November trip--what parks/tickets? Help me decide :)

[Vacation Lover]

We're spending a few days in Orlando before going on to Tampa for Thanksgiving and I'm trying to decide what parks to go to. I'd love some input! Here are some details...
1. There are 5 of us travelling--me, DH, DS15, DD13, and DD8.
2. We're arriving on Saturday afternoon and checking out on Wednesday (park days would probably be Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and/or Wednesday.)
3. We're staying at Windsor Hills and have a car
4. Four of us have 1 day left on a non-expiration Disney ticket
5. We have annual passes to Busch Gardens in Tampa
6. I'm trying to find the best value on doing Disney, Universal, Busch or any combination of the parks. Family will be happy with any of them.

So here are some options I've come up with:
Option #1
Disney/Universal/Busch
Sunday--Disney (need to purchase 1 child ticket & use 4 non exp tickets)
Monday & Tuesday--Universal (Need to purchase 2-day tickets)
Wednesday--Busch (Use season passes)
Cost: $814

Option #2
Disney/Busch
Sunday-Tuesday--Disney (Purchase 3 day tickets to Disney & save non exp tickets for next time)
Wednesday--Busch (Use season passes)
Cost: $883

Option #3
Disney
Sunday-Wednesday--Disney
Purchase 4 day tickets & save non exp tickets for next time
Cost: $983
OR
Use non exp tickets on Sunday & purchase weekday annual passes for Mon-Wed **Use passes for a possible summertime visit in 2014**
Cost: $1,134

Suggestions, comments? Thanks for your input!

 

[lovesdumbo]

Can you go to Busch gardens on Sunday? Then buy weekday passes for WDW. I don't think I would use non expire tickets for Sunday. I would spend the extra $ to get "regular" WDW seasonal passes rather than weekday since the one day ticket is worth about the same as the extra cost to upgrade from a weekday pass but more outlay now.

How many days will you do in summer 2014? You might want to price out how many days you would need to go to WDW and pay for parking-you might want to purchase one FL resident AP to get free parking.

I've only ever been to WDW so I can't speak to the value of other park visits.

 

[lovesdumbo]

When are you planning to go in summer 2014? Looks like weekday passes are blacked out most of the summer-this year 6/8 to 8/14.

 

[orlandomomof4]

Have you been to either of the Universal Parks? My DS15, DS12, DS8, and DD6 have outgrown our annual passes at Disney and would much rather go to Universal -- more thrill rides, butterbeer at Hogwarts, and the Simpsons!

Not sure how long you are staying in Tampa, but maybe you can use your annual pass at Busch Gardens while you're there for Thanksgiving and not "waste" one of the days you could be spending in Orlando.

I like Option I the best, but maybe go to one of the Disney water parks on Weds instead of Busch Gardens. Or skip Disney altogether if you're coming back in 2014. I find that we get the Disney atmosphere even by going to Downtown Disney, where you can go to the Lego Store, watch the awesome Disney DJs do a free interactive performance (several times a day), and go bowling at the new Splitsville.

Of course, it depends how much time you want to spend at the Disney Parks I'd be happy to answer any other questions you might have.

 

[Wishes Count]

Also I'm not sure of your dates but you might be able to purchase tickets to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. It is a special ticketed event but it is definitely worth it to do it at least once

 

[Vacation Lover]

Thanks for the responses. I talked to my family about it and the one thing I'm hearing from the kids is that they want Disney and/or Universal, but can live without Busch, so I guess we're cutting Busch from this trip. We're going to Tampa to visit family this summer so we can go to Busch then.

When are you planning to go in summer 2014? Looks like weekday passes are blacked out most of the summer-this year 6/8 to 8/14.

Good point! We don't have a specific trip planned, just likely to head down that way to visit family. I think we'll stick with multi-day tickets, just to be on the safe side.

Also I'm not sure of your dates but you might be able to purchase tickets to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. It is a special ticketed event but it is definitely worth it to do it at least once

I thought about that too, but it's not going on the dates we'll be there. Oh well...

Have you been to either of the Universal Parks? My DS15, DS12, DS8, and DD6 have outgrown our annual passes at Disney and would much rather go to Universal -- more thrill rides, butterbeer at Hogwarts, and the Simpsons!

Yes, I think my big kids will prefer Universal. Right now I'm leaning toward 2 or 3 days Disney, and 1 or 2 days Universal.

Hmmm, decisions, decisions...