A couple questions, compared to Disney?

hdrolfe

DIS Veteran
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Hello :) My son (he'll be 9) and I are hoping to go to Universal in March. We normally are Disney people, and have been a few times now. I plan to stay onsite, hopefully at Royal Pacific or Hard Rock (is one better than the other? I understand we can pool hop so lack of water slide at RP may not be an issue, HR costs more but maybe it's worth it?).

The plan is to have either 4 day park to park tickets or season annual pass. We also intend to go to Seaworld and Aquatica for a day each. We'll be staying a week. He loves rides like Space Mountain and Primeval Whirl. I can do them once maybe, and usually leave the ride glad I didn't have too much to eat. I do enjoy Big Thunder and 7 Dwarfs though. We have been watching videos of the rides but it's hard to get a feel for what they are really like.

My questions are - is there somewhere on site to get some anti nausea meds? I am thinking my usual ginger gravol won't be enough and don't want to spoil things for him if I can't ride or get sick.

Is there as much walking as at Disney? When we go we tend to get 20 - 30K steps a day, depending on which park we are at. I already know I will need to up my walking game :) And hopefully lose a few pounds before we go, again, I don't want to spoil things if I don't fit on the seats. He is tall for his age and I have no worries he'll be tall enough for rides.

I don't see a quick service type breakfast (thinking bounty platter at Disney). We stayed at Yacht Club for a week and they also don't have one so I had ordered from Garden Grocer to have a quick cereal breakfast in the room. I don't mind packing a few of those little boxes of cereal in the suit case (makes room for all the stuff I'm sure he'll want to bring home). But can I get a decent size milk? Without having to Uber or walk too far. He isn't a big breakfast eater but I like my coffee and even a quick bite before we head out.

Do I need a lanyard or something? I'm used to Disney and the magic bands, or when we cruise I wear our passes on a lanyard but the cards are hole punched and I suspect with the RFID tech I can't do that. Will I also need to carry my credit cards or can I charge to the room? I'll have some cash on me as well. Luckily he is old enough I don't need to carry much else, phone to take pictures and our sunglasses/hats. I have carried water but it gets heavy, warm, and if I can get water at the park it's easier.

Sorry, this is longer than I though! thanks for any help or insight. We are looking forward to trying the new (to us) parks, if we enjoy it we'll probably do a split stay with Disney next time.
 
Hi there! You will get so much help with your questions here! I am no expert but i can tell you a few things i have experienced. We have only stayed at HRH as my son loves music. The hotel is beautiful and the boat or walking paths to get to and from the parks is a breeze compared to Disney transportation... you will LOVE that.

AS far as the nausea meds go, I am sure you could get them in the parks but i would just bring them with you. I picked up a contact lens case and it holds a few pills in each side, i just put it in my pocket with Excedrin so i have them if needed. There are a lot more motion type rides at Universal so you may find you need them.

USO/IOA is so much easier to navigate than Disney. A much more laid back pace.

We use a lanyard with a clear pouch attached to it. you can put your room key and express pass (priceless in my opinion) so that you don't have to pull it out each time you go on a ride, they can check it right through the pouch. It can also hold your ID,Cash and CC. I put my park ticket facing out on one side of the pouch and the express pass facing out on the other side with my other things in between. That is all i take into the park with me and it is so convenient. There are free lockers to store your phone/loose items on the rides that you are not allowed to take them on so no worries there.
 
Royal Pacific is beautiful and gets the same perks as HR so I would be inclined to save the money.

For coasters, Rip N Rock it and Hulk are more intense than any coaster at WDW. Everything else I would consider comparable to WDW intensity. Mummy is a coaster/dark ride but without big drops or inversions. If you easily get motion sickness, I would stay away from the Simpsons and maybe Transformers. The action on Transformers goes really fast and with the 3D it really hit my family hard.

Not sure about breakfast since we usually bring something and eat it in the room. There should be something along the way in Citywalk. Someone else will chime in on this.

Yes. Get a lanyard. They will need to scan the park ticket and the express pass so put them back to back so you do not need to take them out.

Since you will be staying onsite, take only what you absolutely need. On most of the rides you will not be allowed to bring anything on so you will need to use the free lockers if you have a bag.
 
Look into the trans-derm scop anti-nausea patch if the typical meds are not good enough for you to enjoy the rides you'd like. It worked great for my friend who doesn't find Dramamine and the like to be effective enough.
 


Yes, you will walk as much as a typical WDW vacation (even if everything being closer in proximity tricks your mind otherwise). The biggest difference is that it takes less time to get around than WDW (from park to park or back to hotels). But you still walk all day in the theme parks.
 
Just one suggestion that may or may not work for your individual family, but I took my son on a solo trip when he was 9. I usually don’t get motion sickness but with the express pass he would want to ride some rides over and over and over and I’d hit my limit. Almost every ride has child swap, but don’t let the name fool you. At UO you wait in line together and then right at, or almost right at, ride load the non-rider can peel off for the swap room. After the ride, the rider can pop in and meet the non-rider. After riding together my son was completely comfortable riding alone, and this way we were together and I made sure he got on, and then had a place to wait and we walked out together. This might be an option for plan b or c if you start to get queasy.
 
Thanks for all the help :)

I like the child swap idea, we have done that at Space Mountain, and Primeval Whirl when I'm done and he wants to go again. I do want to try the rides but he'll never get tired of them lol. Hopefully closing my eyes will help too if I need to. And some medication.

I'll look for some type of lanyard. I am guessing he'll want me to carry his as well as mine. I was going to get some sort of belt to carry my cellphone. Hopefully I can wear that for most rides. I was looking at getting the coke freestyle mugs but he doesn't like fizzy drinks any way, so I think maybe we'll stick with water (and a butterbeer or two).

Now to see if he's willing to start reading the Harry Potter books!
 


FYI- you can get free cups of ice water. Save some plastic and it's also nice not having to carry anything. :)
The lockers aren't that bad- don't worry.
 
The do sell Dramamine at the parks, but you probably want the Less-Drowsy Dramamine which is also called Bonine. Normal Dramamine is the same formulation as Gravol and if that makes you sleepy, the normal Dramamine will as well. Unfortunately, Bonine/Less Drowsy Dramamine is not sold in Canada. I'd check with your Dr. for the patch as well. Make sure if you get the patch that you start wearing it before you get there as it takes a bit of time to kick into action.
 
The do sell Dramamine at the parks, but you probably want the Less-Drowsy Dramamine which is also called Bonine. Normal Dramamine is the same formulation as Gravol and if that makes you sleepy, the normal Dramamine will as well. Unfortunately, Bonine/Less Drowsy Dramamine is not sold in Canada. I'd check with your Dr. for the patch as well. Make sure if you get the patch that you start wearing it before you get there as it takes a bit of time to kick into action.

Another vote for the patch here. Both my wife and I use them and thoroughly enjoy the parks!
 
Now to see if he's willing to start reading the Harry Potter books!

I never read Harry Potter, and I couldn't convince my kids to start reading the books on their own, so I have been reading the first one to them. It's taking a long time, but it's been fun. My kids are 10 and 7, and we stopped doing a bedtime story a few years ago.

ETA: we started reading it because we are going to Universal for the first time this November. Been to Disney many times, thanks for this thread!
 
I never read Harry Potter, and I couldn't convince my kids to start reading the books on their own, so I have been reading the first one to them. It's taking a long time, but it's been fun. My kids are 10 and 7, and we stopped doing a bedtime story a few years ago.

ETA: we started reading it because we are going to Universal for the first time this November. Been to Disney many times, thanks for this thread!

I loved the books :) and I was not in the age range they were aimed at lol. I will look for the first one or two and start there. If we plan to go in March that should give us some time.
 
After riding together my son was completely comfortable riding alone, and this way we were together and I made sure he got on, and then had a place to wait and we walked out together. This might be an option for plan b or c if you start to get queasy.

this non riding mama thinks this plan is fantastic as I get to wait in the AC but still see the queue!
 
Just to add a few points to the discussion - we love Hard Rock, but have converted to a Royal Pacific family - over 8 nights, the extra $500 ish dollars are well spent elsewhere. And we can pool hop to Hard Rock pool, which has an incredible atmosphere in the summer months. Also, we always take the boat from City Walk to Portofino to eat at Sal's for the best pizza in Universal! You really can't go wrong, and we appreciate the onsite hotels as much as the parks.

We absolutely adore the boat ride to/from Citywalk and Royal Pacific, never used it when we stayed at Hard Rock since it is so close.

The main roller coaster rides at UO are a bit more intense than WDW, but very doable. If he already like Space, then Mummy will be fine - and make sure he tries RRR and Hulk. Also, as far as true roller coasters go, Sea World is the best in the Orlando area. They are some legit coasters and super fun!

My kids have repeatedly told me if they had only one day in Orlando to do whatever they wanted, they would go to Aquatica. It really is a great park - and we have not found anything close to Roa's Rapids, could spend hours in there! The drop slides are very fast, as intense as the roller coasters.

Breakfast is very tricky at Universal, at least for us. There are many places to get a muffin/pastry and some milk, and there are wonderful breakfast buffets at the hotels. The in-between is tough for us. There is a Keurig in the rooms, so coffee is available free of charge. But what really gets my family, is they are drinkers. Not alcohol, but they want chocolate milk AND orange juice AND hot tea. So, when we order a reasonably priced hot breakfast and 2-3 drinks drinks, its just the same price as the buffets. $3-5 for milk and OJ each, so we have embraced the breakfast buffets and just pay the cost, because drinks are included and unlimited. If all you are looking for is some milk and essentially a continental breakfast - there are options at both Hard Rock (Emack and Bolios) and Royal (Orchid Court). There is also Starbucks, Cinnabon, Croissant Moon, Boulangerie, etc. at City Walk and the parks - and of course if you want a true comparison to Disney bounty platter - you can eat in the Harry Potter areas.

Enjoy your time and relish in the memories!
 
Is there as much walking as at Disney?

Everything is more compact, and there's definitely a lot of walking, but I'd say less than Disney. We always stay at Hard Rock or Royal Pacific and opt to walk to and from the resorts as well.

I don't see a quick service type breakfast (thinking bounty platter at Disney).

At Royal Pacific, they have Orchid Court lounge which is continental style. They have grab and go options, make your own waffle, toasters, etc. Hard Rock has Emack & Bolio's which is a store with grab & go options, pastries, bagels, etc. They are comparable. It's not as robust as the food courts at value and moderate level Disney resorts, but it always suits our needs. We will stop at Cinnabon or Starbucks on City Walk sometimes too. Inside the parks, both of the Potter restaurants have good, hearty breakfast options.

Do I need a lanyard or something?

I would also recommend it. Your express pass will need to be shown when entering the queue, and then it will be scanned about mid-way through the queue so you will want it handy. On rides with lockers, a lanyard is the only thing permitted on your person. Its good to have your EP in your lanyard in case you don't have any pockets to put it in, since your bags will be in the locker.
 
Try listening to the audiobooks together. They are extremely well done.
 
Hardcore Disney family here too who recently crossed over to Universal mainly due to Harry Potter books! (My kids 9 & 7 love them). We live 1 hr from Orlando and are annual pass to both, DVC, etc. I agree with what most have said:
Lanyard - yes bc you have to get the Express pass scanned each time you get in line. Hassle to take it in and out of wallet, etc. We got ours at Universal - lots to choose from (Minions, HP, etc)
Royal Pacific - this is our fav of the three where you get the Express pass. Can easily walk to parks. Portofino is really quaint but far out.
Walking - we find it much easier than Disney. Much more compact. Universal is apparently 108 acres and IOA 100 acres. EPCOT is 300 acres in comparison. Hotels are all nearby.
Breakfast - I do think Universal lacks in this department. Not as many quality choices. We have been winging it each time because we have not found a place we love for breakfast. There is a Starbucks near the Fast and Furious ride, fyi.

I will say that we have found Universal is a "later in the day" type of park than Disney. We usually got in around 9:30am (go various times of the year) and it seems until noon you can go on to anything easily. If you get there earlier you can get a lot done.

Hope this helps!
 
One other thing I’ll add is that on our last trip, our room key actually served as our express pass instead of having to print a separate pass upon check in. We carried the room keys in our lanyards, as we always have. We are seasonal pass holders so if I can answer any questions since you mentioned that you were considering that option, feel free to ask. I’ll try to help.
 
Walking wise, I always clock in anywhere between 25k - 30k steps on a given park day. We do a lot of park hopping and zig zagging throughout the days. Either way, I'd expect 20k+ each day in the parks.

As for Lanards, we always get waterproof sleeves like these: https://www.amazon.ca/Fushing-Water...=B01N9FCENU&psc=1&refRID=06QKSQT5T0EAKC2HGP8J

With them we have our hotel card facing one way (for Express Pass) and our ticket facing the other way (for park hopping) so it saves the hassle of taking those cards out, and with the waterproof case it saves you from the possibility of your park ticket getting wet (they are paper tickets) on any of the water rides we go on (that are guaranteed to get you wet)
 
Thanks everyone :) I'll pick up a waterproof lanyard sleeve for each of us. Based on cruise experience I know I'll end up carrying both. I have been looking at the rides, and getting kiddo to watch some ride videos. He says "no way!" to hulk and rip roarin something. But I suspect once we are there and he's warmed up he'll want to try them each at least once. He is looking forward to the Jurassic area, he was once very into dinosaurs (he is apparently too old for that now, at 8 lol).

I am planning to get the tickets where you pay for 2 and get 4 days, and possibly upgrade them to season pass when we get there. I would like to I guess try a day in the park before we decide to do that. Though for the price difference it does seem like it's well worth it. I understand since we are going in March that that limits me on any concert days, and those are likely to be on the weekend. We will probably plan on Seaworld one of those days, and stick to the park we can get in to one of them as well. I see that the "stay more, save more" discount is actually pretty good, and I was reading it's not that different from the annual pass rate. I really like that I don't have to pay the whole thing up front and can pay when we get there.

I also like the idea of being able to walk between park and hotel, we loved that at Yacht Club when we stayed there. Walking to and from Epcot was nice at the end of the night, though we took the boat a couple times just because he loves boats. Hopefully the pool will be great, even without a water slide, and we can pool hop to try another one if we want to any way. Plus we'll be going to Volcano Bay and Aquatica once each. I think going in March (and being Canadian) we will find the weather lovely. And hopefully there will be some other kids around the pool area he can make friends with.

I think I will bring some granola bars or packets of instant oatmeal so we can have a quick breakfast in the room. I think I can get a 1/2 gallon of milk at one of the shops, I think it was Cabana Bay or one of the others, that would be enough for us I think. We do love our bacon and eggs though so I suspect we'll be eating at the Harry Potter restaurants for breakfast once or twice. We enjoy getting the quick service dining plan at Disney because we can share meals, so I have been looking at it for Universal as well. I do like that I can get it one day at a time, as we are paying, so we can decide that day if it's worth it. I have an idea of how much meals will cost based on menus. I think he will enjoy the combos that come with a milk shake. Not sure about the Icee's. I suspect they are carbonated and he doesn't go for that. We'll see! I look forward to trying a butter beer (or two). I am not planning to make any reservations for dinner, hopefully we'll be able to eat at one or two sit down places when the mood strikes. Mostly we prefer quick service so I don't have to plan so much. Doing the character dining at Disney always made the planning so hard! Fitting the fast passes around it, and then we'd either not be hungry or starving. I look forward to a little more relaxed planning.

Thanks again! So much great help :)
 

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