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How does a crowded day at Uni compares to WDW?
- Thread starter mdcpr
- Start date
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
When it is busy, Universal’s most popular quick service restaurants (Harry Potter and Simpson’s) limit tables to people with food and have Team Members who bring diners to a table. Disney might close half their registers. That is how they compare. Universal doesn’t play games to push you to the edge of misery.
So even in the crowdest day is doable? When we went to WDW, we arrived at rope drop and we were out by 6 pm. At no point did I feel crowded.
lebeau
Well-Known Member
Disney crowds are very different from Universal crowds. Personally, I attribute this to the fact that Disney has a massive amount of fanatical guests whereas most people at Universal are comparatively chill. But it's also a difference of scale. Here are some examples of what I mean (and, yes, I have thought about this a lot.)
Meet and greets at Disney are very structured. The characters will have set places to meet at set times. There will be attendants to control the flow of traffic and pretty much any character is likely to have a long line. Some characters at Universal will have set places and meeting times, but they are a lot more fluid. Characters like Doc Brown, Betty Boop and Lucile Ball can roam the parks without an attendant. If something like that happened at Disney World, the character would be mobbed in seconds. Partially, that's because these characters don't have the same kid appeal as Mickey or the princesses.
If you want to watch a parade or night-time show at Disney World, you had better scope out your viewing area in advance. Depending on how popular the show is, how crowded the park is and how well you can see over others, you might need to hang out for an hour before the show starts. And that whole time, you better be vigilant or people will push and shove their way in front of you. Whereas the Hogwarts projection show is a comparatively short and modest production that starts up every 20 minutes. And the parade floats are constantly being rolled out one at a time throughout the day whether there is a parade scheduled or not. So there's no crush of people to contend with.
As I said in the other thread, most Universal rides run at with a higher capacity. One that does not, Pteranodon Flyers, was eventually restricted to kids and adults accompanying kids in order to deal with the capacity issue. As a result, lines don't build up the way they do at Disney. Disney also has to deal with FastPass redistributing waits to rides that wouldn't have them otherwise. Pre-FP+ it was rare to wait more than 20 minutes for an omnimover ride like The Haunted Mansion. Now, it's fairly common. Express Pass doesn't have that kind of impact. And as @lazyboy97o pointed out, Disney will do crazy cost-cutting stunts any time they can which directly impact the guest experience but shave a few bucks off overhead. There's a lot less of that at Universal.
Having said all that, the Harry Potter lands are cramped by design. JK Rowling wanted them that way. Those shops are small. Since these are the most popular lands by far, they will get crowded early in the day. Sometimes the crowds will disperse as the day goes along. Check the app to see what the wait times are and go back when they are tolerable. Depending how you handle crowds, these lands can be a lot to deal with. It pays to take advantage of early admission to explore the Wizarding World!
Meet and greets at Disney are very structured. The characters will have set places to meet at set times. There will be attendants to control the flow of traffic and pretty much any character is likely to have a long line. Some characters at Universal will have set places and meeting times, but they are a lot more fluid. Characters like Doc Brown, Betty Boop and Lucile Ball can roam the parks without an attendant. If something like that happened at Disney World, the character would be mobbed in seconds. Partially, that's because these characters don't have the same kid appeal as Mickey or the princesses.
If you want to watch a parade or night-time show at Disney World, you had better scope out your viewing area in advance. Depending on how popular the show is, how crowded the park is and how well you can see over others, you might need to hang out for an hour before the show starts. And that whole time, you better be vigilant or people will push and shove their way in front of you. Whereas the Hogwarts projection show is a comparatively short and modest production that starts up every 20 minutes. And the parade floats are constantly being rolled out one at a time throughout the day whether there is a parade scheduled or not. So there's no crush of people to contend with.
As I said in the other thread, most Universal rides run at with a higher capacity. One that does not, Pteranodon Flyers, was eventually restricted to kids and adults accompanying kids in order to deal with the capacity issue. As a result, lines don't build up the way they do at Disney. Disney also has to deal with FastPass redistributing waits to rides that wouldn't have them otherwise. Pre-FP+ it was rare to wait more than 20 minutes for an omnimover ride like The Haunted Mansion. Now, it's fairly common. Express Pass doesn't have that kind of impact. And as @lazyboy97o pointed out, Disney will do crazy cost-cutting stunts any time they can which directly impact the guest experience but shave a few bucks off overhead. There's a lot less of that at Universal.
Having said all that, the Harry Potter lands are cramped by design. JK Rowling wanted them that way. Those shops are small. Since these are the most popular lands by far, they will get crowded early in the day. Sometimes the crowds will disperse as the day goes along. Check the app to see what the wait times are and go back when they are tolerable. Depending how you handle crowds, these lands can be a lot to deal with. It pays to take advantage of early admission to explore the Wizarding World!
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lebeau
Well-Known Member
If you're an early riser, any park is doable. At Universal, you can sleep in and not be penalized for it.
Minnesota disney fan
Well-Known Member
We do not go at "busy" times, usually November, first of December, and most recently, FEbruary and March! We went to Universal the first time in February and it was not crowded at all. But we went on a week day. We have been to Universal over Christmastime, and again it was not crowded. We had EP as a convenience, but really only needed it for Minions and Shrek. HP rides were not under the EP at that time. So, from our limited experience, it feels a lot less crowded and laid back, than WDW at any time.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
The 4 WDW parks host about 60-65 million people a year. Universal Orlando's 2 parks host around 20 million. Therefore, in general, Universal is a lot less crowded.
Sat. and Sun. during Feb., March, and early April can get very crowded because their Mardi Gras Celebration has a concert series with fairly popular artists.
Sat. and Sun. during Feb., March, and early April can get very crowded because their Mardi Gras Celebration has a concert series with fairly popular artists.
BubbaQuest
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't worry about it, especially if you are planning to stay at a Premiere hotel with EP.
As someone else mentioned, I was also amazed at how well Three Broomsticks was run during the lunch rush. They had people directing us to the registers and then to an empty table with our food delivered directly to us.
If you want to avoid the nighttime CityWalk rush, most of the restaurants will have same day dinner reservations available.
The hotel restaurants were a little hit or miss after park closure so you want might to check with your hotel about what might be open when you return from the parks.
As someone else mentioned, I was also amazed at how well Three Broomsticks was run during the lunch rush. They had people directing us to the registers and then to an empty table with our food delivered directly to us.
If you want to avoid the nighttime CityWalk rush, most of the restaurants will have same day dinner reservations available.
The hotel restaurants were a little hit or miss after park closure so you want might to check with your hotel about what might be open when you return from the parks.
OG Runner
Well-Known Member
A good comparison. Think of Universal as you standing in a phone booth. Think of Disney as that picture you see from the 1950s when
they stuffed the phone booth with about 20 people.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
Personally I find crowded days at Universal to be more annoying than crowded days at Disney due to stuff like having to battle in cramped locker areas and in general Universal does not employ as strong of crowd control methods as Disney.
But having said that, Universal is typically not as crowded as Disney and you can usually do more with far less planning or strategy.
But having said that, Universal is typically not as crowded as Disney and you can usually do more with far less planning or strategy.
lebeau
Well-Known Member
Olivander's (both of them) stay busy but nothing like when Hogsmeade first opened.
The_Jobu
Well-Known Member
It's a fun, free *cough $200 sabers plus tax cough*, experience. I wouldn't wait long to see it but it's worth seeing.
As per Universal, I went in 2015 on July 4th weekend and expected it to be crazy so I bought express pass, I ended up barely needing it, save a couple rides. That was as busy as I've ever seen it and it was probably about a Disney 5/10.
OG Runner
Well-Known Member
I recently went to Disney. I ran in the marathon in January. You would be amazed at how many of those $200 light sabers they sell,
as well as, the number of $100+ droids. Not to mention, I even saw a person with a personalized "baby carrier" for their droid.
I do not think I will ever have that much disposable income.
OG Runner
Well-Known Member
Remember the wand does need to be purchased and will cost between $30.00 and $60.00, plus tax. No where near the cost for a light saber or a droid, but also not free.
The_Jobu
Well-Known Member
I will never be amazed at the amount of money people will throw at Disney.
Yeah, free experience for the show, though you dont actually have to purchase the wand. I got chosen once and just handed it to the cashier in the next room.
OG Runner
Well-Known Member
Interesting. I did not know that. I assumed you needed to purchase the wand for the experience. Another lesson learned.
lebeau
Well-Known Member
Yep. No pressure to buy the wand. We just handed it back before exiting the show.
JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
Yeah, but if you get chosen for the show you gotta buy the wand that is chosen for you right??
The_Jobu
Well-Known Member
Fun story:
When I first visited Harry Potter Land in 2015, I got it stuck in my head that I really wanted to be chosen for the wand. So me and my gf went to multiple shows, me standing in front, grinning like an idiot, trying to get chosen. Never happens. Go one last time right before close, the only people in there are me, my gf and a kid at the back not really paying attention. Finally get my moment. But the actor chose my gf.
She pushed me in front and said "oh, dont choose me, I'm a muggle. Choose him". And I finally, grudgingly, got picked
I then promptly handed the wand to the cashier in the next room.
When I first visited Harry Potter Land in 2015, I got it stuck in my head that I really wanted to be chosen for the wand. So me and my gf went to multiple shows, me standing in front, grinning like an idiot, trying to get chosen. Never happens. Go one last time right before close, the only people in there are me, my gf and a kid at the back not really paying attention. Finally get my moment. But the actor chose my gf.
She pushed me in front and said "oh, dont choose me, I'm a muggle. Choose him". And I finally, grudgingly, got picked
I then promptly handed the wand to the cashier in the next room.
macefamily
Well-Known Member
Neither would appeal to me........they're both crowded.