Planning help for universal trip

[kimberlyWDW]

Help!

I need to totally redo our may'12 vacation. We were originally going to do a Disney cruise, but our doggy was diagnosed with cancer last week. We need to pay for her surgery for her out of our vacation fund. We decided to cancel the cruise and do a week in Orlando instead. We have free plane tix and a timeshare, so it's a pretty inexpensive option for us.

My family is me, hubby, and my kids (DS11, DD11, and DD8).

We have done Disney three times since 2004, so this will be a mouse-free vacation. We also did Sea World three years ago.

Universal is a must-do as DS is DYING to go to the Harry Potter stuff. We will have six park touring days. I was thinking of getting the $174 universal tix for unilimited US IoA and W&W. I'm concerned that we won't have enough to do for six days.

I'm debating on adding Discovery Cove. It would be $$$$ but still not nearly as much as a cruise. That would also give us an unlimited tix to Busch Gardens Tampa.

Do you think that would be OK or would it be too much. Gatorland would also be a cool choice or maybe Cape Canaveral.

We are not aggressive park tourers. We generally do half days. We're staying at Wyndham Bonnet Creek, so we also have awesome pools at the timeshare.

Any thoughts and ideas would be much appreciated. I'm very good with Disney planning and timing, but fairly clueless about the other parks.

Thanks!
Kim

 

[RAPstar]

I think you'll have plenty to do for 6 days. Since you said you like to do half days, there is more than enough at both Universal parks for a couple of half days, plus you have W&W as well. And the pools at your resort. I would save the extra money and do a nice meal for the family, or extra souvenir money (there is more than enough HP stuff alone to break the bank, lol).

 

[ky07]

I have done six and seven days with me my DW and 2 DS's and we always had enough to do
Even for the past 3 years when it has just been me and DW we have found plenty to do at Universal for 7 days and even find things we missed even though we have been going for several years now.
Hope this helps

 

[Keeblerelf928]

I think you'll find plenty to do, but if you want more options I would look at the Orlando Flex Ticket or the Orlando Flex Ticket Plus. It gives you a lot more park options for and extra 90dollars. Have fun!!

 

[sz9144]

I'm staying six nights at end of December and have planned one day to take a grayline trip up to NASA space center and an airboat ride to take a break from the parks for a day

 

[AJA]

I think you'll have plenty to do! We also love really being able to relax and "vacation" on our vacations. I would keep the UN and W&W ticket. You could always add an ocean day, day at the Cape, or Gatorland/other Orlando attraction.

Half days in the parks with afternoons at the pool are the best!