Universal vs. Disney

[mahnamahna101]

No one has ever said it would take "a billion years" for the DHS expansion. Insiders here have said don't expect Star Wars to open at WDW before 2020/2021 though and since that's a big part of the DHS redo, that means it won't be finished until 2020/2021. Pixar will most likely open sooner than that.

That's the problem.

By 2020/2021, Universal Orlando will have had 7 years to improve their parks, open up their water-park, open up 2-3 more hotels, expand their current hotels, finish overhauling CityWalk, build a new entertainment complex on the WnW plot, and start gearing up for a 3rd gate.

DHS will rebound considerably with Star Wars Land, but by then, both UO should be well past 10 million each in attendance. DHS will surpass them again, but what if the 3rd gate one-ups DHS' new offerings or even the other two parks' offerings?

I really think the 2020s will change the way people see the fight between WDW and UO. Or really UO's three parks vs. WDW's three non-MK parks - because those are the three Comcast should be aiming for (in terms of attendance)

 

[marni1971]

DHS is a five year plan yes. 2016-2021.

Now I know why I stayed out of this thread!

 

[Eckert]

Since @JT3000 covered most of these points for me I'll just add that the rumored enhancements for Hulk are a better themed queue and a new smoother track.

AND on top of that, it's even rumored that they'll be switching out the old trains with new trains that use only a lapbar, which is pretty exciting. Changes like this and Spider-Man back in 2012 show that Universal knows that people love what they have, and they aren't going to ruin the relationship with their guests by taking things away.

 

[Mike S]

AND on top of that, it's even rumored that they'll be switching out the old trains with new trains that use only a lapbar, which is pretty exciting. Changes like this and Spider-Man back in 2012 show that Universal knows that people love what they have, and they aren't going to ruin the relationship with their guests by taking things away.

I had no idea they could do that on a coaster that goes upside down. I thought over the head restraints were pretty much mandatory for that.

 

[Eckert]

I had no idea they could do that on a coaster that goes upside down. I thought over the head restraints were pretty much mandatory for that.

B&M is allegedly working on some sort of lap bar system for their inverted roller coasters. That with the 'no loose articles' policy Universal has right now, it doesn't seem to unrealistic or problematic.

 

[RandomPrincess]

It's my understanding that there's no E-ticket in the Avatar expansion, it's 1 D-ticket (Soarin' clone) and 1 C-ticket (boat ride).

I think the reference to the Universal quote is from when it was made, not some years later. There's been a few notable rides opened since that was announced.

Disney may now have a few things in the pipeline, but that doesn't really even make up for their decade of stagnation, let alone fill the next decade which they'll take to build them all. Don't forget its now more than 10 years since they last opened an E-ticket. In addition to that the only addition of note has been SDMT, a.nicely.themed but overly brief kiddie coaster.

What do you consider POTC? Most people consider it an D or E, my understanding was the boat ride would be similar in size and scope.

 

[Evolution]

There was an article that came out a couple weeks ago that said the flying simulator would be an E-ticket and the boat ride would be a D-ticket.

 

[captainmoch]

I love Nintendo. I grew up on Nintendo. Owned every console up through the Wii. But I know Nintendo. They've allowed garbage licenses of their properties in the past (Super Mario Bros movie, Zelda Philips CD-I games ... I'm sure there are more), and I just don't know if I can count on Nintendo to demand anything from Universal, and I don't know that they're even in a position to do so. Forgive me if I'm a bit skeptical of Nintendo's judgement and direction these days. They've been spiraling downward since the Wii U was announced. And this is coming from someone who's always been a Nintendo fan. Not that Universal+Nintendo won't be great, but it could easily be a let down. I just can't get my hopes up for the Zelda-themed Forbidden Journey that I'd love to see.

Just saying, both the Super Mario Bros movie and the Zelda Phillips CD-I games are almost 20 years old, and Nintendo has learned and changed a LOT since then when it comes to handling their IPs. Considering how much control they had in how Bowser would appear in the background of a single scene in Wreck-it Ralph, I'm assuming the Nintendo themed areas are going to be on the same level of detail and immersion if not more then Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. And the Wii U may be a misstep in a few ways, but come on. Games like Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon show how much creativity and charm the company still has.

 

[Rutt]

Its amazing how quickly this devolved into a ing contest of whos rumours are more legit.

 

[Mike S]

Just saying, both the Super Mario Bros movie and the Zelda Phillips CD-I games are almost 20 years old, and Nintendo has learned and changed a LOT since then when it comes to handling their IPs. Considering how much control they had in how Bowser would appear in the background of a single scene in Wreck-it Ralph, I'm assuming the Nintendo themed areas are going to be on the same level of detail and immersion if not more then Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. And the Wii U may be a misstep in a few ways, but come on. Games like Mario Kart 8 and Splatoon show how much creativity and charm the company still has.

Not to mention Zelda Wii U looks incredible. Also Nintendo had no part in the CD-i games. It was the result of their partnership with Phillips to make a CD add on for the SNES after they ditched Sony which inadvertently gave birth to the Playstation. They never went through with it but contracts were already signed letting Phillips make a few games using Nintendo's characters and they were so terrible they inspired YouTubePOOP. It also made Nintendo very protective of their characters until recently. Also, little fun fact, Super Mario Bros. was made by Disney owned Hollywood Pictures. There's a reason that was the only movie made based on a Nintendo property (except Pokemon).

 

[Mike S]

Its amazing how quickly this devolved into a ****ing contest of whos rumours are more legit.

Just defending what I said.

 

[JT3000]

To briefly respond to previous comments on theming, if you're looking for a fully immersive park experience that transports you to another place, then that's not something you'll find in any Studio park (on the whole.) Newer developments notwithstanding, they are inherently limited by their original concept. So there's going to be some ugliness. With that said, it's most fair to compare like for like, and I maintain that USF is much better themed than DHS. Not just in one area, but overall. DHS also currently pales in comparison even to its much maligned west coast cousin. If the park truly is getting billions in help, it's because every dollar is needed.

What do you consider POTC? Most people consider it an D or E, my understanding was the boat ride would be similar in size and scope.

...which one?

 

[RandomPrincess]

...which one?

good point. I would hope we get something better the DLs

 

[Rutt]

Just defending what I said.

Which is fine, but I also enjoy OU very much and to pretend that the rumours there are any more realistic or reliable thqn those here is kinda silly. Most of what people are attributing to amazing additional etickets in Uni are no more confirmed or guaranteed than half the stuff we read on here.

Lets discuss in reality.

 

[Mike S]

Which is fine, but I also enjoy OU very much and to pretend that the rumours there are any more realistic or reliable thqn those here is kinda silly. Most of what people are attributing to amazing additional etickets in Uni are no more confirmed or guaranteed than half the stuff we read on here.

Lets discuss in reality.

I wasn't comparing any rumors. Shocking as it may be, I'm trusting the rumors here about DHS and Frontierland as well as what I read about Universal on OU. Another shocker, Uni rumors are shared by insiders here too. I wasn't pretending anything. I was defending what I said with the fact that everything was backed up. I don't make up rumors which I was accused of for the one about the Gyrosphere.

I'm all about what universal is doing. Its awesome to see.
But you only named 4 e-tickets- and that's including a gyrosphere ride which is a completely made up rumor as of now- similar to an inside out ride at Epcot because the director and writer both said they'd love for it to be at imagination. Great story, but no credibility.

So @bakntime 's point of saying 6-8 E-tickets not being true is completely correct.

Avatar has one E and if the frontierland expansion has an E- then all a 3B expansion of DHS needs to do is create a measly two Es just to keep pace with Universal.

Here's the thing- if the rumors of DHS/Frontierland and all of Universals rumors come to fruition- Disney's will be better. My hope is that they all come true and we have two phenomenal resorts to choose from still. I like Disney. I like Universal. And I didn't internally combust.

I then put up a quote from WDW1974 which says that while a little soon multiple ideas are being talked about (kind of like how Disney was talking about what to do with DHS and Frontierland over all these years) and that "This isn't Disney. You know where the Little Mermaid was HUGE ... in 1989," implying it could happen pretty soon.

 

[Rutt]

I wasn't comparing any rumors. Shocking as it may be, I'm trusting the rumors here about DHS and Frontierland as well as what I read about Universal on OU. Another shocker, Uni rumors are shared by insiders here too. I wasn't pretending anything. I was defending what I said with the fact that everything was backed up. I don't make up rumors which I was accused of for the one about the Gyrosphere.

I then put up a quote from WDW1974 which says that while a little soon multiple ideas are being talked about (kind of like how Disney was talking about what to do with DHS and Frontierland over all these years) and that "This isn't Disney. You know where the Little Mermaid was HUGE ... in 1989," implying it could happen pretty soon.

Nobody said YOU made up the rumour. What is being said is some vague remark aboit ideas being discussed for JW at Uni has somehow turned in to a guaranteed Gyro ride when nothing of the sort has been 'confirmed'. It would be like people parading a Star Wars battling coaster as confirmed for DHS or Geyser for Frontier.

It really seems like people set the bar lower for Uni here.

Theyre getting a water park (Disney has two), they might get a couple new resorts (Disney has what, 15?), they might get a third gate (Disney already has four), they might surpass DHS briefly in attendance. And then people call this "winning" with a straight face.

For the millionth time, i love Uni for what it is. What its not, at least at this point, is better than WDW. Sorry folks.

 

[Mike S]

Nobody said YOU made up the rumour. What is being said is some vague remark aboit ideas being discussed for JW at Uni has somehow turned in to a guaranteed Gyro ride when nothing of the sort has been 'confirmed'. It would be like people parading a Star Wars battling coaster as confirmed for DHS or Geyser for Frontier.

It really seems like people set the bar lower for Uni here.

Theyre getting a water park (Disney has two), they might get a couple new resorts (Disney has what, 15?), they might get a third gate (Disney already has four), they might surpass DHS briefly in attendance. And then people call this "winning" with a straight face.

For the millionth time, i love Uni for what it is. What its not, at least at this point, is better than WDW. Sorry folks.

http://www.slashfilm.com/frank-marshall-interview/

Have there been discussions to bring Jurassic World into the Universal Theme Parks?

Oh yes. The theme parks are very interested. We’ve had a lot of discussions with them for the new parks that are going up in Asia. As well as now this sort of reboot, like they’re doing with Star Wars, whatever rides and concepts there are in the current parks.

Oh that’s really cool. ‘Cause I would love to ride that gyrosphere.

Yeah, by the way, that’s the one they really like. They said to me, ‘we wanna do that.’

There was another interview where Universal Orlando is specifically mentioned.

https://www.yahoo.com/movies/secrets-jurassic-world-set-mosasaurus-gyroscope-121356017737.html
The reason "the bar is set lower" is because in the past few years most rumors turned out to be very true. Diagon Alley with the Hogwarts Express, the return of Kong, Volcano Bay, and the KidZone redo which is obviously what Nintendo will be. Only one that comes to mind that didn't happen is that Lorax ride or any kind of Seuss expansion. Also never said Universal was better than WDW.

Btw, your comparison to a Star Wars battling coaster would only make sense if someone like J.J. Abrams was quoted in the same way as Frank Marshall. Discussions are happening and I'd put faith in the fact that there's over 1 billion reasons something substantial will come from it based on Uni's current track record. At this point we're just going in circles though so I'll just say that I have faith that the rumors I've read on this site and OU are currently accurate for both Disney and Universal but that plans can always change (Monsters Inc. Door Coaster says hello).

 

[Californian Elitist]

Good thing I'm not a theme park/amusement park snob and can enjoy both without comparing them with each other.

 

[Tony Perkis]

Nobody said YOU made up the rumour. What is being said is some vague remark aboit ideas being discussed for JW at Uni has somehow turned in to a guaranteed Gyro ride when nothing of the sort has been 'confirmed'. It would be like people parading a Star Wars battling coaster as confirmed for DHS or Geyser for Frontier.

It really seems like people set the bar lower for Uni here.

Theyre getting a water park (Disney has two), they might get a couple new resorts (Disney has what, 15?), they might get a third gate (Disney already has four), they might surpass DHS briefly in attendance. And then people call this "winning" with a straight face.

For the millionth time, i love Uni for what it is. What its not, at least at this point, is better than WDW. Sorry folks.

I hate these arguments, I really do. The term "winning" is one of the most poorly defined words when referring to these two resorts.

If the term "winning" means "highest attendance", then yeah, Disney is winning. Only a dunce would suggest otherwise. If the term "winning" means "continual investment in attractions that continually push the creative bar up", then Disney is most certainly not winning. Nothing at WDW has eclipsed, creatively, anything Universal Orlando has done in nearly 20 years.

Also, as one poster already said, you can't play this game the way you're playing it. You can't discount a rumor from one resort (which is heavily backed up by people far more in-the-know than either of us are) and credit another from the other resort. That's picking and choosing a battle, and it isn't even a creative manipulation either.

 

[JT3000]

Nobody said YOU made up the rumour. What is being said is some vague remark aboit ideas being discussed for JW at Uni has somehow turned in to a guaranteed Gyro ride when nothing of the sort has been 'confirmed'. It would be like people parading a Star Wars battling coaster as confirmed for DHS or Geyser for Frontier.

That last bit sounds oddly familiar...

It really seems like people set the bar lower for Uni here.

Theyre getting a water park (Disney has two), they might get a couple new resorts (Disney has what, 15?), they might get a third gate (Disney already has four), they might surpass DHS briefly in attendance. And then people call this "winning" with a straight face.

I would argue that you're "lowering the bar" for WDW. Those old developments are nice and all, but what has WDW done for me lately? When's the last time they even UPDATED those water parks? Why are two of their four parks still half-day experiences, with less rides combined than a single Universal park?

And since you insist on likening the situation to winning and losing, this would be like connecting with a lot of punches and then suddenly letting your guard down completely in the 12th round, just standing there, taking an utter beating for the remainder of the fight. Score card might say you're still winning, but will you still be conscious by the time the final bell rings?

For the millionth time, i love Uni for what it is. What its not, at least at this point, is better than WDW. Sorry folks.

What are you sorry for? Your opinion? You're welcome to share it. This is a discussion forum after all. Just don't expect everyone to accept it as fact. This topic in particular is meant for debate. PhotoDave was nice enough to post it in the section where people tend to be pro-Universal, so if you're feeling overwhelmed, blame him.