California Adventure vs Islands of Adventure

[Professortango1]

There is a bias here against Knotts and definitely Magic Mountain.

A USH vs USO would be interesting.

Is there much competition between USH and USO? I love movie-making, but USO is the better theme park hands down for me. The Studio Tour doesn't pass by filming as much as it used to even 20 years ago, so while I do enjoy it, it's become a long ride past sets from older movies with intermittent theme park attraction elements.

USH has SLOP, which is a great darkride addition (aside from accessibility), but USO has Bourne, ET, MIB, a superior Mummy, and Diagon Alley, which is the best theme park land I have experienced to date.

 

[Phroobar]

DCA being the same price as Disneyland has been a problem since day one. We've always said the price for DCA was too high. Knotts is $59.99 while DCA is $104-$194. No wonder Knotts is packed!

 

[PiratesMansion]

If admission to DCA included admission to Disneyland, I would understand that reasoning more. But both are priced individually at the same price unless you are bundling them through special promotions.

Exactly, but there were several people openly stating or at least endorsing the proximity of DL as a valid reason for preferring DCA over USH.

It's always interesting to me how most people here roughly share the view that DCA sucks, or at least has fairly obvious problems, until it's compared to something else other than Disneyland and then suddenly many people are all "well it's not THAT bad, I actually LOVE DCA, it's only ok when I say DCA sucks, how dare YOU say it doesn't measure up to other places," etc.

 

[Phroobar]

Is there much competition between USH and USO? I love movie-making, but USO is the better theme park hands down for me. The Studio Tour doesn't pass by filming as much as it used to even 20 years ago, so while I do enjoy it, it's become a long ride past sets from older movies with intermittent theme park attraction elements.

USH has SLOP, which is a great darkride addition (aside from accessibility), but USO has Bourne, ET, MIB, a superior Mummy, and Diagon Alley, which is the best theme park land I have experienced to date.

USH has Transformers, Mummy, Jurassic World, Mario Kart, Studio Tour, Hogsmeade, Water World, Minons and soon F&F coaster. Sure that can found at other Florida parks. However, USH IS a working studio in Burbank/Hollywood. USO is just a theme park about movies that pales in comparison to IOA next door. It's the low rent park of the Orlando Universal properties. Who would want to go to it after Epic Universe opens.

 

[Phroobar]

Exactly, but there were several people openly stating or at least endorsing the proximity of DL as a valid reason for preferring DCA over USH.

It's always interesting to me how most people here roughly share the view that "DCA sucks" or at least has fairly obvious problems, until it's compared to something else and then suddenly it's "well it's not THAT bad, I actually LOVE DCA, it's only ok when I say DCA sucks, how dare YOU say it doesn't measure up to other places," etc.

There is a lot of hypocrisy here. Especially with Disney products. "Disney dog food is the best!" Not really.

 

[DLR92]

I don’t know how people can see value to spend day exclusively at DCA. Not much to do. For me it was a good place to add on supplement with Disneyland. Otherwise the price to stay in DCA only is absurd to spend.
DCA need 2 more E tickets and 3 more D ticket quality attractions.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I don’t know how people can see value to spend day exclusively at DCA. Not much to do. For me it was a good place to add on supplement with Disneyland. Otherwise the price to stay in DCA only is absurd to spend.
DCA need 2 more E tickets and 3 more D ticket quality attractions.

DCA needs more things at the quality level of RSR and many fewer things that are just kinda ok.

Imagine how far ahead the park would be if the park had actually built new high quality attractions instead of continuously meddling with things that were fine and making them worse.

They could have chosen to make DCA incredible with mind-blowing new builds; instead, they chose Incredicoaster.

 

[DLR92]

DCA needs more things at the quality level of RSR and many fewer things that are just kinda ok.

Imagine how far ahead the park would be if the park had actually built new high quality attractions instead of continuously meddling with things that were fine and making them worse.

They could have chosen to make DCA incredible with mind-blowing new builds; instead, they chose Incredicoaster.

The post changes with Pixer Pier is the worst. I was not even impressed with Avengers Campus even though it did provided a sense of needed change.
Disney wasted time to redo Tower of Terror and Pier.
When Pier is in need with couple of more dark rides. And something engaging lacking in Peter Pan style or Mr. Toad Wild Ride style on grander scale.

 

[mickEblu]

DCA needs more things at the quality level of RSR and many fewer things that are just kinda ok.

Imagine how far ahead the park would be if the park had actually built new high quality attractions instead of continuously meddling with things that were fine and making them worse.

They could have chosen to make DCA incredible with mind-blowing new builds; instead, they chose Incredicoaster.

Right. Imagine if all the MB, SATW, and Pixar Pier money went to a 2-3 new rides between the backlot, AC expansion pad and Pixar Pier expansion pad.

You'd have this lineup:

Soarin over California
Grizzly River Run
Tower of Terror
California Screamin
Toy Story Midway Mania
Webslingers
Radiator Springs Racers
Avengers E ticket
Coco Dark ride
Something in Hollywoodland

And this is with me being conservative and not including AC/ Webslingers.

To be fair, the Eastern gateway plans falling through the first time around meant 2 of the 3 expansion pads I listed above were in flux. Still SATW, MB and Pixar Pier were a waste of money no matter how you look at it IMO.

 

[Professortango1]

USH has Transformers, Mummy, Jurassic World, Mario Kart, Studio Tour, Hogsmeade, Water World, Minons and soon F&F coaster. Sure that can found at other Florida parks. However, USH IS a working studio in Burbank/Hollywood. USO is just a theme park about movies that pales in comparison to IOA next door. It's the low rent park of the Orlando Universal properties. Who would want to go to it after Epic Universe opens.

Doesn't USO also have Minions?

For me:

Diagon Alley > Hogsmede
Rip, Ride, Rocket = F & F coaster. Unthemed coasters in a theme park.
Bourne Stunt Spectacular = Waterworld. Waterworld has better scale but is getting old.
Mummy USO > Mummy USH without question
Transformers USO > Transformers USH. Same ride, but better show building
ET Adventure < Secret Life of Pets. ET is a better ride system, but it needs a refresh.
Springfield USO < Springfield USH. Almost the same from what I recall, but extra spinner

Yes, USO does suffer from Florida Park Syndrome where attractions that can fill a theme park in California are spread amongst 2-3 parks in Florida. IOA stole Jurassic Park from USO, but it also enabled MIB to occur, which is my favorite shooter attraction to date. Diagon Alley is peak theme park for me. Mummy in Orlando is my favourite themed coaster.

IOA also suffers from a mix of quality and too few attractions. Kong has a great facade and queue but is incredibly disappointing. Suess Landing has so little to see or do. Superhero Island has Spider-Man, which is an older fun ride with a cheap feeling queue. Velocicoaster is a great coaster, but I wish they hadn't cut the show scene. Toon Lagoon is irrelevant despite having the best rafting ride I've ever experienced. Ripsaw Falls looks fantastic outside, but the ride is very cheap feeling. Whenever I visit IOA, I typically just do Jurassic Park/World stuff, Harry Potter stuff, then hop over to USO for the better rides (Mummy, MIB, Gringotts.) Collectively, they end up being a full day park.

 

[DavidDL]

DCA doesn't need these threads to make it look bad. It does a good enough job of doing that on its own.

 

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

1. That's not how the OP sees things. He compares whatever he likes, and more power to him for that. It's his primary interest on these forums.

Yes, you get it bro, thank you for understanding my fun interest and enjoyment of what people think is superior between two Disney/Universal parks. Appreciate you.