Disney Days vs Universal Days

[ValpoMan]

Me and my wife needs everyones advice....

We have kids the ages 8, 5, & 4....

We will be in Orlando from 3/20/04 to 3/27/04....

Wanna start with Disney World and move to Universal....

How many days would you spend at Disney and how many at Universal....

This is our family's first trip to Orlando.....

Thanks

Monte Southwell

 

[KLondon]

Good question! We have spent a week solid at WDW with kids that age and it STILL was never long enough. Realistically, I would give yourself 4 days for Disney and 2 days for Universal.

One tip for Universal.... If you stay on-site at one of their hotels you get the added perk of getting onto rides ahead of regular lines AND fastpass lines. I hear it's worth the expense of staying at a Universal hotel (we're trying this at Xmas).

 

[rangebob]

When you stay on-site at Universal you get Universal Express access. Which means that you are guraranteed less than a 15 min wait. You will be using the same line that all the other Universal Express people including the park passes, but it is alot better using it during busier times.

 

[KLAIT]

We are just back from doing the exact same thing. We had 6 park days.

We spent 3 at Disney and 3 at Universal. It was me, dh and DS(5). We had actually planned on 2 at Universal, but my little guy decided he liked Universal Parks better because they had more thrilling rides...gasp!

The only thing I can tell you is that you could probably easily do everything at Universal in 2 days if you stay on-site at Universal. The front of the line pass is wonderful.....while we were not told of any specific wait time, it was always a lot shorter than the regular line......I know March is a busy time in the theme parks and it will allow you to do a lot more than without it,.

The one thing we resigned ourselves to is that a week is not enough time even in a not busy time to do and see everything! Another excuse to go back I guess.

 

[TreeOfLife]

We are leaving tomorrow and that is what we're doing. We are staing 8 nights at AKL and then three days at HRH. It is very nice to be treated and pampered by Universal as an onsite resort guest. You save a lot of time and energy keeping off those lines!

 

[Texowl2]

I would do 5 at WDW and 2 at Universal and definitely stay onsite at Universal. The front of the line pass will assure that you will get to do everything.

 

[kaygela]

Another vote for 2 days at Universal on-site. The FOTL deal is great. We do that on each trip. We usually spend 4-5 days at Disney and save Universal for the end since FOTl would spoil us.

 

[Crissy7682]

I personally rather US, if you and your fly. enjoy rides I would spend more time at US.

Then US only has 2 parks while disney has 4. From what I hear Epcot nor MGM take a whole day though.

 

[Crissy7682]

Also, you may not need to stay onsite to get the front of the line pass. We have always got the express pass with multie day tickets

 

[KLAIT]

Actually, I would say that Epcot is the day when you always run out of time....lots to do and look at as it has future world and the World showcase with Illuminations at closing....

Animal Kingdom is the only park that we have found does not take a full day and does not have a night show. We always leave the ANimal Kingdom early having done everything and hit Epcot to finish it up in the evening.

EVERYTHING is fun....but, I still cannot say enough about the FOTL at Universal

 

[ValpoMan]

Thanks for all the great advice...very helpful....

Monte

 

[kevind65]

we've done both US and the disney parks many times. US can easily be done in one day. USIOA can be done in one day, but, can hold the kids interest for two easily as it has the best thrill rides in orlando IMHO. personally, I would go to US first and then to disney. Our family has always felt let down by the second destination every time. even though the 2nd place was great, we found ourselves thinking and saying "it''s just not the same as disney" BTW: US has a 5-day pass that allows for unlimited entrance into US and IOA for 5 consecutive days for $86.95 on sale on their official website. that's less than the cost of 2 single day passes. pretty good deal.