Taking days away from WDW to go to Universal - help me minimize

[PeasandCarrots]

My husband really wants to go to Universal. While I don't mind, I hate taking day(s) away from WDW. I'd like to just go for 1 day but I'm not sure we could do/see everything at Universal without feeling rushed. Do we need at least 2 days? We do ride pretty much everything except super-soaking water rides. We are not HP fans, but do want to look around & ride the rides there too. We would plan to stay onsite to have the express pass.

 

[NeuroCindy]

How many shows do you want to watch? If you want to watch shows, I think it would take 2 days. If you're not into shows, if you're there from park open to close, I think you could do it in one day.

 

[PeasandCarrots]

How many shows do you want to watch? If you want to watch shows, I think it would take 2 days. If you're not into shows, if you're there from park open to close, I think you could do it in one day.

We aren't huge show people but we might watch 1 or 2. Hard to say. Definitely not a priority.

 

[ArwenMarie]

It can be done in one day especially if you are taking the water rides out. It might be a long day. Even if you don't get to every single thing, you will get to enough. Express Pass will help.

 

[NeuroCindy]

The best advice I could give to get it all done in one day, is to plan your day like you would at disney. Have a general order that you're going to do things in, know what you do and do not want to do, know what time the shows are that you might want to see, don't waste time when you get to the park trying to figure out what you want to do. If you don't want to plan like that, definitely take two days.

 

[Burnedout]

You can race through in one day with an express pass. My guys favorite show is the monster making show. Avoid sinbad....

 

[Mom2Stitch]

This is a question we wrestle with almost every trip. I am a HUGE Simpsons fan and would love to go see the Springfield they have set up. DH doesn't want to spend the time or money away from WDW. I'd also like to see the Harry Potter stuff. None of those things interest DH in the slightest.

We have a cruise planned for February and I'm going to try and persuade him to give me 2 days there afterwards, then we won't every have to go back to the Dark Side, lol.

 

[Skywise]

With a universal park hopper I was able to do about 70% of the rides in 1 day and that was from around noon-ish to 8pm I think. That included both Harry Potter rides and riding the Harry Potter train both directions. In order we did:
Spider-man
Jurassic Park
Hogwarts Castle ride (forget the name)
Train to universal Studios
Escape from Gringotts
Transformers
Terminator (show)
Simpsons
Train back to Islands of Adventure - the plan was to ride Popeye's barges but they closed at 7pm
Rides we missed but wanted to do:
Shrek 4D
Duelling Dragons coaster ride
Hulk rollercoaster

 

[PeasandCarrots]

With a universal park hopper I was able to do about 70% of the rides in 1 day and that was from around noon-ish to 8pm I think. That included both Harry Potter rides and riding the Harry Potter train both directions. In order we did:
Spider-man
Jurassic Park
Hogwarts Castle ride (forget the name)
Train to universal Studios
Escape from Gringotts
Transformers
Terminator (show)
Simpsons
Train back to Islands of Adventure - the plan was to ride Popeye's barges but they closed at 7pm
Rides we missed but wanted to do:
Shrek 4D
Duelling Dragons coaster ride
Hulk rollercoaster

Did you have an express pass?

 

[ArwenMarie]

I agree with a previous comment, have a very good touring plan! Come up with your list of must-dos and then I would ask the folks on the Universal board to help come up with the best order.

 

[Skywise]

Did you have an express pass?

No we didn't actually. I think that would've helped a little. Although Gringotts was down for about 30 minutes while we were there - most of the rest of the rides had pretty good wait times - Simpsons, Gringotts and Transformers were our longest wait times.

 

[inevitablyaustin]

Starting with Gringotts, we were able to ride pretty much every thing at both parks in a single day. We didn't even really plan the day out, but we hit every major attraction and ended the day around 6pm. I definitely recommend doing both parks in one day.

 

[BrianL]

When are you going? If it is off-season, go on a weekday and you can certainly do it in a day. You might be a little rushed and not get to everything, but you'd easily get most of the major stuff. If it's the height of summer, it may be a problem to get it all in one day.

 

[rwdavis2]

I would bite the bullet and spend 2 days at Universal. Stay a night (or 2) at the trip's start in one of their 3 hotels that offer free Express Pass that can be used the days you check in and out.

We finally started doing Universal with the kids and it became their favorite theme park. The best attractions are better than the best at WDW. They don't have the theming but it is worth a try.

 

[Parker Clan]

If you're not into HP & have the express pass you should be able to do it in one day. We love the HP lands so we spend a lot of time sauntering around. But if you just want to ride the rides you'll be good.
We love Universal, it's a must do before Disney every single summer

 

[Planogirl]

If you go for one day, you should try to be at the Harry Potter area that interests you the most first thing. Be sure to have a hopper pass because the Hogwarts Express is a ride itself and it's different coming and going. You should plan to just skip Despicable Me because it draws huge crowds very early.

Prioritize the rest. The Hulk and Spiderman get crowded so plan accordingly for them. Also map out where you plan to have lunch. I recommend somewhere in Citywalk or maybe Mythos or Confisco Grille in IOA.

Check out the Universal forum on this very site for advice and recommendations.

 

[matheke]

It depends when you are going. We did 2 days last year and they were night and day from each other. Day 1 was the Saturday after Thanksgiving and with the express pass we were able to get a lot done. We arrived at opening, entered IOA, did the Harry Potter stuff (Very well done and a can't miss even if you don't care for HP) and rode the train to US. Started at the back of the park and walked on to most everything until early afternoon. Minnions was 45 minutes with the express pass. Went back to IOA by train. Took almost an hour and express passed our way to the front of the park.

Day 2 was the Sunday after T-giving. the place was a ghost town. Still long wait at Minions and HP but everything else was walk on.

 

[bumbershoot]

We would plan to stay onsite to have the express pass.

Excellent. You're setting yourself up for a very nice visit. Doing it properly.

Sure you CAN speed through and do things once, but why would anyone want to when they have other options?

Our very first Orlando trip we did 4 days (two full, two partial, though the last day actually turned out to be just about a whole day) and we were yearning for more time there. We had to drag ourselves back to WDW property.

This is a question we wrestle with almost every trip. I am a HUGE Simpsons fan and would love to go see the Springfield they have set up. DH doesn't want to spend the time or money away from WDW. I'd also like to see the Harry Potter stuff. None of those things interest DH in the slightest.

If this were a situation I was in, I would get myself a rental car and have an AWESOME solo day at Universal. Why keep yourself from something you want to do, and why force him to do something he doesn't? Go separate ways for a day or so and get what you both want.