Universal Studios Florida Shorex

[mesci14]

I am writing to discourage any cruiser who is planning an excursion to Universal Studios. I would like to prevent happening to another family what happened to us. We took an excursion to Universal Studios for 8 hours. It took us at least an hour to enter the park(we had a voucher-already paid) and during the remaining 7 hours we were able to ride 4 rides and unable to eat anything as the lines were incredibly long. I contacted customer service and they said that as long as they don’t reach park capacity they will continue to allow people in, they also will not be making any changes. I was told we paid the extensive price for the ambience not the rides…Again I would hate to have another family experience what we did. We did not get what we paid for and to be honest the entire experience was horrific for us. It was wall to wall people and your were unable to move let alone experience any "ambience." It is unfortunate that there was little care for the consumer. My only hope is to prevent this from happening to another family.

[Aquahound]

Your Port Canaveral port call was on Feb 15. You went to a Florida theme park on a Saturday during a holiday weekend (Presidents Day). I know you had no choice in the date you attended, but consider this when discouraging other cruisers from going to Universal Studios. Not everyone would book that excursion during a holiday weekend.

[CruiserBruce]

Your Port Canaveral port call was on Feb 15. You went to a Florida theme park on a Saturday during a holiday weekend (Presidents Day). I know you had no choice in the date you attended, but consider this when discouraging other cruisers from going to Universal Studios. Not everyone would book that excursion during a holiday weekend.

 

Thank you for clarifying the location. OP, be aware there are several Universal Studios sites.

[fishywood]

Since the OP is from Maine I wonder if they would offer the same hysterical warning to those of us who would visit Bar Harbor on holiday weekends--or during leaf season where there are three ships per day tendering into that tiny town. "It was wall to wall people and your were unable to move let alone experience any ambience (sic)" is a perfect description in that case as well.

 

Yes there are lines for food--but they move, just like at the buffet on the ship. It's called tourism...y'know, like why your cruise exists in the first place.

Edited February 24, 2015 by fishywood

[Sauer-kraut]

I find myself dissuading people who also try to get to the Magic Kingdom on a shore excursion. The hour bus ride from the port to the park as well as lines (there are always lines for rides some days worse than others) and not getting to do everything that you are paying in excess of $100p/p for!

 

If you want to do a theme park you'd be much better off planning a land vacation than trying to do it from a cruise. Just my opinion!

[Philob]

Sounds like a typical weekend at the park across the street...the one run by a small rodent ;)

[spookwife]

I am puzzled as to why you even considered doing this in the first place?! Theme parks are not and have never been a smart idea to do as a shore excursion when you are in the ports for less than 12 hours.

[JVilleGal]

I am puzzled as to why you even considered doing this in the first place?! Theme parks are not and have never been a smart idea to do as a shore excursion when you are in the ports for less than 12 hours.

 

 

Ditto!

[gizzimo156]

Ditto!

 

 

We have a 3 day package before at Universal because we wanted to start vacation early and since I have never been we booked it..ours is over a holiday weekend as well but rides aren't really a big deal to me and I am also well aware any day during the summer is going to busy..I would advise anyone who wants to go to someplace like Disney or Universal that they plan for more than 1 day:D

 

And this will be our 1st cruise as well

Edited February 25, 2015 by gizzimo156

[Crzy4my2]

I'm sorry you didn't have a good time. We loved it there. We went for 1 day when we were in Florida last. I don't go on the rides, I enjoy the atmosphere and people watching while my family goes on the rides. Each time I waited, I would watch the interactions between vacationers and the staff. each time it was very professional and some went above and beyond. My kids won a basketball and I was walking around with it thinking that there was no way we were getting it back on the plane. I walked in to one of the shops and the manager came running over with a bag so I could put the ball in the bag to make it easier to carry. We went to go eat and paid for our meals. AFTER we paid, one of the girls started talking to us and learned we were spending the day. She had her manager come over and ask if we wanted the meal plan for the day, we ended up getting money back..I was impressed. I was also impressed at how clean the park was.