Thinking About Joining The "dark side"

[momofboyz3]

I read a few TR last night as well as do some research on here... But, I'm still not sure. Hoping maybe someone on here will give me some feedback.
My family: Me (39 forever) I am a ride WIMP, my kids were shocked I went on SM in MK. My 14 yr old twin boys... Twin A: slight breathing issues (due to major deviated septum & bordering asthma) know his limits, but will stretch 'em for a good coaster, Twin B: thought every ride (except for Rock n roller coaster DHS) in WDW was "lame"he is a huge coaster fan! DS10 can be persuaded by his older brother. I am not into rides but have no problem waiting for my boys as long as it takes.
WE overall LOVE disney! But, I was thinking of doing a US, IOA, maybe Seaworld 7 day trip this summer. Food is VERY important (my boys love to eat good food) we are foodies and need a good table service once a day.
We would stay on site. Pool is important as we enjoy a day of total relaxation. Will not rent a car, so everything must be on-site or by a shuttle.
At WDW we do moderate hotel, WP, 5 park days and 2 resort days. I spend about $5,000 (incl airfare) not including extras once there.
So WHAT DO YOU THINK??????? After reading a bit about us & if you have been their yourself w/your family, is this something that you think would fit us? We enjoy disney for the "experience" I literally was lost in the disney bubble by day 3. I would love to hear you opinions, feedback and even ideas or recommendations!
TIA Heidi.

 

[AJ1983]

I read a few TR last night as well as do some research on here... But, I'm still not sure. Hoping maybe someone on here will give me some feedback.
My family: Me (39 forever) I am a ride WIMP, my kids were shocked I went on SM in MK. My 14 yr old twin boys... Twin A: slight breathing issues (due to major deviated septum & bordering asthma) know his limits, but will stretch 'em for a good coaster, Twin B: thought every ride (except for Rock n roller coaster DHS) in WDW was "lame"he is a huge coaster fan! DS10 can be persuaded by his older brother. I am not into rides but have no problem waiting for my boys as long as it takes.
WE overall LOVE disney! But, I was thinking of doing a US, IOA, maybe Seaworld 7 day trip this summer. Food is VERY important (my boys love to eat good food) we are foodies and need a good table service once a day.
We would stay on site. Pool is important as we enjoy a day of total relaxation. Will not rent a car, so everything must be on-site or by a shuttle.
At WDW we do moderate hotel, WP, 5 park days and 2 resort days. I spend about $5,000 (incl airfare) not including extras once there.
So WHAT DO YOU THINK??????? After reading a bit about us & if you have been their yourself w/your family, is this something that you think would fit us? We enjoy disney for the "experience" I literally was lost in the disney bubble by day 3. I would love to hear you opinions, feedback and even ideas or recommendations!
TIA Heidi.

Well the only thing I can't really speak to is the food issue, because we are not foodies and thoroughly enjoyed our Whopper combos from BK It is mu understanding however that there is a nice Harry Potter themed restaurant in the park, and there are several options at Citywalk, which is literally right next to the park entrances (not like having to take the bus to DTD from your Disney hotel).

I think your family would really enjoy Universal because there is alot there that your boys would enjoy. I'm not entirely sure what your son's ride restrictions are-does going upside down on a coaster affect his breathing, or is he just more fearful of the rides than your other kids? Either way, I'm sure he can ride most if not all of the rides he wants at US/IOA. Your ten year old should also have no problem meeting height restrictions.

The benefit of staying onsite is that YOU won't have to wait for them very long outside the rides, because you will all have Express Pass, which is essentially front of the line. You may have to wait up to 15 minutes, but its better than 90 minutes for Transformers, and you also know that you are guaranteed to fit everything in. Best of all is that you get the Express Pass for the day you check in and check out, so if you are only there one night, you get Express Pass for two days!

My DFi stayed at Royal Pacific Resort for one night this past May, mostly because our time in Orlando was short and we wanted to see everything, so we knew we needed Express Pass to accomplish that. The hotel and room were beautiful, the bed was the BEST mattress I have ever slept on, the staff was friendly, and it was less than a ten minute walk along a beautiful path to the parks and Citiwalk. We did not get to see as much of the hotel or the pool at all, so we are spending 5 nights there for our upcoming honeymoon in October.

I REALLY recommend this park. Personally, I don't see how people go to Orlando and pick Disney OR Universal-all or none for me! haha) I just reread and saw you are planning a 7 day trip there this summer. This summer they are opening the new Harry Potter section, so the park will be very busy. Staying onsite to get the Express Pass benefits would be even more important than, which is another reason we are staying onsite in October. I think a 3 day park to park pass would be enough for your family to see everything and hit the favorites. If you want to go to Seaworld, you could get a taxi or perhaps the hotel offers a shuttle...from Seaworld you can get a bus to Busch Gardens, which I think your boys would also enjoy because there are alot of thrill rides there (I think 9 big coasters?) and lots of animal exhibits. I think there is an Orlando FlexPass which gives you 14 days unlimited access to US,IOA,SeaWorld,Busch Gardens,Aquatica,and Wet and Wild, and its $300 + a person, which may be worth it to your family. Also, Busch Gardens has a quick queue option, like the US Express Pass, for about $20.00/person.

Enjoy your vacation and please don't hesitate to PM me if you have any questions

 

[momofboyz3]

Well the only thing I can't really speak to is the food issue, because we are not foodies and thoroughly enjoyed our Whopper combos from BK It is mu understanding however that there is a nice Harry Potter themed restaurant in the park, and there are several options at Citywalk, which is literally right next to the park entrances (not like having to take the bus to DTD from your Disney hotel).

I think your family would really enjoy Universal because there is alot there that your boys would enjoy. I'm not entirely sure what your son's ride restrictions are-does going upside down on a coaster affect his breathing, or is he just more fearful of the rides than your other kids? Either way, I'm sure he can ride most if not all of the rides he wants at US/IOA. Your ten year old should also have no problem meeting height restrictions.

The benefit of staying onsite is that YOU won't have to wait for them very long outside the rides, because you will all have Express Pass, which is essentially front of the line. You may have to wait up to 15 minutes, but its better than 90 minutes for Transformers, and you also know that you are guaranteed to fit everything in. Best of all is that you get the Express Pass for the day you check in and check out, so if you are only there one night, you get Express Pass for two days!

My DFi stayed at Royal Pacific Resort for one night this past May, mostly because our time in Orlando was short and we wanted to see everything, so we knew we needed Express Pass to accomplish that. The hotel and room were beautiful, the bed was the BEST mattress I have ever slept on, the staff was friendly, and it was less than a ten minute walk along a beautiful path to the parks and Citiwalk. We did not get to see as much of the hotel or the pool at all, so we are spending 5 nights there for our upcoming honeymoon in October.

I REALLY recommend this park. Personally, I don't see how people go to Orlando and pick Disney OR Universal-all or none for me! haha) I just reread and saw you are planning a 7 day trip there this summer. This summer they are opening the new Harry Potter section, so the park will be very busy. Staying onsite to get the Express Pass benefits would be even more important than, which is another reason we are staying onsite in October. I think a 3 day park to park pass would be enough for your family to see everything and hit the favorites. If you want to go to Seaworld, you could get a taxi or perhaps the hotel offers a shuttle...from Seaworld you can get a bus to Busch Gardens, which I think your boys would also enjoy because there are alot of thrill rides there (I think 9 big coasters?) and lots of animal exhibits. I think there is an Orlando FlexPass which gives you 14 days unlimited access to US,IOA,SeaWorld,Busch Gardens,Aquatica,and Wet and Wild, and its $300 + a person, which may be worth it to your family. Also, Busch Gardens has a quick queue option, like the US Express Pass, for about $20.00/person.

Enjoy your vacation and please don't hesitate to PM me if you have any questions

Soooo, I would just like to THANKYOU a million times over, for such a thoughtful, detailed response congratulations on your engagement as well!!!!!!!
As a single parent with boys quickly getting older I realized planning yearly family trips is very important, and therefore have changed the way my budget works to make sure we can have this family experience. I know WDW would give us that experience. But, I think US would as well.. I love the express pass and would absolutely stay on site! I actually, looked at the resort u mentioned & I believe club level is just a few dollars more than a regular room at one of the other on sites I was interested in.
Thanks again for your time

 

[damo]

Universal sounds perfect for you guys. There are lots of excellent restaurant choices for you. Take a look at the food sticky for menus. There aren't a lot of sit down restaurants in the parks but Citywalk and the three hotels all have very good ones!

 

[momofboyz3]

Universal sounds perfect for you guys. There are lots of excellent restaurant choices for you. Take a look at the food sticky for menus. There aren't a lot of sit down restaurants in the parks but Citywalk and the three hotels all have very good ones!

Thank you for your response as I am doing more research this seems like it would be a great choice for us.

 

[macraven]

If you want to go to Seaworld, you could get a taxi or perhaps the hotel offers a shuttle...from Seaworld you can get a bus to Busch Gardens, which I think your boys would also enjoy because there are alot of thrill rides there (I think 9 big coasters?) and lots of animal exhibits.

free shuttle from the onsite hotels to SW.
bus to BG also an option if you want to visit that park in tampa.

you sign up the night before to reserve your seats.

 

[RMulieri]

A few tidbits..Express pass is only offered at the 3 deluxe resorts ( Hard rock, Royal Pacific and Portofino Bay).It will NOT be offered at the new moderate that is opening ( Cabana Bay).Express pass is good for all rides and shows EXCEPT: Harry Potter Forbidden Journey, Ollivanders Wand Shop and Pteranodon Flyers.Early entry is also offered to resort guests.Right now it is only offered at IOA for the Harry Potter stuff, but once the HArry Potter expansion opens this summer at the studios, it will likely be offered at the Studios as well.Pool hopping is encouraged between the 3 deluxe resorts.All 3 of the resorts are wonderful and you cant go wrong with any of them.They are all within walking distance or short boat ride ( except the new Cabana Bay.That will be a walk or a bus).There is also a bus, but it drops you at the Universal garage and can be a hike .The parks are right next to each other and joined by Citywalk.NONE of the res orts have balconies except Portofino Bay, but there are very few rooms with them and they are not easy to get.Portofino is the furthest from the parks, but still only a 10-15 min stroll or dedicated boat ride to the parks.It also has the largest rooms on property .If you like italian food, Mama Dellas at Portofino Bay is fantastic.
We have been on 2 Universal only trips now and have NO desire to go anywhere else.Our last trip was a week and we had a blast .We actually have a relaxing , enjoyable vacation now.
Something to keep in mind ...Universal parks close alot earlier than Disney parks, and other than the laser/show on the waterfront of Studios, there is no fireworks or nightime displays like disney ( Unviersal is in a residential area with noise ordinanaces)The parks close alot earlier too..During offseason it is not unusual for 6-7p closings.Summertime is 9-10pm.

 

[AJ1983]

Soooo, I would just like to THANKYOU a million times over, for such a thoughtful, detailed response congratulations on your engagement as well!!!!!!!
As a single parent with boys quickly getting older I realized planning yearly family trips is very important, and therefore have changed the way my budget works to make sure we can have this family experience. I know WDW would give us that experience. But, I think US would as well.. I love the express pass and would absolutely stay on site! I actually, looked at the resort u mentioned & I believe club level is just a few dollars more than a regular room at one of the other on sites I was interested in.
Thanks again for your time

Yes I was going to mention that, because you said you stay at the mods at WDW. We are value resort people, so we chose the basic room at the least expensive of the US onsite hotels. However, I found the Royal Pacific to be quite lovely and it had a very tropical feel, which I feel is the nicest atmosphere. If you are going club level (or even water view), I am sure your room will be even nicer. Plus, as someone else pointed out,you can pool hop, and the hotels are all within 5 minutes of each other, so you can swim at the other Loew's and have lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe

 

[Metro West]

Thank you for your response as I am doing more research this seems like it would be a great choice for us.

You can also check YouTube for ride videos as well as the Universal website to get a feel for the layout of the resort.

 

[momofboyz3]

A few tidbits..Express pass is only offered at the 3 deluxe resorts ( Hard rock, Royal Pacific and Portofino Bay).It will NOT be offered at the new moderate that is opening ( Cabana Bay).Express pass is good for all rides and shows EXCEPT: Harry Potter Forbidden Journey, Ollivanders Wand Shop and Pteranodon Flyers.Early entry is also offered to resort guests.Right now it is only offered at IOA for the Harry Potter stuff, but once the HArry Potter expansion opens this summer at the studios, it will likely be offered at the Studios as well.Pool hopping is encouraged between the 3 deluxe resorts.All 3 of the resorts are wonderful and you cant go wrong with any of them.They are all within walking distance or short boat ride ( except the new Cabana Bay.That will be a walk or a bus).There is also a bus, but it drops you at the Universal garage and can be a hike .The parks are right next to each other and joined by Citywalk.NONE of the res orts have balconies except Portofino Bay, but there are very few rooms with them and they are not easy to get.Portofino is the furthest from the parks, but still only a 10-15 min stroll or dedicated boat ride to the parks.It also has the largest rooms on property .If you like italian food, Mama Dellas at Portofino Bay is fantastic.
We have been on 2 Universal only trips now and have NO desire to go anywhere else.Our last trip was a week and we had a blast .We actually have a relaxing , enjoyable vacation now.
Something to keep in mind ...Universal parks close alot earlier than Disney parks, and other than the laser/show on the waterfront of Studios, there is no fireworks or nightime displays like disney ( Unviersal is in a residential area with noise ordinanaces)The parks close alot earlier too..During offseason it is not unusual for 6-7p closings.Summertime is 9-10pm.

ThankYou for the excellent information! Such a great help hearing what others experience. Im figuring most families spend the evenings in citywalk since the parks close early.

 

[wen8jr]

I didn't read all the posts above so I apologize if this is a repeat or if you already know.

You may also want to look into getting 1 AP Preferred Pass ticket to get a room discount. Depending on when you go - AP rates are really good. I've found they usually come out about 2 - 3 months before our dates. When you are going will determine how deep the discount or if there is a discount, so you can book now at a rate you can live with and still keep an eye out for AP rates to save money. You can upgrade to AP after check in if needed (this way you don't spend money you don't have to).

Also, if you sign up to Universal Studios website - you may get emailed or mailed offers. We got multiple offers for deep discounts during this past Christmas.

I think you'll like Universal - we love the parks, the resort and for us the food options are much better than Disney. But we love Disney too.

 

[momofboyz3]

I didn't read all the posts above so I apologize if this is a repeat or if you already know.

You may also want to look into getting 1 AP Preferred Pass ticket to get a room discount. Depending on when you go - AP rates are really good. I've found they usually come out about 2 - 3 months before our dates. When you are going will determine how deep the discount or if there is a discount, so you can book now at a rate you can live with and still keep an eye out for AP rates to save money. You can upgrade to AP after check in if needed (this way you don't spend money you don't have to).

Also, if you sign up to Universal Studios website - you may get emailed or mailed offers. We got multiple offers for deep discounts during this past Christmas.

I think you'll like Universal - we love the parks, the resort and for us the food options are much better than Disney. But we love Disney too.

ThankYou for your reply! sounds like some great ideas, just signed up on the Universal site..

 

[vacation_junkie]

I read a few TR last night as well as do some research on here... But, I'm still not sure. Hoping maybe someone on here will give me some feedback.
My family: Me (39 forever) I am a ride WIMP, my kids were shocked I went on SM in MK. My 14 yr old twin boys... Twin A: slight breathing issues (due to major deviated septum & bordering asthma) know his limits, but will stretch 'em for a good coaster, Twin B: thought every ride (except for Rock n roller coaster DHS) in WDW was "lame"he is a huge coaster fan! DS10 can be persuaded by his older brother. I am not into rides but have no problem waiting for my boys as long as it takes.
WE overall LOVE disney! But, I was thinking of doing a US, IOA, maybe Seaworld 7 day trip this summer. Food is VERY important (my boys love to eat good food) we are foodies and need a good table service once a day.
We would stay on site. Pool is important as we enjoy a day of total relaxation. Will not rent a car, so everything must be on-site or by a shuttle.
At WDW we do moderate hotel, WP, 5 park days and 2 resort days. I spend about $5,000 (incl airfare) not including extras once there.
So WHAT DO YOU THINK??????? After reading a bit about us & if you have been their yourself w/your family, is this something that you think would fit us? We enjoy disney for the "experience" I literally was lost in the disney bubble by day 3. I would love to hear you opinions, feedback and even ideas or recommendations!
TIA Heidi.

Sign up on Universal & Lowes website under every email address you have.
I did a year ago and have rcv'd every 40% off discount code that has come out in the past year. Some email address rcv'd the code some didn't.
We booked our room under the CAA?/AAA rates and changed it to the 40% off when I rcv'd the code. Worked out to $160 a night for Hard Rock Hotel. Can't beat that!

 

[momofboyz3]

Sign up on Universal & Lowes website under every email address you have.
I did a year ago and have rcv'd every 40% off discount code that has come out in the past year. Some email address rcv'd the code some didn't.
We booked our room under the CAA?/AAA rates and changed it to the 40% off when I rcv'd the code. Worked out to $160 a night for Hard Rock Hotel. Can't beat that!

Wow! I will ~ thanks for the suggestion ~ happy new year!