The freedom of NOT doing Disney

[sydneysmom]

It took me a good long while to get to the point where my eye doesn't twitch thinking that we are ONLY doing Universal for our next trip and skipping Disney....and believe me, I had guilt about it. The more I read about Universal from all of you, the more excited I keep getting.

I was out on the Disney thread about trip planning and reading that just raised my anxiety level... people are worried about waking up for making ADR's, booking FP+, will their kids be disappointed, will there be free dining, a whole host of issues. When I planned our last 2 trips, it was like a part time job. Now, the planning is fun... it's the obsessing that takes too much control.

Since we decided on an only Universal vacation, I feel free.... I feel like we're actually going 'on vacation'.... we don't have to make dining reservations, no fast passes, we're staying at Royal Pacific, so we will get the benefit of 'skip the line'. My husband said to me yesterday, 'you realize that if I don't go back to Disney, I'm okay with that?'. It just make me laugh... and sigh a sigh of relief that I can actually just RELAX and have fun instead of giving everyone their day's orders.

Does anyone else feel this way once you've made the decision to not do Disney ?

 

[C&B Young]

We're about to make the same decision, and agree 100% with you! It's our first ever visit to Universal after numerous WDW stays over the years. Doing both in one visit is just too cost prohibitive. It's exciting to experience all sorts of new things without having to plan out our days 180 days in advance.

 

[philliplc]

we are (almost) doing the same thing skipping Disney for the first time when we go this Sept, with the exception being 1 day at Epcot for F/W festival.

 

[detarica]

Interesting take. We did Disneyland in June as WDW vets. It was interesting that you can't plan that much in advance. We did some reservations, but I am not even sure that we needed to. Fewer rides there have fastpass and the lines actually move much faster...imagine riding Toy Story Mania twice mid-morning without a fastpass.

Couple that with the awesome weather and it made one awesome vacation.

 

[Airship Ariadne]

I think it is all about how much stress you put into it. You can certainly do Disney just as easily without making ADR's and stressing on everything...people that do stress on WDW planning probably will stress about their plans for Universal as well, just not be able to do anything about it.

It is more about the type of planner you are. DW is the color-coded excel chart type planner, and hates that I can just wing things. Even when she can't use her computer to plan thing out, she still makes a valiant effort on notepads.

She let me plan our trip this year to WDW..and she is trying to plan for Universal next summer...I think she is going nuts trying to figure out which hotel to pick, best days, etc.

Some people will stress either way.

 

[RMulieri]

We went on our first Disney-Free, Universal-only trip in JAn 2012.We had such an incredible , restful,fun time we have yet to go back to Disney..We have our 3rd Universal-only trip planned for Jan 2015 and I can not wait

 

[Disneyhappy]

I think it is all about how much stress you put into it. You can certainly do Disney just as easily without making ADR's and stressing on everything...people that do stress on WDW planning probably will stress about their plans for Universal as well, just not be able to do anything about it.

It is more about the type of planner you are. DW is the color-coded excel chart type planner, and hates that I can just wing things. Even when she can't use her computer to plan thing out, she still makes a valiant effort on notepads.

She let me plan our trip this year to WDW..and she is trying to plan for Universal next summer...I think she is going nuts trying to figure out which hotel to pick, best days, etc.

Some people will stress either way.

I wish this were true for me. We are veterans of both Universal and WDW. We have a Universal only trip planned 4 nights over Labor Day weekend, one week WDW trip in October and a long weekend to WDW in November. My WDW trips are causing me stress because of the level of intense planning that is required for not only ADRs but also FP 60 days out. When we go to Universal, we don't plan a single thing except which afternoon we want to rent a cabana by the pool. I still love WDW but my trips to Universal are much more relaxing with express privileges and a more compact area to navigate - meaning travel time from resort to park is probably cut in half. I was happy to see the pat about DL since we are visiting there for first time in March. Appears more spontaneity will be allowed at DL. (I have always been an obsessive planner but the older I get the more spontaneity I enjoy.)

 

[crazycatlady]

I am in the same boat as you! Our first non-Disney vacation in five years is coming up in less than a month and it is so weird not to be stressing out. Don't get me wrong; I love the spreadsheets and tinkering with my ADRs, but FP+ really takes it a little too far, even for me. Even though I spend hours and hours planning, my family still makes changes depending on what we feel like doing that day. In the past, as long as we made it to our ADRs, we were good to go.

It is really nice to think of a vacation where we can do whatever we want, whenever we want and not have to worry what the fallout will be. I am so looking forward to a nice, go with the flow, relaxing vacation!

I said to my son tonight that we would be in Universal four weeks from today and he asked if we were going to IOA or US that day. I said I didn't know and that we would decide when we were there. The whole family looked at me like I said a dirty word!

I am soooo excited!!

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

It took me a good long while to get to the point where my eye doesn't twitch thinking that we are ONLY doing Universal for our next trip and skipping Disney....and believe me, I had guilt about it. The more I read about Universal from all of you, the more excited I keep getting.

I was out on the Disney thread about trip planning and reading that just raised my anxiety level... people are worried about waking up for making ADR's, booking FP+, will their kids be disappointed, will there be free dining, a whole host of issues. When I planned our last 2 trips, it was like a part time job. Now, the planning is fun... it's the obsessing that takes too much control.

Since we decided on an only Universal vacation, I feel free.... I feel like we're actually going 'on vacation'.... we don't have to make dining reservations, no fast passes, we're staying at Royal Pacific, so we will get the benefit of 'skip the line'. My husband said to me yesterday, 'you realize that if I don't go back to Disney, I'm okay with that?'. It just make me laugh... and sigh a sigh of relief that I can actually just RELAX and have fun instead of giving everyone their day's orders.

Does anyone else feel this way once you've made the decision to not do Disney ?

Yes! We typically alternate Disney and Universal anyway because we like to spend several days at each. I love Disney and we had a great time last month, but not only do I have to schedule restaurants 180 days in advance, I now have to schedule rides 60 days in advance. It was a different trip this time - knowing in advance that it would be a hassle to ride Soarin' and TT on the same day and knowing we couldn't get a same-day FP for rides like the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

Next year is our Universal year, and I am enjoying reading about Diagon Alley and Gringotts, but I am not stressed. The year after might be Disneyland instead of WDW. DH has never been a big Disney fan, but he loves Universal, so that helps with the stress levels too!

 

[BigAlsGal]

I personally go to disney FOR disney. I would never choose a theme park vacation to relax. That's what the beach is for. Universal holds no appeal to me so I would never consider it a top vacation destination in itself.

Honestly I don't understand the stress that everyone is talking about. I've never had a problem making ADRs. Making fastpass reservations are a breeze. In fact it's such a quick process for me I am truly sad when the plans are in place and all there is to do is wait. I think some people make it harder than it has to be.

 

[Cheesehead9]

I'm in the exact same boat, this will be our first trip in 6 years without doing Disney. Onsite at HRH for 1 week, unlimited express passes, short walks to parks, no planning = stress free.

Part of me still wants to sneak in a Disney day, but I can thank fastpass+ for making it an easy decision not to go.

As you said, this time it actually fees like a vacation -- with Disney, I feel like need a vacation as soon as I get home.

 

[lazer]

I'm in the exact same boat, this will be our first trip in 6 years without doing Disney. Onsite at HRH for 1 week, unlimited express passes, short walks to parks, no planning = stress free. Part of me still wants to sneak in a Disney day, but I can thank fastpass+ for making it an easy decision not to go. As you said, this time it actually fees like a vacation -- with Disney, I feel like need a vacation as soon as I get home.

Ditto, first time in 6 years not visiting the mouse.

Can't agree with one of the posters above. I have to plan for Disney, especially with fp+, or we will be waiting in really long lines and missing some meals our kids love. Not planning at all for Universal...and totally pumped about it

 

[Mad Hattered]

I personally go to disney FOR disney. I would never choose a theme park vacation to relax. That's what the beach is for. Universal holds no appeal to me so I would never consider it a top vacation destination in itself.

Honestly I don't understand the stress that everyone is talking about. I've never had a problem making ADRs. Making fastpass reservations are a breeze. In fact it's such a quick process for me I am truly sad when the plans are in place and all there is to do is wait. I think some people make it harder than it has to be.

Planning where to eat at 180 days? Planning rides 60 days in advance? Then having Disney switch up the schedules from July through the rest of year with no advance warning or announcement whatsoever?

Nope...no stress at all. Thank God we won't have to deal with Disney's BS until 2018!

 

[dbramer]

The problem I have is that we only get to Florida once every four to five years, so when we go it is eight to ten days we are there. I can spend that much time at Disney and still feel like it is not enough time. US and IOA are one day parks...I can't see spending that much time there. The other side of that is my kids aren't quite up to a "thrill" park environment. So when we go, we don't like to lose any Disney time knowing it will be a long time before we get back.

I am not an uber-planner, but I can't see the stress in planning Disney, as a PP said. So what, you choose what parks you want to go to on which days and go with it. ADR's...if you don't get your first choice, take what's available. I guess for me there are no "must-do" restaurants and if I don't get my ADR, it is not going to kill my vacation. We are going next August for 8 days and we have already decided which days we want to do which parks (hitting MK twice, Epcot and HS one and a half times, AK one day and a water park day)...no problems...

We'll choose our ADR's at 180 based on which park we are in...no biggie...we will choose our FP's at 60 out because we know which park we will be in each day...what stress...we take em when we get em and go SB for what we want to do or look for new times day of or night before, if we don't like the times....if we change our minds, all we have to do is cancel an ADR the day before and look for different plans....can't see any situations that would call for changes, but...hey..you never know....get up at RD and hit the parks...take a break in the middle and swim or nap....go back in the evening for more fun....

I would love to see HP, but I won't die without it. Maybe when we get back in 2020....ooops sorry, SW Land and Pandora will be open by then...more to see at Disney....

Bottom line, unless Universal can entertain me for a week or more...it will always be Disney....(prices are about equal give or take a couple hundred more for Disney)

 

[Planogirl]

I prefer to visit both but it's true that it's pricey. I can also relate to those who feel like they need to sneak in a day or two at WDW. I wanted to do the same at first but I resisted and we did something else.

I feel so rested and relaxed after a trip to Universal! I love so much at WDW but it wears me out. We can find plenty to do at Universal for 4 days and then there is a wonderful world of great attractions in that part of Florida and further. I have really enjoyed exploring the whole area and we've only scratched the surface.

Our plan is to go to WDW for a few days in the future and spend the rest of the time at Universal and elsewhere. I deal with plenty of schedules and stress at work and need a break from that.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

I will give Disney credit for one thing - if I plan in advance, I do not have to wait in a huge line to ride Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. I doubt the express line for Gringott's will be open next year when we go, especially since the FJ line isn't open yet (as far as I know). I am destined to wait in a big line, but it should be the only one.

When we switched one of our MK days for Epcot, though, we knew we were giving up a SDMT FP. It would have been nice to be able to grab a same-day FP for SDMT for a different day, but that is no longer an option.

Staying onsite at Universal is still the greatest perk - instead of three FP+ booked 60 days in advance, I have the equivalent for every ride that offers one. Clearly less stressful if I decide to switch parks at the last minute.

It is not hard to plan for Disney, but Disney is making it hard to change plans. Universal gives much more flexibility.

 

[jba2]

I am thrilled not to be doing Disney this summer. Instead we're going to Universal. I never minded making ADRs in advance but FP+ did it for me. I feel like I would get far less out of Disney trips than I used to. No way would I be able to ride as many rides as I was able to in the past.

 

[alicat8]

We've always done Disney and Universal exactly the same. You don't HAVE to plan everything. I have a couple adrs for my upcoming trip (which is new for us-we usually do 1, 2 tops. I'm not a big fan. QS food is basically the same quality and you can eat when you feel like it.) I did enjoy planning my FPs, even though I thought I wouldn't. But in all of my past trips to both places, we just showed up and had a great time! It's only as stressful as you make it!

 

[ashleyfallis]

To be honest? This sounds like every Disney vacation for me!
We're doing both Disney and Universal (and Busch!) next Oct/Nov and we probably won't plan a single FP or ADR (we're staying offsite anyway). I know that gives some people palpitations just at the very thought but i just hate all the stress that goes along with it!
We don't even plan what park on what day - we do something called the hands of destiny! All the names of the parks are written on bits of paper and scrunched up and put in someones hands (hands of destiny) then someone else picks one out! Once they've all been picked we do it again if we need to!
I'm glad you're getting to have an actual vacation!

 

[mrsabbott]

Last year, I was trying to plan a Disney vacation for our family, but we were offered free Universal tickets, so our plans changed. I never expected for us to like Universal as much as we did. We had 2 days there and didn't get to fully experience everything the parks had to offer.. mainly because we would stop and spend extra time in a certain area that we liked or go back to that area again on a whim just because one of the kids wanted to ride a ride "just one more time!" I worried that our kids were too young, but at 9, 7, 5, and 2 they all had a blast and there was plenty for them to do. The parent swap feature on the rides was awesome as well!

I have considered going back to Disney next spring, but everyone wants to go back to Universal! Yes, we may try Disney again one day.. but we were totally won over by Universal!