Did I Plan Enough Time?

joedplumber

Love Vacationing!
Joined
Jul 28, 2012
Heading to Universal for April break and want to make sure I planned enough time to do Universal and Islands of Adventure.

Here is what is planned:

Day 1 2pm-close Universal Studios
Day 2 Open-Close Universal Studios
Day 3 Open-Close Islands of Adventure
Day 4 Open-3pm Islands of Adventure

Also, we will all have unlimited express passes for all the days and plan on using the 1 hour early access as well on Day 2 & 3

I worry about getting everything in as the parks are all around 10's in regards to crowds.

Let me know your thoughts!
 
You should do pretty good with express pass since it looks like you’re gonna do as much park time as possible. Do the popular rides early at rope drop and try to be in line before gates open if you want to get ahead of that crowd maybe 30 minutes or more.

Do you have PH?

Where are you staying?
 
You should do pretty good with express pass since it looks like you’re gonna do as much park time as possible. Do the popular rides early at rope drop and try to be in line before gates open if you want to get ahead of that crowd maybe 30 minutes or more.

Do you have PH?

Where are you staying?

Sorry, I don't know what PH is?

Staying at the Loews Royal Pacific.
 
Park Hopper or rather Park to Park in Universals terms.

RPR is great an easy walk or boat ride away.

So even with heavy crowds you should do ok the earlier your in line the better for opening and get to the big one first at whichever park is doing EE.
 


Park Hopper or rather Park to Park in Universals terms.

RPR is great an easy walk or boat ride away.

So even with heavy crowds you should do ok the earlier your in line the better for opening and get to the big one first at whichever park is doing EE.

Yes got the PH so we can ride the Hogwarts Express!

Thanks for the responses!
 
The earlier you can be in line for early entry entrance, will be good as you will be ahead of the crowds

Many take their time in the morning and don’t go extremely early and lose time that first early hour
 
I think you will be able to get to all the rides without issue. The EP are great! Don't hesitate to go back to the resort and swim midday when the sun and crowds are at their highest.

I would highly recommend the horror makeup show. It was so funny! Have a great trip ;)
 


With 2 full days and 2 half days, coupled with Early Entry, Express Passes, and Park-to-Park, you should be fine. I recommend making a list of all party members must-do attractions (utilize the EP for immediate re-rides if wanted) and be sure to do those the first two days. Then you can fill out the remaining 1.5 days with the lesser-priority attractions and more repeats.

One strategy we have used with a 4-day visit with EP and P2P: Start each morning in a Harry Potter area, do everything in that area, then take Hogwarts Express to the other Harry Potter area, do everything there, then finish the day in that park. Then on the next day, start in the opposite park and do the same (everything in the HP area, HE to the other HP area, everything in that HP area, then finish in that park). That doubles your time in the HP lands and give you time for the remaining attractions in each park.

Having said all that, depending on ages and interests, you might find yourself with kids playing in the Jurassic Park playground for half a day and your plan gets revised :)
 
I like imprint’s plan too. There’s no reason to do one park per day. Follow the Universal app to see where crowds are and head the other direction, even if it’s the other park. Crowds ebb and flow. Hogsmeade between 12-5 is miserable- avoid. Way too crowded.
 
Figure on the half days we will do everything in the parks except HP areas. Then on the 2 full days spend 8am-11am in the HP areas. Is 3 hours enough in the HP areas?

Thanks again!
 
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I really just wouldn't schedule so much. Just go with the flow. :) Don't rush through things. 3 hours only in the AM wouldn't work for me. The HP parts are a must see in the evening too. I don't think I would avoid the HP areas on the half days either.
 
I really just wouldn't schedule so much. Just go with the flow. :) Don't rush through things. 3 hours only in the AM wouldn't work for me. The HP parts are a must see in the evening too. I don't think I would avoid the HP areas on the half days either.

I agree we definitely don't want to rush anything. That't why we are planning for 3 hours in the HP areas each full day. I only say mornings because I heard afternoons and evening in those areas can be overwhelming with crowds. But if 3 hours in each HP area is rushing it then I will budget more time. One thing we don't do is rush by any means. We usually stroll the parks and stop at anything that catches our eyes and usually lose track of time. lol
 
It looks like we will be able to get a lot done just in a half day and have a lot of time to wander and shop! Unless, touring plans is completely off. lol FYI, love the idea of hitting both HP areas in the same day with the hogwarts express. Great idea, thanks for that!

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It looks like we will be able to get a lot done just in a half day and have a lot of time to wander and shop! Unless, touring plans is completely off. lol FYI, love the idea of hitting both HP areas in the same day with the hogwarts express. Great idea, thanks for that!

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Well that is neato! Is that from Touring Plans? Is it worth the $8 subscription?
 
Well that is neato! Is that from Touring Plans? Is it worth the $8 subscription?
Yes, touring plans. I used touring plans for WDW back in 2014 and we absolutely loved it!! The kids loved building the itinerary and then checking things as done as the day went on. I think its a great price at $8.
 
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I still hold that you can look at your TP but don't be a slave to it. If something catches your eye, you want to re-ride something, there's a fun street show to watch, you want to grab ice cream in Diagon Alley, you want to get a wand and just poke around HP vs forcing yourself to wait until the next day...your express passes will give you so much freedom. That TP is so rushed. I would be exhausted. Also, I wouldn't buy it with those wait times over Easter week. Have you looked at the wait time app today? Take those wait times and halve them to get an idea of the EP wait (I don't think the app shows the EP waits but maybe I'm wrong). You could get lucky and they'll be even more reduced than that but it'll give you a gauge. Plus, with the big crowds comes not being able to walk very quickly either. I think that TP is really optimistic. I just know as a HP fan there's no way I could be in the park and not go to it immediately. t would be way too hard! :)
 
I still hold that you can look at your TP but don't be a slave to it. If something catches your eye, you want to re-ride something, there's a fun street show to watch, you want to grab ice cream in Diagon Alley, you want to get a wand and just poke around HP vs forcing yourself to wait until the next day...your express passes will give you so much freedom. That TP is so rushed. I would be exhausted. Also, I wouldn't buy it with those wait times over Easter week. Have you looked at the wait time app today? Take those wait times and halve them to get an idea of the EP wait (I don't think the app shows the EP waits but maybe I'm wrong). You could get lucky and they'll be even more reduced than that but it'll give you a gauge. Plus, with the big crowds comes not being able to walk very quickly either. I think that TP is really optimistic. I just know as a HP fan there's no way I could be in the park and not go to it immediately. t would be way too hard! :)

Could not agree more with all your points! That's why we love TP sooo much, because it is real time. What I mean by that is it follows you, you don't follow it. If you stop for 20 minutes to shop rather then follow it all you do is hit optimize when your done shopping and it gives you a whole new plan based on current wait times and what you have left to do... You just click done as you complete things on the list. So you can stop and smell the roses as much or as little as you like. lol

I too am skeptical about the wait times although is does ask if you will be using express pass or not. The program also even asks your anticipated walk speed which i set to "very relaxed" which is the lowest setting of the four choices.

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Could not agree more with all your points! That's why we love TP sooo much, because it is real time. What I mean by that is it follows you, you don't follow it. If you stop for 20 minutes to shop rather then follow it all you do is hit optimize when your done shopping and it gives you a whole new plan based on current wait times and what you have left to do... You just click done as you complete things on the list. So you can stop and smell the roses as much or as little as you like. lol

I too am skeptical about the wait times although is does ask if you will be using express pass or not. The program also even asks your anticipated walk speed which i set to "very relaxed" which is the lowest setting of the four choices.

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I am so intrigued by this! Can I ask whether you can tell it which rides or attractions you want to see per day? I’m trying to craft my own travel plan that takes into consideration a balance between kiddie stuff and more grown up stuff, and also allows me to “test” my DS on, say, Spider-Man before putting him on Kong. Most travel plans day to do Kong first because of lines, but I’d rather not scare him to death straight out of the gate.

Also, how far in advance does Touring Plans “see”? We are going the first week of March next year.
 
Touring Plans is available for one year in advance of your trip. March of next year will be available up to around today's date. Yes you can choose what attractions you want and how many times you would like to experience them. You can add meals and other entertainment as well. I love it even though I really don't need it for US/IOA since I am there on site for about a week.
 

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