Grand Southern - Orlando - Disney World & Harry Potter

23 Jun 2010 aymeh! said

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• 23 Jun 2010 Kaznagan said

  

  i’m not sure i think there is only one free day in orlando.
  i’m having the same problem, cause i wanna see both, but i think i’m going to do universal just so i can check out the new harry potter world

  i'm not sure i think there is only one free day in orlando. <BR>i'm having the same problem, cause i wanna see both, but i think i'm going to do universal just so i can check out the new harry potter world or Cancel
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• 25 Jun 2010 Hayley said

  

  In prior itineraries, the Grand Southern spent 2 days in Orlando which would have made it very easy to do both! On this new tour, however, it’s going to be a bit difficult.
  
  My suggestion: If you just want a taste of Disney, check out Downtown Disney the night you arrive. It’s like a huge entertainment, dining, shopping and nightclub complex and best of all, it’s free! You’ll also encounter less kiddies and strollers.
  
  Next day, do the Universal thing, I guarantee you’ll have a great time there! When I did the Grand Southern two years ago, I was working for a travel agency where I sold a lot of Disney packages and elected to go to Universal for something new. It will not dissapoint; the rides/attractions are geared to more of an “older” crowd (so like mid-teens/20’s) and there will be far less kiddies and strollers.
  
  Or, if you’re in LA and have some extra time there, you may want to check out Disney Land to get your Mickey fix! You can easily do it in a day whereas Disney World needs a few days to truly appreciate and experience all it has to offer.

  In prior itineraries, the Grand Southern spent 2 days in Orlando which would have made it very easy to do both! On this new tour, however, it's going to be a bit difficult.<BR><BR>My suggestion: If you just want a taste of Disney, check out Downtown Disney the night you arrive. It's like a huge entertainment, dining, shopping and nightclub complex and best of all, it's free! You'll also encounter less kiddies and strollers. <BR><BR>Next day, do the Universal thing, I guarantee you'll have a great time there! When I did the Grand Southern two years ago, I was working for a travel agency where I sold a lot of Disney packages and elected to go to Universal for something new. It will not dissapoint; the rides/attractions are geared to more of an "older" crowd (so like mid-teens/20's) and there will be far less kiddies and strollers. <BR><BR>Or, if you're in LA and have some extra time there, you may want to check out Disney Land to get your Mickey fix! You can easily do it in a day whereas Disney World needs a few days to truly appreciate and experience all it has to offer. or Cancel
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• 25 Jun 2010 aymeh! said

  

  Thanks i was afraid of not having enough time…although my mission in life is to visit all “Disneylands” ive already done the one in Anaheim and ive done Paris so this is why im in a bit of a predicament..

  Thanks i was afraid of not having enough time...although my mission in life is to visit all "Disneylands" ive already done the one in Anaheim and ive done Paris so this is why im in a bit of a predicament.. or Cancel
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• 28 Jun 2010 tberri said

  

  hmmm. i think im going to do harry potter world.
  
  we’ll be in LA so i’ll go to disneyland there. but im a massive HP fan so i think i’ll spend my one day in orlando there!

  hmmm. i think im going to do harry potter world.<BR><BR>we'll be in LA so i'll go to disneyland there. but im a massive HP fan so i think i'll spend my one day in orlando there! or Cancel
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• 28 Jun 2010 aymeh! said

  

  I was looking at what the park consists of and it doesn’t look like a full day so i was thinking of doing everything i can there first thing and then head off to The Magic Kingdom…its open until 11pm so im hoping i can fit both in!

  I was looking at what the park consists of and it doesn't look like a full day so i was thinking of doing everything i can there first thing and then head off to The Magic Kingdom...its open until 11pm so im hoping i can fit both in! or Cancel
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• 28 Jun 2010 Hayley said

  

  I recall when I did the GS, the coach did a drop at Universal Studios in the morning (I believe it was 9 or 10am) and then did a pick up around 5 back to the hotel.
  
  Shuttles and cabs can be kind of expensive from Universal Studios to Disney World so take advantage of the free coach drops if you can!
  
  If the times don’t work for you, know that cabs can run you about $50 each way and shuttles can range from $14 to $50 (but they may have multiple stops).

  I recall when I did the GS, the coach did a drop at Universal Studios in the morning (I believe it was 9 or 10am) and then did a pick up around 5 back to the hotel. <BR><BR>Shuttles and cabs can be kind of expensive from Universal Studios to Disney World so take advantage of the free coach drops if you can! <BR><BR>If the times don't work for you, know that cabs can run you about $50 each way and shuttles can range from $14 to $50 (but they may have multiple stops). or Cancel
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• 29 Jun 2010 aymeh! said

  

  That is pretty expensive but im determined to do them both so i will just have to suck it up and pay haha

  That is pretty expensive but im determined to do them both so i will just have to suck it up and pay haha or Cancel
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• 30 Jun 2010 cdm115 said

  

  There are 2 problems with doing both in one day – cost and transportation. Discipline is also an issue, once you’re in one park you might not want to leave, then you’re paying like $30 for a taxi to switch parks and paying both admissions. If you want to do Harry Potter, Universal has good deals on their admission, for less then you’re paying for 1 day at disney you could get access to both parks at universal.

  There are 2 problems with doing both in one day - cost and transportation. Discipline is also an issue, once you're in one park you might not want to leave, then you're paying like $30 for a taxi to switch parks and paying both admissions. If you want to do Harry Potter, Universal has good deals on their admission, for less then you're paying for 1 day at disney you could get access to both parks at universal. or Cancel
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• 22 Jan 2011 katie said

  

  im going to do harry potter when i go in June, ive been to Disney world about 4 times for 3-4 weeks at a time in the past and it really does take longer than a day to enjoy the magic of Disney world! i havent been to Florida since july 2008 so i have not seen the Harry Potter park yet! and i plan to do Disney in LA as i havent been to that Disney Land yet!

  im going to do harry potter when i go in June, ive been to Disney world about 4 times for 3-4 weeks at a time in the past and it really does take longer than a day to enjoy the magic of Disney world! i havent been to Florida since july 2008 so i have not seen the Harry Potter park yet! and i plan to do Disney in LA as i havent been to that Disney Land yet! or Cancel
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• 23 Jan 2012 Explorer1343935 said

  

  Don’t know if this is true, but for anyone looking at this in 2012, they’re thinking of building another Harry Potter World at Universal LA! :) That way you can do Disney World in Orlando (which would be amazing) and Harry Potter World in LA :)

  Don't know if this is true, but for anyone looking at this in 2012, they're thinking of building another Harry Potter World at Universal LA! :) That way you can do Disney World in Orlando (which would be amazing) and Harry Potter World in LA :) or Cancel
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• 23 Jan 2012 Explorer1340908 said

  

  katie……are you doing contiki in june? grand southern June 7th?

  katie......are you doing contiki in june? grand southern June 7th? or Cancel
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• 23 Jan 2012 cdm115 said

  

  They’re also expanding the Harry Potter in Orlando.

  They're also expanding the Harry Potter in Orlando. or Cancel
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• 30 Apr 2012 Marchy said

  

  so if i was doing the eastern discovery on the 4th sep 2012 do disney land the first day when we leave tallahassee and get in to orlando late morning. Then the 2nd day in orlando do universal i would like to get front of the line and express pass before i go? or is it worth waiting untill you get over there?

  so if i was doing the eastern discovery on the 4th sep 2012 do disney land the first day when we leave tallahassee and get in to orlando late morning. Then the 2nd day in orlando do universal i would like to get front of the line and express pass before i go? or is it worth waiting untill you get over there? or Cancel
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• 30 Apr 2012 cdm115 said

  

  The Express pass is not good for Forbidden Journey. So, unless you want to use it on other rides in the park then I wouldn’t bother. Also, be warned the price of it is based on the expected crowd levels, so it can be very pricey. For the Harry Potter area I suggest going either early in the morning or late in the day.

  The Express pass is not good for Forbidden Journey. So, unless you want to use it on other rides in the park then I wouldn't bother. Also, be warned the price of it is based on the expected crowd levels, so it can be very pricey. For the Harry Potter area I suggest going either early in the morning or late in the day. or Cancel
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• 30 Apr 2012 STEANSY30 said

  

  hey i did this tour in Feb 11, there’s only one day to really do a theme park. i did universal which i enjoyed. a few people on the tour went and did Disney but with the many theme park’s they only did one in a day. as i thought if im gonna do Disney Orlando id want to be there more than one day! also the hotel has rides and a mini theme park its not too bad!! also a laundry!! get in while u can! lol

  hey i did this tour in Feb 11, there's only one day to really do a theme park. i did universal which i enjoyed. a few people on the tour went and did Disney but with the many theme park's they only did one in a day. as i thought if im gonna do Disney Orlando id want to be there more than one day! also the hotel has rides and a mini theme park its not too bad!! also a laundry!! get in while u can! lol or Cancel
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• 30 Apr 2012 Marchy said

  

  alright wicked thanks for the info i douniversal to i think.

  alright wicked thanks for the info i douniversal to i think. or Cancel
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• 27 Nov 2012 KiaWest said

  

  I know this post is old, but I thought it may help people planning now.
  I did a trip to Orlando with my best friend for our 21st birthdays, not with Contiki. We spent 9 days doing Disney and Universal and still didn’t see it all. I personally love Disney because it really lets you be a kid again. There are four Disney parks in orlando:
  Magic Kingdom: pretty much what Disneyland in Anaheim is, but more space.
  EPCOT: this has two sections, future land and the world showcase. Future world has some fast rides and you can do a little obstacle course on a segway. In the world showcase they have different areas devoted to different countries (Mexico, Norway, China, USA, Canada, England, Morocco, France) and in each they replicate the style of building, dress, food and drink.
  Hollywood studios: Devoted to the golden age of Hollywood. Has a couple of good thrill rides and some great themed restaurants. Backlot tour, Indiana Jones show.
  Animal Kingdom: Divided into Africa, Asia and Dinoland USA. In Africa they have recreated an African game reserve and you can go on a safari ride. We saw elephant, hippos, rhinos, flamingos, giraffes, lions and much more. There are roller coasters and water rides and live shows.
  On the other hand Universal is the best for thrill rides and night time partying. They have roller coasters that look terrifying. The traditional Universal park is great to walk around and take photos, but the Islands of Adventure is where all the fun is, especially with sections devoted to Harry Potter and Jurassic Park. My tip for eating there is to skip eating in Harry Potter World and head to Jurassic Park for a burger. We ate in both places and the Harry Potter food was really bad. Of course you should go into the Hog’s Head and get a cocktail and some butter beer (non-alcoholic and buy the souvenir mug), the pumpkin juice is really just cinnamon and apple/peach juice for the most part and the cute bottle is a great souvenir.
  The City Walk area outside the two universal parks is the Universal version of Downtown Disney and is where all the restaurants and clubs are after hours and you can also grab cinnamon buns for breakfast on the way in. I really enjoyed Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville restaurant because they did great cocktails and food and they had entertainers on stilts. After a long day of walking around the park it’s good not to go to a club and have to dance. You can also see a movie in the cinema there.

  I know this post is old, but I thought it may help people planning now. I did a trip to Orlando with my best friend for our 21st birthdays, not with Contiki. We spent 9 days doing Disney and Universal and still didn't see it all. I personally love Disney because it really lets you be a kid again. There are four Disney parks in orlando: Magic Kingdom: pretty much what Disneyland in Anaheim is, but more space. EPCOT: this has two sections, future land and the world showcase. Future world has some fast rides and you can do a little obstacle course on a segway. In the world showcase they have different areas devoted to different countries (Mexico, Norway, China, USA, Canada, England, Morocco, France) and in each they replicate the style of building, dress, food and drink. Hollywood studios: Devoted to the golden age of Hollywood. Has a couple of good thrill rides and some great themed restaurants. Backlot tour, Indiana Jones show. Animal Kingdom: Divided into Africa, Asia and Dinoland USA. In Africa they have recreated an African game reserve and you can go on a safari ride. We saw elephant, hippos, rhinos, flamingos, giraffes, lions and much more. There are roller coasters and water rides and live shows. On the other hand Universal is the best for thrill rides and night time partying. They have roller coasters that look terrifying. The traditional Universal park is great to walk around and take photos, but the Islands of Adventure is where all the fun is, especially with sections devoted to Harry Potter and Jurassic Park. My tip for eating there is to skip eating in Harry Potter World and head to Jurassic Park for a burger. We ate in both places and the Harry Potter food was really bad. Of course you should go into the Hog's Head and get a cocktail and some butter beer (non-alcoholic and buy the souvenir mug), the pumpkin juice is really just cinnamon and apple/peach juice for the most part and the cute bottle is a great souvenir. The City Walk area outside the two universal parks is the Universal version of Downtown Disney and is where all the restaurants and clubs are after hours and you can also grab cinnamon buns for breakfast on the way in. I really enjoyed Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville restaurant because they did great cocktails and food and they had entertainers on stilts. After a long day of walking around the park it's good not to go to a club and have to dance. You can also see a movie in the cinema there. or Cancel
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