disney fan 13
Well-Known Member
Can't wait to hear it!
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Less than a week away from this Disney Family's first Universal Studios visit
- Thread starter Todd H
- Start date
Well, here's my honest impressions of Universal Orlando.
When I was in the process of booking our trip, one of the first things that caught my eye was the lack of resort choices. Unlike Disney, which as we know has value, moderate, and deluxe, Universal's on-site choices are more moderate-deluxe with no value options. Because this was just a quick getaway-type trip (and because I'm saving for a big Disney trip at the beginning of 2013), I was looking for something similar to a value resort. After looking over their packages, I settled on staying at Best Western near Wet and Wild. And while the hotel was serviceable, it ranked well below Disney's value resorts in cleanliness. And fighting traffic was a pain, even though Universal was right down the road. If there's one thing I think Universal needs to do it is build an on-site resort along the lines of Disney's value resorts.
So we decided that the first day we would spend at Universal Studios. After parking in the deck and walking a good distance, we finally made it to City Walk. I thought City Walk had a nice vibe, much like having Downtown Disney outside the entrance of the parks. After a quick jaunt through City Walk we entered Universal Studios. Immediately, the new Despicable Me attraction at the entrance caught our attention so we decided it would be the first thing we did. After moving through the queue, we made it to the main room. I must say I was very impressed with the fantastic job they did on the theme and attention to detail. After watching the introduction video, we were off to the main theater. I've done 3D motion rides before so I knew what to expect. And Despicable Me was very well done. Afterwards, we exited to the next room where some staff and Minions were dancing and encouraging us to do the same. Needless to say we passed.
Next up was the Shrek 3D show right across the street. It was OK, nothing particularly exciting. Of course, I've never been a big Shrek fan so that could play a part. The movie was well done, but I think I prefer the Disney 3D shows like It's A Bug's Life.
We walked down a little and decided it was time for Rip Ride Rockit. We are coaster fanatics so this was at the top of our list. The queue seemed very "Six Flags" to us. Nothing particular impressive about it. When we actually got on the ride, I couldn't get the screen where you choose your music to work so I ended up with some generic sounding crap. Let me just say that this was one of the most uncomfortable coasters I've ever experienced, both in the seating area and the amount of jerkiness during the ride. I really had high hopes for it. Oh well. On to the next attraction.
So before I discuss Twister, let me mention that in my spare time I'm a trained NOAA storm spotter and chaser. I even have a website and coordinate a team of chasers during outbreaks. So I was curious about just how bad this would be. And holy crap was it bad. Plastic cow flying by on wires=blech. What a waste of space. Moving on...
Now here's where I talk about one of my biggest surprises...Revenge of the Mummy. What a fun ride. I went in blind not knowing much about it so I wasn't expecting the transition from dark ride to coaster. We ended up riding this a good number of times. The mummy animatronic at the beginning looked pretty good. The ride was well themed. Overall a ride I could see myself riding over and over again in the years to come.
Next up was Disaster. Not a big fan of these show-attractions. But I was impressed in the projection effect used where Christopher Walken interacts with the actor at the attraction. It was starting to become apparent that Universal really likes to use newer technologies a lot.
The Simpson's ride was a joy to this longtime viewer. I really felt like I was in that world. The theme work was outstanding. And the material playing on the monitors while you wait was hilarious. And the ride...wow. One of the best motion rides I've ever experienced. We rode this at least six times. Outstanding.
Now we get to E.T., which was probably the closest thing I've seen to a Disney dark ride out side of WDW. The forest queue line was great and really set the mood. And the ride was fun in an old fashioned way. After riding and experiencing all of the 3D attractions, it was nice to ride something that takes me back.
We didn't do a whole lot of the shows, since the both of us are more ride people. But we did explore a good bit. Besides the construction, everything looked great. I personally thought it was on par with a Disney park. I was worried that a lot of the park would scream Six Flags, but that wasn't the case (with the exception being Rip Ride Rockit). And while a lot of the properties Universal uses for their attractions aren't as classic as Disney's, I think to younger kids today they will have the same nostalgic feelings we have with Disney attractions when they get older.
So back to the hotel we went to relax and get ready for Potter day! BTW, I tend to ramble so if you have any questions feel free to ask.
When I was in the process of booking our trip, one of the first things that caught my eye was the lack of resort choices. Unlike Disney, which as we know has value, moderate, and deluxe, Universal's on-site choices are more moderate-deluxe with no value options. Because this was just a quick getaway-type trip (and because I'm saving for a big Disney trip at the beginning of 2013), I was looking for something similar to a value resort. After looking over their packages, I settled on staying at Best Western near Wet and Wild. And while the hotel was serviceable, it ranked well below Disney's value resorts in cleanliness. And fighting traffic was a pain, even though Universal was right down the road. If there's one thing I think Universal needs to do it is build an on-site resort along the lines of Disney's value resorts.
So we decided that the first day we would spend at Universal Studios. After parking in the deck and walking a good distance, we finally made it to City Walk. I thought City Walk had a nice vibe, much like having Downtown Disney outside the entrance of the parks. After a quick jaunt through City Walk we entered Universal Studios. Immediately, the new Despicable Me attraction at the entrance caught our attention so we decided it would be the first thing we did. After moving through the queue, we made it to the main room. I must say I was very impressed with the fantastic job they did on the theme and attention to detail. After watching the introduction video, we were off to the main theater. I've done 3D motion rides before so I knew what to expect. And Despicable Me was very well done. Afterwards, we exited to the next room where some staff and Minions were dancing and encouraging us to do the same. Needless to say we passed.
Next up was the Shrek 3D show right across the street. It was OK, nothing particularly exciting. Of course, I've never been a big Shrek fan so that could play a part. The movie was well done, but I think I prefer the Disney 3D shows like It's A Bug's Life.
We walked down a little and decided it was time for Rip Ride Rockit. We are coaster fanatics so this was at the top of our list. The queue seemed very "Six Flags" to us. Nothing particular impressive about it. When we actually got on the ride, I couldn't get the screen where you choose your music to work so I ended up with some generic sounding crap. Let me just say that this was one of the most uncomfortable coasters I've ever experienced, both in the seating area and the amount of jerkiness during the ride. I really had high hopes for it. Oh well. On to the next attraction.
So before I discuss Twister, let me mention that in my spare time I'm a trained NOAA storm spotter and chaser. I even have a website and coordinate a team of chasers during outbreaks. So I was curious about just how bad this would be. And holy crap was it bad. Plastic cow flying by on wires=blech. What a waste of space. Moving on...
Now here's where I talk about one of my biggest surprises...Revenge of the Mummy. What a fun ride. I went in blind not knowing much about it so I wasn't expecting the transition from dark ride to coaster. We ended up riding this a good number of times. The mummy animatronic at the beginning looked pretty good. The ride was well themed. Overall a ride I could see myself riding over and over again in the years to come.
Next up was Disaster. Not a big fan of these show-attractions. But I was impressed in the projection effect used where Christopher Walken interacts with the actor at the attraction. It was starting to become apparent that Universal really likes to use newer technologies a lot.
The Simpson's ride was a joy to this longtime viewer. I really felt like I was in that world. The theme work was outstanding. And the material playing on the monitors while you wait was hilarious. And the ride...wow. One of the best motion rides I've ever experienced. We rode this at least six times. Outstanding.
Now we get to E.T., which was probably the closest thing I've seen to a Disney dark ride out side of WDW. The forest queue line was great and really set the mood. And the ride was fun in an old fashioned way. After riding and experiencing all of the 3D attractions, it was nice to ride something that takes me back.
We didn't do a whole lot of the shows, since the both of us are more ride people. But we did explore a good bit. Besides the construction, everything looked great. I personally thought it was on par with a Disney park. I was worried that a lot of the park would scream Six Flags, but that wasn't the case (with the exception being Rip Ride Rockit). And while a lot of the properties Universal uses for their attractions aren't as classic as Disney's, I think to younger kids today they will have the same nostalgic feelings we have with Disney attractions when they get older.
So back to the hotel we went to relax and get ready for Potter day! BTW, I tend to ramble so if you have any questions feel free to ask.
Disneyfanatic!!
Member
They know they're lacking here which is why they announced last month the all new Cabana Bay Beach Resort to be completed by 2014. It will have both moderate and value options and family suites similar to that of Nickelodeon Suites Resort and Disney's Art of Animation Resort. Sounds like your trip started very well.
olinecoach61
Well-Known Member
Awesome! Let us know what you think about universal.
They know they're lacking here which is why they announced last month the all new Cabana Bay Beach Resort to be completed by 2014. It will have both moderate and value options and family suites similar to that of Nickelodeon Suites Resort and Disney's Art of Animation Resort. Sounds like your trip started very well.
That's good to know. That was probably the biggest difference I noticed right off the bat. If they could get more people staying on site and bathe them in everything Universal, it would go a long way towards building repeat business and loyalty. Say what you will about Disney but that is one thing they do VERY well.
TalkingHead
Well-Known Member
Did you have a chance to ride the Men in Black attraction?
Yep. Thought it was a fun ride that compared pretty well with Space Ranger Spin.
Let's just say with RRR I could sing a couple of octaves higher after the ride.
I concur about the quality of the rides. Chances are we'll start adding a couple of days to our Disney trips to go to Universal from now on.
Now, on to our second day at Islands of Adventure...
We arrived at around 6:45 AM for the 7 AM opening and there were already long lines waiting to get in. When the gates opened the race to Harry Potter began. We made it to the entrance and took it all in. I can see why there is so much love for this area and attraction. You actually feel like you're entering the world of Harry Potter. The level of detail is astounding. We headed for HPFJ to get in our first ride of the day. Remembering the advice we were given here, we headed through the queue and took it all in. From the look of the castle to the little details in the queue, Universal did everything right. And the ride...dizzying (and I mean that in a good way). A beautiful mixture of classic dark ride and motion simulator. Within an hour we had rode it 3-4 times. As a Disney fanboy it hurts me to say this but...WDW has nothing that compares to this. By the end of the day I think our ride total was closing in on seven. When the wait times started getting high, a quick trip through the single rider line got us on the ride in five minutes or less.
We also rode Dueling Dragons while there. The queue line was well done, unlike the queue at RRR. No Six Flags feel this time. And while I missed the dueling aspect of the coaster, it was a fun ride that helped erase the memories of RRR the day before.
Next up was a ride I had been anticipating for the longest time...Spider-Man. We arrived there between 8-9 AM and it was pretty much a walk-on. Though the queue was nothing spectacular, the ride itself was excellent. This may have been the best use of 3D on a ride that I have ever seen. And the 4K movie quality was eye opening. This was actually my second favorite ride of the trip. We rode it so many times I lost count.
We also hit the Hulk coaster while there. Here's another case of a coaster with a "Six Flags" queue. The ride, however, was very well done. Very smooth and nowhere near as jerky as RRR. Nothing like a good coaster and this was just that.
We also rode the Dr. Doom freefall ride. Terrible queue, terrible ride. Definitely another ride that screamed "Six Flags."
Honestly, the Marvel land could use better theme work. After the wonder of Potter, Marvel was a letdown. At least the Spider-Man ride was amazing.
Next up was the water rides. I don't do water rides but my wife does. She is happy to report that they all were great. Must have been since when we finally met back up she was soaked.
Finally, we visited the Dr. Seuss area. Beautifully done area. The Cat in the Hat was a great ride that I'm sure my son would have loved had he come. Nowhere near as short as the Pooh ride at WDW.
We spent the day exploring and experiencing many of the other attractions, such as Poseidon's Fury (which was well done but not something I'd probably do again). All in all I must say it was a very enjoyable day.
There were some things I think Universal could improve, however. Like mentioned above, the Marvel land could use some help as far as theme goes. And there's a definite "Six Flags" vibe to some of the attractions. And while Potter land is amazing, the area gets congested very easily. Perhaps they could have made a few more of the shops real so that foot traffic would have somewhere else to go and congestion wouldn't be as bad. Looking at those shops I kept thinking "I want to go in there!" And finally, how about making the planning and booking process a little more magical? One of the great things about WDW is after booking you get a personalized packet in the mail that helps get you excited about your vacation. I didn't receive anything like that from Universal.
So overall, I think Universal has done a great job. The rides there are exciting and second to none. It's going to be hard to go to WDW and not want to slip away for a couple of days to Universal. Heck, instead of a five day trip to WDW, we may just make it three and spend the other two at Universal. Either way, things are getting interesting in Orlando.
BTW, Butterbeer tastes exactly like a drink my mom used to make us as a child. Think I'll whip up a batch tonight.
We arrived at around 6:45 AM for the 7 AM opening and there were already long lines waiting to get in. When the gates opened the race to Harry Potter began. We made it to the entrance and took it all in. I can see why there is so much love for this area and attraction. You actually feel like you're entering the world of Harry Potter. The level of detail is astounding. We headed for HPFJ to get in our first ride of the day. Remembering the advice we were given here, we headed through the queue and took it all in. From the look of the castle to the little details in the queue, Universal did everything right. And the ride...dizzying (and I mean that in a good way). A beautiful mixture of classic dark ride and motion simulator. Within an hour we had rode it 3-4 times. As a Disney fanboy it hurts me to say this but...WDW has nothing that compares to this. By the end of the day I think our ride total was closing in on seven. When the wait times started getting high, a quick trip through the single rider line got us on the ride in five minutes or less.
We also rode Dueling Dragons while there. The queue line was well done, unlike the queue at RRR. No Six Flags feel this time. And while I missed the dueling aspect of the coaster, it was a fun ride that helped erase the memories of RRR the day before.
Next up was a ride I had been anticipating for the longest time...Spider-Man. We arrived there between 8-9 AM and it was pretty much a walk-on. Though the queue was nothing spectacular, the ride itself was excellent. This may have been the best use of 3D on a ride that I have ever seen. And the 4K movie quality was eye opening. This was actually my second favorite ride of the trip. We rode it so many times I lost count.
We also hit the Hulk coaster while there. Here's another case of a coaster with a "Six Flags" queue. The ride, however, was very well done. Very smooth and nowhere near as jerky as RRR. Nothing like a good coaster and this was just that.
We also rode the Dr. Doom freefall ride. Terrible queue, terrible ride. Definitely another ride that screamed "Six Flags."
Honestly, the Marvel land could use better theme work. After the wonder of Potter, Marvel was a letdown. At least the Spider-Man ride was amazing.
Next up was the water rides. I don't do water rides but my wife does. She is happy to report that they all were great. Must have been since when we finally met back up she was soaked.
Finally, we visited the Dr. Seuss area. Beautifully done area. The Cat in the Hat was a great ride that I'm sure my son would have loved had he come. Nowhere near as short as the Pooh ride at WDW.
We spent the day exploring and experiencing many of the other attractions, such as Poseidon's Fury (which was well done but not something I'd probably do again). All in all I must say it was a very enjoyable day.
There were some things I think Universal could improve, however. Like mentioned above, the Marvel land could use some help as far as theme goes. And there's a definite "Six Flags" vibe to some of the attractions. And while Potter land is amazing, the area gets congested very easily. Perhaps they could have made a few more of the shops real so that foot traffic would have somewhere else to go and congestion wouldn't be as bad. Looking at those shops I kept thinking "I want to go in there!" And finally, how about making the planning and booking process a little more magical? One of the great things about WDW is after booking you get a personalized packet in the mail that helps get you excited about your vacation. I didn't receive anything like that from Universal.
So overall, I think Universal has done a great job. The rides there are exciting and second to none. It's going to be hard to go to WDW and not want to slip away for a couple of days to Universal. Heck, instead of a five day trip to WDW, we may just make it three and spend the other two at Universal. Either way, things are getting interesting in Orlando.
BTW, Butterbeer tastes exactly like a drink my mom used to make us as a child. Think I'll whip up a batch tonight.
Interesting. I definitely keep an eye open the next time we head that way. Thanks.
GLaDOS
Well-Known Member
Personally I have to disagree with your view on these two queues. Both are VERY well done and well themed, IMO.
Other than that, great review and glad to hear you enjoyed yourself.
TalkingHead
Well-Known Member
Always interesting seeing a new guest's take on the Uni parks.
I agree with you about Shrek -- not an attraction I want to see again. It and Twister are the weakest points in the Studios park for me.
Also as much as I like the Hulk coaster (especially the first half of it), I don't like the queue very much. It's not awful, but it could be better. When I was there a few weeks ago, the area with the fake keyboards and computer screens right before you load was littered with all kinds of trash. Really made it feel all the more like Six Flags.
I remember liking the Dr. Doom queue, though, especially the propaganda films they play in the line.
Out of curiosity, how was the food in the park/where did you eat?
I agree with you about Shrek -- not an attraction I want to see again. It and Twister are the weakest points in the Studios park for me.
Also as much as I like the Hulk coaster (especially the first half of it), I don't like the queue very much. It's not awful, but it could be better. When I was there a few weeks ago, the area with the fake keyboards and computer screens right before you load was littered with all kinds of trash. Really made it feel all the more like Six Flags.
I remember liking the Dr. Doom queue, though, especially the propaganda films they play in the line.
Out of curiosity, how was the food in the park/where did you eat?
TalkingHead
Well-Known Member
I was shocked how good the new animation looked on Spidey. An honest-to-goodness plussing of an already awesome ride.
I know we ate at Margaritaville one night (wife's idea as I detest Jimmy Buffet). The Cheeseburger In Paradise was actually pretty good. It was nice to be able to order a burger cooked just right instead of the standard theme park burgers. We also ate at a few of the quick places in the park but it was just the standard theme park counter service. We ate away from the park a few times as well. Tried a Chicago-style place called Giordano's that was actually really good. Can't remember where else at the moment. Tried to watch the budget so we tried not to spend too much.
The moment you round the corner to where the villains are gathered looked fantastic. You'd swear the Goblin was actually floating there as you turn the corner.
HTF
Well-Known Member
Happy to read reviews from a mature first timer to Universal. I can agree with nearly all your saying since in the end Disney and Universal are very different than one another. Disney still dominates the overall guest experience while Universal has become the front runner on innovation. I agree that the Studios needs work and so does Universal, in the form of three new major Etickets by 2015. Plus there getting a new show in place of FFL next year. I also agree on your stance on the FJ as well as the garbage rockit.
I do however highly disagree with the Six Flags comments in Marvel. While the Hulk does have a weak queue it's still better than anything I have ever scene at SF. I also drew a blank with the Doom queue comment. An incredible amount of work and theming went into that queue and on a shrinking budget at that. Spiderman was pulling money away from multiple projects so the team did what they could to wrap things up and in my opinion it came out amazing. And how can anyone say the queue of Spidey is nothing special.
Their your opinions though, so we can agree to disagree. I guess I just took the stab at Latveria personal. Anyways what did you think of Port of Entry and the facade of Posiedons Fury?
I do however highly disagree with the Six Flags comments in Marvel. While the Hulk does have a weak queue it's still better than anything I have ever scene at SF. I also drew a blank with the Doom queue comment. An incredible amount of work and theming went into that queue and on a shrinking budget at that. Spiderman was pulling money away from multiple projects so the team did what they could to wrap things up and in my opinion it came out amazing. And how can anyone say the queue of Spidey is nothing special.
Their your opinions though, so we can agree to disagree. I guess I just took the stab at Latveria personal. Anyways what did you think of Port of Entry and the facade of Posiedons Fury?
I'm a pizza fiend so I'll make sure to give Uno's a try during my next visit. Giodano's, BTW, was excellent.
That's cool. As my wife is fond of telling me I'm often wrong.
Didn't spend a whole lot of time at the Port of Entry but what I saw was well done. I wish I had spent more time there but I think the adrenalin from riding Potter so many times may have caused me to miss a few things there. The facade of Poseidon's Fury looked great!
Captain Chaos
Well-Known Member
Glad you had a good time at Universal... Just think, the parks really were mismanaged badly and yet are still fantastic... Imagine what they will be like now that Comcast is funneling millions upon hundreds of millions into them??? Transformers and Potter 2.0 will make Universal a must see for years to come... And that is only the beginning!!!!