Universal Studios Qs

[raiden]

Hi! Ive been checking the site for a year now but my first post. I am Disney fan. I have been taking trips to WDW almost every year. Never cared to much for the Universal Studios but this year I am forced to go(im such a traitor!). Is it possible to visit the two universal parks in one day? Or does each park need a day? Also, how does TPR people feel about US compared to WDW? BTW I will be going during the value season at disney!

[BarryH]

I don't like to recommend doing both Universal parks in one day, but it can be done. You'll have to miss a lot, though. I usually recommend 3 days for Universal (if this is your first visit): 1 for USF, 1 for IOA, and 1 to see your favorites or stuff you missed. Personally, I like Universal slightly more than Disney, but I don't feel a traitor if I visit one over the other. Heck, during my last trip, I went to the Pirates and Princesses Party at the Magic Kingdom, Discovery Cove, Crique de Soleli, Sea World, and Old Town. I didn't feel guilty or traitorous in visiting parks owned by different companies.

[raiden]

. I didn't feel guilty or traitorous in visiting parks owned by different companies.

 

Haha just a little joke because every time I take my girl to see my fam in Boyton I drag her to disney I have never been to US before. How is the CityWalk?

[WillMontu]

It depends on what you want to hit

 

Must see attractions at IOA:

Spiderman (The single rider line makes a difference)

Hulk

Dragons (make sure you get front row on Ice)

Jurassic Park

Ripsaw Falls (one of the better of the flume rides)

Popeye and Blutos (rapids ride, not Dan Friendly)

Flying Unicorn (gotta get the Roller Skater credit)

Cat-in-the-Hat

 

Must see attractions at USF

BTTF (Only hit it if you haven't done it before, as it's closing soon)

MIB (Be sure to check out the "sad and pathetic" line)

Mummy (Supposed to be better than the USH version)

Jaws

Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster (another Roller Skater credit. Try and hit this early in the day as the lines do get fairly long for it. You don't have to kidnap to get on this one)

Shrek (because it has a donkey)

 

If you're wanting to get credits, you may be able to get on the Flyers at IOA if you hit it within 30 minutes of opening. Otherwise, you may have to resort to kidnapping (though the low capacity of the ride results in long lines)

[Thrasher]

Like was said before, doing both parks in one day can be done, but only by people such as myself that have visted the park so many times, I have literally been on every attraction and can decide what I want to do each day I go.

 

For an out of town visitor, and especially a first timer, an appropriate time is two days. I reccomend visinting US first. There arent a lot of big thrills in this park, but the park is an even balance of thrills and milder attractions such as Shrek and Jimmy Neutron.

 

The second day, take your time walking around Islands of Adventure. Much of the park was designed by former Imagineers, and it shows in the level of detail and realism. The Dueling Dragons queue is a prime example of this.

 

As for CityWalk, there is one major point to get across. CityWalk was designed with an "over 21" only type of attitude, and it shows with the clubs and bars raised up above the main pathway to the parks. This place is great for shopping, and can easily be done on your way in and out of the parks. If you are traveling with an over 21 group, then you can take advantage of Free parking after 6pm to visit CityWalk, which is open on most nights until 2am.

 

Hoped I answered all of your questions. Feel free to drop me a PM if you have any further questions.

 

[EDIT: I agree 100% with all of WillMontu's ride suggestions.]

[alpengeist04]

I think WillMontu summed it up well, as to which attractions to hit. ...and I also agree that at least two days are needed. As for which parks I like better, without a doubt it's Universal Studios and IOA. IMO, Universal has the better water rides(Dudley & Popeye), dark ride (Spiderman), and of course the better coasters(ROTM, Hulk, DD).

[gmoney422]

In short, it seemed to me that Disney is geared for the younger 'kid' in all of us, and USF is geared for a little bit older 'kid' in all of us.

 

Also, I agree with 3 days being the ideal to see both parks for first timers, one day for each and then a third to kick both their asses!

 

 

G "please don't make me choose between WDW & USF" Money

[ginzo]

My only trip to the Universal resort was done in one marathon 12-hour session that included HHN. Based on this experience, I agree that one day isn't enough. You can do the highlights in a day, but you're going to miss a lot of stuff, which is an awful feeling. I didn't get to do Ripsaw falls. Though some people are fine with blowing through parks in a few hours.

 

I think most of the good stuff is in IOA. I don't like simulators or show type attractions much. Mummy is a definite do not miss attraction at the studios side. It's so much better than the lame Hollywood version.

 

You won't regret the trip to Universal, Disney boy Actually, I prefer Disney also, but that's just me.

[CK Media]

Have your family buy the tickets for the Florida resident discount.

 

I have to disagree with everyone else. I can totally see doing both parks in one day. Actually you can go to and fro. The only rides that I consider high traffic are Hulk, DD, BttF and RotM. In the morning you can "walk on" Hulk till about 2 hours after the park opens then it'll get to 10 min. and keep going up. Then DD is a walk on for about 3 hours because everyone's waiting for The Hulk. Also you can go through baby swap to get on easier. After that's over with I guess go counter clockwise around the park and finish what you want.

 

Then all you have to wait for is BttF (if it's open) and The Mummy. The first time I went on The Mummy I only waited like 50 minutes in regular line and like 30 in single rider. This was also during "Rock the Universe" so it was crowded. All the other rides are a decent wait and obviously the only rerides would be Mummy and some IoA rides.

[ginzo]

The only rides that I consider high traffic are Hulk, DD, BttF and RotM.

 

Spiderman had a pretty bad wait on the day I went, but I think it was an unusually busy day.

[WillMontu]

If you don't mind being labeled "sad and pathetic" by the ride operators, the single rider lines make a big difference for many of the rides.

[alpengeist04]

The single rider line for Spiderman is great. The last time I went back in 2004, the regular line was 90 mins and the single rider line was 20 mins. ...and that was 3 days after Christmas.

 

Oh and I agree, hit the Hulk early and then head to Dueling Dragons. I was able to get on DD seven times total before any big crowds came, and I waited for the front or back every time.

[Adam_C]

If you don't mind being labeled "sad and pathetic" by the ride operators, the single rider lines make a big difference for many of the rides.

If an operator called me that in a malicious way, Id make a complaint!

[DerekRx]

It's not easy, but you can do both parks in the same day. As I noted in my PTR from all of Orlando posted earlier today, we didn't have the days to do each park over 1 day, so we combined them into 1 day.

 

The best option would be to pick a day when the parks will be opened later than usual (like 8pm instead of 6pm). Grab Universal Express for IOA, as they have more rides there than at the Studios. Head to Universal Studios as soon as the park opens and hit up the majority of the rides, Mummy, Jaws, MiB, Woody Woodpecker, ET then move on to the more showlike rides such as Shrek, Jimmy Newtron, Twister, Earthquake, and Terminator. Each of the shows has a few preshows that really knock away at your actual ride time, Terminator in itself is like a 40 minute ride with the preshow.

 

Then head over to IOA by like 1-2pm and just Universal Express everything and you should be able to do it all, just once again, skip the shows like Sinbad and Poseidon's Fury for last, as they take up a good amount of time.

 

You don't really need Universal Express, but it's nice to have, and if you pick the right time to go, it won't cost you too much money for it (between 10 and 20 bucks, and worth the price!)

[BarryH]

^If you visit during busy periods, the Universal Express prices tend to be $40 for 1 day/1 park or $50 for 2 days/2 parks. You can find the Express prices here: http://www.universalorlando.com/tic_express.html

 

Also note that if you are staying onsite at a Universal hotel, you get unlimited Universal Express access with your room key. You can get 2 days of Express access for 1 night's hotel stay. The key is good from 7 am on the day of your check-in to midnight on the day of your check-out. You can check in early and leave your baggage with the bellhop if your room is not ready. I checked for Royal Pacific Resort rates in July. I found rooms from $200-$239 with AAA, AP, and Florida resident discounts. If you have 4 people in a room, it's around $50 a person. So if Express passes are $50 during that time, you paid for 1 day of the cost of Express with a 1 night onsite hotel stay and got a place to stay too!

[Gnome]

also note that Express passes alone are $40, and are a very useful item for the water rides as they tend to have the longest lines.