Disney/Universal

[tguz]

We are booked for Disney in Nov 2025. With so many things closed or closing, we are thinking about switching to Universal for this year and then back to Disney in a couple years when some of the construction/ride and shows are done with the refurbs.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

There will never be a time that Disney doesn't have a refurb or closure as the parks are always changing.

They have vastly different vibes and attractions.
Back in the day my family always went to both but we no longer find Universal worth going to.

So for me its no contest Disney will win every time.

 

[neverlandsky]

We’re doing both because we’ve never been to anything Universal Orlando. Skipping MK & AK this trip in favor for Universal days. Staying entirely at Disney due to reviews of more comfy beds and preference of Disney resorts.

 

[Minnie1222]

Many Universal rides are outdoors and they all shut down at a hint of a thunderstorm. Your chance of going on rides is always going to be higher at Disney even if they have the same number of rides. But if you haven't been to Universal in a while, it's always a good time to visit.

Disclosure: I am an AP holder at Universal. I've already flown down twice this year to visit their parks and will go again in two months. I love Universal, but facts are facts.

 

[pr1840]

Our crew has always been Disney only, but now that the kids are older, we are going to try and work a day or 2 at Universal into the next trip.

 

[Minnie1222]

Staying entirely at Disney due to reviews of more comfy beds and preference of Disney resorts.

I usually do split-stays between Disney and Universal. Honestly can't tell the difference between the beds.

 

[jwalk03]

We are doing Universal in September. Planning to do all 4 Universal Parks. We are going to also do MNSSHP for one night as well- since we have never done that. But otherwise it will be a Universal focused trip for us.

I haven't been to Universal Orlando since the late 1990s and my wife and kids have never been there. We did go to Universal Hollywood last Christmas and really enjoyed our day there- so super looking forward to Universal Orlando and especially with Epic Universe now open!!

 

[kathy884]

If staying onsite and on a budget, Universal value room wise is much more economical. My 20 / 30 somethings did a week long Universal trip for the opening of Epic Universe and really enjoyed themselves. They stayed at one of the new value resorts.

Now me (and note that I turn 65 in August) as much as I think the Harry Potter theming at the Universal parks is cool, I am more of a Disney girl. I just don't care for simulator rides and all the Universal parks just have so many of those. So for me Universal -- I've been three times - is not a park I plan to go back to. I wouldn't mind maybe trying Volcano Bay, the water park. I'm not doing Disney as much these days either, but given the choice between the two I am a Disney girl if I am planning the vacation and paying for it. I can't stomach Disney's onsite prices though and stay offsite when I go, but I hate it that as an offsite visitor I no longer get rope drop. So I do understand now why so many might cough up for Disney onsite prices. I can't do that though with my bean counter personality lol.

My next two big vacations are national / state park based vs. theme park based. I do though love both national parks and theme parks. Both are so much fun. And since I don't camp anymore, fly out, and rent minivans, the National Park trips are actually more expensive than the theme park trips.

 

[tguz]

There will never be a time that Disney doesn't have a refurb or closure as the parks are always changing.

They have vastly different vibes and attractions.
Back in the day my family always went to both but we no longer find Universal worth going to.

So for me its no contest Disney will win every time.

Yea, I get what you are saying as we have been to Disney a number of times. But, Dinoland is closed awaiting a new land, The Muppet Courtyard is closed awaiting a new land, Cars is being added to the MK, Big Thunder is closed, villains land is coming, Tough To Be a Bug is closed. All this at one time. We just think that now might the time to take a 2-3 year break from Disney to let some of these projects get finished.

 

[jwalk03]

If staying onsite and on a budget, Universal value room wise is much more economical. My 20 / 30 somethings did a week long Universal trip for the opening of Epic Universe and really enjoyed themselves. They stayed at one of the new value resorts.

Now me (and note that I turn 65 in August) as much as I think the Harry Potter theming at the Universal parks is cool, I am more of a Disney girl. I just don't care for simulator rides and all the Universal parks just have so many of those. So for me Universal -- I've been three times - is not a park I plan to go back to. I wouldn't mind maybe trying Volcano Bay, the water park. I'm not doing Disney as much these days either, but given the choice between the two I am a Disney girl if I am planning the vacation and paying for it. I can't stomach Disney's onsite prices though and stay offsite when I go, but I hate it that as an offsite visitor I no longer get rope drop. So I do understand now why so many might cough up for Disney onsite prices. I can't do that though with my bean counter personality lol.

My next two big vacations are national / state park based vs. theme park based. I do though love both national parks and theme parks. Both are so much fun. And since I don't camp anymore, fly out, and rent minivans, the National Park trips are actually more expensive than the theme park trips.

Right up my alley! My 2 favorite types of vacations are Theme Parks and National Parks!! Which National Parks are you planning to visit?

 

[neverlandsky]

I usually do split-stays between Disney and Universal. Honestly can't tell the difference between the beds.

I honestly wouldn’t know difference either since I’ve never stay in any other Orlando resort. DH has often due to business and according to him Disney is above and beyond with their resorts.

 

[Minnie1222]

I honestly wouldn’t know difference either since I’ve never stay in any other Orlando resort. DH has often due to business and according to him Disney is above and beyond with their resorts.

I also prefer the Disney deluxes over Universal premiers, but staying at the Premiers (except Helios) give us express passes and proximity to IOA and UO.

 

[DisneyMom93]

Have you ever been to Universal? While it's a lot like a Disney vacation, it's also a lot different. Whenever we go to Universal our daughters love doing to rides over and over (ages 19 and 21 now) while my husband and I do miss the family style rides at Disney World. Universal doesn't have many relaxing rides. It's mostly action with simulators.

We usually alternate Universal and Disney each year. However, in 2025 and 2026 we will do Universal because we got the APs that were good for 15 months so we won't need to buy tickets in 2026 (aside from Epic Universe). We feel it will work out well because of the Disney refurbishments and new lands etc.

Not sure we would skip Disney just because of the closed rides/lands because there's still so much to do there but it just so happened to work out that way for us.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

Yea, I get what you are saying as we have been to Disney a number of times. But, Dinoland is closed awaiting a new land, The Muppet Courtyard is closed awaiting a new land, Cars is being added to the MK, Big Thunder is closed, villains land is coming, Tough To Be a Bug is closed. All this at one time. We just think that now might the time to take a 2-3 year break from Disney to let some of these projects get finished.

Looks like you already made up your mind before even posting then...

 

[tguz]

Looks like you already made up your mind before even posting then...

Not true. We have never been to Universal. I am looking for opinions both ways. I was just stating my opinion. If people who have been to both say and vote that Disney would still be the way to go in their opinion or if the majority say Universal is they way to go based on experience, either way can help us make our final decision. This is truly a very difficult decision for us as we are true Disney lovers but it may be time to give Universal a try.

 

[tguz]

Have you ever been to Universal? While it's a lot like a Disney vacation, it's also a lot different. Whenever we go to Universal our daughters love doing to rides over and over (ages 19 and 21 now) while my husband and I do miss the family style rides at Disney World. Universal doesn't have many relaxing rides. It's mostly action with simulators.

We usually alternate Universal and Disney each year. However, in 2025 and 2026 we will do Universal because we got the APs that were good for 15 months so we won't need to buy tickets in 2026 (aside from Epic Universe). We feel it will work out well because of the Disney refurbishments and new lands etc.

Not sure we would skip Disney just because of the closed rides/lands because there's still so much to do there but it just so happened to work out that way for us.

We have not been to Universal. Just lately, Universal has started creeping into our thoughts. We currently have a Disney vaca booked for November of this year.

 

[hardcorestitch]

We are booked for Disney in Nov 2025. With so many things closed or closing, we are thinking about switching to Universal for this year and then back to Disney in a couple years when some of the construction/ride and shows are done with the refurbs.

As Walt said… these parks will NEVER be finished as long as there is plenty of imagination left. Just script around the refurbs that month and find some alternatives if need be.

 

[Disneylover99]

Not true. We have never been to Universal. I am looking for opinions both ways. I was just stating my opinion. If people who have been to both say and vote that Disney would still be the way to go in their opinion or if the majority say Universal is they way to go based on experience, either way can help us make our final decision. This is truly a very difficult decision for us as we are true Disney lovers but it may be time to give Universal a try.

Since you’ve never been to Universal, but you’re definitely considering it, I’d say go for it! We’re a big Disney family who started to go to Universal about 9 years ago. Disney is still number 1 for us, but the more we go to Universal, the more we love it!
It’s good to try something new.

 

[tguz]

Since you’ve never been to Universal, but you’re definitely considering it, I’d say go for it! We’re a big Disney family who started to go to Universal about 9 years ago. Disney is still number 1 for us, but the more we go to Universal, the more we love it!
It’s good to try something new.

Thanks! Good info!

 

[kathy884]

Right up my alley! My 2 favorite types of vacations are Theme Parks and National Parks!! Which National Parks are you planning to visit?

This summer (July) we'll be hitting Glacier National Park and the connecting Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada. The majority of our time will be in Glacier with just an overnight at Waterton Lakes. Can't wait. I was there as a little kid, but I don't remember it. This will be my first visit as an adult.

And July of 2026 (planned this around a new moon), we'll be in the Black Hills (four nights will be at Custer State Park -- my all time favorite place for seeing wildlife and stars out west with their sweet cabins with firepits. We'll do a day trip from Custer State Park on that trip to Wind Cave National Park that I haven't been to. We'll also go to the Badlands National Park and stay for a night in that park. I've been to the Badlands several time, but this will be my first time doing an overnight there. And we'll of course stop my that Mount Rushmore National monument too.