We are going to attempt both IOA and USF in a single day (with another day dedicated to EU). I was looking at the Pre-made Universal Orlando Highlights One-Day/Two-Park Plan (without Early Entry) and noticed it has you start and end at USF. I would think since IOA opens an hour earlier and closes an hour later, wouldn’t it make more sense to start and end at IOA to take advantage of those extra hours? Maybe I’m missing something.
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That plan hasn’t been updated in years. You’re better off just making a custom plan. Good luck
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Your logic makes sense, especially if IOA has the longer operating hours that day. That said, some touring plans are built around expected crowd patterns rather than park hours alone. Starting at USF may help you clear a few popular attractions before waits build. I would compare the projected wait times and adjust the plan if needed.
IME - You always start at IOA if you can get in early. The reason is that you can do VC, FJ and even Hagrid’s in that first hour or so. (if you get to the gates at least 45 - 60 minutes before RD)
You’ll definately have time to do at least VC and FJ while leisurely strolling around Hogsmeade.
Then you can take the HE to USF right when it opens to start hitting up Diagon Alley before the crowds arrive. I’ve actually made it from Hogsmeade to Kings Cross Station as fast as the first “wave” of USF RD people gets to the area…
If they aren’t a big WWOHP fan they’ll be able to RD Marvel Island, Kong and JPRA (JPRA is closed until 11/20/26 for refurbishment)
Then they can walk over to USF in the first hour or so to do most non-WWOHP attractions without too much of a wait.
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Yeah. In the past, general park opening time was the same. Now, I don’t know if anyone should be starting at USF, even if you don’t have Early Park Admission:
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Yeah, good point.
We don’t have an easy way yet to say “Hagrid’s won’t be part of Express Pass as of this date”. It’s on the list of things to do.
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That’s not exactly true. We have a way to record the change in Universal Express participation, and plans on July 1 and beyond will not use Express for Hagrid’s. The bit that’s missing for us is a way to handle wait time forecasting differently for an attraction based on whether you can use Express on Hagrid’s. Presumably the average wait time will go down if there’s only a standby line. We have some data from Hagrid’s past about that, but the parks have changed in other ways since Hagrid’s lacked Express Pass, so Len will need to make some reasonable assumptions and adjust our models to handle that.
I think the latest concern here, though, is that with the 2-parks-in-1-day premium plans, starting in USF is unwise if USF opens at 10 AM and IOA opens at 9 AM. Perhaps we should eliminate the 2-park/1-day plans that start in USF, or we could add a note telling folks not to use those plans on days when IOA and USF open at different times.
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Yes! Thank you David for addressing this important issue here.
FYI this schedule has been the same for many (6?) months, and remains the same on Universal’s official calendar in the coming months.
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Do you remember how early you got in line at HE? Like, 30 minutes before USF opening time?
I’ve been allowed to enter the queue about 10 minutes or less before the other park opens multiple times. (If the train is ready / running)
You just have to wait at the entrance to the platform for a few minutes. I don’t know if they’d allow people to wait 30 minutes in advance. That area outside the entrance is already part of the extended queue for Hagrids.
Even when I’ve gone into the Hogsmeade HE queue to Kings Cross station right at opening I’ve never had to wait more than one train to cycle. I’m still at DA before more folks doing RD at USF… 
Everyone is still focused on getting on Hagrid’s and such at that time of day, instead of park hopping
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Thanks for the info!
Early trip planning here. We’re looking to hop over to the Leaky Cauldron for breakfast, which only lasts til 10:30. But the park only opens at 10:00, 
unless that changes.
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