Best way to use universal RPR stay?

[Joosebug1987]

Helloooo,

We've booked one night at RPR for the express passes for 4 adults.

My first day plan is to use express pass across both parks with a quick afternoon break at the hotel to use club level and maybe a swim to cool off...

Question is 2nd day would we be best using the early entry to volcano bay then finishing parks using express in the afternoon? Or just crack on with parks and do volcano bay another day? The parks shut earlier this day for HHN if that makes a difference. Just don't know which is best use of booking. Weather dependant obviously :-) x

[Jimsdadhalifax]

Volcano Bay early opening is far more useful than early opening at US in my opinion - if you have Express.

The extra hour is really quiet. We went last week and stayed on the Coaster 3 times in a row as there wasn't anyone queuing. You get a couple of hours before the park starts getting busy and can do all the slides in the park by then. (Coaster / Oono / The big blue slide are the most popular so do those first)

Using early opening to ride the Harry Potter ride that you have Express for seems a wasted opportunity to me (unless Universal sort the Hagrid ride and have that as part of early opening which doesn't look like it will happen any time soon)

Or even better get to the hotel and check in before early opening on the first day and go straight to Volcano Bay. You then have the choice of how to use your early opening on the second day (we went to VB both days as it is wonderful and a great start to the day)

Hotel is wonderful too!

[BebeYorkshire]

We have a night booked at RPR too. Plan is early check kn on day 1, hit the rides, try for Hagrids and do the water rides in the first morning, back to hotel for a nap, pool, get changed then go back into Universal for stay and scream as we are doing HHN. Next day will be a bit of a lie in, Volcano Bay for the extra hour opening and then Islands of Adventure after that.

We do have a 14 day ticket and another HHN night to look forward to, we will do those later in the holiday at a slower pace, knowing we have done the big things that we wanted to early on.

[Joosebug1987]

Ahhh ok so definitely worth the early opening for volcano bay on one of the days? Tbh me and mum probably wont do many rides at volcano bay but I know dad and my boyfriend will love the rides while ne and mum lounge on the lazy river and wave pool! Just don't want to feel wasting the Express passes for the rides either for the sake of an hours benefit. This planning lark is hard lol! It'll rain knowing my luck anyway haha x

[BebeYorkshire]

VB wasn't open on our last visit so I can't say specifically that the extra hour is worth it, but based on my experience of Aquatica last visit, getting there early made a huge difference. Not just to the slides you could get on but also where you could get a sunlounger and how busy the wave pool and lazy river were.

We aren't full day water park people ourselves, so we will go for 2 or 3 hours then head somewhere else, which means we will still get lots of use from our 2nd day of fastpasses.

[Joosebug1987]

Thanks - I think I'm probably a 2 or 3 hour person too plus thinking the added bonus of getting changed and showered at the water park rather than waiting 4 adults to get showered and ready for the day as its just 1 night we are all sharing!x

[Joosebug1987]

Well I've just had park hours email update and they've removed extra morning hours from Volcano Bay on our stay (and reduced park hours the whole time!) so looks like my answer is chosen for me lol!

My trip planning is not going at all well this week haha! x

[Jimsdadhalifax]

Not sure when you are going but see the threads about Volcano Bay early opening as it appears to be back

And rightly so

You can do all of Volcano Bay in a couple of hours with the early opening - we would then go to IOA and go on the water rides, saves getting your main clothes wet. Then back to RPR, get changed and head to the parks again for the rest of the day

[Joosebug1987]

Originally Posted by Jimsdadhalifax

Not sure when you are going but see the threads about Volcano Bay early opening as it appears to be back

And rightly so

You can do all of Volcano Bay in a couple of hours with the early opening - we would then go to IOA and go on the water rides, saves getting your main clothes wet. Then back to RPR, get changed and head to the parks again for the rest of the day

See more...

I've just seen this this afternoon - talk about a faff around hey lol! If early opening stays I definitely plan on using the early opening - that sounds a great idea for the water rides too thanks :-) x