When it comes to theme parks, Orlando is like the Cool Kids Club. I mean, how many cities can boast that they have that many fan-favorite vacation destinations for people visiting from around the world?
When it comes down to the nitty gritty, though, most families are struggling to choose between whether they want to spend the majority (or all) of their time at Disney World or Universal Studios. One assumption we hear all the time is that Universal is cheaper than Disney World, which is why it takes the cake for many Orlando visitors. (Well, that and the fact that the attractions cater to more of a thrill-seeking audience.) Today, we’re going to put that assumption to the test.
Whether you’re deciding to spend all of your time at one park or the other, or just deciding which park you want to spend the most time in, taking a look at prices is an important factor. To really determine which theme park is the cheapest to visit, we have to look at more than just park tickets. So, today, we’re going to check out average prices for each tier of hotel room stays, park tickets, annual passes, skip-the-line services, and parking. Let’s jump right into it!
Resort Prices
At Disney World, the cheapest nightly rate you’ll find at Value resorts is around $128 — but that’s your standard room that sleeps 2-4 people. Family suites and larger rooms can get up to $658. Universal, on the other hand, has nightly rates ranging from $113 to $278. So, it’s possible that you could see up to a $400 difference.
Now, let’s talk about moderate resorts. Disney World’s nightly rates at Moderate resorts range from $250 to $3,520. That can seem bonkers when compared to the nightly rates at Universal’s “Prime Value” resorts, which range from $164 to $358.
As far as Deluxe resorts go, Disney World’s prices range from $453 to $5,502 per night. Over at Universal, Preferred rooms fall between $289 and $503. In a similar category, Deluxe Villas at Disney World can range from $443 to $6,146 per night while the Premier rooms at Universal range from $414 to $739 per night.
It doesn’t take a whole lot of math to figure out which one of these is cheaper — on average. It’s possible that you’d be able to snag a room of the same tier at Disney World that costs about the same as the rooms at Universal. It would just take some extra patience when planning.
Of course, the extra theming at Disney World hotels is what draws most people in, as well as justifies the extra money spent per night. There are fewer rooms with much less variety at Universal, so many choose to stay at Disney World, especially if they’ll be spending more time in the Disney Parks. It all just depends on what you’re seeking in your hotel stay and what you can justify putting money toward.
Now, let’s talk park tickets!
Park Tickets
1-Day, 1-Park tickets at Disney World start at $109. With this ticket, you’ll have access to only one park of your choosing. Single-day tickets at Universal Studios also start at $109. These tickets are most helpful if you’ll be alternating days at each theme park throughout your vacation and only plan on visiting one park per day. However, if you purchase ticket bundles for multiple days at each theme park, those prices might be lower per day.
A Park-Hopper ticket at Disney World is $183, while a 2 Parks 1 Day ticket at Universal is $164. Once again, with the available ticket bundles, you could see better rates.
You may find more variety on a specific date since both theme parks set prices on a “surge” scale, and you’ll find cheaper tickets on less busy days and during the off-season. Keep in mind that though there really isn’t much difference in the prices, Disney World park hopping tickets cost $183 and give you access to 4 parks, where the counterpart at Universal is $164 with access to only 2 parks. So, for less than 20 bucks, you get access to 2 whole additional parks at Disney World.
Now, it’s time to talk Annual Passes!
Annual Passes
If you’re deciding which park is best as far as Annual Passes go, we’ve broken down the pass types and costs here.
Disney World Annual Passes
Disney has four Annual Pass options. Two of them are restricted to just Florida Residents (Pirate and Pixie Pass), while the Sorcerer’s Pass is only available to Florida residents and qualified Disney Vacation Club members. You can compare the passes by clicking here.
- Pixie Dust Pass — $399 plus tax
- Pirate Pass — $749 plus tax
- Sorcerer Pass — $969 plus tax
- IncrediPass — $1,399 plus tax
So, let’s talk value. Payment plans are only available for Florida residents, which frustrates many Passholders. However, these Annual Passes do allow access to all four parks at Disney World. Entry to the water parks costs extra. With an Annual Pass, you’ll have access to merchandise discounts, dining discounts, resort discounts, and get free theme park parking. The main difference between each of the Passes at Disney World is the fact that not all passes are available for anyone to buy (some require Florida residency) and some have more blockout dates than others.
Universal Orlando Annual Passes
Like Disney, Universal offers four Annual Pass options. Also like Disney, an Annual Pass at Universal offers access to all available theme parks.
- Seasonal Pass — $524.99 plus tax
- Power Pass — $584.99 plus tax
- Preferred Pass — $739.99 plus tax
- Premier Pass — $1,094.99 plus tax
However, where they start to differ is the fact that Universal offers payment plans for all Annual Passes other than the seasonal Annual Pass. Oh, and you can enter Universal’s water park, Volcano Bay, with your Pass. Plus, with higher tiered Passes, you’ll have access to special-ticketed events at no charge. You’ll also get dining, merchandise, and hotel discounts, as well as free parking. One of the only downsides is that there are quite a few blockout dates.
Not only are most of Universal’s Passes cheaper, but you’re also gaining access to more things by choosing a Universal Annual Pass.
Now, let’s talk about skipping the lines!
Skip-the-Line Services
At Disney World, you can skip the lines by utilizing individual Lightning Lanes or by purchasing Genie+. Genie+ allows guests to skip the line using the Lightning Lane queue at rides or attractions for the entire day. You can schedule up to two Lightning Lanes at a time, and you can use one Lightning Lane at a single attraction. (For example, you can’t just ride the same ride all day using Genie+. You’ll be able to skip the line for each ride only once.)
Individual Lightning Lanes are for select attractions. You can purchase two per day for different attractions (you can’t buy two to ride the same attraction twice in one day).
Genie+ can cost between $16-$35 per person, per day, while Individual Lightning Lanes can cost between $11-$20 per attraction per person.
At Universal, you can get an Express Pass or an Unlimited Express Pass. The basic Express Pass allows guests to skip one line, one time, at participating attractions per day. The Unlimited Express Pass allows guests to experience unlimited rides at participating attractions per day. Pricing can get a bit complicated:
- Express Unlimited 1 Day Studios: $119.99
- Express Unlimited 1 Day Islands of Adventure: $124.99
- Express 1 Day Studios: $89.99
- Express 1 Day Islands of Adventure: $94.99
- Express Plus Volcano Bay: $49.99
- Express 1 Day Volcano Bay: $19.99
- 2 Parks Express Unlimited: $134.99
- 2 Parks Express: $104.99
Finally, let’s talk about parking!
Parking
If you’re planning on driving to and from the theme parks, parking prices are important to consider, as they can really add up. At Disney World, standard parking is $25 per day while preferred parking is $45 per day.
At Universal, regular parking is $30 per day while Prime parking is $50 per day.
While Universal parking might be more expensive, it’s in a garage rather than a parking lot, so at least your car is covered and out of the sun and/or rain.
Well, folks, there you have it! We hope that you found this information useful while planning your next Orlando vacation. We’ll be sure to keep you updated with any and all theme park news, tips, and tricks, so make sure to follow along for more.
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Which theme park do you prefer? Disney or Universal?
You also missed you have to pay to add Volcano Bay onto an annual pass just like Disney’s water park option and that the cheapest Universal annual pass does not include parking.
Two major differences were skipped in this article, both of which are major points in Universal’s favor…
– When considering ticket prices, there was a discussion about up to two-day tickets, and about annual passes. Universal normally has considerably lower 3-7 day prices, and this “normal” difference is often even bigger as Universal often runs promotions for longer-term guests.
– The higher end hotels at Universal provide guests with the benefit of free Express Passes. This is a huge factor at Universal that often makes it worthwhile to book a high-end hotel room in order to save money.