My Disney holiday plan - what you think ?

[mickeyluv'r]

Last year we got a car for a week for just $50. By far the least $ way to go WDW to US!

A car saves at least an hour vs. the Mear shuttle to WDW at the start of the vacation.

No need to drive within Universal.

At WDW, we often take a bus/boat/monorail within WDW.

Sometimes though driving is much faster! Buses often only come in 20+in intervals and aren't always direct. You mention not wanting to rush; having our own car cuts down on how much we have to rush - at just a few key points of our trip. It would totally make sense to take the bus to D Springs and Epcot on nights you wish to drink.

A car is also super handy if you end up needing any medicine, toiletries, or food. We get bottled water. A 24 case of water bottles at the Hess (on WDW property) is $5. A single bottle in the parks is $3!

Just using a car for the transfers and water makes it worthwhile, IMO.

Oh, and then you were also talking about Sea World and going to Busch Gardens? You pretty much need a car to go to Tampa.

 

[BrianL]

Yeah we plan it getting the universal express pass to. So think that 2 days would be OK if we done that

Honestly, Express Pass is expensive and may not be needed. On my last trip to Uni (weekdays, Early May) the lines really wren't that long for anything. Of course, I also used Single Rider where I could. I once bought Express Pass for Universal Hollywood and did not need it at all, so I'm a little wary of them.

 

[Garyjames220]

How much is it normally anyway

I really didn't want to take a car as I have never drove on the other side of the road ether and even though it may be easy I would rather not

Also how good is discovery cove

 

[TwoMisfits]

If you really, really don't want to drive, I'd do a split stay - onsite Disney, onsite Universal, and partner hotel Seaworld...it will be the most convenient, most inexpensive, and easiest way to hit handling all the sites (and you'd get free FOTL at Universal and free Quick Queue at SeaWorld). If you love Disney the most, do Universal for 3 nights 1st, then Seaworld for 2 nights, then Disney for the rest (so you save the best for last). Discovery Cove/Sea World/Aquatica after Universal will be a nice break from rides, rides, rides before you gear up again for Disney. You'd also only need 2-3 total cab rides this way...

 

[Garyjames220]

Would taxis to discovery cove. Universal be deer from Disney

Is there not shuttles from Disney resorts to these places

 

[BrianL]

I'd use Uber myself to get around. It's cheaper than cabs and faster than shuttles. You can even use it to get around Disney property in a pinch.

 

[Garyjames220]

Ok cool

Would u say discovery cove is worth the money they charge ?

If food and cocktails included in the price I herd ?

 

[johde]

Yeah we plan it getting the universal express pass to. So think that 2 days would be OK if we done that

Have you considered doing a split stay. Staying at the AKL for the WDW part of your trip then move to a Universal hotel for the Universal/Sea World Part of your trip. If you stay at one of the 3 original hotels you get Express Passes included with your room. Also, remember Express Passes aren't good for most of the Harry Potter attractions (Forbidden Journey, Gringotts, and Hogwarts Express).

Also, with a split stay you could enjoy yourself with a drink at Universal or Sea World and still have transportation back to your room. Sea World has Bus Transportation from the Universal Hotels to Sea World, Aquatica, Busch Gardens, etc.

 

[Garyjames220]

Yeah that's another idea to

God so much to decide when going to Disney lol

 

[BrianL]

Yeah that's another idea to

God so much to decide when going to Disney lol

That's half the fun! Or at least a third of it.

 

[Lewandowski]

I would add a day at Aquatica and drop waterparks from your Disney pass. Aquatica is the best waterpark in Orlando AND by going to Discovery Cove, it's already free for you.

???? On what planet would Aquatica be better than the disney water parks? Very lacking in thrill rides completely. Blizzard Beach is the best overall in the whole world. It has everything.

OP go to Blizzard Beach for Water Park:

It has: thrill slides, kids slides, wave pool, lazy river, and pretty much everything there is. Typhoon Lagoon is amazing to but not as much thrill rides although the Crush N Gusher is one of the best slides I have been on. Wet N Wild is too many thrills and nothing is there but slides. The wave pool sucks at Wet N Wild, and the Lazy River isn't that good. Aquatica has hardly any thrills. The only thing I even like what Aquatica has over the rest is the lazy river that is really fast. Otherwise nothing else.

1. Blizzard Beach
2. Typhoon Lagoon
-------------------------Huge Gap-----------------
3. Aquatica
4. Wet N Wild

 

[Lewandowski]

OP Also Downtown Disney I'd spend a day there. Its mostly shopping & food, but there are two attractions there that are amazing. We spent a day there once, and did Disney Quest Theme Park from 10am-1pm, then had lunch at Raglan Road. Then we took the hot air ballon ride, shopped a bit, saw 6pm Cirque du Soleil (amazing show with acrobats), then we had dinner at T-Rex Cafe. We also got ice cream at Ghirardelli's. Not to be missed.

 

[Garyjames220]

Is the cirque du soleil show worth seeing ?


Mmmmm is the ice cream extra good there ?

 

[Lewandowski]

Is the cirque du soleil show worth seeing ?


Mmmmm is the ice cream extra good there ?

For Cirque du Soleil, I wouldn't see it more than once, but its worth to see just once. Those acrobats are just amazing and the show is just so entertaining. For me its worth it to see it once in lifetime, but I wouldn't pay that much to see continuously.

Whatever you do DON"T MISS GHIRARDELLI'S. That ice cream is simply amazing. There is only one place in this world where I had better ice cream and that is in a completely different country. I'd go to DTD just for Ghirardelli's even.

 

[TwoMisfits]

???? On what planet would Aquatica be better than the disney water parks? Very lacking in thrill rides completely. Blizzard Beach is the best overall in the whole world. It has everything.

OP go to Blizzard Beach for Water Park:

It has: thrill slides, kids slides, wave pool, lazy river, and pretty much everything there is. Typhoon Lagoon is amazing to but not as much thrill rides although the Crush N Gusher is one of the best slides I have been on. Wet N Wild is too many thrills and nothing is there but slides. The wave pool sucks at Wet N Wild, and the Lazy River isn't that good. Aquatica has hardly any thrills. The only thing I even like what Aquatica has over the rest is the lazy river that is really fast. Otherwise nothing else.

1. Blizzard Beach
2. Typhoon Lagoon
-------------------------Huge Gap-----------------
3. Aquatica
4. Wet N Wild

When is the last time you've been to Aquatica? For the Op, if going to Discovery Cove, the fact Aquatica would be FREE gives it the 1st huge advantage over $58/person for a Disney one. It also has the best lazy rivers (both slow and rapid), a beautiful beach and "ocean" area x2, the best "thrill" slide (in Ihu's Breakaway Falls), other thrill rides with short lines, a fun adult size spray and play park, less crowds and more beautiful areas to sit, sea creatures to visit, a reasonable all-you-can-eat-and-drink buffet, etc, etc...

 

[Lewandowski]

When is the last time you've been to Aquatica? For the Op, if going to Discovery Cove, the fact Aquatica would be FREE gives it the 1st huge advantage over $58/person for a Disney one. It also has the best lazy rivers (both slow and rapid), a beautiful beach and "ocean" area x2, the best "thrill" slide (in Ihu's Breakaway Falls), other thrill rides with short lines, a fun adult size spray and play park, less crowds and more beautiful areas to sit, sea creatures to visit, a reasonable all-you-can-eat-and-drink buffet, etc, etc...

Oh I didn't know about the free thing with the discovery cove. Didn't the OP already buy the water park add ons for disney though?

 

[BrianL]

I've never had the Ghirradelli's ice cream before, but I can say that that place smells wonderful when you walk by. I've always been too full from some other meal/snack to have any.

Also, DisneyQuest may well be closed by the time OP is at Disney Springs. I know it's kind of up in the air right now with the NBA thing being rumored to be out, but it's hard to tell.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I agree with some of the previous posters. WDW maps make everything look so close but in reality it is a big place.

I heartily recommend staying at Universal for 2 nights. The EE is so much better at US than the EMH at WDW. WDW has thousands of more rooms and the EMH benefit is not as good as it was 10 years ago when there were much less onsite guests. My DH is not a Potter fan but the two big Potter rides had him wow'ed. Until HS opens its Star Wars and Avatar lands, there are no attractions comparable at WDW and the Express pass does not apply to them but getting there EE is HUGE.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Oh I didn't know about the free thing with the discovery cove. Didn't the OP already buy the water park add ons for disney though?

I think Op is still figuring everything out (thus, "how many park days to buy")...

 

[Garyjames220]

Yeah sorry I do have the water add on already paid. I bought the 10 day with water fun but if I only use 9 Disney days etc am not to fussed as it wasn't that much more at all

But if u think something else is better then so be it