Who else is cutting their days at Disney and adding Universal

[fairyprincess88]

Strange that Universal fans love the FOTL pass that either costs $80+ in addition to your ticket or if you stay at their deluxe hotels.
And then dislike the FREE Fast pass system Disney has.

And if Disney started a FOTL pass for Deluxe guests, you all would lose your freakin' minds! "That's not what Walt would have wanted!" "Disney should treat all guests the same!" And on and on.

The deluxe resorts at Universal are usually cheaper than some moderates at Disney and are truly deluxe so paying for a hotel is not really any different than paying to stay at Disney.

With that said, the Express Pass is worth more than FP+ so it's not surprising that it is a perk or an upcharge item. With FP+ you are restricted to 3 a day on a scheduled basis. Even with FP- you were restricted with what was available and a time limit/schedule. With Express, especially the unlimited one, you have zero restrictions other than a couple of rides not accepting it(3 maybe total in both parks). That's it. You want to ride Spiderman 7 times in a row? Go for it. You want to ride Jurassic Park then move right on to Transformers in the next park? Go for it. Do what you want, when you want, with very little wait all the time.

So yes, I love the Express Pass and have no issues paying for it or an onsite hotel to get it because it is worth the price. Free is great, and yes it's awesome that Disney does have a free option, but it is no where near the ease and awesomeness that is Express Pass which is why many feel that paying for it in some manner is more than worth it.

 

[5Hfan]

Free doesn't always mean better (or even equal). Disney's FP+ system has more restrictions than Universals. Universals deluxe resorts are less expensive and according to many who have stayed there are just as nice or even better than WDWs.
I don't think its strange at all, the reasons are pretty obvious.

And you can be spontaneous, look at lines, weather, whatever, not have to ridiculously plan out 60/30 days ahead!

 

[kaylasmom07]

We are. I love Disney but I love thrill rides too and Diagon alley is just gonna be awesome. So we are staying a week, 2 days onsite at universal for FOTL and the rest at Disney. Has nothing to do with Magic bands and FP+ though. I actually like the new system.

 

[MichiganDVC]

So yes, I love the Express Pass and have no issues paying for it or an onsite hotel to get it because it is worth the price. Free is great, and yes it's awesome that Disney does have a free option, but it is no where near the ease and awesomeness that is Express Pass which is why many feel that paying for it in some manner is more than worth it.

You do realize that the reason it is so easy and awesome is because it is restricted to the few who actually have an extra $80 a person or are going to stay onsite and pay deluxe prices, right? It isn't for the masses; it is for an elite few. For that reason it can't be compared to FP+ (as people were doing to justify why they like Universal better than WDW) because it is an extra addition.

Now, if Disney had something similar, (aside from the freak-out among the faithful) how much would you pay?

Also, I've never stayed at Universal hotels and they very well might be nicer. However, if Disney can fill their current deluxe hotels with the prices they charge, why should they lower the price? Just curious

 

[stairstepmom]

We were going to do another 10 night trip at Disney, but we disliked FP+ and my older kids are already bored of "no new rides!" So we're giving 3 nights to UOR onsite, we may bump that to 4 if they don't do something significant to salvage FP+. I'm excited about Express Pass!

 

[fairyprincess88]

You do realize that the reason it is so easy and awesome is because it is restricted to the few who actually have an extra $80 a person or are going to stay onsite and pay deluxe prices, right? It isn't for the masses; it is for an elite few. For that reason it can't be compared to FP+ (as people were doing to justify why they like Universal better than WDW) because it is an extra addition.

Now, if Disney had something similar, (aside from the freak-out among the faithful) how much would you pay?

Also, I've never stayed at Universal hotels and they very well might be nicer. However, if Disney can fill their current deluxe hotels with the prices they charge, why should they lower the price? Just curious

I don't care what Disney wants to charge, they get what they want, OK then. I don't pay it because it's not worth what Disney charges for it. That's a personal decision. Deluxe at Universal is far different than Deluxe at Disney.

And honestly, my vacation is not about the masses. If I want more, I pay more. And yes, I'd pay more for a similar perk at Disney. Why not?

See that's the thing for me. I can pay less at Universal and get more. A lot more. I still love Disney but prefer the perks and service at Universal for my money. That's it. It's not anything other than that. Plus they have Hogwarts and Diagon Alley which is the biggest reason I have I chosen to spend more time there than at Disney lately.

I can love Disney and the memories associated with it and still love other theme parks.

 

[anniemck]

Strange that Universal fans love the FOTL pass that either costs $80+ in addition to your ticket or if you stay at their deluxe hotels.
And then dislike the FREE Fast pass system Disney has.

And if Disney started a FOTL pass for Deluxe guests, you all would lose your freakin' minds! "That's not what Walt would have wanted!" "Disney should treat all guests the same!" And on and on.

HUGE difference between 15+ resorts full of guests with FOTL and 4 resorts with FOTL.
And the FOTL pass is not the same price daily, looking at when I am going for IOA it is $40, we will not be staying on property as I have 4 free nights at the Melia in Celebration we are using, so not having to pay for the resort, sure why not pay for front of the line access.

 

[jfelcie]

We are DVC and actually added two days to our BWV-Disney trip. We were suppose to be at US for July 3-5. Now that we have FP+ we added 3 days at AK. I have never experienced the 4Th at MK and am so excited and have already booked my ADRs and will soon get my FPs!!! We always end our vacation at US at Royal Pacific. The rooms are never cheap, around $300.00, but the front of the line makes it well worth it. We will stay there July 5-8. It is a relaxing way to end our vacation, no lines, beautiful pool area and great food at Citi Walk. The grand kids are teens, so they are off on all the crazy rides. Just love our WDW/US vacations. US only has 3 hotels that give FOTL. The new "cheaper" one does not.

 

[JennCa]

We are spending days at the beach and also more days at Universal. I am also going to the Disney water parks more. Will probably still do 3 days at the regular Dis parks.

Am confused and frustrated with FP plus and feel like we are going to have a much harder time with it. Also, feel like more people are going to Disney so it is just busier in general. I am going in June so would rather not spend a fortune to sit in lines for hours in the heat with kiddos.

Am not super bothered, just a different way of doing it.

Jenn

 

[georgina]

We have been splitting our stays because we like Universal as well as Disney. Last summer was 3 nights Royal Polynesian Club level, 4 nights Beach Club. At Universal, we can walk to the parks so it makes economic sense for us to do Club because we go back to the hotel more. Plus my kids are adults so they can go on their own, sleep in and meet us later, etc. At Disney we never do Club because we would not use it enough.

When Harry Potter opened my DD and I did a quick Universal only trip to see that. We will probably do the same this summer when Diagon Alley is open.

 

[Bullseye]

For the past three years we have added two US/IOA days to our WDW vacations and it has added new life to our Orlando vacations. It has nothing to do with not liking WDW, but more to do with US/IOA being awesome . Nice clean parks with plenty of fun things to do and see.

 

[Fluff724]

I have stayed at the Universal onsite hotels numerous times and the average we pay per night is $130-$150. It is not in "everyone's" budget but it is well below what Disney charges for their Deluxe resorts.

I love the Universal hotels so much that I would stay at them even without the Express pass because of the proximity to the parks and the beauty of the hotels. The Express pass is a huge perk though.

For me staying at the Universal hotels versus Disney deluxes isn't really a comparison. We have never stayed at a Disney deluxe because we don't feel the value is there for the cost, but for our family the value is definitely there at the Loew's Universal hotels.

 

[Fluff724]

For the past three years we have added two US/IOA days to our WDW vacations and it has added new life to our Orlando vacations. It has nothing to do with not liking WDW, but more to do with US/IOA being awesome . Nice clean parks with plenty of fun things to do and see.

This totally!

I haven't actually used Fast Pass+ yet (our trip is in 3 weeks) but being a planner by nature, I have liked planning our FPs ahead of time and I hope I will like it when we are there.

 

[Disneyhabs]

I love Disney but while they are putting billions in a wrist band, Universal is building incredible attractions.

I would normally do 1 day Universal every couple of Disney trips but starting next year I am staying at Universal to get front of the line and doing 2 days while cutting back on Disney park days and hotel stay.

I have read so many posts that people are unhappy with Magic Bands and lack of new attractions, so will you do Universal or other parks during your trip and cut your days to Disney?

Nope no desire at all to do Universal.

 

[DOOM1001]

If the new Cabana Bay hotel at Universal would have front of the line pass that hotel would be the most popular hotel in Orlando.Has anybody seen pics or videos of that hotel,it's the coolest hotel out there right now,and half of it still hasn't opened,the second phase which should open later this year even has a lazy river.The hotel is a 50's/60's themed hotel where even the shampoo and soap have retro labels of Alberto VO5 and Zest soap.I believe this hotel does have early entry to the parks but they couldn't add front of the line as it would kill standby wait times.

With the new Harry Potter expansion linking both parks with an actual Hogwarts Express train ride,the new Transformers ride,work starting on a new King Kong ride and a bunch of new dining additions at Citywalk I can't see who wouldn't take at least two days off their trip to Disney.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Other than hp, universal doesn't hold much interest for me.

So no.

 

[Alice Royal]

We have annual passes for both places but we only ever go to WDW because we haven't found any friends with cars to take us to Universal lately. For us the difference is a free ride and friends vs. $40 each way for a taxi...which we will be splitting between several friends next week for our college's 'day off' celebration thing so we can switch it up a bit.

As a Florida resident, I prefer Disney to Universal simply because there's more value in returning for me. I can do Universal and IoA in a day during the off-season and not have to go back for months, whereas with Disney I'm back once every two weeks at least because I ride and re-ride everything like a crazy person.

That being said, Disney is one big place in the middle of a town that has a lot of stuff in it to see and do. You're not a blasphemer if you decide to check out I-Drive or Universal or anything. I get that FP+ makes it harder to justify a trip for some people, but it is slowly improving...

 

[wuzzy6]

We have no intention of decreasing our Disney days.

 

[HookdonWDW]

We're doing two days at Universal because we want to do Universal, not because of the FP+ thing.

This. We usually book one night onsite @ Universal, and spend two days in the parks there, but it doesn't subtract from the number of days we stay at WDW. We usually do a few off-Disney things each trip, but this has nothing to do with FP.

 

[Kristine316]

We finally got to Universal on our last trip, which was in late 2012, before that we would do WDW for a week and go home.

I was super impressed with Universal. We stayed at the Hard Rock hotel and it was a short little stroll to the gates of Universal Studios. The rides were awesome. TWWOHP was very impressive, and the Forbidden Journey ride is the best ride I have ever been on.
I have teenagers so, they love Universal but, it wasn't just the teens who loved all the rides, my husband and I really enjoyed everything about it too.

I see right now that on a afternoon in early April when HS is a recommended park and Touring Plans has it predicted to be a 4 crowd level, that Tower of Terror is a 70 minute wait and Rockin Rollercoaster is a 75 minute wait.
Those wait times seem high for a park that is suppose to be below average crowds. I am sure some will tell me this is normal for an afternoon in the spring but, I have been to HS with predicted crowd levels of higher than a 4 and never saw a wait of 70 minutes at TT. If that is the new normal for those rides, for whatever reason, FP+ or just the fact WDW is busier in general, then I think Universal and their FOTLEP is looking better and better.

To answer OP's question as of right now we have 6 nights at WDW in September with 4 nights at Universal. That is not final as I am thinking about extending Universal for a night or two and cutting back on WDW. Two reasons.. stand by lines at WDW now seem to be longer and more unpredictable, I hate that.. but, also HP phase II looks to be amazing and naturally the crowds will be big in the coming months, which means more time will be needed to really see and do everything at Universal.

EDIT... just rechecked the ride lines at HS now TT of is only 25 mins and RR ONLY 35... is my ride line app off or is there really that big of swings in ride wait times?? Both rides had 70 minute waits just 30 mintues ago.