Do you need a plan for universal like for Disney?

[Mayflower33]

First time doing Universal - 3 generations - do we need a plan like we do at Disney, or can we play it more by ear?

feel out of my depth with universal so we were planning to just wing it but now wondering if we need to rethink?

We will have express passes if that makes any difference?

Thanks!

[Rozzyb2011]

Hi I would say not as the 2 theme parks are linked and quite small and with express passes you will have tonnes of time to see and do everything. The only thing I'd plan is maybe if you are going to visit volcano bay then what morning and if you are going during Halloween Horror Nights what nights you would want to go. Honestly Universal is so much simpler than Disney. Maybe watch some YouTube videos so you will be familiar with the park / ride / show layouts. Have a great time x

[Derbydave4]

We loved how easy it was with front of line passes at Universal no need to plan ahead apart from Hagrids, we found it so more relaxing than Disney just went in when we felt like it some times for just a couple of hours sometimes all day With the children now teenagers they loved that they could spend all day at the pool and not have to worry about fast passes or ADRs. Disney is iconic but Universal gives you the best of both a relaxing holiday at a theme park

[sha9]

No we never plan Universal, especially with express passes.

[LLamb]

The only thing I would do is see which rides are suitable for each generation/members of your party. Height restrictions etc.
If there are ride(s) that some of your group can’t or don’t want to go on see if you want to spilt and do a different ride each at that time.
Universal is so relaxed compared to Disney, especially with express.

[braby]

We did Universal last year, we did not plan anything as the trip was only booked two days before we flew. We went the middle of August and rode everything we wanted mutiple times without Express passes.
The only ride we didn't get on was Hagrids, Express pass not in operation and there was no way I was queueing 3 hours to ride it, will leave it for next time.
It was nice waking up each day and deciding what we wanted to do rather than having a regimented plan.

[rafjen]

No need to plan with express other than for Hagrids.

[Rescuer]

Not at all. We are just back from a week and my plan read like this,
Sunday - ride floats for Mardi Gras
Monday - basketball at the Amway
Tuesday - dinner at the Palm
Wednesday - meet dinner angelbabe to pick up shopping.
Saturday - fly home

My Disney planning is at least a full page spreadsheet.

[cornishfrogboy]

No need to plan. In both parks, you simply follow a circle by which time you will have passed every attraction.

Of course it helps to have looked at park maps, worked out the busy rides, seen a few U tubes etc.

Best ride... Dudley Doright in Islands. Try it and you will immediately see why. It’s as high tech as rides get!

[Lovedisney123]

The only thing we semi plan is to do the three wet rides together usually from least to most wet - Jurassic park, Dudley then Popeyes, and then we would go back to the hotel to change and dry off. No need to plan anything other than that though!