Animal Kingdom or Universal Studios Orlando?

[V2000]

If you choose Universal, be sure to get a one day park to park ticket to see all of the Harry Potter stuff and remember that in October Halloween Horror Nights is going on in Universal Studios so that park will close early during those and would require a seperate hard ticket to get into it.

OMG

I forgot about Horror Nights. I am not into that. I better look up the hours for the park closing.

 

[V2000]

Tough one! Taking ticket cost out of it, I would do a Universal day. Even though I love AK, Universal ranks higher for us. But only you know if the hassle of getting there would be worth it. Will you have a car?

I could get car but taxi might be same price. Still trying to work that out. I guess my decision depends on the pricing and energy it will take to go to Universal.

 

[V2000]

We love both AK and Universal Studios, both the Studios and Islands of Adventure. Besides Diagon Alley and Gringotts, the Studios have 'way more rides than AK and have lots of live shows, but they are generally more loud, thrilling, nauseating, etc. in other words aimed at adolescents and young adults whereas AK is more for people who are quiet-loving, contemplative animal and plant lovers. Studios does have an "animal actors" show which is as good as the bird show at AK.

haha that makes so much sense when you say it like that!

 

[V2000]

Well honestly I'd like to go to Universal better. However, with the park closing early and now I would want to do 2 parks to see all the harry potter stuff...I don't know if I am setting myself up for a major stress out. My family is not into any thrill or nauseating rides. We would probably do many shows and everything Harry Potter. I can try to plan this to see if it's doable.
What shouldn't I miss at Universal?

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

Well honestly I'd like to go to Universal better. However, with the park closing early and now I would want to do 2 parks to see all the harry potter stuff...I don't know if I am setting myself up for a major stress out. My family is not into any thrill or nauseating rides. We would probably do many shows and everything Harry Potter. I can try to plan this to see if it's doable.
What shouldn't I miss at Universal?

Aside from HP, we would hate to miss:

- Spider-Man. I wouldn't consider it that much of a thrill ride, at least not compared to the coasters. You ride in a car along a track and watch 3-D videos - there is some simulated falling. Note that my cousin who suffers from vertigo did get nauseated on this ride.
- Popeye and Bluto's Bilge- Rat Barges. This is similar to Kali River Rapids at AK, but overall more thrilling (and longer?) Idk if I'd go in October, though. You really do get soaked.
- Transformers. I haven't ridden, and am not a fan of the movies, but I've heard the ride shouldn't be missed.

We also like Jurassic Park River Adventure, Disaster, and ET. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem and the Simpson's Ride also look interesting.

If you're not into thrill rides, I'd say you can safely skip: Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket, maybe Revenge of the Mummy (I only rode once and said never again since my back hurt for hours after), Doctor Doom's Fearfall, The Incredible Hulk, maybe Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls (idk the stats, but the fall seemed much more intense than Splash Mountain, and we've gotten SOAKED from head to toe every time we've ridden), and Dragon Challenge.

I have friends who did all of HP (Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley) in one day, on a Halloween Horror Nights day in October (they did not go to HHN). But it was just the two of them, no children, and they didn't do anything but HP.

 

[V2000]

I have friends who did all of HP (Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley) in one day, on a Halloween Horror Nights day in October (they did not go to HHN). But it was just the two of them, no children, and they didn't do anything but HP.

Thanks! I am a little confused on the two park thing. I was looking up prices for both parks on 10/24 and I think it comes out to $269. If that is correct, I can afford it. Not sure if I did it right.

Does anyone know what time the park closes on a horror nights?

 

[glocon]

Our family loves UO but if I was in your shoes I would stay at WDW and do AK. One day tickets to UO are as pricey as one day tickets to a WDW park. For 3 people you would be spending upwards of $300 for one day. I would do AK and then maybe DTD or get tickets to MNSSHP.

I really think that a pp idea of spending a night at a UO resort and doing 2 days at UO would make for a better UO experience. One night at a UO resort gets you two days of early entry and two days of unlimited express passes. Now the ep's won't work for 3 out of 5 Harry Potter rides, but work on just about everything else in both parks. And the theming in both Harry Potter sections is beyond anything you have probably experienced, and so worth seeing.

And if that is the path you follow, do UO last.

When we were at UO last October, US where HHN is held closed at 5 and IoA closed at 7. But if you go on a day when there is no HHN, US closes a bit later. The UO parks close much earlier than the WDW do in October.

 

[DOOM1001]

A one day ticket bought online to both parks is $136,right now you can get a 3 day pass to both parks for the price of 2 days,$176.Days with HHN they usually close USF at 5pm so they can reopen it for HHN at 6:30,IOA stays open until like 7-8pm.

 

[TXAKDisneyFan]

Thanks! I am a little confused on the two park thing. I was looking up prices for both parks on 10/24 and I think it comes out to $269. If that is correct, I can afford it. Not sure if I did it right.

Does anyone know what time the park closes on a horror nights?

If you buy online, a one day, park-to-park ticket at USO costs $136 per adult. There are 3 of you? So that's $408.

A 2 day park-to-park ticket costs $175.99 (and currently you get a 3rd day for free). $527.97 total.

Idk how much a rental car or taxi would cost.

Conversely, adding a day to WDW tickets would cost about $10 or $20 per ticket, depending on how many days you're going from. (A 4 day ticket is $20 more than a 3 day, but a 5 day is only $10 more than a 4 day).

 

[Laketravis]

I've been working up a plan that combines both park systems, I'm not sure if any of it would help you but it's the first post in this thread: WDW & Universal Strategy

 

[tammgerine]

Definitely do Universal if you like rides, and get the park to park tickets. We've done both Universal and IOA in one day before (although we usually go during early June when crowds aren't that bad at either park).

 

[SeilerBird]

Let me tell you my opinion of the HP attraction. I watched the first Harry Potter movie when it first came out and I hated it. I don't like sci-fi. Last year when I got my USO AP I decided I might have been wrong and I should revisit the HP movies. So I bought the box set. I made through one and a half of the movies and gave up and sold the set on Amazon. I still hated it. I went to the attraction and I was blown away. I loved the themeing and the rides. Incredible work. However I still have no desire to see the movies. I can't imagine how much I would enjoy the attraction if I actually was an HP fan.

 

[momtosam]

USO!!

 

[FantasiaMagic]

If you are huge Harry Potter fans, I would go to Universal. I have heard it is absolutely amazing and plan on going there just to see it someday. I really enjoy AK, for its rides and shows, but its all personal preference!

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

3 one-day park-to-park USO/IOA tickets is currently $434.52. You would have transportation expense on top of that.
If Disney raises ticket prices in the next week or two as predicted, I would guess the other major theme parks may do the same as well fairly soon.
If cost were not a factor, I would go Universal. I love AK theming, and easily spend a day there, but with the construction walls and mess everywhere at WDW, it is nice to get away from that for a day. But Universal is thrill rides, and aimed at adolescents and "young adults" as a previous poster said. A lot of Universal rides and cues are beautifully themed as well. The parks are just not a cohesive whole. Its like someone said: "Let's do this." So they did. "Now what?" "OK, let's do this". Did it. "Hey, I've got an idea! How about this?" The parts seem disconnected, like there was no overall plan.
I enjoyed Universal, and want to go back again. I did 3 days there in 2013. It just seems thrown together, not as planned as WDW.
Have a great trip.

 

[Planogirl]

I like to visit both Universal and Animal Kingdom and in fact plan to do so soon. I would definitely take Universal over Animal Kingdom any time though but it would be way pricier.

By the way, I am not a young adult and the original Universal park is my favorite themepark. I don't ride most coasters either. I don't also consider Universal any less cohesive than DHS and about as cohesive as MK with its various lands.

 

[prudence64]

I've only been to IOA and we didn't find a lot to do. My husband doesn't like thrill rides and fOrbidden journey was broken the whole day. But, we do want to make it back and try to actually get on th HP stuff. On our last trip, however, we decided the extra cost just wasn't worth it. However, we will do it when our daughter is in her teens.

I think you could do both US parks in one day if you skip the roller coasters. Definitely avoid the hulk ride. That gave me a neck and headache.

I think it just comes down to cost and logistics. Sounds like US is a better fit than AK, but is it enough to warrant the cost and travel.

 

[Laketravis]

We were at USO for the first time last month and our impressions were quite different as well. We found each area to have a very well implemented "theme" and they were all connected in much the same way they are at MK or AK. Each time we walked thru Seuss Land or Hogwarts, for example, we couldn't help but comment on how richly everything was themed and the attention to detail. Nor are we young adults and there was plenty for us to do besides coasters.

There were two things we thought they could take a lesson from WDW: It seems silly to have separate room keys, park tickets, express passes, and City Walk passes all on different media. They should combine it all onto one. The other thing is the evening finale (the fireworks show) which we thought was lame compared to Wishes or Illuminations.

 

[Magpie]

Let me tell you my opinion of the HP attraction. I watched the first Harry Potter movie when it first came out and I hated it. I don't like sci-fi. Last year when I got my USO AP I decided I might have been wrong and I should revisit the HP movies. So I bought the box set. I made through one and a half of the movies and gave up and sold the set on Amazon. I still hated it. I went to the attraction and I was blown away. I loved the themeing and the rides. Incredible work. However I still have no desire to see the movies. I can't imagine how much I would enjoy the attraction if I actually was an HP fan.

I'm really impressed with the fact that you gave the movies multiple tries. And I'm awfully happy you enjoyed the parks despite not finding the movies your cup of tea. But I've got to ask...

How is Harry Potter "sci-fi"? Aka, Science Fiction?

 

[DisneyFive]

Even though it's called Animal Kingdom, it is nothing like a zoo, or animal exhibit IMO. Even Kilimanjaro Safari is probably much different than what you would expect. I consider AK another Disney park, that happens to highlight the feeling of an immersive jungle feel.

I don't really even think of the "animal" aspect of the park. There are great rides and shows.

Dan