Would you skip Disney?

[WUVmyDISNEY]

Kelly, Blue Man is a great fun show. I have not seen it at Universal, but when I was in Chicago a few years ago. It was so much fun and we laughed so hard at some things that it was well worth the price. It's loud though but that just added to the excitement!

I did go to Orlando two times and not do Disney. Once for training for the hotel company I worked for and it was value season so the parks closed early. I didn't get out of work until 5 so it wasn't worth it from my I Drive hotel to even pay the price for an hour or so and I was ok with that. The 2nd time though was a different story. DH & I planned a trip around Discovery Cove for my birthday. We stayed in a nice suite hotel outside of Disney and it was only a 3 night trip. We did DC and SW on 2 days but on that 3rd day, it was hard to stay away! We rode up to Disney and took the oppurtunity to look at some of the hotels for our next stay and went to the Poly for lunch. It was our first trip together without a kid coming along and I hate to say it, we felt too guilty to go to MK without one of the kids! Isn't that terrible?? lol

That was a few years ago and I don't think I would go to Orlando again without at least 1 day at MK, kids or no kids lol

 

[steph73]

It would be very, very hard!

We're planning a tentative trip for next year to the area and not doing Disney. Instead, we'd do Universal/IOA, Sea World, maybe some other local stuff and then head out to the coast for a few days. I have questions like you... can I DO IT?! If we wouldn't have had another baby, I would say yes we could. But since my little one will be 2, I don't think I can do it! I think, for us, at the very least we'll have to visit the MK. And Epcot. And... oh, crap.

One thing I was thinking of was having dinner at Chef Mickey's one night for a Disney fix. Maybe a side trip to DTD as well. That might be an idea for you.

Still, I think it would be hard...

 

[KellyNY]

It would be very, very hard!

We're planning a tentative trip for next year to the area and not doing Disney. Instead, we'd do Universal/IOA, Sea World, maybe some other local stuff and then head out to the coast for a few days. I have questions like you... can I DO IT?! If we wouldn't have had another baby, I would say yes we could. But since my little one will be 2, I don't think I can do it! I think, for us, at the very least we'll have to visit the MK. And Epcot. And... oh, crap.

One thing I was thinking of was having dinner at Chef Mickey's one night for a Disney fix. Maybe a side trip to DTD as well. That might be an idea for you.

Still, I think it would be hard...

Not sure about DTD, instead of fix I may end up getting Disney tickets.

 

[nilla]

Please leave these boards if you are even considering this

 

[magicalfoursome]

Our plan last summer was to go to US and stay at the HRH for 5 nights--it was the buy 3 nights get 2 free deal. Then we were going to drive to Disney's Vero Beach for a few more days. I had also planned dinner one night at the California Grill in the Contemporary-- I thought we could see the fireworks and do some pin trading-- my DD14 and DS 11 love to pin trade. Well, I should have known better. I thought because we had been to Disney not so long ago and we were going to Disney's VB it would be ok. When we left the Contemporary my DS11 had "watery eyes" and we all looked longingly over to MK. We had already seen and done everything at US-- 5 days was just too long. We ended up doing a MK for 1 day and having a great time. Now I know-- there is just no going to Florida for my family without seeing WDW!!!

 

[twokids0204]

We've been to Orlando, and not done Disney.

In fact, I am considering a Universal / Sea World / Other Orland Attractions trip next year.

I personally don't like to mix Disney with other places. I had the opportunity a while back to do 1 day at Disney for free, and opt'ed not to go. I simply think if you are going to do Disney you have to immerse yourself in it, with no outside distractions. Personally I feel 1 day at Disney is kinda disrespectful... like treating the Disney Empire like your local 6 Flags. Maybe I'm weird that way.

But yes, I would go to Universal (and have) and not go to Disney that trip.

It'll be there when you are ready to come back.

 

[Minniemama350]

I thought my family was going to mutiny last week on the way home from Spring break when we found oursleves "just down the road" w/o ur APs! We hadn't planned on being lessthan 6 hours away and when we realized it would've only taken about 5 hours to get there we felt really put out that we didn't bring them! That would'veonly been 10 extra hours of driving with a camper in tow!! LOL! If we're in Orlando, we ARE going to WDW!

 

[bmalonef45]

I've tried. There have been times I've been in Orlando on business but I've at least made it to Downtown Disney to get my fix. There was a time we took a couple of friends who had never been to WDW to DTD and got on the bus system to just tour our favorite resorts. We rode the Monorail, a boat from WL to MK basically any free transportation we could find. It was a great way to spend the afternoon and it was enough to wet my WDW appetite.

 

[palavra]

We almost did that in summer 2007. We had 7 day tickets at Universal, and we spent 5 days there. Because our little girl was the perfect princess age (4), we also went just to MK for a day. It definitely cost more, but it was worth it. We had no trouble filling the 5 days we were at Universal. There is so much to see and do there. The parks could easily take 2 days apiece to me, and then there is Citywalk and shopping in the parks.

Since we took a big Disney vacation this year, we plan on going only to Universal and Sea World next year. We'll get our Disney fix by going to DTD and getting at least one reservation at a Disney resort restaurant.

Go for it! I think knowing that you are saving all that money will make your trip even more enjoyable

 

[hockeymomNS]

Wow, there are bits from several posts that I "ditto".

We have done it and then lunch or dinner at a Disney resort. Def. DTD is a good fix. I agree that staying offsite or at a Univ. property is easier when you aren't doing Disney.....in that, I agree with the post of being "all Disney" when you stay on site. This past January, my Mom and I went and did an off site/Disney split. When we were on site, we didn't want to leave.


I totally agree with the fans of FOTL......in my house, I am the Mouse addict. My sons and hub love the rides at Universal. One vacation, where we split our time, we were walking on the fourth ride in a row when one of them commented "how can you even compare?".

Ideally, I wouldn't want to go and not do Disney, but I still had a great vacation when we didn't.

 

[kmk1180]

I can't imagine skipping all of Disney just to see one section of one park.

They call it Harry Potter World and I've seen articles talking about it like it's a "Harry Potter Theme Park".
But reality is it's just one section of one park with 1 new ride and a bunch of stores.

Sorry no way you could get me to skip Disney for that.

Someday in like 2 years once it's just another ride like the rest of IoA, and the crowds have moved on...you might get me to visit.

 

[Suellen]

Just checked the height restrictions on the rides. It will probably be several years be several years before we visit again.

Disney has that hands down over Universal. I was so sad when we went and the girls couldn't ride anything.

 

[picktails]

DS17 and DD14 are SO excited to visit WWoHP, but were ADAMANT that we could not go to Orlando without visiting Disney too! So we are doing 3 days Disney and 3 days Universal over the July 4 holiday. The Disney tix cost so much more, but I couldn't say no!

 

[padlock]

There's no way I could personally fill 7 days at Universal alone. We went last year and by the end of our second day, we were already running out of things to do.

If you add SeaWorld, Bush Gardens and a water park or two, you could easily fill a week.

 

[rie'smom]

I can't imagine skipping all of Disney just to see one section of one park.

They call it Harry Potter World and I've seen articles talking about it like it's a "Harry Potter Theme Park".
But reality is it's just one section of one park with 1 new ride and a bunch of stores.

Sorry no way you could get me to skip Disney for that.

Someday in like 2 years once it's just another ride like the rest of IoA, and the crowds have moved on...you might get me to visit.

When my daughter was younger, I'd bring her to Disney World to see the princesses but that didn't mean that we'd skip everything else.
We know HP is a section of the park but we love all of IOA and US and will see everything even though we're excited and say we're going to see HP.

 

[Artoo]

When my family went back in 1995, we only did one day at MK and spent the rest of the time at Universal, Sea World, Cocoa Beach, and Cypress Gardens. We had a great time at Universal and were there for the bulk of our trip (and IOA wasn't even open at the time)!
We had a wonderful time. I absolutely LOVE Disney, but it was nice to see what else central Florida had to offer, IMHO.

 

[Micca]

I'm a Disney fan, not a "theme park fan". I have never set foot in Universal because it's not Disney. I'd guess that as theme parks go Universal is really great. I happen to love Disney and it goes beyond the rides.

I've told myself that when/if the day comes I live in central Fla. I would visit Universal just to see what it is like.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

We did one year. I thought I would never make it, and do confess to an evening at DTD, as well as an afternoon riding the monorail, trading pins and eating beignets. It wasn't bad, and that was without HP. Next year we will do WDW, but I am doing my best to figure out at least a day at US!

 

[KellyNY]

I can't imagine skipping all of Disney just to see one section of one park.

They call it Harry Potter World and I've seen articles talking about it like it's a "Harry Potter Theme Park".
But reality is it's just one section of one park with 1 new ride and a bunch of stores.

Sorry no way you could get me to skip Disney for that.

Someday in like 2 years once it's just another ride like the rest of IoA, and the crowds have moved on...you might get me to visit.

Oh no, not just for one section of the park. We love Universal. I personally love almost all rides(except trill rides), my DD would do trill rides as well. If money would not matter, I would combine Disney and Universal every trip. We also Harry Potter fans and I think we can easily just browse around section, take pictures and play "wand" game the whole day. I hope the third ride will not be roller coaster (I do not do those). I am in doubts because although we love both parks, we never had problem skipping Universal, not sure about skipping Disney.

 

[Absolutely Disney]

I couldn't do it!!!! I'm weak!!!