All Disney or split trip?

[palavra]

O.K., I know this is a loaded question on this part of the boards, but I am trying to start making a few plans for our Thanksgiving trip. We will definitely be staying off site, and my husband and I have discussed two options-7 days at Disney or 7 day tickets to Universal/IOA and one day ticket just to Epcot. The price for tickets is virtually the same with each option.

In 2007, we went to Universal with seven day tickets (went 5 days) and bought one day tickets to MK. Our daughter was 4 at the time, and we wanted to do the princess stuff. She loved MK, but she also really loved the Universal parks. So, we were thinking of doing a similar trip at Thanksgiving. My husband really wants to visit Epcot. Personally, it is my favorite park. Our daughter will be seven, and she loves traveling and world culture (and rides like soaring and test track), so I really think she would like Epcot. This is what my husband wants to do, and my daughter seems fine with it. But, I feel like we will be missing something if we don't try the other Disney parks. Has anyone else done split stays like we are thinking of?

 

[squirrel]

When I did a split trip we stayed at a place within walking distance to US. Then we stayed on WDW property for our Disney part.

I haven't ever stayed off property and then gone to WDW. Don't know if I could do that.

 

[winterman]

You've done Universal. Isn't it time to to do (all of) Disney?

 

[topmonkeygirl]

I would try all of the parks, there is so much to see and do at each one. I've never been to Universal and I've done all 4 Disney parks, so next time it's a split trip for us.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I have done a split trip, but not in a single week. When we stay for longer than one week, we generally spend a few days at Universal, and a day at SeaWorld. If I were only going for 7 days, I would spend that entire time in WDW parks. Just my preference. I have friends that are the opposite - prefer Universal.

My advice - do what makes you happy...

 

[DisCopper]

Wow.. I don't think I could handle 7 days at Universal. I just don't think there's that much there to do.

I've been when the crowds were virtually non-existant, and I saw most of both parks in one day. If it's really crowded, I can see spending maybe three days... but in my opinion, Universal has never handled big crowds as well as Disney. The last time I was there, we waited 3 1/2 hours for the Mummy ride. The sign said it would only be 90 minutes. We just kept thinking, just around this corner...

Personally, I think that if you love Universal that much, you need to really split the trip and do something like 3 days at Universal and 4 days at Disney.

 

[DisCopper]

Wow.. I don't think I could handle 7 days at Universal. I just don't think there's that much there to do.

I've been when the crowds were virtually non-existent, and I saw most of both parks in one day. If it's really crowded, I can see spending maybe three days... but in my opinion, Universal has never handled big crowds as well as Disney. The last time I was there, we waited 3 1/2 hours for the Mummy ride. The sign said it would only be 90 minutes. We just kept thinking, just around this corner...

Personally, I think that if you love Universal that much, you need to really split the trip and do something like 3 days at Universal and 4 days at Disney.

 

[tinkbyday]

We did a split trip one year - we did 3 nights at the Portofino in Universal and 4 nights at BWI. That may have been one of our best trips, actually! I hope I don't get flamed for this - but that resort was fabulous!

My advice would be to allow more than one day in Disney, though. If you've done MK already, then maybe try to do both Epcot and DHS.

 

[Disgrammy]

We used to visit Kennedy Space Center on our way in to Orlando. Stay somewhere on International Drive to do Universal and Sea World and then stay on site at WDW.

 

[DeblovesPoohbear]

We did a split trip one year - we did 3 nights at the Portofino in Universal and 4 nights at BWI. That may have been one of our best trips, actually! I hope I don't get flamed for this - but that resort was fabulous!

My advice would be to allow more than one day in Disney, though. If you've done MK already, then maybe try to do both Epcot and DHS.

So is the Hard Rock Hotel, alot of fun! And they have music underwater
and the Dive In Movies, and the Front of the line passes are the best
We usually do Disney First, then Universal, cause you can't go from no lines, to Disney lines

 

[eventamy]

We're very excited to try Universal next time but we're still doing most of MK first.
Our projected itinerary for next February (this may change!)
Sunday at Epcot
Monday at DHS
Tuesday at Universal
Wednesday at MK
Thursday at IOA/Universal
Friday at Epcot

 

[khertz]

Every single trip I have taken to WDW has been a split trip. But I have always found 2 days at Universal/Islands of Adventure to be plenty of time to see and do everything. Especially if you are staying in one of their hotels with the unlimited Express Pass. I don't think I could find enough things to do at US/IOA for SEVEN days! For the most part, my family has done 7 days in parks: 5 at Disney parks and 2 at Universal parks, and we never felt like we missed out on things we want to do. This coming trip, DH and I will be in the parks for 9 days, planning for 6 days at Disney and 3 at Universal, but we are already discussing adding a day to our Disney tickets and spending an additional day there if we feel like we have done everything we wanted to do at US/IOA in the two days we spend there and don't feel like we need a 3rd day (it is DH's favorite parks, so that's why we were planning more time there this trip). 7 days seems like overkill for Universal. While your DD is so young, she would probably enjoy more time at Disney, especially if y'all have done long trips to US in the past.

 

[summermac]

Our next trip will be a split b/t Disney and a beach. I'm thinking a Saturday-Sunday trip with the beach on the end of it. Disney from Saturday-Thursday. c/o Thursday morning and hit a beach until Sunday then fly home. I'm leaning towards St. Augustine.

Not that that helps answer your question. I will say though personally I can't imagine being in the Orlando area and not spending at least 4 days at WDW.

 

[palavra]

Thanks everyone! We decided to do an all Disney trip this time. Turns out, my husband thought Harry Potter might be open at Universal, and it definitely won't be. We'll plan another Universal trip in a couple of years because we both loved the Harry Potter books. Now, on to planning our Disney trip. I'm super excited and so is my daughter!:

 

[TinkerbellinLouisian]

We've 'done' US/IoA the last 4 visits....ALL IN ONE DAY...then we spend 1 day at MK, 1 at Epcot, 1 at AK, 1 at DHS...you get the picture..

And this is with TEENS that LOVE US/IOA- Mummy/Hulk/DD/Spiderman, etc.....

I think you'll be happy with your choice....

Have a magical visit!
Mary

 

[Planogirl]

On our last trip we park hopped between WDW and Universal!

I bought 7 day passes for both but without the park hopper included with the Disney passes. The 7 day passes from Universal are usually just a little over $100 each and you can hop as much as you want to. The Disney passes are quite a bit more costly but there isn't much price difference between four day and seven day passes so I went for the seven day.

Some days we started our day at Universal and left to rest in the early afternoon and then went to a Disney park later in the day. We also did this in reverse some days. The biggest headache is driving and paying for parking twice a day but I really enjoyed it.

I'm not saying that this would work for everyone but it's another option. I personally could never visit central Florida without visiting both WDW and Universal.

 

[palavra]

On our last trip we park hopped between WDW and Universal!

I bought 7 day passes for both but without the park hopper included with the Disney passes. The 7 day passes from Universal are usually just a little over $100 each and you can hop as much as you want to. The Disney passes are quite a bit more costly but there isn't much price difference between four day and seven day passes so I went for the seven day.

Some days we started our day at Universal and left to rest in the early afternoon and then went to a Disney park later in the day. We also did this in reverse some days. The biggest headache is driving and paying for parking twice a day but I really enjoyed it.

I'm not saying that this would work for everyone but it's another option. I personally could never visit central Florida without visiting both WDW and Universal.

That sounds awesome, but we are on a limited budget this year. I think it helps that we only live about 7 hours form Disney by car. I know we will be down next year too. Oh, and my sister and her family live in Tampa, so that's another central Florida draw for us.

 

[tndisneyfan]

Wow.. I don't think I could handle 7 days at Universal. I just don't think there's that much there to do.

I've been when the crowds were virtually non-existant, and I saw most of both parks in one day. If it's really crowded, I can see spending maybe three days... but in my opinion, Universal has never handled big crowds as well as Disney. The last time I was there, we waited 3 1/2 hours for the Mummy ride. The sign said it would only be 90 minutes. We just kept thinking, just around this corner...

Personally, I think that if you love Universal that much, you need to really split the trip and do something like 3 days at Universal and 4 days at Disney.

I agree, we did both parks in two days. Of course we had FOTL since we were staying onsite.

Maybe you could do two days at US, one day for each park and the rest of the time at WDW.

 

[Planogirl]

Wow.. I don't think I could handle 7 days at Universal. I just don't think there's that much there to do.

I've been when the crowds were virtually non-existant, and I saw most of both parks in one day. If it's really crowded, I can see spending maybe three days... but in my opinion, Universal has never handled big crowds as well as Disney. The last time I was there, we waited 3 1/2 hours for the Mummy ride. The sign said it would only be 90 minutes. We just kept thinking, just around this corner...

Personally, I think that if you love Universal that much, you need to really split the trip and do something like 3 days at Universal and 4 days at Disney.

I think how difficult the crowds are depends on the park and the time of year. We normally have an easy time seeing most of what we wish to see at Universal by arriving early and planning things out properly. We can usually do the same at MK and Epcot. I think that AK and DHS are the most difficult because of the staggered showtimes and the limited space in AK. The important thing for all of the parks is just to plan the day.

I'm puzzled by the long wait at the Mummy. You must have really been there at a bad time because I've never seen such a wait there. Ugh, I would hate that because this is my favorite ride!

 

[Nikisha421]

is disney for nothing or me...but i guess it COULD be nice to venture out for a day...but when i think of how much we have paid to stay on site and the dining plan...it really discourages me to do anything else.@!