If you are staying at an on-site hotel and thus have preferred access or have purchased a Universal Express Plus pass (see Chapter One), then you can largely ignore the following advice and proceed as you wish.

1. Get up early. You want to arrive at the park before the official opening time. Allow at least half an hour to park your car and get to the main entrance. If you arrive extra early, don’t worry, there will already be people there waiting and Universal Studios will do its best to keep you all amused, usually by having costumed characters come out to mix and mingle and pose for photos.

2. Since you were smart enough to buy your tickets the day before, you don’t have to wait in line again, at least not for tickets. Position yourself for the opening of the gates and go over your plan one more time.

3. As soon as the gates open, move briskly to Shrek 4-D and get in line for the first show. After Shrek, head quickly to Revenge of the Mummy and use the single riders line. Option: If Jimmy Neutron is on your list, do it before the Mummy.

4. Next stop is Jaws. Don’t be tempted to go past Jaws to Men In Black; you can always return later and use the single-rider line.

Option: If E.T. Adventure is high on your list, go there first and then head for Jaws; if not, save E.T. for late in the day when many of the kiddies and their exhausted parents will have left.

5. After Jaws, do Earthquake and Twister.

6. If you missed Jimmy Neutron earlier, head there now. If the line is short, ride it. If the line looks too long, head on to T2. Now the time has come to start checking out the theater and amphitheater shows. The Universal Horror Make-Up Show is a short walk from the T2 exit and well worth seeing.

7. At this point, you will have been on the most popular rides and seen a show or maybe even two. The crowds are beginning to get noticeably larger and the sun is high in the sky. Take a break, maybe eat lunch. If the park is particularly crowded and you feel you are “running late” you may want to limit your lunch to quick snacks you can carry with you as you move from line to line. There are plenty of outdoor kiosks dispensing this kind of portable “finger food.”

8. Continue your rounds of the shows you want to see and check in periodically at any rides you missed (or would like to try again). You may be pleasantly surprised. This is also a good time to ride Men In Black, using the single-rider line.

9. As the crowd thins towards closing time, circle back to the rides you missed. A great time to find shorter lines to even the most popular rides is about an hour before the official closing time.

10. The park doesn’t lock the gates at the scheduled closing time. Many shops will still be open, so this is a good time to buy your souvenirs; you’ll have saved some prime touring time and won’t have to lug them around for so long. Many of the smaller eateries will be open as well, so feel free to grab a well-earned dessert. And you’ll still have plenty of time to visit Lucy: A Tribute before heading for your car.

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