sandam1
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 19, 2016
I love Cabana Bay and, for me, it is HOME. I love everything about it - the style, the layout, the lazy river, the food court, the extra space and amenities of the family suites.
We go to UO in September almost every year and, if you plan properly, you don't need EPs. Late August is actually a low crowd time of year and you have five days. One year, we did one night at Hard Rock to get the EPs and, frankly for us, it was a waste because we had well-developed strategies for how to avoid the lines. My tips:
- I know you said that you aren't rope drop people, but the value of the early hours can't be over-emphasized, particularly in the summer heat. I would try VERY hard to get there early for a day or two. For the early entry hour, usually the Harry Potter area is the primary thing open. You can head there and knock off the HP ride(s) before opening. Then, while everyone else headed to the HP rides, either do some wand work and/or hit some of the other non-HP park highlights before their lines build. At park opening, it seems like everyone heads directly for HP so it can take a couple of hours for the rest of the park to fill in. Then when the lines get crazy, head for the shows or back to the hotel for a break. (Note: If Studios has early entry that is also the best time to get on Minions.)
- I don't know the ages of your family, but single rider can be your best friend. Almost all of the big rides have it available and it works. You do miss a lot of the queue most of the time so you want do the regular line for the HP rides the first time, but for re-rides, it can't be beat.
- The parks close early (like 7 or 8 p.m.) in low crowd times. If you can plan your meals/snacks and wait to eat dinner until after the park closes, those last couple of hours can be golden. This is where the food court at CB comes in handy as it is easy to grab a late meal quickly. Or you can eat at one of the restaurants at City Walk, but reservations can be your friend here as walk-ups can be hard to get at park close.
- As others have mentioned, definitely get at least one AP. It will take a LONG time for the passholder hotel rates to come out - if you are nervous, you can always book a room at a regular rate and then rebook when the APH rates drop - but it is usually worth it.
Please don't get discouraged or frustrated. Everyone's vacation is different and you can have a great time no matter what you decide. Stick ahead these boards and keep reading and it will start to make sense.
We go to UO in September almost every year and, if you plan properly, you don't need EPs. Late August is actually a low crowd time of year and you have five days. One year, we did one night at Hard Rock to get the EPs and, frankly for us, it was a waste because we had well-developed strategies for how to avoid the lines. My tips:
- I know you said that you aren't rope drop people, but the value of the early hours can't be over-emphasized, particularly in the summer heat. I would try VERY hard to get there early for a day or two. For the early entry hour, usually the Harry Potter area is the primary thing open. You can head there and knock off the HP ride(s) before opening. Then, while everyone else headed to the HP rides, either do some wand work and/or hit some of the other non-HP park highlights before their lines build. At park opening, it seems like everyone heads directly for HP so it can take a couple of hours for the rest of the park to fill in. Then when the lines get crazy, head for the shows or back to the hotel for a break. (Note: If Studios has early entry that is also the best time to get on Minions.)
- I don't know the ages of your family, but single rider can be your best friend. Almost all of the big rides have it available and it works. You do miss a lot of the queue most of the time so you want do the regular line for the HP rides the first time, but for re-rides, it can't be beat.
- The parks close early (like 7 or 8 p.m.) in low crowd times. If you can plan your meals/snacks and wait to eat dinner until after the park closes, those last couple of hours can be golden. This is where the food court at CB comes in handy as it is easy to grab a late meal quickly. Or you can eat at one of the restaurants at City Walk, but reservations can be your friend here as walk-ups can be hard to get at park close.
- As others have mentioned, definitely get at least one AP. It will take a LONG time for the passholder hotel rates to come out - if you are nervous, you can always book a room at a regular rate and then rebook when the APH rates drop - but it is usually worth it.
Please don't get discouraged or frustrated. Everyone's vacation is different and you can have a great time no matter what you decide. Stick ahead these boards and keep reading and it will start to make sense.