Universal & Disney

Question

Hi, we’re planning our first trip to Orlando next April. We want to do 3/4 days at universal and 10/11 days at Disney. We’re going to stay onsite at a Disney hotel.

Is it better to get a 14 day combo pass for both parks or do a 10 days Disney pass then 3 day universal pass?

We could move to a universal hotel (or vice versa) but not sure if that would just rack up the price rather than travelling from the Disney hotel each day.

Answer

For your planned Orlando trip with 10–11 days at Disney and 3–4 days at Universal, deciding between a 14-day combo pass or separate Disney and Universal passes depends on several factors including convenience, cost, and hotel logistics.

Option 1: 14-Day Combo Pass

A 14-day combo pass allows you to visit both Disney and Universal parks interchangeably during the 14-day period. This could be beneficial if you want flexibility to mix park visits—for example, take a break from Disney and do a Universal day in between.

Pros:
- Flexibility to switch parks without worrying about separate tickets.
- Could simplify planning if you decide to do more Universal days last minute.
- Potentially easier to budget, as it’s a single pass.
Cons:
- Higher cost compared to buying separate Disney and Universal tickets for your exact planned days.
- If you primarily want Disney and only 3 Universal days, you may be paying for extra Universal access you won’t use.
- Staying on a Disney hotel while holding a combo pass may mean longer transit times to Universal each day.

Option 2: Separate Disney and Universal Passes

Buying a 10-day Disney pass and a 3-day Universal pass aligns directly with your planned park days. This approach is straightforward and likely the most cost-effective for your itinerary.

Pros:
- Cost savings by only paying for the exact days at each park.
- Staying at a Disney hotel is convenient for Disney days with onsite benefits like Early Theme Park Entry and transportation.
- You can plan Universal days strategically and consider staying offsite at Universal for those 3 days if you want to maximize convenience.
Cons:
- Less flexibility to swap Disney and Universal days on the fly.
- If you want to hop between Disney and Universal mid-trip, you’ll need separate tickets and transportation planning.

Hotel Considerations

Staying at a Disney hotel is ideal for your 10–11 Disney days due to transportation, early access, and convenience.
If you move to a Universal hotel for 3–4 days, you’ll gain proximity and early park benefits at Universal, but you’ll incur extra hotel costs and packing/moving logistics.
Many families opt to stay at Disney for the entire trip and commute to Universal for their short 3-day visit. With rideshare or rental car, this is manageable but will add 20–30 minutes of transit each way.

Recommendation: For your itinerary of predominantly Disney days and only a few Universal days, it is generally more cost-effective and convenient to purchase a 10-day Disney pass and a 3-day Universal pass, and stay at a Disney hotel for the entire trip. If you want maximum flexibility to mix parks daily, then a 14-day combo pass could be considered, but it is usually not necessary for your plan.