Simulators, are they taking over?

[KBLovedDisney]

If that was the case of simulators "Taking Over" Than it was pretty silly decision to remove this...

Gawd my mother made me ride this with her when I was a kid. Of course she loved it and wanted to ride it multiple times. This and and then followed it by Star Tours and I was done for the day.

 

[Chef Mickey]

I have been on simulators in other parks and do get motion sickness. For some reason I do not at WDW.

You're drunk on happiness at WDW.

 

[Lisa t]

I hope Disney doesn't go that way. After our first day at Universal two years ago, I said to my husband do you feel like we've just been on the same ride but with different characters over and over and over again?

 

[Tony the Tigger]

If that was the case of simulators "Taking Over" Than it was pretty silly decision to remove this...

Hated it.

Ratatouille is also a Trackless ride system as well....

Gonna love it!

Hmmm.. Might give that a try. I really really hate missing out. My ability to get motion sickness is so sensitive that I can look down at my phone for a few seconds in a moving car (not while I am driving but as passenger of course), and I get severely dizzy.

OK so you're worse than I am. I can read in a car, I can do Soarin. I can do roller coasters that go upside down but no twists.

Btw before the Batman ride at Six Flags back in the 90's, I could go on anything. That ride was the first one to make me very, very dizzy, to the point my body was not right until the next day. Ever since then, can't do the corkscrews.

I don't even like on TV when they do a chase scene too fast, or pan from a high shot too fast.

Bizarre side note: when people on TV or in movies are drowning, I involuntarily hold my breath. Now that I realize it and get made fun of for it, I stop myself LOL.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Just one correction. Disney has never been trying to play catch-up with Universal. How do you catch-up when you are already miles ahead. Four Theme Parks, two Water Parks, about a gazillion Resort/hotel complexes. Two Mini Golf courses, Three or four full sized golf courses, Disney Springs, water vehicles, Monorails, Trains, Bus transportation that is equivalent to a medium sized city, and so on. The reason why Disney didn't do much was because they didn't have too. What they are doing now is huge, but, all that will do is put that gap between Disney and Uni just a little wider. Trust me when I say that Harry Potter helped Universal, but, it didn't make a dent in WDW's business.

Finally someone besides me says it. Universal is not the leader. They've done some nice things, but it's still no contest. After D23, the Disney just ensured full control for the next 20 years.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Bizarre side note: when people on TV or in movies are drowning, I involuntarily hold my breath. Now that I realize it and get made fun of for it, I stop myself LOL.

Don't feel bad! I do the same thing when someone is about to do a high jump (Tom Cruise in Ghost Protocol). I don't mind heights, but that was crazy!

 

[_caleb]

I really appreciate when they build attractions that use screens AND physical sets. When done well, it seems to increase the level of immersion. When they rely ONLY on screens (not naming any names here), it seems lazy and wrecks the immersion for me.

Unfortunately, it seem like creating new videos for projection is as expensive as updating physical sets. But at least with videos there isn't any real downtime for the ride when upgrades occur.

 

[imperius]

Finally someone besides me says it. Universal is not the leader. They've done some nice things, but it's still no contest. After D23, the Disney just ensured full control for the next 20 years.

Or until Universal announces their new park, SNW, New Harry Potter ride.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Or until Universal announces their new park, SNW, New Harry Potter ride.

Yeah, then Disney will still be the leader, maybe just slightly less than decisively. Disney World has been allowed to essentially die the last 10 years and they still destroyed Universal Orlando in total attendance. With the new stuff on the way, it's going to be even more of an uphill battle.

Universal is almost always the "me too" park when people go to Orlando. Everyone goes to Disney World.

 

[imperius]

Yeah, then Disney will still be the leader, maybe just slightly less than decisively. Disney World has been allowed to essentially die the last 10 years and they still destroyed Universal Orlando in total attendance. With the new stuff on the way, it's going to be even more of an uphill battle.

Universal is almost always the "me too" park when people go to Orlando. Everyone goes to Disney World.

Which I understand because the name and offerings, but people need to stop acting like Disney is that far ahead. Once Universal announces their stuff they will get more people and so will Disney. Universals attendance has grown for a reason. People really need to just enjoy what both are doing because it's only good for us the consumers.

 

[Chef Mickey]

Which I understand because the name and offerings, but people need to stop acting like Disney is that far ahead. Once Universal announces their stuff they will get more people and so will Disney. Universals attendance has grown for a reason. People really need to just enjoy what both are doing because it's only good for us the consumers.

The Magic Kingdom alone had more visitors last year than both of Universal and IOA combined.

EPCOT and DHS are practically shells and outdrew both Universal's parks, decisively for EPCOT and convincingly for DHS. Animal Kingdom did too and will move way ahead with Pandora in 2017.

No one is "acting" like Disney is that far ahead. They are that far head because people like Disney more as I just explained with the raw numbers.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

I just had a thought in regards to the simulators and what not. I just remembered that I am able to ride TSM with no issue, and that is a motion ride with 3D...maybe it is more of the lower quality/older screen technology that does me in. Who knows. I will still give these up-coming simulator rides a shot at least, especially the Millennium Falcon! (If what I heard is true about the ride and it being a simulator, getting sick or not, I am not passing that one up.)

 

[UpAllNight]

I've always loved Universal but I found Universal Studios in-particular to be a bit torturous this past trip. It suffers from a complete lack of planning.

Minions, Shrek, Fallon & Transformers....4 screenbased rides greet you. Mostly, individually good-great rides but a horrible experience riding them back to back. My head was battered by 10.30am. Then you have rip-rocket...an ok but rough head battering coaster. Gringotts which I can't complain about....but then MIB, which spins you silly...and Simpsons which I'll gladly never go on again in my life, as nothing in Orlando makes me as sick. It's a poor park all in all.

I don't say that as someone who usually struggles with motion rides. If anything, spinning on the likes of old fashioned fairground rides affects me much more...which to me shows how bad the Universal Studios experience currently is.

But screens can also be awesome...Spiderman & Gringotts are out of this world. There's arguably no "bad" screen rides other than Shrek at Uni but the lack of diversity in their experiences drags the level of the park down. Animal Kingdom has a fantastic range of attraction types.

 

[imperius]

I've always loved Universal but I found Universal Studios in-particular to be a bit torturous this past trip. It suffers from a complete lack of planning.

Minions, Shrek, Fallon & Transformers....4 screenbased rides greet you. Mostly, individually good-great rides but a horrible experience riding them back to back. My head was battered by 10.30am. Then you have rip-rocket...an ok but rough head battering coaster. Gringotts which I can't complain about....but then MIB, which spins you silly...and Simpsons which I'll gladly never go on again in my life, as nothing in Orlando makes me as sick. It's a poor park all in all.

I don't say that as someone who usually struggles with motion rides. If anything, spinning on the likes of old fashioned fairground rides affects me much more...which to me shows how bad the Universal Studios experience currently is.

But screens can also be awesome...Spiderman & Gringotts are out of this world. There's arguably no "bad" screen rides other than Shrek at Uni but the lack of diversity in their experiences drags the level of the park down. Animal Kingdom has a fantastic range of attraction types.

US has the screens issues which is why Nintendo can't come soon enough.

 

[Maeryk]

Just one correction. Disney has never been trying to play catch-up with Universal. How do you catch-up when you are already miles ahead. Four Theme Parks, two Water Parks, about a gazillion Resort/hotel complexes. Two Mini Golf courses, Three or four full sized golf courses, Disney Springs, water vehicles, Monorails, Trains, Bus transportation that is equivalent to a medium sized city, and so on. The reason why Disney didn't do much was because they didn't have too. What they are doing now is huge, but, all that will do is put that gap between Disney and Uni just a little wider. Trust me when I say that Harry Potter helped Universal, but, it didn't make a dent in WDW's business.

Universal has thrill rides. Disney doesn't. That's the main distinction at this point.

 

[Maeryk]

HP is a much different animal. Nemo basically relies on screen for a slow moving dark ride. Lazy, not innovative, not thrilling...so there is nothing going for it.

With nemo though, (and someone will correct me if I'm wrong) they were stuck with the space they had from the Seacabs. Not much space to build stuff in when you are constrained by the aquarium walls.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Universal has thrill rides. Disney doesn't. That's the main distinction at this point.

Well, in that case, I vote for Disney never being the thrill ride kings. That isn't what made Disney, but, Disney is what made theme parks and kept then different then just adrenaline pumpers. Universal has done shows and dark rides better then Disney, but, they were and still are the higher class 6 flags. They have something for everyone, but, tend to lean heavier into thrill rides... there is still a big market for Disney, but, they need to stay fresh and current and bend, at least a little, to what the public demands (within reason).

 

[Maeryk]

Well, in that case, I vote for Disney never being the thrill ride kings. That isn't what made Disney, but, Disney is what made theme parks and kept then different then just adrenaline pumpers. Universal has done shows and dark rides better then Disney, but, they were and still are the higher class 6 flags. They have something for everyone, but, tend to lean heavier into thrill rides... there is still a big market for Disney, but, they need to stay fresh and current and bend, at least a little, to what the public demands (within reason).

Yep. And I'm not saying Disney _should_ compete with them on that. Disney's current coaster roster are just fine for mild/family coasters. (even RnRC is pretty tame, as far as launch coasters go). If Disney wanted to crush Universal they could open a fifth gate, call B&M and Vekoma and such and say "Send me one of each type.. biggest and fastest ya got" and just build a scream park.

That said.. it looks like they are edging a bit into less mine train/wild mouse and more cutting edge, still relatively tame, but new paradigm coasters with GotG. Tron is an older Vekoma design, just kitted out differently, and the theming is what makes that one special.

 

[imperius]

LOL at Universal being a higher class Six Flags.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Yep. And I'm not saying Disney _should_ compete with them on that. Disney's current coaster roster are just fine for mild/family coasters. (even RnRC is pretty tame, as far as launch coasters go). If Disney wanted to crush Universal they could open a fifth gate, call B&M and Vekoma and such and say "Send me one of each type.. biggest and fastest ya got" and just build a scream park.

That said.. it looks like they are edging a bit into less mine train/wild mouse and more cutting edge, still relatively tame, but new paradigm coasters with GotG. Tron is an older Vekoma design, just kitted out differently, and the theming is what makes that one special.

I understand what you are saying, but, with all the valuable land that is already under used, that wouldn't make any fiscal sense at all. They can get the same things filling in the half dead parks that exist already. With that full four parks, the 5th park would just be wasted. People do not have as many vacation days, in the states, that Europe has for example, when you factor in travel time, a trip to Disney now is a minimum of one week. Most don't have more then that available, there is no limit to what people want, but, there is a limit of how much time they have to do it in. Five gates, would just overload that window and hurt the entire resort, not just alter the mission statement of a couple of existing parks.