Still trying to decide

[joolz1910]

We go to WDW from 16th - 30th Aug 2015. The majority of our stay will be onsite with free DDP (hopefully). I also want to visit Universal Studios. These are my options:

1. Book HRH for 16-18th Aug. Go straight from airport to HRH in a taxi and then from HRH to OWK for remaining 12 days. I feel we would need 2 nights to get the most out of it as we wouldn't arrive until early evening on 16th.

2. Book 1 night at HRH in the middle of my holiday and stay the whole 14 days at OKW. This means just one transfer from OWK-HRH and back again.

With option 2, I would be paying for OKW and not staying there for 1 night, but would it be the cheaper option as I would only need one night at HRH?

Anyone done either option? Are there any other pros and cons should consider?

 

[Chilly]

Are you hiring a car? Pros for option 2 would be DME to and from OKW to the airport if no car hire. You could unpack at OKW and just take a small bag to HRH for your one night stay meaning you could use a cheaper mode of transport than a taxi.

Another pro for option 2 is you'd get the extra DDP credits.

 

[joolz1910]

Are you hiring a car? Pros for option 2 would be DME to and from OKW to the airport if no car hire. You could unpack at OKW and just take a small bag to HRH for your one night stay meaning you could use a cheaper mode of transport than a taxi.

Another pro for option 2 is you'd get the extra DDP credits.

I was thinking that too. I know it seems silly to be paying for a hotel and sleeping in another but it feels like it would be less faff to do option 2.

 

[scoobydooby]

Itv depends how many FOL pass days you want. Two nights at Universal will get you more I think but I'm not certain how that works so please check! Otherwise I'd go option two. A taxi both ways will probably be cheaper than a second night and it will break up your time at WDW nicely in the middle.

 

[scoobydooby]

Oh I forgot. More early entry days with more nights at Universal. That's a real bonus with the madness that is potter world. Two early entry days means you have a fighting chance of the wand shop without a stupid wait in line and the chance to ride forbidden journey without it taking half the morning.

 

[joolz1910]

Itv depends how many FOL pass days you want. Two nights at Universal will get you more I think but I'm not certain how that works so please check! Otherwise I'd go option two. A taxi both ways will probably be cheaper than a second night and it will break up your time at WDW nicely in the middle.

Apparently you can get there first thing and hit the parks and the FOLP is valid until the next day too. We wouldn't get much more time if we stayed there for the first 2 days because of our arrival time.

I need to work out how much a 1 bed at OKW is for 2 nights versus the cost of transfers + 1 extra night at HRH.

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

Another vote for option 2.
We are pretty much doing exactly this. We're not hiring a car either (never have done). Our plan is to get to HRH about 7am, have breakfast at HRH (we're CL) get to parks for early opening, then we have until midnight the following day to enjoy the parks.
Doing it in the middle of the holiday means we are over jet lag, have a break from Disney, and by staying one night only at Universal you get two full days of all the Universal facilities including FOTLP

 

[catherine]

We stayed at OKW and did one night in a Universal hotel in the middle of the stay. Nobody wanted to do Universal at the beginning or end of the holiday. We had a car so we could have just driven backwards and forwards but we wanted the FOLP. It was great being able to leave the majority of our stuff at OKW and just packing over night bags, but it did end up being quite expensive paying for double accommodation!

 

[Dimplenose]

We went from All Stars to RPR for 1 night a few years ago but kept our 2 AS rooms. As there were 4 of us in the RPR room it worked out cheaper than buying Express passes for 2 days (that was my justification to DH).

It was nice to have a change of scene halfway through the holiday and 2 days was more than enough time to do everything we wanted with FotL access. Harry Potter wasn't open then so I don't know if that would affect how much you can do.

 

[scottish mum]

I would do option 2

Stay at OKW for the full time and you will get all your ddp credits so you can go to a dinenr show or 2 credit restaurant. You can use ME from the airport instead of a taxi.

Also with going to universal straight away you are losing almost 1 days benefit of staying there

 

[DisneyDreamer2020]

Each time we've stayed we've ALWAYS stayed at a Universal Hotel first, usually 3/4 nights and then the rest at Disney. We always hire a car though and while staying at Universal do all the other things at that end of I-Drive.

You get in to WWoHP an hour before the park opens and you can go and have breakfast in the Three Broomsticks. We managed to do everything we needed to do before getting in the queue for Olivanders to get the wands. Once the park opens the queue for the rides go in to hours long so it's worth staying just for the FOTL passes alone.

Next time we go back we'll stay at Universal again.

 

[stephensmum]

We have done option 2 many times but at RPR. The benefits to us were - me to ssr both ways, 2 full days of fotl passes, taxi there & back only once, ( fotl pass & taxi were cheaper than 2 days of fp & 2 return taxi fares). With the bought fp they're only valid for 1 per ride.

Also, you can travel with overnight bags, still have your dining credits. We take snacks & drinks with us.

We have also stayed at RPR at the end of our stay but this was for 5 nights.

We are a family of 3 me dh & ds. May be more in a taxi for the 5 of you, but more savings on fotl passes. I believe you can get a roll out bed, staying only the one night should be managable. I had read that the room is smaller at hrh.

 

[Dreamer1977]

We are planning option 2. Same dates next year and have really got fingers crossed for a good ssr deal at the end of this month

I much prefer the idea of going midway through the holiday and hopefuly will do one night at HRH - 2 days of passes which is great The additional cost of paying for ssr when not there for one night seems worth it to me - can take minimal luggage to Universal and use DME to and from airport

 

[joolz1910]

Thanks all - looks like it's a landslide for option 2. I was thinking along those lines. I know it sounds a bit pathetic, but I like ME from the airport as it feels like we are really there. I could also do a 2 credit restaurant....more decisions

 

[DLPDreams]

Hi Joolz

We are going against the grain and hoping to stay for 3 nights at the beginning of our trip (which, like you, means a late arrival first night). There are a few reasons for this:

a) we will be hiring a car for the first week or so, so ME isn't coming into it for us (plus we may fly to SFB). We plan to do a quick supermarket stop on the way to US to get a few essentials like bottled water etc. Although, have to say, it bothers me paying parking each day and having a car just 'sitting there' for a day or two - but when I've looked into taxi fares for us all it's just so expensive - car hire is cheaper!

b) I think it will be much busier once the new WWOHP opens (and there clearly is going to be so much more to do, which will take more time). I don't think 2 mornings will be sufficient for us personally (HP is the main reason we want to go there, and hopefully, staying a bit longer means we can possibly repeat our favourites!)

c) we will (hopefully subject to flights) be going a week or so earlier than you, meaning the parks will still be very busy with US children. I therefore think doing US first with FOLP/EE will make a big difference - as opposed to heading straight for WDW. I have read many times, that while US is busy, it's not normally as busy as WDW in August - not sure how true that is though . So, I figure try and pass over some of the busier time at the front of our trip with US/shopping/DC etc, before heading over to WDW.

d) we really don't want to pay for extra accommodation by doubling up - we will still be spending about 18 nights at WDW and out of that will be doing a day at DC and shopping etc, so we'll be pooling DP credits then anyway. So, don't think DP credits are an issue for us - but you may want to do more 2 credit meals??

One big question to ask yourself is - would your girls be happy heading to US straight away or do you think they'd like to go to WDW first? As they have been before, this may be something you need to think about. My children won't be bothered as they haven't done either yet - so no preconceived ideas etc and they are just as excited about HP as anything else .

Happy planning .

 

[Sam1]

Option 2 would be the best if money wasn't an issue. You wouldn't be dragging all your luggage around that way. I'm going to throw an option 3 into the mix - What about looking at tagging it onto the end? Is there a reason people don't tag Universal onto the end because everybody seems to always opt for the beginning of their holiday?

That way you get to go on the ME from the airport and you're not doubling up when paying for accommodation. I know you could use the extra dining credits doing option 2, but you don't need them. For one night you'd be doing Universal in one and a half days at the end, not as good as option 2, but probably cheaper. I'd go with whatever was cheaper, but if option 2 was only slightly more expensive, I think I'd go with that for the convenience.

It's hard work all this thinking! We've got two extra nights at the end of our 14 night stay at Disney. I don't know why we chose to do it that way because a lot of people do it the other way around, but to me the end seemed to feel better. That way when we leave Disney after the fourteenth night, we're not really leaving, so the blow of going home is a lot softer.

 

[wilma-bride]

I'm going to go against the grain and say Option 1. We always add a couple of nights at Universal to the start of any Orlando holiday now. 1 night is all very well and good but it involves a lot of faffing about, checking in and getting your Express passes. If your flight arrives early enough the first day, you might even be able tog et a couple of hours in one of the parks on the first night (we did that one year and it was awesome to be riding Hulk less than 24 hours after leaving home).

We have actually booked 3 nights at Universal for October - we figure that will give us plenty of time to relax and enjoy it, rather than having to do everything in a rush.

 

[joolz1910]

I will have to do my sums as money is an issue.
It will be:
2 nights at OKW + round trip to Universal + 1 night at HRH
versus
2 nights at HRH + transfer from airport + taxi to OKW