Universal & Disney: How to arrange what/when?

[writersblock]

So we want to go again in 2021. This past November we started off with 10 nights AKL followed by 4 at RP at Universal.

Thoughts: We LOVED AKL and WDW in general and felt we didn’t have enough time there. Both had serious Disney depression as we moved over to Royal Pacific. We were not huge fans of Universal but we did love the Harry Potter areas and want to go back for those plus some of the rides we didn’t get to do before because they were down when we were there (ET due to tech issues, Popeye due to refurb). We also loved City Walk (CowFish and Voodoo!).

We loved RP lobby and outside areas but felt the corridors and rooms needed a massive overhaul. After AKL it was a letdown. We loved the walk to Universal and also the boat.

So fast forward to 2021. We plan to go for three weeks total this time. We are struggling to figure out what to do with accommodation. Do we...?

A) Stay at Universal at the end but just for two nights (Hard Rock) and get the Express passes, and do HHN too? Would mean Uber to airport.
B) Stay at Endless Summer for 2 nights at the end, forgo the Express passes but pay for HHN? Again, Uber to airport.
C) stay at WDW for the entire duration and just Uber over for one day at Universal plus HHN? Magic Express to and from airport.

If we wanted a stay over at Universal it would have to be at the end as we seem to need to acclimatise to the rides by starting slow so I can’t see us going on Hagrid again before we’d done, say, Big Thunder and Everest!

Is it stupid to do Universal but stay onsite at WDW? Trying to work it all out.
Thanks!

[Guest]

Well I would do the two days HRH at the end. But you seem a bit down on Universal in comparison, so I am inclined to think you might prefer to go over for the day, or possibly two days one night, in the middle of your Disney stay. So that way you start and end with Disney,

[AliceCooper9]

What worked for us was to book a WDW resort for the whole time.
We just booked RPR hotel for one night half way through the holiday. We left the suitcases at WDW and just took an overnight bag.

We took a taxi in the morning WDW to RPR, checked in a bag, picked up our express passes and went straight to IOA. Stayed one night and did US next morning. Back to RPR picked up bag and back to WDW.

It made the WDW holiday seem longer. We usually did US at the end. But US was always a bit of downer as it signalled the end of the holiday. US is great but it is no WDW. On the last day we took ME to the airport.

[steph1]

We do it the other way around. We stay at either RPR or HR for the whole holiday and drive over to Disney on the days we are planning to be there. Don't shoot me but there is only so much of the whole immersive Disney experience I can handle so I like to be able to relax at the pool at RPR. I would say though that you appear to be big Disney people so do what makes you happy. Stay all the time at Disney and Uber/drive over just on the days you want to visit Universal. Have a fab time

[mummyroo1]

Originally Posted by AliceCooper9

What worked for us was to book a WDW resort for the whole time.
We just booked RPR hotel for one night half way through the holiday. We left the suitcases at WDW and just took an overnight bag.

We took a taxi in the morning WDW to RPR, checked in a bag, picked up our express passes and went straight to IOA. Stayed one night and did US next morning. Back to RPR picked up bag and back to WDW.

It made the WDW holiday seem longer. We usually did US at the end. But US was always a bit of downer as it signalled the end of the holiday. US is great but it is no WDW. On the last day we took ME to the airport.

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I would do this. Definitely.

[writersblock]

Thank you! Isn’t it a huge waste though, basically double booking accommodation? I get why it makes sense logistically, but that’s one night at Universal is costing a fortune if you also have a room at Disney.

[AliceCooper9]

We got one night at RPR in August for £243 (2A+2C) ebooker price match and quidco.

If you start the holiday with one RPR hotel night at US you will miss the first day because you will arrive late. Therefore you would need 2 nights at US.
Also you will not be able to use the ME. Then you would need a taxi from MCO to US which costs quite of a bit of $ with 4 ppl and 4 suitcases.

If you do one RPR hotel night at US at the end of the holiday you will have to pack/unpack suitcases. After checking out from WDW you would have to take a taxi over to US and you would probably lose half a day at US.
So you would really need 2 nights at US. Also you would lose out on the ME again having to get a taxi to the airport costing $s.

So one RPR hotel night during the holiday for £243 for 2 days express passes and only having to take 2 taxis made sense to us. The walk back from US to RPR is about 10/15mins. A much more relaxed way to end the night.

Obviously if one night at RPR is £500+ this option is not as attractive.