Universal Orlando Getting Bigger, Better, Wetter, Wilder

[Voice of Disney sanity]

Disney would rather not build anything if they had the choice. The whole MyMagic project was an exercise in increasing revenue without having to move a shovel of dirt. From Disney's point of view, Universal paying them a big chunk of cash while doing all the work on Marvel is a win-win.

The only problem is the deal is not for a big chunk of cash at all. It was made when marvel was nearly bankrupt and the nearly gave away the store to UNI. Disney would kill to dissolve the deal but without giving Uni Millions and millions the deal ain't going no where

 

[Nubs70]

That's a brilliant point. Universal believes a queue should offer things to see, read and watch, whereas Disney thinks a queue should offer things to do, touch and interact with.

This only applies in practice to FJ and Gringotts. The rest of the queues were pretty bland.

 

[squidward]

This only applies in practice to FJ and Gringotts. The rest of the queues were pretty bland.

Simpsons, Men in Black, Mummy, Shrek, Minion Mayhem, Spider-man, Transformers, E.T.

Yeah, all pretty bland.

 

[squidward]

That's simply not true. The hogsmeade express is not part of the park. It's transportation between the parks and requires a different ticket level to ride. Keep repeating it over and over it still won't be true.

Huh? You need a park to park ticket to experience it.

 

[Tony Perkis]

This only applies in practice to FJ and Gringotts. The rest of the queues were pretty bland.

But, you know, bland.

 

[Nubs70]

But, you know, bland.

Apologies, I had the Marvel queues in mind. I'm in the middle of a 38 hour day.

 

[BrerJon]

But, you know, bland.

I'd be really interested to see a post like that showcasing Disney's best queues for comparison.

 

[squidward]

I'd be really interested to see a post like that showcasing Disney's best queues for comparison.

I don't think anyone would deny Disney's best queues are just as great, but they're supposed to be. Everything Disney does is supposed to be the best in the business. And I'm not saying that to be snarky. It's the truth. I always go back to the WDW Behind The Scenes on Travel Channel - "Disney is held to a higher standard because Disney started out by holding itself to a higher standard."

 

[BrerJon]

I don't think anyone would deny Disney's best queues are just as great, but they're supposed to be.

Plenty of them don't compare though. Space and Splash Mountain, any Fantasyland ride, any Epcot attraction... there's lots of queues at Disney that look cheap in comparison to Universal's.

Disney does have the best queue in the world in my view, however, in Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Crystal Skull in Tokyo, but that's getting way off topic.

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

I'd be really interested to see a post like that showcasing Disney's best queues for comparison.

Here are some of my favorites from WDW. I didn't include the other Disney resorts for fair comparison with USO.

 

[BrerJon]

Here are some of my favorites from WDW. I didn't include the other Disney resorts for fair comparison with USO.

Pretty. Tower of Terror and Everest are brilliant queues.

 

[ThemeParkTraveller]

Plenty of them don't compare though. Space and Splash Mountain, any Fantasyland ride, any Epcot attraction... there's lots of queues at Disney that look cheap in comparison to Universal's.

Disney does have the best queue in the world in my view, however, in Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Crystal Skull in Tokyo, but that's getting way off topic.

I agree about most of those attractions listed, but I actually enjoy the Splash Mountain queue (especially the more elaborate TDL version of the queue). It's not among Disney's best queues, but the quality of theming and immersion is there (I love the detail in the caves and the rockwork). It's certainly a higher level of theming than the queue at Universal's flume ride, although Toon Lagoon has always been one of the weakest and cheapest looking areas at IoA.

I also think that TLM and SDMT have pretty well-themed queues, although they definitely shouldn't be compared to the best of Universal. FJ and Gringotts have definitely set a new bar for themed queues in Orlando, but most queues at USO aren't at that scale or level of detail either. Just like at WDW, where most queues are not as painstakingly themed as ToT or Everest. That being said, aside from a few exceptions I do feel the D/E-tickets at Universal have just as good or better queues than those at WDW.

 

[SJN1279]

I agree about most of those attractions listed, but I actually enjoy the Splash Mountain queue (especially the more elaborate TDL version of the queue). It's not among Disney's best queues, but the quality of theming and immersion is there (I love the detail in the caves and the rockwork). It's certainly a higher level of theming than the queue at Universal's flume ride, although Toon Lagoon has always been one of the weakest and cheapest looking areas at IoA.

I also think that TLM and SDMT have pretty well-themed queues, although they definitely shouldn't be compared to the best of Universal. FJ and Gringotts have definitely set a new bar for themed queues in Orlando, but most queues at USO aren't at that scale or level of detail either. Just like at WDW, where most queues are not as painstakingly themed as ToT or Everest. That being said, aside from a few exceptions I do feel the D/E-tickets at Universal have just as good or better queues than those at WDW.

The queue at Popeye is one of my favorites when it is open.

 

[squidward]

Plenty of them don't compare though. Space and Splash Mountain, any Fantasyland ride, any Epcot attraction... there's lots of queues at Disney that look cheap in comparison to Universal's.

Disney does have the best queue in the world in my view, however, in Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Crystal Skull in Tokyo, but that's getting way off topic.

It does work both ways though, like everything else. I actually like Splash's queue. It fits the theme of the ride perfectly. Compare it to Dudley's, and it's a masterpiece.

As for Space, another one that I like. It's based on 2001:A Space Odyssey.

The biggest advantage Disney has in it's crappy queues over Universal's crappy queues, is Disney's are all a lot cleaner (sans Buzz Lightyear). It's really something I've never understood about Universal. Dudley is Dudley. Unless they close the ride down and completely redo it, it's always going to look cheap. But clean it up at least, and take care of the bad paint job. Same for Hulk and Dr. Doom.

 

[ToInfinityAndBeyond]

It does work both ways though, like everything else. I actually like Splash's queue. It fits the theme of the ride perfectly. Compare it to Dudley's, and it's a masterpiece.

As for Space, another one that I like. It's based on 2001:A Space Odyssey.

The biggest advantage Disney has in it's crappy queues over Universal's crappy queues, is Disney's are all a lot cleaner (sans Buzz Lightyear). It's really something I've never understood about Universal. Dudley is Dudley. Unless they close the ride down and completely redo it, it's always going to look cheap. But clean it up at least, and take care of the bad paint job. Same for Hulk and Dr. Doom.

Buzz Lightyear queue is a nightmare for other reasons. I still have that snare drum rhythm in my head from 2 years ago.

 

[Frankie The Beer]

There's nothing in the contract that prevents that from happening.

Yes there is actually:

In developing and implementing THE MARVEL UNIVERSE, MCA will follow and be consistent with The Official Handbook of The Marvel Universe, Marvel’s Style Guide and such other descriptive design/style materials as may be provided by Marvel. This Marvel-themed complex would be designed in coordination with Marvel, and all major elements and themes would be subject to Marvel’s reasonable approval. As set forth in Section IV(A)(1)

That paragraph means Universal has to follow a specific guideline from which the characters can appear that was agreed upon when the contract was originally established. Unless Disney approves of the current Marvel film characters being able to be used, Universal cannot use them.

Reading the contract more, its funny no one has noticed that if anyone tries to use the Marvel characters for theme park related attractions, Marvel not Universal has to pursue litigation about it, so if Disney tried to use the characters, they would have to sue themselves.

Also, I don't even think Universal has the right to build anything new to the area they already have, it looks like they lost those rights pretty quick after the completion of the second gate at Universal.

 

[danlb_2000]

Huh? You need a park to park ticket to experience it.

He's playing with semantics saying that Hogwarts Express is not an attraction, but instead transportation.

 

[ToInfinityAndBeyond]

He's playing with semantics saying that Hogwarts Express is not an attraction, but instead transportation.

-which is a terrible argument anyways. Many forms of transportation within and outside of the Disney parks are attractions in their own right.

 

[SJN1279]

Island of Adventure has some amazing queues, maybe the best on the planet. Hogwarts, Spiderman, Popeye, to me are all top notch.

The Hogwarts queue is better than the Hogwarts ride IMHO. Same goes for Gringotts.

 

[Next Big Thing]

Um...it is proof that they are spending their money somewhere other than Disney.

Believe what you would like. The wand EXAMPLE has more truth to it than you prefer to believe.

BTW...you can buy a Jack Sparrow costume in many places besides WDW. Please tell me how many places you can purchase an Universal Orlando specific Harry Potter wand? I guess the guests hung out at the main gate and gave someone some money to go in and get it for them. Naive.

I think the fact that Sea World's numbers have declined mixed with the fact that Uni AND WDW's increased is more of a sign that Uni is eating at Sea World, not Disney.