Split stay logistics and multiple parks

[Sarahbelle3412]

Ok I need some advice from the experts. We’ve previously done trips to both universal and Disney and stayed onsite and offsite. We however have not been since 2017. I am wanting to go this October but which week is entirely flexible. Travelling party consists of myself, DS (15), and DD (6). My daughter hasn’t ever done a theme park only fair rides and such. She’s obsessed with The Little Mermaid and Peppa Pig. Shes a big fan of Trolls and the Tinkerbell fairy movies. She’s also afraid of anything scary. My son wants to do coasters in general and Islands of Adventure park for certain. He’s been to Disney about 5 times and his favorite character is Stitch. My teenager eats like a bottomless pit and DD is super picky and a light eater but likes breakfast foods. I am not certain if we should do a split stay perhaps in AOfA with Disney then maybe switch to an offsite hotel like a Best Western and do Universal. Perhaps stay offsite in palm parkway area and just drive to the parks? I know we want to do peppa pig land one day but should we get a different hotel for that one night in winter park? Maybe consider one of the universal hotels for half the trip then move to Drury at Disney springs? We are generally budget travelers but we don’t cook on vacation so I don’t really want to do a house with a kitchen. Hotel with free breakfast would certainly be nice but not a deal breaker. I’d like to do a character meal to meet Ariel but I’m out of the loop which one she attends now. I feel like universal is better for my son and Disney for my daughter so definitely want to do both just find these logistics overwhelming. How do you do both parks? Are split stays a pain? We will have a car are there any advantages to save on parking going one route over the other? Anything at universal studios park for DD? Islands of adventure looks fun for her with the dr Seuss section but the other park looks bare of kid attractions. Does universal do any character meals with the trolls or hello kitty? I was initially thinking 2 days in Disney and 2 days in universal with a day at peppa pig land and a rest day. Now I’m uncertain about that and think we may want more time at magic kingdom for DD. Could add days to the trip if prices allow. Budget is about $3k. Generally speaking hotel under $200 a night would be my target.

 

[Mikey15]

I haven’t priced it out lately but I know in the past Universal hotels can be a lot cheaper than staying onsite at Disney, or a lot nicer for the same money, so spending a Universal focused 2 or 3 days at their property could be a nice thing that could actually saves you overall vs staying at Disney the whole time and driving to Universal.

That being said 90% of our visits are staying at a nearby timeshare and just driving to either WDW, UO, or SeaWorld. And that’s not even from a centrally located timeshare - which do exist - but up to a 35 or 40 minute drive to Universal, and it still works. If you have a car, you can stay wherever you want to stay, and still go to whatever parks you want to go. A lot of times I’ve found it easier to ~not~ take I-4. There’s lots of route options.

 

[Skippyboo]

There is the new Dreamworks kids area opening at Universal Studios with Shrek, Trolls and Kung Fu Panda. Plus you have Harry Potter stuff at both Studios and IoA.

October will be Halloween Horror Nights time at Universal Studios. I would recommend going to Universal on Monday and Tuesday which aren’t HHN nights. There’s a Drury hotel by Universal on Sand Lake which is nice with their evening kickback and free breakfast. You can take the back roads to the park and avoid i4 .

Ariel is at Cinderella Royal Table in MK Akersus in Epcot in Norway . Her and Eric used to have character dining at Trattoria Al Forno on the Boardwalk during breakfast but never returned after Covid. She also has a meet and greet at MK.

Stitch, Lilio , Mickey and Pluto are at Ohana at Poly for breakfast

 

[Sarahbelle3412]

There is the new Dreamworks kids area opening at Universal Studios with Shrek, Trolls and Kung Fu Panda. Plus you have Harry Potter stuff at both Studios and IoA.

October will be Halloween Horror Nights time at Universal Studios. I would recommend going to Universal on Monday and Tuesday which aren’t HHN nights. There’s a Drury hotel by Universal on Sand Lake which is nice with their evening kickback and free breakfast. You can take the back roads to the park and avoid i4 .

Ariel is at Cinderella Royal Table in MK Akersus in Epcot in Norway . Her and Eric used to have character dining at Trattoria Al Forno on the Boardwalk during breakfast but never returned after Covid. She also has a meet and greet at MK.

Stitch, Lilio , Mickey and Pluto are at Ohana at Poly for breakfast

Thank you for replying! I had no idea there was a trolls area at universal. DD loves trolls that info helps enormously. She’s afraid of anything scary so we’ll definitely need to avoid horror nights too. We did Akershus breakfast years ago and saw Belle, snow white, Aurora, and Cinderella I think. Is Ariel there all the time now?

 

[Sarahbelle3412]

I haven’t priced it out lately but I know in the past Universal hotels can be a lot cheaper than staying onsite at Disney, or a lot nicer for the same money, so spending a Universal focused 2 or 3 days at their property could be a nice thing that could actually saves you overall vs staying at Disney the whole time and driving to Universal.

That being said 90% of our visits are staying at a nearby timeshare and just driving to either WDW, UO, or SeaWorld. And that’s not even from a centrally located timeshare - which do exist - but up to a 35 or 40 minute drive to Universal, and it still works. If you have a car, you can stay wherever you want to stay, and still go to whatever parks you want to go. A lot of times I’ve found it easier to ~not~ take I-4. There’s lots of route options.

I haven’t explored the routes much yet. On the maps the palm parkway area looks central. Although the best western universal is practically on the doorstep and looks really affordable. We typically drive to the parks no matter what I’m assuming we’d have to pay for parking at city walk no matter where we stay at universal right?

 

[DoryGirl1963]

No need to drive to the parks if staying onsite at Universal - fantastic bus or boat transport or just walk from all but the Endless Summer resorts - especially since yes, you would be paying to park both at the hotel & again at the UO parking garage if you drove.

 

[Skippyboo]

You have to pay for parking at Universal hotels. Their transportation is super easy. Plus the hotels are super close. You don’t get the free breakfast that you could get from an off site hotel

 

[Sarahbelle3412]

We have booked the Embassy Suites LBV right now. The split stay logistics were overwhelming and we like to settle in. DD will love the waterpark and DS will enjoy having his own space to escape from us girls. Plus the free breakfast can't be beat. Now we're trying to nail down an attractions list. The kids wish list keeps growing and I am having trouble narrowing down options goof for both a 6 year old and 15 year old. Since I am the only adult, I am not wanting to split up all the time. Thinking I can let DS do coasters through single rider line while DD does kiddie rides but don't love the idea of spending whole vacation separate. We are planning a 7 day trip.

Potential schedule
1 day- Islands of Adventure (coasters for DS and DD will enjoy seuss rides not sure what else as she is afraid of harry potter)
2 days- SeaWorld- Coasters for DS, Sesame Street for DD with lots of kiddie rides looks like might be best fit for both ages since we can do shows altogether
1 day Peppa Pig Land (DD top request she is obsessed)
1 day magic kingdom? (undecided on regular day or getting halloween party tickets) DD is very afraid of anything scary and I am nervous that there might be too many villians/headless horseman type things for her at the party



Other possible attractions/possibilities



Bippity Boppity and character meal in resort (Do they still have Disney Spring location? Only princess character meal outside park is new one at Grand Floridian and DD would only recognize Aladdin and Mirabel. She hasn't seen Princess and the Frog.
Orlando Science Center
Orlando Fun Park- kiddie rides and only wooden coaster which interests DS?
World of Citrus
Disney Springs (Looks like mostly shopping and restaurants and not a lot of activities. DD loves Rainforest cafe but TREX might be too intense. DS hates shopping. )
Universal Studios ( looks like nothing for DD aside from minions and new play area not enough for a full day although DS would enjoy it.)
Animal Kingdom (DD loves animals and zoos but not sure there's many rides she can do)

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Islands of Adventure:

• The Popeye barge ride is fun & not scary, if you don't mind getting soaked. And I mean really soaked, wring out the panties level.
• There is also a Jurassic Park dino kids area & the Discovery Center. The kids dino area has a Pterodon Fliers ride.
• Flight of the Hippogriff is a non-scary kiddie coaster. Right next to Forbidden Journey, which has an awesomely fast single rider line for DS.
• Storm Force Accellatron is themed teacups. Next to Hulk & near Spider-Man - those both have good single rider lines for your DS.
• There are also character meets, mainly in Seuss Landing & Marvel Island.

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Universal Studios, if you decide to go there:

• Minions ride, and the new Minions shooter attraction (I wouldn't think it is overly villian-y, but might want to watch a ride through video).
• New Dreamworks land including the Trollercoaster.
• Jimmy Fallon, although not one of Universal's better rides, is not scary.
• Parade & new night show, but these might not be going in Oct with HHN.
• Lots of street entertainment.
• Simpsons area! Depending if DD considers Sideshow Bob to be too scary, the main Simpsons ride might be fine. The Kang & Kodos ride is sarcastic Dumbo.
• ET
• Various character meets - Scooby gang, Simpsons, Betty Boop, Transformers, others.