Universal for first time after getting on DCL?

[jms]

We have done Disney several times and we love it! We are doing 2 days at Disney before we do the 3 night Disney cruise. On disembarkation day our flight is not until 7pm. I am debating renting a car and giving Universal a try. My boys are getting older 12 and 13 and I have a 6 year old daughter. Thoughts on which park we should do and if 9:30 to 4pm is enough time to justify the cost? Or do we just find a waterpark for the day?

 

[nkereina]

As much as I love Universal, I honestly wouldn't do it. It would be a big expense and you will feel pressed for time.

Unless you're willing to shell out the money, a park to park ticket wouldn't make sense based on the cost and time so that means you'd have to choose one park and you wouldn't be able to ride Hogwarts Express. And unless you're willing to buy express pass, you'll likely still run into waits at the headliner attractions.

If it were me, I'd either plan to spend the night at a Universal hotel before or after your cruise OR save Universal for a future visit to Orlando. Having a full day and part of a second day would be much easier to justify, IMO. If you stay at one of the three deluxe resorts at Universal, you would receive express pass for both days and you could get 90+% of the attractions done in that time.

 

[schumigirl]

Wouldn't recommend it.

We adore Universal and all it has to offer, but one day is barely enough to even start to do one park justice, but you would only have part of a day. If cost is your concern, then it`s absolutely not worth the cost for what you plan to do. If money is no issue then by all means, do it.

But, you really wouldn't get to appreciate how fabulous Universal is........

Like nkereina says, give yourself the chance to visit when you have more time to enjoy the parks fully without time constraints.......it`ll be so much more enjoyable.......

 

[xuxa777]

Agree with the others , I would pass, our crew around the same ages was exhausted after the cruise, going around the park was not as fun as it should have been.

 

[nkereina]

I'll also add that with cruising, disembarkation requires you to be up near the crack of dawn. We did Oasis out of Port Canaveral last Spring and I think we were up at 5am to pack up and grab breakfast before getting off the ship. As PP mentions, we were pretty worn out from that especially because we were up late the night prior enjoying the last night of our cruise. We did start that vacation with 3 nights at Universal before boarding the ship and it worked out well and was a great way to kick off vacation!

 

[bumbershoot]

I’ve done it twice, but those were years we had APs and had likely already been there in that trip. We had very limited things we wanted to do, mainly focused on butterbeer.

As a first timer I probably wouldn’t do it...

 

[keishashadow]

Our last DCL cruise in ‘17, Fantasy delayed, didn’t get off ship until 1 pm. Rare, mechanical issue, but it happens for that and immigration issues. We got to watch another movie & had a 2nd lovely welcome aboard lunch.

For those who had purchased single/multi-day tix @ WDW, it was my understanding they refunded the cost of a one day tix. We got squat lol as we are APH

Not fan of WPs in general on last day, YMMV.

I’d probably just add on another day @ WDW for cost efficiency. Better yet, do U on a pre-cruise day so your not rushed.

 

[oakleycat]

We're doing it in April, but we're also doing Universal before our cruise and getting APs so there's not extra cost/pressure. We plan to be off the ship by 9 (rental car left at port lot), at Universal by 10 and stay until around 4:00. Our flight is at 7:30 and we will have TSA Precheck. So it's definitely doable, but I don't think I'd suggest it for your first time and at the cost of a one-day ticket. If you're renting a car at port after the cruise that will also cut into your time - we did that last year and it took almost 2 hours with the wait for the shuttle and then a crazy long line at the rental place.

 

[Wild4Walt]

It could be really tight. IF you get off the ship on one of the early times ( basing this on my past non-disney cruises ) I'd think the earliest you'd be off the ship is around 7a and then immigration and onto the shuttle bus by 8a-ish. Then and hour and a half ( approx with travel ) to the airport ( now around 930a ) and then a half hour transportation from the airport to Universal Studios ( approx another 30 minutes ) so you're looking at about 10a to get to the front of the park. IMO, I'd concentrate on 1 park and target specific areas of that park if you still wanted to go.