Who else is cutting their days at Disney and adding Universal

[MichiganDVC]

Uni got a one night stay and a 2 day park ticket out of us in 2011 and they'll get a 2 day park hopper out of us this year. Sort of hurts me to say it but I'm more excited about Harry Potter expansion than I am about Fantasyland expansion. We'll stay in our DVC unit but hit Uni's parks for 2 days. In the past this would NEVER have happened but the whole Harry Potter thing was a game changer.

Of course, they had two totally different target audiences.

I love WDW...I think the New Fantasyland is really pretty, especially at night. And I can't wait for 7DMR.
However, I usually spend a whopping 10 minutes in NFL. Adventureland and Tomorrowland have always been my favorites and always will be. Of course, I'm not a 5 year old girl.

I would salivate if Epcot ever build another country. They could add Liechtenstein and it would be my Harry Potter!

 

[lisatx04]

This summer we are leaving Disney to go to Universal for 2 days/1 night. We are DVC owners. Staying onsite at Universal so we can use their express pass. Will check back in to Disney after our 2 days at Universal. Have never been there, so we figured we would give it a try. Kids are older and need more thrill rides. Although I love Disney, and we will always go back, I feel it is time to change it up just a bit.

I cannot comment on FP+ since I have not experienced it as of yet. I do hope all the changes and problems get fixed prior to my June trip.

 

[Redarrow5150]

The last two times we have visited WDW we have gone to Universal but right now that's not in the plans come this December due to budget issues. Even if you cut a day or two out of Disney it doesn't translate moving that money over Universal. I like Universal but issues with them is having to pay for transportation in getting there which is an additional cost and paying for two parks versus a park hopper at WDW which is 4 parks. I know going one day at Universal isn't the best way to purchase the tickets but don't see the value of staying more than a day. If we get extra money between now and December would love to go again especially with the HP expansion.

 

[cbsnyber1]

That's good, one less. Person at WDW... Maybe if enough head to Universal...WDW parks will be less crowded...zip personally don't care for Universal... never been, no desire.... no matter what, true to WDW... It has what we enjoy..

If you've never been there, how do you know that you don't care for it?

 

[La2kw]

None of the choices really fit us. We are DVC members, Premier AP holders at Disney and AP holders at Universal. We like both worlds, but prefer Universal lately. Love WWOHP, Springfield, Transformers, and Despicable Me. All these things were built withing the last ten years. WDW has built a few kiddie rides and character meeting rooms. I have zero interest in that. I hate that they closed a classic dark ride to put in another character meet and greet. Just like I hate that they have turned some of our favorite restaurants into character meals (CRT, CP, Akershus). WDW has become stagnant and maintenance/upkeep has really declined. EE still broken is ridiculous. We didn't do WDW at all last year, but the DVC discount on the AP's brought us back. Honestly, we'd rather do Disneyland than WDW- that has always been the case. Disneyland keeps their parks up much better. But we do love our DVC resorts and the vacation experience we can get there.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

While I like the Harry potter movies well enough and love movies in general, I have never been to Universal and ultimately don't care if I never go there. I wouldn't mind going sometime, but my priority has always been Disney.

 

[JimmyV]

What about: Cutting days from WDW, but Universal has nothing to do with it. Disney vacations are becoming less and less relaxing and swapping one theme park for another is not our solution. We need fewer theme park castles and need more sand castles. So cut days at WDW will become more days at the beach.

 

[Planogirl]

My answer is closest to the last choice except that we didn't always go to Universal. DS talked me into it and I absolutely loved it. Two of my three favorite rides (Mummy's Revenge and Spiderman) and a couple of my favorite restaurants are there after all. I will always go to Universal no matter what Disney does but I could see cutting back on Disney and doing other things more. There are a ton of nice things to do in Florida.

 

[rachel09985]

I loved the HP section but I am an AP and it isn't worth to pay an extra $100 just to see it again! I hated the rest of the park besides Harry Potter. I will go after the new sections been open a while though

 

[jmkrat]

I thought Universal was ok and don't mind spending a day there, but I wouldn't want to spend a week there. My kids went last time for the day and were ready to come back to Disney fairly early. They did enjoy it, but it just wasn't the same. My kid's were 22,22 and 25 at the time.

 

[waynesgirl]

AP here. We love Disney. It was harder on us a few years back when they took away airline employee discounts. Now, we have to really set our visits in stone, we have to stay offsite mostly, etc. But, we make it work.
FP+ so far doesn't bother us.
Now, this year, we are taking our son to US as well as WDW. That will be the factor.

 

[RWF]

We just got back from a Disney/Universal trip last week. This was our first time at Universal.

We really enjoyed it. Thought the express pass with onsite hotel stay was fantastic! Their employees seemed just as friendly and helpful as CMs. With two boys, many of the themes there are more to our taste: Transformers, Simpsons, Harry Potter, etc.

My boys, who are not into ambiance, did notice the lack of theming at the Uni parks and how they were not as immersive. Of course, this is not true of WWoHP. They matched, or exceeded, Disney standards there.

Although I could not go to Orlando and not go to Disney, even though we are not fans of FP+. Now it looks like we will always want to include Uni as well.

I think we will plan to go to Disney for 4-5 nights and then Universal for 3-4. However, we will have extra days on our Disney tickets so that even if we are at Uni we can go back to Disney. With FP+, we could book our FPs for a couple of evenings and just go in to use them.