Our family last went to Universal when the kids were much younger. We are planning a trip for this year when our oldest will be 20 and youngest 15. I have a lot of questions and am open to any advice. We will be purchasing five day tickets (one park per day) and staying at Universal hotels the whole time. Some of my questions:
Welcome!
As Belloq alluded to, there have been many changes since your last visit, with VelociCoaster and Hagrids being standouts - especially for teenagers.
I'll try to answer each the best I can.
We last went to Universal before the dated tickets policy. If we buy tickets through the official website today for a date late in the year is that going to be much cheaper than waiting until close to the vacation date? We used to always plan months ahead, but we aren't as sure about dates in the parks this year.
The price never changes based on the time of year, only if Universal decides to do a general price increase. It's usually once a year - but it can happen twice. With that said - the earlier, the better. You can wait until later in the year, but it does run the risk of a higher price. With Epic Universe opening in 2025 - I wouldn't risk it.
We used to buy refillable cups, but do they still recognize the old ones from years ago? I think back when we went years ago you just had to re-register the cups. Ours are from 2017 or 2012 and we actually still have ours from the late 1990s, but won't be bringing those.
If it's the 2017 cup, as long as the RFID chip still works, you should be good when you re-register the cup. If it's 2012 - it's too old for the Freestyle Machines (I do believe you can still use it for box-style refills but I'm not 100%).
What is a must do activity in the parks (IOA and US) with older teens?
As mentioned before, VelociCoaster & Hagrids are the 2 latest & greatest additions. Spider-Man and Hulk Coaster are also beloved classics.
What is your favorite diabetic friendly meal and restaurant in each park (IOA and US) and City Walk?
Personally, I can't speak on this - but I do know that Universal is very accommodating when it comes to dietary needs. I recommend letting the restaurant know and they'll be glad to make adjustments.
Hopefully, the link below provides some additional info so you can get a better idea.
Your handy restaurant guide to the theme parks, CityWalk, and hotels.
blog.discoveruniversal.com
Anything else we need to know since we haven't visited in so long?
If you're vacationing during Sept-Oct, you may want to look into attending Halloween Horror Nights, especially considering your teenage kids.