The non-Disney stuff: CA or FL?

[Franrose]

Trying to decide how to orchestrate our Christmas 2013 DL/WDW trip before approaching DU to book... where would you do a few days of non-Disney stuff (thinking Universal for eg?)

I'm thinking FL - mainly because it's the further coast, so one that we might not visit again for a while. We've done a few things in LA and I was thinking the KSC would be great to visit. There's legoland in FL if we want, and shopping... LA has Hollywood but I don't care if we don't get there.

Thoughts and opinions?

Also... how busy is DL going to be if we turn up on the 27th(ish) of November - right before Thanksgiving! (Durn it!)

 

[Travel Mum]

For crowds this seems a relatively simple page: http://www.dadsguidetowdw.com/disney-world-crowd-calendars-2013.html However turning up on the 27th next year looks like it's in the red zone so pretty busy!

In addtion to WDW, we did Universal, Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld and the Kennedy Space Centre. The beauty of Orlando compared with the West Coast is that the main theme parks are so close to each other whereas you have to drive to north L.A. for Universal California and to San Diego for Sea World San Diego. In Orlando it was all so easy and even KSS is only about an hours drive away. We didn't do Legoland but I think that is maybe an hour away too?

Even the outlet shopping outlets are so close and easy to find. This all leads to why I find Orlando the perfect theme park and discount shopping holiday destinatation

 

[Mum from oz]

For crowds this seems a relatively simple page: http://www.dadsguidetowdw.com/disney-world-crowd-calendars-2013.html However turning up on the 27th next year looks like it's in the red zone so pretty busy!

In addtion to WDW, we did Universal, Islands of Adventure, SeaWorld and the Kennedy Space Centre. The beauty of Orlando compared with the West Coast is that the main theme parks are so close to each other whereas you have to drive to north L.A. for Universal California and to San Diego for Sea World San Diego. In Orlando it was all so easy and even KSS is only about an hours drive away. We didn't do Legoland but I think that is maybe an hour away too?

Even the outlet shopping outlets are so close and easy to find. This all leads to why I find Orlando the perfect theme park and discount shopping holiday destinatation

I agree with all of this. There is so much to do in Central Florida.

 

[becpee]

I agree with all of this. There is so much to do in Central Florida.

Yup

Planning another trip next Sep, heaps to do here, close proximity and the traffic is almost non existent

 

[Franrose]

Sold.

Tis a bummer about Thanksgiving, but it's when we're at DL so not *quite* as bad as if it were WDW. I'm hoping they all go home quickly!!! I don't know whether it's worth tweeking the trip or not, effectively all I could do is make it shorter because the friends we are travelling would ideally like to be home by Christmas, but making it shorter is dumb lol. What to do, what to do... Could do NY first I guess, and DL last, but that might seem weird. Like a backwards trip.

 

[Franrose]

Given that Thanksgiving is the Thursday, is it the whole week affected, or just the end of that week? Hmm must go look at the crowd links...

 

[Franrose]

Holy moly... sure does make September look attractive again. Those who have visited Nov/Dec... tell me it's not all bad!!

 

[JennyN]

Not sure if you are into Harry Potter but for us its an easy choice, Orlando for HP World at Universal. Last December our only non Disney day was spent at HP World. We didn't do any other part of Universal. To us HP World was all that mattered.

 

[battymum]

Heading to New York might not be so bad for Thanksgiving - you could watch the Macys parade and hit up the sales on black friday if you are game!

I would do it this way.

You could do DL on the return trip.

 

[battymum]

Actually, pretty sure Thanksgiving is on 22nd November this year.

Its always the 4th Thursday of November. There are five Thursdays this year.


EDIT (scrap that, was looking at my 2012 calendar )

 

[xxpinksaltxx]

We are going to New York for thanksgiving and will be braving the sales on the Friday. For us it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. We chose wdw because we are also huge fans of Harry potter and there is some great outlet shopping close by.

 

[Franrose]

Oooh you guys are selling me...

Would also mean getting the biggest leg of travel over and done with from the start.

 

[Franrose]

...while not having to miss a rope drop while acclimatising!

 

[aussieGeorge68]

I am just back from Orlando, I must say Discovery Cove and the 2 Universal parks were a standout for me. I know I am going to get flamed for saying this on a Disney forum, but these three parks were better than any of the Disney parks at least for me and my family.

Discovery cove is a very expensive water park, its mostly sea life related and the admission can include a dolphin swim experience. Its clean, has limited admission and is far less crowded and the admission includes lunch, breakfast, snacks and non alcoholic drinks. Its probably better to do this park last as the dirty bathrooms and crowds at Disney will be much more noticeable after this luxury experience.

The Universal parks are also a standout, Harry Potter World is just stunning and the Harry Potter ride is just simply the best in the world, both in terms of theming and ride visuals and technology. For Harry Potter World I recommend staying onsite for early entry and the free express pass, the Hard Rock Hotel was great, but may be a bit too funky for some.

 

[alicia1506]

we really enjoyed the shopping at florida mall (and was only a short drive from universal orlando where we stayed on site). universal orlando for us was a bit too much like warner brothers movie world here on the gold coast, but islands of adventure was truly amazing. we hugely enjoyed our time there.

when we do our trip next year, we are travelling to the east coast first, doing all of our orlando stuff (wdw, universal/ioa, port canaveral, cruise) then flying back to anaheim for our disneyland visit. that way we're flying with the time zones on the way there, minimising jetlag, minimising lost days due to travel, and saving our favourite place for last. also means as we are flying out of lax, we just have to get on a bus/taxi/shuttle to get to lax to make our flight home, rather than worrying about potential missed connections getting from orlando - lax, then making our lax-bne flight all on the same day...

that's just our perspective