My wife and I were fortunate enough got to Universal for a quick 2 nights this week for free (an anniversary gift from my mom and step-father)
Here are some things I noticed. DISCLAIMER: I am a Huge WDW fan, I don't want to appear biased...but this might seem that way.
1 The Booking I booked and overnight package stay at Lowes Royal Pacific. (fantastic place btw) with 2 day park-to-park b/c: A. it was the middle of summer and B. Harry potter had just opened up. We only had 2 days, and from all i have heard this was the thing to do. IT WORKED GREAT! we had Express passes for 2 days.
The ho-hum...I made the reservation a few months ahead. Got an email receipt about the trip and then...nothing else. Not a post card welcoming us, or email with some special video. Nothing to get you excited about our upcoming trip. Sorry, but Disney has this in the bag.
2 The check-in/ticket/express pass thing. Since Lowes owns the hotel the room key doesn't get you into the park. so, once you check in, you have to go to a separate desk for park tix, then go to the express pass kiosk to get your picture taken. So you have 3 things to keep track of (room key, express pass & park tix) PLUS some city walk pass. Disney has this one too. one wristband for the whole thing. that's it.
3 The Hotel. This place was fantastic! Spotless and a great place to stay. Convenient to the parks. Walk or take the boat. Room was great. (no fridge though, slight bummer.) ONLY bad things $20 a day for parking, and breakfast (although delicious) was a little pricey. But that's it. I'd stay here again in a heartbeat.
4 The Parks. I think Disney is where my heart belongs. Here is why. I am really not into superheroes, I really can't stand the Simpsons, Betty Boop is well..."old" The minions and Harry Potter do nothing for me (my wife is the HP fan). AND most important, I have no history with anything there. No past trips with my Dad when I was young. So, i had nothing to really reflect back on.
Didn't really realize this until I went into the gift shop. I didn't want ANYTHING. Really, NOTHING AT ALL. I was kind of stunned. The wife found/bought some pretty cool HP stuff. They do a great job of Merchandising Potter stuff.
Diagon alley was stunning. Not even a fan of the movies, but this place was done so well. I hope Disney steps it up a little and faster than they have been moving.
But the parks themselves seem SO CHOPPY i.e. The minions, the 50's, the warf all with Transformers plopped in the middle of it all. the layout really sucks. It just doesn't seem organized at all. No cohesiveness at all. A lot of empty store fronts.
BUT...I am so used to being at disney this may be the Biased WDW person in me. Disney is just so second nature to my wife and I.
5 The Rides. Rode Spiderman, Transformers, both Harry potter rides, The Hogwarts express, Disaster, the Mummy and ET. Let me say this they were all AMAZING. So well done. And Un-disney. (except for ET) It was kinda refreshing. I can be entertained by some other things. A LOT of 3-D screens though
6 The Staff. All pretty good here they seem pretty happy. Maybe a few blah ones here or there but no-one was rude.
7 The food. Here is where I got a little peeved. The wife has a gluten allergy. So Food options are a little tricky. The cast members just really didn't seem familiar. So it was a bunless burger for lunch (boring)
I will take som of the blame here b/c i didn't map this part out quite enough. We just know Disney so well. we don't have any issues.
Breakfast was non-existant (for us-no pastries) which made us go back to the hotel (post Harry Potter early start) for a really pricey breakfast. Food and service EXCEPTIONAL though.
8 City walk. Looks like a CLUSTER of CRAP. that is all I can say. Not a fan.
9 The conclusion. I did have a great time. It just doesn't have the repeat factor that Disney does (for me at least) This place just seems to have a lot of "stuff". Just nothing that makes me say, "I have Gotta go to UNIVERSAL"
Just my observations.
Here are some things I noticed. DISCLAIMER: I am a Huge WDW fan, I don't want to appear biased...but this might seem that way.
1 The Booking I booked and overnight package stay at Lowes Royal Pacific. (fantastic place btw) with 2 day park-to-park b/c: A. it was the middle of summer and B. Harry potter had just opened up. We only had 2 days, and from all i have heard this was the thing to do. IT WORKED GREAT! we had Express passes for 2 days.
The ho-hum...I made the reservation a few months ahead. Got an email receipt about the trip and then...nothing else. Not a post card welcoming us, or email with some special video. Nothing to get you excited about our upcoming trip. Sorry, but Disney has this in the bag.
2 The check-in/ticket/express pass thing. Since Lowes owns the hotel the room key doesn't get you into the park. so, once you check in, you have to go to a separate desk for park tix, then go to the express pass kiosk to get your picture taken. So you have 3 things to keep track of (room key, express pass & park tix) PLUS some city walk pass. Disney has this one too. one wristband for the whole thing. that's it.
3 The Hotel. This place was fantastic! Spotless and a great place to stay. Convenient to the parks. Walk or take the boat. Room was great. (no fridge though, slight bummer.) ONLY bad things $20 a day for parking, and breakfast (although delicious) was a little pricey. But that's it. I'd stay here again in a heartbeat.
4 The Parks. I think Disney is where my heart belongs. Here is why. I am really not into superheroes, I really can't stand the Simpsons, Betty Boop is well..."old" The minions and Harry Potter do nothing for me (my wife is the HP fan). AND most important, I have no history with anything there. No past trips with my Dad when I was young. So, i had nothing to really reflect back on.
Didn't really realize this until I went into the gift shop. I didn't want ANYTHING. Really, NOTHING AT ALL. I was kind of stunned. The wife found/bought some pretty cool HP stuff. They do a great job of Merchandising Potter stuff.
Diagon alley was stunning. Not even a fan of the movies, but this place was done so well. I hope Disney steps it up a little and faster than they have been moving.
But the parks themselves seem SO CHOPPY i.e. The minions, the 50's, the warf all with Transformers plopped in the middle of it all. the layout really sucks. It just doesn't seem organized at all. No cohesiveness at all. A lot of empty store fronts.
BUT...I am so used to being at disney this may be the Biased WDW person in me. Disney is just so second nature to my wife and I.
5 The Rides. Rode Spiderman, Transformers, both Harry potter rides, The Hogwarts express, Disaster, the Mummy and ET. Let me say this they were all AMAZING. So well done. And Un-disney. (except for ET) It was kinda refreshing. I can be entertained by some other things. A LOT of 3-D screens though
6 The Staff. All pretty good here they seem pretty happy. Maybe a few blah ones here or there but no-one was rude.
7 The food. Here is where I got a little peeved. The wife has a gluten allergy. So Food options are a little tricky. The cast members just really didn't seem familiar. So it was a bunless burger for lunch (boring)
I will take som of the blame here b/c i didn't map this part out quite enough. We just know Disney so well. we don't have any issues.
Breakfast was non-existant (for us-no pastries) which made us go back to the hotel (post Harry Potter early start) for a really pricey breakfast. Food and service EXCEPTIONAL though.
8 City walk. Looks like a CLUSTER of CRAP. that is all I can say. Not a fan.
9 The conclusion. I did have a great time. It just doesn't have the repeat factor that Disney does (for me at least) This place just seems to have a lot of "stuff". Just nothing that makes me say, "I have Gotta go to UNIVERSAL"
Just my observations.
WOW! Seems pretty harsh considering the state of DTD- or whatever they're calling it these days. It's actually VERY entertaining at night. 
), Vivo, Antonjito's, Bob Marleys and Room service to name a few. I found if you're not so uptight about it (like I used to be- it's embarrassing) when you ask and ask for a replacement option, people are much more willing to accommodate you (in my own experience). Example- a waitress doesn't necessarily know what "gluten allergies" entail (as it is different for everyone). So I look at the entire menu to see what is on hand, pick what I want, and kindly ask to sub the rice for noodles or ask for extra veggies instead of bread. The nicer restaurants, the chef ALWAYS comes out and talks with us and prepares our meals (off menu). 
