If we can use the water taxi's, we use them. If we're at Hard Rock, we walk, even with my mobility issues; the walk is very easy. (Lounge access at the Hard Rock is especially worth it because walking to and from studios is easy and with express the train to islands back and forth makes it even better). We used the shuttles at Cabana Bay and while we didnt like them, they do function quite well (we experienced the water taxi's prior to shuttles so we're spoiled lol) Thank you guys for another awesome video, heres hoping hubs n i get to meet you guys, would be so coo.
My wife and I love your channel. It’s relatable. Something about a cute nerdy lady and her lovable deep voiced man just resonate with us. 😊 We’re headed back in January during the slower season. Hopefully we’ll see you there!
I've been using the Universal Superstar Shuttle since 2017. It's convenient, fun, and it adds to the inclusive Universal atmosphere. They always give us our park passes in the booklet packet when we check in at the hotel and that packet usually includes coupons and stuff for like golf at City Walk. The drivers are always nice and give stories and tips to customers (not that we need it but it's nice to see them being so accommodating to newcomers). I haven't had to stop all necessarily all of the hotels when I use it and we typically stay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort but are staying at Lowes Royal Pacific on our next trip in September. I haven't had to wait for more than 5 minutes for buses at Cabana Bay. I am excited to use the water taxis on my next trip.
That is awesome!! We need to take it sometime just to experience it. You will love Royal Pacific and the water taxis! You’ll have to let us know what you think!
It's like you guys read my mind on my concerns for next month's trip! I've been seeing some HUGE crowds at security lately and wondered what would be the best way to not necessarily avoid security but not being stuck in that huge crowd coming out of the parking garage!
I'd bet money your water taxi captain was Surf. He is the best!! The song alongs are everything. One night on our boat back to Royal, he accidentally brought us to Sapphire. We laughed so much, it took energy we didn't think we had left to give.
Flying in from Youngstown Ohio August 1st, been watching your videos for months now. This one is great, Thank you so much! You've answered so many of my questions! In fact I think you've become an integral part of our vacation, lol. We're staying at Royal Pacific we'll be there for 4 nighs (park hopper w Volcano Bay.) Again thank you so much! 👍🏻
Thank you so much! It makes us so happy that we’ve been able to help! We hope you have an incredible vacation (we love Royal Pacific) and we hope you continue to enjoy the content! Safe travels!
@@ThePughTwo yup! It's definitely crazy that there's something to enjoy before you even get to the truly good stuff. The water taxis seem even better as you get later into your trip (especially at the end of the day lol)
Thanks for answering my question with a very informative video. It takes 429 licks to get to the center of a tootsie pop, honest truth and we tested it twice just to be sure 😂
This is more helpful than you can imagine! I had no idea about bus drop off locations vs. water taxi & walking!! What's the best way from the Endless resorts?
The busses for sure! They don’t have the water taxis and they are a decent distance from the other properties. We always ride the busses when we stay there!
We love the walking path! So much quicker through security. But Lord, that walk to Cabana Bay is long at the end of a park day!! I thought about the crowds waiting for the bus at the end of the night and forced myself (& my daughter) to walk, but we had to stop in the food court for a snack and rest, as we were at the other end of the hotel. Much prefer staying at RP, but Mr. Checkbook said no this year. Maybe next year, when there’s only 1 trip.
They are very scenic and we find ourselves walking more often than not! It is SUCH a long walk especially at the end of day in the parks. Riding the busses back to the hotels isn’t nearly as bad as going to the parks!
The lines have been much better in the hub. Even when there were crazy lines before park open... they oddly moved so fast! I was thoroughly impressed at the efficiency of security.
There’s at least one boat specific to each of the 4 hotels that offer the water taxi. When you’re getting on the boat from CityWalk, there are different lines for each hotel!
Just went in June, found a car service for 60 bucks each way and even was quite flexible due to flight changes. Definitely worth it,, I found Lyft has better service, stayed at the Hard Rock and found Lyft to be cheaper and more accessible…. Just my experience
Y'all are fantastic! I love your energy and you're so helpful! We'll be out of state pass holders starting this year and seeing y'all do it helped make that decision. This video was perfect as it's exactly what I wanted to know. It so hard to figure out the easiest way to get from one hotel to the other and that the hotel to park shuttle dumps you out into the mob. Thanks for the warning!
Thank you so much Tori! We love being pass holders. It saves us tons of money and makes it easier for us to get to the parks more often! So happy that the video was helpful! Hope to see you around! Thank you for watching!
Awesome video. Very helpful as always! We're staying at the Hard Rock for my Spring break in March. Gives me something fun to look forward to in my last year of nursing school!
Thats amazing! Congrats on finishing up with nursing school soon! My mom (Tyler) is a nurse so we love our nurses! We hope you have a great trip in March!
Very informative video! My family and I decided on a very last minute trip to Orlando, Florida (we are completely clueless about the parks) and we are definitely utilizing the bus rides since we are staying at one of the endless resorts. Thank you so much!!! Will definitely be checking out more videos 👍🏽👍🏽
Hi Anna & Tyler! A very nice summary of the on-site transportation options and how to get from the airport. Years ago, when you purchased a vacation package from Universal and they only had the Premier Hotels, the transportation from the airports was by Car Service. It was nice that the Driver met you in Baggage Claim the car services have a special lane under the airport that you would use to get to the car. It was very quick and they took you directly to your hotel. That would be a pretty expensive option now. One thing that you didn’t mention was if you did get a rental car and had to park it at the hotel, what would that cost be per night? This would also be a cost for someone who drove to to Orlando instead of flying in. Another thing to mention if you do a new video on this topico is what are the options from Orlando’s other airport in Sanford? It also takes 268 licks to get to the center of a tootsies pop! 😂😂😂😂😂. Ken
Wow, that’s crazy! That must’ve been so much fun! Lol I’ve always wanted to be picked up at the airport by someone holding a sign with my name 😂 it’s crazy how much things have changed! I *think* parking is like $28 a night at the premier hotels? A little cheaper at the others? We’ve actually never parked a car on property, so I’m not 100% sure!
@@ThePughTwo Well, looks like you have some research to do before you do an new video on this topic. One question for the two for you, since you moved to Orlando, are you planning to stay at the Universal Hotels from time to time for current reviews and updated information on them? I am not sure what hotel parking at Universal Hotels is now, I stayed at Aventura in December 2019 on a great AP rate and was disappointed that even with a Premier AP that came with Free Premier and Valet parking, still had to pay for Hotel Parking. It will be interesting to see if Universal will match Disney and offer free on-site hotel parking, I wouldn’t think so because Universal has been charging for Hotel parking for as long as I can remember, well before Disney started charging for Hotel Parking. BTW, The DoubleTree does charge $29/day for Self Parking and $39/day for Valet. But they always wave that for me since I am a Lifetime Diamond member and stay there so often.
just went to Universal last week for the first time and it was honestly by far the best vacation I've ever had! I didn't know that Universal offers an airport shuttle until now. My boyfriend and I took the uber from the airport to Cabana Bay and vice versa since it's cheaper as well as free bus shuttle to the parks. I literally forgot about hotel hopping the whole time we were there haha. but all in all, getting from point A to point B there was very straightforward.
@@ThePughTwo yes I would love to go back again. There are a couple rides I didn't get a chance to ride especially Hagrid's and Popeye's due to limited capacity or not enough time. Where do you guys reside from? I'm from Oregon so the Florida heat for me was on a whole other level haha
@@dycubthesaxoflutist we’re from Tennessee! It definitely gets hot here in the summer but that Florida heat is something else! We can always find a reason to go back to the parks, we just never get enough! Lol
We are going in Dec. and spending one night of our 5 day/6 night trip at Royal Pacific (the rest of the time we will be at Dockside). Definitely going to have to take the water taxi!
They’re so much fun! Especially at night, we feel like the Captains have more fun at night, but maybe that’s just us 😂 we hope you have a great time on your trip!!
I’ve been watching all your videos and they’ve been so helpful! I’m going with my sister in September 2022 and we’re splitting our stay between Cabana Bay and Sapphire Falls. Just curious, have you tried to get from either hotel to Disney World? We want to spend a few days at those parks so are looking at options. I imagine Uber will be the way to go? So excited for the trip and so happy for your super helpful videos 😊
We have taken an Uber from Hard Rock to Magic Kingdom so we know it can be done! We would assume thats the easiest solution. Thank you so much for watching the videos. We hope you and your sister have an amazing time!
This was a great informational video. Next time I'm definitely gonna try the water taxis. I didn't know about the entertainment factor with the captains. I mostly use the buses. Universal makes getting around so easy. They are far superior to Disney in this regard. I've never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a bus to show up and if it is a busy time and the bus fills up there is usually one right behind it. Also the key to getting through security quickly is to do Early Park Admission. There are no lines if you get there before the park opens. Grab some coffee and a portable breakfast and catch a bus around 7:20 (I know that is super early but so worth it). Then you eat your breakfast close to the front of the line. You will definitely get to ride Hagrid's. I did this July 7th and I rode Hagrid's and then rode VC 3 times before the park opened.
That is an awesome suggestion! Thank you for sharing! Hagrids AND Velocicoaster 3 times before the parks opened sounds INCREDIBLE! We are super jealous!
Your videos are fantastic and very informative as well as entertaining! If you were staying at Cabana Bay, what would your strategy be for getting to US or IOA in the morning, for early park admission?
Thank you so much! We love the parks so much! Hmm thats a good question. Both walking and the busses are fine options. For us it would just depend on how we were feeling. If we didn't mind walking (probably 1-1.5 miles) we would do that, other wise the buses will get you there early as well! The security isn't normally an issue during early park admission!
142 licks and lots and lots of will power to not suck or just bite into a Tootsie Pop. Thanks so very much for trans info. One question ❓. If we are staying at universal hotels and walk to the parks in the morning , then want to ride back in afternoon is there something that we need to look for to find the buses. Or a section of the parking lot?. Thanks for your time. Love these videos.
Haha you answered the real question! As far as getting back to the busses, you will simple walk through CityWalk and exit that direction. There will be signs pointing you to the loading areas for each hotel! It’s real simple and easy to see. Hope this helps!
We are staying at Loews Royal Pacifica in March and are excited to check out a Universal resort for the first time (been to Orlando 4-5 times and never been to a resort for Universal and only been to Universal studios once for 1 day). I appreciate your video so much. It was so helpful to understand how the transportation systems worked. For the water taxi, does it run on a schedule of every so many minutes like the bus or is there a taxi schedule posted so we can be sure to arrive at the best time to minimize waiting? And does it stop at the other resorts or docks along the way or is there one dedicated water taxi per resort that goes directly between the City Walk dock and the resort?
The boat runs about every 15 minutes or so! They don’t usually stop at other hotels, except for Sapphire Falls and Royal Pacific. Their docs are right next to each other!
Was waiting for the “I’m a little teapot”… 🤣🤣🤣 The buses were nice when I stayed at Surfside, and will be utilizing them again in Oct, but looking forward to being able to walk from CB in Dec
😂😂 what a missed opportunity! The busses are great, we just don’t like where they drop us off. It’s not a short walk from CB, but it’s a pretty one! Lol
Lol! Thats my go to at weddings 😂. We actually enjoyed the busses the last time we were there because we just didn't wanna walk one day. Not bad at all for us, we have heard horror stories before!
My friend and I are staying at Endless Summer next week, so we will have to utilize the bus. Is City Walk easy to navigate? Are there clear signs leading to Islands and Universal? I love your channel, btw!! So informative!
Oh absolutely! Once you get through security, just follow the crowds and you basically walk right into both of them. The entrance to studios is right by the giant globe, and islands is over by the huge light tower. You can’t miss it!
Great videos thank you! My family is staying at Cabana Bay in March. You mentioned the water taxi is not a guarantee for Cabana guests. Is that the case going back from the parks in the evening as well? Will they check hotel keys on the return trip? Thanks!
Maybe I missed this, do you go through security on the water taxi? We got hung up at both the main and walking entrances last year trying to get through security to citywalk
You do! Regardless of how you get there, you have to go through security. All of the water taxis have their own metal detectors you go through before you can board!
Thank you for the information. Do the boat ferries bring you to the same entrance/security as if you come through parked at preferred garage? We will have a rental car and we are not sure if it is better to park at a garage or take a ferry from hotel. Thank you
What about if you are staying off site and driving to the park? We are gonna stay at a relatives house 30 minutes away cause it’s free but they are unavailable to drive us there. How much is it to park your car there? Is there transportation from the parking garage to the park entrance? Is there a different clever free place to park your car near the park and then Uber to the entrance?
They do have fees for parking, but I’m not sure how much they are. You can find that info online! It might be worth it to upgrade one of your park tickets to an annual pass in order to get free parking. I believe the 2nd tier (power pass) includes free parking and could be very close in price to your existing ticket depending on how many days you’re staying. Parking elsewhere and Ubering would probably be more expensive than just paying for Universal parking.
So we would assume it would drop you off in the same spot as all of the other ride share services. There is a “hub” or area that they drop you off at outside of citywalk and security! Thank you so much for watching!
I have to add a negative comment about the walking path. We were staying at Royal Pacific the morning of June 23. Got on the path at 730am and waited over an hour to get through security. On June 24, we were on the path shortly after 7am and still took close to half an hour.
You can pretty much always get an Uber! We’ve had flights land at 2 am and still been able to get a ride. As far as the hotels go, you can check in whenever and if your room isn’t ready you can leave your stuff with luggage services!
Hello, Thanks for the info. I have a back issue and walking can be difficult at times. I am going to an event at Hard Rock Live. What hotel is closest after Hard Rock hotel? Should I try to stay at a hotel that has a water taxi? Where does the water taxi dock at city walk near Hard Rock Live? The Hard Rock hotel is sold out for my dates😩
The next closest would probably be Royal pacific and that would be a 10-15 minute walk. It does come with the water taxi though. The water taxi drops you off on the opposite side of the Hard Rock Cafe!
@@ThePughTwo I booked Sapphire and watched your video on the docking place of the boat ( near NBC place). Figured out that get off boat and go towards Universal world globe and there is a bridge there to Hard Rock. Do the buses at each hotel take you to the different hotels on the property or are the buses just to get you to Citywalk? Thanks again. Your video was so helpful to those of us a bit handicapped or slow but not needing a wheelchair or scooter..
We are visiting this September and staying at the Royal Pacific. Unfortunately we have a 6am departure flight on the day we leave. With the need to leave super early, we're curious what's the best transportation option for getting to MCO from the Royal Pacific?
Thats really up to you! if you are wanting to just get there as the parks are opening for early park, you should probably leave about 15-20 minutes before the parks are supposed to open for early park because they tend to open the gates early. If you are wanting to be one of the first in the parks, we'd suggest being at the gate 45 minutes to an hour before the gates are supposed to open!
We’ve done Mythos! It was good, but it wasn’t incredible. The bread that comes with your meal was so good and the calamari appetizer was great! We both got the pad thai for our entree and it was just okay. It wasn’t bad and it wasn’t great, it was just different than what we expected for pad thai. That being said, we would absolutely recommend it and we’ve been meaning to go back!
@@ThePughTwo Thanks! I am looking forward to my first trip to Universal in September! I have been watching all of your videos, thank you for all of the information!
I will be staying at Endless Summer Dockside. I wonder if I would get in a park fastest by taking an Uber to the Hard Rock with the shortest walk to the park entrances?
We would suggest saving the money and using the free busses that drop you at CityWalk! Unless you start seeing it be crazy backed up, we are personally always taking the free busses in that situation!
We are staying at dockside in a 2 bedroom suite, but we also have a "ghost room" reserved for 2 nights at royal pacific. Do you think it would be a good idea to drive our personal vehicle to royal pacific and hop on the water taxi each day that we have the room there? Sorry for all the questions we are lost when it comes to this as we have never been.
The only problem we see with this plan is you will have to pay to park. Its something like $28 dollars a day to park at the hotels. Dockside doesnt have a free shuttle buss that will help get you to the parks if you are good with that option!
Rent a car you can go anywhere you want to go or some hotels have free shuttle service to the airport or some hotels have free shuttle service to Disney world in universal studios
I just started watching you all last week. Thanks for your wonderful vlogs. I love the SuperStar shuttle and water taxi. I’ve heard complaints about having to wait too long for the shuttle. I’ve taken it many times and only had it show up late once. Serious question, how safe do you all feel at the parks right now.? Have a trip all booked and paid for the second week of August with my nephews. Staying at the Hard Rock. The youngest is 10 and too young to be vaccinated. I was there in May and felt safe. I know how to navigate and be safe in the parks. Any thoughts about bringing a vaccinated 12 year old and unvaccinated 10 year old? I know it’s a personal choice. I’m hearing about increased numbers due to the delta variant but see live streams and all sorts of families with young kids living their best lives at the parks. Any info, thoughts, insights will be appreciated. Thank you!
Hey Tia! We are so happy that the videos have been helpful! We’ve never had problems with the shuttles ourselves but, we have heard that from other guest as well. As far as the other part of the question, we just don’t feel qualified to answer. Obviously we are still going to the parks so we are personally comfortable, but we can not speak on safety because we aren’t experts in the area. Universal has done a great job in our opinion at making us feel like returning was a good idea! Hope that helps a little bit. You will absolutely love the Hard Rock and if you have any questions please let us know and we would be glad to try to answer them!
@@ThePughTwo I agree about making everyone feel safe. Thanks for taking the time to offer your opinion and for being a great, thorough, thoughtful, generous, and kind resource. Yes! I love the Hard Rock. I keep wanting to try other hotels but I just can’t seem to get away from the Hard Rock.
@@RavenclawTia we move around and we enjoy all the hotels but we find ourselves wanting to be at hard rock haha! Thank you so much for the kind words! We are glad that you are finding the content enjoyable!
Can i check in super early in the morning just so i can park my car at Sapphire falls & take the water taxi to the parks? I'd love to save time by not having to use the parking garage in the am
Surfside and Dockside don’t really have a dedicated walking trail to get to the parks. We’re sure you could catch up with the walking path somewhere, but you’d have to know where you were going. We suggest taking the busses from either Endless Summer resort because that’s the only official transportation option that Universal provides for those hotels.
Thanks for the info good info. I am interested in walking from cababna bay to sapphire falls in order to use the water taxi. I am traveling with a 9 year old. I am just curious are there any major roads to cross. Also do you know if there are any bus that take you to international drive from the resorts?
Thank you for watching! The road to cross over to sapphire can be a little hectic unfortunately. As far as the busses, Universal only provides transportation to and from their parks!
Each resort has their own shuttles that take guest from the hotels to the parks and they start running 1 hour before park opening! They do not run between resorts.
So the only value hotels are the endless summer ones which are Surfside and Dockside inn, and those are extremely similar. However if you are talking about the prime value hotels as well which would include Cabana Bay and Adventura, we would always choose Cabana Bay!
Question I called universal they said express tickets are not upgraded if you stay in aventura or cabana bay I thought I heard in your vlog that’s it’s included need to clarify
Do you know how early the water taxis start running before park opening? If I want to arrive at the park a 1/2 hour or 1 hour before opening, will the water taxis be running?
@@ThePughTwo Will that get me there early enough to get on a few rides before the park opens to everyone? I want to go on the Hagrid's ride and Jurassic Park River ride and maybe one more. Am I hoping for too much?
@@DiannJ We don't think thats too much! We actually just had a comment saying they got to ride Hagrids once and the Velocicoaster 3 times during early park admission!
Maybe my comment is not applicable, but I urgently need a shuttle service from Orlando Airport for my son on 30 June at around 6am. He's going to the Radisson Resort At The Port Hotel. Anyone with a recommendation perhaps? We're from Cape Town South Africa. My son is cruise ship crew.
Our best suggestion would be a ride share like Uber or Lyft. We don’t know of any other shuttle services he could take advantage of. Sorry we couldn’t be more helpful!
Has anyone tried or is it possible to take your luggage on the water taxi if you were trying to get from the Sapphire Falls hotel to the Hard Rock Hotel for a split stay? Or what would be the way to do that? What is the best way to get from Sapphire Falls to Hard Rock?
We think it would be 100% okay! We have had our luggage stored inside the parks before because of a similar situation, so we have little doubt that they would mind letting you transport your luggage. Keep in mind it will have to fit through their luggage scanner so the bags can't be too big!
@@ThePughTwo yeah we thought we were brilliant until we remembered how small that scanner is. I don’t think regular luggage would fit. So that might put a kabosh on an otherwise amazing plan.
@@jenniecardo4210 we have taken our luggage into the parks once and left it with luggage services (or whatever it’s called). We came in through the main Citywalk entrance but I think those scanners are the same. It was a tight fit, but we got both of our bigger than carry on suitcases through!
Generally, that early in the morning it isnt TOO bad. We suggest taking the walking trail or water taxi if possible when trying to get to early park admission!
@@amjohnston2008 😂😂 either way, we took the bus from Cabana Bay when we filmed our early park admission video and we didn’t have any issues! You just never know 🤷🏼♀️
If you booked a package we would suggest looking at the package to see if it was part of your deal, if it wasn't, unfortunately you have to book that separately!
The tip about pool hopping is misleading. You can NOT pool hop from one hotel to another. I tried it last year. I was staying at Cabana Bay and wanted to try Aventura's pool. The pool area is gated and the room key is the only way in. They will not let you in if you are not staying at the hotel as a guest.
We are sorry you had trouble! We pool hopped on our latest trip with no problems whatsoever! We hate that something didn’t work for you! We know they had things a little more strict during the pandemic, so maybe that is why? We really are sorry!
My dream job would be as a boat captain at Universal. Unfortunately, my only experience piloting a boat is as a Jungle Cruise captain. I don't think that counts. 😅😂
😂😂 that does sound like an awesome job! The boat captains are so impressive, though! They whip those boats around like it’s nothing. I think you might need a litttlllee more experience before you apply! Lol
@@ThePughTwo Youre so welcome! What a kick ass nickname and it makes perfect sense!! Girl throw a little tease in that hair and youd KILL a merida halloween costume 100%!! Thanks for the videos y'all. I just got my husband into Harry Potter and we're planning a trip to Universal to wizard out soon 😁. Y'all have hands down been the most informative so far. Thank you a ton for the info and maybe we will see you there!
@@Bayloy haha maybe I’ll do that for Halloween this year! That’s so exciting that you’re planning your first trip. As a Harry Potter fan, the first time you see the parks is just SO magical! We hope you have an awesome time and we’re so glad you’re enjoying our videos!
@@ThePughTwo Thank you so much! Youre sweet as can be! When is the best time to visit the parks for smaller crowds? Early November maybe after the Halloween festivities? Maybe it wont be a million degrees 😆
@@Bayloy In between holidays like that is generally a good time if you want small crowds. First half of November tends to be pretty tame as far as people traveling!
Which do you prefer. water taxi, bus, or walking? We are excited to hear why in the comments below!
Walking at the premiere resorts or closer
@@stevewing9791 we love walking from the premier hotels, especially hard rock!
Thinking I'll be taking the water taxi from Royal Pacific & trying alternate routes back to skip the lines on the way in 👍🏻 Thx Again
If we can use the water taxi's, we use them. If we're at Hard Rock, we walk, even with my mobility issues; the walk is very easy. (Lounge access at the Hard Rock is especially worth it because walking to and from studios is easy and with express the train to islands back and forth makes it even better). We used the shuttles at Cabana Bay and while we didnt like them, they do function quite well (we experienced the water taxi's prior to shuttles so we're spoiled lol) Thank you guys for another awesome video, heres hoping hubs n i get to meet you guys, would be so coo.
@Jonathan Cesari that’s our favorite, too!
I love the water taxi. Just such a beautiful way to start the day and end the night.
We love them so much! They are such a blast!
My gf and I just booked our trip, your videos saved me nearly a grand, seriously. Thank you so much!!
That’s awesome! We can’t tell you how much we love hearing that. We hope you have an awesome time on your trip!
My wife and I love your channel. It’s relatable. Something about a cute nerdy lady and her lovable deep voiced man just resonate with us. 😊
We’re headed back in January during the slower season. Hopefully we’ll see you there!
Haha thank you, we appreciate it! January is an awesome time to visit. We’ll definitely be around so keep an eye out for us!
I've been using the Universal Superstar Shuttle since 2017. It's convenient, fun, and it adds to the inclusive Universal atmosphere. They always give us our park passes in the booklet packet when we check in at the hotel and that packet usually includes coupons and stuff for like golf at City Walk. The drivers are always nice and give stories and tips to customers (not that we need it but it's nice to see them being so accommodating to newcomers). I haven't had to stop all necessarily all of the hotels when I use it and we typically stay at Cabana Bay Beach Resort but are staying at Lowes Royal Pacific on our next trip in September. I haven't had to wait for more than 5 minutes for buses at Cabana Bay. I am excited to use the water taxis on my next trip.
That is awesome!! We need to take it sometime just to experience it. You will love Royal Pacific and the water taxis! You’ll have to let us know what you think!
It's like you guys read my mind on my concerns for next month's trip! I've been seeing some HUGE crowds at security lately and wondered what would be the best way to not necessarily avoid security but not being stuck in that huge crowd coming out of the parking garage!
We’re so glad we could help! Coming through the side entrances is so much easier, we think it’s worth the walk!
Love your videos! They’re so informative and they’ve helped me with planning for my second Universal vacation❤️❤️
Thank you so much! We love hearing that!
I'm booking our trip tomorrow and was just telling my husband of the benefits of the water taxi. Perfectly timed video 😁
They are such a blessing! If you need any help please let us know!
I see myself loving the water taxis but I’m also very excited to explore the beautiful walking paths!
We walk most of the time, but eventually our feet get to a point where walking is not going to happen anymore! Lol
Thank you so much for this video. I didn’t even think about the shuttle per person value vs just an uber. 😊
Anna, you are seriously so freaking pretty! I am obsessed with your hair!
😂😭 you’re too sweet! I love my curls, but they have a mind of their own some days!
I didnt know about the Super Star Shuttle. Thank you. Great helpful video.
We didn't know about it for a long time honestly! Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Wow, I'm happy to know about the walking paths to the resort. I'd much rather use those than the bus.
We tend to walk more than anything as well! Thanks for watching!
I'd bet money your water taxi captain was Surf. He is the best!! The song alongs are everything. One night on our boat back to Royal, he accidentally brought us to Sapphire. We laughed so much, it took energy we didn't think we had left to give.
Hahaha it may have been! We’re hoping we have him again at this year’s event, it was so much fun. That’s such a funny story! 😂
Flying in from Youngstown Ohio August 1st, been watching your videos for months now. This one is great, Thank you so much! You've answered so many of my questions! In fact I think you've become an integral part of our vacation, lol. We're staying at Royal Pacific we'll be there for 4 nighs (park hopper w Volcano Bay.) Again thank you so much! 👍🏻
Thank you so much! It makes us so happy that we’ve been able to help! We hope you have an incredible vacation (we love Royal Pacific) and we hope you continue to enjoy the content! Safe travels!
U both are really putting out very informative and helpful tips.. thank you so much
Thanks Warran! We want to make Universal accessible to as many people as possible!
Awesome video.. We have been finding people asking us how to get around the resort... I will be sending people your way to this video! Well done!
Thank you, we appreciate that! It can be difficult to figure it out on your first trip, so we figured we’d give a run down of all the options!
A: three lol. Great video. My wife and I love the walking paths and water taxis
Lol we're glad you enjoyed it! It's crazy that you can enjoy the transportation to the parks, but we get it! We love them, too!
@@ThePughTwo yup! It's definitely crazy that there's something to enjoy before you even get to the truly good stuff. The water taxis seem even better as you get later into your trip (especially at the end of the day lol)
Really enjoy your energy, seem in sync❤
Thank you Kim! ❤️
Thanks for answering my question with a very informative video. It takes 429 licks to get to the center of a tootsie pop, honest truth and we tested it twice just to be sure 😂
Hahaha thank you for that scientific answer! We’ve been wondering for years but just didn’t have the patience 😂😂 we’re so glad our video was helpful!
This is more helpful than you can imagine! I had no idea about bus drop off locations vs. water taxi & walking!! What's the best way from the Endless resorts?
The busses for sure! They don’t have the water taxis and they are a decent distance from the other properties. We always ride the busses when we stay there!
I love the water taxi!! The bus is not bad but I don't like where they dropped you off. Great video as always!!
Thank you! We absolutely adore the water taxis as you can tell! It’s so convenient! Thanks for all the support!
Excellent video!
Thank you!!
We love the walking path! So much quicker through security. But Lord, that walk to Cabana Bay is long at the end of a park day!! I thought about the crowds waiting for the bus at the end of the night and forced myself (& my daughter) to walk, but we had to stop in the food court for a snack and rest, as we were at the other end of the hotel. Much prefer staying at RP, but Mr. Checkbook said no this year. Maybe next year, when there’s only 1 trip.
They are very scenic and we find ourselves walking more often than not! It is SUCH a long walk especially at the end of day in the parks. Riding the busses back to the hotels isn’t nearly as bad as going to the parks!
@@ThePughTwo I’ll have to scope out where the bus drop is in case I need it after HHN.
@@patrinker2666 We will try to catch a video of it during our trip in September to help you find it!
@@ThePughTwo thanks!
THANK YOU for making this video! I really needed the information.
We’re so happy it was helpful!!
The lines have been much better in the hub. Even when there were crazy lines before park open... they oddly moved so fast! I was thoroughly impressed at the efficiency of security.
The team members have been really doing amazing work even with the increased crowds!
Does the water taxi go only between city walk and a specific premier hotel, or does it go around the 4 resorts? Really enjoying your videos 😊
There’s at least one boat specific to each of the 4 hotels that offer the water taxi. When you’re getting on the boat from CityWalk, there are different lines for each hotel!
Just went in June, found a car service for 60 bucks each way and even was quite flexible due to flight changes. Definitely worth it,, I found Lyft has better service, stayed at the Hard Rock and found Lyft to be cheaper and more accessible…. Just my experience
That’s awesome! We check out the Lyft and compare it with Uber!
Y'all are fantastic! I love your energy and you're so helpful! We'll be out of state pass holders starting this year and seeing y'all do it helped make that decision.
This video was perfect as it's exactly what I wanted to know. It so hard to figure out the easiest way to get from one hotel to the other and that the hotel to park shuttle dumps you out into the mob. Thanks for the warning!
Thank you so much Tori! We love being pass holders. It saves us tons of money and makes it easier for us to get to the parks more often! So happy that the video was helpful! Hope to see you around! Thank you for watching!
Awesome video. Very helpful as always! We're staying at the Hard Rock for my Spring break in March. Gives me something fun to look forward to in my last year of nursing school!
WAIT POOL HOPPING IS ALLOWED??? oh man I need to know about all the pools then. I love the hard rock ones. Any others you reccomend?
We really like the vibe at Cabana Bay as well as Royal Pacific! Those are our picks, but to be honest, all of them are worth visiting!
Thats amazing! Congrats on finishing up with nursing school soon! My mom (Tyler) is a nurse so we love our nurses! We hope you have a great trip in March!
Blub, Blub Blub I'm a water taxi, love them
That’s about how they sound lol!
Very informative video! My family and I decided on a very last minute trip to Orlando, Florida (we are completely clueless about the parks) and we are definitely utilizing the bus rides since we are staying at one of the endless resorts. Thank you so much!!! Will definitely be checking out more videos 👍🏽👍🏽
We’re so glad this video was helpful! We hope you have an awesome time in the parks with your family!
Hi Anna & Tyler! A very nice summary of the on-site transportation options and how to get from the airport. Years ago, when you purchased a vacation package from Universal and they only had the Premier Hotels, the transportation from the airports was by Car Service. It was nice that the Driver met you in Baggage Claim the car services have a special lane under the airport that you would use to get to the car. It was very quick and they took you directly to your hotel. That would be a pretty expensive option now. One thing that you didn’t mention was if you did get a rental car and had to park it at the hotel, what would that cost be per night? This would also be a cost for someone who drove to to Orlando instead of flying in. Another thing to mention if you do a new video on this topico is what are the options from Orlando’s other airport in Sanford? It also takes 268 licks to get to the center of a tootsies pop! 😂😂😂😂😂. Ken
Wow, that’s crazy! That must’ve been so much fun! Lol I’ve always wanted to be picked up at the airport by someone holding a sign with my name 😂 it’s crazy how much things have changed! I *think* parking is like $28 a night at the premier hotels? A little cheaper at the others? We’ve actually never parked a car on property, so I’m not 100% sure!
@@ThePughTwo Well, looks like you have some research to do before you do an new video on this topic. One question for the two for you, since you moved to Orlando, are you planning to stay at the Universal Hotels from time to time for current reviews and updated information on them? I am not sure what hotel parking at Universal Hotels is now, I stayed at Aventura in December 2019 on a great AP rate and was disappointed that even with a Premier AP that came with Free Premier and Valet parking, still had to pay for Hotel Parking. It will be interesting to see if Universal will match Disney and offer free on-site hotel parking, I wouldn’t think so because Universal has been charging for Hotel parking for as long as I can remember, well before Disney started charging for Hotel Parking. BTW, The DoubleTree does charge $29/day for Self Parking and $39/day for Valet. But they always wave that for me since I am a Lifetime Diamond member and stay there so often.
just went to Universal last week for the first time and it was honestly by far the best vacation I've ever had! I didn't know that Universal offers an airport shuttle until now. My boyfriend and I took the uber from the airport to Cabana Bay and vice versa since it's cheaper as well as free bus shuttle to the parks. I literally forgot about hotel hopping the whole time we were there haha. but all in all, getting from point A to point B there was very straightforward.
That’s awesome! Yeah it’s pretty simple to be honest! So happy you had a great time! Are you ready to go back yet?
@@ThePughTwo yes I would love to go back again. There are a couple rides I didn't get a chance to ride especially Hagrid's and Popeye's due to limited capacity or not enough time. Where do you guys reside from? I'm from Oregon so the Florida heat for me was on a whole other level haha
@@dycubthesaxoflutist we’re from Tennessee! It definitely gets hot here in the summer but that Florida heat is something else! We can always find a reason to go back to the parks, we just never get enough! Lol
@Dyan Cubacub, how much was the Uber ride?
@@DainichiKichi Uber was $60 total for a roundtrip for two people
Walking back to the hotels after a long day at the parks is so painful 😂
We couldn’t agree more! But we usually tough it out for the sake of time lol
We are going in Dec. and spending one night of our 5 day/6 night trip at Royal Pacific (the rest of the time we will be at Dockside). Definitely going to have to take the water taxi!
They’re so much fun! Especially at night, we feel like the Captains have more fun at night, but maybe that’s just us 😂 we hope you have a great time on your trip!!
I’ve been watching all your videos and they’ve been so helpful! I’m going with my sister in September 2022 and we’re splitting our stay between Cabana Bay and Sapphire Falls. Just curious, have you tried to get from either hotel to Disney World? We want to spend a few days at those parks so are looking at options. I imagine Uber will be the way to go? So excited for the trip and so happy for your super helpful videos 😊
We have taken an Uber from Hard Rock to Magic Kingdom so we know it can be done! We would assume thats the easiest solution. Thank you so much for watching the videos. We hope you and your sister have an amazing time!
Great vid as always!!
Thank you so much!
Super helpful!!! Thank you for sharing
We are happy to hear it! Thanks for watching!
This was a great informational video. Next time I'm definitely gonna try the water taxis. I didn't know about the entertainment factor with the captains. I mostly use the buses. Universal makes getting around so easy. They are far superior to Disney in this regard. I've never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a bus to show up and if it is a busy time and the bus fills up there is usually one right behind it.
Also the key to getting through security quickly is to do Early Park Admission. There are no lines if you get there before the park opens. Grab some coffee and a portable breakfast and catch a bus around 7:20 (I know that is super early but so worth it). Then you eat your breakfast close to the front of the line. You will definitely get to ride Hagrid's. I did this July 7th and I rode Hagrid's and then rode VC 3 times before the park opened.
That is an awesome suggestion! Thank you for sharing! Hagrids AND Velocicoaster 3 times before the parks opened sounds INCREDIBLE! We are super jealous!
Usually walk in the morning (I love the lush tropical landscaping along the paths) and water taxi at night.
That’s a great way to do it! We love the landscaping, too. I’m jealous of all the tropical plants I can’t have here in Tennessee! Lol
Your videos are fantastic and very informative as well as entertaining! If you were staying at Cabana Bay, what would your strategy be for getting to US or IOA in the morning, for early park admission?
Thank you so much! We love the parks so much! Hmm thats a good question. Both walking and the busses are fine options. For us it would just depend on how we were feeling. If we didn't mind walking (probably 1-1.5 miles) we would do that, other wise the buses will get you there early as well! The security isn't normally an issue during early park admission!
Are you going to do some more hotel reviews? I’m going in Jan and would love to see portifino but any others would be awesome too!
We’re hoping to! We have to plan a trip to them to do that first, though!
142 licks and lots and lots of will power to not suck or just bite into a Tootsie Pop. Thanks so very much for trans info. One question ❓. If we are staying at universal hotels and walk to the parks in the morning , then want to ride back in afternoon is there something that we need to look for to find the buses. Or a section of the parking lot?. Thanks for your time. Love these videos.
Haha you answered the real question! As far as getting back to the busses, you will simple walk through CityWalk and exit that direction. There will be signs pointing you to the loading areas for each hotel! It’s real simple and easy to see. Hope this helps!
We are staying at Loews Royal Pacifica in March and are excited to check out a Universal resort for the first time (been to Orlando 4-5 times and never been to a resort for Universal and only been to Universal studios once for 1 day). I appreciate your video so much. It was so helpful to understand how the transportation systems worked.
For the water taxi, does it run on a schedule of every so many minutes like the bus or is there a taxi schedule posted so we can be sure to arrive at the best time to minimize waiting?
And does it stop at the other resorts or docks along the way or is there one dedicated water taxi per resort that goes directly between the City Walk dock and the resort?
The boat runs about every 15 minutes or so! They don’t usually stop at other hotels, except for Sapphire Falls and Royal Pacific. Their docs are right next to each other!
Was waiting for the “I’m a little teapot”… 🤣🤣🤣
The buses were nice when I stayed at Surfside, and will be utilizing them again in Oct, but looking forward to being able to walk from CB in Dec
😂😂 what a missed opportunity! The busses are great, we just don’t like where they drop us off. It’s not a short walk from CB, but it’s a pretty one! Lol
Lol! Thats my go to at weddings 😂. We actually enjoyed the busses the last time we were there because we just didn't wanna walk one day. Not bad at all for us, we have heard horror stories before!
My friend and I are staying at Endless Summer next week, so we will have to utilize the bus. Is City Walk easy to navigate? Are there clear signs leading to Islands and Universal?
I love your channel, btw!! So informative!
Oh absolutely! Once you get through security, just follow the crowds and you basically walk right into both of them. The entrance to studios is right by the giant globe, and islands is over by the huge light tower. You can’t miss it!
Great videos thank you! My family is staying at Cabana Bay in March. You mentioned the water taxi is not a guarantee for Cabana guests. Is that the case going back from the parks in the evening as well? Will they check hotel keys on the return trip? Thanks!
Hi Jason, we would be very surprised if they asked for a room key before letting you board!
Very helpful. thank you
We’re so happy you enjoyed it!
Maybe I missed this, do you go through security on the water taxi? We got hung up at both the main and walking entrances last year trying to get through security to citywalk
You do! Regardless of how you get there, you have to go through security. All of the water taxis have their own metal detectors you go through before you can board!
Thank you for this!
Thank you for watching!
I usually stay off property on the I drive and they have a shuttle to and from the park. Some are free some have a fee. Thanks for the video.
Thats interesting! We have stayed off property before but never used a shuttle! Thanks for watching!
@@ThePughTwo Depends at the hotel that you stay at some of them offer shuttles to and from the parks.
@@ciscoduncan1490 thank you for the information!
Thank you for the information. Do the boat ferries bring you to the same entrance/security as if you come through parked at preferred garage? We will have a rental car and we are not sure if it is better to park at a garage or take a ferry from hotel. Thank you
The boats drop you off in Citywalk and we think it is much easier to take the boats!
You can actually take the water taxi if your staying at Cabana Bay, just walk across to Sapphire Falls
Yeah they stopped doing the key card check a few months after they reopened!
What about if you are staying off site and driving to the park? We are gonna stay at a relatives house 30 minutes away cause it’s free but they are unavailable to drive us there. How much is it to park your car there? Is there transportation from the parking garage to the park entrance? Is there a different clever free place to park your car near the park and then Uber to the entrance?
They do have fees for parking, but I’m not sure how much they are. You can find that info online! It might be worth it to upgrade one of your park tickets to an annual pass in order to get free parking. I believe the 2nd tier (power pass) includes free parking and could be very close in price to your existing ticket depending on how many days you’re staying. Parking elsewhere and Ubering would probably be more expensive than just paying for Universal parking.
We are staying at Disney for a week, but coming over to Universal for 1 or 2 days. Where would Mears taxis drop us off at? Great video BTW 👍
So we would assume it would drop you off in the same spot as all of the other ride share services. There is a “hub” or area that they drop you off at outside of citywalk and security! Thank you so much for watching!
I'm going there for the first time in September and I'm so excited 🥺😁
That’s so exciting, it’ll be here before you know it! We hope you have an awesome trip!!
@@ThePughTwo thank you so much❤
@@omrigal9236 thanks for watching! If you ever have questions please feel free to reach out!
I have to add a negative comment about the walking path. We were staying at Royal Pacific the morning of June 23. Got on the path at 730am and waited over an hour to get through security. On June 24, we were on the path shortly after 7am and still took close to half an hour.
That’s crazy! We’ve made that walk a lot and we’ve never had to wait for more than 2 or 3 people. That would definitely be frustrating!
Great video guys! I will be going to Universal but will be using Uber, do you know how early I can be dropped off??
You can pretty much always get an Uber! We’ve had flights land at 2 am and still been able to get a ride. As far as the hotels go, you can check in whenever and if your room isn’t ready you can leave your stuff with luggage services!
Have you done a spot on what to do at MCO while waiting for a late flight etc?
We haven't but thats an interesting thought! We typically get there late in the day after a long day in the parks so we sleep 🤣
Hello,
Thanks for the info.
I have a back issue and walking can be difficult at times.
I am going to an event at Hard Rock Live.
What hotel is closest after Hard Rock hotel?
Should I try to stay at a hotel that has a water taxi? Where does the water taxi dock at city walk near Hard Rock Live?
The Hard Rock hotel is sold out for my dates😩
The next closest would probably be Royal pacific and that would be a 10-15 minute walk. It does come with the water taxi though. The water taxi drops you off on the opposite side of the Hard Rock Cafe!
@@ThePughTwo I booked Sapphire and watched your video on the docking place of the boat ( near NBC place). Figured out that get off boat and go towards Universal world globe and there is a bridge there to Hard Rock.
Do the buses at each hotel take you to the different hotels on the property or are the buses just to get you to Citywalk? Thanks again. Your video was so helpful to those of us a bit handicapped or slow but not needing a wheelchair or scooter..
We are visiting this September and staying at the Royal Pacific. Unfortunately we have a 6am departure flight on the day we leave. With the need to leave super early, we're curious what's the best transportation option for getting to MCO from the Royal Pacific?
We always use a ride share like Uber or Lyft! Universal does have a shuttle that you can use, but we’ve heard it can be problematic.
We're going to universal. how early should we leave the hard rock hotel for early park admission? Thanks loooove the vids!
Thats really up to you! if you are wanting to just get there as the parks are opening for early park, you should probably leave about 15-20 minutes before the parks are supposed to open for early park because they tend to open the gates early. If you are wanting to be one of the first in the parks, we'd suggest being at the gate 45 minutes to an hour before the gates are supposed to open!
@@ThePughTwo thanks for the quick reply! Love you guys! ❤️
@@sadiebabie8157 You are welcome! We are so happy to help! ❤️❤️
Can you do a video of your favorite restaurants inside the parks? Specifically have you done mythos or confisco?
We’ve done Mythos! It was good, but it wasn’t incredible. The bread that comes with your meal was so good and the calamari appetizer was great! We both got the pad thai for our entree and it was just okay. It wasn’t bad and it wasn’t great, it was just different than what we expected for pad thai. That being said, we would absolutely recommend it and we’ve been meaning to go back!
@@ThePughTwo Thanks! I am looking forward to my first trip to Universal in September! I have been watching all of your videos, thank you for all of the information!
@@es31922 we’re always happy to help! We’re so glad you’ve been enjoying our videos and we hope you have an awesome time in September!
I will be staying at Endless Summer Dockside. I wonder if I would get in a park fastest by taking an Uber to the Hard Rock with the shortest walk to the park entrances?
We would suggest saving the money and using the free busses that drop you at CityWalk! Unless you start seeing it be crazy backed up, we are personally always taking the free busses in that situation!
We are staying at dockside in a 2 bedroom suite, but we also have a "ghost room" reserved for 2 nights at royal pacific. Do you think it would be a good idea to drive our personal vehicle to royal pacific and hop on the water taxi each day that we have the room there? Sorry for all the questions we are lost when it comes to this as we have never been.
The only problem we see with this plan is you will have to pay to park. Its something like $28 dollars a day to park at the hotels. Dockside doesnt have a free shuttle buss that will help get you to the parks if you are good with that option!
5:04 I compare that pile up to if resident evil was happening ... and TSA was doing the scans lol
It can get out of hand!
Rent a car you can go anywhere you want to go or some hotels have free shuttle service to the airport or some hotels have free shuttle service to Disney world in universal studios
That’s always an option!
I just started watching you all last week. Thanks for your wonderful vlogs. I love the SuperStar shuttle and water taxi. I’ve heard complaints about having to wait too long for the shuttle. I’ve taken it many times and only had it show up late once. Serious question, how safe do you all feel at the parks right now.? Have a trip all booked and paid for the second week of August with my nephews. Staying at the Hard Rock. The youngest is 10 and too young to be vaccinated. I was there in May and felt safe. I know how to navigate and be safe in the parks. Any thoughts about bringing a vaccinated 12 year old and unvaccinated 10 year old? I know it’s a personal choice. I’m hearing about increased numbers due to the delta variant but see live streams and all sorts of families with young kids living their best lives at the parks. Any info, thoughts, insights will be appreciated. Thank you!
Hey Tia! We are so happy that the videos have been helpful! We’ve never had problems with the shuttles ourselves but, we have heard that from other guest as well. As far as the other part of the question, we just don’t feel qualified to answer. Obviously we are still going to the parks so we are personally comfortable, but we can not speak on safety because we aren’t experts in the area. Universal has done a great job in our opinion at making us feel like returning was a good idea! Hope that helps a little bit. You will absolutely love the Hard Rock and if you have any questions please let us know and we would be glad to try to answer them!
@@ThePughTwo I agree about making everyone feel safe. Thanks for taking the time to offer your opinion and for being a great, thorough, thoughtful, generous, and kind resource. Yes! I love the Hard Rock. I keep wanting to try other hotels but I just can’t seem to get away from the Hard Rock.
@@RavenclawTia we move around and we enjoy all the hotels but we find ourselves wanting to be at hard rock haha! Thank you so much for the kind words! We are glad that you are finding the content enjoyable!
Can i check in super early in the morning just so i can park my car at Sapphire falls & take the water taxi to the parks? I'd love to save time by not having to use the parking garage in the am
Absolutely! Your room won’t be ready until later in the afternoon, but they’ll let you go through the check in process earlier than that.
@@ThePughTwo awesome! Heading there tomorrow 😁
I hate that i just got done planning my daughter and my first vacation to universal. I would of loved for yall to help me plan it.
We would’ve been happy to, but there’s always next time! 😊
Wat would be the time of walk from surfside-inn to the park ? thx :)
Surfside and Dockside don’t really have a dedicated walking trail to get to the parks. We’re sure you could catch up with the walking path somewhere, but you’d have to know where you were going. We suggest taking the busses from either Endless Summer resort because that’s the only official transportation option that Universal provides for those hotels.
Thanks for the info good info. I am interested in walking from cababna bay to sapphire falls in order to use the water taxi. I am traveling with a 9 year old. I am just curious are there any major roads to cross. Also do you know if there are any bus that take you to international drive from the resorts?
Thank you for watching! The road to cross over to sapphire can be a little hectic unfortunately. As far as the busses, Universal only provides transportation to and from their parks!
@@ThePughTwo Thank you for the info and the quick response
Thanks for the info at universal now and the water taxi is definitely the way to go . Much shorter security and nicer ride
When do the busses start running? Is there a big line at City Walk during EPA?Do they run between resorts?
Each resort has their own shuttles that take guest from the hotels to the parks and they start running 1 hour before park opening! They do not run between resorts.
@@ThePughTwo thanks 👍. Does park opening include EPA?
@@TatianaandSpencer yes!
I’m guessing I need to Uber from my Disney (swan)hotel to Universal ?
That’s probably the easiest way to do it in our opinion!
Which hotel is your favorite amoung the value hotels?
So the only value hotels are the endless summer ones which are Surfside and Dockside inn, and those are extremely similar. However if you are talking about the prime value hotels as well which would include Cabana Bay and Adventura, we would always choose Cabana Bay!
What are the options for getting from Sanford airport to universal?
We don’t know if they offer the transportation service there or not! We would assume that Uber and Lyft both go there!
Can you ride the water taxi if you’re staying at Cabana Bay?
Cabana Bay doesn’t have a water taxi, unfortunately.
Question I called universal they said express tickets are not upgraded if you stay in aventura or cabana bay I thought I heard in your vlog that’s it’s included need to clarify
We have never said that. We have always said that the express is included if you stay at one of the 3 premier hotels! We are sorry for the confusion!
@@ThePughTwo it’s okay I knew it was too good to be true 😍
Do you know how early the water taxis start running before park opening? If I want to arrive at the park a 1/2 hour or 1 hour before opening, will the water taxis be running?
The water taxis start up 30 minutes before early park admission starts!
@@ThePughTwo Will that get me there early enough to get on a few rides before the park opens to everyone? I want to go on the Hagrid's ride and Jurassic Park River ride and maybe one more. Am I hoping for too much?
@@DiannJ We don't think thats too much! We actually just had a comment saying they got to ride Hagrids once and the Velocicoaster 3 times during early park admission!
Shhhh don’t tell anyone, but I stay at Cabana bay just for the mini vintage VO5 shampoo bottles 🤫.
Hahaha we love that reasoning 😂 we won’t spill your secret!
What time do the buses typically begin running?
They start running 1 hour prior to park opening!
3 licks . . . thanks for asking
Hahaha! You found the real question!
Just came back from Aventura stay @ Universal. Water Taxi or walking is VERY easy from this area.
It’s so nice having those different options!
Maybe my comment is not applicable, but I urgently need a shuttle service from Orlando Airport for my son on 30 June at around 6am. He's going to the Radisson Resort At The Port Hotel. Anyone with a recommendation perhaps? We're from Cape Town South Africa.
My son is cruise ship crew.
Our best suggestion would be a ride share like Uber or Lyft. We don’t know of any other shuttle services he could take advantage of. Sorry we couldn’t be more helpful!
Again with butter beer..😁
Always butterbeer… ALWAYS!
@@ThePughTwo YASSS
Has anyone tried or is it possible to take your luggage on the water taxi if you were trying to get from the Sapphire Falls hotel to the Hard Rock Hotel for a split stay? Or what would be the way to do that? What is the best way to get from Sapphire Falls to Hard Rock?
We think it would be 100% okay! We have had our luggage stored inside the parks before because of a similar situation, so we have little doubt that they would mind letting you transport your luggage. Keep in mind it will have to fit through their luggage scanner so the bags can't be too big!
@@ThePughTwo yeah we thought we were brilliant until we remembered how small that scanner is. I don’t think regular luggage would fit. So that might put a kabosh on an otherwise amazing plan.
@@jenniecardo4210 we have taken our luggage into the parks once and left it with luggage services (or whatever it’s called). We came in through the main Citywalk entrance but I think those scanners are the same. It was a tight fit, but we got both of our bigger than carry on suitcases through!
So if I'm staying at aventura I can get into another hotels pool
Yes! If you’re staying at any of the on-site hotels, you can use the pools at the other resorts.
So how does early park admission work with those crazy lines?
Generally, that early in the morning it isnt TOO bad. We suggest taking the walking trail or water taxi if possible when trying to get to early park admission!
@@ThePughTwo we are staying at Dockside. So I guess we would have to fake it til we make it at another hotel. 😂
@@amjohnston2008 😂😂 either way, we took the bus from Cabana Bay when we filmed our early park admission video and we didn’t have any issues! You just never know 🤷🏼♀️
Do you know how long the walk is from Portofino Bay to Citywalk?
It’s about 15-20 minutes!
It is about 10 minutes, max 15 minutes. We stayed there in 2019.
@@scottsoler59 depends on the walkers too! According to universals website it’s around 18 minutes! Thank you for responding!
Water taxi is interesting….
Its such a great way to get around!
I thought if you're staying at an onsite hotel the transport from airport to hotels are included, so I need to buy tickets?
1:10 of video
If you booked a package we would suggest looking at the package to see if it was part of your deal, if it wasn't, unfortunately you have to book that separately!
The water taxi is great BUT LOL they do not have enough taxis going and the wait and lines for that is over the top and not necessary.
We usually walk because we’re impatient lol. We’ve never waited more than about 15 minutes, but they only have so many boats!
@@ThePughTwo Lol. I know but with that Universal Money they can afford more Haha!
The tip about pool hopping is misleading. You can NOT pool hop from one hotel to another. I tried it last year. I was staying at Cabana Bay and wanted to try Aventura's pool. The pool area is gated and the room key is the only way in. They will not let you in if you are not staying at the hotel as a guest.
We are sorry you had trouble! We pool hopped on our latest trip with no problems whatsoever! We hate that something didn’t work for you! We know they had things a little more strict during the pandemic, so maybe that is why? We really are sorry!
My dream job would be as a boat captain at Universal. Unfortunately, my only experience piloting a boat is as a Jungle Cruise captain. I don't think that counts. 😅😂
😂😂 that does sound like an awesome job! The boat captains are so impressive, though! They whip those boats around like it’s nothing. I think you might need a litttlllee more experience before you apply! Lol
@@ThePughTwo One time going back to Sapphire Falls, our captain literally was doing donuts. THAT was the Fast and Furious ride!!
@@samanthaedmonds3219 🤣🤣 we hope it was EVERYTHING the Fast and Furious ride should have been!
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Get a VIP pass you don't have to worry about long lines
The express pass is super convenient!
Get a VIP pass you don't have to worry about mines at universal studios
It's a 189 bucks for a VIP pass at universal studios Orlando
Yeah they move around in price!
Oooh girlfriend! Im getting serious Merida vibes from you right now! Gorgeous!!!!! ❤❤
Haha thank you!! You’re too sweet ❤️❤️ years ago my hair was MUCH longer and I was nicknamed brave by several people 😂
@@ThePughTwo Youre so welcome! What a kick ass nickname and it makes perfect sense!! Girl throw a little tease in that hair and youd KILL a merida halloween costume 100%!! Thanks for the videos y'all. I just got my husband into Harry Potter and we're planning a trip to Universal to wizard out soon 😁. Y'all have hands down been the most informative so far. Thank you a ton for the info and maybe we will see you there!
@@Bayloy haha maybe I’ll do that for Halloween this year! That’s so exciting that you’re planning your first trip. As a Harry Potter fan, the first time you see the parks is just SO magical! We hope you have an awesome time and we’re so glad you’re enjoying our videos!
@@ThePughTwo Thank you so much! Youre sweet as can be! When is the best time to visit the parks for smaller crowds? Early November maybe after the Halloween festivities? Maybe it wont be a million degrees 😆
@@Bayloy In between holidays like that is generally a good time if you want small crowds. First half of November tends to be pretty tame as far as people traveling!