REally need Us/IAO guidance. Yeah or Nay?

[scottmel]

Went to US/IOA for Potter opening weekend last year and we all really enjoyed. DD12 first time at US/IOA. Beause of physical issues I have with knee and hip I tend to not ride very much but trail along which is fine. DD raved about this park and we were comped tickets to come back for 2 days.

Our trip in August we were planning to use our comp tickets and then go to WDW for a week after a 1 night stay at RP at US/IOA. To be honest if we were not comped those tickets I wouldn't spend that sum of money on US/IOA tickets so soon after being there last year though I spend that yearly on disney wiithouot thinking twice so that is anyone's guess as to why.

A long story short I guess I don't really WANT to go. Maybe b/c I am worried about my knee and seems like a lot of trudging around and I never ever disappoint DD and am worried she would be and I have no REAL reason for saying no. Cost of a hotel and that is it....I can save the tickets for any time. In fact I thought of doing a Discovery Cove / IOA vacation i 2012 and doing disney for a few days as well. But this August 2011 something isn't clicking with me for some reason..

Anyone either tell me to snap out of it or agree or something! Our week at WDW will only include 2 park days, by my choice though I would extend if needed,and more different stuff like Boat Rental, Blue Man Group and I guess I worry this vacation will seem lame ot not having IOA on the front end of it....

We are tied to dates on this Disney trip b/c I won it in a contest. I had THOUGHT of staying at WDW since it is free and just doing IOA but we had FOTLA last year and it was a godsend...Couldn't imagine having to wait in lines, etc......Unless I bought 2 FOTLA passes? We are interested in Potter World for sure and that gives hour early entry I know...My date to be there is 8/13....THAK YOU!

 

[macraven]

Our trip in August we were planning to use our comp tickets and then go to WDW for a week after a 1 night stay at RP at US/IOA. To be honest if we were not comped those tickets I wouldn't spend that sum of money on US/IOA tickets so soon after being there last year though I spend that yearly on disney wiithouot thinking twice so that is anyone's guess as to why.


A long story short I guess I don't really WANT to go. .THAK YOU!

when someone comes to the universal boards and states that they really do not want to go visit universal, there is nothing i could say to change your mind.
it is all a personal choice.

you stated, "We are tied to dates on this Disney trip b/c I won it in a contest."

disney is a wonderful place to take a vacation.
take advantage of the free trip you won there.

i do both parks each year.
i can't imagine going to orlando and chosing one over the other.

 

[scottmel]

Do you think it would be sheer madness to stay at disney and try to get into IOA as a guest vs. early entry? We marveled at how great the FOTLA pass was...and it spoiled us! Plus my IOA tix are 2 day passes that are to be used at once - so I can't use one in 2011 and the other day in 2012. Would almost seem like a waste to do it this way.....

 

[macraven]

if your vacation is at the end of august, the crowds tend to be lower then.
park hours are adjusted to that also.


so, if you stay at disney and go at the last week of august, you should not have any major issues going as a guest to UO.

you can get transportation from your disney resort to universal for a decent price. (a charge per person for the round trip transportation.)
you sign up for the transport in the lobby/concierge at your disney hotel the night before you want to go.

you have the option of being on the pick up list at 6:45 or 7:45 am.
(unless that has been changed recently)

you can travel to universal, spend the day and then return to your disney resort.
pick up time would be worked out by you.

then repeat the same routine for the 2nd day you do universal.


the other option is to book one night on site at universal.
you will receive 2 days of unlimited express line useage.
you get this perk in the parks for the day you check into the hotel and the day you check out of the hotel.
you have free two day tickets so you could use both on the one night stay

now if you are doing your vacation at the end of august, you will not have large crowds in the park.
if your trip is at the beginning of the month, it will be different.

the way the economy is going, i would expect rooms to be discounted at universal if the hotels are not at 85% occupancy.

if you book at the UO hotel and the price lowers, call to have your rate modified.

not all are into the universal or parry hotter parks.

if the family really wants to do the parks and stay onsite, you could spend the time at the pool, or pool hop, check out city walk or walk around in the parks to check it out.

if your child wants to do coasters and you don't, you can have her do the single rider lines.
on the coasters, you can't have much of a conversation with anyone next riding next to you.
FJ included.

figure out which is more beneficial for you.

travel on 2 different days from disney to universal, will it be too much of a hassle?
is it going to be over your budget?

if you can get a room for one night at UO at the price of under $150, would it be a trade off for travel times and costs............and you would not have any lines to stand in at UO.

since you won the contest for disney, i am assuming you are not paying for room costs there.

It's a toss up.

 

[macraven]

if you stay onsite at UO, you probably can use a wc at the hotel to use at the park. (free)

you can rent wc or electric scooters at the park same as you can at disney.
if you have hip/knee issues, i personally understand how the body can hurt.

when you walk a long time or have to stand for a long period of time, it makes a person miserable.

as a comparison for homies that do not have joint issues, think about how yucky it is to walk around all day in a park with soaking wet socks and drenched shoes.........or wet jean shorts.......

 

[scottmel]

Thanks so much for the insight and help, I appreciate it. I talked to DD tonight and I really expected some resistance from her. I guess I was feeling guilty over the knee surgery bc our family is so into walking and I wouldn't think twice about it in the past. I told her I was a LITTLE worried about my knee on this trip but if she really wanted to do US I would make it work. She was fine with not going and said she prefered to wait until 2012 to go back to US since she was just there for Potter opening weekend. I shared your idea with her of going while at WDW but she was of the mindset of let's enjoy our free trip and save US for next time. We will have a rental care so I am keeping the plan in the back of my mind in case we are feeling a little off towards the end of the Disney stay. We can go down for a day....I did promise her Blue Man Group so I am keeping that promise. I even called the airline and while I had to fly into Tampa b/c tix were free, Orlando opened up and I was able to get us switched there by knockingn off the first day of the trip....THANK YOU for the advice.

 

[macraven]

you are welcome.

i have knee problems and i think i walk more at the motherland than the darkside.
i park hop during each day there.

at the darkside, i don't rush and can take the parks at a slower pace.

your daughter sounds like she is very mature.
she is putting your health first.
that is a very nice thing for her to do that.

i think you said your UO tickets are good thru 2012.

do the motherland this august and then the darkside the next year.
everyone wins that way.

i just can not go to orlando and not do both resorts/parks.
i start my stay at the motherland for 7/8 nights then switch over to the darkside hotels for the next 8 nights.

i do understand how time consuming it is to stay at one resort and then travel for a day trip to another.

i think it is fantastic you won a free trip to disney....
maybe you will win one to universal next year...

 

[scottmel]

Thanks!!!And our IOA tix are lifetime so no worries there ! I will just enjoy myself more not thinking of 5 park days in one trip this time...Normally I am 10 days and 10 parks!!! I know what you mean about the walking...we log tons of miles too and I remember thinking last year at IOA how compact everything was, etc. You were a big help and I appreciate it. Our trip to IOA WAS to have been 8/13 so that is sort of smack dab in the middle of the high season still.....but I will take my vouchers and keep an eye on DIS and you never know crowds might not be insane though with potter released in July at the theatres that could drive it up a little??? But I feel relieved for some reason.....