.

 

[nighttowll]

You don't need to plan Disney commando style, but a little research planning for the first trip isn't a bad idea.

1. I'd review the restaurants, just so you know your options. However, you don't need reservations.
2. Look into any special seasonal entertainment that may be going on, so you don't miss something.
3. Make a list of must do attractions, again, so you don't end up missing something.
4. Take note of rides that may be too intense (coasters, spinning, heights, drops), too scary (dark, fire, impending doom, aliens, bad guys), cause motion sickness, or have height requirements.
   1. Unlike Disney where most rides are made for mom, dad, grandma, and the baby to all ride together, Uni has many rides that aren't suitable for everyone.
   2. Better to figure out this isn't the ride for you before it makes you sick or traumatizes your child.
5. If HP is a big part of the trip, know what all there is available to do there. Like sending owl mail (you'll need to bring a stamp for this) or casting spells (you'll need a wand). There are lots of fun Easter eggs hidden throughout the HP sections. You can find some good lists on this forum.
6. Decide if you want to bother going through any of the standby queues.
   1. Some have fun immersive theming that sets up the ride storyline.
   2. Some people really enjoy the queues, and try to fit them in. Others don't care.
   3. If you are interested, you'll want to plan to do those first thing in the morning before lines form.

The only other advice I have is I wouldn't head toward HP your first day. It will be packed wall to wall people by the afternoon. It might be worth a try late in the evening, depending on when the park closes. Best plan would be to visit HP during resort early entry when crowds are much more manageable.

Besides doing the resort early entry for HP and then trying to hit any regular queues you want to experience next, you can really just go wherever you want. Both parks are pretty much "circles", so we usually just make a loop around.

Our plans usually look like this:

1. Starbucks stop
2. HP early entry
3. Non EP queues we want to do
4. Any other ride along the way
5. Early lunch
6. Afternoon break (pool, nap, movie)
7. Return to park, pick a section we haven't hit yet
8. Dinner in Citywalk
9. Bed

 

[wookiebeck]

Over at IOA, there are a hand full of water rides that you will get wet on. The weather in Dec. can leave you out in the cold, but the actual rides are so much fun! So for your arrival day in the afternoon, you might want to focus on those rides, then head right back to RPR to dry off.

Now it is early evening, you have the time to get your bearings, explore City Walk and eat dinner at a place of your choosing. Lastly, get ready to be up early the next day. If that was your travel day, you might want to hit the hay.