Been to Orlando and not visited WDW ??

[btab]

I am after the thoughts and opinions on the following.

Visited WDW in April 2001 and stayed on site at all star Movies, with wife and daughters aged 5 & 6 at the time. We had a great time and made full use of the length of stay pass. We had a day at Universal Studios and a day at Sea World. Next year I am contemplating staying in a private villa and purchasing the Universal 5 park flex ticket, bypassing the Disney parks. Our children will be 7 and 8 when we go.

Has anyone else taken this option or do you think I am mad ??? It seems an ideal way of both fully discovering the other parks and saving lots of $$$$'s too

btab

 

[WDWfan uk]

It is something that only you can all decide - if all the family do not feel they'd be missing out if they didn't go to WDW, then that's fine!
I'm just wondering how the children feel about this - are you sure they wouldn't want to visit Disney at all? They may not be tall enough for the bigger rides in IOA and they are an excellent age still for WDW where they can go on most of the rides.. but if they genuinely aren't bothered, you must do what you feel you'd all most enjoy on your holiday

 

[eyoreaud]

Yes btab, i'm afraid i do think you are a little mad.

That said, i suppose that everyone has a different opinion of WDW but as most of us (Dis)ers love all things (Dis)ney i personaly couldn't go to Florida without visiting the second love of my life.......

Disney World

I have a sneaky suspision that others may agree???

Have lot's of fun btab whatever you decide to do.

Luv Audrey,
xxxxxxxxxx

 

[Kal El]

I dont hink your mad, I am getting the 5 park flex for my trip next year. I did Disney on my 2 other trips to Florida. This time I want to see other things. I plan on spending some of the time going to places like Daytona, Clearwater etc. Experience the non mouse Florida.

 

[UKDEB]

I can not imagine visiting Orlando and not visiting WDW. Having said that I can not imagine visiting and not visiting USF either. It really is something only you can decide. Can you be flexible with your plans to allow a change if you get there and your girls are desperate to see Mickey? How long are you going for? You could certainly find plenty to do in 2 weeks without visiting Disney. Are you actually not bothered about visiting Disney, or is it more about the money? If it is, I think you may well feel cheated when you're there.

I think your plan to choose a villa this time is wise. We have been taking our girls for 10 years since they were 7 & 5 and in all that time they have derived as much pleasure from the pool as anything else. When we stayed in hotels I felt I spent half the holiday walking between the room and the pool. In a villa it is easier to keep an eye on them. We also got fed up with being cooped up in a hotel room for two weeks. Being at a villa gives you the option of eating in when you're fed up eating out, you have more space and privacy, and you can wash clothes (we do a wash every day) so you don't have to pack so much. I <i>hate</i> queuing for the machines in hotels!

 

[vernon]

Having been pretty much every year for the last 9 , I now feel I don't HAVE to visit WDW every trip. Although I think I've always had one day at a Disney park ( and usually use the disney waterparks as IMHO they are far superior to anything else in the area). I think economically it makes a lot of sense to look at other ways of enjoying Orlando. I would say however that with kids of 7 and 8 I would make at least one day at MK and maybe a second at either AK or MGM depending on what which they prefer.

In your situation I would probably have 2 days in WDW parks, one at each of the waterparks ( depending on the time of year) and maybe look into sharing an Illuminations cruise to watch the firework/ laser show at Epcot.

 

[Mrs Dazzle]

Like everyone else, my view it's your own personal choice.

Last year we went over to Florida for 2 weeks, straight down to St Pete beach for our two weeks. We had a marvellous time. We love Florida - not just Mickey & Co. We had planned to visit the beach for two weeks, not picked it because it was cheaper (although hotel certainly wasn't - but then you save on the park passes).

This year we ARE doing Disney, because next year we're off again down to the beach in a friend's Condo near Ft Myers for 3 weeks.

When we go to the beach (and we have done each year we've visited florida - Orlando one week then beach for another week and a half), it's been to St Pete's or Clearwater, so we've spent a couple of days at Busch Gardens - and BG's sister park Adventure Island which is their version of Wet 'n Wild (superb, btw ). So we probably don't feel we're missing out on a "theme park". We're not huge thrill seeker riders, just love all the atmosphere in the parks.

My personal choice would be one week Orlando - minimum of 2 days at Universal and Islands of Adventure, 2 Disney Parks and then head down to the beach. We don't just sit on the beach all day (apart from the fact we'd frazzle ). There's just so much else to see - the beautiful Florida wildlife, Kennedy Space Center, Crystal River - and this year we're heading south to visit the Everglades, the Keys, Miami and have a jolly good look around

 

[UKPhil]

We've done it and had one of our best holidays ever.

We did Disney twice as annual pass holders and felt we had 'done it to death' so on our next trip (children were 8) we bought annual passes for the Universal Parks and Sea World and also broke the trip up with 3 days at the beach in the middle of a 3 week stay.

We skipped Disney for 2 years then when we went back again found enough new attractions to rekindle our interest.

I guess it all depends on whether you feel you've become a Disney fanatic. If not and you don't feel a burning desire to return then try the alternatives. I can confirm that it IS possible to have a great time in Orlando without the mouse.

I can also confirm that you can have a great time in Florida without Orlando, but that would be off topic !

 

[floridalol]

Having been virtually every year since 1987 we are having our first Florida trip without the children (grown up now) this November. We are not doing WDW because we have done it to death and nothing new has really opened for quite some time. We may do Seaworld and Universal again but apart from that we are doing daytrips away from Orlando and just chilling out around the pool.

 

[IAN5150]

My Girls are about the same age as your daughters and you couldnt keep them away from Disney AS you know as soon as you step of the plane you see Mickey and Co all around Im sure theyd feel theyve missed out if you dont go.

 

[LFC Nut]

We intend doing the same next year when we go and only purchase the 5 park flexi ticket. That said we have 1 day left on the Disney passes from last year and we intend doing MGM as I need my fix of TOT, and the kids (15 & 8) have finally plucked up the courage to have a go (I HOPE!!!).

As with all holidays though flexability is the name of the game and if we feel we need a further Disney day we'll just have to pay for day passes. We'll also probably use the Disney waterparks as they are great and Wet & Wild etc just don't appeal to us.