Get the fast pass so you'll be able to see both sides of the park in a single day.

The hulk roller coasters is closed for the rest of the year

Valet Park.
Universal Studios and Disney World installed metal detectors for "safety" reasons.
Only problem? You have dozens, if not hundreds of people lined up to go through the detectors at a time, in a small bottle necked area. Hopefully anyone who plans on shooting up an amusement park will want to only shoot people INSIDE the park and not be content shooting all of the unarmed tourists stuck outside the park, waiting to get in.
Valet park, and you'll avoid that mess. You'll still need to go through a metal detector, but if anything, there should only be a few people in front of you, not dozens.

What to do?
CIty Walk itself has some good restaurants and has some clubs. I can't speak for the clubs, since I've never been in any of them, but the Restaurants are good. NBC Grill is new there, and I personally think it's really good, despite what some reviews online say. There's also a Hard Rock Cafe, an Italian Restaurant whose name I can't remember right now that I like, a more upscale Emerald Restaurant, a CowFish burger sushi place, and a few others. A lot to choose from when it comes to eating.
If you wanna do Harry Potter stuff, expect to wait at least half an hour for anything. More likely an hour or more. If you can, I would suggest going through the single rider lines. It's usually much shorter, but you'll miss much of the ride queue themeing.
If you stay at Hard Rock Hotel, Portofino Bay, or Royal Caribbean, you'll get a free unlimited Fast Pass for your entire stay, which is pretty cool if you plan on going on rides more than once, or if it's really busy.

If you have any specific questions, just ask. I don't know everything, but I go to Universal a lot. I'll try to answer as best I can.

>>1077078
Were staying at the hard rock and we get all the benefits of that, did a whole package deal, 3 days with express passes. Is it true the express passes don't count for Harry potter?

Start on the right side, and take the Harry Potter train to the left side when you want to switch.

Also ride the train at least once each direction. It's a different experience. Also go early. Leave in the middle of the day when it's hot and crowded and go back towards the evening. Enjoy more of the park, then eat and go to clubs after

>>1077081
None of the Harry Potter attractions have Fast Pass lines. Your best bet is going through Single Rider Lines

>>1077081
Since you're staying on-site, you can use any of the other on-sitr hotel's pools and such. They all have pretty nice pools, and Cabanna Bay also has a lazy river, if you're into that.
All the hotels also have different restaurants that may interest you. I can't personality recommend any of them, but I'm sure they wouldn't be there if they weren't good.

>>1077089
Have you personally stayed at the hard rock? The reason I ask is because we were thinking about upgrading to "rock royalty" and basically they give you like free beer and some apps throughout the day and a different room. Are the food packages worth it? Drink packages? Blue man group worth watching? Duff beer any good? Sorry I'm just rifling off a few quick q's I could come up with.

>>1077091

I have stayed at Hard Rock, but only in the regular, 2 bed rooms. I've never upgraded, so I don't know about any of that, sorry. Also, I don't drink at all, so I don't know how Duff tastes. I do know they have an actual brewery supply them the beer, so I'm sure it's not some cheap shit they buy just to say they have "Duff" beer. I've also never used any of the food or drink packaged since I've never really needed to. I've also never seen Blue Man Group, but that's more because I'm mad they took over the Nicktoons Studio that was at Universal.

Sorry I couldn't really answer any of your questions. You basically handpicked the few things I've never experienced lol

>>1077092
Ah well thanks anyways, we'll definitely take advantage of the pools and express pass stuff. Plus we also get in an hour before everyone else so we can knock out Harry potter rides before the crowd hits.

>>1077084
This is also good stuff thank you.

If you plan on riding Rip Ride Rockit Rollercoaster, look up the codes for the hidden songs. There's only like, 30 songs I think normally, but a couple hundred hidden tracks.

You can go on the floor at men in black in the queue for the ride if you ask the attendant at the entrance for the immigration tour

Try to get the unlimited express pass because the normal one only allows singe rides per day per ride which you will burn through pretty fast and you'll definitely want to ride some rides more than once.

>>1077091

I liked Duff beer. Actually got pretty drunk at the duff bars. It tastes like the kind of thing an overweight father would drink.

>>1077092
Lol, so you don't drink and go in the single rider lines?

>>1077632

I just don't drink period.
And I go in single riders, unless I have a fast pass (like when I stay on site, or after 4pm since I'm an annual passholder). If the regular line is short, like 5-15 minutes, I'll wait in the regular line, so my whole family can ride together.

TheTimTracker on youtube will show you everything you want to see and tell you everything you need to know.