One of the most common planning questions I get from UK families preparing for an Orlando holiday is a simple one: should we do Disney World and Universal too, or just focus on one?

It sounds like a question with a simple answer. It does not have one. Whether combining Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando is the right decision for your family depends on your children’s ages, your available time, your budget, and what you actually want from the holiday.

I am Alex Perry, an independent Disney holiday specialist and the only travel agent in the UK to have graduated from Disney University. I have been to both resorts many times and I plan combined Disney and Universal holidays regularly. This guide gives you the honest framework for making the right decision for your family.

What Disney World and Universal Orlando actually are

Before comparing them, it is worth being clear about what each resort is and who it is designed for.

Walt Disney World Resort is the most visited theme park destination in the world. It has four theme parks, Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom, alongside more than 25 resort hotels, two water parks, and Disney Springs. The experience is built around immersive storytelling, Disney and Pixar characters, and an atmosphere designed to be all-encompassing from the moment you check in to the moment you check out. It requires a minimum of 10 nights to experience properly and rewards longer stays significantly.

Universal Orlando Resort has two main theme parks, Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure, connected by CityWalk. It also has Epic Universe, which opened in 2025 and has added significant new capacity and content to the resort. Universal’s proposition is different from Disney. It is more thrill-oriented, more franchise-focused, and structured differently. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter spans both original parks. Epic Universe adds new immersive worlds that compete directly with Disney for scope and ambition.

They are different products with different audiences and different design philosophies. The question of whether to do both is genuinely worth thinking through rather than defaulting to yes simply because both resorts are in the same city.

The case for doing both

Your children are seven or older and have varied interests.

For families where the children are seven or older, doing both resorts on a single Orlando trip is often the right call. Children in this age range have enough stamina for a longer trip, engage meaningfully with both Disney and Universal’s content, and benefit from the variety that covering both provides.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is genuinely exceptional. For any family with Harry Potter fans, missing it because you chose to spend the extra days in the Disney parks is a real opportunity cost. The Harry Potter experience at Universal, spanning Diagon Alley at Universal Studios and Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure connected by the Hogwarts Express, is one of the most immersive franchise environments ever built at any theme park. If your family loves Harry Potter, a day at Universal is not optional. It is the right decision.

Epic Universe, which opened in May 2025, has added substantial new content to Universal’s lineup including a Ministry of Magic world continuing the Harry Potter experience, a world based on Nintendo’s gaming universe, a world based on How to Train Your Dragon, and a Universal Monsters world. For families visiting now, Epic Universe makes Universal significantly more compelling than it was before and the case for including it in an Orlando trip has strengthened considerably.

Your trip is 12 nights or longer.

A trip of 12 nights or more gives you enough time to cover the Disney World parks properly and still have two to three days at Universal without either resort feeling rushed. This is the trip length where I most consistently recommend combining both.

With 10 nights I advise most families to focus on Disney World. With 12 nights the combination becomes realistic. With 14 nights or more, combining both is the obvious choice.

You have teenagers in the party.

Teenagers respond to Universal Orlando very well. The thrill rides at Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, the Harry Potter experiences, and the energy of the resort suits teenagers who may find some of the Disney World experience more aimed at younger children. For families with teenagers alongside younger children, combining both resorts gives everyone something that is specifically excellent for their age group.

When to focus on Disney World only

Your children are under seven.

With very young children, Walt Disney World should take priority entirely. Universal Orlando has significantly fewer experiences suited to children under seven. The thrill rides are too intense for most of this age group, the Harry Potter content does not yet fully land, and the resort does not have the same calibration for young children that Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland delivers.

With young children, 10 days in Disney World is a more satisfying and age-appropriate holiday than seven days at Disney World plus three days at Universal. The Disney World parks, particularly Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and Animal Kingdom, have more than enough for families with young children to fill 10 days meaningfully.

Your trip is 10 nights or fewer.

With 10 nights you have enough park days to cover the four Disney World parks thoughtfully with some rest days built in. Adding Universal to a 10-night trip means either rushing Disney World or rushing Universal. Most families who try to do both in 10 nights come back feeling they would have been better served spending all of it at Disney World.

It is your first Orlando trip.

For first-time Orlando visitors, I usually recommend focusing on Disney World and treating Universal as something to add on a return trip. Walt Disney World is large enough, varied enough, and deep enough to fully occupy a first Orlando holiday. Splitting your attention between two major resorts on a first visit often means neither one gets the time and focus it deserves.

How to structure a combined trip

If you have decided to do both, here is how I typically structure it for families.

Arrive into Orlando and go to your Disney resort hotel.

Spending the first night and arrival day at Disney World means you are settled and oriented before the parks begin. Disney resort hotel guests get Early Theme Park Entry every morning, which is valuable across every park day.

Cover the Disney World parks first.

On a 14-night trip I typically schedule the first 10 park days across the four Disney parks, with rest days built in. Cover Magic Kingdom first as it is the emotional centrepiece of the trip. Then EPCOT, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood Studios. The order varies by family priorities but Magic Kingdom almost always goes first.

Move to a Universal hotel for the final two to three days.

Staying at one of Universal’s on-site hotels, particularly the Cabana Bay Beach Resort which is excellent value, gives you early park admission benefits at Universal equivalent to Disney’s Early Entry. This approach means you have two separate on-site experiences rather than commuting between resorts.

If budget does not allow for two sets of resort hotel costs, some families base themselves at Disney World throughout and day-trip to Universal. This works but means a longer transfer on the Universal days and the loss of Universal’s early admission benefit.

At Universal, prioritise Epic Universe on day one.

Epic Universe is the newest and most ambitious park and the one that deserves a full dedicated day on a first visit. Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, including both Wizarding World sections, can be covered across a second day for most families depending on the children’s ages and interests.

Universal’s Epic Universe — what to know

Epic Universe opened in May 2025 and is Universal’s most significant expansion since the original park opened. It adds substantial new capacity and five fully realised immersive worlds.

The Ministry of Magic world extends the Harry Potter universe into the world of the films, including the French Ministry of Magic and encounters with magical creatures. For Harry Potter fans this is the headline addition.

The Nintendo world recreates the universe of Nintendo gaming properties including Mario Kart and Donkey Kong with innovative ride technology that has been praised consistently by theme park experts.

The How to Train Your Dragon world is beautiful and family-friendly, well suited to families with younger children within the Universal age bracket.

The Universal Monsters world and the Celestial Park hub complete the lineup.

Epic Universe has meaningfully changed the argument for including Universal in an Orlando trip. Before it opened, some families felt Universal could be covered adequately in one day. With Epic Universe adding a full third park of serious quality, two to three days at Universal is now the right allocation for families who want to experience it properly.

For more information on planning an Orlando holiday that covers both resorts, the Your Fairytale Holiday Orlando page covers the full picture.

The honest recommendation

Do both if: your children are seven or older, your trip is 12 nights or longer, and you have Harry Potter fans in the party or teenagers who want thrill rides.

Focus on Disney World if: your children are under seven, your trip is 10 nights or fewer, or it is your first Orlando visit.

Leave Universal for a return trip if: you are first-time visitors who want to fully experience everything Disney World has to offer before dividing your attention.

Most families who do both enjoy both. The honest caveat is that combining them requires enough time to do each one properly, and a 10-night trip does not have that time. A 12 to 14 night trip does.

If you want help working out the right balance for your family’s specific situation, this is exactly the kind of planning conversation I have with every family before they travel. Get in touch through the Disney Planning Hub or contact me directly and I will come back to you personally, usually within a few hours.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Should I go to Universal Orlando and Disney World on the same trip?

For families with children aged seven or older on a trip of 12 nights or more, yes  combining both resorts is usually the right call. For families with children under seven, or on shorter trips of 10 nights or fewer, focusing on Disney World and saving Universal for a return trip delivers a better experience at both resorts. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Epic Universe make Universal very compelling for the right family.

Q: How many days do I need at Universal Orlando?

With Epic Universe now open, two to three days at Universal is the right allocation for families who want to experience it properly. One day is enough to cover the highlights of the two original parks if time is tight. Three days allows you to cover Epic Universe with a full dedicated day and spend the remaining time across Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure including both Wizarding World sections.

Q: How do I decide between Disney World and Universal Orlando?

The decision depends on your children’s ages, your available time, and your interests. Disney World is unmatched for families with young children and for immersive storytelling at scale. Universal is better for thrill seekers, Harry Potter fans, and families with teenagers. Most families who have enough time do both. The question is whether your trip is long enough to do each one properly.

Q: Is Disney World better than Universal for families?

They are different rather than directly comparable. Disney World is better for families with young children, first-time visitors, and families who want the complete immersive resort experience from check-in to check-out. Universal is better for teenagers and older children, Harry Potter fans, and families who want more thrill rides. Most families find both genuinely excellent for different reasons.

Q: Can you fly to Orlando from Manchester Airport for both resorts?


Yes. Both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort are in the Orlando, Florida area and are served by the same Orlando International Airport. Manchester Airport has direct flights to Orlando, making it one of the most convenient departure points for North West families visiting either or both resorts.