To those who have gone to the dark side....

[mjallemand]

Wait, why are Universal Studios and Sea World the "Dark Side", exactly?

 

[mjohnson96]

If you are going to stay onsite the benefits are good for the day you check in until the EOD the day you check out. So if you are only going for 2 days then you can just stay 1night onsite and get 2 days of express passes and early entry to WWOHP.

We started staying onsite several years ago and every year we have gone we stay onsite now. We usually go for around 3 to 7 days depending on what else is going on. This year I decided a last minute Disney trip, DD 9 really likes Universal but DD 2 keeps talking Mickey and Minnie so i wanted to do that too. We are staying onsite for 3 nights and then heading over to Bonnet Creek for another 4.

You will have a blast, get there early one day if you stay onsite or not and head to WWOHP area first. If you want to dot he wand show go straight to that line. It gets longer faster because the only let in about 20 ppl at a time. Then go over and ride FJ and the other parks.

If you have someone who can watch the kids I would check out the Halloween Horror nights if that is going on during your trip. We had a blast there when I was younger and lived in Florida. One of these days I will have to go back during October and go again.

The express passes you get are good for almost every ride except RRR over at the studios and then FJ and the flyers at IOA.

 

[RMulieri]

Wait, why are Universal Studios and Sea World the "Dark Side", exactly?

Because WDW is the "motherland"

 

[Karpkg]

I wish I can find Macraven's definitions, all I can say is....


She started it!

Macraven and Metro West are moderators on the Universal forum here on the DISboards. They answer almost every single thread of questions asked.

Macraven came up with the definitions. She lovingly refers WDW as the "Motherland" since the forum was created as mainly anything Disney.

To go to the Universal forum, or to any forum outside of Disney, we affectionately call it, "going over to the Dark Side".

I have recently realized she deliberately spells Harry Potter as "parry hotter".

If you look at their signatures, they also refer themselves as "proud to be a red head raven", another term for being the red headed stepchild. And they may not be a red head in real life.

Okay, I'll leave now. But for those interested in Universal/IoA , Sea World/Discovery Cove, Busch Gardens, etc. Definitely check out the other forums here on the DISboards.

 

[mesaboy2]

Have been thinking about doing the same thing on our next trip. I was wondering if we can hit the highlights at Universal - HP - Islands of Adventure in ONE day if we stay on property. I know there're a couple of good attractions - Spiderman and the big HP ride, that we'd definitely want to do, but not knowing the Dark Side, I'm not sure what else are can't miss attractions and if it all can be done in one day.

Hi there.

I agree with RMulieri, one day onsite is enough for the highlights, but not to really appreciate the parks the way they're meant to. I would advise a second day if you can swing it. Remember, just one night gets you two days of onsite privileges.

Feel free to PM me with any questions you might have, and I'll do my best to answer.

 

[bbowers]

We're going at the start of our trip because I just like to end with that Disney feeling. I don't think it would be the same leaving Universal for the airport (and using Magical Express to get there)...

 

[rs505]

We are huge fans of Disney World, but with the WWOHP and our DD being a big fan of Harry Potter, we did Universal on our last trip and greatly enjoyed it. It is not WDW, and while hard to not compare them, we tried not to. Universal is an excellent amusement park, while WDW is a complete immersion.

Our trip to Florida went from Friday August 5 through Sunday August 14. We spent our first day at our resort in WDW and then spent Saturday and Sunday at Universal. Although, we were back at WDW at night since we kept our hotel at WDW.

We had a great time at Universal. The rides were fun and WWOHP is excellent. The kids enjoyed the rides and experience. We hit both parks and rode many of the rides multiple times. My one major regret was not getting an on-site hotel room at Universal. Even if this meant having two hotel rooms. I think it would have made sense to get a room for one night at a Universal resort. This is because we purchased the unlimited ride pass (whatever it is called that gives you the equivalent of fast pass with unlimited rides). The passes for the four of us cost as much as a hotel room. A room at Universal includes this pass, and it would have been nice to have had the room to stay at if only to give us a place to relax during the day for breaks. That is your call, but I would recommend it, even if you keep your room at WDW.

As for the timing, I'm glad we did Universal at the beginning of the trip. We got Universal out of our system, and because we love WDW so much, we finished up there with an uninterrupted experience.

I hope this helps.

 

[musicluvr40]

We visited US/IOA, Sea World,and Busch Gardens just this past October. We stayed offsite at a Residence Inn within walking distance of Sea World. None of the parks were crowded, and the longest we waited was for Flight of the Hippogriff at IOA - it was about a 20 minute wait. We walked right into the FJ and went through so fast that we then had to go back through just to look at everything we missed.

I am a Disney fanatic, my younger daughter is as well, and she is not what I would call a rider. My older daughter loves Harry Potter and rides anything, as does my husband. I have to say that I enjoyed all of the parks, and the FJ ride was probably one of the best rides I have ridden. And I also loved the Mummy!

Sea World is really relaxing at that time of year. So nice to walk leisurely, sit down for shows, visit with the animals, enjoy the park. Fun park, enjoyed by all. That would be a great park to put either in the middle or end of Disney.

I would love to stay onsite at some point - the hotels look amazing, and my older daughter has stayed at the Hard Rock and loved it!

 

[tarin24u]

Universal isn't the dark side, it's a whole different atmosphere. You can't really compare the two. I love both parks equally in very different ways. Disney is magical and like being in a fairy tale world. Universal and IOA is exciting and thrilling.

Yes it's worth a visit. If you can stay on site, the express pass bonus is nice. But it's not too bad in September so not a deal breaker if you can't stay onsite. I'd devote a full day for each park, so 2 days.


Totally agree You can't compare the two - it's such a different vibe. At Disney you become part of the fairytale and everything is an experience. Universal is exciting and lots of fun. Rides are very cool. Your kids will love it! If you are going to stay onsite go at the end of your trip. The FOTL changes everything. Nothing is rushed and you can easily walk back to any hotel for a break. They don't do late nights like Disney and the dining isn't like character meals. Food on Citywalk is good, tho'. We've done HRH and RP and both are awesome. Movies by the pool at night are great and rooms are big. No refillable mugs Discounts with AAA, Lowe's First, and Entertainment Book make staying onsite very affordable. Enjoy!

 

[hookedonears]

If you are only planning on doing IOA and staying onsite yes.If you want to do the Studios too it can be tough depending on park hours and time of year.You can hit hilights, but definitely not everything .The studios have some GREAT shows ( beetlejuice, Horror makeup, animal actors etc) the problem is they only run a few times each day .Some of the attractions ( again depending on the time of year) do not open till 10am.At the studios we LOVED The Mummy ,Shrek 4d,Blues Brothers show ,Simpsons, Disaster and Beetlejuice show.Despicable ME will be opening early summer.Over at IOA we loved Seussland, Sindbad stuntshow ,Harry Potter Forbidden Journey, Spiderman and the coasters.Jurassic Park was down for rehab.We all thought we would love IOA more, went into the trip thinking we would be bored by the studios and we actually loved the Studios a little more.

Thanks!

 

[hookedonears]

Hi there.

I agree with RMulieri, one day onsite is enough for the highlights, but not to really appreciate the parks the way they're meant to. I would advise a second day if you can swing it. Remember, just one night gets you two days of onsite privileges.

Feel free to PM me with any questions you might have, and I'll do my best to answer.

Thanks, and I appreciate the olive branches that you've recently extended. We may be able to squeeze in an additional afternoon (when we arrive) and also an additional morning (prior to departure). I will PM you once we get a little closer. Thanks again.

 

[csm101]

Nothing wrong with going to Universal. We don't stay onsite at Disney this allows us the flexibility to get out to Universal, Seaworld etc. Universal offers teenagers there own magic. Plus the wife loves Twister, And happy wife = happy live.

 

[macraven]

I wish I can find Macraven's definitions, all I can say is....


She started it!

Mac 101:

universal: the darkside
disney: the motherland

England was our motherland when the colonies were formed.
England is where it all started for us that are living in the USA.

thus, disney is our motherland. it is where everything started from.
that was the beginning of our magic.

 

[macraven]

Op, you asked when is it best to do other parks outside of the motherland.

i have done it a few different ways over the far past years.
i used to do 4 days at the motherland then day or two trips to the darkside.
then finish the vacation where i first started.

once the darkside hotels went up, i started to stay onsite and do that portion of my trip in the middle.

now i make it like two separate vacations.
start with 8 days at a motherland resort, then switch to 10 days at the darkside resorts.

i like disney, i first started going to wdw in 1974. (family vacations)

but, since 1990, the motherland has really grown with park additions.
since 1993, i have gone at least once each year and always stay onsite.

since i prefer the commando style of touring, up for rope drop and practically on the last bus of the evening back to the resort, i don't have time to relax as i could. sleep is not on my list when i am there.......
i love starting my vacations there as it is exciting and energizing.

and, i love ending my stay in orlando with the darkside as it is relaxing and very little rushing to get things done.

disney is huge. it takes time when using their bus system to get around for me.
universal is not huge. it takes 5 minutes to walk from one park to the over or over to city walk.

for me, i like the more laid back ending for my vacations so it's the darkside where i finish. (and HHN)

you know your family, only you can decide if you want to mix up the trip to add a new park in the middle of your trip or make it a separate vacation of sorts by adding it at the end or start of this florida time.



i can not imagine traveling to orlando and not doing both parks.



oh, the term darkside is, "the unknown".
you really don't know what it is about until you go there to visit.

 

[macraven]

I wish I can find Macraven's definitions, all I can say is....


She started it!

Macraven and Metro West are moderators on the Universal forum here on the DISboards. They answer almost every single thread of questions asked.

Macraven came up with the definitions. She lovingly refers WDW as the "Motherland" since the forum was created as mainly anything Disney.

To go to the Universal forum, or to any forum outside of Disney, we affectionately call it, "going over to the Dark Side".

I have recently realized she deliberately spells Harry Potter as "parry hotter".

If you look at their signatures, they also refer themselves as "proud to be a red head raven", another term for being the red headed stepchild. And they may not be a red head in real life.

Okay, I'll leave now. But for those interested in Universal/IoA , Sea World/Discovery Cove, Busch Gardens, etc. Definitely check out the other forums here on the DISboards.

i just reread your post.

i'm not a moderator.
i just talk a lot..........


but if you or any poster have questions, just pm me or post on the darkside forums.


the proud redhead tag came from the tag fairy.
long story behind that.

 

[Planogirl]

Nothing wrong with going to Universal. We don't stay onsite at Disney this allows us the flexibility to get out to Universal, Seaworld etc. Universal offers teenagers there own magic. Plus the wife loves Twister, And happy wife = happy live.

I love your last comment and couldn't agree more.

 

[Albytaps]

I love your last comment and couldn't agree more.

True but should't it be life?


OP, Universal is great. I would go every trip if I could afford it. However, going to Disney parks for an extra couple of days added on (the more you save) is waaaay cheaper than to add a couple of Universal days onto the trip.

We will most likely go to Universal ever 5 years or so while we go to WDW every year. The year we go to Universal we will also do the other parks such as Seaworld, Busch Gardens, etc. (but not WDW.) and there is a special ticket for all those parks.

 

[n2mm]

We visit US/IOA often and sometimes stay onsite. First, we always start our trip at US/IOA because using RAC at Disney is important to us. We are passholders for both US/IOA and WDW. We have stayed on property a few times and it's always wonderful. We stayed at Portofino last August for 2 days (1 night). They offered us passholders 50% off our rooms and I had some 50% tickets leftover from a few years ago for the family to use. US/IOA use to be very good to us passholders, but since that Harry guy moved in, they've not been as nice. Staying at Portofino then moving to BLT was a real step down in terms of room appearance. We had 2 water view connecting rooms and their rooms are just lovely and their bathrooms are HUGE. Yes, no fridge, but they do have kuerigs and keep them stocked. It's nice that you can get free ice water at the pools, another nice touch. And of course that FOTL access is the best perk ever. Since we did one night, we had 2 days of FOTL access. Yes, we had to pay parking for 1 night, but we know this is like this for alot of hotels, so wasn't a big deal. My DH and I zip over to US/IOA during every trip to WDW (3-4 times a year). We both have perferred passes and the price of their AP is totally worth it. Love the free parking and the discounts. We have stayed at HRH and Portofino several times each. Portofino is lovely and but HRH is still our favorite and a closer walk to US. At Disney we feel at home, but the rooms do not wow us like they do at US/IOA on property hotels.

 

[RMulieri]

One thing I wanted to point out since it seems to come out alot over on the Universal forum....COST. Universal is not a budget trip.Universal costs JUST as much as Disney does for one day.For some reason, people seem to think Universal is or should be cheaper, and tend to get upset or bash universal when they see just what it costs to do one day .It is not cheaper, though discounts like AAA are more available in the park stores and eateries.Like Disney, Universal has quickly become a destination vacation.They want to keep you onsite just as much as Disney does, SOOO..The more you stay the less you pay is how it works.However Comparing like to like, I spent LESS at universal for my family of 3 then I do at Disney.We generally stay deluxe at Disney and get park hoppers.Adding all that in and taking into account dining and souveniers we spent alot less for the 5 night stay at Universal @Portofino Bay resort than we did then we do at Disney for the same length of time

 

[Metro West]

One thing I wanted to point out since it seems to come out alot over on the Universal forum....COST. Universal is not a budget trip.Universal costs JUST as much as Disney does for one day.For some reason, people seem to think Universal is or should be cheaper, and tend to get upset or bash universal when they see just what it costs to do one day .It is not cheaper, though discounts like AAA are more available in the park stores and eateries.Like Disney, Universal has quickly become a destination vacation.They want to keep you onsite just as much as Disney does, SOOO..The more you stay the less you pay is how it works.However Comparing like to like, I spent LESS at universal for my family of 3 then I do at Disney.We generally stay deluxe at Disney and get park hoppers.Adding all that in and taking into account dining and souveniers we spent alot less for the 5 night stay at Universal @Portofino Bay resort than we did then we do at Disney for the same length of time

Proud Redhead checking in.

You're right...single day tickets are not discounted so to add on just one day to Disney or Universal is very expensive.