Comparing WDW to UO...

[danstadnik]

I have never been to Universal Studios, anywhere! I've always wanted to go, but my love for Disney was just so much greater than my curiosity for something new, and there was never enough in my vacation budget for both parks in one trip south!
Anyways, there is a chance I'll get to go to UO in early 2012, and so I am just now learning more about the park. I know a lot of the rides are VERY similar to rides in WDW, but I'm not sure about most of them. So what I wanted to ask my WDWMagic friends is, can we do some kind of thread of comparisons? For instance, I think this info is basically true:

Jurassic Park Ride = Splash Mountain - Zip A Dee Do Dah + Scary Dinosaurs
or...
Simpsons Ride = Star Tours - George Lucas + Matt Groening
(If I'm off on the 2 examples above, please let me know!)

You all get the idea... So, any helpers out there?:wave: Thanks!

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Jurassic Park Ride = Splash Mountain - Zip A Dee Do Dah + Scary Dinosaurs
or...
Simpsons Ride = Star Tours - George Lucas + Matt Groening
(If I'm off on the 2 examples above, please let me know!)

You all get the idea... So, any helpers out there?:wave: Thanks!

This idea is basically true. Jurassic Park is a little shorter than Splash Mountain though, but more intense for sure. A better and longer drop at the end and a little bit of a creepy feeling just prior to the drop (I won't ruin it for you). If you loved Jurassic Park the movie then this ride is a must. It could be a bit longer with the scenic stuff but it's still good and loads very fast as well so no waiting in lines.

Simpsons is pretty accurate too. A little more lighthearted than what preceded it in Back to Future which most veterans including myself will agree was a superior ride. But Simpsons is still worth it.

I would say the Mummy overtakes Aerosmiths RNRC for sure. Both great dark coasters but the Mummy has better theming and is overall a better experience

Shrek 4-D would be enjoyed for those that like "Tough to be a bug" at Animal Kingdom

I Love Lucy is similar to "One Man's Dream" in the way that it is specifically a tribute to Lucy. It doesn't beat Walt's tribute of course, but even having the slightest interest in the show makes it worthwhile.

My brother in-law likes to favour Peter Pan over E.T. but I disagree. The rides are similar in the way that you are immersed in the movie but E.T. for me is far more "magical" and more brilliantly done. Yes, a Universal ride can actually be comparable to Disney when it comes to magic. Not many, but E.T. can certainly hold its own

"Suess Landing" that whole section is nice and reminds me a bit of a cross between Fantasyland and the old Toontown. You might find some similarities between them and its worth seeing it all.

Tower of Terror trumps Doomsday Free Fall in every which way and with all due respect to Doomsday it isn't a whole lot different than your average Six Flags "drop zone" ride. But still worth doing.

Tom Sawyer Island is kind of a poorer man's version of Camp Jurassic. Lots of tunnels there, worth checking it out. For fans of Jurassic Park the movie, you will love the theming in that area.

Hope that helps a bit. Nothing Disney offers drums up comparisons to Hulk, Spiderman, Potter, Dueling Dragons, Jaws or Terminator 3-D. You realize in a hurry that Terminator isn't Mickey's Philharmagic, which is fine because it is a wonderful experience that takes you back to Arnold in his prime, I loved it.

Don't miss Universal this time, its a must do, and as a huge Disney fan I can attest that its my second favourite place in the world to visit. The Disney "touch" is missing but it still has ridiculous theming, high octane thrills, trips down memory lane and an overall great experience. Take a two day pass, do each of the parks one full day. Enjoy.

 

[JT3000]

I don't usually like comparing themed rides based merely on their ride types, since there's more to the experience than that and usually a few important differences, but here we go...

Cat in the Hat = Winnie the Pooh (with spinning instead of bouncing)
E.T. Adventure = Peter Pan's Flight
Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls = Splash Mountain (with less theming and more intense drops)
Jaws = The Jungle Cruise (except shorter, more action-oriented)
Popeye & Bluto's Bilge Rat Barges = Kali River Rapids
Men In Black = Buzz Lightyear (on a much larger scale)
Jurassic Park River Adventure = Pirates of the Caribbean (except largely outdoors with a much bigger drop)
Revenge of the Mummy = Expedition Everest (but completely indoors with more show elements)
Disaster! = Catastrophe Canyon (with more details & a dedicated pre-show)
The Simpsons Ride = Star Tours (without individual cabins)
Flight of the Hypogriff & Woody Woodpecker's Nuthouse Coaster = The Barnstormer
Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit = Rock n' Roller Coaster (except larger, faster and outdoors)


Spider-Man is probably most comparable to Indy/Dinosaur, with some Toy Story Mania thrown in, but they're still extremely different. Forbidden Journey has no comparison whatsoever, but it's *somewhat* like Soarin' crossed with Haunted Mansion. Then you have Universal's looping coasters, Hulk and Dragon Challenge, which Disney has no counterpart for.

 

[danstadnik]

I appreciate the input, and I agree that in a lot of ways its unfair to compare based on ride systems/ styles alone. But for the most part, Universal will be totally new to me, and I like to have a least a smidge of an idea what I'm in for when I'm there! UO (or any Universal park) doesn't have NEARLY the amount of info online that the Disney Parks do, so its cool to get some Cliffs Notes from the well-informed!

 

[Bairstow]

As a longtime Disney fan, I'd Islands of Adventure is far and away a better park than Universal Studios. Anyone who likes Disney and has an open mind will probably love IOA, since it was, after all, designed mostly by former imagineers who got sick of budget restraints and jumped ship.

The only things Universal has that really make it worth your time/money are Men in Black, Simpsons, and Mummy (I would include Rockit, but the thing is only working about 1/3 of the time and you might not get to ride it.).

Everyone seems to compare Mummy to different rides.
Personally I think it's closest to Countdown to Extinction, and probably a bit better. It's a true hybrid; more of a coaster than Dinosaur and more of a dark ride than Space Mountain.

So yeah, IOA is a fantastic, all-day park.
Unless you hate roller-coasters, Sea World is probably a better ticket than the Studios.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

As a longtime Disney fan, I'd Islands of Adventure is far and away a better park than Universal Studios. Anyone who likes Disney and has an open mind will probably love IOA, since it was, after all, designed mostly by former imagineers who got sick of budget restraints and jumped ship.

The only things Universal has that really make it worth your time/money are Men in Black, Simpsons, and Mummy (I would include Rockit, but the thing is only working about 1/3 of the time and you might not get to ride it.).

Everyone seems to compare Mummy to different rides.
Personally I think it's closest to Countdown to Extinction, and probably a bit better. It's a true hybrid; more of a coaster than Dinosaur and more of a dark ride than Space Mountain.

So yeah, IOA is a fantastic, all-day park.
Unless you hate roller-coasters, Sea World is probably a better ticket than the Studios.

I to agree that Islands of Adventure has clearly surpassed Universal but I think there are more than 3 rides worth the day. You can spend a full day at Universal for sure. If you had to choose only one to do I'd do Islands but the OP will still love Universal

 

[Chevross]

I always liked the Horror Make-up Show at Universal Studios, but I don't know what to compare that to.

 

[jlandis44]

I'd like to compare the parks in a slightly different way. I've been to both resorts on multiple occasions, but only once did I stay at WDW and UO in the same week. That was the time I REALLY got to notice the differences. I even got the "honor" of being selected for a survey on my last day at UO, where they basically spent 45 minutes asking me "How do we compare to Disney?" or "How can we be more like Disney?" So, they care too...

The bottom line is that Disney gets the details correct. UO ignores the details. When I've been at WDW, no matter the time of year, I've never had to worry about a bathroom being clean...there has always seemed to be a CM in there keeping an eye on things. At UO, it was the complete opposite...dirty bathrooms were the norm, rather than the exception. People at UO will smoke anywhere in the park, and UO employees will walk right past them and not say a word. I don't know how WDW does it, but I've never seen anyone smoking outside the designated smoking areas. I went to one of UO's largest merchandise shops, and there was a huge line at the single register they had open. Plenty of employees walking around talking to each other, while 15 guests were trying to buy things unsuccessfully...at least 3 other cash register stations were available to be opened, but nobody seemed interested in doing anything other than talking. These are the types of things that WDW does much better.

As far as directly answering your question:

Personally, I think MiB is the best dark shooter I've ever done. Think Buzz Lightyear on steroids. Cat in the Hat is parallel to Pooh. Sinbad show similar to Indy stunt show. Frankly, JT3000 does an excellent job with these comparisons, and I'd have to agree with everything said in that response.

In general, I would also note that Universal Studios very much parallels DHS in that it is very "show driven". Many things to watch, with more limited options for rides. Neither Universal park seems very good for the young kids, as my 6 year old spent most of his time either bored since he was too short for some of the rides, or scared since he didn't like the horror show, etc. My wife and I spent 3 days at the Universal resort alone and were able to complete both parks in about a day and a half (with Express pass since we were resort hotel guests) and we only missed 2 shows. When we took the kids, due to ride constraints and their lack of desire to see certain shows, we still only needed about 2 days.

Overall, I like UO area, but I would strongly suggest you go in with the mindset that it's not WDW. Don't try to compare them in real time, as I did, or you'll be disappointed if you're a huge Disney fan like I am. But, it is a really fun time for people (approx) 10 years and older...and if you have Express Pass!

 

[kstella]

I've only been to IOA at Unversal and was not impressed. It was very crowded and we were not there at a busy time of year. I didn't like the long walk in from the parking structure, and being a larger person I couldn't go on most of the rides due to the molded seats. Disney does a much better job of having rides that will accomodate more body types.

 

[spock]

Revenge of the Mummy = Expedition Everest (but completely indoors with more show elements)

I've always kind of consider Revenge of the Mummy to be kind of a cross between Indiana Jones (at DL) and Space Mountain.

 

[Xethos]

Id say simpsons is more of a mix between star tours and soarin'

Disney really doesnt have anything that id compare to the Mummy, but def ride thats not worth missing. Pub across the way from that ride is pretty nice too.


...just a side not, up until last year or the year before it was only like $100(roughly) for a 7 day unlimited pass for both parks, odd decision to go now when theres a price increase that only lets you into the park for roughly 57% as much time as before but for %45 more money

 

[DisneyFan 2000]

The bottom line is that Disney gets the details correct. UO ignores the details.

:ROFLOL: That's laughable at best and has Pixie bragade written all over it. I'm sorry if you had a bad experience at Universal, but I've been to their parks numerous times and never found myself with such descriptions. The opposite would be true.

A better bottom line comparission would be saying Universal is aimed at the older teen-and-upwards crowd, whereas Disney sets to please the child and the child within.

 

[captainkidd]

:ROFLOL: That's laughable at best and has Pixie bragade written all over it. I'm sorry if you had a bad experience at Universal, but I've been to their parks numerous times and never found myself with such descriptions. The opposite would be true.

A better bottom line comparission would be saying Universal is aimed at the older teen-and-upwards crowd, whereas Disney sets to please the child and the child within.

In what he's referring to, I'd have to agree with him. Trying to shop at Universal's stores is a pain. They always seem to have just 1 register open. The employees don't care if the guests break the rules either, whether it be smoking or cutting in line.

 

[Crockett]

Jurassic Park Ride = Splash Mountain - Zip A Dee Do Dah + Scary Dinosaurs
or...
Simpsons Ride = Star Tours - George Lucas + Matt Groening
(If I'm off on the 2 examples above, please let me know!)

You all get the idea... So, any helpers out there?:wave: Thanks!

Universal = WDW - polite CM's + more steel & concrete coaster themeing.
As someone who has been to both, your $$$ is better spent @ WDW. You get treated better by employees, you are immersed better into the experience, and you have a better, more fulfilling vacation. There is a good reason why Uni is habitually 2nd best in Orlando.

 

[captainkidd]

Universal = WDW - polite CM's + more steel & concrete coaster themeing.
As someone who has been to both, your $$$ is better spent @ WDW. You get treated better by employees, you are immersed better into the experience, and you have a better, more fulfilling vacation. There is a good reason why Uni is habitually 2nd best in Orlando.

While I'm forced to agree with this, there are definitely pros for the guest to Universal being #2. The fact that it's less crowded makes for a much easier touring experience. The Magic Kingdom is my favorite park in Orlando, but the overwhelming crowds, especially during parade and fireworks times, makes it a lot less enjoyable.

 

[JT3000]

When will people learn that Disney and Universal share a large proportion of their work force? Do you think these wonderful, always cheery (yeah right) Disney CM's suddenly become evil monsters the moment they arrive on Universal property?

 

[desertrat]

We spend a good amount of time at Universal and disney each trip. IOA is definetely my favorite park. Disney has great rides, but they are spread between 4 parks. If I had to pick a park to visit for one day it would be IOA. There are so many great rides in one place. I also find the Universal resorts to be a better value then the disney deluxes. As far as cms go I have never noticed a difference. I will say I have never been barked at and herded like cattle at Universal the way I have at disney.

 

[Bairstow]

Same here. I didn't notice any real difference in employee attitude at the two parks. I've seen employees behave much worse at Disney, but that's probably because I've spent far more time there over the years.

The employees at Universal working at Potterland seemed to be especially cheerful and in-character, particularly the crew working the Hippogryph coaster. They were on the verge of breaking the all-time per-hour load/unload record and once the guests figured out what was going on everyone tried to help and cooperate as quickly as possible. When they finally broke the record everyone cheered.

 

[danstadnik]

Hey, thanks all for the advice and info! I knew I could count on the WDWMagic crew for good advice.
For the record, I don't plan on substituting my WDW obsession with a Universal one. I don't really think I would really allow Universal to outrank WDW in my heart in any way! All of my WDW interests began at EPCOT in the mid '80s, and let's face it, there is nowhere else on Earth as cool as that place was.
But I would like to see Universal at least once in my life - I regret missing Back to the Future and Kongfrontation though!

 

[maxairmike]

Universal is honestly a great resort in all respects. Don't let Mickey cloud your glasses, so to speak. In terms of operations, I always experience two of the best ride crews in Orlando at Hulk and Forbidden Journey. On more than one occasion the line on FJ moved too fast through the castle, and I barely had enough time to glance at the Sorting Hat, that's how much butt they were busting. The Hulk crew does equally as well, calling out their interval times to get everyone hustling. On the flip side, I do usually find the Dragons crew absolutely lethargic, but then it is a 15min. walk through the line to get to the station.

Each resort has its pros and cons. If you go into it with the mindest that UO can't compare to Disney, you probably won't have as enjoyable an experience. Oh, Universal serves Ben & Jerry's (if you're in Studios, go to the place between Mummy and Disaster, they have a wide selection of hard dip).