Thinking about stepping outside the bubble...

[DisBuckMan]

I wasn’t impressed, but I don’t think I’m the target audience (mid-forties, traveling with younger kids). For me, Disney Springs has something for every age. I would have enjoyed City Walk in my 20s, most likely. I haven’t been since 2016, though, so it might have changed in the last two years.

It hasn't changed. Target audience is completely different. CityWalk has lots of loud music and clubs/restaurants/bars. Not going to say it's not family friendly, but certainly a different vibe from Disney Springs. CW seemingly targets a younger adult demographic.

 

[tarak]

It hasn't changed. Target audience is completely different. CityWalk has lots of loud music and clubs/restaurants/bars. Not going to say it's not family friendly, but certainly a different vibe from Disney Springs. CW seemingly targets a younger adult demographic.

It definitely had a permanent spring break vibe. I didn’t have any issues walking around with my kids, there just wasn’t much to attract their attention.

 

[bchbetha]

3 park days but 4 would be nice so you can really take advantage of the resorts, not just the parks. You can pool hop, which could be fun. Time for bowling at Cabana Bay, mini golf at CityWalk- just make it a relaxing vacation not just a rushed theme park visit.

 

[maverik85]

how does city walk compare to disney springs? city walk in hollywood really isn't much IMO.

Its nice to spend an hour or so walking around but there isn't a lot of shops. It's mostly restaurants and some clubs. They do have a nice mini golf course with two sides though for family stuff. There honestly isn't a lot to actually do at it besides food/drinks. It is also very small compared to Disney Springs. City Walk is probably about the size of one of the districts at Disney Springs. It works for what it is, but DS is it's own destination and could spend about a day in it alone.

 

[cbsnyber1]

Depends on how you like to do your trips. You can cover the theme parks easily in 2 days, possibly one if lines are short but would be rushed. If you want a more relaxed pace and see all the shows then 3 days is a good amount. If you like to hang out around the resorts, really check out CityWalk, and hit up Volcano Bay (plus throw in a day at Sea World) and you could easily turn it into a 5/6 day trip. If you have time and like going around shops like at CityWalk, I definitely would recommend stopping by Disney Springs as well. It is an awesome area with lots of great shops and dining. It is just down the street from Universal and parking is free (at least last time I was there).

This, in my opinion, sums up the approach you take: commando or casual. Commando = two days (one for US and IOA, one for Volcano Bay). And that depends on your "FOL" status and crowd density; doable in two days with FOL and light crowds, not so much if crowds are heavy and you don't have FOL.

Casual means this:

• You are staying in one of the FOL Resorts. Sleep in. Roll out of bed - whenever. Have a slow breakfast, head to one of the parks (or have breakfast at the park). Do the attractions you want to do. Head to the pool back at the resort. Have lunch. Take a nap. Return to park - take in whatever attractions you want. Visit City Walk; have supper. Take in a club at City Walk; dance (or drink or just people watch) until midnight; return to resort and bedtime.
  
• Day two, repeat for the other park.
• Day three, spend all day at Volcano Bay.

That's a basic three day trip on site with FOL. Missing: putt-putt golf at City Walk, pool hopping, shopping at City Walk, visiting Sea World or going off-site, making return visits to the parks - and missing out on a ton of interesting restaurants.

Personally, I believe no less than five days is needed to to this the right way. As you might guess, I'm a Casual.

 

[meagarunt22]

2 days is necessary, 3 if you want to pick your faves and do them all. 3 was perfect for us because we had 2 full days in which we completed everything, but I would've left still wishing I could hang out at the wizarding world and ride the mummy a few more times. 3 let me soak all of the leftover desires in, plus much more. We were actually bored halfway through the 3rd day and spent a considerable amount of money on the machines that shoot water at people coming off the water ride. That was a highlight of the trip. Very childish but so dang funny. So I vote for 3, just so you don't leave wanting more.

 

[1911]

is volcano bay an all day water park? right now it looks like I should allow 3 days for the parks and one day for volcano bay.That leaves 2 days to do something else like seaworld/discovery cove or gator land and airboat tour?

 

[Alicefan]

how does city walk compare to disney springs? city walk in hollywood really isn't much IMO.

It doesn't. lol

 

[soniam]

is volcano bay an all day water park? right now it looks like I should allow 3 days for the parks and one day for volcano bay.That leaves 2 days to do something else like seaworld/discovery cove or gator land and airboat tour?

Volcano Bay is at least a 3/4 day park. You really need to get there before early entry during the busy summer months. Even when it's not busy, it's a big boon. They have Express Pass for sale, but it's different than the hotel one. Your hotel EP will not work at Volcano Bay. The EP for purchase at VB is only once per ride; there is no unlimited option anymore. So, doing early entry can allow you to ride stuff more easily multiple times. Water parks really poop me out, so I am usually exhausted by 5pm at the very latest, especially if I do early entry. If you get there later, not at park open or really late in the afternoon or early evening, then a lot of things could have really long waits/return times. It could make for a very boring time sitting in the lazy rivers a lot, unless the lazy rivers are your thing. We love the lazy rivers. Just like when the regular park gets so busy that you don't want to wait, it could force you to cut your day at VB really short. It also depends upon how many rides you think you would do. With little kids, it could be a shorter day too. Also, if it rains, you may want to leave. We usually tough it out under cover. The crowds sometimes thin after the rain. I don't really like water parks, but we have visited Volcano Bay 3 times. We plan to go again in October. We have never even been to the WDW ones. It's a really nice park.

 

[Tksolomom]

3 days for us - usually spend a full day at Universal, 1/2-3/4 of a day at IOA, and a third day to revisit our favorite attractions. We go at a slower pace and find time to enjoy the resort pool as well. If time is of the essence, I think 2 days is doable as well.

We like 3 days, 1 at each park and 1 skit between the 2. We haven’t done Volcano Bay though yet. There is also Discovery Cove which is pricey, but includes food and gets you 14 days free for SeaWorld and Aquatica. You could also spend a day doing Citiwalk and mini golf. A week is a great trip, I wouldn’t do less than 3 without Volcano Bay.

 

[Summer2018]

We are here now and it’s our first Universal trip not staying on Universal property (we are staying at Disney and doing a couple of Universal days).

I can’t recommend enough staying on Universal property, no matter what. The parking garage is a madhouse, and traffic around Universal is terrible. It is so much easier to stay on site.

Once we are here, though, we can get so much done. We’ve only been here about twelve hours over two days and we’ve done everything we wanted to do (and we didn’t have express passes).

The Universal resorts have great pools, so if you stay on site, you will want to schedule in some good pool time.

I really regret not staying onsite at Universal when we went. Staying at a random hotel in Orlando, we got to Universal when it opened to the outside public expecting that same rope drop experience that we have at WDW with lower crowds and the ability to ride some rides before the crowds. When we walked into Universal, the crowds were already high because those staying onsite had already been there for an hour. It was body to body to body. DD is a huge Harry Potter fan, and she was so disappointed. The wand shop was a sea of humanity with no room to move or to try to pick out a wand, forget the wand picking her. It was a disaster.

Some day she wants to return, and she plans on staying onsite so that she can have a more positive experience.

I won't be returning. It's not my thing. I'll be at WDW instead.

 

[Gina V.]

Discovery Cove is like the Garden of Eden rebuilt. It's a unique, awe-inspiring place and I highly recommend it, especially if you love dolphins and birds. Gatorland is cool during nesting season. I don't go for the gators; I go for the water birds who raise their young in the trees above the gators. If you go at the right time, you get to see the baby birds in their nests. I love birds, especially egrets, so it was a fantastic experience for me, even though the smell there can be overwhelming.

 

[Gina V.]

CityWalk at Universal Orlando is smaller and not as good as the Hollywood one. But it's a good place to get a relaxing supper after a long day at one of the Universal parks.

 

[bchbetha]

I really regret not staying onsite at Universal when we went. Staying at a random hotel in Orlando, we got to Universal when it opened to the outside public expecting that same rope drop experience that we have at WDW with lower crowds and the ability to ride some rides before the crowds. When we walked into Universal, the crowds were already high because those staying onsite had already been there for an hour. It was body to body to body. DD is a huge Harry Potter fan, and she was so disappointed. The wand shop was a sea of humanity with no room to move or to try to pick out a wand, forget the wand picking her. It was a disaster.

Some day she wants to return, and she plans on staying onsite so that she can have a more positive experience.

I won't be returning. It's not my thing. I'll be at WDW instead.

I can understand your hesitation as that sounds un-fun. But, I can’t see how Disney is any better. When it’s a crowded day, it’s a crowded day. We experienced nothing like you described until mid-afternoon and it was easy to dodge the crowds with the wait time app and logical planning.

 

[Miche_503]

We visited Universal three times, all for a week's vacation and loved it! At Disney we had to accomplish as much possible with the time we had which meant rushing through the parks. Universal was better because we could slow down and enjoy everything there. Not only parks but also the hotel, pools, and just walking around to admire the view!

 

[Cuchman]

We completely love UO - for my family (Wife and three kids ages 19,17,15 now) it is usually a full week or at least 5 days for us. This year, we are doing the full week and I think adding Volcano Bay for a couple half days in there. We like to take our time and re-ride many favorites.
City Walk is fun and has nice dining. It is much smaller than Disney Springs in my opinion - but that also makes it more approachable and manageable. But definitely smaller.