VIP or Front of the Line with kids!

Melanie415

Mouseketeer
Joined
Apr 20, 2015
so I am contemplating adding a day to Universal to our Great Wolf Lodge and Disneyland trip. It's me, hubby, 9 year old son (high functioning autism) and 6 year old daughter. Our son did fantastic on our WDW trip last year. We went for a total of 21 days with 4 days to universal, Legoland 1, WDW 12 (including Halloween parties) and water parks 2, and 3 days off. We may add it at the beginning or squeeze it in to break up our Disney trip, staying at the Disneyland hotel.
8 nights total vacation time, with at least 1 night at GWL.(can't cancel GWL but can change arrival day).
Dates: arriving Thursday 11/23 3:30pm thanksgiving
Departing: Friday 12/1 at 5pm

We bought 5 day park hoppers for Disney and want 1 day at great wolf. We would be fine with only 4 days at Disney.
Is the VIP appropriate for young kids or would they be bored? Do you think it would be better just to get a FOL Pass? Price is not an issue.
11/23 check n universal hotel 5pm (Lansky from LAX?)
11/24 universal (stay the night and travel to GWL in morning or leave that night to check in at GWL)?
11/25 great wolf lodge(uber?)
11/26 DLH check in (uber)?
11/27DLR
11/28 DLR
11/29 DLR
11/30 DLR
12/1 DEPART around 1:30(Lansky)
* is it closer to go to universal from LAX than coming from Disney to Universal?

OR
11/23 check in GWL(Lansky)
11/24 GWL
11/25 CHECK in DLH
11/26 DLR
11/27 Day OFF or Universal or knotts (tour bus or uber)
11/28 DLR
11/29 DLR
11/30 DLR
12/1 Depar by 1:30 (Lansky)
 
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Universal is much closer to LAX than it is to Disneyland, so your first option saves you one trip to Los Angeles. Uber from Orange County to LA will run you quite a bit. Have you considered renting a car for the first part of your trip?

But your first option also has you at Universal on Black Friday over Thanksgiving weekend, meaning it would be much busier than if you went on 11/27.

I don't know what Universal's version of the Guest Assistance Pass gets you for help with lines.

PHXscuba
 
We had a couple of younger kids on our VIP tour, and they didn't seem bored. My DD was 13 at the time, and she thinks there is no other way to tour.

It really gets you onto the rides faster, provides a nice buffet lunch, and you get a bigger studio lot tour. They don't do all of the little kid rides, but you have an express pass once you are done if there are some that the kids want to go back and hit. You might want to check the high restrictions to see if your 6 year old will be able to do most of the rides.
 
I agree with PHXscuba, the first itinerary would be smoother as Universal is closer to LAX, but the park will be much busier on the 24th than the 27. If price is not an issue do the express passes, which will balance that. As for the tour, if your kids are wanting/willing to ride all the big rides it would be great. If they are scared of dark rides/don't like simulator rides like my youngest, I'd skip the tour and just use the express pass.
 


I had my son with me on the vip tour when he was 5 and he is also high functioning autistic. I’ve also done the front of line with him. He didn’t seem to be bored on vip tour. He likes all the rides except water rides, and the vip guide was willing to stay with him when I went on Jurassic, he actually offered to watch him.


The main difference between vip and front of line is the extended tram tour besides the food and having a guide... I’d recommend vip if you can. The food is actually very good.
 

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