My New Disney Touring Strategy

[#1DopeyFan]

Being able to spend the morning/afternoon in Universal then return to Disney for dinner and your evening FP+?

Just curious...you would really do BOTH in one day, multiple days?

 

[mom2rtk]

Just curious...you would really do BOTH in one day, multiple days?

It really wouldn't be any different than doing one Disney park in the AM, taking a break, then hopping to a different Disney park that night.

 

[#1DopeyFan]

It really wouldn't be any different than doing one Disney park in the AM, taking a break, then hopping to a different Disney park that night.

Definitely different. Financially, it's a LOT different...I'm just curious if PP would pay to do Disney and Universal in one day.

 

[surferdave]

Definitely different. Financially, it's a LOT different...I'm just curious if PP would pay to do Disney and Universal in one day.

What I'm considering doing is going during the MNSSHP and/or MVMCP season and attend two of those during a stay at Universal. That would probably mean starting the day at a Uni park in the morning, going back to the resort, and driving to MK to enter at 4 PM on two vacation days.

 

[mom2rtk]

Definitely different. Financially, it's a LOT different...I'm just curious if PP would pay to do Disney and Universal in one day.

The out days on a WDW ticket are so inexpensive that I think this plan is not much different financially from doing WDW for 4 days plus Universal for a couple days on a given trip. LOTS of people do that already.

 

[morethananyonex]

Just curious...you would really do BOTH in one day, multiple days?

Yes, we really would. We wouldn't spend too many days at Universal, probably 2 at the most, but that's 2 more than we have done since the early 90s.

We buy 10 day hopper tickets. At that point, the cost per day is very low. We have held back from going to Universal for a long, long time simply because we feel like it's wasting a Disney day. FP+ allows us to have the best of both worlds.

 

[vwlfan]

Tickets did you buy?

 

[morethananyonex]

Definitely different. Financially, it's a LOT different...I'm just curious if PP would pay to do Disney and Universal in one day.

The only major difference is the cost of the Universal tickets, and if you want to go to Universal that cost is irrelevant in this discussion. You're paying it whether or not you do the Universal/Disney split.

Let's say my family has 10 days of vacation and wants to spend 1 at Universal. The cost of Universal tickets is X whether or not I choose to spend my evening at a Disney park. The difference between a 9 day ticket and a 10 day ticket at Disney is about $11 per adult (including the tax). I wouldn't think twice about spending $11 per person extra to have the evening at a Disney park with 3 FP in hand.

I think it's kind of funny that FP+ has made Universal look more appealing to us, and not in a we hate FP+ so we're leaving Disney kind of way. FP+ and Harry Potter has made Universal a must do for our next trip.

 

[Imhere]

I think it's kind of funny that FP+ has made Universal look more appealing to us, and not in a we hate FP+ so we're leaving Disney kind of way. FP+ and Harry Potter has made Universal a must do for our next trip.

Huh?

I think it's kind of funny that to the casual observer it looks like Universal is now where you want to go SOLELY because of FP+.

It's okay to admit that you can settle for your second choice.

 

[mom2rtk]

Huh?

I think it's kind of funny that to the casual observer it looks like Universal is now where you want to go SOLELY because of FP+.

It's okay to admit that you can settle for your second choice.

I think the OP summed up the way a lot of us feel:

I admit, I do still like the the Disney parks and attractions a bit more. But I feel like I had more fun at UOR than we did on our last trip to WDW in the fall.

 

[rustyanchor]

I really like US/IOA but can't imagine spending five days there, no way. The last time we tried to stretch the Universal parks into TWO days we decided never again. Universal has some great rides for sure, but WDW doesn't have anything to worry about. They're on another level.

What I'm considering doing is going during the MNSSHP and/or MVMCP season and attend two of those during a stay at Universal. That would probably mean starting the day at a Uni park in the morning, going back to the resort, and driving to MK to enter at 4 PM on two vacation days.

This is what we did in September, we stayed at Universal until about 3pm then hopped to MK for MNSSHP. It worked out great. However we only did IOA, not US.

 

[morethananyonex]

Huh?

I think it's kind of funny that to the casual observer it looks like Universal is now where you want to go SOLELY because of FP+.

It's okay to admit that you can settle for your second choice.

Huh right back at ya. I don't think you understood what I was saying.

First of all, we will likely visit Disney parks for TEN days and Universal for ONE of those. Not sure how that means I'm settling for second choice. You realize I am not the OP, correct? Second, we are not motivated to visit Universal because of FP+ and it's flaws, but because FP+ allows us to tour a Disney park in the evening when we visit Universal, allowing us to feel like we aren't wasting a precious Disney day at Universal.

Might wanna read again, you really didn't make much sense.

 

[fairy8i8]

Huh?

I think it's kind of funny that to the casual observer it looks like Universal is now where you want to go SOLELY because of FP+.

It's okay to admit that you can settle for your second choice.

That's pretty derogatory. Please don't put people down in their decisions or their opinions. It's ok to be different.

Personally, I prefer Universal. I think it is a much better adult park and has more interesting rides. I like the theming of Disney, but other than ToT and RnR, the rides aren't very interesting to me. I often get just as much ambiance doing a dinner in a Disney resort as in one of their theme parks and have done that on several vacations instead of entering the theme parks.

I admit, Disney is much more geared to younger children, which is why we are doing a solely Disney trip on property this year because we will be taking our DS4 for his first trip. We only have 5 days this trip, which is why Universal or other Orlando Attractions are not included. We will also be going to Disneyland to see Carsland this Fall (can't complain about DH having a conference at the Disneyland Hotel!)

On future trips, I plan to do both Universal and Disney, as many people who visit Orlando multiple times do. I for one am comforted by the touring strategy presented by the OP, and my DH will surely thank the person because I like Deluxe Resorts, and his pocketbook will reap the benefit.

 

[EMode]

Huh?

I think it's kind of funny that to the casual observer it looks like Universal is now where you want to go SOLELY because of FP+.

It's okay to admit that you can settle for your second choice.

I can't speak for that poster but in no way is going to Universal settling for 2nd choice for us. The older my kids get, the less magical WDW is for them so I feel like its fate that FP+ was introduced at a time when WDW wasn't doing it for us like it used too. It's a sign that maybe WDW shouldn't be our first choice anymore.

 

[morethananyonex]

I can't speak for that poster but in no way is going to Universal settling for 2nd choice for us. The older my kids get, the less magical WDW is for them so I feel like its fate that FP+ was introduced at a time when WDW wasn't doing it for us like it used too. It's a sign that maybe WDW shouldn't be our first choice anymore.

The thing is, Universal is second choice to us, that's why we have never taken a Disney day away for it in the past. That doesn't mean we don't want to go though. We have contemplated it each and every Disney trip we take (long before FP+). FP+ has made it much easier to do both, instead of deciding if we want to give up a day at Disney.

Just because we are planning to include Universal in our next trip doesn't mean we're "settling" for it. We WANT to do it. I mean, I wouldn't pay like $100 per person for something I'm settling for, that's ridiculous.

 

[MrInfinity]

This is an interesting thread. Aside from the obvious trolling and "ha-ha I'm gonna stay at Universal" feel to it, the idea is not completely unfounded. I had come up w the plan to do 2 days at Uni, then a third 1/2-day there, then switch over to WDW to begin our vacation... you'd get the benefit of a lot of rides at Uni, plus a 3FP "opening night" on your arrival day at WDW. Now this poster is saying to do that not just on your transition day but every day.

In theory the OP's plan would work, but I think the mechanics of getting from one park to the other, then parking, taking transport to the MK, then back to T&T center, then drive back to Uni is really going to be quite the logistics hassle. It wouldn't seem much like a vacation to me... more of racing from resort to resort dealing w traffic and getting into parks. Maybe it would work if your goal was just to maximize rides, but then again you're actually paying for both parks while you do this. Even at the $11 or so per day extra for the MK time, that's still $55 for a family of 5. I think I'd lean toward saving that $110 and enjoying pool time at Uni instead of two 30-min drives in Orlando traffic plus getting out of the parking lot at closing time, and so on.

This is also incredibly wasteful. For altho you are only paying that $55 (fam 5 @ $11) to go to DW per extra day, you most certainly paid a lot to be at Uni, and have an all-day FOTL pass that you are leaving unconsumed for 1/2 of the day. You're just throwing that money away. Plus paying for gas and parking at WDW since you're not a resort guest.

This brings up the next thing... of "If a WDW day is best done as a 1/2 day cuz that's a good time in which to spend your 3 FPs"... then, what do you want to do w your other half-day? Is it "hop in the car and go to Uni"? I would say no. When I'm at WDW, I'd rather look around the MK, or whatever. I *never* find I have time left to kill, and it's always running out of time. We could go to Tom Sawyer Isl... or we could watch the Jamboree... or we could do the Jungle walk at AK... or Rafiki's... or other time consuming things. I never feel like "wow I don't have a FP at the moment and I cannot be immediately riding a ride so I should just leave".

I'm probly going to stick w my 3/6 Uni/Wdw split stay for our next trip.

 

[EMode]

The thing is, Universal is second choice to us, that's why we have never taken a Disney day away for it in the past. That doesn't mean we don't want to go though. We have contemplated it each and every Disney trip we take (long before FP+). FP+ has made it much easier to do both, instead of deciding if we want to give up a day at Disney.

Just because we are planning to include Universal in our next trip doesn't mean we're "settling" for it. We WANT to do it. I mean, I wouldn't pay like $100 per person for something I'm settling for, that's ridiculous.

We have never been to Universal (this spring will be our first trip).We have done Sea World and Busch Gardens and other things in the Orlando area but I always felt WDW was where our family would have the best time. Then last summer it just felt different there and now with FP+ in full swing I know it just won't be the same for us. It does sadden me, I thought WDW would always be our first choice but that just isn't true anymore

 

[3happydancers]

Is staying onsite at Universal.

Just got back from our first visit to Universal. We stayed at Portofino, which was very nice.

But the best part was Unlimited Express Pass!!! No planning, no spreadsheets, no watching the clock, no rushing to make a FPP, no ADRs. Just sleeping in (other than our WWOHP day) and going where we wanted, when we wanted, with minimal waits.

I admit, I do still like the the Disney parks and attractions a bit more. But I feel like I had more fun at UOR than we did on our last trip to WDW in the fall.

From now on, we'll be staying at Universal and seeing Disney from there for a portion of the trip. Win-win

For the first time ever, our family will be spending time at Universal (the tail end of our vacation). We were going to spend 10 days at WDW for DD 16th birthday with one of her friends. When we told her about the changes to fast pass she voiced concern. Well long story short, I told DD to do a little research on Universal. She came back asking if we could go for a few days and stay at the HRH. It's her 16th so I let her decide as long as it was within budget. To be honest, I never thought of this as a strategy, but after reading your post, one could definitely see this as one. We are looking forward to a different way of spending our day; no adr's, no rushing or clock watching, no reservations at all. This could be the beginning of split vacations for us in the future! (we'll spend some of our days at our DVC resort). So glad I came across your post!

 

[ArwenMarie]

This is an interesting thread. Aside from the obvious trolling and "ha-ha I'm gonna stay at Universal" feel to it, the idea is not completely unfounded. I had come up w the plan to do 2 days at Uni, then a third 1/2-day there, then switch over to WDW to begin our vacation... you'd get the benefit of a lot of rides at Uni, plus a 3FP "opening night" on your arrival day at WDW. Now this poster is saying to do that not just on your transition day but every day.

In theory the OP's plan would work, but I think the mechanics of getting from one park to the other, then parking, taking transport to the MK, then back to T&T center, then drive back to Uni is really going to be quite the logistics hassle. It wouldn't seem much like a vacation to me... more of racing from resort to resort dealing w traffic and getting into parks. Maybe it would work if your goal was just to maximize rides, but then again you're actually paying for both parks while you do this. Even at the $11 or so per day extra for the MK time, that's still $55 for a family of 5. I think I'd lean toward saving that $110 and enjoying pool time at Uni instead of two 30-min drives in Orlando traffic plus getting out of the parking lot at closing time, and so on.

This is also incredibly wasteful. For altho you are only paying that $55 (fam 5 @ $11) to go to DW per extra day, you most certainly paid a lot to be at Uni, and have an all-day FOTL pass that you are leaving unconsumed for 1/2 of the day. You're just throwing that money away. Plus paying for gas and parking at WDW since you're not a resort guest.

This brings up the next thing... of "If a WDW day is best done as a 1/2 day cuz that's a good time in which to spend your 3 FPs"... then, what do you want to do w your other half-day? Is it "hop in the car and go to Uni"? I would say no. When I'm at WDW, I'd rather look around the MK, or whatever. I *never* find I have time left to kill, and it's always running out of time. We could go to Tom Sawyer Isl... or we could watch the Jamboree... or we could do the Jungle walk at AK... or Rafiki's... or other time consuming things. I never feel like "wow I don't have a FP at the moment and I cannot be immediately riding a ride so I should just leave".

I'm probly going to stick w my 3/6 Uni/Wdw split stay for our next trip.

No, that wasn't me saying I was going to split the actual days between Disney and Universal, I think that was in the comments?

I am going to stay at Universal and then see both Disney and Universal from there. Then we get the Express Pass for the whole trip and also because I liked Portofino way more than the Disney Deluxes that I have stayed in.

My thoughts are to see Disney in the mornings on the Disney days, and then go to the Universal parks later if we feel like it, or not. Then have Universal-only days as well. I also like the idea in the comments about going to Disney for resort dinners, maybe seeing fireworks from the resorts, as well as the idea about going during the party season and seeing Disney that way. Lots of options.

The main point was that the hotel was very comfortable, and along with the Express Pass, it changed my thinking on the whole thing, in a good, positive way.

 

[morethananyonex]

This is an interesting thread. Aside from the obvious trolling and "ha-ha I'm gonna stay at Universal" feel to it, the idea is not completely unfounded. I had come up w the plan to do 2 days at Uni, then a third 1/2-day there, then switch over to WDW to begin our vacation... you'd get the benefit of a lot of rides at Uni, plus a 3FP "opening night" on your arrival day at WDW. Now this poster is saying to do that not just on your transition day but every day.

In theory the OP's plan would work, but I think the mechanics of getting from one park to the other, then parking, taking transport to the MK, then back to T&T center, then drive back to Uni is really going to be quite the logistics hassle. It wouldn't seem much like a vacation to me... more of racing from resort to resort dealing w traffic and getting into parks. Maybe it would work if your goal was just to maximize rides, but then again you're actually paying for both parks while you do this. Even at the $11 or so per day extra for the MK time, that's still $55 for a family of 5. I think I'd lean toward saving that $110 and enjoying pool time at Uni instead of two 30-min drives in Orlando traffic plus getting out of the parking lot at closing time, and so on.

This is also incredibly wasteful. For altho you are only paying that $55 (fam 5 @ $11) to go to DW per extra day, you most certainly paid a lot to be at Uni, and have an all-day FOTL pass that you are leaving unconsumed for 1/2 of the day. You're just throwing that money away. Plus paying for gas and parking at WDW since you're not a resort guest.

This brings up the next thing... of "If a WDW day is best done as a 1/2 day cuz that's a good time in which to spend your 3 FPs"... then, what do you want to do w your other half-day? Is it "hop in the car and go to Uni"? I would say no. When I'm at WDW, I'd rather look around the MK, or whatever. I *never* find I have time left to kill, and it's always running out of time. We could go to Tom Sawyer Isl... or we could watch the Jamboree... or we could do the Jungle walk at AK... or Rafiki's... or other time consuming things. I never feel like "wow I don't have a FP at the moment and I cannot be immediately riding a ride so I should just leave".

I'm probly going to stick w my 3/6 Uni/Wdw split stay for our next trip.

No, that wasn't me saying I was going to split the actual days between Disney and Universal, I think that was in the comments?

I am going to stay at Universal and then see both Disney and Universal from there. Then we get the Express Pass for the whole trip and also because I liked Portofino way more than the Disney Deluxes that I have stayed in.

Yeah, you're combining what the two of us said.

All I said was as a family who has always considered Universal but never actually pulled the trigger mainly due to the loss of Disney time, FP+ has made it easier for us to experience a day or 2 at Universal. For our family, it won't be a Universal centric vacation at all. It will be a day, possibly 2, spent at Universal just to see it and experience HP while still staying onsite at Disney and spending the bulk of our time there. Likely no express passes, just seeing the few things we're interested in and have skipped doing all these trips.

In the past we always decided not to do so because we don't get down to Disney that frequently, and we didn't want to lose out on our favourites. Now we can do both, thanks to the ability to reserve FP+ without having to set foot in the parks.

We never would have been an opening to closing Universal family anyways, so I'm hardly seeing how it would be wasteful for us. Although, I'm sure you think our pool days at Disney where we don't enter the parks until around supper time are wasteful too. For a family who doesn't head to Disney multiple times a year, or even every year like many here do, we are more than happy to pay for tickets for each day of our trip and use them as much or as little as we please. $11 per person is a spit in the bucket compared to the cost of our Disney trips anyways.