Never been and need some quick advice!

[barefootMom]

Hi - we are a WDW family and just got an opportunity to go to Orlando for a long weekend the week before Christmas (19th - 22nd). I have always thought of trying Universal but we never seemed to be able to give up WDW. We are not ride thrill seekers but my 2 daughters are 10 and 13 and love Harry Potter so I am thinking this might be the trip we try it out? Here are a few of my questions:

-will Universal have as much for Christmas decorations as Disney?
-will the park be packed and will I still be able to get into Harry Potter things even if I am not staying at one of the Universal hotels?
-we will be using Marriott points to stay and were thinking of staying at Marriott World Center but is that too far from Universal?
- would I want to do island of adventure for sure too?
- should we still keep one day to pay for a 1 day pass to Magic Kingdom since I always wanted to see it at Xmas?

Thanks for your help??

 

[johde]

Universal will be decorated but not as much as Disney (at least the MK). Islands of Adventure will be decorated mainly is Seuss Landing and in the front and Universal Studios will be decorated mainly in the front/New York area of the park.

I'm thinking the parks will be start out moderate and be getting busier each day of the trip. You'll probably miss the insane level by a few days.

if it were my trip I would do the following.

Dec. 19th MVMCP (This gets your MK fix. You can visit the MK from 4:00 until Midnight for $74) If you have extra time on the 19th, you could go resort hopping/ Park hopping. The deluxe Disney resorts are highly decorated especially the Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, and Animal Kingdom Lodge. Also, the trees for Animal Kingdom, and Disney Hollywood Studios are outside the park so you would not need admission to see those.

Dec. 20th -22nd Universal & IOA

I would buy 1 AP and the rest 2 day + 1 day free (from Universal or Undercover Tourist).

To play it safe with the lines I would book a "throwaway room" for either the night of the 20th or the 21st. I'd pick the 21st if the 22nd is a full day I'd pick the 20th if it's a short day + travel. With the "throwaway room" you will all get express passes for 2 days. The Annual Pass rate for those nights is $204+ tax at Royal Pacific. Express passes for those days are $99 per person per day. If you picked the 21st, you could save your Marriott points for another trip later and switch hotels.

 

[HM]

I agree with the previous poster.
MK with tickets to MVMCP, and the rest of your trip at Universal.

We are doing a Universal only trip at the same time as you'll be there. Your kids are perfect ages.

We also did a Universal trip (first one) about ten years ago and stayed at the World Center with Marriott points. Great hotel and easy trip to all the parks, really. We did not find we needed FOL passes (went during Spring break...Easter).

 

[RMulieri]

If you want to see ALL the Harry Potter stuff, then you will need a PARK TO PARK ticket and you will need to go to IOA too..Hogsmeade and Hogwarts are at IOA, Diagon alley is at the studios and the Hogwarts express connects the 2 parks ( which is why you need a park to park ticket).The parks are literally right next to each other.They do decorate, just not to the extent Disney does.Crowds will be starting to build each day and wont be at the worst when you are there, but it isn't going to be dead empty slow either

 

[nkereina]

-will the park be packed and will I still be able to get into Harry Potter things even if I am not staying at one of the Universal hotels?
Can't speak to crowd levels but you can purchase the express pass they offer at on-site hotels.

- would I want to do island of adventure for sure too?
Yes. Wizarding World is in both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure. If you want to ride the Hogwarts Express train, you will need park to park tickets.

- should we still keep one day to pay for a 1 day pass to Magic Kingdom since I always wanted to see it at Xmas?
Agree with PPs in that tickets to MVMCP is your best bet. You can get into the park at 4pm, so buying a one day ticket will be a lot more expensive for only a matter of a few hours.

 

[barefootMom]

What a great idea to do just the MVMCP on one night and then Universal the rest of the days ... I do not know that I can swing buying the front of line pass as it looks like it adds on $99/ per person per day for our dates - is that right? I think we need to stay offsite for sure so am wondering if we will really be ok with standing in lines on Dec 20, 21, 22???? Scared about that...

 

[cgattis]

What a great idea to do just the MVMCP on one night and then Universal the rest of the days ... I do not know that I can swing buying the front of line pass as it looks like it adds on $99/ per person per day for our dates - is that right? I think we need to stay offsite for sure so am wondering if we will really be ok with standing in lines on Dec 20, 21, 22???? Scared about that...

If your girls are very into Potter, and have never been, I'd say skip the Express Passes. You can very easily spend half a day in each Potter section (easily--you could probably spend more if you did every spell, visited every shop, ate, and rode the rides more than once each). Then you can ride whichever rides you're most interested in standby. I'd definitely choose the 2-park ticket to ride the Hogwarts Express over the EP, if I had to cut $$ somewhere. PS, if they're big Potter nerds, you might want to plan on $50 each for the interactive wands--and get them first thing! Well, right after your first ride on Gringott's at park open, maybe . The longer they have them, the better $ spent.

Out first Uni trip was early December, and I personally thought there were as many decorations as in Disney (excluding Epcot). If you have time, stay for the Macys parade--enjoyed it more than we expected.

 

[barefootMom]

Now I want to ask you what the interactive wands are?! I will go try to look them up but maybe you are right and we can just spend lots of time in the Harry potter stuff...?

 

[johde]

What a great idea to do just the MVMCP on one night and then Universal the rest of the days ... I do not know that I can swing buying the front of line pass as it looks like it adds on $99/ per person per day for our dates - is that right? I think we need to stay offsite for sure so am wondering if we will really be ok with standing in lines on Dec 20, 21, 22???? Scared about that...

If you buy them separately. That why I was recommending booking a "throwaway room" For $204 + tax + the cost to upgrade 1 ticket to an Annual Pass. Getting annual pass will get you Free Parking after the first day and 10% off most food and souvenirs as well. By booking the 1 night at a deluxe hotel. you will get Unlimited Express for 2 days for EVERYONE and 2 days of Early entry for EVERYONE and a place to go for an afternoon break away from the park and swim for 2 days even if you don't sleep there. So, booking just 1 night would leave one 1 day of regular lines.

 

[barefootMom]

Oh! I did not understand the throwaway room concept but that does make sense now except for one part - why the annual pass for one? Is that for the parking and discounts you mentioned?

 

[johde]

Oh! I did not understand the throwaway room concept but that does make sense now except for one part - why the annual pass for one? Is that for the parking and discounts you mentioned?

The parking and the 10% off is the gravy. The room is $204 a night for an annual pass holder it's $375 for without an annual pass.

 

[quantumottle]

I just wanted to say Thank You to johde for the wonderful suggestions. It looks like your plan will definately save my family a few bucks!