As an official Floridian, I get emails all the time from people with questions about their upcoming Orlando vacations. Apparently, a Florida driver’s license makes me an expert on tourism. Well, that and my awesome habit of usually being right and knowing everything.
Most recently, a friend emailed to ask me which theme park is better – Walt Disney World or Universal Studios Orlando?
My expert opinion is that it depends.
Universal Studios vs. Disney World
Questions to ask when deciding which theme park is right for your vacation.
How old are your kids?
Both of the mega theme parks in Orlando cater to children. Obviously. But the age of your children will make a big difference in what they’ll get out of each.
Walt Disney World is perfect for toddlers and preschool age children. My 4 year old daughter thinks that Disney World is heaven and Mickey Mouse just might be the Messiah. Which is a testament to Disney’s marketing and not at all a reflection of my poor parenting.
meeting Mickey
There is a limitless supply of things for her to look at it. From parades to musical shows, we could easily spend days and days just sitting and watching stuff at Disney World and she would never be bored. My 9 year old son? His eyes were in danger of rolling out of his head after the first 5 minutes of the Mickey Club House sing-a-long show.
Disney World also has tons of rides and attractions that are suited to a younger child. A Small World doesn’t scare the crap out of my daughter, and she is more than happy to stand in line for yet another ride on a carousel.
on the carousel
However, a trip to Universal Studios requires at least one adult willing to spend a lot of time sitting with a toddler and a stroller while everyone else goes on the big kid rides. While Universal’s Islands of Adventure offers Dr. Seuss land, the overwhelming majority of rides and attractions are better suited for older children.
How much of your vacation is dedicated to theme parks?
Disney is best experienced in big, huge chunks. Our very first trip to Disney World was for an evening event. We spent 4 hours at the Magic Kingdom and came home stressed out and exhausted from trying to squeeze as much in as we could in a short amount of time. Our second trip to Disney World was for a long weekend and we stayed at a Disney World hotel. We visited 3 of the 4 parks and everyone had a chance to do (or see) at least one thing on their Disney Must Do List.
If you’re going to do Disney, then do Disney. Give yourself plenty of time to soak it all in and understand why it’s called the happiest place on Earth. You’ll also save a ton of money by buying a multi-day ticket.
Universal Studios is perfect if you want to do something besides amusement parks during your Orlando vacation. You can spend one or two days and get the most out of both Universal parks.
Universal Studios roller coasters
If you’re trying to get as much into your vacation itinerary as possible on the lowest budget, spend the big bucks on Universal and then go for some of the cheaper things to do in Orlando (like a trip to the beach). Central Florida offers so much more than roller coasters and cartoon characters.
How much money do you want to spend?
While the ticket prices for single day admission are comparable, I always find we spend more money when we go to Disney World than when we visit Universal Studios.
Of course Universal Studios has theme restaurants with overpriced hamburgers, souvenir shops, face painting and a dozen chances to have your family vacation immortalized in a caricature drawing. But Disney is the master of the upsell.
You can tell we love our children because they have ears
You can’t walk three feet in Disney World without someone trying to convince your kids to ask you for money. Vendors walk the streets hawking $10 balloons, neon necklaces, gourmet cookies and of course you have to buy the ears. And don’t forget all of the extra experiences you can buy! You can have lunch with a character or giver your little girl a princess makeover – but don’t expect that to be included in your price of admission.
The biggest difference between the two parks is that Disney is an experience, while Universal Studios is an attraction. You need to decide if you’re planning a Disney Vacation or a vacation to Florida.
(All photos by Britt Reints. Obviously. Or this would just be creepy.)
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44 Responses
[...] Disney World vs. Universal Studios Orlando – which theme park is best? This entry was posted on Saturday, April 11th, 2009 at 9:46 am and is filed under Disney. You [...]
Wow! That is some interesting perspective about the two resorts. My wife and I are going to Universal, Disney and Sea World for our Anniversary the first week of June and I will be reviewing then myself. In your comparison you tend to point toward children but I am interested in how you feel when it is two adults. Would your views be different for that age group? Just curious!
Jason -
I’ve only had the opportunity to do Universal as an adults only trip. I would LOVE to get a chance to do Disney with just my husband as well.
[...] post syndicated from Britt Reints and sponsored by Jamaica Vacations Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites [...]
[...] check out the beaches where you can get relief from the heat with a coastal breeze and water. Or skip Disney World and head to Universal Studios. Yes, it’s still hot, but Universal Studios offers an Express Pass ticket upgrade that [...]
If you just care about riding thrill rides and don’t want to spend a whole lot of time, go to universal. Disney, in my opinion, is a MUCH better set of parks with unbelievably high quality theming to them. If you don’t want somewhat of a ordinary theme park in universal, and want a true Orlando experience, then set base up at Disney and maybe go to universal for a day, that’s all you really need since the “movie themed rides” at universal get old.
[...] American Airlines and the Something mAAgic Foundation joined with A Special Wish Foundation, Inc., The Dream Factory, Inc., and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, respectively, to help 31 kids (from all around the United States) visit Orlando’s Give Kids the World Village and area attractions. [...]
disney all the way they got way more stuff to do
I never did universal. However, Disney is great for adults- it’s just a different vacation. We did it when we were married, had the best time (only spent a few hours in the magic kingdom). However, epcot and the night life was great..
My husband and I did Disney (we do not have kids) a couple years ago. Now we are doing Universal Studio Vacation. I just got one “odd” question. At Disney I got a travel coffee mug for (I think) $12.99 with free refills on soda, coffee, water juices (Not sure on tea). I THINK there are places in Disney parks that you can get refills for free (I did not bring my mug with me, and I did not pay attention to where they were) I personally only bottled water in parks, esp. in summertime. Anyway does Universal Studio do that?
Candice: Universal does sell refillable souvenir cups. They cost $6.99, and refills cost 69 cents. I highly recommend getting them. They’re available at most vendor stations and shops.
Allyson Thanks. Can you use them at Hotel? We are staying at Hard Rock
[...] the best in the world, that you could choose from to have that perfect theme park vacation. …Disney World vs. Universal Studios Orlando – which theme park …Which Orlando theme park is best for your family vacation? Is Universal Studios less expensive than [...]
this was very helpful!!! with a two year old and four year old do you think i should do more than one day at disney?
for Sara.
Your young children will like the Country Train around the Magic Kingdom and the monorail throughout the park. They will like most or all of the Fantasyland rides, and the three of you will like the gentler rides in Bear Country, like the Riverboat ride. Heat can be a problem in DisneyWorld. Make sure your children get plenty of water to drink, and often. Heat exhaustion is common. A side ache is a symptom of dehydration. My granddaughter was four the first time we took her. She was so excited that she didn’t drink enough water and we found out about the problem. There were several young kids in the first aid station with the problem. A glass of water and a thirty minute rest was the solution. After that we knew to encourage a drink every 45 minutes to an hour. The Jungle Cruise was too intense for them. They thought the mechanical alligators were real. Just be happy. They respond to your moods.
In my opinion Universal Studios is the best because it have from kids zones like Woody Woodpecker to thrill rides like Rip Ride Rockit.
My husband & I are taking our first vacation to WDW and Universal Orlando with my 2 boys (12 & 6). We are planning on a 6 days or possibly 7 days. Is it better to go to Universal Orlando first? I’m thinking of going to Wizarding World of Harry Potter a day & Universal the following day. Then straight to WDW for 4-day park visit/hopper. I’m worried about the distance, if we were to stay in one hotel. Or is it better to switch hotel? I feel if I do this, I’ll loose some time. Any suggestions?
Jen,
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is actually part of the Islands of Adventure park at Universal Orlando Resort. There are two parks at Universal, both of which provide enough entertainment for a full day, but they can be seen in one combined — assuming you don’t require things like relaxing meals or naps. The Islands of Adventure park also hosts the Marvel superheroes (including the fantastic Spider-Man ride) and is by far my family’s favorite of the two (we also have two boys).
Unfortunately, Disney and Universal haven’t realized the benefits of offering their guests transportation between the two destinations, which leaves travelers with few options: renting a car (which will spend 99% of the vacation parked), taking a public bus or hiring a town car. Taking the bus is by far the cheapest way to go, but it can more than double the travel time.
If you intend to spend two days at Universal it may be in your best interest to change hotels when you visit WDW, due to the transportation issues mentioned above. Any time lost by checking in/out of multiple hotels will probably be less than the time spent trying to travel back and forth between your hotel and the park you are visiting.
My family and I are actually doing the same trip this summer and we’re staying at WDW and hiring a town car for our 1-day roundtrip to Universal.
The bottom line is you have fun! I hope this helps.
Whit
UpTake Vacations Editor
Thanks, Whit. That really helps…a lot. I just want to make it fun & less stressful for my family. I hope you have a wonderful time too. Thanks again.
im thinking about taking my 13 year old daughter to disney world, and i was wondering, would disney world or universal studios be better for her? whats the difference between universal studios and disney world?
would you recomend disney world or universal studios for a 13 year old?
Stacy,
Universal Studios is a lot of fun, especially if your daughter is a Harry Potter fan. That said, Walt Disney World, as Britt mentioned above, is an experience and Universal is an attraction. That isn’t a knock on one or the other and they’re both worth seeing. It’s apples and oranges.
If you’re really unsure about which park is best for your daughter may I suggest the two of you look at the respective websites of each park and see which of them works best for you. You really can’t go wrong either way.
Best of luck and happy travels,
Whit
UpTake Vacations Editor
Jen,
Thank you! I’m also hoping to make it more fun and less stressful. We’ve been to a lot of theme parks and in my personal experience what works best (for us) is keeping it simple. If we’re hungry, we eat. If we’re tired, we rest. Keep the kids happy and we’re happy.
I may have to write a post on this.
Whit
I am also taking my 2 boys to Florida next month. They are 12 and 9 years old. Do you think they would like magic kingdom better then Epicot? We are going to DW for 2 days, US for 2 days and sea world. So animal kingdom is a must for one day. I am not getting hopper tickets. So it is either magic kingdom or epicot for the second day. Any suggestions?
Thank you
Rachel
Rachel,
In my personal opinion, the Magic Kingdom is the best park hands down. Assuming your boys enjoy a good thrill ride the park offers 3 of Disney’s best, Splash Mountain, Thunder Mountain and Space Mountain. Yes, it’s whole mountain range of awesomeness. In addition you’ve got the Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean, Stitch’s Great Escape and the Buzz Lightyear ride, which is a big hit.
Epcot is a wonderful experience and does have a couple of rides that the kids would enjoy, but a lot of what makes the park special is in the design, shows and overall experience, some of which might be a tad boring for children. Of course that won’t stop me from dragging mine through it, but there it is.
I am headed to Orlando in just a few days. Any suggestions on the best place to buy tickets without over spending?
Id have to give the edge to Universal, the last few years Ive been to Disney the park was way WAY overcrowded, wait times for rides can be insane at Disney, but again it does depend on how old your kids are.
Disney is more expensive to. Plus with Disney you will need at least a week to really get around and enjoy all the shows, rides, fireworks, meet and greet with Mickey and friends etc. So it requires alot more planning than Universal. Economic times being what they are Id take the family to Universal and Sea World. Dont get me wrong I love Disney, but I think the last five years or so Disney has declined a bit especially with customer service. Disney needs a wake up call.
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I’m taking my 6 year old grand daughter to Orlando (From calif) in October after just taking her there in June. Airfare was sooo cheap I had too. Anyway, she’s only 43″ tall and goes on almost all the disney rides and coasters but she’s restricted from most of the bigger coasters found at non-disney parks in florida. I want to take her to Universal and their sister park this time but see that she couldn’t go on the harry potter coaster. My other idea is to blow off Disney this trip and spend most of the week shelling at sanibel island. What does a failing furniture retailer do with his precious 6 year old princess for a week in Orlando after just going there for a week in June?
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I am looking to go for a week or so with Mom,Mammaw,Brother(19),and my best friend (12). Which park is the best? Which has the most rollercoasters? Are they scary? Please, reply I really need to know.
This was extremely helpful! I am planning a trip to Disney World with 7 adults and 1 two yr old. Someone in my party now wants to do Universal for 1 day. Is it possible to find a package deal that allows you to go to Disney for 4 days and Universal for 1 and stay in a Disney resort?
Planning a honeymoon. I’ve heard of many accomadations for honeymooners but can’t find any on the websites. There is supposed to be a cinderella carriage at disney that newlyweds can arrive in??? Or isn’t there? I’m thinking we might do a trip to both universal and disney…any suggestion would be appreciated!!
Andrew-Strictly speaking of thrill rides and rollercoasters my vote would be Islands of Adventure.
Emily-the easiest thing to do might be to just reserve your Disney package and then purchase the 1 days Universal tickets separately.
Charles-I have heard of the carriage rides before. If you have the money my vote would be to stay around the Contemporary, Grand Floridian or Polynesian. You really can’t go wrong with wherever you decide to stay if it’s on the Disney resort.
does anybody know of a way to get cheaper tickets to DW?? I was told there was a Walmart nearby that sells them at a cheaper price? Also, we only plan on being there for two days, besides the Magic Kingdom which other park is a MUST see, for two adults? We were thinking of the Animal Kingdom but we were told we may be a little dissapointed because you dont actually get to see the animals close up?? Is that true? Please help us decide….
Disney World has the WHOLE package, universal just has the rides
DISNEY all the way! Universal Studios is okay.
Disney quality! Disney=magical experience. Variety of parks=variety of rides!
DISNEY BOUND.. RESPONSE
My husband and I loved teh Animal Kingdom. There is a walk through…make sure to use your map. Adventure safari ride. AND they have the NEMO show free! I loved it!!! My hubby loved it! We
Epcot moves with the times! Great park too!. I honestly can’t go to Disney and visit only 2 parks.
Well now that Wizarding World of Harry potter opened a lot of older kids would have a lot of fun at Island of Adventures. Personally I am Universal fan, even when it comes to little kids. Universal has tons of water attractions for kids even toddlers. Fore example Seuss land has cool play area for very little ones. Curious George water attraction is unmatched for little kids. Disney has a lot of rides too but there are NO EXPRESS PASSES. You still got to stand in long lines. Universal has express passes. We’ve been going to Universal for the last 5 years and the longest we stood in line is 20 minutes. Except of course Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit. This ride does not have express pass. So when it comes Disney or Universal I would go to Disney, get pictures with Micky, spend one day and spend the rest of vacation at Universal.
Disney, obviously,In Walt Disney World have 4 theme park and 3 water parks and Universal only 2.Disney is magic when you go one time you will never stop
My family of 4 is taking a Disney cruise in December and wanted to extend our vacation by going to Disney World or Universal studios. Which is closer to Port Canaveral? Do either parks provide transportation?
I went too discovery cove, seaworld, busch gardens, wet ‘n’ wild, aquatica and Universal Studios last year, and i thought both the parks were AMAZING!! The Universal Studios Islands of adventure have some of the most biggest, fastest rides I’ve ever seen and the Universal Studios have the most amazing special effects on those rides i’ve seen in my life! So in 2 weeks I’m going again but this time going too Disney world. Is it anything compared too universal or is it even better?
My husband and I prefer Universal to WDW. Islands of Adventure is definitely the better of the 2 parks and we can’t wait to go back this summer. WDW is definitely someplace you have to go one time, just to have the experience, but we want to keep going back to Universal. We love the movie-themed rides. I could ride the Simpsons ride and the Spiderman ride a million times and never get tired of them. My husband loved the Hulk rollercoaster and the Mummy ride. We haven’t even got to ride Harry Potter yet so expect to be really pleased this summer. Both USO and WDW are pricey, but we go online to find our best deals months before. We try to eat outside of the parks as much as possible because you can spend a lot more on food in the parks than the price of your tickets!