Comparing Disney's Hotels to UNI's latest

[dgp602]

This is total competition. Family demographics will determine where people make their home base. Plus, RCL (Royal Caribbean) is offering Universal packages in conjunction with cruises..

I can tell you, that as a father of four young children ( 11, 10 and twins that are 7 ), price means alot to me. My choices of hotels in WDW is limited since there are 6 of us. Although I love being surrounded by the magic at all times, staying at the All-star music family suites is becoming like GroundHog Day! AoA, although offering suites to accomodate my family, is not the cheap option I had hopes for. I would absolutely consider satying at a UNI hotel if that hotel offered me a savings compared to Disney. I typically rent a car when I go to WDW anyway ( much easier than waiting for a bus with 4 tred children ) so I always factor that cost into my trip budget anyway.

 

[Rivers Rowe]

I don't know how Disney will consider this competition when Pop Century will more than likely outdraw all the Universal restort hotels combined annually.

 

[flynnibus]

I can tell you, that as a father of four young children ( 11, 10 and twins that are 7 ), price means alot to me. My choices of hotels in WDW is limited since there are 6 of us.

I'm right there with you.. with my family of 5 you get pushed up in the tiers of Disney accommodations just to fit.. which in turn pushes prices up.

 

[flynnibus]

I don't know how Disney will consider this competition when Pop Century will more than likely outdraw all the Universal restort hotels combined annually.

Pop Century doesn't 'draw' anyone - they stay there because it's the cheap option on property.

 

[wm49rs]

I don't know how Disney will consider this competition when Pop Century will more than likely outdraw all the Universal restort hotels combined annually.

Because right now WDW can't really afford for anyone to stay outside of their resorts, let alone at a Universal one....

 

[Rivers Rowe]

And more people will stay at Pop Century than the Universal hotels combined, including the new one. Hence it will outdraw them.

 

[flynnibus]

And more people will stay at Pop Century than the Universal hotels combined, including the new one. Hence it will outdraw them.

Volume and use doesn't mean 'appreciation' - especially when dealing with a captive audience.

Take away DME and see how those resorts would do..

 

[George]

Volume and use doesn't mean 'appreciation' - especially when dealing with a captive audience.

Take away DME and see how those resorts would do..

Not very well...I think when you look at the room rates, the values suffer the most. For the amount they want a night, you don't even get a hot tub or coffee in the room. We stayed for one night at AoA and we had a good time, but I can't really say I'd call it a good "value."

 

[Bolt]

Not very well...I think when you look at the room rates, the values suffer the most. For the amount they want a night, you don't even get a hot tub or coffee in the room. We stayed for one night at AoA and we had a good time, but I can't really say I'd call it a good "value."

Yeah - but I look at the value of Pop Century vs. a boarding resort because of more than just the in-room offerings. The amount of money you save from not taking a taxi to the resort is great with DME and having buses running all the time rather than a few times ago is a blessing that we sometimes take for granted. Yes, I would like a hot tub, but there was nothing more annoying than getting robbed with taxi rates.

 

[BryceM]

I don't know how Disney will consider this competition when Pop Century will more than likely outdraw all the Universal restort hotels combined annually.

If given the choice to stay at either Cabana Bay or Pop Century, I'd choose Cabana Bay, and this is based solely on concept art. Pop Century looks like an old toy store threw up on plain, cheap hotel buildings. When it comes to draw, Cabana Bay appears like it will offer more perks while also looking a thousand times better than Pop Century...

 

[prfctlyximprct]

I'd rather be on Disney property anyday vs. Universal but hey... I'm pretty bias.

 

[spaceghost]

As a consumer, all I can say is that competition is a good thing.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

And more people will stay at Pop Century than the Universal hotels combined, including the new one. Hence it will outdraw them.

Pop - 2880 rooms

Portofino - 750 rooms
Pacific - 1000 rooms
Hard Rock - 650 rooms
+
Cabana - 900 rooms and 900 family suits


UNI is stepping up its game. The Cabana is approaching the size of Disney's largest hotels. UNI nearly doubles its number of on-site rooms with it, from 2400 to 4200.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

As for me, UNI is not stealing vacations from Disney, it is stealing days. UNI too now offers free shuttle service to the airport, and free shuttles to and fro Sea World and Wet 'n Wild. If given the choice right now, of a 14 day vacation, I think I would spend five days at UNI/SEA, nine at WDW. This up from three non-WDW days three years ago.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

And more people will stay at Pop Century than the Universal hotels combined, including the new one. Hence it will outdraw them.

A good chunk of the All-Stars and Pop Century's annual occupancy comes from South American tour groups and junior sports/cheer groups. They choose these resorts because they offer lots of rooms at a decent rate for groups. If you took these groups away that the resorts basically count on every year, I highly doubt they'd have near the occupancy rate that you seem to think they have from just regular everyday guests.

 

[Rivers Rowe]

A good chunk of the All-Stars and Pop Century's annual occupancy comes from South American tour groups and junior sports/cheer groups. They choose these resorts because they offer lots of rooms at a decent rate for groups. If you took these groups away that the resorts basically count on every year, I highly doubt they'd have near the occupancy rate that you seem to think they have from just regular everyday guests.

How can any paying guest not be considered regular? Do people actually think Universal does not offer discounts based upon the same criteria as Disney?

 

[dhall]

I doubt it. What the hell are you going to do at Uni for 7 days?

Visit Disney for 3-4 of them, eating meals on the local economy instead of in the parks.

 

[dhall]

As for me, UNI is not stealing vacations from Disney, it is stealing days. UNI too now offers free shuttle service to the airport, and free shuttles to and fro Sea World and Wet 'n Wild. If given the choice right now, of a 14 day vacation, I think I would spend five days at UNI/SEA, nine at WDW. This up from three non-WDW days three years ago.

Uni's stealing my next Orlando trip

 

[Scuttle]

If given the choice to stay at either Cabana Bay or Pop Century, I'd choose Cabana Bay, and this is based solely on concept art. Pop Century looks like an old toy store threw up on plain, cheap hotel buildings. When it comes to draw, Cabana Bay appears like it will offer more perks while also looking a thousand times better than Pop Century...

Plus CBR will be right behind and across the street from IOA. It won't take you 45 minutes to get to the nearest park. That's my problem with WDW is the time you take commuting on property.

 

[BigThunderMatt]

How can any paying guest not be considered regular? Do people actually think Universal does not offer discounts based upon the same criteria as Disney?

Because especially in the case of sports groups, they are rarely there to visit the parks more than a day of their total stay. Just because they're staying there does not mean they are partaking in all WDW has to offer for the duration of their stay. So to say that their addition to occupancy rates actually improves WDW's overall attendance is a moot point. And the main reason they stay on property in the first place is the proximity to ESPN.