Maximizing time at Universal-upcoming trip

[BOTL76]

Hello Friends,

My family and I will be vacationing in Orlando the first week of December.

It's been over 10 years since we went to Universal. We have purchased the 3 day get 5 day package (one park per day) and while we are staying offsite, we did receive the early entry for I of A and VB through our travel agent.

Looking for some expertise/feedback, any is appreciated!

I will go in order of our upcoming plans.

Saturday December 2nd.

• We will visit I of A, showing early entry for 8am
• We plan to stay the whole day until 7pm
• Where should we park and what time should we arrive to maximize rope drop?
• I am trying to avoid purchasing the Express Pass, can we get all the major rides done if we arrive at rope drop and stay until close?
• Hagrids or Velocicoaster for the first ride at rope drop?

Sunday December 3rd

• We will visit Universal Orlando, no early entry, park hours 9am to 7pm
• We plan to stay the whole day until 7pm
• Where should we park and what time should we arrive to maximize rope drop?
• Am I right in thinking we don't need Express Pass to enjoy all the rides/attractions?
• should we do the Harry Potter area first at rope drop?

Monday December 4th

• We will visit Volcano Bay, early entry 9:30am and open until 5pm
• Where should we park and what time should we arrive to maximize early entry/rope drop?
• What should we head to first after rope drop?

A bit more information there are 8 of us in our group, 6 of which will go on everything at any park and 2 of us who are more chaefuers, snack cart samplers, youngest is 10 years old and she goes on everything, so pretty much all adults in our group (one senior but doesn't need any mobility aids and walks around with more energy than me!)

Appreciate any feedback/recommendations, thanks!

 

[Skippyboo]

Universal has big parking garages at Citywalk where you can park for the parks, you go through security at Citywalk. You also park at the Citywalk garage for Volcano Bay and get a shuttle bus.

 

[AJA]

I would plan on arriving 1 hour before early entry (Parking is all the same garage areas) that way you can get parked and then through security and up to the lines for park entry.

The weekend will be crowded but it’s usually not too bad early in the morning. I would definitely go to the Harry Potter areas first each day. They really can get packed by the afternoon.

Do you only have one day in each park? Or are you coming back later in the week? (5 day tickets?).

If you are coming back later in the week you will definitely get everything done.

If you only have one weekend day per park then have everyone watch some YouTube videos to know exactly what the must do’s are and concentrate on those.

If the parks are really busy (and you only have one day) try to avoid eating lunch at the most popular times. If everyone is hungry try getting to the restaurants at 10:58 instead of 11:30am. Or wait until 2pm using the pretzel type food carts to hold you over.

 

[StageTek]

• Where should we park and what time should we arrive to maximize rope drop?

There is only one parking garage. It's a bit of a walk to get to Security and then through CityWalk. You should get to the IOA gate at least one hour before it opens to maximize rope drop.

• I am trying to avoid purchasing the Express Pass, can we get all the major rides done if we arrive at rope drop and stay until close?

Yes

• Hagrids or Velocicoaster for the first ride at rope drop?

A coin toss. Both will fill up fast. Velocicoaster is closer so people may go there first - so maybe Hagrids would be the better option.

Sunday December 3rd

• We will visit Universal Orlando, no early entry, park hours 9am to 7pm
• We plan to stay the whole day until 7pm
• Where should we park and what time should we arrive to maximize rope drop?

There is only one parking garage. It's a bit of a walk to get to Security and then through CityWalk. You should get to the USF gate at least one hour before it opens to maximize rope drop.

• Am I right in thinking we don't need Express Pass to enjoy all the rides/attractions?
• should we do the Harry Potter area first at rope drop?

Yes and yes.

You have five park days, correct?

 

[georgina]

Couple of random comments - IOA is listed as open until 8 PM on Dec 2. There is an after hours event (Orlando Informer meetup) that night, and people attending that can enter at 5 PM, so expect crowds to pick up then. I wouldn't try getting in line for Hagrid's near closing, they may cut the line off because of the event.

There are fun holiday things - a parade at UO, the Grinchmas show at IOA, wandering Whos in Seussland, I think there was a virtual queue to meet the Grinch last year, which I wasn't able to snag, but he is a very fun meet if you get the chance. There may be a Manheim steamroller concert Sunday night at UO, I haven't seen any announcement yet.

Not sure if it was clear - there is a separate area of the main parking garage they will direct you to to park near the Volcano Bay shuttles. Hope it is a warm weekend for you to enjoy!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

First thought without going too too far into is with 1 park per day you will be unable to ride Hogwarts Express. That goes between the two parks and requires a park-to-park ticket.

Just giving a heads up in case you didn't realize as that could be an unpleasant surprise once you got there to just only find out.

 

[BOTL76]

I would plan on arriving 1 hour before early entry (Parking is all the same garage areas) that way you can get parked and then through security and up to the lines for park entry.

The weekend will be crowded but it’s usually not too bad early in the morning. I would definitely go to the Harry Potter areas first each day. They really can get packed by the afternoon.

Do you only have one day in each park? Or are you coming back later in the week? (5 day tickets?).

If you are coming back later in the week you will definitely get everything done.

If you only have one weekend day per park then have everyone watch some YouTube videos to know exactly what the must do’s are and concentrate on those.

If the parks are really busy (and you only have one day) try to avoid eating lunch at the most popular times. If everyone is hungry try getting to the restaurants at 10:58 instead of 11:30am. Or wait until 2pm using the pretzel type food carts to hold you over.

Thank you AJA, appreciate the insight! Yes we have the 5 day tickets (one park per day), so we are going with doing all 3 from the Saturday to Monday, then have the Tuesday to Friday to decide how to spend the remaining 2 park tickets we have (most likely I of A and VB).

 

[BOTL76]

There is only one parking garage. It's a bit of a walk to get to Security and then through CityWalk. You should get to the IOA gate at least one hour before it opens to maximize rope drop.

Yes

A coin toss. Both will fill up fast. Velocicoaster is closer so people may go there first - so maybe Hagrids would be the better option.

There is only one parking garage. It's a bit of a walk to get to Security and then through CityWalk. You should get to the USF gate at least one hour before it opens to maximize rope drop.

Yes and yes.

You have five park days, correct?

Thank you StageTek for taking the time to go through my questions, greatly appreciated! Yes we will be doing one park per day, after doing the 3 in 3 days we have the Tuesday to Friday to decide how to use our remaining two. Most Likely I of A and VB. Thanks for the tip on Hagrids vs Velocicoaster!

 

[BOTL76]

Couple of random comments - IOA is listed as open until 8 PM on Dec 2. There is an after hours event (Orlando Informer meetup) that night, and people attending that can enter at 5 PM, so expect crowds to pick up then. I wouldn't try getting in line for Hagrid's near closing, they may cut the line off because of the event.

There are fun holiday things - a parade at UO, the Grinchmas show at IOA, wandering Whos in Seussland, I think there was a virtual queue to meet the Grinch last year, which I wasn't able to snag, but he is a very fun meet if you get the chance. There may be a Manheim steamroller concert Sunday night at UO, I haven't seen any announcement yet.

Not sure if it was clear - there is a separate area of the main parking garage they will direct you to to park near the Volcano Bay shuttles. Hope it is a warm weekend for you to enjoy!

This is great stuff, thank you Georgina! My wife loves those types of things you mentioned, this will help! Also thanks for the tip on IOA and the after hours event!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

I think you will find weekends much busier than weekdays, particularly Sat with the Orlando Informer Meetup that evening. Is there a reason you want to do VB on Mon & the main parks on weekends? VB in Dec is unlikely to be busy. Those weekdays should be fairly slow. I would therefore be inclined to do VB on Sun (really, VB on Sat would be best, but I probably would not be able to put off a "real" park on my first day).

If you are near-ish the front of rope drop & Hagrids is running, always Hagrids first. Velocicoaster just doesn't build & hold the long lines nearly as much.

 

[BOTL76]

I think you will find weekends much busier than weekdays, particularly Sat with the Orlando Informer Meetup that evening. Is there a reason you want to do VB on Mon & the main parks on weekends? VB in Dec is unlikely to be busy. Those weekdays should be fairly slow. I would therefore be inclined to do VB on Sun (really, VB on Sat would be best, but I probably would not be able to put off a "real" park on my first day).

If you are near-ish the front of rope drop & Hagrids is running, always Hagrids first. Velocicoaster just doesn't build & hold the long lines nearly as much.

Thank you CAPSLOCK! I appreciate the insight. Our first few days are aligned with other family members, so the first 3 days at each of the parks will be seeing family we haven't seen in about 5 years. So not much wiggle room there but looks like for our last 2 park picks (between the Tuesday and Friday) we should have a great time with lower crowds, definitely looking forward to that!

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

First thought without going too too far into is with 1 park per day you will be unable to ride Hogwarts Express. That goes between the two parks and requires a park-to-park ticket.

Just giving a heads up in case you didn't realize as that could be an unpleasant surprise once you got there to just only find out.

This. See if you can maybe upgrade one day to a park-to-park so you can ride the HE in each direction at least once.

 

[jimmymc]

After parking, everyone goes through the same security line, so no garage is closer to either park. Just go where you're directed.

At IOA, there is a strategy for ropedropping early entry. If you get to the park entrance about 30 minutes before early entry happens and the line isn't too bad, do Hagrid's. If you get there closer to early entry time and the line is already backed up beyond the ticket purchasing windows, do Velocicoaster first, because at that point the Hagrid's line is already an hour.

At Universal Studios, do Gringott's in Wizarding World first. A lot of people stop at the front of the park to ride Minions, so save that for later. Also if you'd like to do the Olivander's Experience, get that done early before the line forms.

At IOA, you should be able to do everything in one day if you really push it. It will be tough on a Saturday, and a few of the rides will have very long lines, but between early entry and having patience you can do it.

For Universal on a Sunday, you'll probably have to cut a few attractions or shows. You'll also probably want to spend time just walking around Diagon Alley. IMO this is still fine, you don't need to do every single thing, and getting on a few extra rides isn't worth the premium for express.

 

[BOTL76]

After parking, everyone goes through the same security line, so no garage is closer to either park. Just go where you're directed.

At IOA, there is a strategy for ropedropping early entry. If you get to the park entrance about 30 minutes before early entry happens and the line isn't too bad, do Hagrid's. If you get there closer to early entry time and the line is already backed up beyond the ticket purchasing windows, do Velocicoaster first, because at that point the Hagrid's line is already an hour.

At Universal Studios, do Gringott's in Wizarding World first. A lot of people stop at the front of the park to ride Minions, so save that for later. Also if you'd like to do the Olivander's Experience, get that done early before the line forms.

At IOA, you should be able to do everything in one day if you really push it. It will be tough on a Saturday, and a few of the rides will have very long lines, but between early entry and having patience you can do it.

For Universal on a Sunday, you'll probably have to cut a few attractions or shows. You'll also probably want to spend time just walking around Diagon Alley. IMO this is still fine, you don't need to do every single thing, and getting on a few extra rides isn't worth the premium for express.

appreciate this info! Any recommendations for what to do first for early entry at Volcano Bay? Thanks!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Either the drop slides or the water coaster.

 

[jimmymc]

appreciate this info! Any recommendations for what to do first for early entry at Volcano Bay? Thanks!

I haven't done Volcano Bay yet, but general advice would be get your first virtual queue time as soon as you're in the park.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

appreciate this info! Any recommendations for what to do first for early entry at Volcano Bay? Thanks!

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