First trip to Universal

[Danielle1971]

Hello all,

Does anyone plan their days? Or do you go with the flow? This is our first trip with the family! Our boys are 15 & 17! I'm arriving in a few weeks and getting excited and overwhelmed at the same time. Any suggestions would be helpful! Favorite restaurants? Quick service?

Thanks

 

[Robo56]

I don't plan my days. Just go with the flow. Here are some suggestions to make your visit easier.

Go to the Universal Orlando website and look at the maps of the parks. This will give you the lay of the land.

All restaurants are listed on their website with their menus. Check these out to help decide what you think your family will enjoy.

Make sure you have park to park tickets so you can ride the Hogwarts Express.

If you are staying onsite at RPR, HRH, PBH you will have the Unlimited Express Pass that is included in your stay which will make your line wait easier.

Make sure to put your sun screen on and drink plenty of fluids.

You can get a free cup of ice water anywhere they sell drinks.

Wear comfortable clothes and comfy walking shoes.

If you are staying onsite ride the water rides last before you head back the hotel for a rest as you will get good and wet on these rides. That's a nice perk of staying onsite.

Buy a ziplock lanyard of your favorite Hogwarts house or other characters for your tickets and Express pass if you are staying onsite. Face ticket in one window and Express Pass in the other. They are easy to scan.

My favorite places to eat Mytho's (full service) in IOA, Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade.

Springfield Fast Food Boulevard in Universal.

All these full service restaurants at CityWalk.... Toothesome Chocolate Emporium, Cowfish and NBC Sports Grill.

Don't be overwhelmed. Universal is very easy to get around in. If you think of anymore questions just ask someone will jump in and help.

You will love the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

You need to post your question under the first forum in Universal section (Universal Studios/ Islands of Adventure Forum) You will get lots of answers there. This forum is for pre- trip reports and post trip reports. Not everyone reads the trip reports. Just want you to get all the help you need.

Mac the Moderator could help you if needed with the move.

 

[Danielle1971]

I don't plan my days. Just go with the flow. Here are some suggestions to make your visit easier.

Go to the Universal Orlando website and look at the maps of the parks. This will give you the lay of the land.

All restaurants are listed on their website with their menus. Check these out to help decide what you think your family will enjoy.

Make sure you have park to park tickets so you can ride the Hogwarts Express.

If you are staying onsite at RPR, HRH, PBH you will have the Unlimited Express Pass that is included in your stay which will make your line wait easier.

Make sure to put your sun screen on and drink plenty of fluids.

You can get a free cup of ice water anywhere they sell drinks.

Wear comfortable clothes and comfy walking shoes.

If you are staying onsite ride the water rides last before you head back the hotel for a rest as you will get good and wet on these rides. That's a nice perk of staying onsite.

Buy a ziplock lanyard of your favorite Hogwarts house or other characters for your tickets and Express pass if you are staying onsite. Face ticket in one window and Express Pass in the other. They are easy to scan.

My favorite places to eat Mytho's (full service) in IOA, Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade.

Springfield Fast Food Boulevard in Universal.

All these full service restaurants at CityWalk.... Toothesome Chocolate Emporium, Cowfish and NBC Sports Grill.

Don't be overwhelmed. Universal is very easy to get around in. If you think of anymore questions just ask someone will jump in and help.

You will love the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

You need to post your question under the first forum in Universal section (Universal Studios/ Islands of Adventure Forum) You will get lots of answers there. This forum is for pre- trip reports and post trip reports. Not everyone reads the trip reports. Just want you to get all the help you need.

Mac the Moderator could help you if needed with the move.[/QUO

 

[Danielle1971]

Thank you for all this info! How do I have Mac the Moderator move my post?

 

[Robo56]

I will PM her for you and see if she can help.

 

[macraven]

and here you are Danielle1971

 

[PoohIsHome]

@Danielle1971 Universal is going to blow your mind!! Your family is going to have a blast and you'll go back home relaxed and actually feeling like you've had a vacation!

 

[Charade67]

I have a trip planned for December and it is very loosely planned. I'm planning specific restaurants for specific nights and planning to take advantage of early entry to Harry Potter. Otherwise, we are just going to wing it.

 

[Disney Ron]

I plan on drinking......a lot!

 

[bchbetha]

We followed our whims and the wait time app. I had a checklist of Harry Potter stuff I wanted to see too.

 

[macraven]

since this is your first darkside trip, take a look at a few of the trip reports to see how their dates were set up.
Lebeua family has pictures involved and is an easy read of how they did the parks in sections.

and of course the famous Miss Schumi has lots of pics and info of her days in her past trip reports.

 

[flortlebap]

Stay on site, and go with the flow.

Nice leisurely walk to the parks, usually after a call to Starbucks. Sometimes we stop and grab breakfast. We arrive when we arrive. Then we use our EPs to ride everything we want.

It's so nice compared to the hectic world of Disney!

 

[gotomu212]

Are you staying onsite? How long are you staying?

The planning is so minimal! We usually decide which park we'll start at for the day and go with the flow. There's a smudge more planning if you're offsite or only there for a day.

 

[bobbie68]

Hi I second going with the flow. I love Universal for that. The only thing I plan out is park days, which park in my case or EE since, I go in the summer months and usually both parks have it. I pick some restaurants ahead of time then fit them in as the days go on. The one thing we do is go to the Harry Potter sections on EE because we like walking around when there is less people. You could also do it later at night, however on this trip last week I found the nights closer to park closing crowded. You will love it!

 

[imprint]

I like to have a loose schedule (which park to start, some preplanned meals, wet ride days), but we go with the flow once the day starts. Weather often causes impromptu changes.

 

[Danielle1971]

Hi I second going with the flow. I love Universal for that. The only thing I plan out is park days, which park in my case or EE since, I go in the summer months and usually both parks have it. I pick some restaurants ahead of time then fit them in as the days go on. The one thing we do is go to the Harry Potter sections on EE because we like walking around when there is less people. You could also do it later at night, however on this trip last week I found the nights closer to park closing crowded. You will love it!

I'll be arriving August 23 and we don't have our days planned. We did plan for the Cinematic Spectactular w/dinner! We are there for the week & staying on property so we have those extra perks.

 

[bchbetha]

I'll be arriving August 23 and we don't have our days planned. We did plan for the Cinematic Spectactular w/dinner! We are there for the week & staying on property so we have those extra perks.

I don't know if it's your first trip but if it is, just know that it's super easy to get a spot for the show for free. I know some folks think it's a must bc it is at Disney to either reserve a meal or stake out a spot long ahead of time. But, that meal is pricey and there are better meals to be found. You can totally wing it on watching the show. Anyway, just a thought.

 

[Danielle1971]

I don't know if it's your first trip but if it is, just know that it's super easy to get a spot for the show for free. I know some folks think it's a must bc it is at Disney to either reserve a meal or stake out a spot long ahead of time. But, that meal is pricey and there are better meals to be found. You can totally wing it on watching the show. Anyway, just a thought.

Yes it is our first trip. I do have reservations for the dinner & show! Any other suggestions or restaurants to try would be great! I'm feeling so excited & overwhelmed!

 

[bchbetha]

Yes it is our first trip. I do have reservations for the dinner & show! Any other suggestions or restaurants to try would be great! I'm feeling so excited & overwhelmed!

Duh. I didn't scroll up to see that you were the OP. The thread started midway through on my screen.
I'd personally snack late afternoon, watch the show from Central Park then hit CityWalk for a later dinner.