TubaGeek
God bless the "Ignore" button.
Exactly. When it comes to quality of the parks, Disney's reign is over. When it comes to making money, Disney can't be touched.
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Am I the only who ignores Universal?
- Thread starter mharrington
- Start date
Exactly. When it comes to quality of the parks, Disney's reign is over. When it comes to making money, Disney can't be touched.
CaptainJackNO
Well-Known Member
I don't agree that Disney's quality era is over. I still see immense quality at Disney parks. On the whole, More of Disney's attractions are accessible by all guests. The whole "parents and children having fun together" belief. But, that does not mean Universal lacks quality, either. I think the two destinations offer different experiences from different interest bases. I don't see how, although not blockbuster attractions, new fantasyland cannot be seen as quality, value, and cutting edge. Be Our Guest may be the most immersive restaurant I have ever been to. The technology being used in story time with belle is pretty cutting edge. In addition, the new mine coaster is going to be a major upgrade to fantasyland, revolutionizing the prior Snow White attraction, and giving people over 10 and non-nostalgic a reason to visit fantasyland.
As for Avatar in AK, I think this will be an amazing addition to Disney parks. Forget the movie aspect. I believe the colors, imagery, and technology required for this addition could make this land immensely successful despite the success of the movie. If done correctly, Pandora can be a standalone success that, should the sequel fail, could exist successfully once the memories of the film fade.
Long story short, I would like to see Universal again. (Have been before) but, it's too expensive and I would rather spend my vacation dollars at WDW.
As for Avatar in AK, I think this will be an amazing addition to Disney parks. Forget the movie aspect. I believe the colors, imagery, and technology required for this addition could make this land immensely successful despite the success of the movie. If done correctly, Pandora can be a standalone success that, should the sequel fail, could exist successfully once the memories of the film fade.
Long story short, I would like to see Universal again. (Have been before) but, it's too expensive and I would rather spend my vacation dollars at WDW.
pumpkin7
Well-Known Member
Yeah it does have some pretty good attractions, but some of them, Terminator, Horror Make Up Show, need some love!
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
Universal actually has a lot of non-ride things to do. But most people don't know about them. Things like "Oh the Stories You Will Hear" story time in Seuss Landing. Or the egg hatching thing in The Discovery Center. The Horror Make Up Show is one of the best theme park shows anywhere. And I disagree about Uni's table service. I like all of them, but I do think Lombard's Landing is the weakest considering the price.
GrandRoyale
Member
My point was that two shows and an egg-hatching thing does not make up a full day. While you could spend the entire day watching shows at Universal, you could also spend a full day watching shows at Cedar Point or Six Flags Fiesta Texas. It's not that Universal doesn't offer those experiences (every park does), it's just that Disney offers more of them, and works them more into their environment. I'm not defending Disney's lack of rides and attractions, just pointing out that there are those people out there who see that Disney offers a little something more.
As to the dining, I agree that it's very good at Universal. But you won't see Lombard's or Finnegan's or Confisco ranked in lists with Le Cellier, Chefs de France, or Be Our Guest on not only top theme park food, but top food in Orlando. Even aside from fine dining, venues like Prime Time Cafe and Sci Fi Drive In are actual attractions within themselves, as opposed to the comparatively bland counter service restaurants that make up Universal's dining options. For someone looking for more than a traditional amusement park, these dining options at Disney are ideal.
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TubaGeek
God bless the "Ignore" button.
I'm not a fan of the movie, but I do hope that Pandora will stand tall regardless of the film it's based on. People have gotten into this mindset that you can't create a good attraction unless there's a movie tie-in.
Come for the Avatar, stay for the fact that it's a great expansion. Hopefully.
draybook
Well-Known Member
Whoa.....
I've been one of Disney's strongest defenders on this board when people talk about their food, but to make it seem that they are leaps and bounds above Universal....yikes.
Sure, Disney has some good places but to say that they are tops over Universal much less in the Orlando region is purely opinion.
And the counter service at WDW seems the same as Universal to me based on my limited experience.
And to me, the Horror Make Up show blows away any show at WDW.
GrandRoyale
Member
Again, just playing devil's advocate. I enjoy Universal a lot more as well. However, it is fact that there are more "fine-dining" options at Disney World than Universal. Sure, the burgers and pizza and hot dogs are better at Universal. But they don't have anything comparable to authentic French or Italian food. It's often widely considered that Via Napoli has some of the best pizza in Orlando. Le Cellier Steakhouse has been on Theme Park Insider's top theme park restaurants list for a few years. It's not so much about the food but the atmosphere. At Universal, you eat to be quick and continue on to the rides (except for maybe Mythos and Three Broomsticks). At Disney, the dining can sometimes be its own attraction. That is one aspect that sets it apart from its counterparts.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
As far as dining goes, within walking distance of the parks, UOR's 4 Signature restaurants are all fantastic. I would put Emeril's Orlando and Emeril's Tchoup on par with California Grill and The Palm and BiCE above California Grill. Throw in the 4 in park table service restaurants and the rest of CityWalk and UOR has plenty of great dining.
I just think people who go to Universal for the day from their WDW Resort room don't have the time to actually find out all of what UOR has to offer and try to cram it all in in a day. I bet most folks on this board don't even know that The Palm or BiCE exist. Much less lesser know places like The Thirsty Fish. Which is a truly a delightful place for a snack and a drink.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
I'm one of those people that eat to be quick and continue on to the rides...at Disney. I'm not there to eat in fine restaurants and soak up the atmosphere in restaurants, I'm mainly there to ride rides.
Tres Vegas
Member
Being from So. Cal. I've brought my two boys to WDW in 2009 and 2012 in which we did the Disney Cruise this past summer we also did go to both Universal Parks in Orlando for our first time in 2012, the main park dwarfs our Hollywood Universal park and is much better but Island of Adventure was just awesome! I enjoy Disney for the nostalgia and what they have to offer but my boys prefer Knotts (California) any day of the week in Ca. That being said WDW is great and has a variety but we have already discussed if we get the chance to return to Florida our first choice would be by Island of Adventure vs Disney (we are adrenaline junkies). I would also take a ride to Tampa and take my boys to Bush Gardens to see what they have to offer.
I still would like to return to WDW one day but this time slow it down a bit and enjoy more of the little things.....
I still would like to return to WDW one day but this time slow it down a bit and enjoy more of the little things.....
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Our Universal park and the one in Orlando can't be really be compared at all. One's mainly a movie and television studio and the other is mainly a theme park.
I like Knott's as well.
BryceM
Well-Known Member
And our's has two parks, where your's is one. I do want to visit USH though, mainly for the Studio Tour.
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Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Haha, I was just referring to the the Studios parks, but yes, you are correct!
GrandRoyale
Member
And that's great...The Palm is absolutely fantastic, and BiCE, while a bit overrated in my opinion, is very good. But we aren't talking about Citywalk and the hotels (I left out Orlando's only five-diamond dining restaurant out of my examples for a reason).
Look, I don't want to begin a debate over who has better food. That's not the point. The point is that people were up in arms over the comparison of Universal to a more traditional amusement park. While I disagree, and think that Universal (Islands of Adventure, especially) is a wonderfully-themed and immersive environment, I was only offering a possible point of view for that argument. Yes, Universal is a theme park. But it relies heavily on rides, whereas Disney tends to focus equally on fine dining experiences, non-ride attractions, and other experiences you do not typically find in an "amusement" park.
BryceM
Well-Known Member
I think most of Disney's strongest table service lies within Epcot. There is no way that Be Our Guest is regarded as being one of the best restaurants in all of Orlando. Le Cellier and Via Napoli, I can see. Both locations are in Epcot. Brown Derby does seem really good, but then again, I've never actually dined there
Communicore
Well-Known Member
I ignore Universal too except for Pat O Brien's lol
Courtneylee212121
Member
Universal is fun too!! It's not like the magical world disney is... But more like an amusement park! You can do everything in universal in two days... But it'd take months to do everything in disney! But I wouldn't knock it till I tried it... You might have fun 
plus it's a lot cheaper! Lol
plus it's a lot cheaper! Lol
Minnie1976
Well-Known Member
I have been to Universal maybe about 5 times. It is not a must on a trip, and the most we go is one day. I haven't been since 2007. Recently went to Universal in California and never again.