Disney Lover..BUT....There are things about Universal I think are superior to Disney

[Jimmy Thick]

I think this one is an apple/orange comparison. O'Hana isn't a theme park restaurant. A restaurant located in a four diamond resort would be expected to be superior to a restaurant at a theme park. Just my two cents.

Ever think this whole thread/argument could be considered an apples/oranges comparison?



Jimmy Thick-Possibly you know?

 

[hamilton]

I always look forward to our US/IoA days during a WDW trip, as I really do think they're incredible parks and a nice change of scenery and pace.

What I find the most...disenchanting?...is that you're exposed to Orlando on the trips to and from the parks. Both locations are beautiful, but being back in the 'real world' for just long enough is always a bummer and -- I mean no disrespect to immediate locals -- the 'view' you get of Orlando on the highway isn't exactly pretty.

On the way to US/IoA I'm always pumped, but on the way back relieved that I'll be returning to the Disney ecosystem where everything is clean and cheerful music is playing at all times.

It's tough to explain, I guess.

 

[draybook]

Perhaps if I explain how we vacation at WDW and UO, it will better demonstrate the quandary we face. For us, a typical WDW vacation includes:

- 2 days & 1 night at MK (some people can do MK in 1 day & night but we usually need more time)
- 1 day & night each at Epcot and DHS
- 1 day each at DAK, BB, TL
- 1 night each at DTD & BW

This totals about 7 days of touring. Within the confines of a single vacation, we usually need about 7 days at WDW to feel as if we've covered everything.

UO is much smaller than WDW. Our previous UO's vacations have typically been:
- 1 day & night at IOA
- 1 day & night at US
- 1 day & afternoon parking hopping between IOA & US
- 1 night at CW

This usually gives us about 3 days of fun at UO, without repeating ourselves during one vacation. Since we just purchased UO APs, we're looking for ways to take advantage of these tickets.

One idea is to stay onsite and spend afternoons poolside. So our plan would be: go to a UO park in the morning, leave around lunch time, spend the afternoons relaxing at the pools, and then return to another UO park at night. If we stay onsite, can we pool hop? (It could be a lot of fun spending afternoons at different pools.)

Another idea is to spend time shopping away from UO. (We have teenagers who love shopping!)

What we're trying to avoid is going to WDW or Seaworld because then we're spending money on another theme park's admission. With our UO AP tickets already paid for, spending more time at UO is "free". How do people turn UO's 2 theme parks & CW into long vacations?

Let me again emphasize that we really enjoy both WDW and UO. We are simply looking for recommendations from those who have spent extended vacations at UO how to stay at UO longer.

We're a bit similar. We do 2+ days at MK, 1 each at the other parks, 1 day Cocoa Beach, 2 days at US/IoA and the first night is spent at DtD. We've never stayed at the Universal Resort, mainly because of the steep prices.

 

[ddbowdoin]

from an attraction perspective, they merely have more thrilling attractions... but honestly, I have a six flags an hour from my house that has 5-6 rock solid coasters. If that's what I am looking for, I wouldn't be spending thousands (between flights, hotels, food, tickets) for my fiance and I when we could just drive elsewhere.

 

[Tom Morrow]

from an attraction perspective, they merely have more thrilling attractions... but honestly, I have a six flags an hour from my house that has 5-6 rock solid coasters. If that's what I am looking for, I wouldn't be spending thousands (between flights, hotels, food, tickets) for my fiance and I when we could just drive elsewhere.

Well, then it may interest you to know that Universal has more than roller coasters. In fact, they only have 5 major coasters, and that is counting Dragon Challenge as two.

 

[ChrisFL]

from an attraction perspective, they merely have more thrilling attractions... but honestly, I have a six flags an hour from my house that has 5-6 rock solid coasters. If that's what I am looking for, I wouldn't be spending thousands (between flights, hotels, food, tickets) for my fiance and I when we could just drive elsewhere.

What about the other 80% of Universal's attractions that aren't coasters? Have you actually been there?

 

[radev104]

We spent two weeks in Florida last July. Two days at US/IoA and the rest at WDW. I LOVE WDW more than US/IoA. The bathrooms are much cleaner, the trash is never spilling out of the trash cans or all over the sidewalks, no need to actually buy a locker to ride any rides and the cast members are nicer.

But I must admit I like the meal deal at US/IoA. We bought it both days we were there. I don't remember how much it cost but it was no more than $30 per person. And you could eat as much as you want at the participating restaurants. This included an entree and dessert each time you went through the line plus the souvenir cup. This was perfect. We ate breakfast before we left POP then bought the meal deal and ate as much as we wanted to the whole day. I think each day we picked up 3 entrees and even more desserts per person. One time we took picked up salads to take back to the POP for a snack later that night. The food was good and provided enough to share sometimes. We kept trying all the different desserts. And went back in line multiple times to get cookies to take back to WDW for the parks as snacks. I wish Disney would do a meal deal like this and not their dining plans. We never tried them and probably won't.They never do free dining when we are going down.

 

[ddbowdoin]

Well, then it may interest you to know that Universal has more than roller coasters. In fact, they only have 5 major coasters, and that is counting Dragon Challenge as two.

What about the other 80% of Universal's attractions that aren't coasters? Have you actually been there?

I have been there... it's ok, I used to love some of the older rides in the original UNI but IOA, eh... its ok. Certainly no magic.

I don't stand in UNI and say "one day I'll bring my son here" whereas standing on Main Street, almost brings me to tears that I'll one day pass this onto my children and see their joy.

 

[Skip]

We spent two weeks in Florida last July. Two days at US/IoA and the rest at WDW. I LOVE WDW more than US/IoA. The bathrooms are much cleaner, the trash is never spilling out of the trash cans or all over the sidewalks, no need to actually buy a locker to ride any rides and the cast members are nicer.

But I must admit I like the meal deal at US/IoA. We bought it both days we were there. I don't remember how much it cost but it was no more than $30 per person. And you could eat as much as you want at the participating restaurants. This included an entree and dessert each time you went through the line plus the souvenir cup. This was perfect. We ate breakfast before we left POP then bought the meal deal and ate as much as we wanted to the whole day. I think each day we picked up 3 entrees and even more desserts per person. One time we took picked up salads to take back to the POP for a snack later that night. The food was good and provided enough to share sometimes. We kept trying all the different desserts. And went back in line multiple times to get cookies to take back to WDW for the parks as snacks. I wish Disney would do a meal deal like this and not their dining plans. We never tried them and probably won't.They never do free dining when we are going down.

To the former point, you'll find plenty of pictorial evidence of that phenomenon at Disney. Neither custodial teams are perfect, nor is everyone's timing - both can have issues with trash if caught at the wrong moment.

To the latter point, I'm not sure why you have this impression. The lockers are always free at any ride in which they're required for the length of the current wait + a grace period... even if you manage to exceeded the allotted free time, the locker attendants will almost always open the locker for you free of charge.

 

[spock]

Ever think this whole thread/argument could be considered an apples/oranges comparison?
[/I]

No, because the thread is comparing Universal (a resort with theme parks and hotels) to Walt Disney World (also a resort with theme parks and hotels)... apple to apple.

 

[menamechris]

What Disney needs to do:

PARKS

Magic Kingdom
- New Fantasyland (in progress)
- New daytime parade
- New nighttime parade (better than SpectroMagic)
- Update Tomorrowland Speedway with Cars (pixar) or futuristic theming on the cars themselves and to the track/area…make cars electric or battery powered (that recharge as they go) to eliminate noise/odor

Epcot
- Ellen’s Energy needs redone with something? Maybe a large Wall-E or futuristic ride-thru attraction
- Redo Imagination Pavilion (ride, and 3d show)
- Build a new country or 2 with rides


Hollywood Studios
- Turn Sounds Dangerous and American Idol Experience into an indoor ride (AIE I knew wouldn’t be as big or sustaining as they thought)
- Add onto Pixar area (Monster’s coaster)
- Get rid of Backlot tour and replace with Carsland (similar to that in Disneyland)
- Honey I Shunk the kids playground to A Bug’s Life theme (can’t believe this hasn’t already been done)
- Redo the Great Movie ride with all classic Disney and more recent pixar animated films with scenes and animatronics, etc. This IMO would be a hit. Those movies in the ride are not popular with kids and young families
- Replace Beauty and the Beast show with Tangled (sounds like may be in the works already)
- I like Indiana Jones…but it’s going to get old if it hasn’t already. Maybe turn this into a ride or maybe better yet even a pirate themed stunt show?
- Enhance Fantasmic

Animal Kingdom
- While I think Disney could really do cool things with Avatarland…I think this might not be the best path….Disney should add onto Animal Kingdom with a Sea/Ocean theme (like DisneySea) instead
- Within the DisneySea addition to the park, add World of Color (or something very similar) which would be the night show AK needs without firework mess/danger/noise for animals
- Not fond of the Dinoland/Amusement park feel…maybe save a few things from it (Dinosaur ride obviously, the lil Dumbo like ride, and maybe even primeval whirl (if it could be re-themed)
- Bring back some sort of boat ride through the water…could even be expanded into the new DisneySea park section
- Updates to the daytime parade - always thought an African/Asian drummin' kind of show would be cool

All Parks
- Require everyone to carry room key/ticket with RFID tag to enhance rides, queues, and maybe only allow those to use bus service as well

Downtown Disney
- I’m at a loss here… just keep adding more stores, Splitsville may help
- Build indoor mini-golf
- Do NOT add World of Color here – crowds are already bad at night in some places



BUS SERVICE

- Provide bus routes from the theme parks directly to Downtown Disney

This may get to 20% of this during our lifetimes. But its nice to dream...

 

[Bob Saget]

Star Wars or Harry Potter:

Star Wars without question.

Having ridden both, I'd definitely have to question that.

 

[celluloid]

Having ridden both, I'd definitely have to question that.

Hahaha. For sure.

One of a kind(likely for awhile) immersive dark ride experience vs souped up Motion Simulator(that has clones soon to be in four parks)

Star Tours is likely the best motion simulator out there right now, but it is still just a simulator.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I marvel at the scope and quality of a lot of rides at Uni. Really excellent stuff!
Great coasters, best log flume ride in Orlande. The food is good too, the CM's friendly everywhere. I had a great time all around a few months ago.

But the music is too loud. The attractions feature too much fire and explosions. The colours are too bright, the place is too bling. It is all too flahsy, too much Hard Rock Cafe. Scenery consisting of massive fake rocks of a fist holding a trident.

It's just not me.

Disney strikes the better emotional tone. It is just the right level of sentimentalism. A bit more subdued. The tone is reassuring rather than aggressive.
Disney is to Universal what watching Tangled is to Die Hard IV.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Also, Star Tours 2.0 is way better than forbidden Journey. :slurp:

Both basically consist of being tossed about in front of a screen, but ST is not limited to moving to your right only.

 

[murphysmom]

I LOVE Disney as well but I have to agree with the aspect of this post. I don't know about Universal Studios Orlando, but here in California, Universal Studios Hollywood creates a much better guest service than Disney in my opinion. For example as an anual passholder, USH just sent me a free ticket to bring a friend for my birthday. Another example, there was chance of rain a couple of weeks ago and USH promised to give its guests complimentary tickets and FREE HOT CHOCOLATE if it should rain, on any day. Amazing! Disney would most likely NEVER do something like that! Not to mention for just $80, I can go to USH for a whole year AND A HALF everyday. Awesome. I could go on but I think I've made my key points.

For some reason anytime Disney gives away something special to a guest, it then turns into their guests demanding that special treatment. Remember Year of a Million Dreams, and what an Epic Fail it was? Guests were chasing down CMs and demanding to win something. And don't get me started on how many 'What will Disney do special for me on my birthday/anniversary/leap day" posts there are.

Any time Disney does something nice, it then turns into an expectation.

 

[6laurac]

The only thing at Islands of Adventure that beats Disney is its coasters. Otherwise, in ambiance, cast member friendliness and cleanliness it's Disney all the way.

 

[marni1971]

Lots of personal opinions here!

 

[Disneydreamer23]

i love Disney and i love the magic but i do like that universal I can have adult time. There are less children at Universal and city walk than Disney and DTD I don't dis like children in any way Im actually a teacher for kindergarten but I am 23 and do not have children and enjoy the few days away from the children screaming when they don't get there way.

 

[JT3000]

Also, Star Tours 2.0 is way better than forbidden Journey. :slurp:

Both basically consist of being tossed about in front of a screen, but ST is not limited to moving to your right only.

I have no idea what ride you went on, but it wasn't Forbidden Journey.