Went to Universal for a few days and saw the Harry Potter attraction, well what's been done so far, it's going to be amazing. Just from what I saw of the castles were incredible.

Went to Universal for a few days and saw the Harry Potter attraction, well what's been done so far, it's going to be amazing. Just from what I saw of the castles were incredible.
My daughter is very excited about this addition to the park. Our next trip to Orlando will most certainly be Universal driven. Screw Disney.

That is awesome! I wanna go :blushing: :tooold:

My daughter is very excited about this addition to the park. Our next trip to Orlando will most certainly be Universal driven. Screw Disney.

Blasphemy!!!

Yep, been following the info before they even started construction. Already have my tickets for July 2011!

Do they have the hog with all the warts on it yet?

This opened today. They were showing it on the news here this morning, all the main characters were there. Looks like it's going to be really amazing. I'll wait awhile before I try to go. Heard the hotels at Universal are booked for the next two years already.

This opened today. They were showing it on the news here this morning, all the main characters were there. Looks like it's going to be really amazing. I'll wait awhile before I try to go. Heard the hotels at Universal are booked for the next two years already.

We're planning on taking the kids to Disney in a few years. I hope that's not the case for the hotels at Disney too.

This opened today. They were showing it on the news here this morning, all the main characters were there. Looks like it's going to be really amazing. I'll wait awhile before I try to go. Heard the hotels at Universal are booked for the next two years already.
Were there Malfoys present???? I so want to go to this. Never cared for Universal but I'll have to bite the bullet just to see this attraction.

Were there Malfoys present???? I so want to go to this. Never cared for Universal but I'll have to bite the bullet just to see this attraction.

Here is some information.

Harry Potter Lights Up Hogwarts - Bay News 9 (http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2010/6/17/631565.html)

We're planning on taking the kids to Disney in a few years. I hope that's not the case for the hotels at Disney too.

Universal hotels are not booked up for the next two years. They haven't even opened up online reservations for 2011 yet. Disney however, does get booked waaaay in advance so if you know which hotel you want and the dates, make sure you reserve it a year in advance.

Universal hotels are not booked up for the next two years. They haven't even opened up online reservations for 2011 yet. Disney however, does get booked waaaay in advance so if you know which hotel you want and the dates, make sure you reserve it a year in advance.

Well, I know the dates as we have to take our vacation the same week every year but no idea on hotels. Guess I better get to looking!

Well, I know the dates as we have to take our vacation the same week every year but no idea on hotels. Guess I better get to looking!

Yup, and if you're going during peak season make sure you do advanced dining reservations or you may find yourself eating at counter service and kiosks the entire time.

Yup, and if you're going during peak season make sure you do advanced dining reservations or you may find yourself eating at counter service and kiosks the entire time.

Just skimming over the room options and knowing that we aren't "hotel" people (mainly because I need some place to escape my husband's snoring), we'd probably stay here...http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/cabins-at-fort-wilderness-resort/ which means about $1600 for the week. But I believe if you stay "on-site" you get some great amenities. I will definitely have to put the bug in my husband's ear.

Here is some information.

Harry Potter Lights Up Hogwarts - Bay News 9 (http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2010/6/17/631565.html)

Draco Malfoy :drool: If I was 20 years younger.....the Weasley twins are yummy too.

Draco Malfoy :drool: If I was 20 years younger.....the Weasley twins are yummy too.

I always thought Neville was a homely looking kid, but as he got older, he turned out to be nice looking.

Cedric...aka Robert Pattinson. Nough said.

This opened today. They were showing it on the news here this morning, all the main characters were there. Looks like it's going to be really amazing. I'll wait awhile before I try to go. Heard the hotels at Universal are booked for the next two years already.

Not sure where you heard that because there's no truth to it. I am going next week and I'm already looking into booking another trip in October and I'm finding plenty of onsite hotel availability.

Not sure where you heard that because there's no truth to it. I am going next week and I'm already looking into booking another trip in October and I'm finding plenty of onsite hotel availability.

Heard it on the local news here.

Have fun next week. I plan to go in February. We went Valentine's weekend and there weren't many people there at all, no wait for rides and the weather was perfect. Hope we have the same luck in 2011.

Just skimming over the room options and knowing that we aren't "hotel" people (mainly because I need some place to escape my husband's snoring), we'd probably stay here...The Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort | Walt Disney World Resort (http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/cabins-at-fort-wilderness-resort/) which means about $1600 for the week. But I believe if you stay "on-site" you get some great amenities. I will definitely have to put the bug in my husband's ear.

We've done both onsite and offsite stays and really prefer offsite. The only "real" benefits to staying onsite are:
*Extra magic hours
*dining plan (cannot book this if staying offsite but you can still dine and make reservations at the onsite restaurants)
*not paying daily parking of $14

But the fact I can stay in a NICE 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo with full kitchen, offsite and within a couple miles of Disney for usually less than $100/night, those things (to me) aren't worth paying extra for.
Once we get onsite and park we can still use all the Disney transportion thruout the parks and just about every other amenity they offer.
Honestly the only time we stay onsite is typically during their "free dining" promotions, but it's really hard to give up the space of a condo (especially with teens).

We've done both onsite and offsite stays and really prefer offsite. The only "real" benefits to staying onsite are:
*Extra magic hours
*dining plan (cannot book this if staying offsite but you can still dine and make reservations at the onsite restaurants)
*not paying daily parking of $14

But the fact I can stay in a NICE 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo with full kitchen, offsite and within a couple miles of Disney for usually less than $100/night, those things (to me) aren't worth paying extra for.
Once we get onsite and park we can still use all the Disney transportion thruout the parks and just about every other amenity they offer.
Honestly the only time we stay onsite is typically during their "free dining" promotions, but it's really hard to give up the space of a condo (especially with teens).

The condos are nice. We hardly ever stay in hotel rooms anymore.

use VRBO® is Vacation Rentals By Owner (http://www.vrbo.com/)

Vacation Rentals by Owner.

Last year and the year before we stayed in a 4br 3bath with a pool for $800 for the week. It was in champion's gate(a golf community/resort) and is ab a 15 minute drive to disney. There are some great deals for orlando and tennessee.

just looked and this was the first one i found.

Luxury Lakeside Villa Nr Disney with Games Room and Hot Tub
5br, 3.5 bath(sleeps 10-11) for $1080 a week. 30min from airport and 10miles from disney

Davenport, Florida vacation rental by owner: 5 bedroom House rental that sleeps 11. Luxury Lakeside Villa Nr Disney with Games Room and Hot Tub (http://www.vrbo.com/14279)

use VRBO® is Vacation Rentals By Owner (http://www.vrbo.com/)

Vacation Rentals by Owner.

Last year and the year before we stayed in a 4br 3bath with a pool for $800 for the week. It was in champion's gate(a golf community/resort) and is ab a 15 minute drive to disney. There are some great deals for orlando and tennessee.

just looked and this was the first one i found.

Luxury Lakeside Villa Nr Disney with Games Room and Hot Tub
5br, 3.5 bath(sleeps 10-11) for $1080 a week. 30min from airport and 10miles from disney

Davenport, Florida vacation rental by owner: 5 bedroom House rental that sleeps 11. Luxury Lakeside Villa Nr Disney with Games Room and Hot Tub (http://www.vrbo.com/14279)
I only stayed onsite once and I kind of felt trapped. I mean I love Disney, truly, but I also like to go to Sea World and of course Universal is a bit away. If I were planning a Universal only trip I'd definitely stay offsite. I always find fantastic deals like the one above.

Mentioned that we were wanting to go to Disney around 2012 time frame and my sister and her family might join us. If this pans out, we'll just rent a house off-site. This is normally what we do when we go on summer vacations. I wasn't dead-set on staying on sight at Disney, just that I heard they have good deals. We're still way too early in the planning stage to worry about where we'll stay yet. :lol: Was just looking to see what they offered.

My family and I just got back from Orlando and were there for the grand opening of HP. The lines the first 2 days were 8 hours. So, we saved HP for our last day, we waited in line for 2 hours to get into the village, then another 1.5 hours to get into the castle and ride the broom ride. The dragon roller coaster was no wait at all - it was awesome. We stayed at the Hampton Inn off-site. Great rates and free breakfast daily. We got a rental car so we didn't have to wait for shuttles, but they did provide free shuttles. It was a great vacation.