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NewlyMrs
Laugh-Live-Love LIFE!
Member since 10/06 14432 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
Any resort recommendations, rentals?
Transportation isn't an issue, since we drive (we live in NC), we'll have a car.
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Posted 10/11/16 11:53 AM  |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15657 total posts
Name:
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Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
We like Marriott Harbour Lakes. So much to do for the kids, closer to Universal than Disney, but not a far drive from Disney. 20 minutes or less.
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| Posted 10/11/16 12:12 PM |
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NewlyMrs
Laugh-Live-Love LIFE!
Member since 10/06 14432 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
That's not too bad. We definitely will be spending more days at WDW, probably only 2 days with US
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| Posted 10/11/16 12:18 PM |
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pumpkinmom
LIF Adult
Member since 5/12 2911 total posts
Name:
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Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
I would stay on site at Universal, at one of the hotels that give you ride fast passes.
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| Posted 10/11/16 12:32 PM |
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Pumpkin1
LIF Adult
Member since 12/05 3715 total posts
Name:
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Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
We just did this in August and I'd suggest that you split your stay. It was really convenient to be onsite for both. We stayed at Riverside in Disney and Royale Pacific in Universal, and I recommend both.
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| Posted 10/11/16 12:36 PM |
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NewlyMrs
Laugh-Live-Love LIFE!
Member since 10/06 14432 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
Posted by Pumpkin1
We just did this in August and I'd suggest that you split your stay. It was really convenient to be onsite for both. We stayed at Riverside in Disney and Royale Pacific in Universal, and I recommend both.
That's what I wondered. So you allow for 1 day break between the 2 parks, so switching hotels?
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| Posted 10/11/16 12:39 PM |
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Pumpkin1
LIF Adult
Member since 12/05 3715 total posts
Name:
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
Posted by NewlyMrs
Posted by Pumpkin1
We just did this in August and I'd suggest that you split your stay. It was really convenient to be onsite for both. We stayed at Riverside in Disney and Royale Pacific in Universal, and I recommend both.
That's what I wondered. So you allow for 1 day break between the 2 parks, so switching hotels?
We did not allow for any break, we left Disney early in the morning, checked into Universal and went directly to the parks. With the Universal express pass, we didn't need a full day in the park and we were able to spend the evening relaxing at the pool.
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| Posted 10/11/16 1:19 PM |
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Bridex100
Two Under Two Mommy
Member since 3/08 10420 total posts
Name:
Momx100
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
I would personally switch resorts. Stay on site at Disney and then stay at a Universal resort for free express pass and 1 hr early entry for Harry Potter. We stayed at Lowes Royal Pacific and had a great time at Universal.
We plan to do Disneyland and Universal Hollywood next year. I plan to switch hotels.
Message edited 10/11/2016 1:59:07 PM.
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| Posted 10/11/16 1:56 PM |
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JandJ1224
Member since 6/06 5911 total posts
Name:
Jannette
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
I would probably split it up and stay at two different resorts.
On our last trip we stayed at Hilton Bonnet Creek which was convenient to Disney. They offer a coach bus system to the parks and the resort was beautiful.
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| Posted 10/11/16 3:30 PM |
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NewlyMrs
Laugh-Live-Love LIFE!
Member since 10/06 14432 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
Posted by Pumpkin1
Posted by NewlyMrs
Posted by Pumpkin1
We just did this in August and I'd suggest that you split your stay. It was really convenient to be onsite for both. We stayed at Riverside in Disney and Royale Pacific in Universal, and I recommend both.
That's what I wondered. So you allow for 1 day break between the 2 parks, so switching hotels?
We did not allow for any break, we left Disney early in the morning, checked into Universal and went directly to the parks. With the Universal express pass, we didn't need a full day in the park and we were able to spend the evening relaxing at the pool.
Oh, ok I didn't know how smoothly that would work. So you think 2 days is enough to enjoy Universal? My girls (then 9 & 7) are dying to go.
Now to decide on resorts!
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| Posted 10/12/16 7:27 PM |
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nycgirl
Angels!
Member since 3/09 7721 total posts
Name:
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
I'd stay at Universal because the hotels are that much nicer & the fast pass...
I loved Hard Rock & Portofino!
It was easy enough to go to Disney and the hotels at Universal, food & pools were awesome!!!
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| Posted 10/12/16 8:30 PM |
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NewlyMrs
Laugh-Live-Love LIFE!
Member since 10/06 14432 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
Posted by nycgirl
I'd stay at Universal because the hotels are that much nicer & the fast pass...
I loved Hard Rock & Portofino!
It was easy enough to go to Disney and the hotels at Universal, food & pools were awesome!!!
Really? Better than the Disney hotels? (We plan to do 4 parks days at Disney, & only 2 at Universal.)
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| Posted 10/12/16 8:39 PM |
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pumpkinmom
LIF Adult
Member since 5/12 2911 total posts
Name:
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
Posted by NewlyMrs
Posted by nycgirl
I'd stay at Universal because the hotels are that much nicer & the fast pass...
I loved Hard Rock & Portofino!
It was easy enough to go to Disney and the hotels at Universal, food & pools were awesome!!!
Really? Better than the Disney hotels? (We plan to do 4 parks days at Disney, & only 2 at Universal.)
I loved Portofino Bay. I did like the hotel better than the Disney hotels I stayed at.
To me, the benefits of staying on site at Universal are more worth it than Disney. The Universal express pass is great and I love the little boats that bring you over to the parks. They get you much closer than if you drive and park.
At Disney, we don't use the transportation much. I'll take the monorail or boat, but I prefer diving over buses. They have the extra magic hours, but we rarely use those.
I would say split the stay between an off site hotel and a universal hotel if you don't mind switching hotels, but if you're picking one place, I would pick universal. Just make sure you pick a hotel with the benefits. I know one of the newer hotels doesn't give express passes.
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| Posted 10/12/16 9:02 PM |
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BargainMama
LIF Adult
Member since 5/09 15657 total posts
Name:
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
Sapphire Falls is the newest Universal hotel and doesn't offer free express pass, nor does Cabana Bay (I was just looking it up yesterday)
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| Posted 10/13/16 10:12 AM |
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nycgirl
Angels!
Member since 3/09 7721 total posts
Name:
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
Posted by pumpkinmom
Posted by NewlyMrs
Posted by nycgirl
I'd stay at Universal because the hotels are that much nicer & the fast pass...
I loved Hard Rock & Portofino!
It was easy enough to go to Disney and the hotels at Universal, food & pools were awesome!!!
Really? Better than the Disney hotels? (We plan to do 4 parks days at Disney, & only 2 at Universal.)
I loved Portofino Bay. I did like the hotel better than the Disney hotels I stayed at.
To me, the benefits of staying on site at Universal are more worth it than Disney. The Universal express pass is great and I love the little boats that bring you over to the parks. They get you much closer than if you drive and park.
At Disney, we don't use the transportation much. I'll take the monorail or boat, but I prefer diving over buses. They have the extra magic hours, but we rarely use those.
I would say split the stay between an off site hotel and a universal hotel if you don't mind switching hotels, but if you're picking one place, I would pick universal. Just make sure you pick a hotel with the benefits. I know one of the newer hotels doesn't give express passes.
ITA
The Universal resorts are walking distance from really great restaurants, have awesome rooms & great pools. Yes, the perks you get going to universal parks are better. We usually do 2 days Disney, 1 Universal, 1 day break.
I thought the Disney hotels were really bad in comparison to budget motels. However, I didn't stay at the monorail ones. Every time we go, we just can't justify staying at Disney.
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| Posted 10/13/16 9:46 PM |
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NewlyMrs
Laugh-Live-Love LIFE!
Member since 10/06 14432 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
Interesting to hear the perspective! We've only stayed at the Poly & Wilderness & we used their transportation for MK, but the other parks we prefer to drive too.
So if you didn't stay on-sight, did you have difficulty getting FP for the major rides?
We've never been to Universal, but our girls are nuts over Potter, Jurrasic...so you think 2 days is perfect?
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| Posted 10/14/16 9:16 PM |
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nycgirl
Angels!
Member since 3/09 7721 total posts
Name:
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Re: Where to stay, if you want to do Disney & Universal?
Posted by NewlyMrs
Interesting to hear the perspective! We've only stayed at the Poly & Wilderness & we used their transportation for MK, but the other parks we prefer to drive too.
So if you didn't stay on-sight, did you have difficulty getting FP for the major rides?
We've never been to Universal, but our girls are nuts over Potter, Jurrasic...so you think 2 days is perfect?
No problem booking FP the night before, Sunday off peak season to any ride except Dwarf mine train (wait was 60 minutes & so we didn't do it).
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| Posted 11/11/16 10:36 AM |
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