So torn between Disney and DC bundle?!

[charliesmom86]

We are planning a trip for next May/June..10 days..6 guests..4 adults..2 children(one 16 and one 7)..and we are so torn on where to go. We are trying to keep the trip budget friendly while still making it a vacation to remember. This would be our first real vacation so we're really excited. The two choices are: Disney World for 10 days..park hoppers..and water parks added. We are staying offsite and are still looking at hotels that could accomodate the 6 of us. Other option is Discovery Cove(with the dolphin swim!) and also adding the unlimited Busch Gardens, Aquatica, and Sea World tickets. We've been to Sea World once before..its been a while though..so really this would be a first. Budget can't accomodate both trips in one year so what do you guys recommend? Magic of Disney or the Escape to Discovery Cove with the dolphins? The most important guests are the children of course. And also any recommendations on off site hotels nearby that don't cost a fortune would be swell.

 

[mrsklamc]

If you are staying offsite, go for a vacation home rather than a hotel. Here's the question as to Disney or Discovery Cove/Sea World/ Aquatica. This is your first vacation...how long will it be until you can take another? If this is the one and only I would say Disney.

 

[cbg1027]

Remember that Busch Gardens is a 60-90 minute drive away in Tampa. Do you want to make that drive?
If you don't, then you have Discovery Cove, Sea World, and Aquatica in the immediate vicinity.

If you go with Disney and the water parks option, you'll have six parks to visit.

This is a Disney board, so you could get some biased answers. My suggestion would be Disney - there's more to do.

Also, I agree with the PP - look in to vacation rental homes! It's the same price or cheaper than some hotels with a lot of extra room. If you're committed to staying off site, I definitely think the vacation homes are the way to go!

 

[Darcy03231]

Have you looked into the Orlando Flex Park tickets?

We did a trip a couple of years ago and got them. We had unlimited admission for 14 days to Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Wet n' Wild. As I recall the tickets were $235 for adults and $200 for kids under 10. You can visit more than one park per day, and you only pay to park once, just show your receipt at the next place.

We were a group of 9 (ages 71, 51, 45, 43, 16, 14, 13, 9, and 3). We rented a villa with a private pool in Clermont (http://www.vacationrentals.com/vacation-rentals/32411.html?promoType=deal) and were very comfortable there. It took us about 20 minutes to get to Seaworld, half an hour to get to US/IOA and Wet n' Wild and about an hour to get to Busch Gardens. We were there for 16 days and also added in a trip to the beach on each coast, Kennedy Space Center and the Ripley's Believe it or Not museum.

Everyone had a great time! There was so much to see and do for all ages. The older kids loved the thrill rides (the three oldest ones split off from us and did a bunch of of stuff on their own in each park) and there was plenty for the younger ones and us older folks. In fact, we had so much fun that we were talking about trying to do it again next year.

We did it because the older kids had been to Disney so many times they really wanted to try something different. We knew we would take the younger ones back to Disney again another time. We kept an open mind and didn't try to compare the parks, we just enjoyed them.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[charliesmom86]

thank you all for your replies. I saw the orlando flex tickets but think its too much to think we could do everything in Orlando but Disney..lol..so I think we are just going to go to Disney next year and the year after we may do the Discovery Cove bundle. We're really trying to stay on site but I think even if we stay off site..it will still be magical. Just dread the meals if we stay off site.

 

[mrsklamc]

Personally I don't mind the cooking when we stay offsite- I just don't do really time intensive meals, you know?

Diving into offsite options can be overwhelming. When we stayed w/ 5 we stayed w/ 5mins2disney.com - very close and we loved it!

 

[charliesmom86]

Wow, thank you for the link to 5mins2disney..looks fabulous! I'm really looking into the condos they have..so nice.