View Full Version : Advice on theme park tickets
Hi,
It's getting ever closer and I'm beginning to look at the various theme park tickets. Never having been there, it's well nigh impossible to determine where I should spend my money. We are a family of two adults, one 12-year old and one 2-year 'old'.
Can anyone advise how we should distribute our time (2 weeks)? What's a winning formula? For example, I see adult 14-day Busch Garden tickets going for a shade under $200. But would we be better off buying 3 day passes at $47 ($141)? At a glance, I suspect that 3 days mightn't be enough but you tell me.
Also, with the Disney Hopper Plus passes, do the 5/6/7 days have to run consecutively?
Thanks for any expert advice,
Lee
Lee,
It really depends on your budget and what everyone fancies doing - and that everyone includes you. With the kids being of the age where they will appreciate Disney and feel the 'magic' I would definitely include that.
For us as a group of adults who are going in March we all like coasters and therefore the 14 day Flex ticket (I assume that was what you were referring to) is good because we get much more out of the 5 parks (mad rides @ IOA and other and then Sarangeti Safari at Busch) than visiting Disney, but that is what fits with us and what we want and within our budget - in addition we are going to Discovery Cove this year, but that is a special treat.
Lee,
Oh yes forgot to add that you should make sure when putting together an itinery of what you are doing for the days of the holiday that you include 'rest' days between parks especially if you have kids as running around parks is vv tiring especially in the Florida heat/humidity.
I am sure that the "experts" will help you further - I am a mere 2nd timer!!:D
If I were you I'd plan 2 days on and 1 day off (sorry had brain-storm and originally said 2 days off!!)- even if the day off is shopping!
Although it does depend on what time of year you are going and what the temperature is. It is is warm enough, your day off can be at one of the water parks.
Are you staying in Kissimmee and planning to drive over to busch gardens? One day there will probably be enough, and like Biggus I assume you are talking about the flex ticket, which gives access to Universal, sea World and Wet'n'Wild.
Given the age of your children I think you might be spending more time at Disney than anywhere else - when mine were young that's certainly where we went. Now they are 17 and 14 and disney is fine for specials, but passe for the rest (revolting spoilt madams that they are:)), we go to Universal more than anything else. They did enjoy Busch gardens, and Sea World is great as has 2 great rides for them and does have the added attraction of manatees, dolphins and the whales amongst others.
Are you wanting to visit the Kennedy Space Center? That will be another day out!
If you sit down and plan it out before you go you are more likely to get everything done.
jordylass
13-01-2003, 22:23
We did 3 weeks, we planned an itinerary, and mostly kept to it.
If you book any dinner shows, then you might want to do those on your no park days.
2 days theme parks are enough, without a break.
I suggest getting Disney 5 or 7 day hopper plus tickets. These include some extra days in the water parks and the advantage is they never run out. Most people go for their 'once in a lifetime' holiday and cant resist going back! If you have tickets that dont expire then there is not the pressure to go to a park every day just to get your moneys worth. The Universal 2 or 3 day passes dont expire either but you'd need to buy separate tickets for sea world and Busch Gardens. We are planning on going to Busch Gardens for the 1st time this year and its our 4th visit to Orlando - we've never found time to go before!
Chris
Thanks for all the tips so far. It looks like I'll end up getting the multi-day,multi-park tickets. The 12-year old might be a little bit beyond Disney (but I'm sure it's not all Mickey Mouse & Co). At the same time, we can't go to Orlando and not go to Disney :)
For extra info, we're going in the first two weeks of July. I know it'll be humid and hot so we'll probably taking more rest days than anything else.
Just one question that I haven't really got answered. With the Disney Hopper Plus passes, do the days have to run consecutively?
Thanks again,
Lee
Hi Lee,
No you can use the passes on any days, they do not have to run consecutively.
Have a great holiday and let us know how you got on.
Jeff
steph_goodrum
14-01-2003, 14:03
Lee
the Disney days don't even have to be used on the same trip if you buy the 5 or 7 day passes. The 10 day world hopper passes have an expiry date but the 5 and 7 will NEVER expire, so you can use some days this trip and some days on a future trip (I'd be very surprised if you didn't ever want to go back there again). We first did the "holiday of a lifetime" - 6 years ago, thinking it would be a one-off, been there, done that sort of holiday, boy, were we wrong. We were instantly hooked and and have now been 9 times and bought a place as we can foresee many more years of visiting, taking in new sights the whole time. I hope you find the same when you visit.