-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Am I the only who ignores Universal?
- Thread starter mharrington
- Start date
acishere
Well-Known Member
I loved BTTF and The Simpson's TV show hasn't been that great in its recent seasons so I was prepared to be disappointed by the ride. I wound up really enjoying it and the new themed area is great. Had a great time relaxing in Moe's. Although the bartenders were very nice, which is the total opposite of what Moe would be.Gotcha!!
I miss Jaws, too. I don't miss BTTF...never thought it was all that good. IMO (and it's just me), The Simpsons is like 10,000 times better. To each, his own.
BryceM
Well-Known Member
I LOVE Port of Entry. Great photos.To those who think Universal is just a cheap amusement park with no theming...
This is just from the Port of Entry of Universal's of Islands of Adventure:
BryceM
Well-Known Member
Both Universal parks are THEME parks. Not amusement parks.
Jimmy Thick
Well-Known Member
This is the simple solution to defining Disney verse Universal.
If you go to Universal expecting Disney you will be grossly disappointed.
If you go to Universal expecting Six Flags, you will be mildly delighted.
Thats pretty much all you need to know.
Jimmy Thick- WDW>Disneyland>Universal=Six Flags.
If you go to Universal expecting Disney you will be grossly disappointed.
If you go to Universal expecting Six Flags, you will be mildly delighted.
Thats pretty much all you need to know.
Jimmy Thick- WDW>Disneyland>Universal=Six Flags.
Jimmy Thick
Well-Known Member
When did I ever say I don't like Universal? Outside of locals, I probably go there more than anyone posting on this forum. I just try lower my expectations when going to Universal instead of comparing to Disney which is absurd. For what it is and the audience Universal is geared to attract, I think both parks are great to spend a day at because that's about all they offer.
Jimmy Thick- I love the Universal Studios park, its amazing.
GrandRoyale
Member
What everyone means by calling Universal more on the "amusement park" side of things (at least, this is how I take it), is that you go to Universal primarily to ride rides. While this has been slowly staring to change with the WWoHP, Universal still is impossible to make a full day out of without riding rides.
At Disney World, there is a lot more to do that other amusement parks don't offer. At Epcot, you could probably spend a full vacation just exploring World Showcase. At Animal Kingdom, you have the choice of exploring the world's most immersive zoo. Even at Magic Kingdom and DHS, some of the best attractions are the stores and restaurants.
Universal offers very little in the way of dining...two sit-downs in each park, only one of which is truly spectacular (Mythos...the other three are inferior to what can be found in CityWalk or anywhere else truthfully). The shopping outside of the WWoHP is pretty standard...although Marvel, Lost Continent, and the Lucy Tribute and Cyber Image have some nice specialty items. There is nothing at Universal comparable to walking along the trails of Animal Kingdom, discovering the hidden gems within the World Showcase pavilions, dining with authentic, high-class ethnic food, or exploring the nooks and crannies of the multi-layered Magic Kingdom.
I'm not an avid Disney supporter--I probably go to Universal more often than I do Disney. But that's because I can admit that I'm a bigger fan of rides than shopping, dining, and exploring. Universal is absolutely a theme park, it has great scenery and themed areas. But the main focus is undoubtedly the rides. That can also be said of Disneyland and California Adventure. Disney World truly offers something different than the standard park experience. I think that's where the Universal - amusement park comparisons come from...not the theming of the actual park, just the focus of it.
At Disney World, there is a lot more to do that other amusement parks don't offer. At Epcot, you could probably spend a full vacation just exploring World Showcase. At Animal Kingdom, you have the choice of exploring the world's most immersive zoo. Even at Magic Kingdom and DHS, some of the best attractions are the stores and restaurants.
Universal offers very little in the way of dining...two sit-downs in each park, only one of which is truly spectacular (Mythos...the other three are inferior to what can be found in CityWalk or anywhere else truthfully). The shopping outside of the WWoHP is pretty standard...although Marvel, Lost Continent, and the Lucy Tribute and Cyber Image have some nice specialty items. There is nothing at Universal comparable to walking along the trails of Animal Kingdom, discovering the hidden gems within the World Showcase pavilions, dining with authentic, high-class ethnic food, or exploring the nooks and crannies of the multi-layered Magic Kingdom.
I'm not an avid Disney supporter--I probably go to Universal more often than I do Disney. But that's because I can admit that I'm a bigger fan of rides than shopping, dining, and exploring. Universal is absolutely a theme park, it has great scenery and themed areas. But the main focus is undoubtedly the rides. That can also be said of Disneyland and California Adventure. Disney World truly offers something different than the standard park experience. I think that's where the Universal - amusement park comparisons come from...not the theming of the actual park, just the focus of it.
ive been twice and didn't really care for it too much. It was kind of tacky in my opinion. Its like what six flags would make if they tried to copy disney. Instead of you being taken into a world, its just a bunch of rides based on movies. Bad movies for the most part as well. The only thing i would go back for is harry potter. But i am ignoring it for the most part.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Says the person who hasn't given multiple, substantial similarities between a Six Flags and Universal. Still waiting for those comparisons, by the way.
StageFrenzy
Well-Known Member
Uni's beer selection is actually pretty good, Yuengling is one of the domestics on most taps. In the hogs head they have various brews from The Isles. Finn's is a nice Irish pub with the usual characters, bar staff was nice as well. The special brew in WWOHP is adequate, the NA specialty drinks are better(if you want to kick it up a notch vanilla vodka compliments frozen butterbeer nicely). I have not had duff or duff light but i have heard good things about them. As far as the nearly frozen Clydesdale urine i don't touch the stuff, the only Belgian beer I drink are white or Trappist style.
draybook
Well-Known Member
Sorry, but the only reason people can't do "everything" at Animal Kingdom is because the place closes before sundown. Keep that park open until 9-10pm and you'd have no trouble seeing everything. And let's not get started on DHS. If you're going to say that the stores are the best thing about the park then that doesn't say a whole lot for the park considering that rides and/or shows should be the focus point.
Just my thoughts and opinions on the matter.
GrandRoyale
Member
No, I think DHS is the most "amusement park"-ish of them all. I go there for ToT, RnRC, Star Tours, and TSMM. Then if it's convenient I like to see LMA, and dine at either Sci-Fi or Prime Time. That's a park solely for rides for most people.
However, where the other parks have rides, they also have a little bit extra. I'm not saying that's a good thing or a bad thing, but Disney definitely offers components that Universal lacks, making Universal the more "amusement park"-like parks. Even though Universal parks are themed beautifully and are very immersive, almost all there is to do there are ride rides. That's just not some people's cup of tea.
I'd like to see Six Flags try to copy Disney. I'm sure the results would be... interesting. Then they can try their hand at copying Universal and Busch Gardens, just like Disney did. Oh what fun that would be.
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
It probably wouldn't be bad.
Again, the tragic thing about Six Flags is that they (and their contractors) can do really interesting work when they want to.
The problem is that Six Flags never, ever, ever puts any money into maintaining anything that isn't an absolute necessity.
We Disney fans grouse about lax maintenance at things like Dinosaur and Everest but Six Flags has turned permissive decay into an artform.
sxeensweet
Love a little Disney every day!! ;)
Years ago when Astroworld and Waterworld in Houston existed in the earlier days 70's 80's and 90's they took very good care of those. Those were Six Flags parks and I was a frequent visitor in the 80's and 90's. It started to dwindle in the later years and closed in 2005 I believe. I had many good memories there. In my opinion those were the best themed Six Flags parks that have existed. I actually had more fun at those than at Uni parks. Lol
Walt Disney1955
Well-Known Member
It's funny you know, because the only people worried that Disney is going to lose its #1 spot in the world seems to be Disney fans. No one outside of that circle believes it. It is sort of like an inferiority complex. I don't think Disney will ever be topped in our lifetime.
BryceM
Well-Known Member
If Six Flags tried to copy Disney... Haha, oh dear. No.
draybook
Well-Known Member
I think that matters on what you define as toppled. If we're talking about the details and qualities of attractions and rides being produced then I think the "Universal Era" has already started. If we're talking straight numbers then yeah, WDW has a loooooong time to go before they give up their crown. But then we're talking a 42sq mile(originally) resort versus however much Universal has.
Either way, I still have a blast at both places.
Either way, I still have a blast at both places.