Universal - Is 1 day per park enough?

[KevinCosmos]

Sorry if this has already been asked,

I went to Universal in August of 2018, but was using the Attraction Assistance Pass (Universal's version of DAS) so didn't get a true reflection of wait times etc across the parks.

I'm going to Orlando for 2 weeks at the start of December and I was wondering if Dibbers think it is feasible to have 1 day in each park?

I'm also looking at possibly getting the Express pass for one of the days - which park would be recommended to have the Express pass for and would it be better to buy the Express pass beforehand or see how crowds are on the day? I think we will be going on a Monday & Tuesday to the parks

EDIT: Just to point out, It is just 2 adults travelling this time round, so no time will be needed for any of the children's rides

[gismo1554]

It might be worth looking at if a hotel room at one of the Lowes resorts would work out cheaper than the express passes as this would give you them for two days. I personally think with an express pass its definitely doable in 2 days.

[chmurf]

definitely look for a room at RPR

if you do it now you might get a room for the price of the express passes for one day (and you get 2 days of express with that hotel room )

1 park per day is doable with express (be sure to have park to park tickets of you won't be able to ride hogwarts express)
without express, that's going to be a bit tighter but still doable

now, no time for kids rides ? ... well, take it from a 47 years young , a kiddie ride is still a ride

[KevinCosmos]

Originally Posted by gismo1554

It might be worth looking at if a hotel room at one of the Lowes resorts would work out cheaper than the express passes as this would give you them for two days. I personally think with an express pass its definitely doable in 2 days.

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I did look into this and it's looking about $250-$300 more expensive than just buying a 2-day base ticket and adding an express pass for one of the days ($200 more expensive than adding two days express passes).

Originally Posted by chmurf

definitely look for a room at RPR

if you do it now you might get a room for the price of the express passes for one day (and you get 2 days of express with that hotel room )

1 park per day is doable with express (be sure to have park to park tickets of you won't be able to ride hogwarts express)
without express, that's going to be a bit tighter but still doable

now, no time for kids rides ? ... well, take it from a 47 years young , a kiddie ride is still a ride

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We've done Universal in California before so we have done a lot of the rides before, which I think makes cramming the "best" things we want to do into one day per park more easy for us.

Living in Scotland, it's easy enough to see the real Hogwarts train so having a 1-park base ticket each day should suffice

Would it be better to wait until the day before/day of to add Express tickets or do they inflate the price on the day?

[877]

I think you could do it in three days if you’re doing volcano Bay, but it would be a bit of a rush. You will definitely need express pass for that. We always find it cheaper to stay at the hotel and have four days (including the waterpark).

[Bozza]

If you can, treat yourself to a night at one of the three better Universal hotels to get two-days Express access and enjoy the rides with limited wait times - it really is worth it, even if it means you are "double-paying" for accommodation for that night.

We tend to stay 4 or 5 nights at one of these hotels and I just wouldn't do Universal without express now.

[Moorlandman]

You won’t need Express passes at the start of December - nobody will be at Universal ( slight exaggeration)

We could do both parks in two days in August ( family of 4)

[chmurf]

Originally Posted by KevinCosmos

I did look into this and it's looking about $250-$300 more expensive than just buying a 2-day base ticket and adding an express pass for one of the days ($200 more expensive than adding two days express passes).

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strange
a one nighter at HRH for early december is around $314 for a standard view

unlimited express passes for the period are $80 + tax

so for 2 days of express (1 park per day) 2 adults, the Express passes are worth $320

so buying the unlimited express for 2 days, (one park per day) actually costs the same as getting the room.

and I don't see how getting express for just one day is $300 cheaper than getting a $300pn room ...

for a 2 parks express, it's even cheaper to get the room at HRH.

I wonder how you get to find that buying the express is $200 cheaper than the room ...

Living in Scotland, it's easy enough to see the real Hogwarts train so having a 1-park base ticket each day should suffice

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the hogwarts express is not just the train, it's a ride, you get to experience 2 different rides depending if you go from Kings Cross to Hogsmeade, or the other way around

Would it be better to wait until the day before/day of to add Express tickets or do they inflate the price on the day?

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the thing is that express passes do run out
it's unlikely in early december, but if you hit the parks and realise it's so crowded that you need express, chances are other guests have had the same idea.

price will not inflate, but availabilty will shrink

now, as said above, early in december, that probably does not stand a chance to happen.

[Guest]

It is possible to have one day in each park.

I would agree with others who have out forward the suggestion of RPR etc. This is an excellent way to do it but only if the numbers stack up. If two travelling they might not.

I would suggest that instead you splash out on hopper tickets. Personally I can take or leave the train ride, but the ability to surf the crowds and cherry pick between the parks if there for two days is really advantageous.

If you wanted express parks I would try and get them for the first day and go to whichever park is best on that day. Rush round do all the express rides, hop to the other park and do what you can in that park without express rides. The second day you will have more time in the non-express park and if finished can head back to the first park to do some again. Standard express passes are one go through per ride.

Depending on predicted ride times and opening hours I suspect you might be able to hit the main rides - if you hop.

However balance out base v hopper tickets, might be cheaper to get 2 X base and 4 X express passes depending on dates... Even check out how the UK 14 day tickets compare...

[Bellasmummy]

Originally Posted by chmurf

strange
a one nighter at HRH for early december is around $314 for a standard view

unlimited express passes for the period are $80 + tax

so for 2 days of express (1 park per day) 2 adults, the Express passes are worth $320

so buying the unlimited express for 2 days, (one park per day) actually costs the same as getting the room.

and I don't see how getting express for just one day is $300 cheaper than getting a $300pn room ...

for a 2 parks express, it's even cheaper to get the room at HRH.

I wonder how you get to find that buying the express is $200 cheaper than the room

See more...

I just priced up 2 park 2 day (not hopper) tickets with 1 day express on the universal app and for 2 adults came to over $650 with tax.

Definitely cheaper get the hotel and have 2 days unlimited express.

I’m assuming op doesn’t have park tickets already.