Could the Dragon Back Travel family be new Universal Orlando converts? Okay, hear me out because we are well known by all our friends and family as THE Disney experts. I worked personally for Disney in their call center as a reservations agent being a living encyclopedia for all things Disney, and even worked for Goofy’s Candy Company in Disney Springs. My husband even worked for Epcot during his Disney College Program. So, I say all this to let you know our Disney love is deep…but we just spent a whole week at Universal soaking in all those parks and hotels have to offer, and I have to say I am sold on Universal Magic and what it offers as well!
When I booked this trip I was nervous for multiple reasons, but the biggest concern I had was the length and staying entertained. I was worried that there would not be enough for my family to enjoy and that we would end up back at Disney after two days. I hear from many people that they typically go just for two days and feel like they have “done it all”, and I will even admit I had been one of those when I used to go to Universal for a day here and there while living in Florida with my Husband close to ten years ago. Let me tell you though that could not have been further from the truth because even on our day of check-out I still wanted to return to the parks to do and see more!
I feel I should also share another reason we went so long without going to Universal since we moved back to Georgia was my husband HATES roller coasters, and my daughter who is five years old does as well. She thinks the dip on Pirates of the Caribbean at Magic Kingdom is intense which makes me the only true roller coaster junkie in the family who will ride anything and everything! I was certain after two days she would be bored with what Universal had and be begging for Disney along with him, but Universal has truly stepped up their game with non rollercoaster ride offerings and entertainment. There were plenty of options that were perfect for my family as there were interactive play areas for my daughter and simulator rides that were not intense like roller coasters. There were even rides and areas we missed out on because we spent time playing in spaces within the parks during our stay.
I plan to make separate blog posts dedicated to Universal to go more in depth about the different rides and areas, but I had to immediately post that Universal is a definite go for all families! There will be things to cater to each person in your party and you will definitely get the most out of it with their different resorts and ticket deals that show up throughout the year! I am already excited to plan my next trip once the Dreamworks area opens at Universal Studios to share that with you. Of course I will always be a true Disney lover at heart, but this most recent trip to Universal has been one of my absolute favorite trips to a theme park ever!
