Taking the family to WDW/Uni in August and we have never done a split stay like this. In fact, I haven’t been to Universal since I was a kid so I welcome any tips/advice.
First question: We are a family of six so we will be taking up a total of two rooms at each resort. I have requested that they are connected rooms but our travel agent did say that it isn’t guaranteed. How likely is it that they honor that request?
We are starting out at WDW staying for 5 nights. We will have 5-day tickets/hopper/G+.
Our flight arrives at MCO at 1:10 p.m. on Sunday, August 4. We will be using private transfer and heading to YC for the first part of our stay. Is it realistic to think that we could check-in or drop off bags and be in MK around 3:30?
Ideally, I’d like to book an ILL for Tron from the airport that morning as well VQ and stacking regular LL. I assume Tron goes quickly right at 7.
For the rest of our WDW stay, I’d love to hear any tips or advice plus good table-service restaurant recommendations.
On Friday, Aug. 9 we will transfer to LRP Hotel at Universal where we will be staying 3 nights.
Since we are staying at LRP, we will have the unlimited express pass. With it being a hotel benefit, does it save a lot of time or do so many people have access to that you end up still waiting a decent amount of time?
Based on the touring plans I’ve created, it seems like it saves a lot of time but wanted to get input from someone who has actually used it.
Are there any “can’t-miss” restaurants at Universal? Right now, I have reservations for Toothsome and Mythos but I’ve heard mixed reviews.
Never guaranteed, but fairly likely at both WDW and UOR in my experience. It’s one request they try hard to honor, especially if you have young kids.
Not out of the question, but be prepared for a plan B. Don’t put anything time sensitive at the front end of that block.
Yes it does. It would be better if it worked for Hagrid’s, but even without that it’s still worth it. That said, not having EP is tolerable as well. A lot of the lines have periods of time where they are short if you keep an eye on the wait times.
Three Broomsticks for QS. For TS, we’ve eaten at Toothsome a couple times and enjoy it. Also Antojitos (very good option for Mexican cuisine) and The Kitchen (expensive but good). But I haven’t had something that I would classify as can’t miss.
It’s been a number of years since I ate at Mythos so things may have changed. My experience was the food was very good for theme park food, but the service was terrible and we spent way too much valuable park time at the restaurant.
At WDW, DW and I love Jiko at AK and Boathouse at Disney Springs and I highly recommend both if they work for your schedule. We enjoyed Cowfish at UOR (Citiwalk), but I wouldn’t call it “cant-miss”.
It’s possible, but there a lot of things that could cause delays. How old are your kids? I find the younger the kids, the more (and longer) the family related delays. Plus there are all sorts of transportation delays that are completely out of your control. With 2 young kids, I usually plan our schedule expecting park arrival 3.5 hours after the plane’s scheduled arrival time.
If you’re not arriving until the afternoon there is no point in getting VQ for Tron. It will be called before you arrive and you’ll be well past the grace period when they’ll let you ride. I’d focus on choosing a good time for the ILL and stacking regular LLs.
I used BG1 to get a Tron VQ…but I didn’t want an early one. I was hoping for something after 10 am. So, I waited about 1.5 seconds to tap, and ended up with a BG that was called around 10:30.
If you want a VQ in the afternoon or later, there is no harm in trying, but maybe waiting 3-4 seconds. If you end up with one that works, great…otherwise just book an ILL. (We actually did both and rode it twice.)
Hi! I’m your friendly Universal Addict! I’ve stayed at and eaten at most UOR hotels and have eaten at every place inside the parks & in CityWalk! I love UOR! (I was a die hard “WDW-only” person until 2018)
Unlike WDW, Universal makes the price of the Express Pass prohibitively expensive for the general public. (Usually $200 - $300+ per person!!) The only way to “save $$$” on the UXP (Express Pass) is to stay at a premier hotel. Typically, 90%+ of people using UXP are hotel guests - this means it’s not oversold. Typically you’ll only spend 33% - 50% of the posted wait time actually in queue when using UXP - some times it’s a walk-on!!
I really wanted to like Toothsome’s, but it’s not good. IMHO - The only thing worth trying is the milkshakes. Even then it’s mostly for the novelty. Nonetheless, you’ll get a great photo to post on social media or in your personal photos.
Mythos is very hit or miss… The only dish everyone raves about being consistently good is the spanakopita dip & pita chips. (The chips are great and I do love the dip. Portion is too small though)
Mythos is beautiful inside and I’ve never had any service issues - just inconsistent food.
There are very few “can’t miss” places INSIDE the parks, but there is A LOT of VERY GOOD options…
My only “must-try” eateries are all at the premier hotels!! The food at these places is the stuff I plan my trips around.
Can’t Miss - (but maybe you can…These are all great though!)
USF = Any place in Diagon Alley… They are are so well themed and all the food is good. If your family has ANY interest in Harry Potter you need to plan to eat or snack here…
Freeze Ray Pops - I daydream about a few of the flavors I’ve had!! (Don’t sleep on Cotton Candy. It was surprisingly refreshing on a hot day!)
IOA = Wimpy’s… These are just hamburgers. What makes them better is they make every burger fresh to order. Plus, the meat is a better quality patty.
Green Egg & Ham Tots = I could eat every option on this menu every day!! (My waistline & doctor would hate me!!)
CityWalk = Nothing… I genuinely like A LOT of places in CityWalk. However, nothing is “must-do” or so well themed that it over compensates for mediocre food.
Hotels - MAMA DELLA’S at Portofino Bay Hotel. Just typing those words already has me hungry and drooling.
The Kitchen at Hard Rock Hotel - I highly recommend the breakfast buffet. All the primer hotels offer a breakfast buffet. However, at HRH they have French toast, omelet and waffle stations. It’s $29, but at breakfast in the parks - like WWOHP is going to cost $20. For $10 more you can eat a meal that will stuff you completely with amazing food.
The Kitchen at dinner is still good, but pricey. If you go on Wed. or Friday they have roaming Magicians that come to your table to do various tricks / illusions. It’s mind-blowing!!
Strong Water Tavern - Sapphire Falls hotel. This is a tapas bar. It’s not kid friendly. Alothugh, should you want a date night with strong drinks & great food then this is a “must-do”
Really Good & Recommended -
USF = Finnegan’s. Everything there is good and it’s well themed.
IOA = Thunder Falls Terrace - Try the Raptor Wings!
Three Broomsticks - I prefer the menu here to Leaky Cauldron. However, eating in Diagon Alley is more “fun” to me
Circus McGurkus - They just reopened after a LONG refurbishment. I haven’t been back inside this place since it reopened with a new menu. However, they offered the menu items as “seasonal” / “limited time” offerings around the parks to test food while they restaurant was under repair. I love the chicken + waffles and the Roast Beast Sandwich.
CityWalk - Antojitos (basic Tex Mex, but always good) / Pat O’Brien’s - good food and music / Hard Rock Café - Nothing special, but always consistently good
Breadbox Handcrafted Sandwiches is my “usual” place for good food, reasonable prices and quick service. Even faster with mobile order!
Red Oven Pizza is my favorite pizza at UOR, but can have a long wait. Use Mobile Order!
Please ask anything about UOR that you want to know! Going back to a theme park after a long break can seem daunting. Each place has their own rules/procedures!
Oh! I should have listed this one. We just ate there for the first time this past March, and it was SO good. Definitely recommend this for in-park food! There is live music as well (at least there was when we were there).
On arrival day, if I were you, I would join the 7 AM VQ for Guardians since they do not enforce the return time. You could check in at the Yacht Club, use the International Gateway at Epcot, ride Guardians and then monorail it over to MK.
If you really must ride TRON on your 1st day I would just purchase the ILL.
Citrico’s (at Grand Floridian) and Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater (inside HS) are my must-dos at WDW. I also really like Jiko.
As far as Universal is concerned - you’ve chosen a great hotel. LRP is like the Boardwalk Inn of Universal. The location cannot be beat! The unlimited express pass is awesome and allows you to just relax and enjoy the parks however you see fit. It absolutely saves you lots of time, but just like LLs at WDW, if a standby line is really long and the Express line is long, you still may have to wait. It still pays to prioritize certain rides at particular times of day. Just study the TP app for a few days in July to get a feel for what wait times look like at certain times of day.
Recommended Restaurants at Universal:
Orchid Court Lounge (Sushi in lobby at LRP) The sushi here is excellent.
Bigfire (Citywalk)
Cowfish (Citywalk)
Red Oven Pizza (Citywalk) Pizza here is good but it is super casual, seating is outdoors and I wouldn’t call it a restaurant.
Jake’s American Bar serves solid pub food if you’re tired and just want to eat at the hotel.
I went to Toothsome last April with my husband and two teenage sons. We will be dining here as well as at Bigfire again in June. Honestly, given the type of restaurant Toothsome is, the food is good. The theming is really cool. I had the Nicoise Salad and Roasted Brussels sprouts, the three boys had burgers. My sons liked the milkshakes but I thought they were gross - too sweet and who puts non-dairy whipped topping on a milkshake - yuck! Also, if you’ve ever had real macarons (Laduree, Pierre Herme) don’t waste your money on the ones at Toothsome. They look pretty but are seriously lacking in the flavor department.
I haven’t eaten at Mythos in years. The theming inside is really cool though and I remember the food to have been decent.
For Disney, way back in the day when booking two rooms where kids outnumbered the adults, the booking cast member could guarantee connecting rooms…and it would show up on your reservation (at least the TA’s copy).
I love Cowfish. Antojitos was terrible the last time we ate there but it was amazing the time before. Big fire is next on our list!
