Hello- I am just looking for experienced opinions of Disney and Universal vacations. My family and I (My Husband, children ages 12,11, and 2 year old) will be traveling to Orlando June 8th -June 13th. We will be there a total of 5 nights. Assuming we are arriving on a Sunday we most liekly won't visit our first park until Monday morning...We are staying offsite and now I need to purchase tickets....oooh wow this is a task. For my kids which parks would be beneficial in your opinion? Should we stick with a full week of Disney, do 2 day Disney 1 day Universal, and one day Seaworld? My husband hands down wants to go to Seaworld, I believe we can get this accomplished in 1 days time which leaves us 3 days for me to get the most in for our Sun-Fri trip! Any advice would be helpful!
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Best Way to Plan!
- Thread starter Missbsh2
- Start date
jimbo mack
Well-Known Member
To do Disney, Universal and Seaworld may be unrealistic if you want your money's worth...if Seaworld is a must I would do that and Disney. Do Universal next time.
Upvote
0
PrincessNelly_NJ
Well-Known Member
You will need to add at least one day to accomplish that, skip a disney park, or head to a park on your arrival day.
Magic Kingdom & EPCOT requires 1 - 1 1/2 days each.
Hollywood Studios & Animal Kingdom requires 1/2 - 1 day each.
You could do both Universal Parks in 1 day but you would need to buy the express pass and hit park opening (you still may miss out because June is busy season)
Seaworld requires 1/2 - 1 full day.
Magic Kingdom & EPCOT requires 1 - 1 1/2 days each.
Hollywood Studios & Animal Kingdom requires 1/2 - 1 day each.
You could do both Universal Parks in 1 day but you would need to buy the express pass and hit park opening (you still may miss out because June is busy season)
Seaworld requires 1/2 - 1 full day.
Upvote
0
Sandy Carroll
Member
For that many days I wouldn't do anything but disney. Universal is an experience, but I think it should not be enjoyed just jumping in and out like its six flags. Personally, Sea World is just ok. I know some people love it, we went two years ago and nobody in my family wants to go back. I would do a more relaxed all disney trip. But then again, if staying off site I guess it might be different.
Upvote
0
disney4life2008
Well-Known Member
To pay for a full price ticket for Sea World, US or IOA and only do a half day is a travesty.
Upvote
0
Susan Savia
Well-Known Member
I'd do just Disney for your trip and do Universal another time, perhaps when you have more time.
Upvote
0
Mukta
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't take a 2 year old to Universal. If Sea World is important to you, do 3 days at a Disney park, 1 day at Sea World and a break day for your 2 year old. I don't think a toddler that young will enjoy the same things the older kids will, so make sure the older kids get some time with one parent to do stuff the little one can't do.
Upvote
0
stevehousse
Well-Known Member
Skip Uni and save it for the next trip. By then, the new potter land will be complete and shouldn't be so bad with wait times, since this is its first year opening. Besides there really isn't anything for babies to really do at Uni parks...
Upvote
0
SAV
Well-Known Member
I agree with everyone else to scrap Universal for this trip. 5 days isn't enough time to do all you have listed. I mean you could bounce in and out of everything, but it really wouldn't be doing any of it justice. Maybe you could show your hubby this thread and see if he would be willing to skip Sea World this trip and save it for the next time?
What time to you arrive on Sunday? If it is any time before 4pm, then I would use that first remaining day and head to a Disney park with later hours. Even if it is only for 4-5 hours. Now with FP+ you can pre-book your 3 FP's ahead of time and be guaranteed to ride them. So for me I would do DHS on that Arrival day. Then use touringplans or easy wdw to look at the crowd calendar for June to determine what parks to do on the rest of the days to maximize your time. I will be there that same time and I would do MK on the 9th, AK on the 10th, Epcot on the 11th. Then depending on your decision for Sea World, you can use the 12th for Sea World or to repeat your favorite Disney Park. Depending on your departure, you can squeeze in an additional day on the 13th if time permits.
If you have to do Sea World, then you can do MK on the 9th, AK/DHS on the 10th, Epcot on the 11th and Sea World on the 12th. I would start at AK at rope drop to do the Safari (and the other rides you want to do), then head to DHS for the afternoon/evening(That pains me to say since AK is my favorite park and you will be missing my favorite parade if you do that.). You should use your FP+ options for DHS since you can get the "highlights" done at Rope Drop at AK. You will be missing a lot, but you have to make use of the time you have available.
What time to you arrive on Sunday? If it is any time before 4pm, then I would use that first remaining day and head to a Disney park with later hours. Even if it is only for 4-5 hours. Now with FP+ you can pre-book your 3 FP's ahead of time and be guaranteed to ride them. So for me I would do DHS on that Arrival day. Then use touringplans or easy wdw to look at the crowd calendar for June to determine what parks to do on the rest of the days to maximize your time. I will be there that same time and I would do MK on the 9th, AK on the 10th, Epcot on the 11th. Then depending on your decision for Sea World, you can use the 12th for Sea World or to repeat your favorite Disney Park. Depending on your departure, you can squeeze in an additional day on the 13th if time permits.
If you have to do Sea World, then you can do MK on the 9th, AK/DHS on the 10th, Epcot on the 11th and Sea World on the 12th. I would start at AK at rope drop to do the Safari (and the other rides you want to do), then head to DHS for the afternoon/evening(That pains me to say since AK is my favorite park and you will be missing my favorite parade if you do that.). You should use your FP+ options for DHS since you can get the "highlights" done at Rope Drop at AK. You will be missing a lot, but you have to make use of the time you have available.
Upvote
0
Great thanks for the advice everyone, so based on what I have read I will stick with just Disney and we can do Universal another time. Disney has a great military rate, and it may be beneficial for us to just enjoy Disney!
Thanks! Our arrive time isn't set, we are driving so it is a 6 hour drive. We can always leave early enough to do what you suggested and get in a half day park on Sunday. Assuming with this schedule we should definitely invest in the Park Hopper right?? Maybe I can convince my husband to skip Seaworld and just do Disney the entire week to get our moneys worth and then next time do Universal Parks and Seaworld.
Thanks! Our arrive time isn't set, we are driving so it is a 6 hour drive. We can always leave early enough to do what you suggested and get in a half day park on Sunday. Assuming with this schedule we should definitely invest in the Park Hopper right?? Maybe I can convince my husband to skip Seaworld and just do Disney the entire week to get our moneys worth and then next time do Universal Parks and Seaworld.
Upvote
0
Thanks everyone, I guess my only thing from what I heard about Disney and Universal is kids (11,12) get more out of Universal than Disney. I think our 2 yr old will be happy to just be strolled around! But if 11,12 year olds can have a blast at Disney then I will focus my attention on this one park as suggested.
Upvote
0
JillC LI
Well-Known Member
An 11 and 12 year old can definitely have a blast at Disney. In fact, they may prefer Disney if they are not thrill-ride lovers because Uni has so many more thrill rides. I also vote for Disney only with 1 day at SeaWorld if your hubby wants that. I am guessing from your post that this will be your first trip to Disney, and there is so much to see and do there that you and the kids could not possibly get bored. Save Uni for when the new Harry Potter rides are complete.
Upvote
0
KCheatle
Well-Known Member
With a 5 night trip, and not going to any parks on the first day, you're realistically looking at 4 days to go to parks. If your DH wants to go to Seaworld, then that's 1 day. I think your 11- and 12-year-olds would probably prefer US and/or IOA over Disney. So, if I were in your shoes, I would be getting a ticket to US and/or IOA with the express pass for the 2nd day. I think your 2-year-old would like the MK. The 11- and 12-years-olds will likely also enjoy the MK, but it's more little-kid oriented than tween oriented. I would do the 3rd day at MK. For the fourth day, I would probably do a park hopper to Disney World, and that gives you an opportunity to go back to MK for anything you wanted to do, but missed. Otherwise, I would recommend you use the park hopper to go in between Hollywood Studios and Epcot the 4th day. I'd start at Hollywood studios, which has Tower of Terror and Rockin' Roller Coaster for the older ones and Disney Junior Live on Stage and other shows for the little one. There is a boat that runs between Hollywood Studios and Epcot which would make it easier for you to go to one and then jump to the other. Epcot has Soarin' and Test Track for the older kids. But, you would have to get FP+ for those rides in advance or you will end up waiting in some pretty long lines. Then you could eat dinner at one of the fantastic Epcot restaurants and finish with watching Illuminations. I don't think I'd go to Animal Kingdom with your time constraints.
I just realized that since you're staying off-property, you'll be driving your own car. I've never had my own car down there, so I don't have to think about that with park hopping. I'm not sure if you can park it at one of the boardwalk hotels in between Epcot and HS in the morning and then take the boat to HS from the Boardwalk. That would make it easier to get back to it at the end of the day if you hop between parks??
I just realized that since you're staying off-property, you'll be driving your own car. I've never had my own car down there, so I don't have to think about that with park hopping. I'm not sure if you can park it at one of the boardwalk hotels in between Epcot and HS in the morning and then take the boat to HS from the Boardwalk. That would make it easier to get back to it at the end of the day if you hop between parks??
Upvote
0
CheshireCat12
Well-Known Member
I would do the following:
Focus your time in Disney, don't do Universal this time, you have a short stay
Only go to SeaWorld if your kids really, really like animals- I think I'd lean toward skipping it
Focus your time in Disney, don't do Universal this time, you have a short stay
Only go to SeaWorld if your kids really, really like animals- I think I'd lean toward skipping it
Upvote
0
wdisneyw2000
Active Member
As far as what parks you would want to do, I'd go with setting the family down & ask them what parks they would want to do. Depends on what they are into & what gender the kids are. Sea World you can do it in 1 day if you don't want to do all the rides, or just want to do the rides & not the animal shows. Uni Never been there.
Upvote
0
