Regarding heavy wait times for food in the parks, don't be afraid to leave the park and hit the vast number of restaurants City Walk has to offer (usually with little or no wait times at all).
The wait time alert feature on the App is awesome! I found the App a bit "clunky" at first, but if you play with it for a while it becomes pretty intuitive. It's so worth learning how to use! Plus, you can use two or more phones to access the app to get "double" or more virtual queues for the same group.
I’ve been watching ur videos non stop!!! U guys have been helping me out so much. 😭 thank u! This is my second time going , it’s been 22 years since I’ve gone and I’m so excited !!!
I was on the fence about getting the Express Pass because of the price, but after watching multiple videos you guys have done on it plus this video, it seems like it's really the only way to everything in the parks done in a single day, which is all I have!
Yeah unfortunately if you are only there one day, without it, it’s hard to do everything! We hate telling people to spend that kind of money on something but we are so excited for you!
Your tips are always 100% spot-on! I am an experienced Universal hotel guest and I totally agree with everything you said. Especially about ExpressPasses. Many Florida locals get rooms for their visits, exclusively for the passes. These hotel ExpressPasses are good for both check-in and check-out days. They don't even need or use their rooms.
Thank you so much! It really is trial and error to figure out the best way to book trips. It’s a huge complement to hear from an experienced guest that our tips are on point! We appreciate the support!
Waited 2 and a half hours for Hagrid’s and that was with a virtual line que… and it was the best ride there. I’m going back to universal soon and watching your guy’s videos keeps me in the loop! Thank you!
It’s so good, right?!? We’re so glad our videos have been helpful! The crowds can definitely get crazy during the summer months, but Hagrid’s is almost always worth the wait!
We love hearing this! We are working on getting at least 2 a week out and with continued support we’d love to do 3! Thank you so much for your support!
@@ThePughTwo I’m so glad to hear that, you two. My oldest daughter and I will be purchasing annual passes and making two trips next year, Jan ‘22 for the Unofficial Harry Potter celebration and then again in Oct/Nov ‘22. It’s been such a pleasure to surf your channel and catch all your new videos while we plan and prepare.
That’s so awesome! Those are great times to visit the parks and we can’t wait to hear how it goes. Hearing that our content is helpful and entertaining means the world to us!
Your videos are so helpful! I just came from my Universal Studios vacation and it was a success because of you guys my family save so much money. Thank you for all your help and tips . The community appreciated it. Wishing you a lot of success at TH-cam 🥰
These are the kind of comments we love to hear! Trips to Universal can be soooo expensive if not planned correctly so we are glad you found our videos helpful! Thank you for the well wishes and thank you for your support!
another tip is the popcorn buckets and the refillable fountains . My wife and I do that during the lunch rush to stave off hunger and we ride our favorite rides sometimes back to back during the lunch rush! lol
Thank you so much! We are glad you are enjoying them. Thats exciting about the upcoming trip! We hope you have an amazing time! Thanks for the support!
My experience with Starbucks is a bit different. When I was there last May, the Starbucks at my hotel was jam packed. I went to the bus for early entry, stopped at Starbucks in CityWalk. 5 min max wait, went outside and sat down with my coffee watching the crowd heading to the lines for rope drop.
We stayed at Portofino and the Hard Rock hotel before. I just priced out a couple packages and it just made sense to just stay at a premium hotel again and get the park perks, plus a 4 star hotel on site. It's more $ but really enhances the whole experience by making your trip in and out of the parks short and very convenient. It's also great to be able to enter the park early and have the express pass for the entire time.
The premier hotels really are worth the extra cost if you can swing it. It makes your entire stay so much nicer! The resorts are better, it’s easier to get to the parks, and the express passes are the best. We couldn’t agree more!
Thank you for sharing this. We are going on our first trip in my kid's lifetime. So excited to go! I'll be there in February definitely hope to use these tips and leave the crowds.
Express Pass is a life saver, definitely made my experiences at Universal so much better, especially at Halloween Horror Nights as well, those crowds at HHN are absolutely crazy lol
So glad I found you two! You guys are the cutest…I’m telling everyone about your channel cause it’s great to just have playing in the background to keep the day feeling fun:)
Hi Anna & Tyler, Another video with great tips for Universal. I personally will not wait more than an hour for a ride. So I generally will not visit the parks when it that busy without an Express Pass. But to be honest, I usually play golf during the day and hit the parks around 3-4, so I get Express after 4 with my AP and I usually hit all the rides that I want to do before 7pm (which is usually the time park closes on the days that I am there. Then I go to CityWalk for dinner. Maybe that will be a great idea for a future video of yours. This is how I will be doing things from Nov 28th to Dec 17th this year. Ken
I've come to the realization that any time I go to a theme park I have to purchase express passes. I'm a patient person but goodness....waiting in lines for over 30 min is like cruel and unusual punishment. And in Florida its intensified with how hot it is. I plan every vacation a year in advance just to budget for express passes lol. That probably sounds awful. Unfortunately there's that one park that we all know of that doesn't have regular express passes and needs to get with the program. I'm just saying lol! I've been planning a trip to Universal for June 2023 (guess I'm more than a year ahead lol) but I'm considering doing the OI Meetup as a introduction to the park lol. Once again, I love your videos (as you can tell I'm over here binge watching to get caught up on some very helpful tips) !!!!
We always love having the option of the express pass! It makes for much more enjoyable trips and allows us to get on some rides in between filming! Planning a year or more in advance is a great way to make sure everything is going to be how you want it. Be sure to keep checking in on the hotel rates as the rates can continue to drop up until a month or so out from your date! Thank you so much for watching the videos!
Hey guys! So I’m planning my first ever UO trip and I’ve been bingeing your videos like you wouldn’t believe, and they’ve been so helpful! One question I have is, is there free wifi in the 3 parks? I know Disney has free wifi but wasn’t sure about there.
Hey hey! Thank you so much for the support! All of the parks do have Wi-Fi, at least they did the last time we were there about a month ago 😂. Hope this helps!
Great tips. Although I’m not a fan of Fanny packs I’m going to be purchasing one based on your locker tip. Definitely do not want to be dealing with lines for lockers in the heat.
Bwahahahaha!! My husband is my stuff holder! He can't go on rides, so we always bring a stroller full of crap for the family, and he watches the valuables! He's such a tropper.
I agree that express pass makes a difference. Just add the long times you save!!. Actually the visit turns out expensive if you do not get a express pass and end up just doing a few rides the whole day. I will be first time in orlando in July, very excited!. I have been in Universal LA in summer (pre pandemic) and did most rides in a single day with express pass. Thanks for the tips, I have taken note to all!!.
i love your videos they always bring a smile to my face :) me and my family are going to universal studios and a couple of days and i was just wondering if the parks are busy in november during thanksgiving
Awww that is so sweet! Thank you so much Emily! The parks can get pretty busy on Thanksgiving but it is manageable! We hope you have an incredible time!
You guys should think about being tour guides (start ur own company) to take ppl to these theme parks. You could make mad money, and have fun at the same time. Ppl who don’t know much about the ins and outs of them theme parks could really use your help. I know I would love to have u as my guides. Otherwise it’s pretty lonely 😩 for me.
Haha Universal does offer VIP tours where you can meet other guests and be guided around the parks! I’m not sure they’d be okay with us starting our own business there 😂 but you should check out the single rider Facebook group! It’s full of people that go to the parks by themselves and are looking to make friends!
Love these videos. They are so informative! Thanks so much you two. It makes planning our 2nd trip there so much easier. Most of this stuff I didn't know when we went the first time but I have learned my lesson. :) Definitely getting Express Pass this time by staying at Royal Pacific.
We're so glad we can help! We love Universal and we love helping other's get the most out of their vacations. Royal Pacific is an awesome hotel. We hope you have a great time! We appreciate your support!
Hi so glad to find you guys! When you say you can only ride Hagrid's with virtual Queue or Express Pass, does that mean there is no stand by line? Or those are the best ways? When I look at the app the wait times have been 60-120 minutes. Is this standby times?
So sometimes Hagrid’s is virtual queue only where the only way to ride it is with a virtual pass. Other days, Hagrid’s is only standby and you just have to wait in the normal line like the posted time says. Hagrid’s doesn’t have an express line yet, though, so that’s not at option yet!
I'm so excited for my trip in January my birthday is on new years day and I'm visiting from Jan 2 through Jan 9th. So hopefully I have enough time to do every thing I want
Hi! When I book a stay at a premier Universal Hotel, do I also need to purchase a park admission ticket or is it included in the hotel costs like the express pass? Thanks for your help and greetings from Germany 😊
Hello from the US! Unfortunately no, entrance into the park is not included with the stay. That is the one constant with Universal, you are going to have to purchase your tickets to get into the parks. Thank you for watching from Germany! That’s exciting!
Thank you for all your videos. I don't have a smart phone, so would I be unable to ride Hagrid's if they turn on the virtual line? or does the regular line also work? I'll be staying at one of the premier hotels so I'll have express pass. I was just confused about that point and wanted to clarify.
If Hagrid’s is virtual line for the day, that’s the only way you can ride it is by securing a virtual line so you would not be able to ride it. It’s been open during early park admission lately, though, and it’s never virtual for that!
Love all of your tips and tricks! Read that early May was a good time to go since it’s right after Spring Break and before the summer rush. What are your thoughts on that? Also, I noticed if you buy the Express passes you have to buy them with a date. Do you know if US would allow you to change a date for the Express pass if necessary?
Thank you so much! We enjoy going in early May for sure! It seems to be a very moderately busy time in the parks. Hmm we have heard that they can change dates, but the problem is when you buy an express pass, its reflecting a certain price of a particular day. We would call to verify before making such a large purchase!
@@ThePughTwo That makes sense about the dates. I guess we would just cross our fingers for the best the two days we decide to go then. Hopefully it’s not quite too rainy yet those days we are there. Thanks again! And keep up the good work!
It really just depends! It depends when you’re going and what you what to get done at the parks. We did a video where we discussed the express passes in length, but that’s basically what it boils down to. If you’re going to purchase them outright, as opposed to staying at a premier hotel that comes with them, you can wait until you get to the parks to make that decision. If you’re just going for two days, one night at a premier hotel would get you unlimited express passes for the day you check in AND check out, so that could be an option! We hope this helps!
For that 'lunch rush', can you get around it by mobile ordering? Also, can you order ahead with a time window? I cannot test this like I can with the MDE app since Universal app is smarter and knows that I am not on the property.
Yeah we talked about mobile ordering and how it can save you time. It can certainly help MOST times, although we have ran into situations in which it took just as long to receive the food. Thanks for watching!
The only time I will wait 40 mins or more is for Velocicoaster or kong. Prob bc that’s the lowest each ride will be. And I got lukcy the other day when kong was 15 minutes😳
This is great. Similar to the crowd avoidance process we use at Cedar Point, our home park. We are crazy ride people too. Can’t wait for our first on site visit on April! Are there spots to put the freestyle cups at rides if we try to avoid backpacks?
That’s awesome! Have an amazing trip in April. The lockers are the only system in place to store items ATM so you will have to deal with the lockers in that aspect unless you have a fanny pack with “three prong clips” that the cup can go into.
@@ThePughTwo I am hoping with it being April after break and Easter the crowds won’t be as bad. We will deal with the lockers as best we can. :) Love the context on the channel. Cedar Point and Kings Island have great Halloween events, you should look into it.
@@stuartlandes20 we deal with the lockers as well, and it’s manageable! We’ll definitely look into that! We’ve heard of the parks, but didn’t know they had Halloween events. We appreciate your support!
@@ThePughTwo Cedar Point has Halloweekends and Kings Island has the Haunt. KIs version is more like HHN in that the park is shut down and it’s a separate event. If you were to do it, look into a Cedar Fair platinum pass. Free parking and entry to all CF parks, including the Halloween events. Also, if you like roller coasters, you’ll have over 30 with just those 2 parks.
@@stuartlandes20 that’s awesome, thanks for the info! We’ll definitely check into that this year. We love all things Halloween and roller coasters, so that’s right up our alley!
I'm planning a trip in April (right after Spring break crowd) and have been toying with the idea of trying the fanny pack and ya'll have swayed me! But... what do you do with your water bottles?
We use the refillable cup in the parks and I have a hideous fanny pack that it can actually fit into. We dump whatever is in the cup in the grass right before getting on a ride and I stuff it in my pack! Like we said in the video, we almost always have our computer backpack with us and have to get a locker. When that’s the case, we just get two lockers and I put the cup up as well.
How many virtual queue rides can you book when you arrive in the park is it all that the rides the have the virtual queue that day or is it just one at a time
@@davidcuesta243 for that ride, no for other rides, yes. So you get a Hagrids one for 3:30, you can get one for say mummy at 9:30, you just can’t get another hagrids one
@@ThePughTwo Thanks so much! We so enjoy your videos. We are staying @ Dockside, then Cabana Bay, then one night @ Hard Rock to get those Express unlimited passes! LOL! Leaving in 2 weeks to meet our military son. Have received military discount Freedom tickets, also, which is awesome! Keep up the great videos. God bless!
@@laurafant7813 thank you Laura and please please thank your son for his service for us! We hope you all have an amazing vacation! If you have any questions please let us know!
@@ThePughTwo I thought that could be the case so I was trying to decide if we should purchase with our tickets. Another question. We planned on doing 2 days in universal in May but found the 3 day get 2 free promo to be only a lil bit more. Going that route we will have 5 days to take in all the fun instead of only 2. Do you still suggest a few days express passes or think by having multiple days in the park we could forgo them?
I should also mention for this trip we are staying offsite in a friends 3 bedroom suite at Floridays Resort. I understand on-site premium hotels is best because of free express passes but the free accommodations trumped this trip lol
I am noticing there are only like 3 rides with a virtual que. When they say 100 minute wait are you standing in line that whole time. Do they have any seating while you wait. I have serious back issues standing still for long periods of time.
Unfortunately, you are standing up throughout the queues. I also get back pain when standing for a long time, so I usually end up just sitting on the ground. You definitely won’t be the only person doing it. I would suggest that you call Universal’s guest service number and talk to them about your concerns. They’re really great about accommodating people, so there might be a solution I am unaware of!
I’m so confused . I want to book this trip with my 14 yr old son but I want to understand everything 1st and know what I’m getting myself into. How many parks are there
Universal has 3 parks. Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are theme parks, while Volcano Bay is a water park. The entire resort is referred to as Universal Orlando.
@@ThePughTwo Would you recommend against trying to visit Studios and Islands in one day (late April😊, never been before, sans express pass)? If so, which one would you recommend for a non-Harry (don't shoot me lol 😅), sci-fi buff?
if im not staying at a prime value resort, can i purchase 1 night at a prime resort to get the unlimited express pass for the day of check in and the day of check out for everyone and stay at my original resort?
so the day of check in is 4pm , i even get that entire day of express pass that day or from 4pm until close? sorry asking alot but we have never been so its a first time trip for us. LOVE your guys videos!! love the energy. @@ThePughTwo
we opted to get the premier annual pass which includes express pass after 4 each day your there and it helped cut the cost on the hotel stay itself as well drastically. so we go everything we wanted plus some, with an even better price when i booked it all seperatly. @@ThePughTwo
So worth making the most of light snacks to avoid needing to eat during those peak dining hours. Once the mob gets hungry those food lines explode. The parade is another good time to hit up rides.
We completely agree! We'll go hungry as opposed to waiting an hour for food. The parades haven't been going on during our last few trips, but that's a great point!
You can check the menu and prices on the Universal app! We personally love the jacket potatoes, there are several places to get pizza in the parks for relatively cheap like the kid’s zone pizza. Several of the cafeteria style places have chicken tenders, too. We hope this helps!
That’s a great question and it depends. If the ride has express, like the mummy or Jimmy Fallon’s, you can use the express line. Hagrid’s doesn’t have an express line yet so the only way you can ride it when Universal is offering the virtual queue is with a virtual pass.
Weekends tend to be busier than during the week, so we would probably suggest getting it either Saturday or Sunday. That being said, the express passes will likely be more expensive on the weekend. So if you’re looking to save money, a weekday would be cheaper. We hope this helps!
I haven't ridden it yet but I love Harry Potter so I would say Hagrids Motorcycle because I hear so many great things. Next would be Gringotts or Mummy, which I love and have ridden.
I just can’t pay $600-$800 for all of us to go to Universal to go back to the hotel to come back. We are staying the whole day lol but I love all the other tips!! Will be there in a week!!
We stay the entire time as well! We completely understand. Just so you know, we are super jealous of your upcoming trip! A week is so much time to do all the fun things. Be sure to let us know how the trip is! Thanks for watching!
It’s been a few years. We are soooo excited. Did you know that the express passes are not 59.99. They are actually $280 extra per person not including the park ticket. I called to make sure that it was correct. That’s the only thing that’s making me sort of disappointed. :( The five of us just cannot rock that.
@@celestegranell8766 We hope you didn’t gather from our information that express passes were 59.99! We are sorry if we made it sound that way. Express passes START at like $100 for the unlimited and go up from there. This is peak season so those prices will go up. Again we are sorry if we weren’t clear!
@@ThePughTwo no I didn’t get that from you all. I just got off the phone with universal so I thought I’d mention it. You all are awesome. Thanks for the videos.
@@celestegranell8766 oh good! Thank you so much for watching and seriously make sure you let us know how your trip goes! We’re excited to hear about it!
Thank you soooooo much for this video. My family and I are going next week and I downloaded the app and was overwhelmed with all this features and what the purpose of it was. I know the express pass is pricey but I have to get it because we are not staying at a premiere hotel. Love your content please keep it coming. God bless you both 😊
The express passes are expensive when you buy them outright. That’s why we suggest the premiere hotels. A lot of the time they’re around $350/night and that includes your room AND unlimited express passes!
October isn’t usually one of the busier times, even with HHN happening. We definitely understand, express passes are really expensive! We always recommend staying at one of the premier hotels to get the express pass. It’s usually MUCH cheaper!
@@karricompton we understand it’s not for everyone! It’s just the cheapest way if you’re set on getting express. We hope you and your family have a great trip!
Absolutely not! Both Universal parks are pretty big, but doesn’t mean it can’t get crowded. Plus, with the current social distancing protocols in place a lot of their crowd management techniques have been affected. Ride queues are spilling into the park because people have to be six feet apart, and lines are longer because they have to space parties out on rides too.
Our camera bag is a full sized backpack/camera bag! We can’t link here, but we’ll add it to this description and start adding it to our descriptions in the future, as well. If you’d like for us to send it to you directly, you can message us on Twitter/Instagram @thepughtwo!
Fast passes are wayyy too expensive. Family of 4 can drop serious money ON TOP OF TICKETS. What is really annoying is the 400 price tag for a room on a Wednesday in Middle of November just to get fast pass. (the week before Thanksgiving). Then again you may not need a fast pass. I see a lot of complaints on tripadvisor
We can see that argument! For us, we just like being able to enjoy the parks without be pressured with time which is why we like them so much! They are very expensive, so much so that we have never bought them outright.
@@ThePughTwo YOu have a great channel and helpful information. I'm going to subscribe. Do you have a video about annual passes? We are from out of state but going in November and next October for HHN. Think that will save money or no?
@@kiwisun529 thank you, we’re so glad our videos have been helpful! We have several videos over the annual passes including a series on the differences between all of them. Unfortunately Universal raised the prices after those videos, so they’re a little bit more expensive now, but the premise still applies! The annual passes can absolutely save you money, even if only one person gets one!
We’ve talked about doing this! We’ve actually never been to Volcano Bay. We had plans to visit last March, but 2020 messed that up lol. We’re hoping we’ll get a chance to do that soon. Thanks for watching!
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What's your number one MUST ride attraction every time you visit Universal?
Men in Black, easy!
We love MIB! We just wanna be a professional like yourself!
hagrids for sure! last time we went 6 times in one day
We have to agree! 6 times!?? That’s amazing! That sounds like a blast. We love your last name by the way hahah!
Hagrid's
Regarding heavy wait times for food in the parks, don't be afraid to leave the park and hit the vast number of restaurants City Walk has to offer (usually with little or no wait times at all).
Great point and suggestion!
Definitely looking forward to seeing the steampunk cafe.
The wait time alert feature on the App is awesome! I found the App a bit "clunky" at first, but if you play with it for a while it becomes pretty intuitive. It's so worth learning how to use! Plus, you can use two or more phones to access the app to get "double" or more virtual queues for the same group.
It takes some learning, but it’s so convenient! Having more devices definitely gives you a better chance of getting virtual queues, too!
I’ve been watching ur videos non stop!!! U guys have been helping me out so much. 😭 thank u! This is my second time going , it’s been 22 years since I’ve gone and I’m so excited !!!
You’re gonna have so much fun!! We’re so glad our videos have been helpful, too!
Being 18 and not able to check into a Universal hotel without someone who is 21 or older is my villain origin story
This made me lol for real. We weren’t aware of that at all!
😂😂😂
I was on the fence about getting the Express Pass because of the price, but after watching multiple videos you guys have done on it plus this video, it seems like it's really the only way to everything in the parks done in a single day, which is all I have!
Yeah unfortunately if you are only there one day, without it, it’s hard to do everything! We hate telling people to spend that kind of money on something but we are so excited for you!
Going late for lunch is the thing we do every time at the parks. Very good tip.
It can save you so much time! It’s crazy!
Your tips are always 100% spot-on! I am an experienced Universal hotel guest and I totally agree with everything you said. Especially about ExpressPasses. Many Florida locals get rooms for their visits, exclusively for the passes. These hotel ExpressPasses are good for both check-in and check-out days. They don't even need or use their rooms.
Thank you so much! It really is trial and error to figure out the best way to book trips. It’s a huge complement to hear from an experienced guest that our tips are on point! We appreciate the support!
I didn't know about the wait time alerts for the app, I love that I learn something new about Universal Orlando in every video!
They are super useful especially when you are trying to plan a day and rides are busy.
Waited 2 and a half hours for Hagrid’s and that was with a virtual line que… and it was the best ride there. I’m going back to universal soon and watching your guy’s videos keeps me in the loop! Thank you!
It’s so good, right?!? We’re so glad our videos have been helpful! The crowds can definitely get crazy during the summer months, but Hagrid’s is almost always worth the wait!
I really wish you guys did videos more frequently, I love this channel!
We love hearing this! We are working on getting at least 2 a week out and with continued support we’d love to do 3! Thank you so much for your support!
@@ThePughTwo I’m so glad to hear that, you two. My oldest daughter and I will be purchasing annual passes and making two trips next year, Jan ‘22 for the Unofficial Harry Potter celebration and then again in Oct/Nov ‘22. It’s been such a pleasure to surf your channel and catch all your new videos while we plan and prepare.
That’s so awesome! Those are great times to visit the parks and we can’t wait to hear how it goes. Hearing that our content is helpful and entertaining means the world to us!
Your videos are so helpful! I just came from my Universal Studios vacation and it was a success because of you guys my family save so much money. Thank you for all your help and tips . The community appreciated it. Wishing you a lot of success at TH-cam 🥰
These are the kind of comments we love to hear! Trips to Universal can be soooo expensive if not planned correctly so we are glad you found our videos helpful! Thank you for the well wishes and thank you for your support!
another tip is the popcorn buckets and the refillable fountains . My wife and I do that during the lunch rush to stave off hunger and we ride our favorite rides sometimes back to back during the lunch rush! lol
That’s a great tip!
My husband & I love your videos! Planning a trip for this year and your videos have been so great to watch! Keep ‘em coming.
Thank you so much! We are glad you are enjoying them. Thats exciting about the upcoming trip! We hope you have an amazing time! Thanks for the support!
My experience with Starbucks is a bit different. When I was there last May, the Starbucks at my hotel was jam packed. I went to the bus for early entry, stopped at Starbucks in CityWalk. 5 min max wait, went outside and sat down with my coffee watching the crowd heading to the lines for rope drop.
Haha nice! That makes sense that everyone flocks to the first one they see. The one in the park was probably empty! Lol
Love watching your channel.... we are 1st timers going in May and feel like we won't lose time trying to figure things out. Thanks again for sharing!
Thank you for watching the videos and we hope that you have an amazing trip!
We stayed at Portofino and the Hard Rock hotel before. I just priced out a couple packages and it just made sense to just stay at a premium hotel again and get the park perks, plus a 4 star hotel on site. It's more $ but really enhances the whole experience by making your trip in and out of the parks short and very convenient. It's also great to be able to enter the park early and have the express pass for the entire time.
The premier hotels really are worth the extra cost if you can swing it. It makes your entire stay so much nicer! The resorts are better, it’s easier to get to the parks, and the express passes are the best. We couldn’t agree more!
Thank you for sharing this. We are going on our first trip in my kid's lifetime. So excited to go! I'll be there in February definitely hope to use these tips and leave the crowds.
February is a great time to go! We’re so glad you’ve been enjoying our videos, and we hope you have an awesome time in the parks!
Express Pass is a life saver, definitely made my experiences at Universal so much better, especially at Halloween Horror Nights as well, those crowds at HHN are absolutely crazy lol
We agree! The frequent fear plus express is the way to go for HHN. We love having express. It helps us get the most out of our short trips!
@@ThePughTwo definitely agree 👍💯
So glad I found you two! You guys are the cutest…I’m telling everyone about your channel cause it’s great to just have playing in the background to keep the day feeling fun:)
Awh! Thank you! That means so much to us! We appreciate all the support, thank you for being part of the channel!
The Starbucks tips is ACES!
It’s always insane! Lol
Hi Anna & Tyler, Another video with great tips for Universal. I personally will not wait more than an hour for a ride. So I generally will not visit the parks when it that busy without an Express Pass. But to be honest, I usually play golf during the day and hit the parks around 3-4, so I get Express after 4 with my AP and I usually hit all the rides that I want to do before 7pm (which is usually the time park closes on the days that I am there. Then I go to CityWalk for dinner. Maybe that will be a great idea for a future video of yours. This is how I will be doing things from Nov 28th to Dec 17th this year. Ken
That’s the perfect way to do it! We don’t like waiting long either lol express after 4 is the best!
I've come to the realization that any time I go to a theme park I have to purchase express passes. I'm a patient person but goodness....waiting in lines for over 30 min is like cruel and unusual punishment. And in Florida its intensified with how hot it is. I plan every vacation a year in advance just to budget for express passes lol. That probably sounds awful. Unfortunately there's that one park that we all know of that doesn't have regular express passes and needs to get with the program. I'm just saying lol!
I've been planning a trip to Universal for June 2023 (guess I'm more than a year ahead lol) but I'm considering doing the OI Meetup as a introduction to the park lol.
Once again, I love your videos (as you can tell I'm over here binge watching to get caught up on some very helpful tips) !!!!
We always love having the option of the express pass! It makes for much more enjoyable trips and allows us to get on some rides in between filming! Planning a year or more in advance is a great way to make sure everything is going to be how you want it. Be sure to keep checking in on the hotel rates as the rates can continue to drop up until a month or so out from your date! Thank you so much for watching the videos!
Hey guys! So I’m planning my first ever UO trip and I’ve been bingeing your videos like you wouldn’t believe, and they’ve been so helpful! One question I have is, is there free wifi in the 3 parks? I know Disney has free wifi but wasn’t sure about there.
Hey hey! Thank you so much for the support! All of the parks do have Wi-Fi, at least they did the last time we were there about a month ago 😂. Hope this helps!
Great tips. Although I’m not a fan of Fanny packs I’m going to be purchasing one based on your locker tip. Definitely do not want to be dealing with lines for lockers in the heat.
We don't use them anywhere else but at the theme parks because they just make our lives so much easier while there!
Love watching all your videos! We are going for the first time in October and cannot wait to put all your advice to use!
We hope you have such an amazing time in the parks!
Bwahahahaha!! My husband is my stuff holder! He can't go on rides, so we always bring a stroller full of crap for the family, and he watches the valuables! He's such a tropper.
Lol we need to find a designated stuff holder!
I agree that express pass makes a difference. Just add the long times you save!!. Actually the visit turns out expensive if you do not get a express pass and end up just doing a few rides the whole day. I will be first time in orlando in July, very excited!. I have been in Universal LA in summer (pre pandemic) and did most rides in a single day with express pass. Thanks for the tips, I have taken note to all!!.
Express passes definitely save you time! We hope you have a great time in Orlando, and we're so glad our videos have been helpful!
i love your videos they always bring a smile to my face :)
me and my family are going to universal studios and a couple of days and i was just wondering if the parks are busy in november during thanksgiving
Awww that is so sweet! Thank you so much Emily! The parks can get pretty busy on Thanksgiving but it is manageable! We hope you have an incredible time!
Love your channel! Getting some great tips for Universal Orlando
Thank you so much! We hope you continue to enjoy the channel!
You guys should think about being tour guides (start ur own company) to take ppl to these theme parks. You could make mad money, and have fun at the same time. Ppl who don’t know much about the ins and outs of them theme parks could really use your help. I know I would love to have u as my guides. Otherwise it’s pretty lonely 😩 for me.
Haha Universal does offer VIP tours where you can meet other guests and be guided around the parks! I’m not sure they’d be okay with us starting our own business there 😂 but you should check out the single rider Facebook group! It’s full of people that go to the parks by themselves and are looking to make friends!
@@ThePughTwo who’s gonna tell them?
Absolutely love your videos! They are so informative and helpful! 😄 so happy I found this channel!
Oh my gosh thank you, you’re too sweet! We’re so glad you’re enjoying our videos, and we’re happy to have you!
Love these videos. They are so informative! Thanks so much you two. It makes planning our 2nd trip there so much easier. Most of this stuff I didn't know when we went the first time but I have learned my lesson. :) Definitely getting Express Pass this time by staying at Royal Pacific.
We're so glad we can help! We love Universal and we love helping other's get the most out of their vacations. Royal Pacific is an awesome hotel. We hope you have a great time! We appreciate your support!
Hi so glad to find you guys! When you say you can only ride Hagrid's with virtual Queue or Express Pass, does that mean there is no stand by line? Or those are the best ways? When I look at the app the wait times have been 60-120 minutes. Is this standby times?
So sometimes Hagrid’s is virtual queue only where the only way to ride it is with a virtual pass. Other days, Hagrid’s is only standby and you just have to wait in the normal line like the posted time says. Hagrid’s doesn’t have an express line yet, though, so that’s not at option yet!
I'm so excited for my trip in January my birthday is on new years day and I'm visiting from Jan 2 through Jan 9th. So hopefully I have enough time to do every thing I want
That sounds like plenty of time to enjoy the parks! We hope you have a great time, and happy early birthday!
@@ThePughTwo omg I didn't think I was going to get a response. My husband and I love your videos. Thank you and keep making great content!
@@andreachung4346 awh, that’s so sweet! We’re so glad you’re enjoying our videos, and we really appreciate your support!
Hi! When I book a stay at a premier Universal Hotel, do I also need to purchase a park admission ticket or is it included in the hotel costs like the express pass? Thanks for your help and greetings from Germany 😊
Hello from the US! Unfortunately no, entrance into the park is not included with the stay. That is the one constant with Universal, you are going to have to purchase your tickets to get into the parks. Thank you for watching from Germany! That’s exciting!
Thank you for all your videos. I don't have a smart phone, so would I be unable to ride Hagrid's if they turn on the virtual line? or does the regular line also work? I'll be staying at one of the premier hotels so I'll have express pass. I was just confused about that point and wanted to clarify.
If Hagrid’s is virtual line for the day, that’s the only way you can ride it is by securing a virtual line so you would not be able to ride it. It’s been open during early park admission lately, though, and it’s never virtual for that!
@@ThePughTwo Thanks for explaining!
Thanks for these helpful tips!
Love all of your tips and tricks! Read that early May was a good time to go since it’s right after Spring Break and before the summer rush. What are your thoughts on that? Also, I noticed if you buy the Express passes you have to buy them with a date. Do you know if US would allow you to change a date for the Express pass if necessary?
Thank you so much! We enjoy going in early May for sure! It seems to be a very moderately busy time in the parks. Hmm we have heard that they can change dates, but the problem is when you buy an express pass, its reflecting a certain price of a particular day. We would call to verify before making such a large purchase!
@@ThePughTwo That makes sense about the dates. I guess we would just cross our fingers for the best the two days we decide to go then. Hopefully it’s not quite too rainy yet those days we are there. Thanks again! And keep up the good work!
Hello Guys! Thanks for the vida!
So i just purchased 2 days with park 2 park,
Do you still suggest express pass?
Or only when you go one day?
It really just depends! It depends when you’re going and what you what to get done at the parks. We did a video where we discussed the express passes in length, but that’s basically what it boils down to. If you’re going to purchase them outright, as opposed to staying at a premier hotel that comes with them, you can wait until you get to the parks to make that decision. If you’re just going for two days, one night at a premier hotel would get you unlimited express passes for the day you check in AND check out, so that could be an option! We hope this helps!
whats your guys opinion on how to optimize EPA? such as what rides to hit first and so forth?
Imagine all the crowd viewing this video so they all end up with the crowd. LOL
Haha quite the conundrum!
Another great video !!
Thank you!!
11:10 that is what my sister in law is for... lmao!!
We need to find us one! Lol
Great tips! Totally agree!!
Thanks Crystal!
Great tips! Other than Starbucks, where can I get a basic latte?
We aren’t entirely sure, we know you can get them at the San Francisco Bakery and at Croissant Moon Bakery!
Well done gang! Keep it up.
Thanks for the encouragement and thank you for watching!
For that 'lunch rush', can you get around it by mobile ordering? Also, can you order ahead with a time window? I cannot test this like I can with the MDE app since Universal app is smarter and knows that I am not on the property.
Yeah we talked about mobile ordering and how it can save you time. It can certainly help MOST times, although we have ran into situations in which it took just as long to receive the food. Thanks for watching!
Eating late doesn't work for younger kids. Are bringing snacks in the park allowed?
Yes! You can bring snacks and drinks as well! We thought we had mentioned that in this video, sorry if we didnt!
@@ThePughTwo thanks
The only time I will wait 40 mins or more is for Velocicoaster or kong. Prob bc that’s the lowest each ride will be. And I got lukcy the other day when kong was 15 minutes😳
That’s awesome! You get lucky every once in a while!
This is great. Similar to the crowd avoidance process we use at Cedar Point, our home park. We are crazy ride people too. Can’t wait for our first on site visit on April! Are there spots to put the freestyle cups at rides if we try to avoid backpacks?
That’s awesome! Have an amazing trip in April. The lockers are the only system in place to store items ATM so you will have to deal with the lockers in that aspect unless you have a fanny pack with “three prong clips” that the cup can go into.
@@ThePughTwo I am hoping with it being April after break and Easter the crowds won’t be as bad. We will deal with the lockers as best we can. :) Love the context on the channel. Cedar Point and Kings Island have great Halloween events, you should look into it.
@@stuartlandes20 we deal with the lockers as well, and it’s manageable! We’ll definitely look into that! We’ve heard of the parks, but didn’t know they had Halloween events. We appreciate your support!
@@ThePughTwo Cedar Point has Halloweekends and Kings Island has the Haunt. KIs version is more like HHN in that the park is shut down and it’s a separate event. If you were to do it, look into a Cedar Fair platinum pass. Free parking and entry to all CF parks, including the Halloween events. Also, if you like roller coasters, you’ll have over 30 with just those 2 parks.
@@stuartlandes20 that’s awesome, thanks for the info! We’ll definitely check into that this year. We love all things Halloween and roller coasters, so that’s right up our alley!
I'm planning a trip in April (right after Spring break crowd) and have been toying with the idea of trying the fanny pack and ya'll have swayed me! But... what do you do with your water bottles?
We use the refillable cup in the parks and I have a hideous fanny pack that it can actually fit into. We dump whatever is in the cup in the grass right before getting on a ride and I stuff it in my pack! Like we said in the video, we almost always have our computer backpack with us and have to get a locker. When that’s the case, we just get two lockers and I put the cup up as well.
How many virtual queue rides can you book when you arrive in the park is it all that the rides the have the virtual queue that day or is it just one at a time
One at a time for each ride!
@@ThePughTwo so if they give you a time of 330 pm and it's 9 15 am you can't get any other virtual queue rides in until after the 330 pm ride??
@@davidcuesta243 for that ride, no for other rides, yes. So you get a Hagrids one for 3:30, you can get one for say mummy at 9:30, you just can’t get another hagrids one
@@davidcuesta243 also it’s worth noting, they don’t use the system very much at all as of right now!
So if I heard correctly if you have a small fanny pack the small pouch that goes on your Waist you’re able to take that on the ride ?
Yes! All of the rides except Hulk, Rip Ride, and Velocicoaster.
When does the Universal app allow you to set up Virtual times for your family? Like midnight, 7 am, when parks open?? Tks!!
The virtual queues become available when the parks open and then sometimes later throughout the day they will release more if they can.
@@ThePughTwo Thanks so much! We so enjoy your videos. We are staying @ Dockside, then Cabana Bay, then one night @ Hard Rock to get those Express unlimited passes! LOL! Leaving in 2 weeks to meet our military son. Have received military discount Freedom tickets, also, which is awesome! Keep up the great videos. God bless!
@@laurafant7813 thank you Laura and please please thank your son for his service for us! We hope you all have an amazing vacation! If you have any questions please let us know!
Are express passes cheaper to purchase ahead of time or can we wait til day of so you can see if needed?
They are cheaper if you purchase ahead of time
@@ThePughTwo I thought that could be the case so I was trying to decide if we should purchase with our tickets. Another question. We planned on doing 2 days in universal in May but found the 3 day get 2 free promo to be only a lil bit more. Going that route we will have 5 days to take in all the fun instead of only 2. Do you still suggest a few days express passes or think by having multiple days in the park we could forgo them?
I should also mention for this trip we are staying offsite in a friends 3 bedroom suite at Floridays Resort. I understand on-site premium hotels is best because of free express passes but the free accommodations trumped this trip lol
I am noticing there are only like 3 rides with a virtual que. When they say 100 minute wait are you standing in line that whole time. Do they have any seating while you wait. I have serious back issues standing still for long periods of time.
Unfortunately, you are standing up throughout the queues. I also get back pain when standing for a long time, so I usually end up just sitting on the ground. You definitely won’t be the only person doing it. I would suggest that you call Universal’s guest service number and talk to them about your concerns. They’re really great about accommodating people, so there might be a solution I am unaware of!
Can you bring ur own waters and backpack ?
Yes you can!
Tried to buy an express pass for Memorial Day weekend, but they’re all sold out! Is it possible that there are passes available onsite?
It’s possible that they reserve a few for in the parks. To be honest we have no idea but it would definitely be worth checking into!
I’m so confused . I want to book this trip with my 14 yr old son but I want to understand everything 1st and know what I’m getting myself into. How many parks are there
Universal has 3 parks. Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are theme parks, while Volcano Bay is a water park. The entire resort is referred to as Universal Orlando.
@@ThePughTwo Would you recommend against trying to visit Studios and Islands in one day (late April😊, never been before, sans express pass)? If so, which one would you recommend for a non-Harry (don't shoot me lol 😅), sci-fi buff?
if im not staying at a prime value resort, can i purchase 1 night at a prime resort to get the unlimited express pass for the day of check in and the day of check out for everyone and stay at my original resort?
You sure can! You’ll actually get two full days of express by doing that. You get it the day you check in and the day you check out!
so the day of check in is 4pm , i even get that entire day of express pass that day or from 4pm until close? sorry asking alot but we have never been so its a first time trip for us. LOVE your guys videos!! love the energy. @@ThePughTwo
we opted to get the premier annual pass which includes express pass after 4 each day your there and it helped cut the cost on the hotel stay itself as well drastically. so we go everything we wanted plus some, with an even better price when i booked it all seperatly.
@@ThePughTwo
So worth making the most of light snacks to avoid needing to eat during those peak dining hours. Once the mob gets hungry those food lines explode. The parade is another good time to hit up rides.
We completely agree! We'll go hungry as opposed to waiting an hour for food. The parades haven't been going on during our last few trips, but that's a great point!
I need so recommendations for some budget friendly places to eat with kids at Universal.
You can check the menu and prices on the Universal app! We personally love the jacket potatoes, there are several places to get pizza in the parks for relatively cheap like the kid’s zone pizza. Several of the cafeteria style places have chicken tenders, too. We hope this helps!
@@ThePughTwo thank you! Planning to go for the first time with my 2 little ones.
So if I have express pass but there's a virtual line, do I still need a virtual line pass or can I just walk up to the express line entrance?
That’s a great question and it depends. If the ride has express, like the mummy or Jimmy Fallon’s, you can use the express line. Hagrid’s doesn’t have an express line yet so the only way you can ride it when Universal is offering the virtual queue is with a virtual pass.
@@ThePughTwo That's very helpful! Thank you!
You are welcome! Glad we could help!
We are staying Thursday through Tuesday at the beginning of October. We want to choose one day for an express pass. Which day should we choose?
Weekends tend to be busier than during the week, so we would probably suggest getting it either Saturday or Sunday. That being said, the express passes will likely be more expensive on the weekend. So if you’re looking to save money, a weekday would be cheaper. We hope this helps!
I haven't ridden it yet but I love Harry Potter so I would say Hagrids Motorcycle because I hear so many great things. Next would be Gringotts or Mummy, which I love and have ridden.
Hagrid’s is an awesome ride, you’ll love it! Gringotts and Mummy are definitely at the top of our list, too!
@@ThePughTwo keep the videos coming! I watch a lot of theme park videos and yall are a fun must watch!
@@hillcountryexplorer267 thank you!! That means so much to us, we appreciate the support!
I just can’t pay $600-$800 for all of us to go to Universal to go back to the hotel to come back. We are staying the whole day lol but I love all the other tips!! Will be there in a week!!
We stay the entire time as well! We completely understand. Just so you know, we are super jealous of your upcoming trip! A week is so much time to do all the fun things. Be sure to let us know how the trip is! Thanks for watching!
It’s been a few years. We are soooo excited. Did you know that the express passes are not 59.99. They are actually $280 extra per person not including the park ticket. I called to make sure that it was correct. That’s the only thing that’s making me sort of disappointed. :( The five of us just cannot rock that.
@@celestegranell8766 We hope you didn’t gather from our information that express passes were 59.99! We are sorry if we made it sound that way. Express passes START at like $100 for the unlimited and go up from there. This is peak season so those prices will go up. Again we are sorry if we weren’t clear!
@@ThePughTwo no I didn’t get that from you all. I just got off the phone with universal so I thought I’d mention it. You all are awesome. Thanks for the videos.
@@celestegranell8766 oh good! Thank you so much for watching and seriously make sure you let us know how your trip goes! We’re excited to hear about it!
Thank you soooooo much for this video. My family and I are going next week and I downloaded the app and was overwhelmed with all this features and what the purpose of it was. I know the express pass is pricey but I have to get it because we are not staying at a premiere hotel. Love your content please keep it coming. God bless you both 😊
Have an amazing time (we know you will!) Thank you so much and thank you for watching!
Is there a list of restaurants that give priority seating for people staying at the hard rock?
We believe you can find it on Universal’s website!
If you have a 5 day park hopper with express does it help you get in when the park reaches capacity?
You are only guaranteed access to the parks if you are staying onsite!
@@ThePughTwo whew! We are, thank you!
Oh my we can go to the park and come back later that day ?!
You sure can! Your ticket is good for the entire day and you can leave and renter as many times as you’d like!
Are the rides pretty smooth?? Some rides that shake you around give me bad headaches!
Most of them are, however you will run into rides that are pretty rough!
What if I got a hotel for free? How can I get an unlimited express pass for less money? Right now the prices are about $299 :/
The express passes are expensive when you buy them outright. That’s why we suggest the premiere hotels. A lot of the time they’re around $350/night and that includes your room AND unlimited express passes!
I’m hoping that by the time our family goes in late Oct., the crowds won’t be so bad. Def not spending the extra $ on express passes.
October isn’t usually one of the busier times, even with HHN happening. We definitely understand, express passes are really expensive! We always recommend staying at one of the premier hotels to get the express pass. It’s usually MUCH cheaper!
@@ThePughTwo We are staying at a campground for $35 a night, so that’s not an option lol.
@@karricompton we understand it’s not for everyone! It’s just the cheapest way if you’re set on getting express. We hope you and your family have a great trip!
Passholders know better !!!!
Is Universal so small of a park (I don't think it is small) that it can't meet the high demand of people that want to visit?
Absolutely not! Both Universal parks are pretty big, but doesn’t mean it can’t get crowded. Plus, with the current social distancing protocols in place a lot of their crowd management techniques have been affected. Ride queues are spilling into the park because people have to be six feet apart, and lines are longer because they have to space parties out on rides too.
Can you use an express pass for the virtual lines?
No! And it’s not available for all the rides either!
@@ThePughTwo Thank You.
@@thedodafamily you are so welcome
What exact camera bag have y’all gotten away with? I don’t want to bring a fanny pack haha!
Our camera bag is a full sized backpack/camera bag! We can’t link here, but we’ll add it to this description and start adding it to our descriptions in the future, as well. If you’d like for us to send it to you directly, you can message us on Twitter/Instagram @thepughtwo!
@@ThePughTwo Great thank you so much!! About to send a DM on Instagram! Thank you!
Fast passes are wayyy too expensive. Family of 4 can drop serious money ON TOP OF TICKETS. What is really annoying is the 400 price tag for a room on a Wednesday in Middle
of November just to get fast pass. (the week before Thanksgiving). Then again you may
not need a fast pass. I see a lot of complaints on tripadvisor
We can see that argument! For us, we just like being able to enjoy the parks without be pressured with time which is why we like them so much! They are very expensive, so much so that we have never bought them outright.
@@ThePughTwo YOu have a great channel and helpful information. I'm going to subscribe. Do you have a video about annual passes? We are from out of state but going in November and next October for HHN. Think that will save money or no?
@@kiwisun529 thank you, we’re so glad our videos have been helpful! We have several videos over the annual passes including a series on the differences between all of them. Unfortunately Universal raised the prices after those videos, so they’re a little bit more expensive now, but the premise still applies! The annual passes can absolutely save you money, even if only one person gets one!
I wish you guys would do a volcano bay day, maybe a cabana review? Hotel pool? Love your videos, great tips , keep up the hard work!
We’ve talked about doing this! We’ve actually never been to Volcano Bay. We had plans to visit last March, but 2020 messed that up lol. We’re hoping we’ll get a chance to do that soon. Thanks for watching!
How late are the parks open currently?
Currently it appears they are closing at 10 pm!
@@ThePughTwo tysm
@@arielrose5017 you’re so welcome! Thank you for watching!
Hulk or velocicoaster
They’re both great!!
I Waited five hours for king Kong’s ride, it was pretty bad
Oh no! Was this recently? That sounds miserable, we definitely would’ve bailed before then.
Ate at he 3 broom sticks last week. Dry food, bland taste, long wait. I suggest skipping thi place
We are sorry you had a bad meal! We have always had decent luck with it, so we hate to hear that!
Lipstick?
??
@@ThePughTwo 😅 (right)
I waited 3 and a half hours to get on the kong ride ( it was a week after it opened)
That’s a long wait! That animatronic is pretty cool though!
@@ThePughTwo Most of our time waiting was by the witch animatronic so that was definitely an interesting experience lol
@@anthonyshepherd-keys4427 the creepiest queue in all of Orlando!
2 hours and 45 minutes.
Thats a long wait!