I know I'm new here but, good heavens, do you work for Universal? I feel like I'm reading the text from an infomercial.
posts like this actually amuse me. because if this was anywhere from 1974 to approximately 1994-'95, you'd hear spirit say the same thing about disney resorts and parks. it's not his fault that people just can't see past their pixie dust habit.
The irony is that I lived in Tampa for 30 years, I just moved to the Boston area this year!
It seems like the chic thing to do right now is to dump on Disney and throw major love to Universal. If your looking at short term bench marks, that may be fair. However, to pretend like a Disney hotel is a glorified Motel 6 while a night at Universal is like a night at the Bellagio is silly. Understand, I hope Disney kicks it into high gear soon too (they need to)! Just think some perspective is necessary, that's all
listen, man. i'm not dumping on you, so please don't take it this way. it's just that i used to think a lot like this. but if you want perspective, i'll gladly give it:
did four nights at OKW in april. my family has been DVC members since 1993. i know the glory days and i know the new walmarted days. i've seen it all. got into bed the first night and on the sheets was a very obvious stain where someone must have had self tanner rub off and it wasn't laundered out properly. it was 11PM, so instead of calling housekeeping, i got the sheets off the other queen in my studio. there was a few holes and pink nail polish in that sheet. now, do you know what the rack rate for old key west is? if so, do you think i should have those problems simply by getting into bed? last august, it took three (count them: one, two, THREE) calls to housekeeping to get some extra towels (which of course, they charge you for) for our room. are these trivial, anecdotal gripes? maybe, but not when you're paying for a premium experience.
it's not en vogue to me to bash disney. like some who are critical on these boards, it actually hurts me to do it. but what am i supposed to do? hand disney my money, close my eyes, and pretend it was the same guest experience as 20 years ago? it's just not. as a consumer, why would i pay more for an inferior product (whether you compare it to the disney of yesterday or the universal of today)?
in a thread earlier this year, i relayed i story about how a 21 year old CM at pirates tried to make me sit in a row with 3 inches of water in the bottom of the boat when no one else was behind me in the queue, and i said that you have to be an advocate for yourself at the modern WDW. why? why should part of my vacation be that i have to actively insure no one is ripping me off or taking advantage of me?
THAT is merely the tip of the perspective iceberg.
