Just back from a spilt stay Universal/Disney..... here's what I learned.

[Sparkly]

I worry sometimes that some of Disney's nonsense lately might push some people to spend more time at Universal. I'm sure that would make Universal happy but could affect us at least for a while.

I don't think so. Disney is Disney, that's what most tourists are here to see. People are always going to want to take their kids.

But, Disney's crowds increase, people think "Hey, what about Universal? Is it any good? I hear they have Harry Potter" and bing bang bosh, it gets packed out too because people in Orlando from a long way away want to see everything and every attraction. So no, it's not Disney's decisions that are pushing people towards Universal, it's simply that people decide to take a visit as well as Disney.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

I don't think so. Disney is Disney, that's what most tourists are here to see. People are always going to want to take their kids.

This isn't our experience.

When people I know ask about Orlando these days, they tell me they want to see HP and US most of all. The talk used to be of WDW, but not so much right now.

Though I am not naïve, some of the will probably reverse as WDW opens more attractions. For now, HP is exciting and new.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Anyone who thinks express pass means "walk on" or even "front of the line" has a serious misunderstanding of it. It just means a different line than standby and it's almost always shorter.

Our first trip we did Hippogriff 14 times in a row with EP. It was literally freezing so there weren't many there. Standby was 5 min. EP was 2. Basically the time it to to walk through the line.

Most of us on the Uni boards are very careful to NEVER call it "fotl" because that's not the intent of it.

Our first trip was 4 days and we were yearning for more. Our longest was 8 nights and we have to do that again bc ds and I had gotten supersick at WDW and we were still sleeping most of the day and recovering. Thankfully we were Club level at portofino and that fed me and Ds because our stomachs were just not hungry. And they let me take cups of wine back to the room at the wine/beer time.

I truly cannot imagine wanting to do Uni in one day. We keep APs there so sometimes we will drop in between a cruise and a flight home but that's hardly a proper visit.



The question to ask is "how long was standby?" It was almost certainly much much longer.



You and I have nearly opposite views of what a good ride is.



As far as I know, when WDW changed from GAC to DAS they ended up with a system very similar to what Uni has had and still has. I'm confused by your post, therefore.



I have never zipped through minions with EP. And I haven't yet gone at a very busy time. Minions has a lot of wait and watch the show moments and everyone goes through them. So there's really no zipping. And I haven't even zipped through the non show part of the line. Fwiw.



Fwiw that's not a normal experience.



Try it once more with EP. Any ride feels cruddy when you wait ages for it.

Ds loved small world in Anaheim until he waited more than an hour in the line at MK. Since then he has such a bad memory of the whole experience he can't separate it out from the wait.



$400 for RPR is either a fancy room or a busy busy time. I wouldn't pay that at all. No hotel is worth that. When you pay less for it you might see how much better it is than a mod at WDW.

Well, realistically speaking, you can't "zip" through because it's a show that has to load. What I meant is that we stood there or inched forward while EP people walked up and went in. None of them had to wait nearly as long as we did, just what is normal for a load, show, get off and reload. Compared to our barely moving line, they did have an advantage with EP

 

[melana]

This isn't our experience.

When people I know ask about Orlando these days, they tell me they want to see HP and US most of all. The talk used to be of WDW, but not so much right now.

Though I am not naïve, some of the will probably reverse as WDW opens more attractions. For now, HP is exciting and new.

I was talking to my niece yesterday to see if she wanted to do Disney next year. I was a little shocked that she said she enjoyed her 1 day at US last October a little more than the 5 days at Disney. She actually said we could just go and stay at Cabana Bay again and do more US the next time and maybe go to Disney a day or two. Again shocked..but she loved the Pools at CB and she liked the theming of the rooms there better than any of the places we have stayed at WDW.

And she absolutley loved HP!! So did I though. But I was a little sad when she said that we could just do Disney a day or two. Thank goodness I have a solo trip planned in December to get my fix.

She said all her friends that are going are doing the same thing when their families go to Orlando.

 

[stacyp9]

We were at Universal last Tuesday. Same time of year as you. It was typical Universal crowds, busy but not OMG we picked the wrong day crazy. We easily did both parks in a single day via fast pass, doing multiple coasters and other things multiple times as well. We also arrived later (11am).

Fast pass lines we have always found to be 15 minutes or less. The one exception is RipSaw Falls. That one can be longer on hot days when people want water rides because of the way they merge the its lines.

We rent a house and buy express tickets+both parks single day which are not cheap and have always found them to be definitely worth it. The ability to go on rides over and over again at will is really nice. We also were able to walk right on Escape from Gringots by using the single line which was awesome! We are not a rush around family, we meander and stroll and then walk on the rides. At this pace, both parks still easy with express pass.

I agree with you OP the overall mood at Universal always seems to be way more relaxed than at Disney. I think it is due to a couple of things.
1. Space to chill. Universal seems to have many more places to chill. Lawns to sit on to listen to the bands, benches etc.
2. Less strollers. Way less strollers.
3. The tunes throughout the park are generally chill.
4. Universal sells booze.
5. Easy covered parking with moving walkways!
6. Many rides that shake up your brain. Its hard to be stressed when you can't focus your eyeballs.

 

[stacyp9]

I was talking to my niece yesterday to see if she wanted to do Disney next year. I was a little shocked that she said she enjoyed her 1 day at US last October a little more than the 5 days at Disney. She actually said we could just go and stay at Cabana Bay again and do more US the next time and maybe go to Disney a day or two. Again shocked..but she loved the Pools at CB and she liked the theming of the rooms there better than any of the places we have stayed at WDW.

And she absolutley loved HP!! So did I though. But I was a little sad when she said that we could just do Disney a day or two. Thank goodness I have a solo trip planned in December to get my fix.

She said all her friends that are going are doing the same thing when their families go to Orlando.

My kids did the same. After the second trip to Disney they said they were done for awhile. They just want Universal for a day plus Discovery Cover/Seaworld/Bush Gardens package. This year I finally got them back to AK and they were kind of meh about the whole day.

 

[wdw4rfam]

Thank you I can't wait in line due to my health conditions and last time I went to universal they did not have anything like a DAS card. So this I don't think would work for me.

Universal has a DAS. We've used it on our last 3 trips. We go in September, so I think the longest we waited was 5 minutes.

 

[macraven]

It is called a GAP
Guest assistance pass

It has been available for many years
Guest services handles the card

 

[PrincessP]

Planning our first ever US trip for next (early) June. Can Express Passes be purchased the day of your park visit? We just found out a spouse of a coworker can get us free tix, but we would probably need to purchase EPs.

Do they normally "sell out" so they are not available "day of?" Or would we likely be able to purchase them on site the day we visit!

Thus thread has been very helpful as I start my research for enjoying US for the first time! Thank you.

 

[macraven]

look and see what prices are going for now in June.
it might give you an idea of what to expect for next year when you go.

on the ep chart site, you will see ep prices based on the dates you need.
each park will have a different cost.

and the choice to buy a 2 park same day ep is cheaper if you plan to do both parks on one day.


there are a few rides that do not have express lines.

quite a few rides have single rider lines besides the regular lines.

ep can be bought in advance but do note that they are non refundable.
if it pours rain on the day you are going and already bought the ep, you won't need them.
the park tends to clear out when it rains.
many take shelter in the shops in the park until it stops.

ep are usually cheaper when bought far out from the date.
if the park is crowded when you are there, the ep prices will rise.

prices can rise but are not lowered for ep.

its a gamble to buy them far out but sometimes it is best to wait until you are in the park to buy them.
buying them they date you are there is easy to do.
the shops and guest service will sell them.
the probably would not sell out in June.

if you go on a weekend, you tend to have more crowds especially if it is a nice day.
more locals come to the parks when the weather is good.

if i were to buy the ep, i would wait until a few days out so i could check weather forecasts.

 

[geenerbell]

Planning our first ever US trip for next (early) June. Can Express Passes be purchased the day of your park visit? We just found out a spouse of a coworker can get us free tix, but we would probably need to purchase EPs.

Do they normally "sell out" so they are not available "day of?" Or would we likely be able to purchase them on site the day we visit!

Thus thread has been very helpful as I start my research for enjoying US for the first time! Thank you.

Yes you can purchase the day of your visit.

 

[Accident]

I have not done universal yet. My friends rave about it.

Once you do that day trip the first time, it becomes easier to see why staying there makes a lot of sense and worth some of your days. that's basically what happened to us, we finally got around to seeing it one day and have started to venture and learn more about it now..

 

[rastuso]

Sorry, but I gotta call BS on a couple posters in this thread. Yeah, maybe you had 30+ minute waits for EP all day, but I, and most other posters, find that HIGHLY unlikely. Unless the day you visited, you hit every ride as it broke down. I've gone MANY times with EP from the hotels, and never wait more than 10 minutes, and that includes queue walking. If EP was 30, standby was likely 120. THe fact that the person claiming this loves magic bands is suspect. Yeah, 3 FP+ a day is soooooo much better than unlimited ones, on all the big rides.

Also, I have to guess Universal has had a guest assistance pass since day 1. The person saying they didn't clearly did not ask.

On our last trip, my wife used them at both parks, since her issues were flaring up. I gotta say, if the current GACs, or whatever, are WORSE than the old ones, the old ones must have basically been VIP cards. We felt guilty using the pass, it gave us such a massive advantage. EP is not needed if you're getting an assistance pass. And don't even deal with FPs either. The GAC ruled.

Jason

 

[keishashadow]

Security: On Friday all Muggles, Minions and Fairytale creatures started going through metal detectors. At Disney, (4 parks/1day) there were still random scans. This concerns me.

Early entry: I'm not sure its worth it at Universal. It's only the Harry Potter attractions and Universal decides which park to open that day. Harry Potter areas are Amazingly themed and cast are in character. Everything else opens at 9.

For Soarin' Use a PPO reservation at Garden Grill. Go to Garden Grill no matter what time your reservation time is. They will seat you right away. You can have breakfast and be first in line for Soarin'. We were and it was the highlight of the day.

Hotel:Universal Cabana Bay theming is awesome and I didn't hear one door slam or toilet flush. POP needs soundproofing.

Two days at Universal is one too many. Express pass is not Express at all. Love the new fastpass+ especially being able to add as you go.

4 parks/1 day is very doable if you pick your favorites and go with the flow. It was a great day even with the afternoon rain. We left MK and came back later. It was great. We did EPCOT, boat to DHS-we planned to walk but it was 100 degrees, AK then finished with MK. Great day, so much fun.

Seeing The Grand Floridian was very emotional for me.

There are things at Universal I haven't gotten around to exploring and have been visiting since early 2000's. Obviously, we've never run out of things to enjoy. What I really like with the resort FOTL is we theoretically could ride the same favorite all day, often riding same ride at least 3 X day/

This is of interest to me. So you pay for the express pass if you are not a hotel guest at Universal but you still have to wait 30 - 40 minutes? I did not realise that. I thought it was a walk on maybe 10 mins load time max.

It is usually. Perhaps the OP is adding in pre-show times. As stated here, minions tends to back up mid-day. earlier the better to zip thru the big attractions.

We waited more than 40 minutes in each EP line.

We were there Thursday and Friday of last week and each EP was 40 minutes or more.

Other than HP stuff, including the train, We've been there on holiday weekend & didn't experience what you state. Now, Mardi Gras, that's another story. You must've hit everything at worst possible time. If we do see minions with a long wait, not a big deal to mosey onto next ride then return later. We follow same with stand-by lines @ WDW.

 

[whiporee]

Sorry, but I gotta call BS on a couple posters in this thread. Yeah, maybe you had 30+ minute waits for EP all day, but I, and most other posters, find that HIGHLY unlikely. Unless the day you visited, you hit every ride as it broke down. I've gone MANY times with EP from the hotels, and never wait more than 10 minutes, and that includes queue walking. If EP was 30, standby was likely 120. THe fact that the person claiming this loves magic bands is suspect. Yeah, 3 FP+ a day is soooooo much better than unlimited ones, on all the big rides.

I've only been once, and only went to US. We entered at opening, 75 minutes for Gringotts. 40 in line at Olivanders. 10 for butterbeer. with Unlimited Express Pass 35 for MIB, 25 for Simpsons, 45 for food at Simpsons, 10 for ET, walkon for Woody Woodpecker, 45 for Minions, 45 for Shrek (and a simultaneous 50 for FJ). Then we went home.

You may have other experiences, and we went during Spring Break, so it was busy. Those single day tickets cost about 245/person (for the kids with the EPs. DW, mom and I didn't ride). So that was my experience.

 

[macraven]

Rastuso, UO policy is a person should be able to be on the ride within 20 minutes in the ep line

Some lines move faster than others

Go 12/25 thru 12/31 to the parks and line waits are crazy
I avoid that time period as too crowded for me

Many of the rides I do using the express line gets me on the ride before that 20 minutes

Some occasions, and not due to a ride breakdown, I've waited about 25 minutes

Have no idea why but that has happened to me

Sometimes the SRL moves quicker
Since you are filling in vacant seats here and there

 

[rastuso]

I've only been once, and only went to US. We entered at opening, 75 minutes for Gringotts. 40 in line at Olivanders. 10 for butterbeer. with Unlimited Express Pass 35 for MIB, 25 for Simpsons, 45 for food at Simpsons, 10 for ET, walkon for Woody Woodpecker, 45 for Minions, 45 for Shrek (and a simultaneous 50 for FJ). Then we went home.

You may have other experiences, and we went during Spring Break, so it was busy. Those single day tickets cost about 245/person (for the kids with the EPs. DW, mom and I didn't ride). So that was my experience.

You are listing the long waits for movie simulators. That can definitely happen if you time it wrong. Gringots and FJ don't have Express. I wasn't aware food has it either.. And FJ isn't at US, or anywhere near Shrek, so I'm not sure what you even mean there. So, I'm not sure why you even bought EP, honestly. I'm assuming you are counting preshow time. 45 minutes for Shrek is hard to imagine for Express, unless you were like the first person to not make a preshow. You didn't do Mummy, Transformers, or RRR? I don't do Spring Break, but I've gotta guess all the times you gave out where pretty short compared to standby.

Jason

 

[whiporee]

I bought the kids Express Passes because the standby times were 100 plus minutes at most things, or at least that's what the guy at the ticket counter said. The lines seemed very long.

It might have been the Mummy at US. Whichever it is that's there on the corner with all the shops nearby. Two kids didn't like roller coasters, so they went to Shrek instead. The other three went to the Mummy, which I thought was forbidden journey but maybe I'm wrong.

I don't think there are express passes for food, either, but if you're comparing wait times, then you ought to figure that in, too, since those are the kinds of things WDW is chastised for. Didn't do Transformers or RRR, but the lines for them looked really long, too. It was hot, and the kids (and parents) were pretty much parked out by 4.

And yeah, they were short compared to standby, for sure. But the wait times were what they were. It certainly saved time, no question. Also cost a bunch, no question. But without them it would have been intolerable, so I'm glad we got them.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

I bought the kids Express Passes because the standby times were 100 plus minutes at most things, or at least that's what the guy at the ticket counter said.

The big reason I quit my second job selling tickets at Universal is that they trained us to say pretty much anything to get an Express sale.

No comment on anything else addressed here because I visit Universal as a guest maybe five times a year so I'm no expert.

 

[rastuso]

I bought the kids Express Passes because the standby times were 100 plus minutes at most things, or at least that's what the guy at the ticket counter said. The lines seemed very long.

It might have been the Mummy at US. Whichever it is that's there on the corner with all the shops nearby. Two kids didn't like roller coasters, so they went to Shrek instead. The other three went to the Mummy, which I thought was forbidden journey but maybe I'm wrong.

I don't think there are express passes for food, either, but if you're comparing wait times, then you ought to figure that in, too, since those are the kinds of things WDW is chastised for. Didn't do Transformers or RRR, but the lines for them looked really long, too. It was hot, and the kids (and parents) were pretty much parked out by 4.

And yeah, they were short compared to standby, for sure. But the wait times were what they were. It certainly saved time, no question. Also cost a bunch, no question. But without them it would have been intolerable, so I'm glad we got them.

Just curious if you went to Disney on this same trip, and how would explain the lines there, and how much FP helped you.

-J