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Beer bottles and gang fights not your thing?
- Thread starter Thunder Kz
- Start date
WDW Monorail
Well-Known Member
Wow. Not sure which BG you mean but BG Williamsburg is on par with Disney on most levels. In fact, my past 2 vacations have been to BG Williamsburg instead of Disney.
Actually, if you want to get technical, "long walk" is not a "fact" because "long" is subjective. To make it a fact, you'd have to be able to state the exact distance, or the amount of time it would take a person walking at an average pace. Statements that are supported with data are facts (assuming they are correct). Otherwise it's just an opinion. What you stated was an opinion, not a fact. On top of that, it was a skewed, exaggerated opinion. You would have to be walking much more slowly than the average pace for it to take you 45 minutes to get from the parking lot to the main gate of one of the parks. Or you would have to be stopping frequently. If you're doing either of those things, and that's causing you to take that long to get to one of the parks, then that's YOUR fault, not Universal's. But you're presenting it like it is Universal's fault. If you have issues with Universal that are legitimate, then you shouldn't have to make stuff up to make it seem worse than it is.
Wilt Dasney
Well-Known Member
To be fair, the OP didn't make the 45-minute claim. That was another poster earlier in the thread.
Oops. You're right. My apologies to the OP for mis-attributing the 45-minute remark. Although the OP did say it was a "mile long hike".
The last 2 times I have been at the MK ( Sept and Nov of this year) we have arrived at the park in the afternoon. Parked, gotten on the tram that was already sitting there, and waited for 5-10 minutes before the tram finally left the parking area. Even Disney is cutting back. They try to run only full or almost full trams at times when not as many people are arriving at once. It was actually kind of irritating to sit there going no where when you are so ready to be there. LOL Had we parked in a closer lot we would have gotten off and walked.
And at closing- getting out of the MK is a very slow process. walking to the car at Universal takes a lot less time than waiting for the boat or monorail and then waiting for the 8 trams of people in front of you. to load.
I am a local who loves, SW, Disney, Universal, and BG equally. How boring weekends would be living anywhere else in the country. BTW local teens, young people, and us older residents are really no different than the teens, young people, and older people in your home states so I wish people would quit using the word locals like a dirty word. I am sure that every city has hang outs where "kids" gather and sometimes the kids you see there are not always the HS musical variety. Remember also that most of the "locals" you see aren't natives but came down from ya'lls home states.
I've had the same experiences and you're right, it's frustrating. Back when they first opened WDW, and the only park there was MK, Disney really wanted to immerse guests in the concept that they were leaving the outside world behind. Consequently, they developed a method of arriving to the park that gradually took you away from the "real" world, and into the Magic Kingdom. That sounds great and "magical", but unfortunately, it's become an incredibly inefficient system in today's world, especially for a company that is legendary for making crowd control a science. I'm sure that if Disney were designing the resort in present day, they would have come up with an entirely different plan. Unfortunately, the infrastructure is already there now, so changing it wouldn't be very cost effective. They are essentially stuck with it.
At Universal, on the other hand, it is clear that they put a tremendous amount of thought into the layout of everything in relation to guest parking, and it works far better than it does at any of Disney's parks. Universal deserves credit for coming up with such an ingenious design, which is why it's annoying when people just invent stories to make it seem awful or inconvenient.
MKCP 1985
Well-Known Member
Maybe so, but I don't think so. In my experience, Disney handles the communication end of mechanical failures better and also handles load and unload better, and guest security.
Another example: Whenever I've ridden the Hulk coaster, when I've gotten to the load area, the cast members have just let people find a spot. None of the "How many? Rows 3 and 4, please." Not a big deal, but I like Disney's way better. And that has been my experience - maybe I caught it on an unorganized day all 4 or 5 times I've been there. :shrug:
There really is a difference when bad things happen how the two companies handle their guests.
I gave the other example about the oafish behavior in the queue, with the people belching loudly and using foul language. I have never experienced anything like that in a Disney park, not even with the large groups people like to complain about. To the contrary, I've seen Disney cast members take a stand against guests violating dress code and being proactive in handling guests who aren't behaving properly.
palmage
Member
BG Tampa
WDW Monorail
Well-Known Member
That isn't exactly a new practice.
That's a standard loading procedure for a roller coaster of that type. It doesn't make it "disorganized". In fact, I've always been quite impressed by how efficiently the line moves for the Hulk. And I've experienced it significantly more than "4 or 5 times" (more like 40 or 50 times).
Now if you want to talk about a poor loading procedure, how about Space Mountain? As has been discussed in other threads on this site, Space Mountain's loading procedure is antiquated and sorely in need of updating. Don't believe me? Try this out the next time you're in line for the ride: Ask the CM if you can sit in a particular seat. Watch how stressed out and rude the CM becomes in response. The CMs on that ride are under tremendous pressure to keep the rockets loading, and any special request completely throws them off. That's because it's a loading procedure from the mid-70s.
If you've never encountered rude or obnoxious guests at a Disney park, then I'd say that's due entirely due to luck and chance. Obnoxious guests can show up anywhere. That has little, if anything, to do with the place they're at. As far as how the employees (or CMs) handle it, I think you want to portray Universal's employees as apathetic and uninterested in dealing with bad guest behavior, but I've seen them handle situations as professionally and proactively as any top notch destination. In fact, the last time I was there (this past June) I was looking at the on-ride photos from the Mummy ride and noticed a photo of some teenagers flipping the bird at the camera. Moments later, those same teenagers showed up and starting laughing about what they had done. This was quickly cut off by a Universal security lady who told them to come with her (also the photo was immediately deleted from the screen). I was impressed.
kcnole
Well-Known Member
This is an area I agree with. I wish they'd be a bit more organized in loading those seats, but when the parks are forced to make CM cuts for monetary purposes.
Again, I think this is just either not noticing or being extremely lucky. I guess you've never been anywhere near a brazilian tour group when one person gets in line and then allows 50 people to jump right to where they are way up in the line while Disney ignores it. Or when other groups are extremely obnoxious such as the cheerleader groups. You're going to have obnoxious guests in line no matter where you are, and since Universal is attracting the same guests that Disney also attracts you're going to see the same activities in both parks if you're looking for it.
Slipknot
Well-Known Member
Last I checked, Uni does try and let the "parents" know they shouldn't bring the little ones. But what is Uni supposed to do? Change the whole thing for everyone else because some idiot brought his 4 - 7-year-old's? I don't know about you but the complaints I have heard about HHN is how crappy some of the houses are, not what you are talking about. Besides, I don't really think the little ones would know what the heck was going on anyway. I have never heard a little one ask his/her parents "whats that" when an "adult situation" was happening right in front of them. I have however heard "parents" complain about it too much though...
And if you can't laugh about religion, then that is sad. I'm Jewish mostly and I laugh about my religion and being Jewish all the time. Why? Because I don't take offense to it. Grow a sense of humor... :wave:
progroupie
Member
If you've never seen anyone swearing at Disney or trying to break in line you must be deaf and blind. I'm sure these things even happen at the Holy Land Experiance. Like someone else mentioned, Universal guests are pretty much the same Disney guests you might have been seeing two days before at the Magic Kingdom. People just want to nitpick about Universal because it isn't Disney.
City Walk however is a different story than the actual themeparks. I do see where a lot of the complaints are coming from about that area.
City Walk however is a different story than the actual themeparks. I do see where a lot of the complaints are coming from about that area.
:sohappy::sohappy: You said it!! Its like how people on here will rip apart Universal attractions that were designed and built by the very same creative teams that developed some of Disney's attractions. But because they're at Universal, they're somehow third-rate. Ponder the following...
If Space Mt were at Universal,...it would be a cheap, carnival, Six Flags ride.
But since it's at Disney,...it's a classic nostalgic adventure!
If EE were at Universal,... it would be blandly themed coaster with cheesy effects and a Yeti you barely see, even when it is working.
But since it's at Disney,.. it's "AMAZING!!"
If Soarin' were at Universal,...it would be a disorganized film with no storyline and a boring queue.
But since it's at Disney,...it's "one of the best attractions ever!"
If Spider Man were at Disney,...it would be widely considered the best attraction Disney has ever built. A must see!!
But since it's at Universal,..."been there, done that"
If Islands of Adventure were built by Disney,...it would be so elaborately themed, like Tokyo Disney Seas! Something Walt would be proud of because of its attention to detail and hidden secrets.
But since it was built by Universal,... it's "okay if you're into Six Flags"
If CityWalk were at Downtown Disney,....it would be fun and exciting with all the cool shops and restaurants.
But since it's at Universal,...it's like being in the ghetto.
Sweet Holy Land reference. :ROFLOL:
Not sure if this was directed towards the OP, but to clear the record I have no criticism of the actual attractions at Universal. In fact, I think it has a lot to offer.
unkadug
Follower of "Saget"The Cult
If CityWalk were at Downtown Disney, it would have been shuttered in order to bring a "bold new vision" of shopping experiences to the area. :lol:
No not directed at anyone in particular. These are just characteristic of the types of comments I've read some of the biased members make.
Although your thread title "Beer bottles and gang fights not your thing" does unfairly characterize CityWalk as some sort of ghetto or war zone.
So true!!
Likewise, all those little alleyways and nooks in the New York section of USF...which are always fun to explore...those would all be shops selling Mickey Mouse t-shirts if they were part of DHS.