how to spend our time and our $$?

[momz]

We have a condo booked at Windsor hills for 7 nights in mid-October. We have been to WDW many times but never to the other orlando parks. We are interested in going to SeaWorld and perhaps 1 day at US. But, I'm concerned about the cost when compared to a 7 day pass for WDW. Any suggestions as to how to incorporate some non-disney activities into our time without doubling our costs? With the way WDW prices their tickets, we have never ventured outside of the happiest place, but after many trips, my husband and I would like to change things up a bit. Our kids will be 8 and 6 at the time of our travel. They are adventurous, but the "wildest" rides they have been on are the mountains at magic kindgdom. Our favorite parks are Magic Kingdom and Epcot. We would be happy swapping out DHS, and AK for something new. What should it be? (There's also the beach to consider). I guess there are so many options, it's hard to choose.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Disney does this on purpose so you will never go to Universal. A family of 4 can go an extra day at a Disney park for a few dollars adding a day to a multi day ticket while 1 day at Universal will be close to $400.

We have somewhat gotten around this by buying the non expiring Disney passes. (This will cost you $$$) For SeaWorld in 2005 if you had the Southwest card (free from their website) there was a good discount plus SeaWorld will from time to time offer buy 1 day get 1 free. I must say 1 day of SeaWorld was more than enough we never used the extra day.

As for Universal we have never gone. Just couldn't bring myself to spend that kind of money for another park. Now if you want to go to Universal for 5 days they have great deals online something like for $89 get 5 days. Great deal. I believe COSTCO has good deals too.

Basically 1 day at any park Disney/US/Seaworld is big bucks and the rest of the days are cheaper. The parks know this and do this to keep you in their park. Heck if you go to Disney even for $2 you are not spending at US and you will still buy food/toys/etc.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Go to the beach. Coco Beach is great so is Daytona. Nice break from the busy hot expensive parks too.

 

[Brian Noble]

I have a couple of thoughts.

One: if you normally hop, or visit the water parks, skip that this time and pick either Universal or Sea World to visit this trip.

Two: we've also only done Disney. But, when my youngest decides he is ready to ride the "big rides" at our home park (Cedar Point), then we'll probalby have a trip with *just* Universal/Sea World, no Disney. He's tall enough for them, but hasn't been willing to take them on just yet.

 

[BosDub]

Our family loves Seaworld. Seaworld is probably a 2 day park. Too many shows for one day.
You should look into the Seaworld/Aquatica combo. I'm not sure how much they are this year, but last year we got a 14 day ticket for short money.

Universal is about $100 for a 7 day ticket.

Have fun!

 

[disneyohbear]

We battled with this same issue this year. Going to Orlando and not doing Disney seemed wrong somehow but its time for a change so we are doing Discovery Cove with Seaworld, Aquatica and Busch Gardens. Yes this was a little more expensive than the Disney 7 day tickets we normally get but its something we have never done and always wanted to do. Plus the day at Discovery Cove includes food so it makes it not that much more.

If you can do more than one trip a year to Orlando sometimes the season pass for Universal\Islands of Adventure run the same as tickets for a week there and i think it includes parking. We did that one time back when the disney tickets didn't expire so we did a couple long weekends to ORL for the universal parks and still did a few at Disney the same year.

Good luck in your decision.

 

[spiceycat]

1 day (really 2) is $74.95

would buy an annual pass for SeaWorld
1 year is $99

but 2 year is $149 and if you think you will be back in the year it is worth it.

now if you add their water park it become $179 for a year, and $269 for 2 years.

http://commerce.4adventure.com/eStore/scripts/skins/swf/ticketsPassportBuilder.aspx

universal studio has a $99 for 7 nights
http://www.universalorlando.com/tickets.html

there annual passes are more expensive - unless you live in fl or ga
http://www.universalorlando.com/annualpass/index.php.html


forgot - seaworld still has the flex ticket - $234.42
http://www.seaworld.com/Tickets/Visitors.aspx

 

[Darcy03231]

US/IOA has a unlimited 7 day ticket now for about $100.

I struggled with this too. My children are now in their teens and early 20's. In August 2007 we went to Orlando and skipped WDW (although we did go one night to MK for Pirates and Princesses- I had to get my fix). We did US/IOA, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld and Wet n' Wild. This was the first time we did IOA (we'd done US in 2003 for a day precruise) and Busch Gardens and the second time we'd done SeaWorld. We bought the Orlando Flex Pass which gave us unlimited admission to all of the parks for 14 days (we were there for 16 days). We ended up spending 2 days at Busch Gardens, 2 days at SeaWorld, a day at Wet n' Wild and 7 days at US/IOA. The pass was about $235 for adults and around $200 for children. We also went to the Kennedy Space Center and the beach. We had a blast! My children didn't miss WDW at all (they were 14 & 16 at the time). They had such a good time we're going back for April vacation and just doing US/IOA.

I thinks its hard to combine a WDW vacation with other things due to cost, which is why we decided to just do something completely different, although my children are teens and tall enough to ride everything, which is something you need to take into consideration for your family.

Given your children's ages I think I would continue with WDW for a few more years. US/IOA is really geared for the teen/young adult age group. While my niece (9) had a good time, she was still too short to ride some of the bigger rides in Islands of Adventure. She's also a bit immature and although she had fun I think she would have had a better time at WDW.

SeaWorld was fun for everyone, although only the older three children were tall enough for the big rollercoaster. It was more about the shows, exhibits, etc. than the rides.

Busch Gardens was a lot of fun too, especially if you like big roller coasters. My kids were in roller coaster heaven there.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[englishteacha]

Our last trip we did US/IOA, Busch Gardens, and SeaWorld. We had a great time! We're roller coaster junkies, so we rode dozens of coasters that trip!

On our last day in FL, we did break down and do a commando day at MK/Epcot, buying a non expiring pass and using just one day. Now our passes for our next Disney trip (2010) are paid for. We could have skipped WDW, and still have been very happy with our vacation, though.

 

[spiceycat]

if you are going back again would go for the annual pass at SW - either one or two year. either $99 or $149

at US/IOA - would go for the 7 day unlimited around $99. of course that pass would only be for that trip.

so around $200 - or get either one for $99.

now if you are NOT returning to Orlando for more than year - just get the one day ticket (it is really 2 days) at SW
- $74.95 +plus tax for sw
- $99 + plus tax for US/IOA