I went to holiday celebrations at Disney World and Universal, and the latter is a way better value

With ever-rising ticket costs, visiting Disney parks during the holidays is becoming challenging.

Admission to one of its four parks starts at $150.

My annual pass, which allows for year-round entrance, costs over $1,500. But it doesn't cover special ticketed events like the after-hours Christmas parties.

My Universal annual pass, which also grants year-round access, costs $800. Plus, it includes daily free express passes after 4 p.m., which help me skip some attraction lines.

Without a pass, tickets start at $130.

Disney resorts go all out during the holidays, with seasonal decor and elaborate gingerbread houses.

I love exploring — which is allowed even if you're not staying there. But it's pricey to book rooms during the holiday season.

Basic resorts can go for well over $300 a night, and Disney's deluxe hotels can cost over $1,000 a night.

Universal's eight on-site resorts go all out during the holidays, with decor, tree-lighting events, and menorah-lightning ceremonies.

I've found great deals during the holidays, including overnight stays for less than $100.

Many of Disney's special holiday experiences are exclusive to its pricey after-hours holiday events, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney Jollywood Nights.

These events cost upwards of $200 a person.

Universal's holiday celebration includes park-wide decor, specialty eats, and a number of live shows, including Grinchmas and Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. All of that is included in standard admission.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter celebration has specialty shows and the Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle, a limited-time projection light show inspired by the series' films and books.

Universal even hosts free concerts from holiday-music icons Mannheim Steamroller.

Disney's best holiday shows, including a "Nightmare Before Christmas" sing-a-long, are great. But they're not included in standard theme-park admission.

To experience this, I ended up spending nearly $200 to attend Disney Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios.

My favorite part of Universal's holiday celebration is its stage show, "The Grinchmas Who-liday Spectacular."

There are several showtimes offered daily, and they're included in standard admission.

The musical retelling of the Dr. Seuss story always gets me in the holiday spirit and features an incredibly talented cast.

In order to catch some of Disney's limited-time meet and greets, including Mickey and Minnie in special holiday attire, you'll have to drop hundreds of dollars to attend the after-hours events.

Universal's holiday icon, Earl the Squirrel, greets guests throughout the day.

Posing with him has become a favorite tradition for my family.

In order to see Disney Word's beloved "Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade," you'll have to purchase tickets to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

One of my favorite traditions at Universal is the annual holiday parade featuring Macy's. It's included in standard admission and shown daily.

The special collaboration between Universal and Macy's blows me away each time with its iconic larger-than-life balloons.

It brings the NYC Thanksgiving Day Parade experience to Florida without the massive crowds.

I've been visiting Disney's award-winning food festivals since the 1990s. My favorite is the Epcot Festival of the Holidays.

But with its popularity, I've found that crowds are often large and the food portions can be quite small.

Food is my favorite part of the theme-park experience, and in recent years, Universal has been upping the ante in that department.

I love all the seasonal eats available throughout the year, and the park really delivers during the holidays.

With strolling street entertainment, free shows, and stunning decor, Universal's holiday experience has a party feel without the sticker shock of an add-on ticket.

Both parks embrace the holidays, but the ever-increasing cost at Disney has caused me to spend much more time at Universal.

I really feel like the value is there, and I get my money's worth.