1 Day 2 Park TP help!

[cfnumberone]

My boyfriend and I will be visiting Universal for the first time for 1 day on December 10, and I'm a little overwhelmed with planning. We will not have the express pass or early entry. Top priority is HP rides and some time to look through the shops, drink butterbeer, etc. I also love thrill rides so I'd love to get in as many as possible, though I know we won't get in everything. My boyfriend is not a coaster person, so I will do single rider for Hulk, Rip Ride, maybe FJ.

Suggestions on where to start? Should I begin with HP in one park, then do HP in the other, and then do the rest of the thrill rides after? Or do one full park before switching? Since I don't have early entry, should I automatically start at whichever park isn't open early?

Finding it difficult to do a touring plan (CL=3) - TP seems to think I'll fit everything in easily, but yesterday crowd levels were at a 3 and wait times were much longer on the app than my TP is showing me.

Here's a list of top priorities outside HP:
Rip Ride (single rider)
Hulk (single rider)
Mummy
Spiderman
Kong?
Jurassic Park?
Cat in the Hat?
Men in Black?
Shrek?
E.T.?
Transformers?
Despicable Me?

Any suggestions or thoughts on how many rides we could get in are appreciated! Thanks!

 

[imprint]

One option would be:

1. Despicable Me (line should be shortest in early morning)
2. Diagon Alley (Gringotts, Olivander's, shops)
3. Hogwarts Express (USO to IoA)
4. Hogsmeade (Forbidden Journey, shops)
5. Jurassic Park
6. King Kong
7. Spider-Man
8. Hulk
9. Cat in the Hat
10. Hogwarts Express (IoA to USO)
11. Men in Black
12. E.T.
13. Transformers
14. Mummy
15. Rip Ride Rocket
16. Shrek

 

[SteveMP]

We are big HP fans, and we liked to start in Diagon Alley, shop a bit, then head to Kings Cross, take the HE to Hogsmeade, (kind of like what Harry did in book 1)ride stuff/shop over there and anything else at that park, then take the HE back the other way(different both ways, then finish up doing whatever you wantedtodo at USO

 

[cfnumberone]

Perfect, thank you both! I'll plan on both HP lands first since they're top priority and consider everyone else a bonus.

If universal studios has early entry, should I do the opposite and start at IOA so I'm not behind the crowds?

 

[wookiebeck]

Imprint has a good plan listed above. I approve.

And here is another option since you mention the EE crowds. If you ropedrop at IOA you can get a lot done, including the best of the headliners (IMHO) for the first half of the day. Here is my alternate touring plan for you.

1. Hogsmeade, FJ, explore the area.
2. Jurassic Park
3. King Kong
4. Spiderman
5. Hulk
6. Hogwarts Express to US
7. Transformers
8. Mummy
9. Afternoon into evening for Diagon Alley. Lines for Gringotts will be less as the sun sets (and the town lights up beautifully). Explore and watch the shows, shop, be sure to go down Knockturn Alley.
10. MIB and/or RRR on way out of the park (bonus territory here).

Try to tell your bf that I said he should only sit out Hulk and RRR. All the rest give you great thrills without being full-on coasters and are not to be missed. Have fun!!!

 

[sandam1]

One thing that everyone is missing is the new Harry Potter light show in Hogsmeade and the other Christmas specific events (Macy's parade, Grinchmas, Manheim Streamroller concert) that will be happening during your visit. Yes, they might cut into your ride time, but some of them sound like "not to be missed" offerings.

 

[cfnumberone]

Thank you all! Once I figure out which park is opening earlier I'll use these ideas to get a plan together that starts at the opposite park. And thanks for the heads up on the light show, I'll definitely want to check that out!

 

[cfnumberone]

And I will be sure to let him know, thanks wookiebeck!