Jump in: The water's fine

[kbelle8995]

I just wanted to take a moment while so many are talking about Universal.

I used to be a Disney hardcore fan. And now when I go Disney I feel frustrated. Disney is not longer my happy place. My low point was when I had a meltdown in the Contemporary parking lot. Not my best moment.
When they opened Diagon alley I priced an ap against the after 4 Epcot prices and realized the price was similiar and I would get more for my money. Try it for a year and see how it goes. I was happy with my AP and still am.
When the pandemic started and parks closed, Disney hemmed and hawed while Universal simply stated we will extend your pass. No spending hours on the phone trying to extend your pass just automatically done.
'
This last time I renewed they thanked me and called a 15th month pass. Disney never does that.

I've heard Universal described as a coaster park. Yes they have coasters but there are so many rides and things to do if you are not into that. Camp Jurassic has been one of my great finds. Also Suess landings is a delightful area. And very little advanced planning.

The hotels are very nice and a fraction of the price. I could write an entire thread about how I love Cabana bay alone.

So jump in give them a shot. I promise you will not find Jaws. Unless you want to

 

[Metro West]

I live about 30 minutes from WDW and haven't set foot on Disney property in over 10 years and have no plans of returning.

 

[cfoxga]

Our last WDW trip was over 8 years ago, when our DDs were 5 and 7. Back then, I would walk about 5 miles per day gathering FastPasses for the family. Not sure why I enjoyed that part, but I actually did. Disney Springs was called Downtown Disney back then, and was very quaint. While getting a table at dinner was tricky, we always managed to find a place to eat. To keep costs down, we rented a house offsite. We always went early for rope drop, but the longish commute meant we could not easily take an afternoon break. So by the end of the "vacation", we were exhausted.

After 3 trips over a 2 years span, we took a break from WDW. We were able to visit DL and really enjoyed the trip, since we were able to stay onsite and walk to both parks. The kids got older and became obsessed with Harry Potter. When the girls were 8 and 10, we went to UO for 4 nights at CB over Spring Break. We went in at rope drop every day and had a blast. It was great being able to be so close to the parks. We bought Annual Passes, so we could make another trip later that year.

We stayed at RPR for that second trip over Thanksgiving and learned firsthand how awesome the deluxe resorts were. EPs meant short lines, which allowed us to sleep in and still do plenty. Boating/walking access meant getting to/from the parks was a breeze; even though the busses were good, we loved bypassing the CityWalk security hub. And the quality of the rooms were great. It was one of the most relaxing vacations I can remember.

Once the APs expired, we waited a year to buy APs again. We made three trips on those, and UO has become our go to in Orlando. Each time we go, my wife suggests we go to Disney MK for a day, but then looks at the price. I started looking at a longer trip (4-5 nights) instead of get UO APs, and it is just crazy expensive to replicate what we have at UO (2-3 times the cost)...

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

Assuming we feel safe taking our planned trip in December and are able to go, I'm really looking forward to trying something new. We had a great trip to WDW in December 2019, but looking back on all that was free then, it feels like we robbed a bank and got away with it compared to all that we would have to pay extra for now (free Magical Express, free Fastpass +, we even had free dining). While Universal doesn't offer any of those things for free, their resort rates reflect that, while WDW is still charging astronomical amounts for the "basic" experience. I might feel a twinge when we land in MCO and I see Mickey everywhere, but I think once my boys walk into their Minions room, Mickey will be quickly forgotten.

 

[cfoxga]

When comparing to Disney, most things seem free or very cheap. The Seasonal Pass at $350 is good most of the year (we get 2-3 trips on them), which is about the same as a 3-day pass at WDW without park hoppers. Upgrade for $100 to a Preferred Pass do eliminate blockout dates and get some really good discounts on food/shopping. Annual Passes at WDW for non-FL residents/DVC members are crazy high (is it really $1299?), so that is not an option for our family of 4.

With the AP, deluxe resort with APH rate is $200-300, including peak season. I'd hate to see the cost of a room at WDW with walking/boat distance to a park and unlimited Genie+ LL for the 4 of us.

Sad thing is, that I really do want to see everything that WDW has added over the last 8 years. I just have a hard time swallowing the cost when I know what we get at UO...

 

[kbelle8995]

Let me get something off my chest. Universal is NOT Six Flags. Not even close. Ahh I feel better now. Thank you.

sorry y'all have been lovely. It's just a comparison I keep hearing and since I've been to both. My experience at Six Flags was just awful. A dirty park and if you aren't a roller coaster fan there's nothing for you to do. I was thought strange because I was at that park by myself. Universal has never ever made me feel like that