I've taken my toddler to Disney World and Universal, and the latter is actually better for young kids

• Living in Orlando, my family has experienced both Disney World and Universal.
• Disney may get more hype, but Universal offers a less stressful experience for parents.

When we moved to Orlando with our toddler, money was tight. Our saving grace was our annual pass to Universal Orlando Resort.

For Florida residents, passes range from $16 to $31 a month with the flex-pay option. With the cheaper options, self-parking is $27 a visit. There's also an upfront down payment of $173 to $340 depending on your pass.

Disney World annual passes for Florida residents start at $19 a month and go up to $69 a month. The upfront down payment for all passes is $205.

At both parks, kids under 3 are free. But for us, the cheaper pass (that still has a number of benefits) at Universal was more worth it.

Obviously, if you want the specific Disney experience, that's where you go. But Universal is where I take my kids and any visiting family if we want to have a more relaxed, unhurried day together.

I find the parking and entry experience at Universal to be much smoother with kids

I find Disney parks exhausting. You have to plan so far ahead that it doesn't always mesh with a toddler's inner clock.

You park, unpack, walk to the shuttle, fold the stroller again, unload, unpack, wait in the security lines, wait in the ticket and/or entry lines, and then you're finally in the park. Except if you go to Magic Kingdom, you also have to choose between the ferry, monorail, or emergency buses before getting inside.

Universal entry, however, is fairly chill.

You park (indoors), take some moving walkways to security, drop your stuff on the conveyor belt, and then you're over the bridge and at CityWalk, the shopping, dining, and entertainment district.

I always suggest snapping a photo of your parking spot so there's no confusion at the end of your day.

Universal has a free kid-friendly experience before you even enter the parks

Most people rush by the splash pad at the end of CityWalk without even clocking its existence.

But a simple water feature to some is paradise to a toddler. I love sitting nearby and taking in the view of people coming and going while keeping an eye on my child the whole time.

Epcot has a blink-and-you'll-miss-it splash area near Canada in the World Showcase. And in Magic Kingdom, there's Casey Jr. Splash 'N' Soak Station, an extravagant splash pad in Fantasyland.

But the sight lines at Casey Jr. can be horrendous. Parents are constantly shifting back and forth to find their kids, and I've bumped into other caregivers quite a few times there while we tried to keep track of our little ones in the chaos.

Plus, both of Disney World's options require you to have a park ticket. Universal's CityWalk is free, you just have to pay for parking.

After entering the theme park, there's so much to soak in at the Port of Entry

Everyone wants to rush to the rides, but don't miss out on the underrated Port of Entry area right inside Universal's Islands of Adventure Park.

Although not as famous as Disney's Main Street USA, Port of Entry's clever signs, unique music, and decor at all eye levels make it an experience young ones can enjoy.

Both Port of Entry and Main Street have gift shops and food, but at Universal, there are also animal statues and carts your kids can climb on. I've had to tear my child away from this space so we could enter the park.

Plus, I find most of what Universal sells near the entrance to be more practical than Main Street. There are plenty of sun hats, sunscreen, and fans that spray water.

It's also a fantastic place to stock up on snacks and cold drinks before a good long day outside.

There are great rides and entertainment options for kids in Seuss Landing

Make a right after Port of Entry to find the fantastical Seuss Landing area.

Some highlights are Caro-Seuss-el and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, both of which have no height requirement. Kids under 48 inches just need an accompanying adult.

The High in the Sky Seuss Trolley Train Ride is also fun, but it has a height requirement of 36 inches.

There's even a bookstore in the area if your kids aren't into rides.

One of the easiest attractions to miss is the live show, "Oh! The Stories You'll Hear." It's a musical mashup of popular Dr. Seuss stories like "The Lorax" and "The Cat in the Hat."

Disney World has plenty of good shows, but my kids love getting up close and personal with the fuzzy friends in Seuss Landing. The stage is smaller, and they'll often perform outside the lovely bookshop.

If it's not crowded, the characters will spend some real quality time with the kids in the crowd. There's no rush to move along like I often feel with the Disney characters.

Travel back to Jurassic times and blow off some steam in the play area

After Seuss Landing, skip through Hogsmeade for now and pass under the iconic Jurassic Park gates to get to Camp Jurassic.

Most guests overlook the true joy of these interlocking rope bridges, lookout spots, and swirly slides, but my toddler finds the imaginative play area exciting.

I also think it feels more spacious and adventurous than any play area we've tried at the Disney parks — unless you count the pirate ship at Shanghai Disneyland, which unfortunately isn't as easy to get to.

Then circle back to Hogsmeade for an easy lunch

After we've run off some extra energy at the play area, I like to retrace our steps to the entrance of Hogsmeade in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for lunch.

You can sit in the nice and cool Three Broomsticks for a family lunch platter ($80 for a family of four to six) that satisfies the picky eaters in my family. Individual plates range from $12 to $20.

Sometimes there's a line, but it usually moves fairly quickly. Often the employees even help you find an empty table and offer to carry something if it's hard to juggle a stroller and a tray.

One of the biggest stressors for me when going to Disney is planning where and how to eat. The quick-service locations can sometimes get so crowded that by the time I've wrangled my kids and made multiple trips to carry everything, another family has taken our seats.

When we're done with Hogsmeade, it's time for the Hogwarts Express, the beautiful train ride that transports you to Diagon Alley.

Many families don't realize they need to buy a ticket to both Universal theme parks (Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure) to ride the train, but it's worth it. The Hogwarts Express is quite simply one of the best experiences in the parks.

Cap the day off with more exploring and a carnival

Disney World definitely has more attractions for young kids, and Universal Studios might look like it just has thrill rides.

But we like to wander the themed areas to watch street artists before casually catching character parades — without needing to queue up beforehand.

It's fun to watch the roller coasters zoom by and play in the mouth of the great white shark from "Jaws."

That's when I'd also enjoy a pastry, beer, or burger from any of the surrounding eateries ($8 to $12) while my toddler snoozes beside me.

If we stay longer, I'd cap it off with an evening walk through the carnival in " The Simpsons" Springfield area until reaching the recently reopened Fievel's Playland, a cute playground with a water slide.

I prefer chill days at Universal with my young one

We've had plenty of good times at Disney World. But when you have one or more young kids, it's hard to keep to a strict itinerary or anticipate what they'll want to eat and at what time.

I find it much better to stay flexible and take our time enjoying each land inside Universal Orlando Resort.

It's less stressful for me, and the kids get to enjoy making meaningful memories.