Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
My teenagers would rather NOT be in the ride photo with me. I always look like I'm ready for a nap. Even on mega behemoth rides. My ride photos on 400' coasters look like I'm sitting on the couch watching FOX NEWS.
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Have universal surpassed Disney ?
- Thread starter Kit83
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JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
For some the photo IS the ride
http://mentalfloss.com/article/30502/17-elaborately-staged-theme-park-ride-photos
squidward
Well-Known Member
Universal is a bit over the map with ride maintenance and show. On the one hand, you've got the HP attractions, which are crystal clean. Spider-Man and Men in Black as well. Then you've got Dr Doom and Rip Saw Falls which are blatantly both filthy and in an almost laughable need of a simple paint job. It always boggles my mind the extreme difference between the best looking attractions and the worst at Universal.
jloucks
Well-Known Member
All of U.S. society is based on this. First class cars, first class hotel suites, first class education, first class airline seats, first class cruise cabins, sit down restaurants, toll lanes adjacent to regular lanes... it is everywhere. And it is fair (I winced a little saying that). Anybody can pony up the money. ...or not. It all depends on how valuable time is for you.
And for most of the people on the planet, just going to WDW is a have/have not situation. Not sure what about the park gates suddenly makes it wrong.
BrianV
Well-Known Member
Same number and type of meals? (E.g. 2 table service and two quick service at both?). That's impressive.
TubaGeek
God bless the "Ignore" button.
Yeah, it's definitely an unavoidable aspect of society, but if an average family has saved up enough to go on to a theme park, I like to imagine they could spend a day without being reminded that they're not rich.
Sure, food and merch has to cost money, but I feel that if Disney can make their (flawed) system relatively equal (for now), Uni should too.
Sam Magic
Well-Known Member
DHS was Prime Time Cafe and IOA was at Three Broomsticks...cheapest plates on the menu and nine people (five kids, parents, and Grandparents). Granted some kids shared and Three Broomsticks was closer to $200. This was in 2012.
BrianV
Well-Known Member
Sam Magic
Well-Known Member
Well we are too, but we brought along a cousin...it was his first trip. Certainly special and an exciting time, but but tainted our view of WDW. My grandparents went again this year with just two kids and they said the trip was more expensive then any other trip to WDW. My grandmother who is the biggest fan of Disney I've ever met said that the only time she would go back is when it turns fifty and that's if she can make it there. Typically she goes every two years.Impressive! I'm lucky we are a family of four!
Phineas
Well-Known Member
For me, Universal will always lose major points for their reliance on screens. The queues for Forbidden Journey and Gringotts are both amazing and immersive, and then you get to the actual attraction. Whereas Disney would have built AAs of Harry and company, Universal's "Put on these glasses, look at these screens! Whoa!!" is tiresome, and the ride experience, for my family and I, was quite lackluster, especially upon riding each 2-3 times each, and seeing past the spectacle. (Spider-Man and Transformers are the same ride, to my eyes at least.) Again, their buildings and queues are show-stoppingly perfect.
Disney, I feel, are much better at conveying story/emotion-I challenge anyone to tell me what actually happens on Forbidden Journey. Gringott's is better, but not by much. And I just know that if Gringotts were at WDW, that damned dragon would at least move its wings/head, instead of being a static figure that screams/spews fire every 20 minutes or so. Transformers was a series of loud noises with incomprehensible goings on, and almost felt like parody towards the end of the attraction. I love The Mummy-and it does a lot right, but it's not without its own issues-linked to the screens and incomprehensible story. Are we on a set? Are we on actual cursed ground? Was that the best take of Brendan Fraser they got?
The graphics on the screens themselves are aging horribly: The scarabs on The Mummy resemble Playstation 2-era graphics, and the screens on Forbidden Journey were fuzzy/out of focus this past week, especially compared to when I first experienced it in 2012.
Compare all of this, perhaps unfairly, to the ballroom scene from The Haunted Mansion-arguably the centerpiece of the attraction, largely untouched since the 1970s, and still just as intriguing and timeless as ever. It hasn't aged a day since I first saw it as a kid.
Their employees were very much "employees"-lots of shouting at everyone about the necessity of lockers. (They're so frustratingly locker-happy at Universal), bickering/chatting amongst themselves, ignoring park guests, etc. I have no way of knowing this for sure, but I think if Harry Potter had been built by Disney, the cast members would be given speech and diction lessons to speak with convincing English accents. The employees were all so self involved and disinterested from what I saw.
And then there's the distinct decline in quality in other non-Harry Potter areas of the park: sun bleached fixtures/buildings, expanses of empty/closed buildings and shops. (Yes, I know Epcot and Hollywood Studios are guilty of this as well) It really makes me wish WDW will be able to build Marvel-themed attractions in my lifetime through some sort of legal work, not just repainted off the shelf carnival rides, Spider-Man notwithstanding. It also makes me wary of the future of Harry Potter, and pray that they actually maintain it so it doesn't look like Seuss Landing does in 5 years' time.
Now, I'm pretty biased, and was raised on WDW more or less-and I admit that the 4 parks could each use some work (I have an entire laundry list that I won't go into), but for my money, Disney is the winner here. Physical ride experiences, varied from one another, and a more dedicated workforce are what make me feel this way.
Disney, I feel, are much better at conveying story/emotion-I challenge anyone to tell me what actually happens on Forbidden Journey. Gringott's is better, but not by much. And I just know that if Gringotts were at WDW, that damned dragon would at least move its wings/head, instead of being a static figure that screams/spews fire every 20 minutes or so. Transformers was a series of loud noises with incomprehensible goings on, and almost felt like parody towards the end of the attraction. I love The Mummy-and it does a lot right, but it's not without its own issues-linked to the screens and incomprehensible story. Are we on a set? Are we on actual cursed ground? Was that the best take of Brendan Fraser they got?
The graphics on the screens themselves are aging horribly: The scarabs on The Mummy resemble Playstation 2-era graphics, and the screens on Forbidden Journey were fuzzy/out of focus this past week, especially compared to when I first experienced it in 2012.
Compare all of this, perhaps unfairly, to the ballroom scene from The Haunted Mansion-arguably the centerpiece of the attraction, largely untouched since the 1970s, and still just as intriguing and timeless as ever. It hasn't aged a day since I first saw it as a kid.
Their employees were very much "employees"-lots of shouting at everyone about the necessity of lockers. (They're so frustratingly locker-happy at Universal), bickering/chatting amongst themselves, ignoring park guests, etc. I have no way of knowing this for sure, but I think if Harry Potter had been built by Disney, the cast members would be given speech and diction lessons to speak with convincing English accents. The employees were all so self involved and disinterested from what I saw.
And then there's the distinct decline in quality in other non-Harry Potter areas of the park: sun bleached fixtures/buildings, expanses of empty/closed buildings and shops. (Yes, I know Epcot and Hollywood Studios are guilty of this as well) It really makes me wish WDW will be able to build Marvel-themed attractions in my lifetime through some sort of legal work, not just repainted off the shelf carnival rides, Spider-Man notwithstanding. It also makes me wary of the future of Harry Potter, and pray that they actually maintain it so it doesn't look like Seuss Landing does in 5 years' time.
Now, I'm pretty biased, and was raised on WDW more or less-and I admit that the 4 parks could each use some work (I have an entire laundry list that I won't go into), but for my money, Disney is the winner here. Physical ride experiences, varied from one another, and a more dedicated workforce are what make me feel this way.
BrianV
Well-Known Member
Forbidden journey has a pretty coherent story if you pay attention in line. Dumbledore mentioned there is a dragon on the loose. Then Harry Ron and Hermione explain that the tour is pretty boring so they will sneak you out through the room of requirements. They do and take you on a trip and you meet said dragon. Stop in each room next time and pay attention to what everyone says.
Spider-man and transformers are indeed the same ride. But gringotts is not. More roller coaster like than Spider-Man.
Everything you say is totally valid as your opinion, I've found the employees to be in character most of the time. And I've alays found them to be friendly.
I enjoy both wdw and UO.
captainmoch
Well-Known Member
I can't be the only one who thinks actual AAs of Harry and company would have looked really stupid and bad? Like 99% of celebrity AAs do? IMO that would take me out of the immersion far more then screens do. Not to mention Forbidden Journey at least has AAs of the dragon, spiders, Willow, and dementors to make up for it.
Jwhee
Well-Known Member
I agree with screen heavy, but i feel that ride like FJ & spiderman mix screens and sets beautifully, better than anything Disney has done. Also, WDW doesn't have that good of a history with outdoor or giant AA's.. lookin' at you Yeti.
captainmoch
Well-Known Member
Not to mention if the outdoor dragon AA breaks down, they practically can't fix it without either hastily fixing it at night or closing down the entire area. The first would be hard and the second would cause a riot.
JourneysEnd
Well-Known Member
There are a lot fewer strollers at Uni! I like both parks, but Universal is not as crowded, easier to get around, and I love being able to walk from Royal Pacific to the parks. Free Express pass is pretty nice. I'll still continue to go to WDW, but I spend more time at Uni.
TubaGeek
God bless the "Ignore" button.
Uh... yeah. You bring up some valid points, but the fact that you said this ^ really weakens your argument overall.
That's just hilarious.
Phineas
Well-Known Member
Yeah-that was just me ranting, really-I realize how silly it sounds. I just think the cast members at Disney would be a lot more dedicated to maintaining the "show" of the HP universe. (a Uni employee was actually texting as I made my way out of Gringotts, for example.)
TubaGeek
God bless the "Ignore" button.
I've seen a decline in Disney's cast quality lately, as they insist in increasing the reach of the College Program. That thing is one of the biggest weaknesses of the resort.
andysol
Well-Known Member
I just got back from a 3 night on-site stay at Universal for my first visit there ever. Universal isn't Disney and doesn't want to be. They cater to a completely different demographic and have completely different goals as a theme park (outside of the "get your money" goal, that is).
They both had advantages and disadvantages. While Im on a small rant- here is my take. Went with just myself and my 6 yr old daughter.
Hotel:
-Stayed at the royal pacific and stay at Deluxes at Disney (Typically Bay Lake, Animal Kingdom, Polynesian, Saratoga Springs, and Grand Floridian)
I was originally in a non-refurb room at the royal- it was dingy and they moved me to a refurbed on the next day. Night and day. The hotel itself I didn't like as much as the Polynesian @ WDW.
Pro- It was quieter and the price are about the only pros I can come up with. However service and rooms were great, Emeril's was fantastic, etc. Good hotel overall.
Con- WDW soaps and towels are better (Towels in both rooms had a wierd chemical odor I didnt like), and at the Poly I get a balcony w/ standard views. The pool at the poly is much better as well for me. Also- I feel a little more "transported" at the poly (I go to Hawaii regularly, but feel more like I'm "there" at WDW).
Updated Room
Food:
-Ate at Emerils @ Royal Pacific, Mythos, Finnegans, and Bob Marlys. Bob marlys was not good. Really enjoyed the other 3.
Pro- WAY more affordable $33 for app/entree/dessert at emerils. Are you kidding?. $2.99 for a banana split @ mythos. Really? Loved it. Food was very good- service was great as well. No planning/reservations- just go in and eat- very different change of pace.
Con- The quick service at the parks is awful- same menu everywhere outside of HP- and it looked bad. So nowhere near the variety of Disney- which is fine.
Appetizer
Entree
Dessert
$33 for all 3
Rides:
-Rode everything multiple times except Rip Ride/Doom/Dueling Dragons
Pro- Rides were way more intense. Really, really enjoyed them. Nothing bad to say really. And I got off Harry Potter and said "thats the best ride I think ive ever done". Impressive- and holy heck do you get wet on Popeyes.
Con- A couple rides were in terrible shape- Namely Dudley Do Rights, and the Seuss Trolley. Dirty, bad paint- night and day difference between top end rides and low-end rides. Dudley was fun- but filthy. No reason for this.
Parade:
Not even close
Shows or entertainment:
Also not even close. Although Horror Makeup was fantastic!
Meet and Greets:
Not even close. It was great there was no lines at all- but there is a reason there are no lines (who cares about woody woodpecker?)
The Lorax
Overall:
I really enjoyed Universal. It doesn't transport you like Disney does, and I don't think the parks are as "cohesive" as say- Magic or Animal Kingdom. But what they focus on- they do really well. Saying to my daughter "Did you want to ride xyz now or later" and having express passes was a great change of pace and allowed for spontaneity (although I still plan almost everything).
They have a niche- and they have their place for sure. Everyone owes it to themselves to spend a day or 2 there vs Disney for a full week if your kids are tall enough (Id say 42" minimum- 48" preferred)
Diagon Alley
Quick Notes:
-Blue Man group was hilarious
-I walked way more than @ Disney (9.5 miles/day vs ~6.5-7 miles/day)
-My 6 yr old was def. one of the youngest there & my 2 yr old wouldnt have enjoyed it nearly as much as Disney.
-Lots more smoking and smoking areas. Even saw 2 people just walking mid-park smoking (not even in an assigned area).
-Didn't see a single ECV
-There were maybe 5 strollers max at any stroller parking at any time.
-When will DAK and Universal drop the dumb carnival attractions already- hate them
-No area is as cool as Harry Potter. Not even you, Harambe (which I love).
Stroller Parking (Hah)
I'm taking a day out of my Disney trip in January to go back for a full day and night. I can see another "Universal-only" trip in my future as well.
They both had advantages and disadvantages. While Im on a small rant- here is my take. Went with just myself and my 6 yr old daughter.
Hotel:
-Stayed at the royal pacific and stay at Deluxes at Disney (Typically Bay Lake, Animal Kingdom, Polynesian, Saratoga Springs, and Grand Floridian)
I was originally in a non-refurb room at the royal- it was dingy and they moved me to a refurbed on the next day. Night and day. The hotel itself I didn't like as much as the Polynesian @ WDW.
Pro- It was quieter and the price are about the only pros I can come up with. However service and rooms were great, Emeril's was fantastic, etc. Good hotel overall.
Con- WDW soaps and towels are better (Towels in both rooms had a wierd chemical odor I didnt like), and at the Poly I get a balcony w/ standard views. The pool at the poly is much better as well for me. Also- I feel a little more "transported" at the poly (I go to Hawaii regularly, but feel more like I'm "there" at WDW).
Updated Room
Food:
-Ate at Emerils @ Royal Pacific, Mythos, Finnegans, and Bob Marlys. Bob marlys was not good. Really enjoyed the other 3.
Pro- WAY more affordable $33 for app/entree/dessert at emerils. Are you kidding?. $2.99 for a banana split @ mythos. Really? Loved it. Food was very good- service was great as well. No planning/reservations- just go in and eat- very different change of pace.
Con- The quick service at the parks is awful- same menu everywhere outside of HP- and it looked bad. So nowhere near the variety of Disney- which is fine.
Appetizer
Entree
Dessert
$33 for all 3
Rides:
-Rode everything multiple times except Rip Ride/Doom/Dueling Dragons
Pro- Rides were way more intense. Really, really enjoyed them. Nothing bad to say really. And I got off Harry Potter and said "thats the best ride I think ive ever done". Impressive- and holy heck do you get wet on Popeyes.
Con- A couple rides were in terrible shape- Namely Dudley Do Rights, and the Seuss Trolley. Dirty, bad paint- night and day difference between top end rides and low-end rides. Dudley was fun- but filthy. No reason for this.
Parade:
Not even close
Shows or entertainment:
Also not even close. Although Horror Makeup was fantastic!
Meet and Greets:
Not even close. It was great there was no lines at all- but there is a reason there are no lines (who cares about woody woodpecker?)
The Lorax
Overall:
I really enjoyed Universal. It doesn't transport you like Disney does, and I don't think the parks are as "cohesive" as say- Magic or Animal Kingdom. But what they focus on- they do really well. Saying to my daughter "Did you want to ride xyz now or later" and having express passes was a great change of pace and allowed for spontaneity (although I still plan almost everything).
They have a niche- and they have their place for sure. Everyone owes it to themselves to spend a day or 2 there vs Disney for a full week if your kids are tall enough (Id say 42" minimum- 48" preferred)
Diagon Alley
Quick Notes:
-Blue Man group was hilarious
-I walked way more than @ Disney (9.5 miles/day vs ~6.5-7 miles/day)
-My 6 yr old was def. one of the youngest there & my 2 yr old wouldnt have enjoyed it nearly as much as Disney.
-Lots more smoking and smoking areas. Even saw 2 people just walking mid-park smoking (not even in an assigned area).
-Didn't see a single ECV
-There were maybe 5 strollers max at any stroller parking at any time.
-When will DAK and Universal drop the dumb carnival attractions already- hate them
-No area is as cool as Harry Potter. Not even you, Harambe (which I love).
Stroller Parking (Hah)
I'm taking a day out of my Disney trip in January to go back for a full day and night. I can see another "Universal-only" trip in my future as well.
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