Will UOR be better than WDW?

[EricsBiscuit]

With new land recently purchased by Uni, they could easily build multiple parks and hotels. If all the projects are the same level of the Harry Potter lands, and they build 2 more complete parks, Disney may have some serious trouble on their hands.

https://www.themeparktourist.com/ne...heme-park-expansion-plan-just-got-much-bigger

 

[wdwmagic]

Competition is great for the guests.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

Competition is great for the guests.

Competition is indeed always great for the consumer!

 

[Bender123]

Competition is great for the guests.

Universal completely caught WDW with its pants down with Harry Potter and we wont see the outcome until Star Wars Land opens. What we do know is that the original Star Wars land was scrapped after Harry Potter, for not being good enough. We also know that the recent uptick in Universal attendance has caused many of the big projects to move forward, including GoG, EPCOT rebuild, Rat, etc...

Competition is, indeed, good for the guests. Lets hope the pressure eventually extends to prices...

 

[Edward M]

I will say no actually. I think that Universal is smarter with the way they build attractions quickly and efficiently. Unlike with Disney, Universal always seems to have some kind of new addition every time I visit. However, Disney World has nearly 20 years of age over Universal. It has had a lot more time to develop, add parks, and feel like a more complete experience. A trip to Universal is a trip to a theme park, but a trip to Disney is a trip to a resort. There's just much more to it, and it's the size of Manhattan after all! It doesn't need to rush more attractions because most of the parks (arguably) already have enough attractions. Universal may have beaten Disney with Harry Potter, but I have little doubt that Star Wars Land will blow Potter out of the water. Ultimately, Disney has more money and (sorry) more talent. They are not good at building quickly, but, by 2021, Disney World will be much, much better than Universal.

 

[brb1006]

No

 

[thomas998]

With new land recently purchased by Uni, they could easily build multiple parks and hotels. If all the projects are the same level of the Harry Potter lands, and they build 2 more complete parks, Disney may have some serious trouble on their hands.

https://www.themeparktourist.com/ne...heme-park-expansion-plan-just-got-much-bigger

While I enjoy some of the rides at UOR there is a difference in what the two parks seem to target. Disney goes for the younger kids, UOR tends to aim for a higher age demographic. Yes UOR has their Dr. Suess junk, but those rides are pretty lame and will not hold the attention of a young kid for long. Harry Potter while decent rides are not the best queues in the world they are a bit hit or miss on the theme integration at UOR.

Frankly UOR also tends to go overboard on the motion simulators which I find kid of boring, If UOR is to be a real threat to Disney they will need to do something more to get the interest of the really small kids. As it is Disney has the market for the very young kids and then gives up those guests to UOR when they become teens.. which isn't a bad deal as Disney isn't hurting for guests so why should they care if the teens leave them?

 

[thomas998]

I will say no actually. I think that Universal is smarter with the way they build attractions quickly and efficiently. Unlike with Disney, Universal always seems to have some kind of new addition every time I visit. However, Disney World has nearly 20 years of age over Universal. It has had a lot more time to develop, add parks, and feel like a more complete experience. A trip to Universal is a trip to a theme park, but a trip to Disney is a trip to a resort. There's just much more to it, and it's the size of Manhattan after all! It doesn't need to rush more attractions because most of the parks (arguably) already have enough attractions. Universal may have beaten Disney with Harry Potter, but I have little doubt that Star Wars Land will blow Potter out of the water. Ultimately, Disney has more money and (sorry) more talent. They are not good at building quickly, but, by 2021, Disney World will be much, much better than Universal.

Because it isn't very hard to build rides when they are either motion simulators or coasters that they just slap some overlay on. The state fair near us can throw up rides in less than a week but it doesn't mean they are on the same level as a Disney or even UOR ride. The time they take to put something up isn't nearly as critical as the quality of the ride after it is completed.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

I think if Uni builds 2 more parks that are complete and entirely made up of highly themed areas UNI will have beaten Disney at theme parks. The stuff Disney is doing doesn't seem to be enough IMO.

 

[Bender123]

I think if Uni builds 2 more parks that are complete and entirely made up of highly themed areas UNI will have beaten Disney at theme parks. The stuff Disney is doing doesn't seem to be enough IMO.

UNI is never going to build two fully decked out and fully themed parks anywhere in the next 50 years. It has deep pockets, but not that deep. UNI is getting better, but it is nowhere near Disney...

 

[EricsBiscuit]

UNI is never going to build two fully decked out and fully themed parks anywhere in the next 50 years. It has deep pockets, but not that deep. UNI is getting better, but it is nowhere near Disney...

Comcast I believe is a much larger company.

 

[Bender123]

Comcast I believe is a much larger company.

Depending on the day, they are virtually identical. You need to remember that this goes back decades. Disney, as an organization, became hostile takeover bait after Epcot was built. In addition, Disney bought the land on the cheap and most of the foreign parks are partnerships/franchise parks with cost sharing.

Just for reference on how much these cost, Pandora, with two rides, was over $500 Million. A new park on the scale of Disneyland Hong Kong was over $2 Billion.

 

[bhg469]

With new land recently purchased by Uni, they could easily build multiple parks and hotels. If all the projects are the same level of the Harry Potter lands, and they build 2 more complete parks, Disney may have some serious trouble on their hands.

https://www.themeparktourist.com/ne...heme-park-expansion-plan-just-got-much-bigger

If you ask most disney forums, no never! If you ask people who have the ability to reason, currently MK is probably the only Disney park that is better than USO and IOA. I have no doubt that when star wars opens, that will move DHS to the #2 spot again. Universal has had a bit of a slow down and thats to be expected when they opened the two best and most immersive lands in Orlando in a row. What they do with this land could be a theme park fans dream. I really hope it is. Like the boss said "competition is great for guests"

So if you mean Disney will worry about losing more guests for a few days... Yes they should absolutely worry. Potter got people to leave Disney world for a day, that is huge for a park with no competition. Anyone who doesnt think Disney isnt worried a little bit? Youre out of your mind. Without universal, Disney would have never built new fantasy land, pandora would not be there and star wars would proably not be half of the scope that it should be.

 

[Mander]

The fact that Disney and Universal compete is great to guests of both parks.

To say whether UOR will ever be better than WDW? I think it's completely subjective.

I was last at a Universal park in 2011. We went to IoA specifically to see Harry Potter. I'll give credit it where it is due, as a long time HP fan they brought tears to my eyes. I really enjoyed my time there. The rest of the park? Not so much. In fact, I very much so remember being unimpressed and wishing we could visit Disney instead. To the point that despite having been back in Orlando several times, I've never gone back. Not even the opening of Diagon Alley convinced me. We actually looked at spending a day at UOR on our trip in January but the cost of a one day park to park ticket was a bit much when all we were interested in was HP. So instead we added an additional day to our Disney tickets. Until Universal adds something else, (Nintendo?) we won't be back. It just doesn't have the "magic" that Disney does.

I say all this knowing that someone out there has the exact opposite opinion. Neither of us are wrong.

Then there are all the folks who visit both and don't feel passionately about either.

I hope both remain successful and innovative for a long time to come.

 

[bhg469]

The fact that Disney and Universal compete is great to guests of both parks.

To say whether UOR will ever be better than WDW? I think it's completely subjective.

I was last at a Universal park in 2011. We went to IoA specifically to see Harry Potter. I'll give credit it where it is due, as a long time HP fan they brought tears to my eyes. I really enjoyed my time there. The rest of the park? Not so much. In fact, I very much so remember being unimpressed and wishing we could visit Disney instead. To the point that despite having been back in Orlando several times, I've never gone back. Not even the opening of Diagon Alley convinced me. We actually looked at spending a day at UOR on our trip in January but the cost of a one day park to park ticket was a bit much when all we were interested in was HP. So instead we added an additional day to our Disney tickets. Until Universal adds something else, (Nintendo?) we won't be back. It just doesn't have the "magic" that Disney does.

I say all this knowing that someone out there has the exact opposite opinion. Neither of us are wrong.

Then there are all the folks who visit both and don't feel passionately about either.

I hope both remain successful and innovative for a long time to come.

For me, I had not been to Universal in like 15 years. Wizarding world piqued my interest so I went, and like you I thought it was great. I did however find that the springfield update was almost as cool for me. Walking in moes, you would have had to punch me in the face to knock the smile off. Not enough people give that part of the park credit for it being so spot on from the show. So much fun stuff going on in there it is really a nod do fans of the show.

Diagon Alley is a whole other reason to go, You could easily spend 3x as long investigating every nook of the place. Still to this date the best theme park addition to any orlando park. My last two visits to FL were for work and I had a friend get me into WDW for free, well I feel like I still paid too much! Pandora wasnt open yet, so there was nothing new to look at but construction walls. All the rides were packed and restaurants were mobbed with princess marathon participants.

But nintendo? a third gate? it is going to be an amazing time to be a fan of these parks.

 

[RHCP Mickey]

I think if Uni builds 2 more parks that are complete and entirely made up of highly themed areas UNI will have beaten Disney at theme parks. The stuff Disney is doing doesn't seem to be enough IMO.

Harry Potter is an insanely unique IP. I don't think there's another story (Star Wars excepted), Disney or otherwise, that could even approach the universal adoration that it receives. I also think Harry Potter presents a story and setting that are easily replicated in a "park land" format, compared to other large scale fantasy stories (GoT, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, etc.). There are plenty of themed lands that I would love to see in both UOR and WDW (that might be a fun thread?), but I don't think that any individual subject would be as poised for success as Harry Potter was. And even given its success, it still only houses two legit rides! That said, I hope UOR keeps producing quality additions which force WDW to improve its offerings past the 50th.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

The fact that Disney and Universal compete is great to guests of both parks.

To say whether UOR will ever be better than WDW? I think it's completely subjective.

I was last at a Universal park in 2011. We went to IoA specifically to see Harry Potter. I'll give credit it where it is due, as a long time HP fan they brought tears to my eyes. I really enjoyed my time there. The rest of the park? Not so much. In fact, I very much so remember being unimpressed and wishing we could visit Disney instead. To the point that despite having been back in Orlando several times, I've never gone back. Not even the opening of Diagon Alley convinced me. We actually looked at spending a day at UOR on our trip in January but the cost of a one day park to park ticket was a bit much when all we were interested in was HP. So instead we added an additional day to our Disney tickets. Until Universal adds something else, (Nintendo?) we won't be back. It just doesn't have the "magic" that Disney does.

I say all this knowing that someone out there has the exact opposite opinion. Neither of us are wrong.

Then there are all the folks who visit both and don't feel passionately about either.

I hope both remain successful and innovative for a long time to come.

To be fair HP is the first stage of Uni's transition into a real theme park. With more HP attractions (MoM, the rollercoaster etc.), I Uni O Park will be on par or better than DHS and possibly even Epcot!

 

[Mander]

For me, I had not been to Universal in like 15 years. Wizarding world piqued my interest so I went, and like you I thought it was great. I did however find that the springfield update was almost as cool for me. Walking in moes, you would have had to punch me in the face to knock the smile off. Not enough people give that part of the park credit for it being so spot on from the show. So much fun stuff going on in there it is really a nod do fans of the show.

Diagon Alley is a whole other reason to go, You could easily spend 3x as long investigating every nook of the place. Still to this date the best theme park addition to any orlando park. My last two visits to FL were for work and I had a friend get me into WDW for free, well I feel like I still paid too much! Pandora wasnt open yet, so there was nothing new to look at but construction walls. All the rides were packed and restaurants were mobbed with princess marathon participants.

I really do want to see Diagon Alley. I've heard nothing but good things. Even just seeing that is $240 for the two of us compared to our $40 6th day at Disney. I can see what you say about Springfield but as someone who doesn't watch The Simpsons, the quality is lost on me. I'd be game for a Bob's Burgers land though!

The last time I was at Disney World (I've been to DL more recently) was 2015. Animal Kingdom was definitely under a lot of construction- for both Pandora and Rivers of Light. I still loved it! The theming in that park is incredible to me. It feels like no other theme park I've been to. Even then, I'd say it's well worth the cost of a ticket. Pandora likely makes it more so. I'm really looking forward to visiting again. Honestly, I'm sure I view Disney through rose colored glasses but I've never had a disappointing day in any of the parks. That will keep me coming back!

 

[bhg469]

I really do want to see Diagon Alley. I've heard nothing but good things. Even just seeing that is $240 for the two of us compared to our $40 6th day at Disney. I can see what you say about Springfield but as someone who doesn't watch The Simpsons, the quality is lost on me. I'd be game for a Bob's Burgers land though!

The last time I was at Disney World (I've been to DL more recently) was 2015. Animal Kingdom was definitely under a lot of construction- for both Pandora and Rivers of Light. I still loved it! The theming in that park is incredible to me. It feels like no other theme park I've been to. Even then, I'd say it's well worth the cost of a ticket. Pandora likely makes it more so. I'm really looking forward to visiting again. Honestly, I'm sure I view Disney through rose colored glasses but I've never had a disappointing day in any of the parks. That will keep me coming back!

I was in DL a few months ago and i think that ruined WDW even more for me I just cannot get my love for the place back. It feels like theyre making all the wrong moves.

 

[Mander]

To be fair HP is the first stage of Uni's transition into a real theme park. With more HP attractions (MoM, the rollercoaster etc.), I Uni O Park will be on par or better than DHS and possibly even Epcot!

I'd be willing to consider going in the future if they add enough. Right now, it just isn't there. Even as much as I love Harry Potter, it'd be nice to have another land to enjoy. It's why I think Nintendo coming to Universal could be really interesting. That plus HP would likely get me to visit again. I'd probably visit now if I could Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, and the Hogwarts Express all in one park.

I still think HS will be better when you consider Star Wars, Toy Story, ToT, and RnRC but again, that's just my opinion.