Other things I have done (and liked):
Laugh lab in Downtown Orlando
New Smyrna Beach
Daytona Beach
Daytona 500
NASA Space Center
Ron Jon's
Day 1- Fly out. If you are driving same thing, though more of your time will be taken up. This day is just for getting to the hotel and then maybe spend some time at Citywalk, with dinner.
Day 2- Universal Studios Florida. This one I would do first because 1, it is close, and 2, it is a great warm up to the other parks. I am sure you know quite a bit about each of these, but still, you absolutly need to hit HRRR ROTM: The Ride, and MIB: Alien Attack.
Day 3- Sea World Orlando. This park has free transportation from all three Universal hotels. Attractions you need to hit here are Manta, Kraken, Journey To Atlantis, Clyde & Seamore Take Pirate Island, Shamu Rocks, and Mystify.
Day 4- Islands of Adventure. This park will be nice to visit especially when Harry Potter opens and like USF, you can go have dinner at Citywalk since the park closes around dinner time. Highlights include Hulk Coaster, Dueling Dragons, WWOHP, Spider-Man, and Dudley-Do-Rights Ripsaw Falls.
Day 5- Wet N' Wild. This waterpark has free transportation from Universal Hotels and has many great slides.
Day 6- Busch Gardens Africa. Although in Tampa, for 10 bucks you can get a 45 minute shuttle to BGA. Highlights include SheiKra, Kumba, and Montu.
Day 7- Discovery Cove. This is a must experience park. You can swim with dolphins, pet manta rays, and more!
Day 8- Magic Kingdom. Now you branch out for a few days at Disney. I always like to go through the parks in a certain order, and Magic Kingdom comes first. Highlights include Space Mountain (if open), Big Thunder Mountain, Splash Mountain, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin, and POTC.
Day 9- Blizzard Beach. This is a great Disney waterpark with a nice and tall waterslide, Summit Plummit.
Day 10- EPCOT. This park should be next and will kind of give you a break from all of the craziness of other parks. Highlights include Test Track, Mission: SPACE, Soarin', and Illuminations.
Day 11- Animal Kingdom. This day is nice as since the park closes at 6, you can go take a visit at Downtown Disney! Must rides are Kilaminjaro Safaris, Kali River Rapids, Dinosaur, and Expedition Everest.
Day 12- Typhoon Lagoon. This is a nice park with the worlds largest wave pool as well as Slush N' Gusher, an awesome watercoaster slide!
Day 13- Disney's Hollywood Studios. This park will finish off the Disney theme parks. I like to have this be the last, because Fantasmic! is a great way to end everything. Highlights include Rock 'N' Roller Coaster, TOT, Toy Story Mania, Fantasmic, and Lights Motors Action.
Day 14- Fly back. On this last day as well as any other days with free space you want to use, be sure to go back to Universal parks and visit your favorite attractions over and over again through the Express Pass!
I hope this helps!
Tickets
Knowing that the Disney prices would increase in August, we bought our 8 Day Park Hopper Tickets with Water Park Fun & More from Undercover Tourist in advance. Free shipping is included and we saved time and money by purchasing in advance.
We purchased Universal`s 2 Park Unlimited Admission tickets from their website, saving time and a substantial amount of money. We took advantage of Universal's $150 coupon book deal, which should save us money on food and drinks.
We also purchased SeaWorld`s 1 Day Adult for the Price of Child tickets from their website.
Travel
We are bringing two cars and will drive from Ottawa, Ontario, on August 25, saving a significant amount of money by splitting gas.
By staying in Disney, we will take advantage of their free parking and free transportation.
Other non-Disney venues will be reached via our vehicles and parking will be split evenly.
Accommodations
There were many excellent hotel and resort deals available, particularly from MouseSavers, but we received an offer we couldn't refuse on the DIS Discussion Boards. By posting a request for a Disney Vacation Club rental with flexible vacation times in late August, we were offered a 2-bedroom suite at Disney's Old Key West Resort for $8.50 CAD / point and with weekend rates charged as weekday rates (the weekend rates are more than twice as expensive as the weekday rates). This deal saved us about $1000 off the rack rate for an 11 night stay and will allow us to prepare our own meals, use free transportation, and take advantage of Extra Magic Hours.
Dining
We used Disney's new online dining reservation system to get advance reservations for Spirit of Aloha, California Grill, Teppan Edo, Biergarten, and 50's Prime Time Cafe. We will eat breakfast in the room and pack most of our lunches.
Itinerary
The following is a tentative, flexible schedule (with the exception of travel):
August 25: Depart Ottawa, Ontario
August 26: Arrive and check-in.
August 27: SeaWorld
August 28: Epcot, Teppan Edo, Extra Magic Hours
August 29: Animal Kingdom, Extra Magic Hours, Spirit of Aloha
August 30: Disney's Hollywood Studios, 50's Prime Time Cafe, Extra Magic Hours at Magic Kingdom
August 31: Islands of Adventure
September 1: Magic Kingdom
September 2: Cocoa Beach, maybe Kennedy Space Center
September 3: Universal Studios Orlando
September 4: Epcot (drinkin' around the world), Biergarten, Extra Magic Hours
September 5: whatever, followed by Spectromagic parade, California Grill for fireworks.
September 6: Depart
Inter-spliced with these days will be water parks, CityWalk, Downtown Disney, Disney's Boardwalk, and downtown Orlando.
Mayhem.
Also, I would stay at both Universal and Disney Hotels when visiting the parks so you can get the perks. Also, Universal and Disney are not that close, especially when you are stuck in rush hour traffic on I-4
And Nick, I like your spunk, but where's your "down day"? I have three kids in tow, are you trying to kill them!!?? ;)
Undercover Tourist is a reputable source. MouseSavers recommends them, I've bought from them before, and my tickets arrived Monday after ordering them around July 27.
James -
You bet I'll be doing daily trip reports, and you better believe they'll be cynical. I'm too much of a loudmouth to keep shut up after a vacation.
