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[OmegaSupreme]

Hey everyone. I'm looking at a spring break trip or a possible summer trip for my daughter and me, and I was looking at Universal. I was looking for opinions from those of you who have been there. Overall costs, dining, rides, etc. My daughter is 11. I was looking at Volcano bay. That looks like fun. I went to Disney with her a few years ago and it was fun but expensive plus fuck Disney.

 

[drganon]

Its fun, especially the harry potter themed rides. The only ride I'd avoid would be the fast and furious one.

 

[Paasei]

I have, but my experience won’t help you: It was in 1999. Many rides have changed and the park is probably 3x the size nowadays.

Anyone remembers King Kong, Twister, Jaws and Back to the Future rides? How many of those are still there?

 

[OmegaSupreme]

I have, but my experience won’t help you: It was in 1999. Many rides have changed and the park is probably 3x the size nowadays.

Anyone remembers King Kong, Twister, Jaws and Back to the Future rides? How many of those are still there?

I have no idea, but I would have loved to go to that Terminator 2 experience back in the day.

 

[drganon]

I have, but my experience won’t help you: It was in 1999. Many rides have changed and the park is probably 3x the size nowadays.

Anyone remembers King Kong, Twister, Jaws and Back to the Future rides? How many of those are still there?

As someone who's been there recently, they're all gone. The only original ride left is the et one.

 

[AJUMP23]

It is fun. The water park is good too. It has Water coaster. We stayed on property next to Volcano Bay. I can answer your questions. I grew up in Orlando if you have general questions.

Volcano Bay does have a cool system for the busy rides, where you scan your watch they give you and you wait in a virtual cue while you do other stuff waiting for your time to ride. They also had the opposite of a lazy river, a raging river that was just rapids and fast water. You wear a life jacket and let the current rough you up a bit. More places need that.

I do want to go to Mario world something fierce.

 

[AJUMP23]

I have no idea, but I would have loved to go to that Terminator 2 experience back in the day.

It was cool back then. It was a 3D movie. And I think the Terminator came in the theater at one point and aimed at various people and your face appeared on screen.

 

[RetroGamingUK]

No, but I wanna go due to this…

 

[NeverYouMind]

I have and it is awesome. The Revenge of the Mummy ride is my absolute favorite but there is plenty of kid friendly stuff like Despicable Me Minions and Harry Potter rides. The Sinbad live show is also a fun experience if it is still around. I have heard some great things about the Captain America Diner and Cafe 4 as far as dining options. I regret not going to those and sticking to food from outside the park outside of a pleasant visit to Three Broomsticks. I think we stayed at Hyatt Place hotel with complementary breakfast buffet. I do not recollect the park tickets but I do not think they were of the basic package variety.

 

[MilkyJoe]

It's much better than the Disney park, but i did find the lack of shade in the Florida sun a bit of a downer.

 

[AJUMP23]

Universal Orlando

Universal Orlando Resort

www.universalorlando.com

Cabana Bay

This was actually a great place to stay on property. But do not rely on the starbucks there as the line can get to 100 deep easily in the morning. Food here is fine for cafeteria food. The room doors are outside facing, like a 50s style motel.

 

[AJUMP23]

It's much better than the Disney park, but i did find the lack of shade in the Florida sun a bit of a downer.

I just think they play for a little different audience. Disney gears to a younger audience, Universal seeks the teen preteen audience. I grew up going to Disney with my friends for free in the 80s, and it was incredible then. It has changed a lot in the decades, but I think Disney is still the greatest park experience. But Disney adults suck, and the Californians that run Disney are out of touch.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

How was your overall costs AJUMP23 Did you get a package deal?

 

[AJUMP23]

How was your overall costs AJUMP23 Did you get a package deal?

We did get a package and it was 3 years ago. I think I spent 3k on hotel and tickets and food for the week. Probably another 1k on souvenirs and stuff. Family of 4. I did not have express passes. But those add 1000 per day for the family. They would be nice though.

 

[Kacho]

As someone who's been there recently, they're all gone. The only original ride left is the et one.

I'm glad I got to experience Jaws before they shut it down. That was an experience.

 

[drganon]

I'm glad I got to experience Jaws before they shut it down. That was an experience.

Being a huge jaws fan, I would've loved to have been able to go on it. There's this cool YouTube video from defunctland all about the history of the ride. Turns out just like the movie, the shark didn't always work.

 

[Hookshot]

Not for 20 odd years. The BttF and Terminator rides were fun.

 

[trikster40]

Was there last summer! Make sure to ride Hagrid's ride, but prepare for a LOOOONG wait, and you can't use FastPass on it. Def check out Volcano Bay, best water park i've been to.

 

[Mobilemofo]

Went in 2019. Frankly, it was shit. Be fortunately, I was with a guy in a wheelchair so I got to skip the lines and go straight on to some of the rides with the longest wait. Wouldn't go back.

 

[Jinzo Prime]

Hey everyone. I'm looking at a spring break trip or a possible summer trip for my daughter and me, and I was looking at Universal. I was looking for opinions from those of you who have been there. Overall costs, dining, rides, etc. My daughter is 11. I was looking at Volcano bay. That looks like fun. I went to Disney with her a few years ago and it was fun but expensive plus fuck Disney.

I'm waiting on Epic Universe to open. It will have the Super Nintendo World stuff there.

 

[jason10mm]

I'm waiting on Epic Universe to open. It will have the Super Nintendo World stuff there.

Same here, going next fall/winter. Gonna stay at one of the high end resorts so we get the premium pass thing included.

Still gonna be crazy expensive.

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

I'm waiting on Epic Universe to open. It will have the Super Nintendo World stuff there.

I can't wait for Epic Universe to come out specifically for the How To Train Your Dragon and Super Nintendo World stuff. Disney is gonna to get wrecked in the theme park business

 

[TastyPastry]

i wanna do universal + disney next january/february does anyone know if the weather is nice in enough around that time to go to volcano bay? are the pools heated?

 

[Pejo]

I went there at night once for a Citrix or Microsoft conference, can't remember which. They closed the park early for the general population and the conference goers had unlimited ride and drink privileges. It was probably one of the 10 most fun nights of my life. Keep in mind this was mostly due to free booze, zero wait in lines for the rides, and a festive atmosphere with some friends I happened to meet up with at the conference.

The Harry Potter stuff was fun. I only saw it at night, but they did a great job of lighting up the park so that it felt very immersive. It's been a number of years now though, so I don't know if it's still good or what's changed.

 

[ManaByte]

Went there in 2022. Get the fast pass thing (I think it was like a $45 add on then). It worked on every ride except the Hagrid coaster (which was a 4 hour line too). Make sure you have the park hopper pass, it's the only way to ride the Hogwarts Express between parks.

I'd start at the Studios, do everything there. And then ride Hogwarts over to the Islands of Adventure.

Butter Beer is awesome (it's just cream soda with butterscotch syrup). They have normal, hot, frozen, and soft serve.

 

[Dirk Benedict]

Its fun, especially the harry potter themed rides. The only ride I'd avoid would be the fast and furious one.

You only sayin' that because you don't like family!

 

[mopspear]

I have been to Universal Studios three times (this year and last year plus once in the 2000s) and Islands of Adventure (this year). My wife insists we go to Orlando ever year for her birthday. I like going on vacation with her but I don't like these parks. The amount of time I have to wait in line compared to the number of rides is bad. I haven't been to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg since I was a teenager but I think that park is superior since it felt like there was a lot more to do. The Fast & Furious ride is not as bad as everyone says and the wait is short. The Mummy ride is cool but stressed me out since I didn't know what I was getting into. They got tester seats too if you think you won't fit in the rides. I just want to ride rides. I don't care about what IP is attached to them.

That being said, if you are a Harry Potter fan or a fan of The Simpsons, being in those two areas is fun.

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

I love that place, been going there since I was pushed in a stroller, the last time was 2023.

Volcano Bay is a blast.

 

[AJUMP23]

i wanna do universal + disney next january/february does anyone know if the weather is nice in enough around that time to go to volcano bay? are the pools heated?

The weather is fine. Warm all year round in FL. Water parks can be questionable in the winter.

 

[AJUMP23]

This is WEt N wild, Gone now I think, but this park blew minds in the 80s.