Doing Disney/Universal? Only one option

[nlenguyen]

Hello!
In May/June I am going on an Orlando vacation. I am bringing my parents as I planned. My older brother is going to be going with us this trip now. We were going to be already be doing an EPCOT after hours and a moonlight magic during our trip. We wanted to do a day at Animal Kingdom as it would be my brothers first time to Florida and want him to experiences things not at Disneyland. Today they announced a 3-day park ticket which includes EPCOT, AK and HS. EPCOT would be just doing what we cannot do at the AH event. Talking to him, he was not looking forward to HS because it has some of the same attractions as DLR. He suggested doing Universal Islands of Adventure 1 day.

So long story is would you do the 3 day park ticket OR pay for 1 day at AK + 1 day at Islands of Adventure?

 

[lanejudy]

Cost comparison? Is it a similar price between the 2 options? If so and the point was to give your brother something "different" from DL/DCA then I would go with the 1-day AK + 1-day Universal. That said... if the price is vastly different and/or you/your parents want to do the 3-day at WDW, he should understand that the whole trip isn't just for him (unless I misunderstood that he is joining a trip you had already planned).

**Note the advertised $89/day is the least expensive dates. Price is date-specific as with regular tickets, and appears to go up to as much as $110/day.

 

[nlenguyen]

Yeah he was joining with our plans.
I was thinking going to Universal if we had to add the express pass on top will be much more. But I am thinking we just don’t do the express pass and wait in line, will I regret it?

 

[Minnie1222]

But I am thinking we just don’t do the express pass and wait in line, will I regret it?

Does your May/June trip include the Memorial Day weekend? That time of the year is busy and Express Passes would be very helpful. Some people book a room at one of the Premier hotels to get the free Express Passes.

 

[DisneyTexan]

I bought tickets a few days ago for an April trip. Both Universal and Disney are very expensive for only one day. Run the math on both of your options to see the price difference. My day at Universal with both parks is right at $200 per person. Parking will add to the price.

I've been to Universal many times, and I've never needed express passes. But I've also never been there when the parks are completely jammed.

 

[Skippyboo]

IoA has a lot of coasters, 3 water rides, a Dr Seuss area plus HP Hogwarts. There aren’t a lot . There’s not really any rides like Haunted Mansion or Pirates. So would your parents be able to ride the more intense coasters that IoA has?

 

[nlenguyen]

Does your May/June trip include the Memorial Day weekend? That time of the year is busy and Express Passes would be very helpful. Some people book a room at one of the Premier hotels to get the free Express Passes.

No, we are leaving on the trip after that weekend

 

[nlenguyen]

I bought tickets a few days ago for an April trip. Both Universal and Disney are very expensive for only one day. Run the math on both of your options to see the price difference. My day at Universal with both parks is right at $200 per person. Parking will add to the price.

I've been to Universal many times, and I've never needed express passes. But I've also never been there when the parks are completely jammed.

We went Jan 2023, One day almost all the rides were walk ons. Then 2 days later, the parks were jammed packed. I am thinking of going on a Monday, hopefully that will help. Just priced Express Pass and that is around $200 per person, Express Pas Unlimited would be $250 a person on the day we would go

 

[nlenguyen]

IoA has a lot of coasters, 3 water rides, a Dr Seuss area plus HP Hogwarts. There aren’t a lot . There’s not really any rides like Haunted Mansion or Pirates. So would your parents be able to ride the more intense coasters that IoA has?

They were able to handle Velocicoaster last January. They did not ride Hulk. Since it will be summer, the water rides are also attractive as we have not done them before

 

[Skippyboo]

They were able to handle Velocicoaster last January. They did not ride Hulk. Since it will be summer, the water rides are also attractive as we have not done them before

Other than back part of Jurassic Park River Journey, the other 2 water rides will soak you

 

[halfpintpeggy]

I’m with your brother, I’d do a day or 2 at Uni. (They’re currently running a buy 2 days gets 2 days free promotion if you have time for multiple days.)
Personally I’d skip express pass & stay somewhere with early park admission.

 

[cruising spud]

I was thinking going to Universal if we had to add the express pass on top will be much more. But I am thinking we just don’t do the express pass and wait in line, will I regret it?

We are Disney people who went to Universal, for the first time, a few weeks ago. We went during a week when crowds were not too heavy. We were at the parks for four days; two of those days with Express Pass. We arrived before opening on two of those days. If I was going for one day, YES, I would definitely get an Express Pass.

 

[nlenguyen]

I’m with your brother, I’d do a day or 2 at Uni. (They’re currently running a buy 2 days gets 2 days free promotion if you have time for multiple days.)
Personally I’d skip express pass & stay somewhere with early park admission.

My thing is that we were staying DVC already. If we moved to Universal, it would be a split 3-hotel stay

 

[eticketplease]

Remember you will have to purchase a P2P ticket if you want to ride the train.

 

[nlenguyen]

In discussion with my family, I think we are leaning to visiting Animal Kingdom and Islands of Adventure

 

[gottalovepluto]

My thing is that we were staying DVC already. If we moved to Universal, it would be a split 3-hotel stay

Who is this trip really for?
^That is where I go wrong as a trip planner.

Your trip is for you and your parents. The add-on decided to come after the party was underway and you want them to get to experience all the best so you start shuffling the original plans. The original goal eventually gets lost because now the primary goal morphs into making sure the add-on has the best time because it’s his first trip to FL and you want him to love it... Hard Stop. They are joining YOUR trip. Don’t go spending a bunch of extra money, don’t drag your parents to 3 different hotels. Give them a minute to actually enjoy where they are staying! He can have fun on YOUR trip or he can do his own.

I speak as the voice of experience. I have shuffled travel plans, spent extra money and stressed in planning to make sure we hit the “different” stuff all for my dearly beloved add-ons. And then when we hit the parks the real stress starts (unless the add-on bailed right before the trip, which also happens). Everything that goes wrong is magnified in your mind because you want it perfect for your newbie. You don’t need to be hotel swapping on top of that or delving into parks that you aren’t really familiar with or spending money you weren’t gonna spend.

 

[nlenguyen]

Who is this trip really for?
^That is where I go wrong as a trip planner.

Your trip is for you and your parents. The add-on decided to come after the party was underway and you want them to get to experience all the best so you start shuffling the original plans. The original goal eventually gets lost because now the primary goal morphs into making sure the add-on has the best time because it’s his first trip to FL and you want him to love it... Hard Stop. They are joining YOUR trip. Don’t go spending a bunch of extra money, don’t drag your parents to 3 different hotels. Give them a minute to actually enjoy where they are staying! He can have fun on YOUR trip or he can do his own.

I speak as the voice of experience. I have shuffled travel plans, spent extra money and stressed in planning to make sure we hit the “different” stuff all for my dearly beloved add-ons. And then when we hit the parks the real stress starts (unless the add-on bailed right before the trip, which also happens). Everything that goes wrong is magnified in your mind because you want it perfect for your newbie. You don’t need to be hotel swapping on top of that or delving into parks that you aren’t really familiar with or spending money you weren’t gonna spend.

Thank you. I understand your points. I will keep this in mind when doing the final plans.

 

[Anthony1971]

Other than back part of Jurassic Park River Journey, the other 2 water rides will soak you

Please keep this in mind.... If you are not comfortable jumping in a pool with what you are wearing you will not be comfortable at the end of these rides.