Universal FAQ's

[britkate]

Thanks so much for that - the parade is a lot earlier than I had imagined and will make the whole thing a lot more doable. I was worried we wouldnt get to POR until 10-11pm!

[Metro West]

Originally Posted by britkate

Thanks so much for that - the parade is a lot earlier than I had imagined and will make the whole thing a lot more doable. I was worried we wouldnt get to POR until 10-11pm!

The latest concert I remember is starting at 9pm but they usually start any time between 8 and 9pm. The parade is before the concert so you shouldn't be getting back too terribly late.

[MMA524]

New to the DIS, and loving the information here. Thanks, everyone, especially the moderators.


I’m currently booking a split Disney/Universal stay for June 2012. We did Disney last summer, but are Universal newbies. Our plan is to stay onsite at Universal for four nights, then head to WDW. I want to share the results of my research and pose a few questions.


Working with a travel agent, I originally booked a package of four nights at the HRH and four 4-day park-to-park tickets. It was a good rate, basically equivalent in price to buying tickets online and getting the “Stay More Save More” promotion at HRH.


However, after reading the DIS some more, I came across a new scheme... buying one preferred annual pass in order to secure a discounted hotel room. Using the APH code at Loews website, I snagged a standard 2 Queens room for $174/$199. After taxes, it's roughly $200 less than the room rate we had booked as part of the package. The $200 savings means a Preferred Annual Pass ( currently $259.99 on Universal's website, roughly $100 over the 4-day ticket I originally planned to purchase ) will more than pay for itself. Any additional parking, food, or merchandise discounts will be gravy. Plus, once I've activated my annual pass, I will be able to purchase multi-day theme park tickets (at the park gates only) for the rest of my family at 15% off.


My question to the forum: Is there any advantage to purchasing Universal annual passes or multi-day tickets in advance online, or should I just wait until I arrive in Orlando and buy them at the Hard Rock’s lobby ticket desk?


Disney has me conditioned to want to prepay, to lock in prices before the next price increase. However, my research tells me to wait. I called the “Attraction Ticketing” dept directly, and was told that they sell real ( not vouchers ) APs that you can take right to the park turnstiles, as well as multi-day tickets for $20 off gate price. The helpful person I spoke to listened to my plan, and advised me to stop at ticketing first, buy my AP, and then check into the hotel.


Has anyone purchased their park tickets and/or annual passes at an onsite resort’s ticket desk? What was your experience?

[macraven]

Originally Posted by MMA524

My question to the forum: Is there any advantage to purchasing Universal annual passes or multi-day tickets in advance online, or should I just wait until I arrive in Orlando and buy them at the Hard Rock’s lobby ticket desk?

buy the ap in advance online.
activate it at guest services, the one outside of the park.

then buy the rest of the tickets for the family using the ap discount.


why wait in line at hrh when you can have the voucher in advance.

you process the voucher at guest services.

if there is a charge for mailing the ap voucher out, pick it up at the kiosk outside the park and then go to gs which is right by the kiosk.

[diskids2]

That's good to hear that the AP rates were out for June. I keep checking for July and nothing yet. Glad you worked it out.

[just2girls1]

I have a few questions and sure many more in the future...I appreciate any help!

We are planning a Disney trip in August 2012. I have booked the Disney trip, just waiting to hear about confirmation for Universal. We will be going from Disney to Universal and would like to either take a taxi or rent a car. Any suggestions, pros/cons? If we get a taxi we will have to get transportation back to MCO on the day of departure or a car rental and drop it at MCO.

I was looking at the dining plan for Universal. Anyone have any thoughts on that? I am not sure if it will be worth it. We will be at the parks 2 days and ages in our group range from 82 - 3. So I am not sure we will all last in the parks for the entire day. Especially noticed that the restaurants were limited to a few fast food type places.

This will be our first time at Universal so I am just trying to figure it all out.

Thanks

[moobear67]

Originally Posted by just2girls1

I have a few questions and sure many more in the future...I appreciate any help!

We are planning a Disney trip in August 2012. I have booked the Disney trip, just waiting to hear about confirmation for Universal. We will be going from Disney to Universal and would like to either take a taxi or rent a car. Any suggestions, pros/cons? If we get a taxi we will have to get transportation back to MCO on the day of departure or a car rental and drop it at MCO.

I was looking at the dining plan for Universal. Anyone have any thoughts on that? I am not sure if it will be worth it. We will be at the parks 2 days and ages in our group range from 82 - 3. So I am not sure we will all last in the parks for the entire day. Especially noticed that the restaurants were limited to a few fast food type places.

This will be our first time at Universal so I am just trying to figure it all out.

Thanks

Hi there fellow Marylander! We just returned from a trip to Disney and Universal. It was our first time at Universal as well. We rented a car at MCO for our 4 day trip. The total cost (including taxes and fees) was less than $100 for 4 days. We rented from Emerald, and it was really easy to do. (We reserved ahead of time). Pick up/drop off at MCO is easy, and may cost you less than a taxi. It was also nice to have a car to get around Disney, as we find it faster than using their buses, etc.

As for the Universal meal plan, I don't think it's worth it. We ate some of our food at the restaurants at City Walk, which is really easy to do as Universal, Islands of Adventure, and City Walk are not that big. It's very easy to walk around there. If you have AAA, many of the indoor restaurants/stores give a 10% AAA discount (as do some City Walk restaurants). IMO, the best food was at The Three Broomsticks!

We, too, are going back to Orlando in August, but will just be at Disney this time. I can't wait for August to get here!

[macraven]

Originally Posted by just2girls1

I have a few questions and sure many more in the future...I appreciate any help!

We are planning a Disney trip in August 2012. I have booked the Disney trip, just waiting to hear about confirmation for Universal. We will be going from Disney to Universal and would like to either take a taxi or rent a car. Any suggestions, pros/cons? If we get a taxi we will have to get transportation back to MCO on the day of departure or a car rental and drop it at MCO.

I was looking at the dining plan for Universal. Anyone have any thoughts on that? I am not sure if it will be worth it. We will be at the parks 2 days and ages in our group range from 82 - 3. So I am not sure we will all last in the parks for the entire day. Especially noticed that the restaurants were limited to a few fast food type places.

This will be our first time at Universal so I am just trying to figure it all out.

Thanks

are you staying onsite at the darkside or offsite?

with 6 in your family, i am assuming offsite so you don't have to book 2 rooms.

i don't know what van shuttles cost or if they are more than the regular taxi cars.

you could use a rental and get all 6 of your family in that car.
parking overnight at the darkside hotels will be $15 + tax.

you could drop the rental car off at mco.

skip the meal deal as you are staying for a short time and the MD takes time out of the park adventure.

you can check the meals on the UO website.
it might not appeal to your age range group.

[Frank700]

We are planning to visit both USF and IOA from October 13th thru 20th, 2012. What hours are both parks open during that time of year, including HHN?

[macraven]

Originally Posted by Frank700

We are planning to visit both USF and IOA from October 13th thru 20th, 2012. What hours are both parks open during that time of year, including HHN?

hhn closes at midnight on non peak nights.
2:00 am on peak nights.


the studios closes at 5:00 when hhn is going to be on.
usually it is 6:00 for closing in october.

ioa could be open until 7:00 on hhn nights.

[MiamiChick]

I'm a first time visitor to Universal & have a quick question that I have not been able to find the answer to. (& I even read all 20 pages on here...) Being thrill seekers from Ohio we have season passes to Kings Island & Cedar Point. DD-9 is just on that 'Is she 54" in these shoes or not' height right now. At KI & CP we can stop at our way into the park for an official measurement & she can get a wristband of her height so that she doesn't have to get measured for every ride or wait in a line only to be told at the end she isn't tall enough. Does Universal have something similiar to this?

Thanks in Advance!

[newdrama12]

Originally Posted by MiamiChick

I'm a first time visitor to Universal & have a quick question that I have not been able to find the answer to. (& I even read all 20 pages on here...) Being thrill seekers from Ohio we have season passes to Kings Island & Cedar Point. DD-9 is just on that 'Is she 54" in these shoes or not' height right now. At KI & CP we can stop at our way into the park for an official measurement & she can get a wristband of her height so that she doesn't have to get measured for every ride or wait in a line only to be told at the end she isn't tall enough. Does Universal have something similiar to this?

Thanks in Advance!

They do not. I wish that they did though.

[MiamiChick]

Oh well - guess we'll just resign ourselves to her being measured multiple times!

Thanks for the info.

[Metro West]

Originally Posted by newdrama12

They do not. I wish that they did though.

Yeah...it would certainly save time for the parties involved.

[mousegear]

I've read somewhere on Universal thread that you are not allowed to take your bags onto ride. I shouldn't have big bag but I'll have a small cross over messenger type bag. Is there lockers near by rides and if so how much is it to rent?

TIA