I think we are officially done with Disney!!

[Planogirl]

We checked out Universal just three years ago. We still visit WDW but it's not as important as it once was. Universal is our primary destination and we plan everything else around it now.

 

[Lucky4me]

So where did you find this deal?

This trip will be my first trip to US/IOA and not going to WDW, well maybe...I think we'll do MVMCP so I can do one day (after 4pm) there. But my choice was similar to most of you: never been there, need a cheaper trip, tix less than WDW prices & kids are older.

There's an old thread here on the $99 ticket from Viator. It was supposed to be a 7 day ticket, but they sent 14 days instead. I think Maple Leaf is still selling them for $129 or $135? Not sure. I bought them months ago.

I found some great deals this trip-
$135 rt non stop air-family of 4
$99 Universal
$140 car rental
$400 6 bedroom house at Windsor Hills ($800) split with our best friends.
We'll eat one meal in the parks, probably a late lunch, the rest off site restaurants or at the house-no cooking though! Take out.
The biggest splurge will be $60 each for MVMCP.
So all in all about $2,500 for the week including food and gas.
Adding on Disney would have been another $1000 and we would have run ourselves ragged. This way, we can take a few days off to relax at the resort, or only stay at Universal a couple of hours on a few days.
I am really looking forward to it.

 

[Metro West]

So where did you find this deal?

The $99.00 tickets are long gone and I don't see them coming back anytime soon. HP is bringing too many people into IOA for them to drop the price.

 

[daddey]

I wish I was done with Disney with those park prices....but I'm an addict.
Right now our next trip will only be one day in the Magic Kingdom for MVMCP and I'm slightly bummed about it. dd and I have some park days left on our hoppers, but no one else we're going with has tickets or can afford them, so no Disney.
We found 14 day tickets for Universal that cost $99. At that price, I can learn to love it more than Disney.

That is 14 days for 99. You have my ear...

 

[CPA_ESQ.]

I'm in this boat as well.

We went down for 4 days in Early September just to check it out, because neither of us had been there.

We stayed at the Hard Rock - club level. the walking distance to the parks was great - no buses, monorails running in one direction, no boats.. we just walked! The Express pass for guests allowed us to finish a park in 4-5 hrs, and I was able to go back on rides 5x while she waited.

We are in our 30's - so this park is more our speed. Universal walk was great - bars, music, food - and you can walk there!!

The hard rock pool always had something going on (when it was not closed due to lightning - but they always ended up opening it back up so you could get a swim in before 11pm)

We liked it so much that we had a 4day Disney trip booked for late October. I said "why are we going to go to boring Disney, when we can come back here and actually have some 'fun' on our vacation."

So we canceled our Disney reservations, and are going back in a month to do HHN

However, We did book a 2 day trip to Disney in mid November - just because we have never been down there and seen it decorated for Christmas (I know it won't be 100% decorated, but we will catch the tail end of the food and wine festival and the MK is having the Mickey Christmas Party - so I would assume something has to be decorated... I'm not paying peak season prices.

 

[ccgirl]

Now I am getting sad cancelling our Universal part of our trip. For those that like it more than Disney, how old are your children? My DD7 is liking the big rides more but my DS is 2, soon to be 3. We were really looking forward to seeing Universal for Christmas but want some down days and can save the $400.

 

[kellymonaghan]

Busch Gardens was great too

Just had to share!!

Totally agree. One of Central Florida's best kept secrets.

 

[SmallWorld71]

Now I am getting sad cancelling our Universal part of our trip. For those that like it more than Disney, how old are your children? My DD7 is liking the big rides more but my DS is 2, soon to be 3. We were really looking forward to seeing Universal for Christmas but want some down days and can save the $400.

This is just my opinion, but I wouldn't go to Universal specifically for little ones. Could they have a great time if you were going anyway? Absolutely! But, there are not a lot of family rides along the lines of Peter Pan, Spaceship Earth etc... You would spend a lot of time doing child swap or separating. Now don't get me wrong, we were there in August and my kids absolutely loved it! DD7 is pretty brave and was able to go on most of the rides. (At 50" she was too short for the coasters.) So, if there are things that YOU really want to see, I'm sure you could all have fun. But, if it's for the kids, I think you are better off waiting.

 

[ccgirl]

This is just my opinion, but I wouldn't go to Universal specifically for little ones. Could they have a great time if you were going anyway? Absolutely! But, there are not a lot of family rides along the lines of Peter Pan, Spaceship Earth etc... You would spend a lot of time doing child swap or separating. Now don't get me wrong, we were there in August and my kids absolutely loved it! DD7 is pretty brave and was able to go on most of the rides. (At 50" she was too short for the coasters.) So, if there are things that YOU really want to see, I'm sure you could all have fun. But, if it's for the kids, I think you are better off waiting.

Thanks! I feel better. My DD is under 50" so I would have to listen to how unfair it is that she can't go. Looks like we made a good decision. Now, we can spend more time at the pool if it is warm enough or shopping or something and not be exhausted after our vacation.

 

[mjohnson96]

This year I had planned on doing a combined Disney/Universal trip but when I asked DD what her favorites were all she talked about was Universal rides. So instead we just went with a week at Universal during the WWOHP grand opening week and took our time to see everything and have fun. DD loves the pool at RPR and the talking fountain at IOA. She was also very excited that she hit 48inches and could ride both the mummy and FJ.

We did break it up and go to Seaworld and Aquatica but it was so miserable at Seaworld due to the heat that it was the worse day of our trip. Manta was the best part of the whole day and DD was very upset that she could not go on it.

 

[teacher100]

We go to Disney every 2 or 3 years. We went to Universal for the first time this summer for 2 days along with our Disney 10 day trip. When we go to Florida again we will probably do Universal and Sea World for the following reasons:

We can put our family of 5 in the hotel and get FOTL pass. My youngest is 10 now so we can't even stay in POR.

FOTL is important since we have to go off season due to my kids ages.

Rides that are more appealing to pre-teen and teenage boys.

I guess since we have gone to Disney so often Universal/IOA is something new.

I still love Disney and appreciate the Magic, but it definitely isn't the only Florida destination anymore. I can see us alternating between Disney and Ua Universal/Sea World Trip. I'm glad we waited to do Universal because I don't think my kids would have enjoyed it if they were not tall enough for the rides.

 

[bmtta2003]

No comparison as far as thrill rides go. Universal blows Disney away. But I love the atmosphere of Disney much more. It's more family oriented. I stay at Disney but play at Universal.

 

[keishashadow]

I am afflicted with split-park personality disorder

When Im @ WDW im in my happy place

When we drive up the road to Universal & we stroll thru citiwalk on way into the parks I feel hip (or as hip as a middle aged broad is going to get

I've visited each singlely and have decided i really do prefer split trips between them.

We're doing a Disney/Discovery Cove/Busch Gardens/U trip, with MNSSHP & HHN thrown into the mix. Only way i could swing it was using stockpiled Disney & U tix, along w/using DHs AP.

WDW has raised the price of non-expiry tix so highand the U is rightfully cashing in on HP, just have to wonder how many of us will be forced to pick & choose once our stockpiled 'cheap' tix run out.. So much competition out there you'd think the parks would discount a 5 or 6 night tix deeply to try & undercut eachother!

U used to have sales on their tix prices, sometimes BOGO year APs, guess those days are over unless 'the gate' slips.

 

[donaldduck352]

I have not been going to DW like we used to in over 6yrs.Now that my GB Cheyanne has come,in a few years we are going to be DW passholders again...

There is no way my little princess is gonna grow up without Disney.

Till then,we are Universal peeps!!!

 

[keishashadow]

I have not been going to DW like we used to in over 6yrs.Now that my GB Cheyanne has come,in a few years we are going to be DW passholders again...

There is no way my little princess is gonna grow up without Disney.

Till then,we are Universal peeps!!!

the great circle of life

i cannot wait to bring my GD, problem is i'll probably get stuck bringing down the whole gang...on my dime (scarier thought than HHN) lol

 

[TheRatPack]

I wish we could afford both like we used to....sadly we have to choose either or now that both are so expensive for tickets. As a family of 7, it cost an arm and a leg to go anywhere...and we always have to get 2 rooms. While we could stay offsite and go to both, I like the convenience of bus service at Disney and the food plan. Still, one day maybe we'll head back to Universal if we can ever budget it. They don't really have any 'value' resorts....so that steers us more towards Disney right now too with so many children. Oh well, until then the older ones will hit HHN and we'll be content that we even get a vacation with all the economy woes.

 

[ccgirl]

I wish we could afford both like we used to....sadly we have to choose either or now that both are so expensive for tickets. As a family of 7, it cost an arm and a leg to go anywhere...and we always have to get 2 rooms. While we could stay offsite and go to both, I like the convenience of bus service at Disney and the food plan. Still, one day maybe we'll head back to Universal if we can ever budget it. They don't really have any 'value' resorts....so that steers us more towards Disney right now too with so many children. Oh well, until then the older ones will hit HHN and we'll be content that we even get a vacation with all the economy woes.

How exciting! Just saw on your ticker you leave tomorrow. I'm so jealous! Have fun.

 

[keishashadow]

I wish we could afford both like we used to....sadly we have to choose either or now that both are so expensive for tickets. As a family of 7, it cost an arm and a leg to go anywhere...and we always have to get 2 rooms. While we could stay offsite and go to both, I like the convenience of bus service at Disney and the food plan. Still, one day maybe we'll head back to Universal if we can ever budget it. They don't really have any 'value' resorts....so that steers us more towards Disney right now too with so many children. Oh well, until then the older ones will hit HHN and we'll be content that we even get a vacation with all the economy woes.

If you're willing to dig a bit and stay & play longer @ U there is often a promo wherein the rate dips below WDW's standard value rack rateeven in the summer. The best prices tend to be found @ RPH. I was surprised to receive a pin code for this summer which we weren't able to use, darn it.Sign up for emails @ Universal site & take the surveys they send you.

If u r willing to stay short distance offsite, you could also consider snagging the great deals offered @ Sheraton Vistana (assume Villages has them too). 2 BRs often offered in area of $125 a night, deals posted on sponsor TA site here.

enjoy ur trip

 

[Planogirl]

I wish we could afford both like we used to....sadly we have to choose either or now that both are so expensive for tickets. As a family of 7, it cost an arm and a leg to go anywhere...and we always have to get 2 rooms. While we could stay offsite and go to both, I like the convenience of bus service at Disney and the food plan. Still, one day maybe we'll head back to Universal if we can ever budget it. They don't really have any 'value' resorts....so that steers us more towards Disney right now too with so many children. Oh well, until then the older ones will hit HHN and we'll be content that we even get a vacation with all the economy woes.

We have resorted to offsite partially so we could afford both. Luckily we are fine with offsite but I definitely understand your reasoning.

Have fun on your upcoming trip!

 

[cmclaura]

I used to live in Orlando and had yearly passes to Universal. Didn't need them for WDW as I had so many Cast Member friends who'd get us in whenever we wanted....nice savings!

But we went back 4 years ago just to do Universal and I was very disappointed. Not so much in the attraction itself, but in the staffing. There is a HUGE difference between Disney CMs and the staff they hire at Universal. They just don't train them with that special touch.

It's so noticeable to me that I would always tell friends visiting us to go to Universal first and then to Disney or they'd be disappointed.