Disney World vs Seaworld

[shawn]

HAs anyone seen JIM Hills post today about Aquatica, it looks very impressive and while I would never base my vcation out of Sea World I could see going there possibly two days on vacation instead of just one or none, Does Disney need to do something to compete with this very impressive water park?

 

[Master Yoda]

Personally I do not think so. When Sea World opened up DC their seemed to be a fervor for Disney to make a similar park to compete. Many concepts for such a park have come and gone and we have yet to see a single brick laid and Disney is doing better than ever. Disney already has 2 great water parks that hit capacity fairly frequently in the summer so even if they loose a little attendance to Aquatica they will still be quite profitable.

Sea World is a fun park but it will never be the vacation destination that WDW is.

 

[Minnesota]

Everytime we go down there I have this problem. I love seaworld and loved discovery cove but to give up any days at Disney just about kills me. We were only able to go 10 days last time so no seaworld. The time before 14 days so 1 day at each seaworld and Discovery Cove. Yes it is worth the$480 to swim with the dolphins and the snorkeling was amazing. I liked Typhoon Lagoons swim with the sharks but they have to hurry you out too fast. I would easily love to see Disney do something like this, bigger that the seas w/ nemo. I am already trying to decide what to do for 9-2009, next trip. I told the kids we'd take them to swim with the dolphins for my 40th, but they added a shark tank thing, beluga whale thing, and a manatee deal. It kills me to leave Disney property and rent transportation. At least at Sea World we didn't spend the whole day wishing we were at Disney instead(Universal we did).

 

[CAPTAIN HOOK]

SeaWorld exists in Florida because WDW is there (as does Universal and everything else). Without WDW they will pack up and go home.

SeaWorld (with DC and now Aquatica) are never likely to worry Disney over stealing their guests. Sure, there will be a significant drop in attendance at Disneys waterparks when Aquatica opens but nothing that Disney will lose sleep over.

In 12 months time Aquatica, BB and TL will exist alongside each other and everyone will be happy.

Personally, I always make time to visit SeaWorld while in Florida. Our last two trips (21 days and 14 days) we've visited SW twice and DC once each time and never thought "Wish we were at WDW today".

 

[H20Babie]

I used to love SeaWorld. We went again for a day last March after not being for a few years, I was really disappointed with it. It just wasn't the same. I remember it being really homey and "kitschy" but now it seems much more commercialized, if you know what I mean. :shrug: DC is one place, though, I'd love to experience. Once my DS is older (he's not old enough for the dolphin package yet), we will definitely try it out.

 

[wdwmagic]

In person it doesnt look much like the concept art. It is more Wet n Wild than Typhoon Lagoon. Minimal theming, and a lot of bare steel. It isnt going to trouble Disney, and unfortunately not provide any real competition.

 

[sbkline]

We have visited Sea World Orlando twice and Universal once. We enjoyed both, and hence our desire to do each of these parks again on our upcoming April trip. We have 6 days of park admission for our 8 day trip, and our two non-park days will be spent at these two parks, although we plan to be done at each by 5 PM or so, and spend the rest of the evening on WDW property.

I say all that to emphasize that I am not a Univeral basher or a Sea World basher by any means. But having said all that, I think Disney needs to stop viewing these places as competition. The reason I say that is that WDW is a full blown vacation all in itself. One can easily go to WDW and spend 10 days and never leave WDW property and have plenty to do for all 10 days, without even entering one of the four theme parks on all 10 of those days. You can shop at DTD, you can play golf, you can play mini-golf, go horseback riding, parasailing, go to a water park, or just enjoy the ammenities at your resort. Again, plenty to do on property for 10 days or more.

As much as Sea World and Universal have to offer, the same cannot be said of those two companies. With each one having a sister park of some description, one could easily stay on property at Universal or Sea World and have enough to keep them occupied for two, possibly three days, but after that, they're likely to get bored and seek entertainment elsewhere in the area. In general, people don't come to Orlando to vacation at Sea World or Universal. They come to Orlando to have a weeklong (or longer) vacation which may or may not be centered on WDW, and visit Sea World and/or Universal on one or two of those days. For the most part, these are one day parks which will be visited during a greater Disney vacation. But people generally don't struggle with deciding whether or not to do a Disney vacation or a Sea World (or Universal) vacation. They do a Disney vacation and take a day or two to visit these other places.

So Disney is in a totally different ballpark than Universal and Sea World. Disney is a vacation destination in itself while the other two are just daylong diversions within a longer vacation to Disney or the Orlando area in general.

For those reasons, I don't think Disney needs to see themselves as being in competition with Sea World...or even Universal.

 

[wdwmagic]

For those reasons, I don't think Disney needs to see themselves as being in competition with Sea World...or even Universal.

I dont think Disney do see them as competition. Disney are far more concerned about Vegas and cruise lines than those other 2 parks.

 

[fizzle75]

We have visited Sea World Orlando twice and Universal once. We enjoyed both, and hence our desire to do each of these parks again on our upcoming April trip. We have 6 days of park admission for our 8 day trip, and our two non-park days will be spent at these two parks, although we plan to be done at each by 5 PM or so, and spend the rest of the evening on WDW property.

I say all that to emphasize that I am not a Univeral basher or a Sea World basher by any means. But having said all that, I think Disney needs to stop viewing these places as competition. The reason I say that is that WDW is a full blown vacation all in itself. One can easily go to WDW and spend 10 days and never leave WDW property and have plenty to do for all 10 days, without even entering one of the four theme parks on all 10 of those days. You can shop at DTD, you can play golf, you can play mini-golf, go horseback riding, parasailing, go to a water park, or just enjoy the ammenities at your resort. Again, plenty to do on property for 10 days or more.

As much as Sea World and Universal have to offer, the same cannot be said of those two companies. With each one having a sister park of some description, one could easily stay on property at Universal or Sea World and have enough to keep them occupied for two, possibly three days, but after that, they're likely to get bored and seek entertainment elsewhere in the area. In general, people don't come to Orlando to vacation at Sea World or Universal. They come to Orlando to have a weeklong (or longer) vacation which may or may not be centered on WDW, and visit Sea World and/or Universal on one or two of those days. For the most part, these are one day parks which will be visited during a greater Disney vacation. But people generally don't struggle with deciding whether or not to do a Disney vacation or a Sea World (or Universal) vacation. They do a Disney vacation and take a day or two to visit these other places.

So Disney is in a totally different ballpark than Universal and Sea World. Disney is a vacation destination in itself while the other two are just daylong diversions within a longer vacation to Disney or the Orlando area in general.

For those reasons, I don't think Disney needs to see themselves as being in competition with Sea World...or even Universal.

Well said.:wave:

 

[DisneyChick1984]

I pass Aquatica every single day to and from work...it really doesn't look as great as the concept art makes it seem. Maybe it'll be different when its finally done and ready to open...I'm hoping anyway. I had high hopes for this place.

 

[Montyboy]

Don't think of it as Disney vs Sea World -- Think of it as Disney PLUS Sea World.

It's like an ice cream shop next to a pizza place.
Like a blonde next to a brunette... okay, bad example.

 

[sbkline]

I dont think Disney do see them as competition. Disney are far more concerned about Vegas and cruise lines than those other 2 parks.

The way Disney always seems to want to outdo every new idea Universal comes up with, it seems that Disney sees them as competition. Or at least the way people always open new threads wondering what Disney's response will be to the newest Universal (or Sea World) attraction, it seems that the posters here think that Disney does or should view Universal as a competitor.