OG Runner
Well-Known Member
I will ask how you can say Universal is doing better. What possible metric are you using?
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Universal Epic Universe (South Expansion Complex) - Opens May 22 2025
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I will ask how you can say Universal is doing better. What possible metric are you using?
The Grand Inquisitor
Well-Known Member
Universal will also include a Bourne Stunt Show and a Jurassic World coaster and a land update. Plus there is probably a LOT of stuff they have not announced yet.
The same one you're using, personal preference.
Ding ding ding! He's ignoring his own question posed earlier in this thread. Disney has laid out everything on the table, as they tend to do. Universal likely has not, because that's not what they do. They often don't announce future projects until they're well under construction and closer to opening.
Jon81uk
Well-Known Member
Comparing an entire theme park, to those attractions is really not comparable. There are so many additional things, toilets, staff facilities etc that need to be done on top of the attractions.
Again, comparing similar projects, Lights Motors Action closed April 2016, Galaxy's Edge opened August 2019 so just over three years is a pretty reasonable build time for that land. But Jaws closed at Universal in January 2012 with Diagon Alley opening July 2014, so two and a half years to demolish old and then build a full land.
When both parks want to do something quickly they can. But in general Universal is building quicker and announcing closer to opening.
OG Runner
Well-Known Member
When did Terminator 3D close? When will the "Bourne" attraction open? Still no announcement. Honestly we could go back and forth
with this for a very long time. My annoyance came with a comment that Universal is doing things much better than Disney and I am
sorry but there is no indication that they are. Someone even mentioned the new hotels, compare those to Disney's Riviera Resort.
s8film40
Well-Known Member
I think a better way to look at it rather than a “Universal is better than Disney” or vice versa. Is Universal is in a state of large growth while Disney is in a state of maintaining. These are very different things. Disney has had parks and hotels built out for some time now and now they’re at the point where it’s become necessary to pull out old attractions to replace with new or make new additions to keep things fresh. Universal is very much where Disney was in the 90’s adding on hotels at a steady pace and building new parks and attractions.
Disney was really at its peak in the 90’s and a lot of us who where around then see that same thing with Universal right now. So the perception is that Universal is doing a better job than Disney, but they’re just at different stages that’s all.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
I’m not sure where this whole “Disney isn’t building anything” stance comes from.
Disney stagnated through the 00’s and Universal woke them up with Potter in 2010. It took them a few years but through the ‘10’s we have seen:
-Fantasyland Expansion
-Massive expansion and complete overhaul of Downtown Disney to Disney Springs
-Pandora
-Toy Story Land
-Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
-New hotels
-infrastructure improvements across the board
-transportation improvements
- four E tickets currently under construction
- more attractions coming beyond that
- complete overhaul of Epcot already beginning.
... and whatever else.
Pretending Disney is doing nothing and Universal is doing more is dumb.
Disney stagnated through the 00’s and Universal woke them up with Potter in 2010. It took them a few years but through the ‘10’s we have seen:
-Fantasyland Expansion
-Massive expansion and complete overhaul of Downtown Disney to Disney Springs
-Pandora
-Toy Story Land
-Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
-New hotels
-infrastructure improvements across the board
-transportation improvements
- four E tickets currently under construction
- more attractions coming beyond that
- complete overhaul of Epcot already beginning.
... and whatever else.
Pretending Disney is doing nothing and Universal is doing more is dumb.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
Ok, I'll compare Universal's new hotels to Riviera. A one bedroom villa at Riviera is $896/night value season. At Endless Summer, a suite with 3 queens and a breakfast nook starts at $111/night.
I would argue that two entire gates is likely more than everything you just listed, plus the new attractions, hotels & CityWalk establishments they've added in that same time. There also seems to be this notion that Universal won't be working on any new attractions that we don't already know about until UEU opens, which I don't think will be the case.
Yes, Disney has finally awoken from its long slumber, but they don't need to be doing nothing to be outpaced.
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trr1
Well-Known Member
I don't think you are comparing apples to apples. Riviera is a deluxe resort and endless summer is a value resort
trr1
Well-Known Member
I don't think you are comparing apples to apples. Riviera is a deluxe resort and endless summer is a value resort
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that was kind of my point. @Edward Jackson suggested comparing the 2, so I did.
trr1
Well-Known Member
@Edward Jackson here is an apple to apple comparison
Disney's Art of Animation Resort
Disney's Art of Animation Resort
- Family Suites
1 Queen Bed and 1 Double-Size Table Bed and 1 Double-Size Sleeper Sofa
1 Queen Bed and 1 Double-Size Table Bed and 1 Double-Size Sleeper Sofa
Sleeps up to 6 Adults
Sleeps up to 6 Adults
Starting from
$380.00 USD $380.00 USD
Per Night Excl Tax
- Surfside Inn and Suites 2-Bedroom Suites
FROM$131.00**
2-Bedroom Suites
Families will feel like they’re at a beach retreat in these spacious, two-bedroom suites that sleep six. There is also a kitchenette area, a cool picnic table for meals and hanging out, and a bathroom with separate bath and vanity areas.
BubbaQuest
Well-Known Member
Trolls. They're everywhere.
Jon81uk
Well-Known Member
Yes but I think a lot of the point is that Universal are in general building quicker and are not confirming and announcing until much closer to opening. Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind is taking an additional year to build compared to Hagrids. Many of the items announced at D23 in 2017 (such as the space restaurant) are still a long way off opening. Universal have built an entire water park and four hotels in the last five years so they have significantly invested in hotels and infrastructure as well, but that is mainly to catch up and also to out-price Disney at the low end of the accommodation costs.
Basically both resorts are building a lot, their infrastructure and hotel builds are completely different at the moment as Disney built out the value end 20 years ago. Universal are possibly better at getting things open quicker and announcing closer so it feels less dragged out.
OG Runner
Well-Known Member
The comparison was just new openings. The same way a previous poster noted Universal had opened another park. (I am sure referring to Volcano Bay)
OG Runner
Well-Known Member
Again, the comparison was new additions. Not the quality of the additions. It can't be helped that Disney didn't go for cheap.
OG Runner
Well-Known Member
Okay I will try one more time. The only comparison was not in the quality or price, but that there was an addition. The original comment was that Universal is doing more and I am sorry, but they are not.
Or maybe, instead of "going for cheap," they were just aiming for a different demographic that doesn't have $896 to spend for a night in a hotel. Did you stop to think of that? Universal is a corporation worth billions of dollars. If they wanted to build fancy accommodations for the rich, they would. That was not their intention.
When either company announces their intention to provide a fancy room & amenities without an astronomical price tag, let me know. That would actually be impressive rather than par for the course.
I'm sorry, but your conclusion is entirely subjective, based on variables that are difficult to compare at best. You can argue the topic all you want, but you're not going to convince anyone by merely reiterating your own stance.
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