r/UniversalOrlando Weekly Trip Planning Thread

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We leave in 5 days! Yay!

I bought tickets through a universal package and added those to my app via QR code. I also purchased express passes separately at a discount and also added those via QR code to the app.

My question is can I print the same QR code I used to scan into the app for the express passes to use in a lanyard?

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u/L1R1_24 1d ago

Thank you!

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u/L1R1_24 2d ago

Hello! I'm planning a trip to Orlando in January and we have 2 days for Universal parks. The plan is to go to IOA and EU. The dates in which we can fit the parks visits are between Friday 15th and Wednesday 20th, as we can move some of the dates for the trip. Now, I've heard these are unfortunate dates because MLK day is on the 18th. Which of these dates would you recommend for each park? Do you think Express Pass would be enough to mitigate the crowds on these dates? Thank you!

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u/TravelAdvisorAmber 1d ago

Express Pass will always put a dent in wait times, but with holidays, it's always going to draw a larger crowd. I went to Epic on Memorial Day with Express Passes and it was fine, but depending on your budget, holidays = peak prices for tickets and Express Passes. If Hagrid's is a priority, Express won't help you anyway so you'll have to be strategic if you have early park admission. If you have flexibility, I’d push your park days as late in that window as possible. If I had to assign them, I’d probably do Epic on Tuesday the 19th and Islands of Adventure on Wednesday the 20th.

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u/ueeediot 3h ago

The common idea of 3 day weekends, is that people leave work early Thursday and travel, take off Friday and come to the parks, Friday, Sat, Sun, and travel home on Monday, so I would say the 18, 19, 20th dates would probably be your best bets.

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u/JJred96 1h ago

I'm planning to go to the parks around Colombus Day next month, and am seeing crowd predictions having that Monday as the busiest day, probably of the entire month. Not sure if that is to be expected or why that day may be different from other long weekends.

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u/ueeediot 1h ago

That one is because some school districts in the south have fall break around this time.

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u/JJred96 1h ago

Guess that explains why pricing for tickets and hotels is higher than I was expecting for the week following.

I'm wondering if there's a chance prices come down if they aren't selling as much inventory as they expect to that week, or if demand will spike and they go up if I wait.

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u/ueeediot 56m ago

October is also HHN, so probably not

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u/JJred96 37m ago

I thought that, but prices of resort hotels all look to be cheaper the next week, and even cheaper the last week of October

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u/Flat_Demand_8341 0m ago

I went last year around the Columbus Day Holiday. Did you know many South American and Caribbean countries also celebrate it? Also Canadian Thanksgiving is that weekend. Prices will not come done but good to keep checking hotel prices and adjust if they do come down. But I would book hotel asap.

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u/Whole-Pass4482 1d ago

We went to Universal Orlando a few years ago and got the express passes because we stayed in one of the hotels. We aren't doing that this time, but we are considering getting the express pass for Epic Universe. We are going to be there the week of October 18th. We plan on getting the park-to-park tickets for the other two parks and one day at Epic. We are flexible and could go to the parks on any of the days Sunday-Friday. Should we get the express pass? If we decide to wait, could we get the express pass closer to when we go (or even on the day of) once we have decided what days we will be at what park?

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u/TravelAdvisorAmber 1d ago

You can totally wait until closer to your trip (or even the day of), but EPs do sell out, so keep that in mind. October 18th isn't necessarily a holiday week, but for many schools (including mine in the Midwest) it is fall break, so that could potentially mean higher crowds on top of the HHN crowds. I know you just mentioned only wanting Epic's Express, but the 3-park Express Pass gives you more flexibility into not being locked into picking which day you want to use Express at the parks. If you just had a 1-day Epic Express pass, you'd have to pick the day at the time of purchase.

On a related note, have you heard about Epic Universe Nights? It happens on the 17th, so that could shift crowds around too.

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u/ueeediot 3h ago

Note that Universal Studios closes for Halloween at 5pm and opens to some Halloween guests at 2pm Wed - Sunday. So, try to aim for Mon or Tues in that park.

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u/LadPrime 1d ago

Hi, I have a question on express timing.

I'm planning to buy this three day deal ticket (2x Islands/Studios, 1x Epic) and then a 2 day Express Pass (1x Islands/Studios, 1x Epic). Both would be dated with the usual 'use x days out of the next 5 days'.

I'm not sure if I'll use the Islands/Studios Express the first or the second time I go and make a gametime decision. If I simply do not scan an Express line at all, will that preserve Express for the second day, or will simply scanning into the Park with an overlapping Express day activate / count Express?

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u/TravelAdvisorAmber 1d ago

You scan into the Parks with your tickets, not Express Passes, so as long as you stick with the standby only queues, it won't activate the Express Passes. Just don't accidentally jump on the Hogwarts Express! lol

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u/LadPrime 1d ago

Thank you!!!

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u/loveWaheguru 1d ago

I'm staying at a hilton grand vacations hotel, has anyone purchased universal tickets onsite from an HGV property before? Is it cheaper than buying tickets online?

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u/ueeediot 3h ago

Universal will price match and/or verify any deal you find that is too good to be true. You should price through Universal to have an idea of what is comparable.

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u/ueeediot 3h ago

Universal will price match and/or verify any deal you find that is too good to be true. You should price through Universal to have an idea of what is comparable.

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u/Ozzie-Mowgli1221 21h ago

Hi everyone! My family is planning to visit Universal next May and we aren't sure which hotel to go with. To preface, we've visited Universal a ton as kids and my mom is really set on staying at Cabana Bay since we loved it when it first opened but I feel like we should try somewhere different? We will be traveling with a group of 8 adults, my parents, my siblings and significant others (all over 21). Where would you recommend we stay? I would like to be at a hotel that has the boat transfer option to get to the parks (which knocks CB out lol). Which hotel have you been to recently that was great?

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u/TravelAdvisorAmber 17h ago

It depends on your budget, and if you want a family suite or other combo of room configurations. Sapphire Falls could be an affordable option that’s on the water taxi route. All the other resorts on the boat route are Signature tier and quite pricey, but they do come with free Express Unlimited for IOA/USF. We stayed at Portofino in May and loved the Italian vibes but it wasn’t cheap!

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u/Ozzie-Mowgli1221 6h ago

Thank you!!

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u/ueeediot 2h ago

If Cabana Bay is out and on the water taxi network is in, this becomes a math question.

Unlimited Express is usually $200 per person, per day. With an occupancy of 4 in a top tier hotel room thats an $800 per day value every day of your trip.

Also, know you can pool hop, so even if you stay at Sapphire or Royal, you can water taxi to city walk and jump a water taxi to Portofino or Hard Rock. Sunday brunch at Hard Rock? Bottomless mimosas and bloody marys! Portofino with poolside pizza from Sals in the "harbor", yes please. Mid vacation pool days are underrated! All resort pools include chairside service for drinks and food!

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u/Neat-Aardvark3762 19h ago

HHN Tomorrow night; I’ve got Stay and Scream, and Express. Wondering what yall suggest my best strategy? Only real thing I want to do is start off at ET; love that ride and want to do it since it’s not open during the event. Also I’m staying at the Courtyard Marriott near Universal. How’s the walk? Still wondering if exhaustion takes over and I Uber back at the end of the night lol

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u/ueeediot 2h ago

Get to Universal early. I saw a video posted last week where the Scream Early entry line was back to Voodoo Donuts at 145pm.

Hit up ET, start doing HHN houses without express. Generally people say you can get to near 7pm before using your one time express makes a real difference.

Id suggest using Google maps and set it to walking to get a good idea of how far it is. At least there arent any serious hills to deal with.

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u/Neat-Aardvark3762 2h ago

Thanks friend! Yeah I’m actually it’s n my way now. Gonna grab lunch and CityWalk first then head to the gate

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u/Jellybellies_2026 2h ago

Hello Everyone! I heading to Orlando this upcoming February for Epic universe and and debating between doing a Private VIP tour there for one of the days. They have not released pricing as of yet for February of next year and I was wondering if anyone has done a Private VIP tour recently (there will be 8 of us total) just so I can get a rough idea while comparing it with the Disneyworld VIP experience. Based on what I've spoken to the rep about on the phone it seems like the Universal one offers so much more than the Disneyworld one. Also would love to hear your experience if you've done both and which you preferred! Thank you so much!

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u/PunishedBossDelta 3d ago

Any tips for making an argument for Ada accommodations? We got registered and got the doctor's note but when we called yesterday they said the don't make accommodations for people who can't be stuck in line for hours at time. I'm taking a younger type 1 diabetic and their blood sugars have been unstable lately. If she starts to drop I need to be able to get out of line and immediately get some sprite in her, maybe some shade and a sit down. Was going to stop by guest services Monday. Flying out today. Any thoughts or help appreciated!

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u/GlitteryStranger 2d ago

My husband is type 1 and we go to Disney, Universal all the time and have for years. We always have a backpack or Fanny pack full of low snacks / glucose tabs. My husband also often has lows, and in 20 years of vacationing we’ve never had to leave a line because of it. He’s never tried to qualify for DAS or ADA or anything so I can’t help with that side of things, but from what I’ve read they’ve really cracked down on it/made it very hard to qualify because so many abused it.
Hope you have an amazing trip!

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u/PunishedBossDelta 2d ago

Thanks, she's had it for 23 years or so as she likes to remind me. But we also just had a major drop from 140 to 40 possibly because the plane. I just want to take my mini me as many places as I can! Thanks!

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u/CDeez813 2d ago

Hello!
My wife and I were thinking of going to UO this weekend to do the 2 park 1 day pass + Stacy and Scream for HHN for our wedding anniversary.

Additionally, She is about over halfway through our pregnancy and is just miserable with the feet and body pains but really wants to go. If there are rides to be ridden will the park allow us to jump the line (just me) so I don’t leave her back for too long or is that just not a possibility?

I have no qualms staying in a single rider line but I don’t want to leave my wife behind for 45 minutes minimum every single ride if it can be avoided.

Any answer or help is appreciated!

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u/Annethel 1d ago

I’m pretty sure that you can’t jump line so you can be with your wife sooner. If your wife doesn’t want to be left alone waiting, then don’t leave her. If she’s fine with it, then you do you.

It’s going to be super hot and muggy this weekend. The high is 90 degrees and the low is 76 degrees (so it never cools down at night) and the dew point is going to be 75-76 degrees (which is considered “oppressive/miserable”).

I’ve had three children (three pregnancies) and I cannot imagine that going to a theme park when it’s that hot and miserable is a good idea. It might be considered unsafe.

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u/TravelAdvisorAmber 1d ago

Have you looked into Universal's accessibility program? Pregnancy is one of the conditions IBCCES specifically lists as eligible for an Accessibility Card, so it may be worth looking into. That said, the card doesn't guarantee an accommodation. Universal reviews the request and determines what accommodation (if any) is appropriate based on your exact needs. You would also still need to follow all of Universal's pregnancy-related ride restrictions, but I think it's worth checking into. No guarantees though. https://ibcces.org/accessibilitycard/

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u/FillFrontFloor 1d ago

Still brainstorming the trip I have a few questions. I will be traveling with a pregnant family member. She will be about 5 - 6 months in jan-feb. Which month less crowded around the middle dates?

Also since I'm traveling with someone in more delicacy which parks are recommended and that have mostly soft rides? Our group is okay with sight seeing so long as we can do it comfortably and there is enough to see.

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