First Time trip to Universal, then going to Disney.

[tractorm3]

Do I have a few questions. Spet 2013 my fiance and I are takign our honeymoon trip to Disney World. We were thinking of goign to universal first for a few days then goign to Disney.

Questions:
Transportation: does universal pick you up at the airport? how will i get from Uni to WDW? and Will the magical express give me a one way to the aiport on the conclusion of our trip?

Lenth of Stay: How long should I stay at universal for the value to be there? Like for disney I knowafter so many days it only cost a few dollars to add a day on the park pass.

I am going to be looking at their site but we have never been so I thought it could be fun. But I do have to conclude with the WDW part. I could never leave disney and go to Universal for the final leg of our trip.

 

[marni1971]

I'm not sure about the other specifics, but for a first timer I'd say USF is at least a good day, possibly more, and IOA at least a day and a half. Add a few hours or more at Citywalk and it's easily 3+ days.

 

[ShookieJones]

I feel the same way about 'doing WDW last' - I guess it's a sentimental thing!??
Either way Universal is a blast.

I could spend a day at WWoHP alternating between drinking frozen butterbeer and riding FJ.
2 days at Uni works for us...

 

[lilclerk]

2-3 days sounds pretty good for Universal. I could spend 3 days in IoA alone.

I don't believe Universal has any airport transportation. You might be better off renting a car for the trip. If you don't want have the car for your whole trip, you could always rent a car from Alamo or National from the airport, then return it on WDW property. Magical Express will give you one way transportation back to the airport.

If you don't want to rent a car, you could get a cab or a towncar/limo service, or a Mears shuttle.

 

[disney fan 13]

1 day at the studios, 1 day at IOA and 3-4 Hours at Citywalk sounds about right.

 

[gboiler1]

Universal does not have airport transportation like Disney's Magical Express. We did get Mears transport on our March 2012 vacation. A possible suggestion would be use Disney as a base then call a car from someone like Mears or another reputable "limo" service for taking you to Universal. This way you could use the Magical Express to and from the airport.
If you begin with a stay at UHS and finish at WDW then yes, you can do Magical Express one way.

My 13 year old daughter and I did everything we wanted at UHS in two days including riding Harry Potter 3x. I highly suggest front of line passes though. Mind you this was late March during Spring Break. City Walk didn't take much time outside of eating there a couple times, but we did play both rounds on the new mini golf course.

 

[HTF]

2 days at Universal is plenty in September. You will have no issues conquering everything in those two days. Have fun!

 

[coachwnh]

spent two days in universal this past july for the first time, and i have to say we came away very impressed. we are AP holders at disney, but universal with be on our list frequently from now on. and i love their version of the fastpass!! it truly was a fastpass. we got so much done by starting early!! had a great time. loved it!!

 

[HTF]

spent two days in universal this past july for the first time, and i have to say we came away very impressed. we are AP holders at disney, but universal with be on our list frequently from now on. and i love their version of the fastpass!! it truly was a fastpass. we got so much done by starting early!! had a great time. loved it!!

Glad to here you enjoyed yourself! This is Disney's worst nightmare coming to life. People just like you who grew up the Disney faithful are venturing out of the mouse house for a day or two during their stays and finding that Universal is stepping up their game. It's lost revenue for the resort and while Potter is very dangerous to Disney the most alarming of late to Iger and Co is a little thing called Cabana Bay.

 

[disney magic 06]

This may sound a bit of a pallaver but it worked for us.

We arrived at MCO and took a Mears shuttle to our Universal hotel.We arrived on the afternoon of day 1, spent the rest of that day at Universal Studios. Day 2 was IoA, back to the Studios for the evening. Day 3 IoA until 1300, then got a Mears shuttle from our hotel back to the airport. We then got Magical Express to Wilderness Lodge.

The switch between Universal and WDW seemed very straightforward and quick. It was a great addition to our WDW holiday, we thoroughly enjoyed Universal and IoA, especially Hogsmeade.

 

[Hot Lava]

We arrived at MCO and took a Mears shuttle to our Universal hotel.We arrived on the afternoon of day 1, spent the rest of that day at Universal Studios. Day 2 was IoA, back to the Studios for the evening. Day 3 IoA until 1300, then got a Mears shuttle from our hotel back to the airport. We then got Magical Express to Wilderness Lodge.

The switch between Universal and WDW seemed very straightforward and quick. It was a great addition to our WDW holiday, we thoroughly enjoyed Universal and IoA, especially Hogsmeade.

I am also contemplating a trip with USF first and then WDW.

May I ask why go back to the airport and get the Disney shuttle and not just take some sort of transport from USF to WDW?

 

[fosse76]

I am also contemplating a trip with USF first and then WDW.

May I ask why go back to the airport and get the Disney shuttle and not just take some sort of transport from USF to WDW?

That was going to be my question as well. DME doesn't require roundtrips, so it would have been faster to go from Universal to Disney.

 

[JillC LI]

I would say that 2 days at US/IoA is enough, especially if you are staying on Uni property and get the early entry to WWOHP and the Express Pass for most rides. I agree with ending with Disney. You can take the ME back to the airport without using it on the way there.

 

[NutsForFlorida]

We do 2 days at Universal/IOA. We'll spend one day at one park and the other at the other park. And, we always stay near Downtown Disney so we can walk to the shopping/dinning there. We'll drive back and forth each day even though we have to pay twice for parking. We don't mind. Then a 5 day pass at Disney. And that's our week. Also, we always drive to Florida from MN because paying for airfare is a lot more for a family of 5 than driving. So, we have our own car. Don't have to rent one.