Loved loved LOVED the darkside!

[tinker&belle]

DH and I just took a trip last weekend to Universal. I sort of felt like I was 'cheating' on Disney being in Orlando and not darkening their door. It was great! I am looking forward to when the kids get older to take them to US. The Express pass was awesome!

 

[Metro West]

DH and I just took a trip last weekend to Universal. I sort of felt like I was 'cheating' on Disney being in Orlando and not darkening their door. It was great! I am looking forward to when the kids get older to take them to US. The Express pass was awesome!

 

[damo]

Yay!!!!!

 

[Siriusblack]

Glad you had fun! I got over that cheating on Disney feeling a few trips ago. You can love both! Mickey doesn't need ALL the money!

 

[vacation_junkie]

DH and I just took a trip last weekend to Universal. I sort of felt like I was 'cheating' on Disney being in Orlando and not darkening their door. It was great! I am looking forward to when the kids get older to take them to US. The Express pass was awesome!

I am going through that cheating on Disney thing right now!

The plan was to do a split stay between HRH & SpringHill with the Orlando Flex Pass for 8 days.

BUT..I am having such a hard time excluding Disney out of the plans.

I have analysis paralysis.. Do we do Disney...do we not do Disney.
Will my 13 yr old be bored without Disney?

We've never been to U.S. or IOA or Sea World/Aquatica before.

I'm still so tossed up!

 

[rowan555]

I am going through that cheating on Disney thing right now!

The plan was to do a split stay between HRH & SpringHill with the Orlando Flex Pass for 8 days.

BUT..I am having such a hard time excluding Disney out of the plans.

I have analysis paralysis.. Do we do Disney...do we not do Disney.
Will my 13 yr old be bored without Disney?

We've never been to U.S. or IOA or Sea World/Aquatica before.

I'm still so tossed up!

All I can say is this...my 12 year old said she NEVER wants to go to Disney again after experiencing Universal/IoA. I'm actually researching Six Flags parks for a trip in spring, as she is officially now a THRILL RIDE fanatic. No more Disney for us...and we have 6 days of tickets left for each of us!

 

[hydrotony]

All I can say is this...my 12 year old said she NEVER wants to go to Disney again after experiencing Universal/IoA. I'm actually researching Six Flags parks for a trip in spring, as she is officially now a THRILL RIDE fanatic. No more Disney for us...and we have 6 days of tickets left for each of us!

Rowen555, I was so impressed with the huge amount of pre-trip planning you did and am happy you had such a great Orlando trip.

 

[Planogirl]

I am going through that cheating on Disney thing right now!

The plan was to do a split stay between HRH & SpringHill with the Orlando Flex Pass for 8 days.

BUT..I am having such a hard time excluding Disney out of the plans.

I have analysis paralysis.. Do we do Disney...do we not do Disney.
Will my 13 yr old be bored without Disney?

We've never been to U.S. or IOA or Sea World/Aquatica before.

I'm still so tossed up!

We solve that problem by normally visiting both WDW and Universal. I personally love the darkside more but that other place is pretty nice too.

 

[rowan555]

Rowen555, I was so impressed with the huge amount of pre-trip planning you did and am happy you had such a great Orlando trip.

Well, I tried to plan as best I could considering I came up with the idea hardly a month before we went, lol! I think I did just the right amount of research, and it all worked out really well. Now I'm googling all the Six Flags parks trying to figure a plan for next spring - DH has suggested my daughter and I do a yearly amusement park trip since he and our son don't do rides and we love them so much. Can't wait to try out someplace else! Syd is suggesting Busch Gardens, so that's in the running...but I've got my eye on some of the Six Flags coasters...very tempting!

 

[vacation_junkie]

We solve that problem by normally visiting both WDW and Universal. I personally love the darkside more but that other place is pretty nice too.

I have thought of that over and over again...lol

I've come up with 3 possible action plans.

option #1
3 nights at HRH & 5 nights at Springhill Suites
Activities: Orlando Flex Pass.

option #2
2 nights at HRH & 6 nights Disney hotel
Activities: 1 day at each U.S./I.O.A/Sea world & 3 day Disney Park Pass.

Option #3
8 nights at a Disney hotel.
Activities: 1 day at each U.S./I.O.A/Sea world & 3 day Disney Park Pass.

We usually go to Disney every January so its not like We'd never visit again if we cut it out this trip!
I soooo don't know what the best idea is.

 

[keishashadow]

We solve that problem by normally visiting both WDW and Universal. I personally love the darkside more but that other place is pretty nice too.

two words: split trip

I have thought of that over and over again...lol

I've come up with 3 possible action plans.

option #1
3 nights at HRH & 5 nights at Springhill Suites
Activities: Orlando Flex Pass.

option #2
2 nights at HRH & 6 nights Disney hotel
Activities: 1 day at each U.S./I.O.A/Sea world & 3 day Disney Park Pass.

Option #3
8 nights at a Disney hotel.
Activities: 1 day at each U.S./I.O.A/Sea world & 3 day Disney Park Pass.

We usually go to Disney every January so its not like We'd never visit again if we cut it out this trip!
I soooo don't know what the best idea is.

I'd go with Option #3 but tweak itthusly:

6 days offsite unless you find a killer deal onsite @ disney (4 days @ WDW & 1 @ SW, perhaps working in a waterpark) followed by 2 days onsite @ Universal to stretch 3 days in the parks.

there's no one-size fits all and that's what makes the planning fun.

 

[macraven]

for me, i can't imagine going to Orlando and not staying at both resorts.

i have been doing split stays since 1993.


i enjoy my time at both the motherland and the darkside parks.

 

[damo]

It looks like your son is at an age where he'd enjoy venturing off.

If money is no object... I'd do 4 nights onsite at Universal and visit Universal and SeaWorld (tickets are usually BOGO). Then I'd do 4 nights onsite at WDW.

If there are budget constraints, I'd just stick to Universal and Seaworld and stay onsite at Universal for the whole time and get the 14 day 3 park pass that includes Universal and Wet 'n Wild as well as the BOGO SeaWorld ticket.

 

[vacation_junkie]

It looks like your son is at an age where he'd enjoy venturing off.

If money is no object... I'd do 4 nights onsite at Universal and visit Universal and SeaWorld (tickets are usually BOGO). Then I'd do 4 nights onsite at WDW.

If there are budget constraints, I'd just stick to Universal and Seaworld and stay onsite at Universal for the whole time and get the 14 day 3 park pass that includes Universal and Wet 'n Wild as well as the BOGO SeaWorld ticket.

It actually works out more to stay at HRH for the complete stay when you factor in parking and such then to stay at a Moderate disney resort.

Luckily money isn't a factor. (but I am cheap ) Goal is just making sure my boys (DH AND DS don't whine that they are bored or we should have stuck a day or 2 in at Disney )

We were just switching over to Spring Hill to enjoy the perks of staying at a Sea World hotel. ie; Quick que...etc Visiting at the end of January i'm not sure if it would be needed because I can't imagine its very busy! I know we could always purchase it if its busy and we don't stay at S.H.

I think my son is at at the age where he'd love a Universal Visit. And my DH wants a Sea World visit this trip.

thanks for all the advice people.
my DH is no help...all he says is book what you want...lol

 

[jjas]

Well, I tried to plan as best I could considering I came up with the idea hardly a month before we went, lol! I think I did just the right amount of research, and it all worked out really well. Now I'm googling all the Six Flags parks trying to figure a plan for next spring - DH has suggested my daughter and I do a yearly amusement park trip since he and our son don't do rides and we love them so much. Can't wait to try out someplace else! Syd is suggesting Busch Gardens, so that's in the running...but I've got my eye on some of the Six Flags coasters...very tempting!

If you haven't already google Cedar Point - coaster heaven! We went last year and my kids LOVED it.

 

[moose615]

I haven't really ever had the "Disney cheating" feeling. I lived in Orlando for alittle over a hear in my early 20s and honestly I only to Disney once when I lived there, always Universal /IOA, I guess my mindset was Disneys for little kids, I fell back in love with Disney a few years ago when I went on a runDisney trip with a friend. I love both and have taken DD 5 to WDW twice and can't wait to take her to Universal/IOA when she gets older!

 

[RMulieri]

I have done 2 Universal only trips now and feel NO guilt not going to disney ( whereas before that was all I wanted to do).I think because i fell in love with the Universal parks, the resorts and the perks.The employees are phenomenal and it is Truly a relaxing trip .I am in process of planning our return trip for later next year ( after the Harry Potter expansion opens)

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

I go down each year and go to all four Disney parks and two days at Universal. I like both parks (well all six) evenly.

 

[ldoogie]

We are visiting the dark side this year for the first time. Huge HP fans so we are super excited. We are doing 4 nights at POR with 3 day ph (free dining yay) and then 2 nights at HRH with 3 days at US/IOA. No park to park so will have to choose which park to return to on the last day. We bought one day of the meal deal so we can try it. 48 days until we leave!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

It actually works out more to stay at HRH for the complete stay when you factor in parking and such then to stay at a Moderate disney resort.
Luckily money isn't a factor. (but I am cheap ) Goal is just making sure my boys (DH AND DS don't whine that they are bored or we should have stuck a day or 2 in at Disney )

We were just switching over to Spring Hill to enjoy the perks of staying at a Sea World hotel. ie; Quick que...etc Visiting at the end of January i'm not sure if it would be needed because I can't imagine its very busy! I know we could always purchase it if its busy and we don't stay at S.H.

I think my son is at at the age where he'd love a Universal Visit. And my DH wants a Sea World visit this trip.

thanks for all the advice people.
my DH is no help...all he says is book what you want...lol

It should be. You're comparing a deluxe resort @ UO to a moderate resort @ WDW. Just thought I'd mention it in case you didn't realize they were a different hotel categories.