Anyone Ever Go to US/IOA & WDW On Same Vacatiion?

[dreamflight99]

...Without fail...~We visit both USF/IOA and WDW! In fact, we used to take the VIP tours with US before IOA was built/opened, and LONG before they ever offered FOTLA as a PERK! We have been staying ON PROPERTY @ US since the PBH opened. We absolutely LOVE USF/IOA & Loews...and could not even consider a trip to WDW/Orlando without visiting these parks/resorts.

Since we stay for more than 2 months in Orlando/Florida each summer, and include a variety of locations (DCL, Vero Beach, WDW & Sea World, Busch Gardens, Key West, etc), we always BEGIN our vacation at the Peabody (first eve) and then hop over to the Portofino Bay Hotel resort. We usually stay between 5-7 eves, and use passes for our entire stay. Ahhh...nothing compares with the FOTLA offered at these parks! (Fooey on the Fast Pass!) Also, nothing compares with the service at these resorts, or the incredible accomodations of our Villa Suite overlooking the BAY! We are Plat. Loews, and LOVE the superior level of service we enjoy. I pinch myself each summer I stand on the balconies and look at the view. SIMPLY....Phenomenal.

It offers the PERFECT beginning, to a perfect vacation. Then...we always take a BREAK, and head to Disney's VERO beach resort for at least a week or two. We TRULY unwind here...before heading back to WDW. The past two summers, we have injected a Disney Cruise in the midst of the stay as well. It has proven to be a wonderful addition to our visit.

We are on prop @ WDW for such an extended length of time (W/PAP's), we usually never experience lines or angst. We take our time, sleep in late each day...and visit the parks in the late afternoon. We only do the MK on E-Ticket eves (since we have PSP's to DL here in So Cali...and visit the MK when ever we wish), and always visit a waterpark early on those days. We LOVE Disneyquest...and play there on numerous occasions. We are fortunate enough to take it slow...and avoid the full "commando" route we see so many others engaging in on a daily basis. Too stressful, and disheartening.

However you choose to visit (WDW or USF/IOA-- first/last) these locations, be sure to take time to "lay by the pool" for an afternoon if staying at a Loews resort. The experience is completely cathartic, (IMHO) and the associates attending to these facilities are TOP RATE!! Enjoy!! :

TTFN...DF99

 

[madthemouse]

We do both, every year now. Unlike most others, we stay at Universal first then move on to WDW. To us, it does not matter if we stay at USO first, and then become spoil by FOTL. Once you have experienced FOTL, it really doesn't matter which one you do first. Because Disney does not have anything that comes close to FOTL access.

Having said that, we are looking forward to our stay this year at the PB. Just changed our resort from RPR to PB deluxe room. We have found that with FOTL, we can spend a one night stay, split the two parks over the two days that we are their without the feeling of being rushed.

 

[englishman]

We did Universal & WDW Easter 02.
Decided to do former during Easter weekend...FOTL gave us 5 min waits when regular lines at Hulk & Spiderman were 1.5 hrs...

Then did WDW after Easter week when crowds were much less.
EE had not yet returned so used FP..was OK.

Order therefore depends on season regarding crowds but another consideration is age of kids. Young ones should save Disney cute to last, older ones could save IOA ride adrenalin to last.

Our family view (kids ages 16 & 14) was WDW parks were better themed & more detailed (other than Seuss) & Universal had more exciting rides.

For these reasons, when we go in 05 we will only do Universal.
WDW will have till wait utill I have grandchildren!!

This site is still the best!

 

[Planogirl]

We tried Universal for the first time last year and also visited WDW. We stayed offsite at Universal and then onsite at WDW. This time we plan to reverse everything, in other words go to WDW first and stay offsite and then stay onsite at Universal. Disney was nice but it seemed so quiet or something after going to Universal.

 

[Linda L.]

We always do all the parks also. I don't know how old your kids are, but I found as my kids got older, they enjoyed Universal parks more and could take a little less Disney. My last trip was 4 days Disney and 3 Universal. I had the buy 2 days get an extra day free for the Universal tickets. I didn't know if I would use it, but that's where they wanted to go. My boys are teenagers. Last trip they were 12 and 15. We stayed at the Contemporary, which we loved, and drove to Universal. I'm sure the fotl pass is wonderful, but if you don't stay at one of their hotels, they do have a fast pass, just like Disney and it was never very long for us to wait.. This trip, in August, I'm only planning 2 days Disney, 1 in the MK, with dinner at The California Grill, 1/2 in MGM and 1/2 in Epcot, with dinner at Le Cellier. The next day we're going to do Seaworld, as they never wanted to do this before. Last time they saw the rollercoasters as we drove by on the way to Universal, so we're planning it this time. Last 2 days will be in Universal. I've never eaten in this park, except fast food, so am looking at the restaurants and am thinking Margaritaville and debating about the other. My, now 17 year old doesn't want to leave the girlfriend, so that's it for me this time, only 5 days. Shortest trip ever.

 

[Blueberry]

Universal parks and WDW are part of each trip..would not want to go to Orlando without visiting each...

Since we stay offsite we intermix the park days, do WDW for a couple of days then a day at Universal, couple more at WDW then another day at Universal...a nice variety that way...