Should they split up? (On vaca not in real life lol)

[MakiraMarlena]

There's always someone who comes along and says a family vacation is about all the family being together all the time and you can't split up for longer than it takes to go to the bathroom or it's not a FAMILY vacation. Don't mind if that's your preference, but I'm talking about the posters who say that's the way everybody should do it.

Actually it's whatever that particular family wants to do, as there isn't anything wrong with going separate ways for a day if they WANT to. If it's better for them to split for a day, they should go for it.

 

[Crystal824]

I vote for splitting up unless the Mom wants to go see Universal.

We have a 3 year old and have been to Universal with her the last two trips. We only have DD so it has been DH, me, and DD. She was only 2 on each trip so free to get in. Once in, we had to split up for her to have any fun. Otherwise, she is just waiting around all day for us to ride coasters with a few hours spent in the Dr. Seuss/ Curious George areas. Universal Rider Swap is like a true rider swap, you both wait, and each get a turn to ride while the other waits at the ride exit with the baby.

On both trips, we purchased Express Pass and used it kind of like Disney's Rider Swap. DH would go ride a few things while I took DD to do something she would enjoy. Then we would switch. I would go ride a few coasters and he would take her to a show or another area she would enjoy. This worked well for us. We had a park to park pass and were able to each see everything we wanted in one day at both parks. This worked for us because we both wanted to do Universal.

My point is they will likely have to split up while there anyway. If Mom doesn't want to really go to Universal, it makes sense just to split up for the day.

 

[thevolcanogod]

There's always someone who comes along and says a family vacation is about all the family being together all the time.....but I'm talking about the posters who say that's the way everybody should do it.

There's always some poster that comes along that thinks someone giving an opinion means they're trying to coerce someone else to do it "their way".

I didn't see anyone say anywhere that anything HAS to be done a certain way. Opinions were asked. Opinions were given. That is all.

 

[biondagirl]

Yes.

We took my kids there a few years ago. My dd was 4 and my ds was 7. He could ride EVERYTHING. She could ride a few things. After a while, there are only so many flight simulator type rides you can take. My daughter and I did a lot of waiting.

They talked us in to doing both parks, it was very slow, off season. It was the worst, $500 mistake I ever made. I'll take them back when they are older, but even now at 7 & 11, I don't think it's worth it.

 

[bumbershoot]

Actually it's whatever that particular family wants to do, as there isn't anything wrong with going separate ways for a day if they WANT to. If it's better for them to split for a day, they should go for it.

The problem is that the family has NO idea IF they truly want to split up. They know nothing of the parks. The OP knows nothing of the parks. So it's a decision being made with absolutely no knowledge.

Since I have an older kid who can ride all the rides AND is still drawn to the kid areas, I know there are kid areas in both parks, and I know that my son would have had a blast at Universal, even before he could ride much at all. Of course, we weren't even going to WDW at that time, let alone Universal, so we never did it, but right now I can picture all of the little play areas that he would have spent the day in, if we had gone when he was little. Next time we go he'll be 10, and he's going to want to play in the Jurassic area (though now he's too tall to ride Pteranodon Flyers) and ride the carousel in Seuss and "red fish blue fish", and play in the Curious George area and the soft ball play area behind there, and play at the Fievel playground.... If we suddenly had a 3 year old I would take the 3 year old in a heartbeat.

But that's because I've been there and I know. My family has no problem splitting up for events, but that's once we KNOW what a place is like and if we like it or not.

I'll take them back when they are older, but even now at 7 & 11, I don't think it's worth it.

My nearly 10 year old would urge you to rethink. He was 6.5 when we first went and even without riding any of the BIG rides he loved the place. Then he got brave enough for Forbidden Journey and it was all over. Now he can ride everything (though that's limited because I don't want him to ride alone, DH can't fit on the bigger rides, and I'm a chicken who has a limit on the terrifying rides I can do in a day or visit). And he's not even 10.

She just has to give me a definitive answer by 6/3 (dining reservation day) or it's counter service for them if they decide to stay at WDW with us

They can always cancel a reservation. They just have to do it the day before. If they end up with an extra table service credit I'm sure it can be fit in somewhere.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

There's always some poster that comes along that thinks someone giving an opinion means they're trying to coerce someone else to do it "their way".

I didn't see anyone say anywhere that anything HAS to be done a certain way. Opinions were asked. Opinions were given. That is all.

Just because they haven't come along yet doesn't mean they won't be along...they always come along.

 

[puffkin]

I think it is absolutely fine to split up, if that is what the parents want to do. I am all about doing things for the kids on vacation, but until the kids pay for the vacation themselves, it is also about what the parents want. I think little sis could find plenty to do at IOA if Mom and Dad both really wanted to go, but I think splitting up is fine too if they are ok with that.

We have found many people refuse to split up on vacation though. You know the type...the entire family in the fast pass distribution line (oh the good ole days), the entire family in the counter service line, the entire family parking and picking up the stroller, the entire family in the bag check line....you get the picture. So if they are one of those families, they may be much less inclined to split up.

Honestly, I think it will be fine either way. So I would just encourage the parents to do what they want to do and what fits their budget.

 

[ShannonMB]

I would split up in a heartbeat in this situation. If, of course, both parents agree on which one will take which kid where.

 

[amylevan]

We took my kids (4 & 1) with us because I wanted to see Harry Potter and DH goes where momma goes....

There is stuff for the kids to do. The kids enjoyed Seuss land, and they enjoyed a butter beer while I explored Harry Potter. They went through the line to see the castle and then waited while I rode the ride. Of course, DS4 is into superheroes, so being able to get pictures taken with them was actually his highlight of the entire week in Florida...

So, if the family wants to stay together, they certainly can find stuff to do. TBH, Universal has come a long way since 1997.