Build an argument for Universal over Disney

[imagineer boy]

I went to IOA for the first time on my most recent trip. I wanted to go the the studios park, but didn't have much time.

My opinions on IOA? Its a very nice park and very well done. BUt does it compare to Disney? Well, Harry Potter does without a doubt but everything else doesn't.

Here's what I liked:

-Harry Potter knocked my socks off.

-I enjoyed Spiderman quite a bit.

-I liked the Jurassic Park area and the recreation of the visitors center.

-The Cat in the Hat definately gives the FL dark rides a run for their money.

-The overhead Dr. Suess train was a nice detour.

-Overall the park is clean and well maintained and very high Disney level themeing.

Here's what I didn't like:

-The BGM music was so DANG LOUD!!! Especially in Marvel Island where the blasting guitar music was so earsplitting. And I felt sorry for the employees at the load station for the Suess train who had to listen to the loud repetitive "oom-pa-pa" music. In fact, I noticed several were wearing ear plugs.

-I hated the tacky carnival games they had spread out here and there. Felt very Six Flags-ish. It actually made me appreciate Dinorama! :hammer:

-Toon Lagoon while fun, felt kind of dumb since most of the characters were unpopular has-been public domain characters.

-I'm not a fan of the "montage" feel of the lands. Mainly where you iconic images and characters jumbled about the place rather than feeling like a real town or society or place like all the lands at WDW.

-I'm not a huge thrill person, so Hulk, Fear Fall, Dudley Do Right, Jurassic Park ride, and Dueling Dragons were out of the question for me which kind of eliminated half the park rides for me.

So I liked it over all, but I'd only go back for Harry Potter. Although I would like to try the studios park.

BTW, I love how Blue Man Group is obviously an answer to Disney having Cirque Du Soleil on property. :lol:

 

[JustInTime]

Harry Potter.

 

[MickeyMind]

Universal has some really strong points

-The whole property is in 1 place, citywalk, hotels, parking, parks, they're all within walking distance of each other, which makes everything easily accesible.

- US has et, a ride that truly rivals disney theming, Mib is good as well although not something I would write home about

- The Mummy is probably one of the best rides Ive ever been on, besides, et, this is the only reason I would like to go back.

-US definitly has some great theming, almost like a more fully realized DHS
The problem with US though, not alot to do.. its a pretty big park, but only has like what, 5 rides or something?

-IOA is very well themed, but it just seems like a scramble of ideas.

- Marvel superhero island, really reminds me of something I would find in six flags, except for spiderman, thats one of the best rides in Orlando period.

- Hp ofcourse is its strongest point

-Jurassic park area and ride are very well done

The one thing I feel that is missing from Universal resort as a whole is, NOSTALGIA! Its something, disney does very well, they have such a strong history, not just with rides, but with the movies, music, it all adds up to a truly memorable experience that keeps me coming back every time. Universal is really nice,its a good break from disney, but it will never be disney, nothing ever will be, or can be. But imo Universal is the only theme park experience that comes close. I can probably go to uni maybe 2x a year, but disney, I will be there every month. I hate to admit that because its because of fans like me that disney has been so complacent lately, they know they're gonna get my money, so why try so hard? Which is why it was so good to see uni step up the standard this year with hp. Uni isnt afraid to take risks and make things that will blow your mind and I really do believe that without hp there would be no fle. I like both resorts, and as a florida resident I will enjoy them both.

The only thing I would wish for the uni resort is that they include MORE rides, there is simply not as much to do there, especially in the studios. Make more rides, and keep the theming as incredible as hp, and in a few years I might be singing a different tune.

 

[Tooning]

You mean like Beetlejuices' Graveyard? Or even better the Horror Make Up show? That will leave you in stitches. It's clean enough for a family I think but it has a little bit more of an edge where you couldn't picture Donald, Mickey or Goofy saying either.

Yep those are the ones I mean my Wife loves the Horror Make Up Show she always trys to get up there but never seems to make it :lol: She tries so hard, although it doesn't seem hard they pick alot of people. One day she'll get up there. They are good shows

 

[T-1MILLION]

Here is a unique one for the Original Poster everyone...

How about the fact that Universal is the youngest theme park resort in Orlando. Literally 19 years younger and has from the ground up gone into some direct competition with WDW. Will they ever be bigger financially? Probably not, at least we hope not because that would mean maanagement at Disney reached an all new low. In 1971 WDW came into the world when the area was nothing. Not a single other theme park attraction in the area. 19 years later later Universal comes on the scene ambitious and has been a great competitor as there will ever be for Disney property ever since.

That alone is amazing when you consider from the get go they had to compete with the biggest theme park reputation in the world and now hold their own very well. People don't give Universal nearly as much credit as they deserve for that alone.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Ok, I'll bite.

Universal, more or less seems geared to an older, teen crowd. They have more thrills at IOA, not very family friendly, but they do have a lot of family geared things to do.

Spider-Man is the best ride in the theme park world, bar none. If you have not rode it, trust me, you don't know and you can't compare it to anything Disney.

Universal does Halloween better than anyone, even Disney.

I personally tend to like the shows at the Universal park better than the Disney shows. I don't know if they still have the hollywood make-up and effects show there, but it was hiliarious. Terminator is the best 3-D show in the theme parks in Florida. If you want to count Disneyland in this, then the Aladdin show there would be the best anywhere.

In conclusion, if you want more thrills, I would go to Universal, but for the entire package, no one beats Disney.


Jimmy Thick- They get my money.

 

[captainkidd]

Spider-Man is the best ride in the theme park world, bar none. If you have not rode it, trust me, you don't know and you can't compare it to anything Disney.

I really like that ride a lot, and I know I'm in the minority, but I don't see why people call it the greatest ride in the world. I'll take Thunder Mountain any day.

 

[SeaBase86]

A broader offering for attractions appealing to teens. Universal's rides are more thrilling and at times more exciting than Disney attractions. Also if you stay on site express is automatically on your room key. CityWalk puts Downtown Disney to shame.

In the end I only think 11-25 crowd may like Universal over Disney but beside that Disney is top dog.

 

[captainkidd]

CityWalk puts Downtown Disney to shame.

Parts of it do. The club scene, well, that's a no brainer.

Restaurants is a toss up - Universal's got Hard Rock, Pastamore, Jimmy Buffett's, Nascar and NBA City. Disney's got Planet Hollywood, Rainforest, T-Rex, House of Blues, Wolfgang Puck.

Shopping - I prefer Disney. I'll take the Marketplace for stores and atmosphere any day over anything City Walk offers.

Entertainment - Right now, City Walk wins. Once this Pleasure Island renovation is complete, I think Disney will have the edge.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

I personally liked the original concept of Downtown Disney, and it seems I was one of the few who actually went to, and enjoyed the clubs they had there.

CityWalk has this night time vibe the Downtown Disney never was able to get. You want to hang out there, get some drinks and spend money. Not so much Downtown Disney in its current state.


Jimmy Thick- Margaritaville blows though.

 

[captainkidd]

I personally liked the original concept of Downtown Disney, and it seems I was one of the few who actually went to, and enjoyed the clubs they had there.

CityWalk has this night time vibe the Downtown Disney never was able to get. You want to hang out there, get some drinks and spend money. Not so much Downtown Disney in its current state.


Jimmy Thick- Margaritaville blows though.

I was never really into the clubs of PI, even during my 20's. I'm not a huge drinker, and I was always there with my friends and I sure as hell wasn't gonna dance with them. But it had a vibe on the outside at least.

For me, there are certain parts of CityWalk I find kind of tacky, like a Cinnabon, BK, and a TCBY. I think the 2 areas aim at different people. As you said, CityWalk aims at people who want to go have a few drinks, dance, and spend money. DTD (at least the Marketplace) is aimed at people who want to go shopping, eat and spend money. I don't know the idea of the West Side is supposed to me anymore. Once Virgin and Starbillia's left, it went downhill.

 

[mike10]

We have no Simpsons fans on this board? I think of Universal I think of the Simpsons Ride and the Kiwk-e-mart that I want to have my picture in front of


Plus all the other things I'm a HUGE Marvel fan and Universal while I never have been to it yet is some place I want to go to really soon.

Oh the places I want to visit before I died Universal is ranked one of the top 5.

 

[BuenaVistaBob]

Been there done that

Basically the feeling I have about Universal: Been there done that
Disney: Want to go back again and again.

Disney is more of an experience and Universal is more of a theme park.

 

[DisneyFamilyDad]

As soon as I pass through the signs at WDW I'm in a different state of mind.
A monorail passes by. You are on a freeway that runs through the place. You pull through a huge toll plaza, then shortly after you pull up to a hotel that would be out of place anywhere within 3,000 miles and as for the GF you would need to go back to a more elegant past. The ambient noise of the lobby, the smiling faces. Sitting on the porch at your hotel looking across a lake named 7 Seas Lagoon. A castle in the distance, a couple of mountains over there, a retro-futuristic dome over here. A train whistle blows, then a ferry, the hum of a monorail. A boat decorated like a child's pirate ship with sound of kids laughing cruising off. Hidden Mickeys in the wall paper, a bath towel conformed to Pluto......

I could go on for a while but you get the idea. And notice I still haven't made it out of the hotel room.

 

[captainkidd]

As soon as I pass through the signs at WDW I'm in a different state of mind.
A monorail passes by. You are on a freeway that runs through the place. You pull through a huge toll plaza, then shortly after you pull up to a hotel that would be out of place anywhere within 3,000 miles and as for the GF you would need to go back to a more elegant past. The ambient noise of the lobby, the smiling faces. Sitting on the porch at your hotel looking across a lake named 7 Seas Lagoon. A castle in the distance, a couple of mountains over there, a retro-futuristic dome over here. A train whistle blows, then a ferry, the hum of a monorail. A boat decorated like a child's pirate ship with sound of kids laughing cruising off. Hidden Mickeys in the wall paper, a bath towel conformed to Pluto......

I could go on for a while but you get the idea. And notice I still haven't made it out of the hotel room.

Well said.

 

[Thrill]

Basically everything is in walking distance. There's no need to wait for a bus.

Honestly, that's all I've got.

 

[unkadug]

Universal encourages people to visit their "Islands"

Disney shuts down their "Islands"

 

[si23]

i love disney but some of my fav attractions are at ioa dudly do right falls, the hulk, spiderman but the atompshere at disney is better and the over all theming and staff seem friendly

 

[ChrisFL]

Universal encourages people to visit their "Islands"

Disney shuts down their "Islands"

Oh Snap!

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Well I will say one thing, Islands of Adventure has the best white water rapids ride I have ever been on. This includes the one at AK, the one in Busch Gardens, the one in Cedar Point. You WILL get drenched means exactly just that. Plus Riptide Falls is probably the steepest log ride you could go on.

That being said I do tend to agree that Disney gives you the overall experience. Riptide Falls is steeper than Splash Mountain but Splash is a far superior ride giving you the overall better experience and theming.

I think Jurassic Park's area does wonderful theming, and although I haven't seen it yet I hear Potter does a marvelous job at it too. Other than that Disney beats it in that regards. Plus there is a special feeling that is impossible to compare when you ride stuff like Haunted Mansion or Pirates. It can't be beat, but I'm glad we have a great park like Universal because it keeps Disney on their toes