Multi-destination trip planning

[woodynjessiesmomma]

Not sure if this is the best forum, but I'd like ideas other than 100% stay onsite at WDW.
We are planning a trip for our family (DH, myself, ODS 8, DD 5, YDS 2.5 at the time of the trip) for mid March 2017. Trip will be 7-10 days. We'd like to do US/IOA, WDW, and a beach day.
I'm thinking 3 nights at Universal with 2 full park days, then check out in the morning and head to a beach for a day, then check into a Disney hotel that night for 4-6 nights before heading home.
We would also consider LEGOLAND and Kennedy Space Center, but we don't want to be too packed.
Thoughts on staying onsite at Universal/WDW compared with offsite or other ideas?
As a family we've only ever done WDW. I've been to the area for conferences and I've had a rental car, but never explored much. Thanks for your input!

 

[Lynne G]

Only my 2 cents, but since your kids are young, and most likely you don't mind one room for the whole family, staying onsite at both Universal and WDW makes coming and going from the parks the easiest. Cheapest? Most likely not, but if you don't stay onsite, you will get a bigger, with kitchen, place to stay, but then have to pay for parking at the parks, and to come and go, have to drive. While many offsite places are pretty close to both parks, there is still the driving and having to park the issue. And with USO, the parks are very close to the 3 onsite hotels. If you drive, the parking garages will take you more time to walk to the parks.

There's always those that like onsite and those that rather relax in a bigger room/condo/home. For my family, we stay onsite. The ability to come and go from our room outweighs the closeness of family sleeping arrangements and while I do like having a kitchen, we just rarely cook during our vacation.

Hope this helps.