Help from those that visited WDW/SW/UO all in one vacation

[monica9]

Here are some ideas we have

Magical Express to WDW.
WDW 4 nights (epcot first night, mk whole second day, AK day/mk night 3rd day, HS/disney springs)

Day 5 take uber to UO resort to drop off bags and uber to seaworld for the day.
UO 4 nights (day 5 is seaworld, day 6 is UO/IOA, day 7 volcano bay day/ city walk night, day 8 is UO/IOA, day 9 hang at resort and leave for airport with uber.

OR

Rent car and do all of the above.

Any other choices? Which choice is best?
Should we do UO/IOA together or one day each? We will have a 10 year old and 2 year old. 2 year old won't be able to do much at universal and hubby and I don't love virtual rides all that much even though we will do them. We know nothing about Harry Potter and could care less if we see it though my daughter and I wouldn't mind going on the roller coaster if we can.
Is volcano bay worth it or should we do a day at the pool and half day at park or city walk since we don't ever enjoy our resorts.

Thanks

 

[HopperFan]

In short:
Car rental, gas, parking fee at hotels and SeaWorld vs ME and Ubers

From your description .... I wouldn't even spend the money for Universal parks other than Volcano Bay if that is the water park you want to do the most. I'd do more Disney and two days at SeaWorld.

 

[Jedimom]

Is there a reason you feel like you have to cram all of that in? Like you won't be coming back for a while?

If not I agree with HopperFan. Skip Universal altogether. You don't care for Harry Potter nor the virtual rides (which Universal has a lot of). Plus it's geared for adults and older kids -- maybe wait until they are older. It's cheaper to do more days at Disney (or take a down day or two -- with a 2 year old I would think that's better anyway). Maybe think about a few days at Sea World, sometimes they have good package prices on Sea World multiple days to include a water park. Or do a Disney water park -- same idea with the package deals.

 

[HopperFan]

Is there a reason you feel like you have to cram all of that in? Like you won't be coming back for a while?

If not I agree with HopperFan. Skip Universal altogether. You don't care for Harry Potter nor the virtual rides (which Universal has a lot of). Plus it's geared for adults and older kids -- maybe wait until they are older. It's cheaper to do more days at Disney (or take a down day or two -- with a 2 year old I would think that's better anyway). Maybe think about a few days at Sea World, sometimes they have good package prices on Sea World multiple days to include a water park. Or do a Disney water park -- same idea with the package deals.

And the new Sesame Street area should be done at SeaWorld ... even us big kids are excited!

 

[monica9]

In short:
Car rental, gas, parking fee at hotels and SeaWorld vs ME and Ubers

From your description .... I wouldn't even spend the money for Universal parks other than Volcano Bay if that is the water park you want to do the most. I'd do more Disney and two days at SeaWorld.

my 10 year old is ready for bigger rides that Disney doesn't offer but the Seaworld ones are bit too intense so looking for a happy medium. I'd also like to visit since my husband and I haven't been in over 15 years.

 

[monica9]

Is there a reason you feel like you have to cram all of that in? Like you won't be coming back for a while?

If not I agree with HopperFan. Skip Universal altogether. You don't care for Harry Potter nor the virtual rides (which Universal has a lot of). Plus it's geared for adults and older kids -- maybe wait until they are older. It's cheaper to do more days at Disney (or take a down day or two -- with a 2 year old I would think that's better anyway). Maybe think about a few days at Sea World, sometimes they have good package prices on Sea World multiple days to include a water park. Or do a Disney water park -- same idea with the package deals.

Our 10 year old has been wanting to go and enjoys upside down rollercoasters. We will definitely do the virtual rides, we just don't love them enough to have to see every single one.
We go to disney every year and are ready for UO but want to experience Disney with our little one and I am too big of a disney fan to be in that area of Florida and not go to Disney at least a couple of nights. We would deduct SeaWorld except for the new Sesame area they are building and Volcano Bay isn't a must for us but UO and IOA are.

 

[jamdisney]

I love both Disney and UO/IOA, but I think with the ages of your children you might want to do just one day at UO/IOA. If I were you, I would either add another day to Disney (a fifth Disney day is likely cheaper than a second UO/IOA day, but I'm too lazy to check right now) or just enjoy your resort/maybe visit Disney Springs one day. I think your children will enjoy something at every one of the parks, but it's also sometimes nice to have a 'downtime day' in the middle of our Orlando vacations.

 

[mjhtvchick]

On our first trip in 2011, we visited all 3 as we didn't know if we would be back! Look where we are now!!

We kept our homebase at Disney and did a daytrip to SeaWorld and a daytrip to Universal, using a private taxi service (pre-Uber).

We did only IOA during that visit to Universal as it was more my daughter's interest - Harry Potter, pre-Diagon Alley.

You can certainly get a glimpse of both parks in one day but it is not nearly as enjoyable. If you are thinking of just doing one day as others have suggested, I would have a good look at the park maps and just pick one park or the other.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Ten is a great age for Universal. That is about the age when we started considering Universal more of a main destination instead of an after thought. If sounds like you have time to let your DD read the Harry Potter books, if she hasn't already. The first 4 are probably at her reading level now, and if she enjoys them, it would enhance her trip to visit some of the fanciful places she has read about.

I don't think you have too much time scheduled. When DD was 8, we did Universal in one day (an extended hours day), but it was really a lot. We were more tired after than one day than after any Disney day - it was the only time on a 14 day trip that DD begged us to carry her out of the park when we were done. Now, we take more time and find it much more relaxing.

I do think Universal isn't as much fun for a toddler. There are definitely things for the little one - Seuss Landing, for instance. And their child swap is really good - for most rides, you wait in line together and then there is a holding room near ride loading.

 

[monica9]

I love both Disney and UO/IOA, but I think with the ages of your children you might want to do just one day at UO/IOA. If I were you, I would either add another day to Disney (a fifth Disney day is likely cheaper than a second UO/IOA day, but I'm too lazy to check right now) or just enjoy your resort/maybe visit Disney Springs one day. I think your children will enjoy something at every one of the parks, but it's also sometimes nice to have a 'downtime day' in the middle of our Orlando vacations.

The thing is we seriously go to Disney almost every year. Our 10 year old has been 6 times and has been asking for Universal. I'd like to change our vacation.

 

[monica9]

Ten is a great age for Universal. That is about the age when we started considering Universal more of a main destination instead of an after thought. If sounds like you have time to let your DD read the Harry Potter books, if she hasn't already. The first 4 are probably at her reading level now, and if she enjoys them, it would enhance her trip to visit some of the fanciful places she has read about.

I don't think you have too much time scheduled. When DD was 8, we did Universal in one day (an extended hours day), but it was really a lot. We were more tired after than one day than after any Disney day - it was the only time on a 14 day trip that DD begged us to carry her out of the park when we were done. Now, we take more time and find it much more relaxing.

I do think Universal isn't as much fun for a toddler. There are definitely things for the little one - Seuss Landing, for instance. And their child swap is really good - for most rides, you wait in line together and then there is a holding room near ride loading.

Thanks. We just got off a cruise two weeks ago and it was had a dr. seuss theme and our little one loved it so she'd like seuss landing.

 

[Tgrgrl]

Volcano Bay is amazing!! We enjoyed it much more than Aquatica. You didn’t say which UO resort you are staying at but if it comes with the express passes, that will be a huge time saver and you could probably do everything you want to do in both parks within 2 days.

 

[monica9]

We decided to just stay at wdw and go to SW and UO each one day. I’m thinking Uber is cheapest now that Disney is charging to park a car. I just hope we can see all we want at uo/ioa in one day