Question for those who do both wdw and us.....

[geenerbell]

Are you keeping your room at Pop??? This might be a plan for us HMMMMM !!!

Yes we are keeping our room at POP for the entire stay. This will save packing, unpacking, packing, unpacking. I think it will work.

 

[kathfish]

My .02, which is really just worth .02

Universal is NOT Disney. It's not early days, it's not sore feet, it's not commando worthy or necessary. It's just a fun, easy, theme park.

Don't compare, just enjoy. Go. Have fun. Look, Ride, See, Enjoy.

Take it easy...

A good friend gave me the meaning of "trip" and "vacation"

Disney is a TRIP. Universal is a VACATION.

The hardest thing you will do is learn how to post pics.

 

[dpayne1969]

I agree Universal is soooo relaxing we sleep late,shop,walk slow it is sooo great to have FOTL we are doing 5 days @ Disney & 2 days @ Universal because we can ride all our faves @ Universal several times in 2 days plus go shopping & just relax & enjoy the sunshine

 

[englishrose47]

Yes we are keeping our room at POP for the entire stay. This will save packing, unpacking, packing, unpacking. I think it will work.

I will run this idea by DD !!! I like it as it eliminates the transportation problem from mCO to Universal and the transportation from Universal to Disney with luggage !!!

 

[Calgary DISHeads]

Doesn't sound like you are sold on it but I 100% agree with a split stay between WDW and US staying onsite with US being the last stop. We have done this twice, second time around being a longer stay as we loved US so much. First time was POP and HRH, second was AKL and PBH. For both trips we had free dining then for US we did the club floor and spent very little on food outside of that. We find that on the DP at WDW all we seemed to do was eat and run, repeat, sleep, eat and run, repeat. US way less food, more and associated cocktails Loved both parts, wouldn't drop one for the other - together the perfect holiday. Personally, we are good with split stays, also done split stays at WDW with the Poly and BC, it's all what works best for you. But... the best part of all FOL

 

[TPBChick]

Just my son and I are going to Orlando this summer. He really wants to see HP and I couldn't be that close to Disney without going. We are taking the Mears Airport Shuttle to RPR. Staying for 1 night (2 days FOTL ). Then taking a cab to BCV for 4 nights. Will be using ME to return to the airport.

 

[mstew99]

I'm going to WDW and Universal in Oct. to take advantage of food and wine, hopefully free dining, and HHNs. We're kind of in the same boat, trying to figure out how to work our hotels and transportation. I've been to US/IOA the week after labor day before, and it was walk on for everything. Is it normally like this in late sept/early oct as well? If it is, then i'm not too worried about staying a night of two at a different hotel for a FOTL pass. Now, i'm guessing HHNs will be busy for sure. Would FOTL passes work for the rides and houses during HHNs?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

 

[geenerbell]

I'm going to WDW and Universal in Oct. to take advantage of food and wine, hopefully free dining, and HHNs. We're kind of in the same boat, trying to figure out how to work our hotels and transportation. I've been to US/IOA the week after labor day before, and it was walk on for everything. Is it normally like this in late sept/early oct as well? If it is, then i'm not too worried about staying a night of two at a different hotel for a FOTL pass. Now, i'm guessing HHNs will be busy for sure. Would FOTL passes work for the rides and houses during HHNs?

Thanks in advance for any tips!

I've heard that staying onsite will only get you one Express Pass per day for WWOHP but I am also hearing that onsite guests will be able to enter one hour early each day.

 

[englishrose47]

I am defnately now leaning towards staying at Pop the whole time but doing 1 night at RPR for the FOTL for 2 days !! Will have to figure best deal for tickets and meals at Universal !!! But I have a whole year plus to plan !!!!

 

[geenerbell]

I am defnately now leaning towards staying at Pop the whole time but doing 1 night at RPR for the FOTL for 2 days !! Will have to figure best deal for tickets and meals at Universal !!! But I have a whole year plus to plan !!!!

I will post how it goes. We are going the week after Thanksgiving.

 

[macraven]

since 1993, i have been doing split stays between the two major parks.

i always start my vacation at the motherland and stay onsite.
then i move to the darkside for the ending of my vacation.

looks like your dates are after labor day.
you will not have large crowds in mid september at UO.
well, unless the parry hotter island brings in more guests which would change the crowd pattern we all are used to......

that time period is also the low/value season for onsite hotels at the darkside.

you can get a room w/ AAA discount for about $130 a night.

weekends have a higher rate for both park resorts.

i'm paying $125 on a weekend for all star sports in late september this year.

the price to stay onsite at RPH wouldn't be that much more for a weekday during low season rates.

transportation can be worked out to about $145 for a 3 leg trip.
mco to motherland
motherland to darkside resort
darkside to mco....

i use car service and use the free 30 minute grocery stop each year.

in years past, i would stay at disney/motherland and drive to the darkside/UO.

it turned out to be a better vacation for us by disney first then universal and stay onsite.

no need for the added expense of car rental.

 

[englishrose47]

I will post how it goes. We are going the week after Thanksgiving.

I'l be waiting to hear !Thanks !!

 

[divawife]

Great thread!

I need to make sure-you all are saying that if we book a room for 1 night at the Universal on-site Royal Pacific and get passes for 2 days we will have the Express privilges for 2 days. Even though we will only paying for 1 night in the resort. I am getting that this is due to the fact that you get the Express privilges for the day you check in and the day you check out. Do I have the correct?

Also, we are going next April 2011. Our 2011 spring break is Monday – Friday, April 4 - 8
I am hoping this is a decent time since Easter is not till April 24 although I am sure spring breaks are staggared all over April.

My plan: Take the kids out of school for Thursday, March 31 and Friday, April 1. Stay at Universal Royal Pacific Thursday night, do Universal Studios and Islands of Adventures with HP Thursday and Friday. Check out of Royal Pacific Friday, check into POP for a week begining Friday night.

I keep reading that you all suggest doing WDW first and Unversal second but I am worried the closer we get to spring breaks the more crowded it will get everywhere. We really want to see HP with less crowds as possible (although I know the first year it will be a madhouse just trying to get less of a madhouse).

Does any of this plan make sense? And do I have the info about the 1 night on-site 2 day Express pass usage correct?

I thank you one and all!

 

[geenerbell]

Great thread!

I need to make sure-you all are saying that if we book a room for 1 night at the Universal on-site Royal Pacific and get passes for 2 days we will have the Express privilges for 2 days. Even though we will only paying for 1 night in the resort. I am getting that this is due to the fact that you get the Express privilges for the day you check in and the day you check out. Do I have the correct?

Also, we are going next April 2011. Our 2011 spring break is Monday – Friday, April 4 - 8
I am hoping this is a decent time since Easter is not till April 24 although I am sure spring breaks are staggared all over April.

My plan: Take the kids out of school for Thursday, March 31 and Friday, April 1. Stay at Universal Royal Pacific Thursday night, do Universal Studios and Islands of Adventures with HP Thursday and Friday. Check out of Royal Pacific Friday, check into POP for a week begining Friday night.

I keep reading that you all suggest doing WDW first and Unversal second but I am worried the closer we get to spring breaks the more crowded it will get everywhere. We really want to see HP with less crowds as possible (although I know the first year it will be a madhouse just trying to get less of a madhouse).

Does any of this plan make sense? And do I have the info about the 1 night on-site 2 day Express pass usage correct?

I thank you one and all!

I think your plan sounds good. Are you flying or driving? If you are flying you will have to pay for transportation from the airport to US and then pay to go to POP. You will be able to use ME back to the airport at the end of your stay. About Express Pass, it is my understanding that you get this benefit for the day you check in and the day you check out. I am also hearing that onsite guests will get one hour early entry each day to WWOHP but I don't know how long that will last.

 

[macraven]

divawife, yes, you are correct.


when you book a room onsite, your hotel card key is valid for unlimited usage for the express lines in the park.

that perk is valid for the day you check into the hotel, and the day you check out of the hotel.

everyone in your ressie will get a hotel card with their names on it.

you can use them on checkout day in the park until it closes.

 

[keishashadow]

we've pulled up stakes 4 times in 10 days before during vacation, 3 is much better for moral of the troops

my hints re packing for split stays:

*multi pack each suitcase...as in suitcase #1 has everything ur family needs for 1st leg of trip; with suitcase #2 & #3 following suit.

*the stuff u'll need all week long is packed into duffle(s) or carryon(s)...shoes, electronics, guidebooks, etc.

*I keep all toiletries in a hinged shoebox rubbermaid container (that never gets entirely unpacked...if it doesn't fit, we don't take it) that gets packed in 1st checked bag & is transferred into the successive bags pre-move.

btw, if u do U onsite before WDW u will spend the rest of the trip complaining about the long linestrust me on this, FOTL is amazing perc!

 

[divawife]

Thanks very much!

Our real wish is that we don't have to stay at Universal Royal Pacific and that we will be able to purchase Express Passes along with our tickets. But nobody seems to know yet if people will be able to do that or they will only have Express passes if they indeed stay on site. Because from what I gather the on-site Express passes only allow one HP ride not unlimited. That is really the only reason we are going to Universal...Harry Potter. The kids are in the middle, too young for the wild rides at Unversal, they don't care about the Simpsons and too old for Dr. Seuss. It is Harry, Harry, Harry.

I am not so worried about everyone being spoiled with Express and then reverting back to the line/Fast Pass deal at WDW than I am about everyone being spoiled with the size and deluxe accomodations at the Royal Pacific to the POP or All Stars.

When it gets closer and more information comes out about HP and Express Pass we will figure out if we want to stay 1 night at the Royal Pacific or not.