Yay, we share some of those! But also some new ones I’m gonna add to mine.
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Oh fantastic! I’m bookmarking!
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Apologies if someone has already suggested this (I skimmed the replies) but you should really do a “ghost” room booking. Just pay for one night at one of the premier resorts that has free express pass, “check in” at 7am, head to early entry, enjoy the express pass all day long (will be much less money then buying standalone express pass) and use the hotel room and pool for a rest midday! That way you’ll also be able to stay at the parks later since you can use the hotel room to rest and reset. I do this for clients all the time and it’s a great hack!
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Bonus Hack that’s been done before: At RPR request a “Parlor” room. It’s part of a suite with only a sofabed, etc. They used to give a significant discount if one’s available. Ask on arrival.
The Unofficial Guide has a special strategy designed specifically for guests who only want to do the Wizarding World
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Is the special strategy that’s in the book different from the HP plans online?
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Okay, here’s the most recent edition of the book:
USF (day guests, no early entry)
- See the wand ceremony at Ollivanders, buy a wand if you have a child who gets chosen
- Breakfast at the Leaky Cauldron or at Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour
- Tour Diagon Alley – browse the shops, explore Knockturn Alley, discover the interactive effects
- See either Tales of Beedle the Bard or Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees
- Exit Diagon Alley and board the Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade Village
IOA
- Ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
- See the Frog Choir or the Triwizard Spirit Rally
- Ride Flight of the Hippogriff
- Ride Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure
- Have lunch at Three Broomsticks
- See whichever show you didn’t see earlier
- Get your picture taken with the Conductor of the Hogwarts Express
- Explore the shops and interactive windows
- Sample some sweets at Honeydukes
- Return to Kings Cross Station via the Hogwarts Express
USF
- Chat with the conductor of the Knight Bus
- Look for Kreacher in the window of #12 Grimmauld Place
- Enter the red phone booth and dial 62442 (M-A-G-I-C)
- Re-enter Diagon Alley, catch whichever show you didn’t see earlier
- Ride Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts
- Have dinner at the Leaky Cauldron, or just dessert at Florean Fortescue’s or Sugarplum’s Sweet Shop
- If it’s an HHN night, head back to Hogsmeade and stay late enough to see the projection show on Hogwarts Castle; if it’s a regular night, stay on the London waterfront and watch the show the show over the lagoon (and see if any Death Eaters are lurking about Knockturn Alley).
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That’s an awesome idea, but it looks like for 9 of us it will cost a 2,000 plus for October17, which really isn’t any cheaper than express pass, unless I’m misunderstanding the best way to do this.
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Lots of people is when the EP throw-away room really shines.
5 people can be on a room, so for 9 people you’d need two rooms. If you aren’t actually going to spend the time, you don’t care about size of room.
I have an extremely vague memory of a warning that if the 5th person is an adult they charge a little extra $15?. Experts can weigh in on that.
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Yeah it’s expensive. Best case is RPR for Thursday night 10/16, but even with taxes it’s $963 per room. 
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Wow. For middle of October?
I guess Universal has lots of visitors.
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You get unlimited express pass with the hotel room stay (can enter the express lane an unlimited number of times per ride which is particularly useful now that Hagrids is part of express!) - I haven’t looked at the express pass pricing for that day but almost always it’s less expensive or the same as the one night stay, and then you get a hotel room you can utilize during the day. If you aren’t using a travel advisor, you should enlist one to help you with this!
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It’s Halloween Horror Nights season and it’s packed!! 
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Forgot about that.
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