My Ultimate 2-Day Itin - Need Advice

[HalfGlass]

Hello Everyone!

So I’ve mentioned this a couple other times in different threads, but I’m heading to Universal and staying at Cabana Bay for a long weekend with my buddy and we will be doing two days at the parks (Saturday, 5/5 and Tuesday, 5/8). I’ve been so many times I can’t keep it straight anymore, but it will be my friend’s first time going. He’s not a huge movie buff, and I don’t think he will have seen (or love) most of the movies the rides are based on at the parks, so I’m trying to impress him with the rides and not immediately go on the “best” attractions out the gate.

Soooo....that being said, here is the itinerary I created for each day. Can you let me know if you think this is feasible?

Saturday (5/5)

Start at US around 10:00 (we are landing super late the night before)

Despicable Me
Rip Ride Rockit
Shrek

Travel to IOA (walk there so we don’t spoil Potter reveal)

Mythos for lunch at 1:00

Poseidon’s Fury
Bilge Rat Barges
Dudley Do Right
Jurassic Park (getting the wet rides out of the way at the same time)
King Kong
Spider-Man
Hulk

Finish at 7:30


Now let me preface Day 2 in saying that I’m very torn on what is the best ride to do first for a non-Potter fan, Gringotts or FJ. I think FJ is more intense, but Gringotts is more fun, so if anyone has an opinion, I would love to hear it!


Day 2

Start at Universal around 9:00

Fast and Furious (if open)
Fallon
Horror Make Up Show
ET
Simpson’s

Eat in Springfield for lunch - 1:30

Men in Black
Hogwarts Express - London
Forbidden Journey
Hogwarts Express - Hogsmeade
Escape from Gringotts
Mummy
Transformers

Re-ride anything we have time for

Anyone have thoughts? I know my OCD about making the trip perfect gets the best of me, but I’m open to suggestions. I tried ramping up the fun for a newbie (as much as I could without retracing steps) and didn’t think too much about lines since the crowd levels aren’t supposed to be awful. Let me know what you think and I appreciate the advice in advance!

 

[Coasted]

Hello Everyone!

So I’ve mentioned this a couple other times in different threads, but I’m heading to Universal and staying at Cabana Bay for a long weekend with my buddy and we will be doing two days at the parks (Saturday, 5/5 and Tuesday, 5/8). I’ve been so many times I can’t keep it straight anymore, but it will be my friend’s first time going. He’s not a huge movie buff, and I don’t think he will have seen (or love) most of the movies the rides are based on at the parks, so I’m trying to impress him with the rides and not immediately go on the “best” attractions out the gate.

Soooo....that being said, here is the itinerary I created for each day. Can you let me know if you think this is feasible?

Saturday (5/5)

Start at US around 10:00 (we are landing super late the night before)

Despicable Me
Rip Ride Rockit
Shrek

Travel to IOA (walk there so we don’t spoil Potter reveal)

Mythos for lunch at 1:00

Poseidon’s Fury
Bilge Rat Barges
Dudley Do Right
Jurassic Park (getting the wet rides out of the way at the same time)
King Kong
Spider-Man
Hulk

Finish at 7:30


Now let me preface Day 2 in saying that I’m very torn on what is the best ride to do first for a non-Potter fan, Gringotts or FJ. I think FJ is more intense, but Gringotts is more fun, so if anyone has an opinion, I would love to hear it!


Day 2

Start at Universal around 9:00

Fast and Furious (if open)
Fallon
Horror Make Up Show
ET
Simpson’s

Eat in Springfield for lunch - 1:30

Men in Black
Hogwarts Express - London
Forbidden Journey
Hogwarts Express - Hogsmeade
Escape from Gringotts
Mummy
Transformers

Re-ride anything we have time for

Anyone have thoughts? I know my OCD about making the trip perfect gets the best of me, but I’m open to suggestions. I tried ramping up the fun for a newbie (as much as I could without retracing steps) and didn’t think too much about lines since the crowd levels aren’t supposed to be awful. Let me know what you think and I appreciate the advice in advance!

My thoughts ... Stunning first impressions / reveal - how about getting relaxing picturesque boats to Citywalk ie the reveal under the bridge into the lake, when the whole 360 opens up infront of you - IoA, Toothsome, HRRR, USF, CW. Realise from CBBR have to cross street, walk thru Sapphirre, tho that is picturesque also

Risks - I can see your planning an awesome finish to Day two, but ... is Day two 14:30 quite late to start Potter ie HE to FJ then HE to Gringotts if one of those breaks / could inclement weather stop HE (I’m a bit OCD too!) - could you start Potter earlier? If Make-up, ET and Simpson’s are less important could you do these st end?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Have you looked into getting a touring plans subscription? You can select what rides you want and auto refresh the plans and it’ll direct you where to go for short lines.

My only comment is DM at 10am will have an hour or longer line already.

 

[Skubersky]

Have you looked into getting a touring plans subscription? You can select what rides you want and auto refresh the plans and it’ll direct you where to go for short lines.

My only comment is DM at 10am will have an hour or longer line already.

Great suggestion! ;-)
The wait for DM at any time but rope drop or closing will make a bad start to your trip.

 

[HalfGlass]

Have you looked into getting a touring plans subscription? You can select what rides you want and auto refresh the plans and it’ll direct you where to go for short lines.

My only comment is DM at 10am will have an hour or longer line already.

Great suggestion! ;-)
The wait for DM at any time but rope drop or closing will make a bad start to your trip.

Thanks everyone for the kind advice! I also joined Touring Plans, but funny enough, it’s saying I’m only going to wait about 15 min for DM at 10:00am. Is this thing accurate...?

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Thanks everyone for the kind advice! I also joined Touring Plans, but funny enough, it’s saying I’m only going to wait about 15 min for DM at 10:00am. Is this thing accurate...?

It is accurate and id trust it. Plus when you make a plan and show up late you can always recalculate the plan and it’ll adjust your first attraction.

 

[Scott W.]

One of the smaller but nice features of Touring Plans is, it gives you all the menus on the app so you can plan or make an easier choice for where to eat.

 

[TheBig2na]

Can always pay for express pass if it's busy and keep yourself on or ahead of schedule.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Can always pay for express pass if it's busy and keep yourself on or ahead of schedule.

No need, TP let’s you reoptimize the plan if you fall behind.

 

[Skubersky]

I’d reomptimize your plan closer to May, those estimates will be recalculated as the year goes on.

 

[jtsalien]

I’d reomptimize your plan closer to May, those estimates will be recalculated as the year goes on.

Definitely have to do that. Especially since estimates have been relatively low so far this year.

 

[GadgetGuru]

From my past experience with TP, it's much more accurate for older rides. I don't think it'll be that accurate for F&F if it's open. It wasn't accurate at all for Pandora when we went (roughly 4-5 months after open)

 

[Coasted]

@NYG how did your two day itinerary go - hopefully the planning helped you have a great time!

 

[HalfGlass]

We had an AMAZING time! It ended up raining on and off while we were there, but that cleared out all of the guests and we got on almost everything with NO WAIT! I feel like in a way, I over planned but it ended up working out.

We had a great time and thank you all for the advice!

@NYG how did your two day itinerary go - hopefully the planning helped you have a great time!