Universal and Disney...maybe lego with 7 and 4 yr old

[Ohio louie]

So we're going to Disney the 1st week of May. Staying offsite at a 4bdrm 4 bath house in windsor hills with pool! Can not wait! Only stayed in a condo before not a house! We have a 7 yr old daughter and 4 yr old son. 7 yr old has met most of the princesses so we are going for rides, new meet and greets and to check out universal....possibly legoland. What tips do you have for me? in regards to disney tics, (have not purchased) universal...is 2 days too much? my kids will enjoy looking at both hogsmede and diagon alley, but can't do a lot. Hoping they will enjoy other parts of the park as well. suess, george, minions,ET, jurrassic, parade, shows, etc. my husband the simpsons, etc. if you had 5park days available how would you spend with this age kiddos? 2 disney (MK, HS) 2 universal (IOA, USF) and lego...or 3 days disney? keep in mind we were at disney 2 years ago...and meeting in laws for harry potter stuff. parking tips? i'm disappointed AAA no longer has diamond parking.

appreciate any help! especially in regard to parking from windsor hills and universal with 7 and 4 yr old! lego worth the drive?

 

[misse336]

I have not tips about parking other than to take a picture of where you park! The parking lots are huge and by the end of the day after seeing so much it may be hard to remember where you parked that morning.

A lot of the answers to your questions depend on (1) - How tall your kids are and (2) - How adventurous your kids are. You can check on the websites of the various parks to see how tall your kids are. If they aren't super adventurous you can google each ride and find videos of them to see if it is something you would be interested in. If it were my kids I would do 2 Disney, 1 US, 1 IoA and 1 LL.

We took a trip to Florida this past summer. It was my kids first trip to Florida. We stayed onsite for a night at US and offsite for the rest of the week at a 2 bedroom time share. We had a 9.5 yo boy, 7 yo boy and 4.5 yo girl. My oldest and youngest are both very tall for their ages. My middle and youngest are both very adventurous. My oldest is a little less adventurous. We went to MK (2 days), LegoLand (1 day), SeaWorld (1 day), US (1 day) and IoA (2 days). We also spent a half day at DTD and 1/2 day at the resort pools.

At MK all of my kids were tall enough to ride everything (even Space Mt). 4 yo didn't ride Space Mt, not because she didn't want to but because she wanted to meet Anna/Elsa more and I could only score 2 FP+ for Anna/Elsa, so we went there with our FP+ while everyone else had FP+ for Space Mt.

At US/IoA we got buy 2 day tickets, get 1 day free. Our tickets were not park-to-park tickets, but we aren't into HP so not going on the train between the parks didn't bother us. The non park-to-park tickets were a lot cheaper and allowed us to stay onsite at US for one night. Staying onsite enabled us to get free express pass which going in August was so worth it. We would not have been able to do 1/2 of what we did without EP in the busy summer. Our DS1 was tall enough to ride everything in both parks, but he isn't as adventurous and choose to skip the Hulk and HP coasters (can't remember the name, but there are 2 colors of them). He did ride the Rip-Ride-Rocket coaster. DS2 was too short for several of the coasters, but was able to ride the Hulk, Mummy, etc. DD was too short for all of the coasters, but could ride MIB, JP, the two water rides and a all other rides. She rode everything that she was tall enough for.

My two boys are obsessed with Legos so going there while they were still young enough to enjoy it was a must. All three of my kids were tall enough to ride everything, including the 3? roller coasters. All three of my kids did ride all of the rides there that we had time for. We were there from park opening to park closing and still didn't have time to do everything, including the Chima water ride because it kept closing down (not sure of the height requirement on that ride since we didn't ride it).

At Sea World DS1 was tall enough to ride everything. DS2 and DD were not tall enough to ride the 2 larger coasters, but were tall enough to ride the water ride and all of the smaller ride/show type rides.

 

[Ohio louie]

I have not tips about parking other than to take a picture of where you park! The parking lots are huge and by the end of the day after seeing so much it may be hard to remember where you parked that morning.

A lot of the answers to your questions depend on (1) - How tall your kids are and (2) - How adventurous your kids are. You can check on the websites of the various parks to see how tall your kids are. If they aren't super adventurous you can google each ride and find videos of them to see if it is something you would be interested in. If it were my kids I would do 2 Disney, 1 US, 1 IoA and 1 LL.

We took a trip to Florida this past summer. It was my kids first trip to Florida. We stayed onsite for a night at US and offsite for the rest of the week at a 2 bedroom time share. We had a 9.5 yo boy, 7 yo boy and 4.5 yo girl. My oldest and youngest are both very tall for their ages. My middle and youngest are both very adventurous. My oldest is a little less adventurous. We went to MK (2 days), LegoLand (1 day), SeaWorld (1 day), US (1 day) and IoA (2 days). We also spent a half day at DTD and 1/2 day at the resort pools.

At MK all of my kids were tall enough to ride everything (even Space Mt). 4 yo didn't ride Space Mt, not because she didn't want to but because she wanted to meet Anna/Elsa more and I could only score 2 FP+ for Anna/Elsa, so we went there with our FP+ while everyone else had FP+ for Space Mt.

At US/IoA we got buy 2 day tickets, get 1 day free. Our tickets were not park-to-park tickets, but we aren't into HP so not going on the train between the parks didn't bother us. The non park-to-park tickets were a lot cheaper and allowed us to stay onsite at US for one night. Staying onsite enabled us to get free express pass which going in August was so worth it. We would not have been able to do 1/2 of what we did without EP in the busy summer. Our DS1 was tall enough to ride everything in both parks, but he isn't as adventurous and choose to skip the Hulk and HP coasters (can't remember the name, but there are 2 colors of them). He did ride the Rip-Ride-Rocket coaster. DS2 was too short for several of the coasters, but was able to ride the Hulk, Mummy, etc. DD was too short for all of the coasters, but could ride MIB, JP, the two water rides and a all other rides. She rode everything that she was tall enough for.

My two boys are obsessed with Legos so going there while they were still young enough to enjoy it was a must. All three of my kids were tall enough to ride everything, including the 3? roller coasters. All three of my kids did ride all of the rides there that we had time for. We were there from park opening to park closing and still didn't have time to do everything, including the Chima water ride because it kept closing down (not sure of the height requirement on that ride since we didn't ride it).

At Sea World DS1 was tall enough to ride everything. DS2 and DD were not tall enough to ride the 2 larger coasters, but were tall enough to ride the water ride and all of the smaller ride/show type rides.

great tips! it's like you read my mind! we have an adventurous 7 year old who is 49 inches with shoes...little over 48in barefoot.. i think she'll be able to do a lot! Also, a sweet little 4.5 yr old who is not as adventurous, but tall at 43inches.
great points about universal tics. we watched the video of the hogwarts express and i would be fine to skip the ride if there is enough to do in IOA all day?? looks like there are much more characters, the parade, and non potter rides that my son would enjoy over at USF. sounds like you enjoyed yourself even without hogsmede and diagon alley. we will not have the express passes, perhaps i should upgrade when we get there, if the lines are long. i'm hopeful may will be mod to low like last time we went same time of year.

appreciate the legoland and seaworld tips. haven't bought tics yet. i'm thinking 2 days base universal, 2 days base disney and 1 lego....but on the fence about the price. 3 days disney vs 2 days disney and 1 lego.

never done the magic band thing....going to be interesting. the paper way was easy. less planning and obsessing!

anywho, i really appreciate your time and tips! any chance you saw the frozen show at HS? i'm not sure if it is permanent or temporary?

 

[Ohio louie]

great tips! it's like you read my mind! we have an adventurous 7 year old who is 49 inches with shoes...little over 48in barefoot.. i think she'll be able to do a lot! Also, a sweet little 4.5 yr old who is not as adventurous, but tall at 43inches.
great points about universal tics. we watched the video of the hogwarts express and i would be fine to skip the ride if there is enough to do in IOA all day?? looks like there are much more characters, the parade, and non potter rides that my son would enjoy over at USF. sounds like you enjoyed yourself even without hogsmede and diagon alley. we will not have the express passes, perhaps i should upgrade when we get there, if the lines are long. i'm hopeful may will be mod to low like last time we went same time of year.

appreciate the legoland and seaworld tips. haven't bought tics yet. i'm thinking 2 days base universal, 2 days base disney and 1 lego....but on the fence about the price. 3 days disney vs 2 days disney and 1 lego.

never done the magic band thing....going to be interesting. the paper way was easy. less planning and obsessing!

anywho, i really appreciate your time and tips! any chance you saw the frozen show at HS? i'm not sure if it is permanent or temporary?

also, nothing like your 4 year old princess meeting the disney princesses for the first time! so magical at that age...that is what got us hooked a couple years ago.

thanks again

 

[martikus]

I would definetly do legoland. DS 7 loved it. We were there open to close. Keep in mind it is probably a 45 min drive.

I would then do 4 days at disney. Lowers price a bit having longer stay. But keep in mind I prefer 6 days at parks and we have decided to save universal until DS is at least 10 b/c he isn't really adventurous.

 

[HM]

I chose not to take my kids to US/IOA until they were around 10. I didn't think it was worth the money spent for younger kids to go there. Very few things for young kids. We missed out on Legoland because my kids were too old for it by the time it opened. There is a short lifespan for ages at that park and your kids are perfect right now. Go there and to Disney on your trip.

 

[Ohio louie]

I would definetly do legoland. DS 7 loved it. We were there open to close. Keep in mind it is probably a 45 min drive.

I would then do 4 days at disney. Lowers price a bit having longer stay. But keep in mind I prefer 6 days at parks and we have decided to save universal until DS is at least 10 b/c he isn't really adventurous.

i agree! i think we'll have to go back to universal when our kids are 10 and 13 or so, but for now we are meeting family there and will just enjoy what we can do. seems like there are a lot of characters, wet play areas, dr suess land and such....totally not disney, but we adults will enjoy harry potter world along with my 7 year old. i anticipate these will be shorter days.

sounds like we gotta do lego! thank you !!!

 

[Ohio louie]

I chose not to take my kids to US/IOA until they were around 10. I didn't think it was worth the money spent for younger kids to go there. Very few things for young kids. We missed out on Legoland because my kids were too old for it by the time it opened. There is a short lifespan for ages at that park and your kids are perfect right now. Go there and to Disney on your trip.

you are so right about the short lifespan! sounds like we really need to do legoland!

i've researched universal's parade, play areas, wet areas, dinos, characters, dr suess land, woody woodpecker, superheroes, ET, shrek, despicable me. i know it's not disney, but i think it will be good, since we are meeting my inlaws for harry potter. my husband will enjoy simpsons.

i anticipate shorter days at universal and save up our energy for disney and lego!

aprreciate you time!

 

[misse336]

great tips! it's like you read my mind! we have an adventurous 7 year old who is 49 inches with shoes...little over 48in barefoot.. i think she'll be able to do a lot! Also, a sweet little 4.5 yr old who is not as adventurous, but tall at 43inches.
great points about universal tics. we watched the video of the hogwarts express and i would be fine to skip the ride if there is enough to do in IOA all day?? looks like there are much more characters, the parade, and non potter rides that my son would enjoy over at USF. sounds like you enjoyed yourself even without hogsmede and diagon alley. we will not have the express passes, perhaps i should upgrade when we get there, if the lines are long. i'm hopeful may will be mod to low like last time we went same time of year.

appreciate the legoland and seaworld tips. haven't bought tics yet. i'm thinking 2 days base universal, 2 days base disney and 1 lego....but on the fence about the price. 3 days disney vs 2 days disney and 1 lego.

never done the magic band thing....going to be interesting. the paper way was easy. less planning and obsessing!

anywho, i really appreciate your time and tips! any chance you saw the frozen show at HS? i'm not sure if it is permanent or temporary?

There was enough for us to do at IoA all day and we actually choose that on our third (free ticket) day because there were a few things that we didn't have time to do the first day that we still wanted to and there were a lot of rides that the kids wanted to reride. Just a warning about the parades - they are not Disney parades. I think that if I would have seen the Disney parades first I would have been super disappointed with the US/IoA parades. They are nice, but quite short and not nearly as elaborate as Disney's parades- I think if you go in knowing that you will still enjoy them since they have different characters.

We did not have Magic Bands so I can't help you with that. We stayed offsite and didn't want to buy them for 2 days when we could just as easily use our park tickets. If you stay onsite I've heard that they are very nice to have.

We did not see the Frozen show at HS, we only went to MK this go around.

If you do go to Legoland start looking for discount tickets. We got tickets that allowed the kids to get in free and if you paid for parking in advance online you saved a few $$ too. Legoland was my boys favorite park of all of the ones we visited.

 

[Ohio louie]

There was enough for us to do at IoA all day and we actually choose that on our third (free ticket) day because there were a few things that we didn't have time to do the first day that we still wanted to and there were a lot of rides that the kids wanted to reride. Just a warning about the parades - they are not Disney parades. I think that if I would have seen the Disney parades first I would have been super disappointed with the US/IoA parades. They are nice, but quite short and not nearly as elaborate as Disney's parades- I think if you go in knowing that you will still enjoy them since they have different characters.

We did not have Magic Bands so I can't help you with that. We stayed offsite and didn't want to buy them for 2 days when we could just as easily use our park tickets. If you stay onsite I've heard that they are very nice to have.

We did not see the Frozen show at HS, we only went to MK this go around.

If you do go to Legoland start looking for discount tickets. We got tickets that allowed the kids to get in free and if you paid for parking in advance online you saved a few $$ too. Legoland was my boys favorite park of all of the ones we visited.

so helpful! it's a good thing we are doing universal 1st, kids will forget how great disney parades are from 2 yrs ago i thought magic bands were required...my misunderstanding...they must scan the card for your FP+ reservations?
trying to make lego a priority now! thank you so much!!! i've heard nothing, but great things about it! i'm trying my best to track down the coupons. hope they come in the lego magazines soon.

 

[rdsx28]

I have never been to Lego Land and don't know what the costs are normally but you may want to check out Living Social Orlando as they have a few deals for it on there. Have a great trip!