Stay Universal/Disney/Both?

[GooniesScott]

Booking an 8 day trip in Oct '13 and wanting to hit US, IOA, SW, MK, AK, EC, And DS. Better to book a hotel on or near Disney, on or near Universal, or split between them both? Not sure if its worth switching hotels mid trip or not.

 

[macraven]

Booking an 8 day trip in Oct '13 and wanting to hit US, IOA, SW, MK, AK, EC, And DS. Better to book a hotel on or near Disney, on or near Universal, or split between them both? Not sure if its worth switching hotels mid trip or not.

it works out for me to switch hotels.
i do both the motherland and darkside resorts each year on a lengthy stay.

i start with the motherland, then use car service to go to the darkside resorts.



it is like having two separate vacations!

i get to do both theme parks and enjoy what each has to offer.

 

[aubriee]

I asked basically the same question on here just a couple of weeks ago. We already have a one bedroom condo booked at Bonnet Creek over at WDW for ten nights and due to the deal we got, can't drop any of those dates, without paying a penalty. However, the thought of spending a couple of nights over at a Universal resort to get front of the line pass, to have a place to go back to rest during the day, and to not have to drive back and forth from WDW to Universal sounded awfully appealing. I posted a poll here on the DIS and everyone voted to do the split stay. Not one person voted to spend the whole trip at WDW. We are now booked for two nights at Royal Pacific Resort and will be spending 2 1/2 days over at Universal.

 

[RMulieri]

Considering the perks and the beauty of Universal resorts i wouls do a split stay...This August though we are staying at Universal Portofino Bay and driving to Disney for a day or 2..We loved the universal hotels so much and have been unimpressed with our disney resort the last 2 times so we prefer it thsi way

 

[freddyttt]

Im also doing a split stay even though it's only one night at HRH..... ill buzz through UO then the next day on check out ill do IOA. then off to sheraton vistana resort for 7 days.

 

[BBQMonster]

We do split stay every year. Start at Portofino then over to Beach or Yacht Clu b. I agree it is like two vacations.

 

[Britta1]

We are doing a split stay for our April trip.
5 nights at POFQ
5 nights at HRH

We originally had planned to stay at POFQ the entire trip, but the Universal Resort perks were too good to ignore.

 

[macraven]

i already posted but came back to add that i have 7 nights at the motherland and 10 nights at the darkside resort.
trying to add another night to the darkside but no room available yet.

 

[freddyttt]

Im going to book HRH soon-

my question-. does it usually sell out? looking to book may 30 one night.

 

[scratchboat]

We leave next week for 4 nights @ WDW & 4 nights @ Universal. We start in an All-Star resort (not my favorite, but my kids will love it). Then we finish out at PBH over at Universal. Going from a Disney All-Star to Deluxe Room in PBH will DEFINITELY feel like two vacations!

In my case I have a rental car - so switching resorts isn't too costly or difficult. Also, I saved a bundle on the room @ PBH by purchasing a Universal Preferred Annual Pass and booking the room with APH discount.

 

[macraven]

Im going to book HRH soon-

my question-. does it usually sell out? looking to book may 30 one night.

don't think that thursday night will be a sell out.
hrh has the least amount of rooms of the 3 onsite hotels.


you only have to worry about a sell out at hrh for some of the special events and christmas to ny period.

 

[CerysG]

We are staying on both resorts as I figure it's just easier. We are doing a week at Universal so we can do the parks plus Sea World, Discovery Cover and Aquatica... oh and NASA. We are then moving over to Disney for our week there. For us not having to rent a car and drive is a big plus as it's one less thing to stress over. I love the idea of being able to get in early to Harry Potter and having the express passes for the rides at Universal. We are going the last two weeks of August so it's beginning to get less busy but I figured if we did Universal first even if it's more busy with those passes it won't matter and then by the time we do Disney the last week of August hopefully it will be more doable.
I guess it's what ever makes your trip the best and easier.

 

[labfan]

We're doing 4 nights at POFQ and 4 nights at RPH. Love both areas and can't wait to go again. Will be getting a car service for transportation to the resorts and then Disney bus transportation there and walk to the parks at Universal. I don't like to drive while on vacation.

 

[bumbershoot]

We definitely do split stays. If it weren't for a desire to see what a longer stay at POR is like at WDW, we would stay solely at Universal for our next trip! The WDW perks just do not do it for me like the Universal onsite perks do. We actually almost never take advantage of any perks at WDW... We always have a rental car anyway, and the last few times we took the resort/park transportation at WDW we've been really unhappy, so that's another "perk" off the list.

But at Universal it's just lovely and the perks are SO worth it.

Split stay or all at Universal, that's my vote!

 

[GooniesScott]

Wow great information. Seems like a split may be in order. How do many of you book these splits?looking through orbitz w flight etc seems like a bit of work.

 

[macraven]

Wow great information. Seems like a split may be in order. How do many of you book these splits?looking through orbitz w flight etc seems like a bit of work.

i book the darkside resort by calling UO resorts or Loews.
if the AP discount is not available, i use any discount that the TM has listed.


i book the motherland resort also by calling.
i always ask if there is a pin assigned to my name for any room discounts.


i have looked at orbitz for discounted rates but have not found any winners for the dates i need.

 

[marlaine8]

We are doing out first split trip this September. Staying at the Poly CL for 4 days and then over to Portofino for 3 days. I've already got everything booked. Hoping to tweek my reservation to take advantage of a discount at the end of this month for Portofino.
What time do you leave your WDW hotel on the day you're checking into your Universal hotel? We'll be taking a cab. When you check in to PBH, can you check your luggage with Bell Services and go straight to the parks?

 

[macraven]

We are doing out first split trip this September. Staying at the Poly CL for 4 days and then over to Portofino for 3 days. I've already got everything booked. Hoping to tweek my reservation to take advantage of a discount at the end of this month for Portofino.
What time do you leave your WDW hotel on the day you're checking into your Universal hotel? We'll be taking a cab. When you check in to PBH, can you check your luggage with Bell Services and go straight to the parks?

i've been doing the split stays for both resorts since the darkside hotels went up.

well, did offsite hotels for UO when they didn't have the hotels..


i do private car service, a 3 leg trip.
in the past, i leave disney at an early pick up time.
some years it is 6:15 some years 7:00.
when i get picked up that early, i'm usually at the uo hotel in about 22 minutes/no traffic that early in the morning on the roads.

this allows me to check in and do early entry that day for ioa.


once you check into pbh and create your express pass, check your luggage with valet and hit early entry.

if your room is ready, you can drop your luggage there.

if the room you are assigned was not occupied the night prior, you won't have a wait for its release.

 

[marlaine8]

Thank you for the info! I knew we'd leave early, but I didn't think we'd go THAT early! Ha! Looks like an early day for us!

 

[taymorel]

We are doing 5 nights at AKL Disney and 5 nights RPR at Universal. We went to IOA for 1 day back in 2011 and my son loved it even more than Disney. My husband and I are looking forward to the Express Pass and being in walking distance of Citywalk. When my son gets older we will probably start staying at Universal more than Disney.