How can I do Universal and WDW while staying at WDW Resort?

Beckett

Beckett

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Hi! :) I am planning a 10 day Disney vacation in December 2014, but haven't booked anything yet. This is because I want to be able to stay at Disney Property and do all the WDW parks, but this time I want to do Universal too, but without a car. I am going alone with my 8 year old and I really wish I didn't have to rent a car. Please write me with suggestions. Thank you!

P.S. = Can I completely rely on Disney transportation for all my WDW parks visits and late pickups? Thanks.:geek:
 
slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
Disney transportation runs at least 1 hour after parks close and I think runs to DTD until after midnight so you should be OK there.
Best bet for uni without a rental car is to book a car service to drive you there and back, much like an airport shuttle service. Tell them when you want to go and come back and they'll arrange pickups. There are also shuttle buses but you rely a little more on their schedule than your own. Or if money is no object, book a few nights at a uni hotel either at the beginning or end of the trip. Only caveat, you'd lose one trip on Magical Express and would need a re town car or Mears shuttle either from airport to uni hotel and from uni hotel to wdw hotel OR from wdw hotel to uni hotel and then uni hotel to airport.
 
Iwannabeindisney89

Iwannabeindisney89

Member
When I last did this in April, we took the Mears shuttle and Mears taxi (2 seperate days) I went to the main desk and asked if they had the number and was able to make a reservation for one of the days. They just ask when you'd like to be picked up and return to your hotel. It was WAY cheaper than the taxi, only part we didnt like was that our shuttle stopped at Sea World and some other Disney hotel's and we were tired. It was fine for our first day, but for the second we knew we would be in Universal longer so we just took the taxi to get us to and from direct. Mears taxis are usually sat somewhere waiting outside the lobby. All you have to do is look for them in the parking lot, or if you tell one of the bell boys they can even call them over for you. And like the above post says, Disney transportation is very reliable, Ive never had a problem getting back late at night and we even like to linger sometimes after closing.
 
acishere

acishere

Well-Known Member
WDW transportation will get you where you need to go on property. If going between resorts, a bit of research of the best place in between to transfer helps.

For Universal, you would need to either to use a local cab or shuttle service. The shuttle is the cheaper option, but you have to share and make multiple stops. Taxis are going to be much more convenient and will be easy to find at both your resort and the Uni drop off area.

If you think car rental might be worth it, there is a rental desk at the Dolphin resort so you could only have a car for the Uni days and not pay for the days you use WDW transport.
 
asialeigh

asialeigh

Active Member
Disnee4Me said:
Speaking of transportation OUT of WDW, can you catch a bus at DTD to that big 24 hour Wal-Mart?
Click to expand...

No, not unless LYNX (Orlando's public bus transporation) does but I doubt it. You could always take a taxi from DTD to Walmart though. There's plenty of taxi's at DTD.
 
C

CheshireCat12

Well-Known Member
But what's to stop you from checking the Lynx website for the routes?

Seriously, the Mears shuttles are good for one day at Universal but it cost us $19 each round trip. Maybe a taxi is less, I don't know.
WDW transportation has never failed me at any hour of the day- you'll be fine there.
 
slappy magoo

slappy magoo

Well-Known Member
CheshireCat12 said:
But what's to stop you from checking the Lynx website for the routes?

Seriously, the Mears shuttles are good for one day at Universal but it cost us $19 each round trip. Maybe a taxi is less, I don't know.
Click to expand...

Probably would depend greatly on how many people are in your party and how many can squeeze in one cab.
 
M

MMDVC

Active Member
You mentioned a daughter so I am assuming your 10 day trip will be within the school holiday meaning Xmas and New Years. If so you should get busy booking hotels and dining. I also would not recommend a taxi because you will sit in traffic and watch the meter. Holiday traffic is BAD at WDW. I recently took Mears Shuttle from the airport (MCO) and was surprised at the reasonable price. It is on the lower level right next to the Magic Express check in. You will be on a shuttle with other stops unfortunately. Check mousesavers.com for info and discounts. I took the shuttle to the Universal Hotel and used Magic Express from my Disney Hotel to return to airport. Universal has a new resort called Cabana Bay and is supposed to be reasonable.

Did you know most of the resorts connected to a Disney Vacation Club sell many basic grocery items. Bread milk cereal peanut butter jelly ,etc. Doublecheck your room even has a refrigerator and if it does it will be very small and not very cold!. I have started taking a ziplock bags to double insulate some ice cubes to sit in bottom of refrigerator and check it for melting to help make it colder inside.

I think rental cars do not "guarantee" a child seat will be available. Not really sure. Sorry just thinking. I am trying to plan a WDW trip during that same time span and have just about decided to just focus on Disney using Magic Express. The crowds and construction/traffic, etc. have me really worried.
 
worldfanatic

worldfanatic

Well-Known Member
Iwannabeindisney89 said:
only part we didnt like was that our shuttle stopped at Sea World and some other Disney hotel's
Click to expand...

And that's important for people to know. It can be time consuming.

When we used Mears to get to Universal, they picked us up at Wilderness Lodge, then picked more up at the Poly, then the Grand Floridian, then Caribbean Beach, then a drop at Sea World before reaching Universal.
Fortunately we lucked into a direct return trip.
I wouldn't discourage people from using Mears. But be aware of the possible time spent sitting on the bus.
 
PMC0849

PMC0849

Well-Known Member
Taxis are the most expensive option, but most convenient. Back in January we got a taxi early in the morning right outside AKL, and there were plenty waiting in the Universal lot when we were done. I have been to Universal twice, and have been able to do both parks in a day both times. Of course with the new Diagon Alley that may have changed.
 
DisneyDaver

DisneyDaver

Well-Known Member
I highly recommend considering spending 2 nights at a Universal Orlando Resort hotel. The early entry to Harry Potter saves a ton of time (and if a deluxe resort is in your budget, the accompanying Express Pass is also great). Note that the deluxe resorts at Universal are generally much less expensive (sometimes more than a couple hundred bucks per night) than the deluxe resorts at WDW.
 
CDavid

CDavid

Well-Known Member
Beckett said:
Hi! :) I am planning a 10 day Disney vacation in December 2014, but haven't booked anything yet. This is because I want to be able to stay at Disney Property and do all the WDW parks, but this time I want to do Universal too, but without a car. I am going alone with my 8 year old and I really wish I didn't have to rent a car. Please write me with suggestions. Thank you!

P.S. = Can I completely rely on Disney transportation for all my WDW parks visits and late pickups? Thanks.:geek:
Click to expand...

You can get a Lynx bus (#50) from Downtown Disney to Universal. The downside is that you have to change buses twice, at Sea World (bus #8) and on International Drive (bus #37), and thus the trip takes about 90 minutes. A one-day pass is $4.50 per person.

Disnee4Me said:
Speaking of transportation OUT of WDW, can you catch a bus at DTD to that big 24 hour Wal-Mart?
Click to expand...

Only if you really, really want to go to Wal-Mart by bus. Catch the #56 bus from the Transportation & Ticket Center; The closest stop to the Wal-Mart on Vineland Road is nearly a mile walk (and then a mile back...).

The Wal-Mart on Turkey Lake is more doable by bus, but again as you have to change buses (#50 to #21), it will take about two hours just to get there.

There is a SuperTarget directly on the route of bus #56, though. Again, catch it from the Transportation & Ticket Center.
 
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Epcot-Rules

Epcot-Rules

Well-Known Member
If you can swing it a taxi would be around $48.00 each way. We stayed at the Polly and went to HHN at Uni. We had our truck but I like to enjoy a cold beer. No drinking and driving for me ;-).
 
SnowWhite71

SnowWhite71

Member
We just took a combo trip to universal/WDW and it was great. We started at universal and stayed on site at royal pacific for two nights. Staying on site means early entry into both parks and the use of their "fast pass" which means no waiting for any ride. You flash your resort pass and in you go. We then took a car set up at concierge to the Dolphin resort to finish off our weeks stay. We had a great time and staying on site at both places was so worth it. Happy planning your future trip!
 
Beckett

Beckett

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Thank you all! :) I guess the question now is, which one should I do first? I want to get the most out of Disney's ME since I've never used that service. I know Universal doesn't have that so...maybe do that one first and then Disney so that I can take advantage of the Disney ME when going back to the airport at the end? Or the other way around? Hmmm...
 

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