Orlando - Disney and Universal?
 

We are looking at a trip maybe in July. We would like to visit DisneyWorld (mainly Magic Kingdom), as well as Universal Studios and Sea World. Can anyone give any insight as to where the best place to stay would be? Perhaps at the disney resort and then drive over during the day to the studios and seaworld? Or maybe a place outside of the resort? There will be 4 of us. 2 Adults , a 17 yr old and a 6 yr old.

Thanks,
Brian

I live here, but the experts seem to say that you should stay on property. You have <u>many</u> possibilities.

and...visiting other theme parks goes better with a rental car

On our last trip we rented a house. It was the BEST trip we have had to Orlando. We had a private pool, hot tub, game room with pool table foosball etc., 4 bedrooms and the best part....it was CHEAPER than staying on property! I will not go back to Orlando and stay at a hotel again. We rented through VRBO and the owner was great to deal with.This would be good for week long rentals...not a great deal for shorter ones because they add cleaning fees.
HEre is a link if your interested and yes it is as nice as it looks!
http://www.coconutsky.com/HoneyPot/

Staying on property at Disney doesnt get you the benefits it does at Universal. At Universal you get front of the line access all day. That would be a huge perk, especially in July when the lines may be long. Another option (the one we did) is to buy express plus passes. The price varies depending on the time of year but it may be worth it. Express plus get you front of line access once per ride.

When you plan to visit Universal and Islands of Adventure, stay on site there. You will get automatic express access for all the attractions. It's the best perk there is.
When we visit both WDW and Universal on one trip, we stay on site at each place. The on site Universal hotels also have a free shuttle to Sea World.
Any of the on site hotels at Universal (Hard Rock Hotel, Royal Pacific Resort and the Portofino Hotel) are great. You can walk everywhere at Universal---no need for a car or long waits for transportation.

So everyone has their own opinion-we have gone 3 times and I prefer to stay offsight-most important for us a big free breakfast buffet so we don't have to wait for ordered breakfast and we can load up before hitting the parks. I like Buena Vista Suites-it's close to entrance to interstate, 2 room suites, microwave and fridge, and big breakfast buffet(not just coffee and doughnut). If you call hotel for reservation and use code MSV, rooms are $125 a night.

Please tell me, how far apart are these different places? (univ.dis.other hotels and parks)
Thank you.

It's about a 15-20 minute ride between Disney and Universal.

Personally I think that with kids in the summer you're better off staying on each property. The days are so incredibly hot and humid you will want to go earlyi n the am - come back to the pool in the afternoon and then go again in the evening. Much easier to do on each property - although prices are higher than off property.

By the way - Magic Kingdon is fine for a 6 year old - but most of it is too young for a 17 year old. You may want to divide and one of you do EPCOT - much better for teens and adults.

do you need a car ? where is the best palce to stay on site disney world?

CDelle-
If you ask your questions in a brand new thread, you'll probably get more and better answers than tacked on to the end of this one.

I would definitely stay on ground at both parks. I like the Polynesian for Magic Kingdom. You have access by monorail to MK and Epcot. I like Royal Pacific for Universal, you get to the park by 5 minute boat ride.

There isn't really a &quot;best&quot; place, but there are some AMAZING places! We stayed at the Royal Pacific Resort, A Loews Hotel and Universal Orlando Resort. You can read more details about our stay on my site's &quot;Destination Hot Picks&quot; for http://www.FamilyTravelPlanet.com. There were so many kid-friendly amenities that we couldn't have asked for a more convenient, easy stay. The resort even has an area where the kids can play while the adults dine. There is outdoor ping pong and pool for your older child, while the little one can play in the splash area of the pool. Walt Disney World's Boardwalk Inn is another wonderful on-site property with plenty of fun for the whole family. They are both worth looking into.
Jennifer Michaels

I disagree that EPCOT is better for teens than MK. MK has always been my favorite park, even as a teenager. It's all a matter of personal preference. MK definitely has the most rides and stuff &quot;to do.&quot;

We think staying on property is the best option. We like the Polynesian as it offers the best combination of theme and location. Our kids are 6 and 5.

Many Disney guests take advantage of the Magic Shuttle and do not get a car. We prefer the freedom of rental and have found Avis to the best option for us.

On some trips there with our kids we've split our stay between one of the Universal Hotels and a Disney hotel. The perk of the Universal hotels is the ability to get on shorter lines. In the heat of July, that might not be a bad thing.

If switching hotels isn't a problem for you, you might two nights at one of the Universal hotels and the rest of your stay at Disney. However, the Universal hotels run at least $300 a night, so that might not be the best choice for everyone's budget.

You definately want to plan at least one day at one of the Disney waterparks. Typhoon Lagoon is probably better for a teen, Blizzard Beach for a 6 year old. But, both are fine for either.