Which first, Universal or Disney?

[fab1976]

We have a DVC week booked in February that I was going to add 2 nights at universal to at the end of our trip. However, after a week at Disney we tend to be pretty exhausted! Should I switch it around and do Universal first? We have done many trips to Disney but this would be our first Universal experience. Going to stay on site, possibly club level at Universal.

 

[cadawson]

We have a DVC week booked in February that I was going to add 2 nights at universal to at the end of our trip. However, after a week at Disney we tend to be pretty exhausted! Should I switch it around and do Universal first? We have done many trips to Disney but this would be our first Universal experience. Going to stay on site, possibly club level at Universal.

Fun! You might check to see if Mardi Gras dates would be a factor - like concerts you’d like to see. Since you’ll be staying CL, you’ll be at one of the 3 hotels that include Express Pass. I bet you’ll find having EP and CL makes your experience very relaxing. Might be a nice way to end vacation, but I can also see the benefit of starting fresh at the beginning of your trip with UO. We’re doing UO for 4 days before Disney this coming summer. Have fun planning!

 

[bobbie68]

Hi glad to see your going to try Universal. We love it and keep going back every year. We use to do split stays between Universal and Disney now we just stay at Universal. We had always put Universal first then switched to Disney. Universal is a much more relaxed type of trip. Normally I would say to do Universal last to relax and enjoy however, since you have not been there before I would do it first. You don't want to be so tired from Disney that you don't enjoy Universal.

We have just started using club level at other vacation spots and are trying club level this June at Universal. We have been enjoying club level experiences and make it so that we save money. The other bonus staying at club level at the deluxe resorts is you will have the express pass.

Happy Planning!

 

[gotomu212]

It’s such a personal preference thing, BUT for us once we experienced EP at Universal we were completely spoiled and having to deal with fast passes and Disney lines feels like a bigger burden. (If you aren’t familiar with express pass yet, you get it at the Universal top 3 resorts-Hard Rock, Portofino, and Royal Pacific- and it’s an unlimited “fast pass” for every ride. depending on time of year you’re waiting less than 5-10 minutes in each line, and often walk right on a ride).

 

[Kathy Muniz]

We’re doing 5 days at Disney and then 3 days a Universal. Since we’re staying at RPR we get Express so with such little planning we have to do I thought it would be nice to end the week at Universal and just relax and have fun. Not that Disney won’t be fun, I mean cmon it’s freakin Disney lol but obviously it takes a ton More planning

 

[iivye]

It’s such a personal preference thing, BUT for us once we experienced EP at Universal we were completely spoiled and having to deal with fast passes and Disney lines feels like a bigger burden.

For this reason I would do Disney first. After having express passes at Universal it's hard to go back to fast passes at Disney.

 

[schumigirl]

Definitely do Disney first........even if you do have a busy time at Disney, having EP at Universal Orlando means you don’t have to rush around like a maniac trying to fit everything in.......you can wander at your leisure.........

You will be spoiled having EP during your Universal stay......

 

[greentea]

We are in the same situation, and I decided to schedule Universal first. I don't want to be too tired to take it all in. I'm also excited to see it, so I want to do the new stuff first before moving to what we're familiar with.

I'm not worried about missing the express passes once at Disney -- we're planning to take it slow anyway, use our FPs, eat snacks, and wander around.

 

[Jack's Nan]

We did Disney first then Universal. A wonderful way to end the trip. After 4 days of Disney and running to make fast passes and adrs I was done. LOL! Fell in love with Cabana Bay and Harry Potter world. Very relaxed pace at Universal.

 

[fab1976]

Love how mixed the answers are! I think I’m going to stick with Disney first. If we do the club level at Universal I see it as a relaxing start and end to our day, it won’t be a rushed visit. I may wind up eating those words but for now, it’s what I’m thinking lol.

 

[schumigirl]

Love how mixed the answers are! I think I’m going to stick with Disney first. If we do the club level at Universal I see it as a relaxing start and end to our day, it won’t be a rushed visit. I may wind up eating those words but for now, it’s what I’m thinking lol.

Good choice........

I’m sure it’ll be fine, you’ll have an amazing trip I’m sure.

 

[ItsNotMuchofaTail]

This will be my first trip since 2000 doing both Disney and Universal. Back then, I was on my honeymoon with my now exhusband. We did Disney first that time and I wished we had done it second. But we didn't plan anything anywhere, lol, just slept in and wandered around. We stayed onsite at Disney and offsite at universal, that didn't help. I am a big fan of the resort bubble. I liked Disney so much better (I am not a thrill rider) and I was sad to leave it. Now I am going with my Potterhead teenage DD and we went around and around about what to do last. We haven't been to WDW in 5 years, but we were at universal 2 years ago and for 1 day on a school trip last year. We decided to end with Disney magic this time. Since the Disney part is the longest, I am hoping it will be relaxing before I have to drive us all the way back home - I don't plan on using the car at all in WDW.

We don't commando tour, we try to stay relaxed. We are driving from PA and doing the Kennedy Space Center, Universal for 2 days, then a week at Disney, but only 5 park days. I am second guessing myself all over the place on this trip, I hope I made the right choice!

 

[macraven]

Love how mixed the answers are! I think I’m going to stick with Disney first. If we do the club level at Universal I see it as a relaxing start and end to our day, it won’t be a rushed visit. I may wind up eating those words but for now, it’s what I’m thinking lol.

Good choice!

I do my motherland stay first and then move to the darkside hotel

I rush at Disney and then unwind and relax once I checkin to the uo hotels

Uo is a smaller park and with the ep, you can get it all done at a slower pace

 

[glocon]

I like to do Disney first also.
Disney is not relaxing- it’s a big place with lots to do.
We do UO second to have fun and go at a more leisurely pace- staying onsite for the ep.
It makes such a difference staying onsite at UO.

 

[mala55]

We just did the same thing a couple of weeks ago. We had never been to Universal before and my DD is a huge Harry Potter fan. We stayed at HRH for two nights. We did Universal first.

I wish we had done Disney first. Although we were up and out early each morning to the Universal parks, they were so much closer, lines were shorter due to EP, easy to navigate and needed less time to see it all. The pool was so much less crowded than Disney pools and it had waitress service. It was also nice that we did not need reservations anywhere for dinner. Although it was way more relaxing than Disney, we were exhausted by our second day at Disney. I wish we did Disney first so we had early vacation energy for all that Disney offers and how much we had scheduled. Universal would have been a better finale to our trip. Just my opinion.

 

[nkereina]

We've always done Universal after Disney. We stay onsite at Universal, so we like to sleep in and take advantage of EP. Since there's not much planning involved, we enjoy relaxing and going at a slower pace at Universal. Also, having Universal to go to helps to ease the pain of leaving Disney! And lastly, we find it easier to jump on DME at the airport allowing Disney to handle our luggage and then Uber/taxi back to the airport from Universal when we're ready to leave. Otherwise, if we reversed the order, we'd have to go to the taxi stand at the airport with our luggage in tow, and then we'd have to get on DME three hours in advance when leaving.