Universal has lost our business.

[Tinkerbelle'sMOM]

You can do both parks in one day....consider staying one night on site! With FOTL the waits are pretty minimal and you will have somewhere to go if the heat gets too unbearable without having to go far!

 

[robsmom]

I am really having the opposite problem. I am splitting my trip evenly 5 days at disney and 5 at universal. Budgetwise, however, the 5 disney days are costing me alot more. Has to do with choices I guess. We are staying at the Polynesean and have the visa rate. even with that it is 70 or 80 dollars more per night that the Annual Passholder Rate that I got at the Hard Rock Hotel. I had to buy one annual pass for around $169 put it was worth it for the savings. For DH and DS I bought the 5 day Universal passes which are less than $100 per person. Total tickets for 4 day PH's at Disney were $600+ versus less than 400 for Universal. In addition, we want to do the hoop-de-doo review and a few other restuarants at Disney that are going to add up. We have an expensive lunch at Emeri's and one dinner at tchoup tchoup but other than that will be using a bunch of the 1/2 price certificate for the meals as Universal. So in total I think the 5 days at Disney will cost me almost $1000 more than the 5 at Universal. I think it really is about what/how you choose to do it.

 

[TinaGunn]

Consider staying off site, I have a family of four and I got our Hotel (which is a townhouse with a two bedrooms and full kitchen which means we can make breakfast in the morning) car rental and airfare (from Cleveland OH) for $1712.00. We are only 5 min. from WDW and about 15 from universal. I know a lot of people prefer to stay onsite but for someone who can't afford it its a better option. by the way we are staying for 8 days.

 

[cboudre1]

We were originally going to spend our entire trip at WDW and decided to split the trip with Universal because of FOTL. We are paying $187 for the HRH, so we decided on the All Star Sports ($69 a night) to even out the price. We are also doing Disney first so we aren't spoiled by FOTL. We would never have stayed off Disney property if Universal didn't have FOTL.

 

[LIFERBABE]

A few years back you could stay at US cheap.

Now it is $150 night and up. We have always stayed offsite even when going to WDW but now we own DVC and we are US/IOA AP holders. I think this is the best combination for us. Stay at WDW but visit US when we want. I did look into staying there for the weekend but the prices were higher than I expected so we opted for SOG.

I like US/IOA because they do have single rider lines and many attractions that are que-less like the waterpark and the ball pit that the boys enjoy. We go every year, and have always been able to do what we wanted without the Xpress passes (which are gone by the time we arrive) or FOTL. It may be that we go in Early June, but so far I don't see the need to pay extra or stay for FOTL access.

 

[becobscot]

The FOTL really makes the difference of when to go. When I plan a Disney vacation, I will always go during the off season because of the heat and the crowds. At Universal, you can still go during the summer because of the FOTL access. Of course, at Disney I'd stay at the All-Stars because without FOTL you really do just use your Disney room to sleep and shower. At Universal, you have time to relax around the hotel and the pool so it is a splurge but more relaxing than a day at Disney. I guess I'm saying splurge at Universal,conserve at Disney!

 

[tiggerguy2000]

I understand the resort prices are high but im not willing to rush out early from somewhere else and hurry thru and take that long walk back to the car.I want to go when I want and get on the rides fast so paying is worth it to me.Im a DVC owner so leaving the resort to travel 20 minutes or more is not going to happen.I go 2 or 3 times a year to disney and only go to universal on one of those trips.If you have that many people going then you should try for a group rate.My fan rate for the 4th of july is $232.00 for a deluxe room.I could have had a garden room for $164.00.I got the deluxe room because im going with six people.I will be staying in the pop century for 1 night because im flying in a day earlier then the rest that wanted to drive.Im waiting for the AP rate to come out ($59.00).After The Hard Rock stay we are off to the polynesian and staying in the concierge lagoon view rooms.

tiggerguy2000 :space: