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Post by tlc59 on Mar 8, 2017 15:37:46 GMT
I know you Peas have the answers. My family of 10, sister, nieces, nephews all older than 20 want to go to Harry Potter World in Florida in mid September. We are flying in from CA, CO and AZ. My question is do I plan 2-3 days at HPW and then move and plan 2-3 at DW? Thoughts? Also, do I use a travel agent for this trip? So many people, and details. Who to use?
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bethany102399
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,531 
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Post by bethany102399 on Mar 8, 2017 15:42:58 GMT
I have researched a disney trip for years, something always comes up and we have yet to go. When we do go, I fully intend to use a travel agent. There are several resources out there too, Disboards is a good one. For a family of 4, we're looking at a 4-5K vacation. I don't spend that kind of money without a LOT of planning and asking questions.
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pridemom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,843
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Post by pridemom on Mar 8, 2017 15:47:21 GMT
Two days at Universal is plenty. Get the tickets that let you go between parks for all the HP stuff. Splurge on butter beer every day. They have cold, hot, and frozen. Yummy.
At least 3 days for DW but four would be better, and the more days you have the cheaper your price per day.
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Post by 950nancy on Mar 8, 2017 15:51:30 GMT
My son and I spent four full days at both of the Universal parks. There is a lot more than the HP world there. When you buy the multi park pass, you can go between parks easily using the train. I would say that 2-3 days will let you see everything in both parks at Universal. Not really every single thing, but definitely everything in the HP parts of the park. If you stay on Universal property, you can enter the parks early. Disney is fun too, but it is really designed more for younger kids and adults who enjoy everything Disney. Since there are four major parks at DW, it takes more time. We all had hopper passes for 7 days and saw all of the parks several times. You don't need a travel agent, but I find that they are good at saving you money and knowing some things most people don't know. Also, hit up Pinterest (or Google) for some of the hidden facts or good ideas for the parks. There is a lot to offer. The package deals with Disney or Universal can provide shuttle service from the airport to the hotels. You will probably need that and we found it was cheaper than a taxi.
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freebird
Drama Llama
'cause I'm free as a bird now
Posts: 6,927
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Post by freebird on Mar 8, 2017 15:56:35 GMT
We did Universal/HPW in 2015. I was mainly there for HPW. You could easily see it all in one day. We did 2 days and saw most of the parks. We had to leave in the middle of the day because it was so hot (August) so if you're going later in the year you'll probably be fine in 2 days. Especially if you can get up early and be there when the parks open. Go as fast as you can to HPW and do those rides first. Get fast passes if you can afford the extra. Although we got the one trip fast passes and really probably could have gotten away without it as many rides it's not allowed.
We didn't do Disney
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Mar 8, 2017 15:58:52 GMT
If you use a travel agent, make sure you use one who specializes in the Florida theme parks.
I like 3 days at Universal - one full day in each park and one to go back and hit our favorites again. I like to start the day and end the day in the HP areas of the park, moving on to other things in the busiest part of the day. If you can swing it, staying on-site is worth it for the unlimited express pass.
Also, you'll be at Universal during Halloween Horror Nights, so the park-to-park becomes especially important since Studios will be closing early some nights. With all adults, I would strongly consider attending HHN. They are the best haunted houses I've been through - it is like being on movie sets while in a conga line. We did the RIP Tour at HHN, and it was worth every penny to get us through all of the houses and the main shows with minimal lines. We did the public tour, but it might be cheaper to do a private tour with 10 people.
I really prefer 5 days at Disney (MK twice, the other parks once each), but I'd be happy with less if Harry Potter is the priority. I've even done a week at Universal and just visited Disney for their Halloween party to get a "taste" of Disney.
I'll give you a warning: when you do both Disney and Universal on the same trip, the costs increase a lot over just doing one. Each day at the SAME location gets cheaper, but the costs "start over" when you add in the other destination.
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Loydene
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,639
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Post by Loydene on Mar 8, 2017 16:04:55 GMT
I like to use a travel agent when coordinating planning for a group for one BIG reason: because travel agents are sticklers for getting payment! And they have the ability to take payments in the way the individuals want to make them.
I've never been to Harry Potter World -- I WANT TO GO!!!! -- but I agree that Universal World is worth some time as well. And - I'd give as much time as possible to WDW -- you'll want every bit of it and more!
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Post by QueSeraSera on Mar 8, 2017 16:09:21 GMT
Others have posted some great info. We spent 4 days at Universal. 3 would have been adequate. 2 would work, but I would have felt a bit rushed with only 2. I would highly recommend going to Disneyworld first and then Universal if doing both parks in one trip. The lines can be so much shorter at Universal that you get spoiled. My experience at WDW was long lines for everything not just rides (restaurants, entering park, etc)
Also MAKE RESERVATIONS for as many restaurants as possible if experiencing these restaurants is important to you. Even at Universal you'll need reservations at some restaurants. Antojitos at the Universal CityWalk best fajitas I've ever had!
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Post by littlemama on Mar 8, 2017 16:09:33 GMT
We spent 4 or 5 days at Universal because we wanted to go at a leisurely pace and not feel like we had to rush to cram it all in. If all you are interested in is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, I would imagine you could do that in a day with a Park to Park pass. As someone else mentioned, it is more expensive per day the fewer days you go to the parks.
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Post by beachbum on Mar 8, 2017 16:25:15 GMT
Have never done Universal, but WDW many times (first time was a couple of months after they opened). If you stay on WDW property you'll have Magic Bands and can book fast pass times for rides ahead of time. We're going in early May and my DD has ours done already, as well as the big restaurant reservations made - like character meals. There's nothing like seeing Mickey with your grands!
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gina
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,225
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Post by gina on Mar 8, 2017 16:31:45 GMT
We are big WDW people: we go every year (from NY). We did both Universal parks in one day. Two days would be PLENTY. I would spend the extra day(s) inWDW. There is much more to see there and it's spread out a lot more. I definitely agree with getting a Butterbeer.  The frozen one is delicious! |
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scrappammie
Junior Member
Posts: 78
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Post by scrappammie on Mar 8, 2017 16:48:20 GMT
A couple quick thoughts:
It makes a difference regarding the length of time in parks if you plan on touring as a group of ten or will separate into smaller groups. Everything takes longer the more people involved. I definitely agree that two days would easily be sufficient for a group of four to see both parks at Universal, but it may take longer if you're a larger group with more opinions on what to see/do/eat involved with every decision.
I'd visit Universal first and end at WDW. Universal is in the middle of town and WDW truly feels like a separate "world" (assuming you will stay on site) so I think it will seem more relaxing even though you'll still be running around.
You probably don't really need a travel agent but it may serve your larger group well to have someone if there are problems with anyone's flight, arrival times, etc... so it doesn't fall on you to be the fixer.
Have fun!
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Post by just PEAchy on Mar 8, 2017 16:53:59 GMT
You really need to decide among the family members what they want to do the most. As this thread shows, some can do everything at Universal in 1 day, others prefer to spend more time. We've been going to Orlando, visiting both Universal & Disney, for several years now in October and as my kids get older, we spend more time at Universal. My kids love HPW, plus all the other rides especially the coasters and 3D rides. For them, it's more exciting than Disney. When we went last Fall, we spent 4 days at Universal, staying on property, and took a car over to Disney for 1 day. We got there at the rope drop, stayed until the fireworks, used a park hopper and we got to do everything we wanted.
Another thing I would recommend is to be flexible, split up if you have to. Not everyone is going to want to do the same things. This was especially true with our short time at Disney. Even with just my family of 5, we split up for most of the day.
Ive never used a travel agent, but I could see using one in your case since there are multiple families involved.
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Post by bunnyhug on Mar 8, 2017 16:54:11 GMT
Even my HP fanatic teen was good with 2 days at Universal. We spent 4 days at WDW (one day was at the water park), and it felt like a colossal waste of money and time after Universal--the rides are lame in comparison ... So if you *have* to do Disney, I'd do it first!
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Post by PEAcan pie on Mar 8, 2017 16:57:30 GMT
I would do Disney FIRST. The reason being my kids loved..loved universal properties. But they were underwhelmed at Disney (except for my 4 year old) my 12 and 7 year olds just wanted to go back to Universal. Don't get me wrong they liked Disney but they do not want to go back. They keep begging me to take them back to Universal and Discovery Cove.
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Post by PEAcan pie on Mar 8, 2017 16:59:29 GMT
Even my HP fanatic teen was good with 2 days at Universal. We spent 4 days at WDW (one day was at the water park), and it felt like a colossal waste of money and time after Universal--the rides are lame in comparison ... So if you *have* to do Disney, I'd do it first! Too funny I just posted the same thing and did not read your post first. I agree my kids (still young) was not impressed with Disney. So I would do Disney first that way they do not think it is lame after Universal lol edited to add: I do not use a travel agent. When I go back I would book: Universal properties (stay at universal resort) and then buy the package deal for Discovery cove/aquatica/seaworld (if they still have it). If the kids are older this would be fantastic time. |
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Mar 8, 2017 18:03:48 GMT
Oh - the new water park at Universal will be open by the time you go. It is being billed as something more than a traditional water park. I imagine it will have some of the water based rides that Universal does very well. And as another tip - plan when you are going to do the water rides, do them all together, then go change clothes. None are safe for those who don't want to get wet.
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TheOtherMeg
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Posts: 2,541
Jun 25, 2014 20:58:14 GMT
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Post by TheOtherMeg on Mar 8, 2017 20:02:19 GMT
We do WDW/HPW (for our family, it's Harry Potter World, not Universal Studios lol) every other year. We drive down from Ohio.
We buy the 4night/4day Park Hopper package for WDW. In the past we've always bought the meal plan, but may not when we return in September. Our Disney Deal usually is a choice between 20-25% off the room or a free meal plan for the family. In the past, we've only needed one room, so the free meal plan was a better deal. This year, though, we're getting two rooms, so 20-25% off the rooms will be a better deal. We also find the meal plan to be too much food for DH & I. We don't need dessert at both lunch & dinner AND an afternoon snack!
We get the Park Hopper tix at Universal. HPW is now in two parks, so the multi-park tix are imperative.
At WDW, we stay on the Club floor of the Beach Club Resort. We eat dinner at the restaurants at Epcot, so the Beach Club is extremely convenient.
Four nights is actually five days if you arrive and go into the park on your first day and check out the morning of the fifth day before heading into the park.
So, what we do is arrive on Monday morning, check in (they'll hold your bags if your room isn't ready), and go into WDW. This activates our tickets.
We spend Monday and Tuesday at WDW and eat on the meal plan. That's two of the four days of tix/meals.
Wednesday we go to Universal. We do no go into WDW and do not eat any meals on our WDW meal plan. If you're on a Club floor, though, there's complementary food in the Club Lounge almost all day. It does not count against your meal plan. We eat breakfast there every day and, on the Universal day, usually make it back to the hotel in time to catch the evening "snack" and the late night dessert. Complementary wine and beer are served in the lounge each evening.
Thursday & Friday are back in WDW and we eat on our meal plan. That's days 3&4 on the meal plan and days 3&4 of our tickets. Thursday night is night #4 of our room.
We check out Friday morning and head into WDW for day #4 of the tix and meals. We're allowed to keep the car parked at the hotel and sometimes we've put our bags into it and sometimes we've left them with the concierge. We've decided we prefer to put the bags in so we can just go straight to the car and leave when we're done Friday evening.
About Universal: The only parts we really make a point of seeing are Harry Potter, the Transformers ride, and Jurassic Park. Our kids are older so we don't spend time in Seuss Landing, Toon Lagoon, the superheroes areas, etc. This is why we can do it in one day, and a short day at that. We're usually back at our WDW hotel by 6:00pm. This allows us to eat dinner in the Club Lounge. The food served from 5:00pm-7:00pm is billed as Hor d'oeuvres (some are hot), but there's plenty there to make a meal. We have teenage boys and they do not go away hungry!
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Post by mcscrapper on Mar 8, 2017 20:04:00 GMT
We just did WDW and HPW the first week of January. Our party of four was me, my mother, my 17 yo dd and her BFF. It was REALLY busy. We only spent one day in Universal but we only did the HP things. We skipped one of the HP rides but did everything else including the wand choosing at Olivander's where my dd was selected to participate! It was SO cool!!! The biggest time sucker for us was having to stow ALL of our crap in lockers before the HP rides. I had decided to take my big DSLR camera that day and it just so happened that it was cold that morning but was supposed to warm up quite a bit that afternoon so we had a lot of gear to shove in there. I ended up getting two lockers but that was a nightmare with so many people. There really should have been a separate line just for that but instead everyone was pushing and shoving each other to get their locker.
We were also there for a big soccer tournament so we went to the parks for a few days, then played soccer, then went back to the parks after the tournament was over. We ended up doing six days in the Disney parks but it was really REALLY crowded. By the time you are going in September, the crowds level should drop significantly so I'd say 4 days in the Disney parks and two (at most) at Universal.
I enjoy staying on property as much as I appreciate staying off property in Orlando. We stayed in a Sheraton vacation condo for 4 days and it was SO nice. We let my dd and her BFF have the master bedroom because I cannot sleep with my mom in the same bed. We had the room with two double beds and it worked out pretty nicely for us. We had a ton of room - living room, dining room with a full kitchen and washer and drier. It was great to have that for our long trip and since dd was playing soccer. We parked right by our bldg and didn't have very far to walk to and from our car.
When we moved to the Port Orleans Riverside we went from having all that room to spread out to a very basic, standard sized hotel room without much privacy. We felt like sardines! It was nice, however, to have our Magic Bands that was also tied to our hotel and meal packages. We didn't have to worry about anything once we left the room really.
If I ever go back, I will most likely stay off property and not worry about a meal plan at all. It was nice to have but I don't think it saved me any money at all. We ended up with 21 snack credits on our last day in Orlando which was spent at Disney Springs between checking out of our room and our departing flight. We were buying everyone Starbucks! Looking back, we didn't need the meal plan at all and could have EASILY shared a lot of our meals, etc and probably spent less.
I know that one benefit of staying on property is getting your fast passes 30 days earlier than if you just have park passes but you shouldn't have much issue with crowds down there if you are going after Labor Day.
We have also stayed at a Hilton Vacation Club condo a few years ago and it was great because we could connect to the condo beside us so the younger kids could play and sleep together. They loved that as much as going to the parks!
If I were going with folks over 20, I'd highly recommend a condo just so you can spread out more. The on-property hotels are nice but provide little to no privacy if you are in one room. There are villas and suites in WDW but those are pretty spendy!
If you do decide to use a travel agent, I have a WDW specialist friend that I can refer you to. She is very knowledgeable about all things Disney and can find you the right deals for your larger party.
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Post by mcscrapper on Mar 8, 2017 20:10:37 GMT
We do WDW/HPW (for our family, it's Harry Potter World, not Universal Studios lol) every other year. We drive down from Ohio. We buy the 4night/4day Park Hopper package for WDW. In the past we've always bought the meal plan, but may not when we return in September. Our Disney Deal usually is a choice between 20-25% off the room or a free meal plan for the family. In the past, we've only needed one room, so the free meal plan was a better deal. This year, though, we're getting two rooms, so 20-25% off the rooms will be a better deal. We also find the meal plan to be too much food for DH & I. We don't need dessert at both lunch & dinner AND an afternoon snack! Not sure when you went last, but I think the new meal plan includes TWO snacks per day now. For us, the discounted room deal is better than the free meal plan. We can usually get by with buying some cereal and milk to keep in our room so we aren't buying a huge breakfast every day, too. This past time we went in January 2017, we had 21 snack credits on our last day which wasn't even spent IN the parks!!! We ended up buying coffee and candy and junk we could pack in the suitcase to take to dd's friends at home. It was a waste of money for us this past time. My dd and I can usually split meals too so next time we go, we aren't going to do the meal plan unless they have a new "just the basics" meal plan. SaveSave |
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TheOtherMeg
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,541
Jun 25, 2014 20:58:14 GMT
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Post by TheOtherMeg on Mar 8, 2017 20:19:55 GMT
We do WDW/HPW (for our family, it's Harry Potter World, not Universal Studios lol) every other year. We drive down from Ohio. We buy the 4night/4day Park Hopper package for WDW. In the past we've always bought the meal plan, but may not when we return in September. Our Disney Deal usually is a choice between 20-25% off the room or a free meal plan for the family. In the past, we've only needed one room, so the free meal plan was a better deal. This year, though, we're getting two rooms, so 20-25% off the rooms will be a better deal. We also find the meal plan to be too much food for DH & I. We don't need dessert at both lunch & dinner AND an afternoon snack! Not sure when you went last, but I think the new meal plan includes TWO snacks per day now. For us, the discounted room deal is better than the free meal plan. We can usually get by with buying some cereal and milk to keep in our room so we aren't buying a huge breakfast every day, too. This past time we went in January 2017, we had 21 snack credits on our last day which wasn't even spent IN the parks!!! We ended up buying coffee and candy and junk we could pack in the suitcase to take to dd's friends at home. It was a waste of money for us this past time. My dd and I can usually split meals too so next time we go, we aren't going to do the meal plan unless they have a new "just the basics" meal plan. We last went in 2015. We always have snack credits left over at the end of our stay, so, before we leave, we go into the shop at the hotel and use them on a bunch of crap for the car trip back to Ohio. |
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Post by QueSeraSera on Mar 8, 2017 20:42:18 GMT
Couple more things I thought of Not sure I feel you're aware of this, but Universal closes much earlier than WDW especially during Halloween season. I was used to late nights at the park at WDW. Universal closes at 5 or 6 pm due to the Halloween parties. You'll want to get there when it opens if you have a full itinerary and limited days.
I never use a travel agent but have spent a LOT of time researching so travel agent would probably be easier. For me the planning is 1/2 the fun!
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Mar 8, 2017 20:42:25 GMT
Just a quick clarification on Disney's meal plan - you can now substitute desserts for a salad/soup/side. You can also sub a quick service meal for 3 snacks, if you need more Dole Whips. I agree that Club Level and the meal plan is too much (at least during hot weather; I can eat more in cool weather). If I have extra snacks, I use them to get snack items to bring home as gifts for DD's classmates.
Also, I don't think the meal plans at Universal are a good deal, but it might be handy to know that you can literally buy one at the cash register as you pay for a meal. If you are getting a meal and a butterbeer together, for instance, this might work out to give you a free drink or snack.
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Post by houston249 on Mar 9, 2017 4:02:42 GMT
Is anyone in you party active OR retired military? Is anyone a department of defense civilian?
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Post by betsyg on May 11, 2017 13:32:57 GMT
Is anyone in you party active OR retired military? Is anyone a department of defense civilian? My husband is retired military and we are looking at 2 days at universal in October. Is there anything we can take advantage of with that? |
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Post by scrappysurfer on May 12, 2017 6:56:00 GMT
Marking my place because we're hoping to plan a trip for January. TheOtherMeg your trip sounds almost exactly what we want our trip to be except my boys are 11 and 14 so we plan on spending more time at Universal and HPW but I definitely want them to experience Disney, as it will be our first (and likely last) trip there as a family. I get so overwhelmed when trying to plan. Would you mind pm'ing me approximately how much your trip costs? It would help us save and budget. Do you use a travel agent? Thanks for the info! |
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Post by just PEAchy on May 12, 2017 12:41:40 GMT
Is anyone in you party active OR retired military? Is anyone a department of defense civilian? My husband is retired military and we are looking at 2 days at universal in October. Is there anything we can take advantage of with that? You can get discounted tickets for Universal. If you are close to a base/post with an MWR, you can buy them there. You can also order over the phone. |
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Post by Darcy Collins on May 12, 2017 13:57:21 GMT
You really need to spend some time discussing expectations with a group that size. As reflected on this thread, there is a huge variance in people's desires. I have a Disney fanatic cousin who could spend a full week in the parks solo - my kids thought 2 days (one at MK and one at HS was plenty - and even mentioned next time they're not sure they'd want to go at all). I'm a huge proponent of staying on property, but this might be one of those times where it makes more sense to rent a place to give people flexibility to go to different parks if there's a huge difference in what people want to do.
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Post by houston249 on May 12, 2017 14:46:37 GMT
Is anyone in you party active OR retired military? Is anyone a department of defense civilian? My husband is retired military and we are looking at 2 days at universal in October. Is there anything we can take advantage of with that? You certainly can! There is a new military appreciation program going with Universal in Florida, I am under the impression this discount/package does not include California only Florida Universal. I am looking for some good links for you and plan to post them later today for you. Do you know of Shades of Green? I am going to post info on this because it is a real hidden gem for military, especially for disabled military. This may not be the best route for you if you are exclusively going to Universal. I have a real passion for Shades of Green, so if I post to much info, well, maybe another pea will find it helpful in the future. |
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Post by houston249 on May 12, 2017 15:30:53 GMT
This is info on the package Universal offers qualifying military. I actually called them this morning and retired military is included. Assuming you are the (in)dependent spouse, I did ask if you qualified for this package in case you were doing the planning and booking and yes, with proper military Id, you do. This deal goes until the end of the year and at this point it is a one time offer, never to be offered again. This is the price list for the SOG Universal package, only available to SOG registered guests. This includes retired and their dependents. I have not compared Universals deal with the SOG's deal. But with the option of staying on property at Universal, the early admission and not having to spend extra time driving and then find parking to get to universal. If I was in your shoes, I would probably use the Universal offer. Do ask if you have to book all of the your stay at Universal to qualify for the deal. If you have to pay for some extra days that you do not have to use, it may make a difference where you stay and what deal you want to use. Later today, hopefully, I will be posting information and personal observations concerning SOG. This is a real passion of mine and if you do not need the information, no problem. Maybe some other pea will be able to use the information in the future.
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The frozen one is delicious!
