Well, everyone, now that the college year has completed, it is time to focus at least 12 hours per day on making money until August. It is then that I plan on taking myself and my girlfriend of almost 2 years on a Universal Orlando vacation. Now, granted, we both live in Orlando anyways, but we want to make it seem like we're actually ON vacation. I have made a nice bundle of blackhat money over the past several months, and it all gets banked, because the money that I make from my nonline job counts as my spending money/gas money.

Anyways, I guess the idea of this vacation started on Super Bowl Sunday. We tuned in to watch the commercials, and one caught our attention immediately. Universal Heroes. Universal Orlando was giving away 100,000 free 7-day 2-park passes, no strings attached. Out came the laptop, and we both signed up. A few weeks later, she got hers in the mail. I never got mine, but it was probably from us both signing up on the same IP.

So, that's $150 I won't have to spend. But my own pass will cost the full amount. That's the park passes done and over with. Now, to have this be a full vacation, we need a hotel. I was thinking of the Portofino Bay, but it's freaking crazy expensive. Maybe the Royal Pacific or the Hard Rock instead? We want one of the three, because our room keys will act as Universal Express passes the whole time, saving us a good twelve hundred dollars.

But we're vacationing for two weeks, and are unsure as to whether or not we want to go to Sea World or not, and what Disney Parks to visit while we are having our fun. Plus, we wish to stay on an onsite or close-by hotel when we go to Disney as well (it's not just for kids, dammit). If anyone has any advice they can give me that is helpful, appreciation will be rewarded. Thank you.
FreeTheTV

It's great that you are saving your money instead of spending it as fast as you earn.

But it is OK to spoil yourself once and a while for your hard work, otherwise what is the point?

"All work and no play makes jack a dull boy."

Universal studios is fun

I love Disney and Universal .. planning on going there end of September with my boyfriend. I would stay on property if you're going to Disney. Right now, they are having 'Free Dining' .. so all of your meals are paid for essentially. The only meal you really have to cover is breakfast. You'll have to book all of your dinners as soon as you can because reservations fill up QUICK. I would definitely go to all of the parks .. they are all a blast. My favorite Disney resort to stay at is Animal Kingdom lodge .. it's a little expensive. Port Orleans is also great .. and it's a lot cheaper. I wouldn't stay at any of the cheap Disney hotels. Don't forget to hit up the water parks.

Sea World and Busch Gardens are both awesome. If you're into rollercoasters, definitely hit up Busch Gardens. Sea World is sponsered by Anheiser Busch (unless they have sold ..) and you can taste numerous free beers there. Very good!

If you're looking for something to do in the evening, I would skip Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney. It's really gone downhill over the past few years. However, hit up the Disney Boardwalk Hotel .. and close to the ESPN club is a place called Jelly Roll's. It's a dueling piano bar and it's guaranteed to be a good time. I've had many great memories there!!! lol

OH, don't forget to go to Town Hall at Disney. Tell them it's your birthday. Reap the rewards/embarrassment. lol You'll get a lot of perks.

Thanks for the awesome information, xheylove! I plan on buying the Fodor's 2009 Universal/Disney/whatever else guide off Amazon sometime in the near future, but I want to make sure that I can get my money's worth before hand instead of actually buying it.

Busch Gardens in Tampa and the water park are very nice.