Universal???

[christa112]

We are going to be making our 3rd trip to Disney this Sept and are contemplating going to Universal too. We are doing 8 days and have three children ages 9, 7 & 4.

I really don't want to spend a million bucks on tickets to the park because we would be only spending one day there and the 7 day pass is almost the same amount as the one day pass. I am also worried we won't get to see everything in one day and that my kids still maybe too small to do alot of the attractions.

Do you think I should spend the money and do the Universal Parks or wait a couple more years and go back and do just Universal, Sea World & Bush Gardens, when my kids are too cool for Disney LOL!!!!

 

[calgarygary]

There is plenty at Universal for your children, enough to consider making it 2 days. I suggest you visit the Universal threads (scroll down, way down) where you will get plenty of information about all that Universal can offer your children.

 

[TotoToo]

Tickets to Universal are much cheaper then Disney. You can get a whole year for around $120. If you get at least one full year pass you get free parking & significant discounts for food, etc that can save alot.

There are plenty of kids things at Universal - more interactive than the Disney ones - most having to do with water that will entertain the youngsters for hours if you let them stay. Hint: bring a dry set of clothes so they can fully enjoy the fun & still be comfortable afterward.

You may find the one to do for only a couple days is Disney while Universal will entertain for days at a time.

 

[Darcy03231]

I'm not sure if they are still running it, but as of last week you could get 7 days unlimited admission to US/IOA for about $90.

 

[LeahA]

I think 2 full days would be enough to see Universal and Islands of Adventure. My children who are 4/7/10 year old boys love going there, it's a must each trip we take. There are certain attractions at both parks that each child loves.

Universal has such a different energy/vibe to it than Disneyworld. I enjoy both places very much and try to spend time at both when we take our yearly spring break trip to Florida.

 

[mareed]

Do you think I should spend the money and do the Universal Parks or wait a couple more years and go back and do just Universal, Sea World & Bush Gardens, when my kids are too cool for Disney LOL!!!!

This would be my recommendation! We're doing Universal & Sea World next month for the first time when my 2 DS's will be almost 9 & almost 12. As you can see from my signature below, we've done many Disney trips before. We waited until they were both old enough to do all the big rides (54") to try Universal. We typically spend 8-10 days on each Disney trip, and never run out of things to do. In your case with your kids ages, I'd spend the extra $2 a day and stay at Disney. I think your 9 year old is likely the only one to be able to ride the big rides, and someone would be taking turns waiting at the kids areas with the 2 smaller ones.

A girlfriend of mine was thinking of going with her family Spring Break also, but when she looked at the list of attractions that her kids would be able to do (& it was pretty small), she decided to wait. Her kids are 8, 7, & almost 3. Even some of the things they would have been tall enough for, she felt would have been too extreme as far as them (i.e. Jaws).

 

[calgarygary]

The list is pretty small????? Here is a list of rides/attractions that are geared to the younger ones at Islands of Adventure:
Flying Unicorn, Caro-Suess-el, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, If I Ran the Zoo, Pteranodon Flyers, Camp Jurassic, Jurassic Park Discovery Centre, Me Ship The Olive, Kings Row/Comic Strip Lane, High in the Sky Suess Trolley Train, Cat in the Hat (maybe not for toddlers) and for your oldest Spiderman.

Over at Universal Studios:
Animal actors on location, A Day in the Park with Barney, E.T., Curious George goes to town, Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster, Fievel's Playground, Jimmy Neutron, Shrek 4-D, and if your older kids are up to it: Men in Black, Disaster, Twister, Jaws, Universal Horror Make up Show, Simpsons (opens in the spring), Beetlejuice's Graveyard Review.

At both parks, characters are more readily available without the long lines experienced at WDW. Your children will have plenty to do at Universal!

 

[mareed]

The list is pretty small????? Here is a list of rides/attractions that are geared to the younger ones at Islands of Adventure:
Flying Unicorn, Caro-Suess-el, One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, If I Ran the Zoo, Pteranodon Flyers, Camp Jurassic, Jurassic Park Discovery Centre, Me Ship The Olive, Kings Row/Comic Strip Lane, High in the Sky Suess Trolley Train, Cat in the Hat (maybe not for toddlers) and for your oldest Spiderman.

Over at Universal Studios:
Animal actors on location, A Day in the Park with Barney, E.T., Curious George goes to town, Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster, Fievel's Playground, Jimmy Neutron, Shrek 4-D, and if your older kids are up to it: Men in Black, Disaster, Twister, Jaws, Universal Horror Make up Show, Simpsons (opens in the spring), Beetlejuice's Graveyard Review.

At both parks, characters are more readily available without the long lines experienced at WDW. Your children will have plenty to do at Universal!

In my girlfriend's case, she wouldn't have done Men in Black, Disaster, Twister, Jaws, Universal Horror Make up Show, or Beetlejuice's Graveyard Review just due to content, because she has pretty sensitive daughters. The attractions left for the kids are the type where for the most part, the adults would be sitting and watching. Then, the kids would be waiting while the parents took turns riding the thrill rides alone and swapping off.

Please realize that I haven't even been to Universal yet - going next month for the first time. And am largely going on the recommendation of this same girlfriend who went for one day years ago while at WDW, and she had a blast (riding the thrill rides without the children). Instead of taking the Universal trip with her 3 young girls, she's going with me in a few months for a Moms only trip without any children or DH's. I can't wait!

I'm fully expecting to love Universal with my older children, and I'm not expecting it to be Disney! I just question whether it's the best place (compared to Disney) for those with younger children.

To the OP - there's a separate board here on the DIS that's specifically for Universal, and you might post your question there also. There are some real Universal experts there that could probably give you some great advice.