For a long time, the classic Orlando vacation followed a simple formula. Families would book a Walt Disney World Resort hotel, spend nearly a full week exploring the parks, and rarely leave Disney property at all. Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom offered more than enough to fill an entire itinerary.
That formula is starting to shift in 2026.
Across travel forums, vacation planning groups, and theme park communities, more guests are talking about a new strategy for visiting Orlando. Instead of dedicating their entire trip to Walt Disney World, many families are now splitting their vacation between Disney and Universal Orlando Resort.
In some cases, Disney is getting only half the trip.
The Rise of the Split Vacation
The idea of visiting both major Orlando resorts during the same vacation isn’t entirely new. However, what’s changing is how evenly guests are dividing their time.
In the past, Universal Orlando was often treated as a short add-on. Families might spend one day riding a few attractions before returning to Disney for the remainder of the trip. The majority of the vacation still revolved around Walt Disney World.
Now, travelers are planning trips that intentionally divide time between the two resorts. A typical itinerary might include three days at Disney and three days at Universal, or a similar split depending on the length of the trip.
This approach allows guests to experience attractions across both destinations without feeling like they missed something major.
It also means the traditional week-long Disney-only vacation is becoming less common for some visitors.
Why Universal Is Taking More Vacation Time
Several factors are contributing to this shift, but the biggest one is Universal Orlando Resort’s continued expansion.
Over the past decade, Universal has transformed its parks with major additions, new attractions, and expanded resort offerings. What was once considered a smaller competitor to Disney has grown into a destination capable of filling multiple days of a vacation.
The opening of Epic Universe accelerated that change dramatically.
Epic Universe introduced new themed lands, cutting-edge attractions, and a brand-new resort area built around the park. For many theme park fans, the park instantly became a must-visit experience.
Travelers planning Orlando trips now often feel the need to dedicate several days to Universal in order to experience everything Epic Universe offers alongside Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure.
Those days have to come from somewhere.
For many families, they’re coming directly out of the Disney portion of the trip.
The Two-Hotel Strategy
Another interesting trend has emerged alongside the split vacation: guests are increasingly booking two different hotels during the same trip.
Instead of choosing one resort for the entire stay, many travelers now spend part of their vacation at a Disney resort and part at a Universal hotel.
The strategy allows guests to take advantage of benefits tied to each resort’s parks. Disney hotel stays come with perks connected to Disney’s parks, while Universal hotels offer advantages for visiting Universal’s attractions.
Guests might begin their trip at a Disney resort while focusing on Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. After a few days, they’ll move to a Universal hotel to focus on Epic Universe, Universal Studios Florida, and Islands of Adventure.
While switching hotels requires some extra planning, many visitors believe it’s the best way to experience everything Orlando now offers.
Orlando’s Theme Park Landscape Is Changing
The rise of split vacations reflects how much Orlando’s theme park scene has evolved.
For years, Walt Disney World dominated the region so completely that many travelers felt no need to visit other parks. Disney alone offered enough attractions, entertainment, and resorts to fill an entire vacation.
But Universal has steadily closed that gap.
With multiple theme parks, high-profile attractions, immersive lands, and now Epic Universe, Universal Orlando Resort has positioned itself as a destination that can compete for a larger share of guests’ time.
Instead of competing for separate vacations, the two resorts are now sharing the same trip.
A New Type of Orlando Vacation
None of this suggests that Walt Disney World is becoming less popular. The resort continues to draw millions of visitors each year, and its parks remain among the most visited in the world.
Magic Kingdom continues to anchor many Orlando vacations, and Disney’s storytelling-driven experiences still set the standard for theme park design.
However, the way guests structure their vacations is evolving.
Rather than choosing one resort over the other, travelers are increasingly choosing both.
That shift means many Disney vacations are no longer centered exclusively on Walt Disney World. Instead, they’re becoming part of a broader Orlando adventure that includes multiple parks, multiple resorts, and a wider mix of experiences.
In 2026, the Orlando theme park trip is no longer just a Disney vacation.
For many guests, it’s now a Disney and Universal vacation.
And that means Disney is sharing more of the trip than ever before.
