Advice for First Time Visit in February

Universal Orlando Resort
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We’ve been planning a long weekend trip to UOR in February to coincide with a longer than normal President’s Day weekend at our kids (13 and 10) schools. It is the first time any of us have been to Universal (or Orlando for that matter). Since we liked being able to walk in/out when visiting DLR in the past and only have a limited time (fly in Thursday morning, all day Friday, fly out Saturday evening) plus it’s a holiday weekend, we booked a couple of nights at HRH to be close and get the UXP benefits. Already picked park to park tickets on the buy two days, get two days free deal so I feel like we’re not overpaying in spite of having to two shortened days.

We’re flying out on the first direct flight to MCO on Thursday. Flight is scheduled to land a bit after 10am. Figuring that after getting through the airport, picking up the rental, getting to UOR, dropping off bags and picking up Express Passes, we’ll get in the gates between noon and 1:00. Since this should be the low crowd day, I’m torn between thinking that we should blitz as many rides as possible and taking time to explore WWoHP with lower crowds. Given we’ll have UXP for the duration of the trip, does anyone have any advice there?

Either way, I am planning to start on the USF side when we arrive since I’d like to start WWoHP in Diagon Alley and do the Hogwarts Express that way first and possible pick up wands. The kids are insistent on getting the wands at Ollivanders in Diagon Alley since that is what Harry did and it’s hard to argue with that logic.

For the second day (Friday 2/14), I’ve noticed that the crowd calendars consistently indicate that USF will be busier that IOA. Is there something Mardi Gras related that I should expect to encounter that day? Or Valentine’s Day related?

If that is the case, I’m tempted to RD USF and then head over to IOA in spite of EE to get the lower morning crowds at the busier park before spending the afternoon in the park expected to be quieter. I would instead plan to use EE on the last day (Saturday) when both parks are showing expected high crowds and rely on UXP to get to anything we may have missed in prior days before we have to leave for the airport mid-afternoon. We’re waiting to make a Hagrid’s plan until we know if my son qualifies for an AAP due to his autism.

From a logistical standpoint, it seems like lanyards and fanny packs are a must and ponchos and dramamine are good things to have to be prepared. We’ll also bring along some collapsible cups to split the big souvenir drinks and I have a power bank to bring with me. Aside from the essentials like phones and wallets, anything else that is critical? I’m hoping to go light and avoid lockers except on the big coasters.

I’ve read that room keys, on top of being express passes, can be used for the free lockers on rides requiring them. At that point, do I need my ticket aside from getting through the gate? I currently only have them on my phone and I’m trying to determine if a print out or hard ticket will be needed at any point.

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Wow! It seems like you have a great plan!

I have always used my ticket for the lockers. I will be interested to hear if the room key can be used too, although your ticket on your phone should work on the lockers too.

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That’s probably accurate. When I go solo and am excited to be there I get in the parks in about 90 minutes from the time my plane touches the ground. I’ll definitely be in my hotel room (if it’s ready) within 60 minutes easily.

This will depend on how much of a HP fan your family is! If you just want to get on rides ASAP to get the party started then - go for it! If you or someone is a die-hard HP fan, then you MUST start in USF at Diagon Alley.

Hogsmeade in IOA is fine and has the better rides, but when you go through the partition into Diagon Alley it’s amazing! (I was only a casual HP fan until I visited the WWOHP. After DA I was hooked. I felt like I had walked right into the books!)

You should totally do Olivander’s at DA! Do the show first thing when you enter! Your kids could be chosen by the TMs to be in the show and a wand will “chose them”. If nothing else, it’s really cute and a neat way to get your wand.

(Personally, I shop at Gregorovitch Wands. They’re the wand makers that taught the Ollivander’s. Everyone loves the big brand wizarding name though! :rofl: :rofl:)

Yes! The park celebrates Mardi Gras all February. There is a parade that starts at either 5pm/6pm - depending on the closing time for USF.

This is a good idea. If you still get up like you are going to RD, not Early Park Admission, and get to USF about 45+ minutes before it opens you will do well. Everyone wants to race over to IOA for EPA / Hagrid’s at RD. Sometimes it’s “smarter” to not go to EPA.

Dramamine should be on the MUST list. I don’t get motion sickness often and even I get :nauseated_face: on a couple Universal attractions!

Lanyards are 100% a MUST. Either bring one or pay $20 each for one at UOR. (It willl be well made and decorated, but it’s still a lot of a cord and plastic pouch! :rofl: :rofl:

You will only need your phone for your park entry. Lockers & UXP can be accessed by your hotel key.

I love talking UOR and answering questions, so feel free to ask as many as you want!

Have fun!

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Lockers can be opened with room keys? I know tickets opened them (so many visitors don’t have room keys) but room keys work too?

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Yes, I have used the room key before because it’s handy. Pretty much any barcode works iirc.

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Thanks! Orlando Informer’s Info just said tickets and I have never tried the room key before. I will use my room key the next time!

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I saw someone use their barcode tattoo once!

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I usually have Express Passes, so I’ve gotten into the habit of using my room key for lockers too. I’ll keep the EP and and my AP back to back, but I always pull out the EP/room key for use.

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I too keep the AP and room key back to back. I am tempted to use my room key next time but most likely I would forget and try to unlock with my AP.

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If you accidentally do that, just close the locker. They have sensors that can tell when things are in there, and if it’s empty it will reset, and you can use it in other location.

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Hadn’t thought about the emerging into Diagon Alley aspect of it. Definitely going to go with that plan for day one. My daughter is very much hoping to get picked to have a wand choose her, but I’m trying not to have her get her hopes up and have it put a damper on things if she doesn’t.

Good to know. Now that I think of it, a couple of quick rounds on a motion simulator has made my stomach less than happy so preemptive Dramamine is probably smart.

Thanks. My favorite thing about these forums is that there is always someone who has the answer and is willing to share it.

Does anyone see the TMs having an issue if one (or more) of our group goes through the queue with no plan on riding and heads for the exit when the riders board? I’m thinking specifically of HPFJ since my wife wants nothing to do with giant animatronic spiders and VC since my kids would enjoy the raptors but are still not comfortable with big drops or inversions. I’d imagine they have someone getting scared last minute and dropping out and have an exit for such things but also not trying to make their lives more difficult.

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I always bring a water bottle for the free water offered in the ubiquitous Coke Freestyle Machines.

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They don’t mind at all! Heck, they will even give you a free “queue & backstage” tour of the attraction if you ask the TM outside the ride entrance! They do have to have enough staff at that moment to accommodate you.

They may tell you to come back later at a specific time when they know they’ll have more help. I went to RD for an MIB tour and was asked to come back at 11am as the ride wasn’t fully staffed until after 10am

I’ve done the tour at Forbidden Journey and MIB. They let me have my own photoshoot in the MIB HQ area. I don’t want to spoil the preshow for you, but it was like I was on the move set!

The queue at Forbidden Journey inside Hogwarts is almost an attraction just by itself!

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If you have HP fans, the robes are perfect for February. The weather can vary so much even within the same day. When they are warm you can let the robe fly open and it is basically a cloak. When it is cold you can huddle up into it. So you get the benefits of layering, without having to carry your clothes around when it is warm.

If you have a sewing machine and can thread the needle, a robe isn’t hard to make. Only measurement you need to get even vaguely right is the shoulder width and the length. If you sew the liner in a house color onto the outer part of the front edge and fold it in, the robe will be prettier than 99.5% of the other robes including the official ones.

In the research before our first trip with our then 9-year-old girl. I learned this is how to maximize your kid’s chances of being picked.

  • They want a good show, so they don’t want a kid who mumbles and they also want a kid who is enthusiastic. So tell that to your kid beforehand and while in line have a conversation about the upcoming wand selection with your kid enunciating and projecting but not yelling. I asked DD what she hoped would be inside the core of her wand, and then we discussed the pros and cons of various options. There was around three people in front of us, and one them a guy who gave us a look and smiled and he wasn’t in the audience. So, I suspect he picked us.

  • Nothing much you can do to change this, but it helps to be the right age.

  • It also helps to be obvious fans. You don’t work there unless you love HP. People tend to pick people like themselves. In our case, DH was wearing a handmade Jedi robe in light brown ultra-suede. DD was wearing a hand-made awesome looking Ravenclaw robe. I was wearing an official Ravenclaw robe (ran out of time) and I had a Dr.Who length scarf in Ravenclaw colors.

  • We got in the first time, but I read that if you keep circling around, they’ll eventually take pity on you.

  • I forget which one it was, but one will occasionally pick an adult and the other only picks kids.

We used our photopass card on the lockers. It had needed to be in the lanyard with the barcode facing out anyway, so double-use.

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I hadn’t considered robes as an adaptable layer. That’s a nice tip. Thanks!

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I have done this! And it took me way longer to figure out than I care to admit…

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They work in the hotter months too. The official ones are oddly “breathable” and the massive hood is great at blocking out the sun. I’ve been asked by people in queue, “Aren’t you miserable?”

Nomads / People of the Deserts figured out that full body coverage with a good material is better than less clothing and full sun!! :rofl: :hot_face:

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I forgot about something else with HP and February.

I don’t know if they are still doing this, we just stumbled onto it. It used to be that on one day in February, Universal would have a Harry Potter day. Then they cancelled it, but the uber-fans kept it going. It is called something like, “The Day That Shall Not Be Named.”

Basically a bunch of people cosplay the HP universe that day, and there is a giant photo of the group taken. Because of DD’s couture HP robe, we were assumed to be a part of the group and were told, “Hey the photo is about to happen. Follow me.” So, we did.

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I’ve seen a couple of those people a few times. There is a Dumbledore and a Bellatrix that are spot-on look-alikes! It’s amazing!!

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We just got back from HRH last week. I would say:

  1. Arrival - We picked up a rental when we arrived at MCO. The check-in at HRH was not quick (at least half hour at 9 pm). Had to wait for luggage at MCO and the car rental took a bit of time even with the online reservation. As such, I’d estimate arrival at the parks at closer to 2 pm with a 10 am plane arrival if you are getting luggage, renting a car, and checking in before you arrive.

  2. Tickets- When you check-in at HRH your room key will double as your express pass. You can use that card to get into your room, tap into rides, etc. You’ll get a separate park ticket (across from check-in desk in the lobby). In addition to getting into the park you’ll need your ticket to get on the Hogwarts Express between parks. Otherwise you will mostly be using your express pass.

  3. Lanyards and fanny pack (or the like) are very convenient. Lanyards for express passes and tickets (barcodes out on opposite sides to make it easiest so you don’t need to remove them). Fanny pack will avoid lockers on some rides, but not the big coasters. That said, the lockers were easy to use.

  4. Touring - I would take advantage of the early morning access to get Harry Potter stuff done and then hit the rides with the longest waits early in the day. Even with UXP we still waited for over 40 minutes sometimes, including for the Hogwarts Express. We asked an employee and they said the UXP lane tends to be about half the wait so those lines of 300 minutes will still take you forever.

Enjoy the pool at HRH. It is a decent one with a nice slide. Our boys (9 and 11) really enjoyed the pool. Neither are big Harry Potter fans so Hulk and Velocicoaster were favourites. The little one rode Hulk 3 times in a row between 7 pm and 8 pm and then hit up Velocicoaster again.

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