I mean you nailed most. Bringing your own food and drink is the biggest cost saving option. Park tix cost what they cost at this point. Unless you qualify for a Florida resident special, you are shit out of luck. Genie + really racks up when you are a large group. Maybe get a place that comes with a kitchen and cook dinner at night? Get your souvenirs at target.
I’d still look at staying on property otherwise that Uber bill is going to cost the difference between parks and dinners. At least on property you’ll have food options on your hotel or can bus hop to other resorts.
If you are trying to cut costs to the bone, even eating at the property is going to mount up. You gotta cook for yourself. also. We don’t know if there is a car or not. If there is, they can go to a DVC resort that is selling timeshares, say you are there to take a tour of the DVC for potential purchase, and hop on the bus. If there is flexibility in the budget, this is the way.
Just be aware some of the Parks (Both Disney & Universal) will close early in October for Halloween events that require a separate ticket to come back to the park.
My Sis-n-laws friend is putting together a DL itinerary for us for spring break. Pretty excited to see what she can hook us up with.
Only thing I would add is if they want to get fast passes for Universal it'll be a lot cheaper to stay at one of the 3 universal hotels that comes with the option. Especially for multiple people. The rooms are like $150-$200 more a night but you'll spend 3X+ that depending on how many fast passes you need.
My wife and I are passholders so we try and check out different restaurants each time we go from the parks, resorts, and Disney Springs. We went this past weekend and both of these were each two of the best we've been to. Boatwright's Dining Hall - Port Orleans Riverside Resort Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen - Magic Kingdom, really good drinks as well
Port Orleans has some excellent food. It has no business being as good as it is when its a moderate resort. Their Begniets are legit as well. As good as what you get in NOLA.
Stayed there when power was out during the hurricane in 2017, didn’t have kids yet but got to bring the dogs. It rocked.
CoastalOrange It would really help if we knew how bare bones that group is trying to go. Are they slashing to the bone or just trying to do disney a bit cheaper than the average family.
Do y'all have some kind of guide Going to Florida for a different reason but might spend a day going to universal in May. Unfortunately it basically has to be a Friday or Saturday. I know less than nothing, seems like there's on property hotels for universal? Think fast pass is a no brainer on a high traffic day?
If you're doing Universal and want the fastpass like Russellin4885 said you are better off staying at one of their Premier hotels (HardRock is my favorite bec of the location) because it includes free FP. It is a must for me anytime we go bec I hate lines but in May I don't think its a necessity as the lines won't be unbearable imo. Also your FP will be good for check in day and check out day so even if you are just staying one night you get two days of FP use.
Cheaper than the average family. I think they are well aware that it will be expensive. But she is a single mother with 3 kids so she isn't exactly flush with cash.
My wife and I are going the first weekend this starts and we are doing the sip and savor pass. We did it a year ago with the Christmas pass and it was a fun time with the food.
You can definitely get away with one pass for two people in regards to the food, and that ends up actually being a fantastic deal.
Also, Rogers: The Musical is rumored to be back during the time you’re there. It’s legit probably the best stage show at the parks Disney has ever done, it’s phenomenal.
Also going to be eating at Carnation Cafe and the Lamplight lounge for the first time. Did the Blue Bayou last summer, which was amazing.
Lamplight rules. Especially the seating where you see the Incredicoaster launch. Carthay Circle is very good food and outrageously expensive if anyone ever does that.
snowfx2 and anyone else. We’re going from March 25-29 and have the options of staying at Disneyland Hotel/ Hilton Universal or $600 more and staying at Grand Californian/ Sheraton Universal. Worth the upgrade?
Grand Californian is just closer to the parks. It has its own entrance for DCA and is quite close to the gates of the esplanade to get to DL when I stayed at DL Hotel, I kept walking by the Grand Californian wishing I had stayed there because it's like half the distance than DL hotel (not that DL hotel is super crazy far)
If you're only doing a day at the parks, you'll definitely want to get their park hopper ticket with a fast pass. Take the Hogsmeade/platform 9 3/4 train when you're ready to transition to the other park.
Got to AKL today. Sanaa for dinner tonight. Going to MK tomorrow Youngest is just over 2.5 he’s going to freak.
On our last trip we went to sanaa and it was a fantastic meal. The bread service is worth every penny.
Universal just announced a new theme park. Universal Epic Universe. Opens in 2025 Double the size of their largest park. Has 5 themes, including Nintendo World, a land dedicated to their monsters, and HP ministry of magic which is a blend of the 1920s Fantastic Beasts and Ministry of Magic. Also will be a hotel at the front of the park
Well we knew this was coming for years considering they are well into construction. I guess these are just the final plans.
Yeah yeah Florida sucks but living near all the parks aint too shabby. Wife and I are trying to do a day trip to Universal in the next few months. Dying to go to a ride-centric park without the kids and haven't been to Universal/Islands in 15 or so years.
heading back at the end of April. our first day is a Sunday so we were worried about not being able to get any good reservations. learned about the dummy reservation hack so booked the All Star starting five days prior to our actual trip and running through the end. not sure if anyone else has done this but hopefully it doesn't blow up in my face.
My almost-two-year-old niece just broke her leg and is in a full leg cast. We have a trip planned for next weekend. Would she qualify for a DAS pass? I told my sister-in-law to call to see.
I really like the portal entry into each land. You can make that super cool too if you have a lot of tech in the tunnel to “transport” you
Just going through the Warp Pipe into Super Nintendo Land at Universal Hollywood was super cool and really got us into the magic of it. I imagine these portals will be even bigger, better versions of that
Less than 30 days from another park visit. As mentioned 2 new restaurants in the Carnation Cafe and Lamplight Lounge. Can’t wait for good weather
The Mario warp pipe is obviously the most organic of them to do something like that. The others could be neat but they could have just done it for Mario since it’s actually part of the property.
Ditto what he said. My Mom had to have surgery on her knee a couple months before we last went. I called and asked abt it and apparently there is no DAS for mobility issues. But still give it a shot, maybe you'll get lucky.
randomly looking at 6 nights pop, 4 day park hopper for March 30-April 5. $4040 for resort and tickets. Should I try look at DVC rentals to compare? I feel like 6 night DVC is going to be $4k+ without park passes.
Just saw final bill went through on the spring break DL trip. Should get an itinerary soon. Going to give snowfx2 a smooch on his cute little nose if his intel on Rogers: The Musical comes through.
5 people - 2 adults, 3 kids under 10...one of those is free We typically skip Genie+ since we have DAS