Help a n00b!

[jennytmitch]

My family is planning on a mid-July trip to Universal this year. I have been twice in the past 3 years. This is the first trip for all 5 of us. We are staying at RPR and I have an annual pass. The rest of the family has 5 day park-to-park passes. We have been to Disney four times so I am used to planning for that, but know Universal doesn't need all of that time. We are there for 8 nights and plan one day at Disney springs. Any advice or tips for making the most of our trip. I have been reading trip reports and this forum and have watched numerous YouTube videos for tips and tricks, but wonder how much things have changed with the pandemic and what other changes may occur before we travel. Can you still pool hop to HRH and PBH? Thanks in advance!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

That should be a great trip! If you haven't yet, download the Universal App for virtual queues and mobile ordering.

I believe pool hopping has been suspended for Covid.

 

[shawthorne44]

The good news is that you wait to plan anything else until maybe a week before you get there. The only thing you will have to plan is meal reservations and even then if they are still doing the social distancing thing. Pre-lockdown reservations weren't really required, and some places e.g. Toothsome didn't take them at all. Now, reservations are required but a day or two beforehand, the options are wide open. I suspect as people realize that there isn't a cancellation penalty people will start to make 5X the number of dining reservations than they use (like they used to do at Disney). Then you'll need to make reservations maybe a week beforehand.

You have the equivalent of a fast pass for every ride that allows it for every time period. Right now the rides that don't allow it is Hagrid's and Ptern. Flyers. The shows that don't allow it is Bourne and Olivanders. Assume Velicicoaster will be added to the list.

I've been limiting myself to the youtube videos from this year for the same reason.