Disney and Universal: Two very different paths

[SirLink]

more like.... 'using space THAT ONCE WAS used for previous attraction'. The two are only connected via geography and the start and stop of each was independent of each other.

Your forgetting the wall of the old 20k show building that thy left standing to build for The Little Mermaid ...

 

[djlaosc]

Sure. That CD has some nice tracks here and there (the bouncy calypso take on the Jurassic Park score played around Camp Jurassic is probably the best) but none of them work quite as well in the parks.
Their loops are all much too short, too. The Potter loop in particular is pitifully short and I heard the same queues 4 or 5 times the one day I was there. I don't know whether to classify it as BGM or not, but there's an ambient dialogue track that often plays in the main street in Toon Lagoon that repeats way too often.
Things are no better at the studios, and much less creative, with a profusion of licensed movie soundtracks.

So, yeah. BGM is one area where Disney is still miles ahead of the rest of the industry.

Does anyone know if the Universal BGM CDs are still available to buy?

 

[Captain Chaos]

Does anyone know if the Universal BGM CDs are still available to buy?

I was there in October and didn't see them... But I did find this on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/UORadioTunes/videos

 

[djlaosc]

I was there in October and didn't see them... But I did find this on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/UORadioTunes/videos

Thank you.

I was going to buy the Disney CD when I go next year as I do not yet have one, and was just wondering whether I could pick up the USO CD at the same time.

Does anyone have a list of all the different Disney CDs out at the moment? Are Wishes, Illuminations and MSEP still available, for example, or is there only "The Walt Disney World Resort Official Album" available?

 

[Jimmy Thick]

Universal will never be able compete with Disney in Florida just based on the available land they can build upon. Also consider the long term assets of both companies beyond theme parks and Comcast seriously falls short in that department compared to what Disney has.

While the uninformed want to pat Comcast on the back for building a nice themed Potter area, reality suggests there is a huge possibility Comcast is on barrowed time.


Jimmy Thick- Compare stock prices, then ask a broker which company has a better future. Go' head...

 

[Bairstow]

When I was guided through Seuss and told that just one single land has mutliple BGM loops depending where you are and at what time I was suitably impressed. WDWs lack of BGM quality control is loosing them big points. SSEs variable volume. Innovations fountain blown PA. Tomorrowlands patchy coverage and volume, often decimated by the stage show audio levels. When you can here some of it its the best ever. Sadly the quality differs too much now. Though of course props to the Showcase system overhaul.

I didn't spend long enough in Seussland to notice a variance in the BGM, though I did really like the way they used an instructional song to turn the red fish blue fish spinner into a kind of listening game/dance.

 

[mahnamahna101]

Universal will never be able compete with Disney in Florida just based on the available land they can build upon. Also consider the long term assets of both companies beyond theme parks and Comcast seriously falls short in that department compared to what Disney has.

While the uninformed want to pat Comcast on the back for building a nice themed Potter area, reality suggests there is a huge possibility Comcast is on barrowed time.


Jimmy Thick- Compare stock prices, then ask a broker which company has a better future. Go' head...

At some point, people will get sick of stagnation... and no one here says Magic Kingdom is gonna be relegated to number 2 or 3 in attendance. For nostalgia, that park will be on top for 15-20 yrs at a min. But Uni could build a 200-300 acre 3rd gate that's earth-shattering... they can find the space all around Kirkman, etc.

 

[Figment2005]

When it comes to theme I feel Universal does have some catching up to do. IoA is light years ahead of UO, but is still lacking in certain areas where Disney excels. Port of Entry and Hogsmeade are top notch, but they both still fall short in one primary area. Failure to cover all visible angles. When riding Hulk, one can easily see the supports for the facades of PoE. I'm not talking ground level, I am talking about upper levels that could easily have been finished to make the transition seamless. With Hogsmeade, my only issue is with the FJ show building. The forced perspective of Hogwarts is immaculate, but beyond that, all that Uni did was tile brick that matched along a flat wall. I would like to believe, with proof being what they are currently doing, that Disney would have encased the entire visible part of that building in rock work as to hide any deviation from the theme. Disney has mastered the art of hiding show buildings.

Universal is, at the moment, leading the way with leading edge E ticket thrill ride attractions, but Disney still ties the whole package together much better.

 

[GoofGoof]

When it comes to theme I feel Universal does have some catching up to do. IoA is light years ahead of UO, but is still lacking in certain areas where Disney excels. Port of Entry and Hogsmeade are top notch, but they both still fall short in one primary area. Failure to cover all visible angles. When riding Hulk, one can easily see the supports for the facades of PoE. I'm not talking ground level, I am talking about upper levels that could easily have been finished to make the transition seamless. With Hogsmeade, my only issue is with the FJ show building. The forced perspective of Hogwarts is immaculate, but beyond that, all that Uni did was tile brick that matched along a flat wall. I would like to believe, with proof being what they are currently doing, that Disney would have encased the entire visible part of that building in rock work as to hide any deviation from the theme. Disney has mastered the art of hiding show buildings.

Universal is, at the moment, leading the way with leading edge E ticket thrill ride attractions, but Disney still ties the whole package together much better.

It might have taken longer to complete the rock work at Uni if done that way. The Uni fanbois would all be moaning about how long it's taking to build. Transformers went up rather quickly and that seemed to make a lot of people happy. Sometimes speed seems to win out in the fan community.

 

[Mouse Detective]

Could you put some links up for the CityWalk/Adventurers Club readings. That is an interesting development/rumor.

http://www.screamscape.com/html/universal_orlando.htm

 

[BryceM]

When it comes to theme I feel Universal does have some catching up to do. IoA is light years ahead of UO, but is still lacking in certain areas where Disney excels. Port of Entry and Hogsmeade are top notch, but they both still fall short in one primary area. Failure to cover all visible angles. When riding Hulk, one can easily see the supports for the facades of PoE. I'm not talking ground level, I am talking about upper levels that could easily have been finished to make the transition seamless. With Hogsmeade, my only issue is with the FJ show building. The forced perspective of Hogwarts is immaculate, but beyond that, all that Uni did was tile brick that matched along a flat wall. I would like to believe, with proof being what they are currently doing, that Disney would have encased the entire visible part of that building in rock work as to hide any deviation from the theme. Disney has mastered the art of hiding show buildings.

Universal is, at the moment, leading the way with leading edge E ticket thrill ride attractions, but Disney still ties the whole package together much better.

But IOA also has Seuss and Lost Continent, which are free of these thematic flaws, unless you count RockIt sticking up above Seuss and the Poseidon's Fury show building being visible from Port of Entry. The backstage views of Port of Entry, are like you mentioned, really only visible from on ride the Hulk. This is bad, I will admit. I actually just look the other way cause it bothers me. I did watch an on ride video of California Screamin', and while on the entire ride you get some pretty bad backstage views, even towards the very end of the ride. I guess both Disney and a Universal get lazy when hiding backstage views on their larger coasters? Haha.

Jurassic Park in IOA has certainly been marred by the FJ show building and Universal's attempt to jam as many stalls and food stands and games as possible into the large island. There is either a tattoo, hair braiding stall or snack stand every five feet. Jurassic Park has certainly lost much of its luster, as it used to be so much more mysterious. Camp Jurassic and Discovery Center are still amazing though, and as long as the John Williams' score swells through the land, I'll at least be happy.

Sorry for the tangent, haha.

 

[Bairstow]

It might have taken longer to complete the rock work at Uni if done that way. The Uni fanbois would all be moaning about how long it's taking to build. Transformers went up rather quickly and that seemed to make a lot of people happy. Sometimes speed seems to win out in the fan community.

Plus, as it turned out Universal may need to rework that side of the building for the Jurassic expansion.

 

[Figment2005]

But IOA also has Seuss and Lost Continent, which are free of these thematic flaws, unless you count RockIt sticking up above Seuss and the Poseidon's Fury show building being visible from Port of Entry. The backstage views of Port of Entry, are like you mentioned, really only visible from on ride the Hulk. This is bad, I will admit. I actually just look the other way cause it bothers me. I did watch an on ride video of California Screamin', and while on the entire ride you get some pretty bad backstage views, even towards the very end of the ride. I guess both Disney and a Universal get lazy when hiding backstage views on their larger coasters? Haha.

Jurassic Park in IOA has certainly been marred by the FJ show building and Universal's attempt to jam as many stalls and food stands and games as possible into the large island. There is either a tattoo, hair braiding stall or snack stand every five feet. Jurassic Park has certainly lost much of its luster, as it used to be so much more mysterious. Camp Jurassic and Discovery Center are still amazing though, and as long as the John Williams' score swells through the land, I'll at least be happy.

Sorry for the tangent, haha.

It's quite alright, and I wasn't aware of the California Screamin' issues. I have never been out west so I didn't have anything like that to compare to. You are also correct that Lost Continent and Seuss Landing are very well done, but you also pointed out that encroachment from other areas happens quite a lot. All the carnival games to take away from the experience as well. It's the little things that seem to bother us the most and I'm glad we both understand that they exist at both properties.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

It's quite alright, and I wasn't aware of the California Screamin' issues. I have never been out west so I didn't have anything like that to compare to. You are also correct that Lost Continent and Seuss Landing are very well done, but you also pointed out that encroachment from other areas happens quite a lot. All the carnival games to take away from the experience as well. It's the little things that seem to bother us the most and I'm glad we both understand that they exist at both properties.

I think the backstage views from Trst Track are worse than the backstage views from The Hulk.

 

[GoofGoof]

I think the backstage views from Trst Track are worse than the backstage views from The Hulk.

I have my eyes closed on both.

 

[BryceM]

I think the backstage views from Trst Track are worse than the backstage views from The Hulk.

Test Track is a very good point.

 

[Gabe1]

It has been that long. Wow time flies.

FLE is on the same physical land as 20K and since the ride was closed with no replacement it's probably fair to say it was a trade. FLE was just the "player to be named later". It just took 20 years to name.

FLE added:
BaTB area
LM
Mine Train
Storybook Circus (Double Dumbo and Splash Zone)
Tangled Toilets
Princess Hall

replaced were:
Toon Town
20K
Snow White
half the skyway
Dumbo

In my mind toon town and original Dumbo for Circus is a slight upgrade. LM, Mine Train and BatB area (plus princess hall) is a significant upgrade over Snow White and 20K. Tangled Toilets for the Skyway station doesn't factor into my opinion very much (unless I really have to go...then it's a huge upgrade)

Ahhh...we are in slightly different camps. My son was 14 months for his first trip into toon, little houses and it kept evolving in his preschool years and then my DD's born 5 years after him. From a climbing area, a splash area where they could climb and shoot water guns and explore wet things, to now run in spraying water, pretty though. Toon had at times, a maze of spraying bushes, a big climbing slide, little zoo and still Goofy Coaster, which I believe was themed better before and hid its basic off the rack better than it does today. Toon was free form and a great place for little tykes in need of fun without lots of queues.

I hate, really hate that Disney took away Snow, an attraction for a meet and greet, a bad precedent. Didn't like the trade in Town Square either. Toad to Pooh I accept as a trade but still believe Pooh should have been like Tokyo Pooh for the 21st century. I understand the SkyWay safety issues but as a skier of big mountains I know if Disney wanted to there were options that would have made the guests below and loading process safe, I was rather surprised they put the type of lift at Blizzard Beach that they did. I enjoyed 20K as a kid, kinda cool in its day. As I aged it was skip-able though both my kids were able to experience as wee ones too. 20K did freak out my DD 2 though, not a place to be with a small kid that suddenly out of nowhere freaks. I pick on the Tangled Potties but it in reality is a nicely themed rest area and will be nicer as trees mature. That is, if they don't chop them down which is a trend at the MK that I don't support. I still whine about the hub of yesteryear and the beautiful shaded area of the cherry trees. Dumbo is an over the top improvement for me, I love watching it at night, though no interest in riding it, which is fine.

Dwarf. It can't hurt the area. It best be amazing after all this time and talking up by Disney. A load time better then PP is a mandatory must for me. If it is an unreasonable wait for 2 minute ride, that is on Disney as that is an area for the small guests and waits should not be like PP, that is just poor imagineering. As Dick Nunis has said, I would have had it finished by now. Construction doesn't take as long, when you hire crews to work 24 hours a day. Spoken by a man who knew how build attractions and expansions in a timely fashion. I wonder what Nunis is thinking about the time frame for Avatar? Oy.

 

[Mouse Detective]

Sorry, but you are very wrong my friend. ATM is still ATM services and where the CityWalk Guest Services is located (and always has been). The seating area is for RedOven, which took over the express/quick service Pastamore location (and is VERY good, and extremely well priced). Pastamore, as a table service restaurant, still exists in its entirety and the entrance is across from the sign (seen in the middle of this photo).

Sorry friend, but Red Oven Pizza is to the left, as is their seating. The awning next to Starbucks is over Pastamore' and that outdoor seating area with pretty white tablecloths is for Pastamore'.

 

[Gabe1]

http://www.screamscape.com/html/universal_orlando.htm

Thank you! Appreciated!

 

[TimeTrip]

View attachment 40635
Sorry friend, but Red Oven Pizza is to the left, as is their seating. The awning next to Starbucks is over Pastamore' and that outdoor seating area with pretty white tablecloths is for Pastamore'.

He is still correct that the seating area in the image that he quoted is for red oven though.