Visiting Disney World Again But Never Been to Universal Studios

[DisneyFamily123]

Please share your thoughts and experiences. Thank you. We have 3 nights to do something after a cruise in January. Will rent a car in Miami drive up to Orlando and fly home from there. I'd like to go to Universal but we can't do both. It would feel odd to be in Orlando and not ride our favorite rides at WDW - Big Thunder Mtn RR and Expedition Everest and Space Mtn. My 10 yr old son and I will go on Tower of Terror and Aerosmith Coaster but that's really pushing the limit. I always thought Universal was more like an amusement park and most of the good rides are big rollercoasters way beyond our thrill seeking limit. Some people have said Universal is fun for boys especially at age 10 but we really are not getting on the big coasters. Is it time for Universal or would you stick to your WDW favorites? I realize I would get different opinions on a Universal forum... but I want the Disney fan perspective.

 

[subtchr]

We enjoy both parks. To me, the deciding factor is whether your son or others in your party are Harry Potter fans. Universal has done an AMAZING job with the two HP areas, one in each park.

With only three days, I agree that you should pick one or the other. That is the perfect amount of time to discover Universal. If you stay at one of their top three hotels, you get to enter a park an hour early and are entitled to complimentary Unlimited Express Pass (think unlimited Fastpass!). The Express pass is not included for the top Harry Potter attractions, but you can ride those early and/or with single rider lines for repeat rides.

Have fun whatever you decide!

 

[anniebean]

My three kids like Universal better. We all love Harry Potter, however, there are more things to the parks than HP. It's, in my opinion, a little more laid back because there is less planning involved. Universal is a place I could just pick up and go to with no planning (just hotel reservations--and stay onsite--well worth it) Disney, I'd be freaking out over a spur of the moment trip with no plans.

 

[rangerxenos]

If you have Harry Potter fans in your family, you should check it out, what they've done with those areas of the parks are amazing. The movie side of Univeral has a lot of rides that are not coasters.

 

[BrianL]

I like both, but I prefer Disney and visit more often. Universal does have some great stuff, but is more inconsistent and they lack the classic rides that I so love. Universal has a lot of stuff besides coasters that is worth checking out. If you like movies, there would be plenty for you there. Aside from the Harry Potter worlds, it is a little less grand than Disney, but still a lot of fun. As much as I prefer Disney, I still think Uni is worth checking out (though I personally prefer Uni Hollywood).

FYI: The only "BIG" coasters at Universal are Rip Ride Rock-It, Hulk, and Dragon Challenge. The Mummy is an indoor one that has no inversions, though it is fast (like RnRC without the loops). Honestly, even the big coasters at Uni are tame to a coaster enthusiast's standard.

 

[kohlby]

I'm in both the Disney and Universal forums. We like both. We used to always do both parks every trip until it got too expensive. Our trip last year was 13 nights at Disney. The trip this year is 8 nights and Universal. (We also have a couple other things in there - we'll still do Disney Springs, since free! And also doing Legoland and Kennedy Space Center).

IOA was my kids second favorite park out of all 7 main parks for a long time - only EP was higher. (I'm not sure what their favorites are now though, it gets hard to pick and we haven't been to US/IOA for almost 2 years). That was even before Harry Potter was at Universal! My kids have been going since my eldest was barely 3 years old. (Middle was 2 months old and third wasn't born yet). Spiderman was my eldest's first theme park ride ever. They're now 12, 9, and 6 and though my 12 year old has been tall enough for everything for a while, he doesn't want to try the biggest rides and there's still plenty. (My 9 year old loves thrill rides but is petite, so it actually makes it easier this way).

As for which I like better, it's comparing two very different types of vacations. Universal is MUCH more relaxed to me. We repeat more rides and take our time and planning is extremely minimal. Disney takes us a lot of planning. Disney has four main parks while Universal only has two, so Disney has more options too - so that's a plus in the other direction. When we do Universal, we add on a couple of other things too.

Since you have never done Universal, I'd suggest giving Universal a try.

 

[Magpie]

I'm not sure how useful it is to ask Disney fans who've "never been to Universal" whether you should go to Universal.

For what it's worth, I'm a Disney annual passholder who has visited Universal twice now. Universal is lovely and very comparable to Disney in terms of quality of theming and rides. In fact, it can be argued that the two Harry Potter sections beat anything Disney currently offers (we'll see if Star Wars changes that), and Universal pushes the bounds technology-wise in a way that Disney does not (yet).

Universal is much more than just "thrill rides". And it's not just for teenage boys. Disney, however, is much larger, more self contained, and has a nostalgia factor that can't be beat. (Which is why we go to Disney more often than Universal.)

Sometimes it seems that people feel they need to give all their loyalty to one park or the other. In order to love Disney, they have to disparage Universal at every turn. They'll say it's nothing but coasters. They'll say it's dirty. Doesn't have any nice theming. No restaurants. Every ride is a simulator. There's nothing for little kids. The staff are surly. None of that's true.

It's worth remembering, many locals work both for Disney and for Universal. That delightful cast member from Disney might very well be a team member at Universal next year, and vice versa.

If you do decide to give Universal a go, I STRONGLY recommend staying at a deluxe resort onsite. Yes, it's pricy, but one night gets you unlimited access to all express lines in the parks for two days (it's like having unlimited Fastpass) and you can walk or take a boat to the parks. Also, get a parkhopper, or you won't be able to ride the Hogwarts Express between the parks. And do your research, same as you would for visiting Disney.

 

[rwdavis2]

If you have 3 days then stay on site to get the free Express Pass and get multi-day park to park tickets. Hogwarts Express between both Harry Potter attractions in each park requires it. You will not regret doing it. IMHO, the Hard Rock Hotel is just as nice as any hotel at WDW in terms of service. No immersive theming but it is VERY nice and you can walk or boat to either park.

Once we started to do Universal it's usually a required visit when we are in Orlando. I will also reiterate it's not as much as a rat race as WDW. You can take it much easier and the food options in City Walk are excellent.

 

[dsdeleon]

My 10 yo requested Universal and we ended up being Uni AP holders and letting the Disney APs go. It just ended up fitting our touring style much better. It also turned YDS and I into hardcore HP fans so that's been fun. YDS and I still have a soft spot for MK but just hit it once every few trips. ODS is fine just staying at AKL, no Disney parks. I will say AKL will always keep us coming to Disney though.

 

[hakepb]

We've done WDW dozens of times, and I've only done US 2 days (1 pre-IOA, the other time Was with a toddler (way too young for IOA). Nothing about pre-HP, pre-Simpsons US was that memorable.

We are quickly approaching the age that we need to consider IOA... But each boy is different in terms of extreme ride enjoyment. Some are ready at 10 .... Others aren't ready until 14+

Unless HP is a big consideration, I think it's fair to hold off a few years if a 10 y/o boy currently maxes out on RnR.

 

[Planogirl]

Universal does have a more thrilling attitude but it's way more than thrill rides. I took my son many years ago when he reached "that" age and now I am solidly hooked and will never travel to Orlando without visiting Universal. I'm also not a big coaster rider but I find plenty to do.

I would suggest looking at the Universal website and reading about what they have to offer. There are good forums here and definitely read the Universal restaurant sticky if you decide to go. Just like Disney, Universal has both good and bad places to eat.

 

[DiannaVM]

I' haven't been to Universal in a few years (last time I was there Jaws was just about to close and the Disaster ride was still known as "earthquake". However, even though my family had always been equally a fan of US and Disney, I found that there wasn't as much to do (I never been to IOA). It was during low crowds too so the park was practically empty. We got there when the park opened and left shortly before 1, having finished doing all we wanted to do (and some!). Through the years though more and more of my favorites at US have been removed so there isn't a whole lot I am interested now. My advice would be to get a park hopper equivalent ticket to do both US and IOA. I am by no means a big roller coaster fan either, so I think being able to see both parks in one day will be enough for you. I actually plan on doing that on our next trip.

 

[buzzrelly]

I love WDW but we did UO last April and loved that too. It was fun and a whole new experience. But we stayed onsite at UO for 3 nights and then switched over to BLT for 8 nights. My trip report link is below if you'd like more info!

 

[prisjoyce]

After multiple trips to WDW, my family spent 3 days at Universal last Nov. We enjoyed trying something new, and were really excited to see all the Harry Potter stuff, but now we feel like we've done it, and we don't have to go back any time soon. Disney, however, is somewhere my kids want to visit over and over again.

Three days is the perfect amount of time to visit Universal, so give it a try after your cruise. At least then you'll know!

Cheers ~

 

[ArwenMarie]

The onsite Universal experience is great and 3 days is perfect for it. Go for it! It's good to try new things.

 

[kelleybean]

Put me in the "give Universal a try" camp too. Your son is the perfect age for it. The Harry Potter areas are absolutely amazing. Our family loves the Gringotts ride. They paid a lot of attention to detail in recreating Gringotts bank from the movies and even the line for this ride is incredible. If you get an interactive wand, he can also "cast spells" mostly in Diagon Alley in Universal but a couple in IOA as well. But we still love Disney and honestly you can't go wrong with either one.

 

[jollygreen]

I love Disney and Universal, they're both great parks. In 2013 I just went to Universal, 2014 was a split Universal & Disney trip, and this year I'm just going to Disney.

There really aren't that many big coasters at Universal. Rip Ride Rockit, the Hulk, and Dragon Challenge are it. The Mummy is a coaster too, but if you can handle RnR, then you'd be fine on the Mummy. There's plenty to do for non-thrill seekers. And I would definitely recommend staying onsite at one of their 3 deluxe hotels, you'll get early access and unlimited express passes. The only things you can't use the express passes on are two Harry Potter rides, Forbidden Journey and Escape from Gringotts. Getting park-to-park tickets to ride the Hogwarts Express is a good idea too. And it's easy to go between the parks even without riding the train, it's a pretty short walk. Universal, to me, is a much more relaxed park. There isn't nearly as much planning involved as Disney.

I would say go for it. You've never been and say you want to go, so why not try something new? I'm sure you and your family would have a good time. But I would definitely check out Universal's website to see what they have.

 

[ols386]

I've been to Universal maybe 3-4 times.

I just can't really get into it. I guess it's just not my thing.

I know tons of people though, who dearly love it.

I'm just more into the whole Disney thing.

If you've never been to US, I would definitely think its worth going.

 

[kwdw]

I go to WDW many more times than I do Universal - but I am also a HP fan and do love the HP areas of Universal. And there are lots of OTHER things at Universal, too. So - I do get there, too.

Three days is the perfect length of time for a "first-time" Universal trip - you can really see everything and explore the parks well in that amount of time. If you pick Universal - you REALLY need to stay on-site to get the early admissions to the HP area. If its a slow time of year - you can pick any of the Universal resorts, including Cabana Bay, BUT if you are going at a peak time - stay at one of the deluxe resorts to get the Express Pass. Cabana Bay gives you the early admission, but not the Express Pass. At a slower time of year - you don't "need" the Express Pass at Universal, but at peak times - you do. Get a park-to-park 3 day pass.

For me - Universal does have a few more "thrill rides" and rides that make me sick (motion sick) - so I have to be more careful what I pick to do - BUT - there is still plenty to do for 2-4 days. I do think Universal is well-worth a trip. It is hard to not see WDW when in Florida, I admit. But - when I did my Universal only trip last year (4 days) - it really was good enough that I didn't miss WDW. The trip had a different feel. I stayed at Cabana Bay - and the weather was gorgeous for enjoying the lazy river and pool slide at the resort. (And I almost went bowling!) But having the time to not rush through Universal was nice. I explored the parks well. Went back to favorite parts. Explored Citywalk. Enjoyed the resort. A bit more relaxed than a WDW trip. It was also August and HORRIBLY hot - so I had to go back to the resort mid-day to cool down.

The ONE thing I don't like about Universal is the "Express Pass" system. Unlike FP that everyone who buys a ticket can have access to, the Express Pass is EXTRA money unless staying at a Universal Deluxe resort. If you don't have one - you definitely feel like a second class citizen. I made that mistake my first trip to Universal during a peak spring break week - and ride waits were awful. While I could have added the pass by buying it - since it was a peak time - it was A LOT of money and it simply wasn't in the budget. That's when I learned you don't go to Universal without staying on-site. I did do a quick one day visit on another WDW trip - but that was early March and lines weren't bad and I didn't have the goal of riding the "Feature Rides" in the HP areas - so it was okay that I was off-site without an express pass.

For my last trip (been three times) - I stayed at Cabana Bay - and I was SOLO. Based on the room price and the additional cost of the express pass - it was cheaper for me there as a solo than to stay at deluxe - but I doubt that math would be the same for a party of three. So - I've personally never stayed at one of the deluxe hotels to give a reference. I did check them out once, and I think one has a mini-refrigerator in the room, but the other two don't. But - it's been over a year since I looked at them.

Anyway - I DO recommend a Universal trip on occasion, even though I prefer Disney. The parks are nice, the HP is unmatched in terms of theming quality, it's clean, it's fun, it has a nice variety of attractions, etc. And with a 10 year old - that's a good time to visit. I probably wouldn't recommend it for the under 5 crowd.

 

[ErinTwinmom]

Im just going to throw out depending on the makeup of your party Universal is much less friendly than Disney for the Pooh sized crowd.