Need help with split stay - Universal & WDW

[maui2k5]

We will be going to Universal and WDW this summer and I am unsure of the plans we have put together. We (wife, kids 10 & 12) have been to WDW many times (with FastPass) and this time we are splitting out trip. Below is what we have planned so far (each day we plan to have mid-day breaks at the hotels).

Day 1:
Fly from Houston to Orlando
Stay at TownHill Suites (free night)
Maybe check out City Walk

Day 2:
Drop bags off at Hard Rock Hotel (get room mid-afternoon)
Islands of Adventure and Universal (have a Park to Park & Express Pass)

Day 3:
Islands of Adventure and Universal (have a Park to Park & Express Pass)

Day 4:
Check out of Hard Rock
Check into Yacht Club
Epcot in the late AM
MK in the evening
Dinner @ Liberty Tree

Day 5:
DHS in the AM
Epcot in the PM
Dinner @ Garden Grill

Day 6:
MK in the AM
DHS in the PM
Dinner @ Sci-Fi Dine In (a tradition - if available)

Day 7:
Animal Kingdom in the AM
Boo Bash in the PM
Dinner @ Whispering Canyon

Day 8:
DHS in the AM (booking 2 mornings @ DHS if we miss RotR our first time here to have another shot)
Epcot in the PM
Dinner @ Tepan Edo

Thoughts? I have been going back and forth between 3 days @ Universal vs 4 days @ WDW. Also have been debating WDW park hopper vs not (always have had a hopper pass in the past). We will likely not go to Volcano Bay this trip or a WDW water park.

 

[JJoe]

I think you will need more time at disney because express pass at universal you will save plenty of time

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We do 3 universal days at the start of our trip. One full IoA day, one full US day snd one day of only Harry Potter. If I were you I’d arrive at hard rock first thing in the morning, grab express passes and head to US. The next day I’d do IoA. And on checkout day, hank out at the pool and enjoy the resort

 

[Skippyboo]

You definitely need a park hopper since you are planning for multiple parks and ADRs in not your first park. Remember you can’t park hop until 2pm

 

[Heather07438]

I think the hopper makes good sense when staying at an Epcot resort. Its easy to make good use there. Your plan looks good. Well balanced 2 days at 2 parks and 4 days at the other 4 parks.

 

[gharter]

I think it looks good.
We have done this in the past and are going again next spring.
With Express Pass, 2 1/2 days is more than enough to do everything you want to do at Universal even if a few attractions don't take it. Our last trip, Hagrids, and Velocicoaster wasn't open yet. We had done everything we wanted to do in 2 days.
Have a great trip!