Annoyances at US / IOA

[loribell]

I haven't even been to Universal/IOA yet, and I agree with the OP and the thread above... I have seen enough feedback online... I have no doubt that it is true to some degree.

The stories about Halloween at Universal are nothing less than disgusting.

Unfortunately, our trip is planned... DH wanted to try Universal this time. We bought our passes when they were so cheap thru AAA. Thank goodness we have three days planned on a beautiful beach on the Panhandle before Orlando/Universal, so I have something that I am REALLY looking forward to!!!

Because, now that I have been taking a closer look, I am not looking forward to the Universal part of our trip at all.

Believe me, paying big bucks to be accosted by overly loud music, time share hawkers, and the like, is NOT what I consider appropriate.... (I wear a hearing aide, which will be excruciating... and my DS has sensory issues so that he can't stand loud overwhelming noisy situations...)

Ummm, HEY UNIVERSAL... a very considerable percentage of folks who vacation at Orlando are either hearing impaired and wear hearing aides, or are children with sensory issues... etc....

I wish Universal would see this thread...
I would even consider contacting them myself personally.
But, *sigh* I know they have heard these comments before.
Obviously, they just don't give a darn.

They will continue to cater to the lowest common denominator...

That is just plain insulting. In fact it is a rather ignorant thing to say. I am sure Universal would love to have your opinion when you have never set foot in their park. Please do everyone a favor and stay away.

Of course, I do not feel that any comments posted by the OP or myself were meant as any kind of personal attack. The concerns that have been mentioned, such as the overall level of cleanliness/professionalism... subjecting paying guests to be prey to hawkers, an overall 'loud' overwhelming presentation that would bring a local carnival to mind, instead of a world class park. etc... All of these are very general, 'top down' types of things...

In my opinion you did attack me and more importantly my friends.

I did not call anyone 'lowest common denominator'.
I did say that I feel that the parks are sometimes catering towards the lowest common denominator.

Yes you did. This is what you posted before:

I wish Universal would see this thread...
I would even consider contacting them myself personally.
But, *sigh* I know they have heard these comments before.
Obviously, they just don't give a darn.

They will continue to cater to the lowest common denominator...

But, I just wanted to say that there is no need to personally flame somebody for 'gasp' having a differing opinion... or to resort to negative assumptions and name-calling such as 'closed minded', 'snob', 'ignorant' and 'selfish'.

The definition of ignorance:

Ignorance is the state in which a person lacks knowledge, sophistication or intelligence.

Reading others opinions on a message board does not give you knowledge; it gives you opinions. You have been on the dis long enough to know that your "lowest common denominator" phrase would upset those of us that love Universal.

We just got back from our first visit to US/IOA in six years. Here are my top annoyances about both parks:

1. The timeshare people. The crowds were non-existant when we were there (Dec. 9-10) so when they saw us (a couple with no kids in their 30's), we were swarmed. It was especially bad near the exit to Shrek.

Disney has this all over their parks too. It is called the Disney Vacation Club. I am a member of it.

2. The marketing "clipboard" people. My husband and I were both amazed that a theme park would allow something like this in their parks. Very tacky.

I have been accosted multiple times for surveys inside of the Disney parks. I have not at a Universal park.

3. The staggered opening times. Park opens at 9 but some of the areas and rides don't open till 11:00? Ugh. And there was certainly not enough to do to fill up that time.

Toontown opens an hour later than the rest of the MK. I have also been many times when Frontier Land opened an hour later as well.

4. The slovenly appearance of many of the park employees. Huge baggy uniform shirts with huge baggy jeans (Twister), strong body odor (not one but two employees at Shrek and Jimmy Neutron).

I have never seen this.

5. Trash on the streets, even though the park has just opened... most of it confetti and candy from the parade the day before.

I have never seen this either.

6. Hardly any smiles or kind words from any employee. They all seemed to be radiating boredom.

And again I have never seen this. I have encountered several very hateful CM's at Disney though.


I was constantly surprised by the lack of professionalism that plagued both US and IOA. I just really expected for these parks, since they are national and international vacation destinations, would be more like Disney (in cleanliness, friendliness, etc.), but saw that they were more like a day at Six Flags or some other regional park.

I have never experienced any unprofessionalism at either of these parks. They are top notch park jusat as Diseny is.

I know that some people here really like US/IOA, so I hate to sound so negative about it, but I think it's just not for us.

I appreciate that it is not for you. I just wanted to add that I have experienced many of the same negative things at Disney that you did at Universal. I will continue to visit the Disney parks though because I know that everyone makes mistakes.

 

[tlinus]

I haven't even been to Universal/IOA yet, and I agree with the OP and the thread above... I have seen enough feedback online... I have no doubt that it is true to some degree.

To some degree, maybe. But it happens everywhere. How a person can base thier opinion on a place without even visiting is beyond me. Remember - you should never, never "assume" things.

The stories about Halloween at Universal are nothing less than disgusting.

As Metro mentioned, HHN is a separate event with its own crowd. Two totally different things. Like apples and oranges.

Unfortunately, our trip is planned... DH wanted to try Universal this time. We bought our passes when they were so cheap thru AAA. Thank goodness we have three days planned on a beautiful beach on the Panhandle before Orlando/Universal, so I have something that I am REALLY looking forward to!!!

If you really don't want to go - don't go. Stay at the beach. DH is willing to go in with open eyes and not a pre-conceived notion. Will it really ruin your vacation to try something different? Read some of the trip reports - there are plenty out there and you can see for yourself that Uni/IOA is not bad at all.

Because, now that I have been taking a closer look, I am not looking forward to the Universal part of our trip at all.

Where are you looking? Have you asked anyone on the UNIVERSAL side about Universal?? If you are asking on the Disney side, then you are not looking in the right place. There are some real Universal haters over there. Just because it is not Disney, they hate it......true and factual information. We see it all the time.

Believe me, paying big bucks to be accosted by overly loud music, time share hawkers, and the like, is NOT what I consider appropriate.... (I wear a hearing aide, which will be excruciating... and my DS has sensory issues so that he can't stand loud overwhelming noisy situations...)

Ummm, HEY UNIVERSAL... a very considerable percentage of folks who vacation at Orlando are either hearing impaired and wear hearing aides, or are children with sensory issues... etc....

The music is not all that loud. I think the loudest is standing under/around the speakers in Marvel, but its not so loud that you can't hear yourself think. Minor annoyance, but not a vacation buster for us - go and form your own opinion. But don't go with the negative attitude. Time share hawkers are in Disney too....just no need to make eye contact. My kids were given stickers by the DVC stand by Tomorrowland and when I thanked them, that gave them their opening for their spiel.....so they DO exist in Disney.

I wish Universal would see this thread...
I would even consider contacting them myself personally.
But, *sigh* I know they have heard these comments before.
Obviously, they just don't give a darn.

NEWS FLASH!! There are Universal employees on these boards. Guest services on through Team Members. And unlike your statement (statement without first hand knowledge), they do give a darn. We have experienced TMs go out of their way, so do not think for one second that the employees or the corporation do not care. You don't know that for a fact!

They will continue to cater to the lowest common denominator...

I do take this as a personal jab. Who do you think you are to call alot of us the lowest common denominator? What makes you so superior? You are directly insulting a large fan group base by insinuating we are on the bottom rung of the social scale. I am not a thug, or a lowest common denominator, or a hood or trashy. I am an upper middle class mother of three with a wonderful hardworking husband who makes a great salary and we enjoy our Universal end of our vacations way more that the Disney end. (Yes we go to both!) My children are 13, 9 and 7 and they really don't WANT to do Disney ever again. Maybe just EPCOT, but they prefer staying onsite at Uni and going to those parks.

You started this "debate", I do not want this thread locked, but I will say do not make innuendos or statements on something that you have not experienced. You are basing your whole idea of a place that some of us hold dear, on someone else's opinion. That kind of thinking is sort of shallow.

Off the soapbox now.

Thanks to Lori, Barb, mac, Jodie, Metro, DD, janet, Bev, Penny, inkkognito and all the others for their input as well......it just gets so old sometimes, you know??

 

[bubba's mom]

Thanks to Lori, Barb, mac, Jodie, Metro, DD, janet, Bev, Penny, inkkognito and all the others for their input as well...... it just gets so old sometimes, you know??

 

[Writersblock15]

I agree with the loud music at the marvel area.

 

[pixeegrl]

We had a WONDERFUL time this past week and have no complaints! Oh yeah, we did have one! Do they pipe the water in from ALASKA on Dudley Do Right's Ripsaw Falls? All I can say is BBBRRRRRR!

 

[ldmilton]

Because, now that I have been taking a closer look, I am not looking forward to the Universal part of our trip at all.

I am a firm believer that you get what you expect. Seriously, Wishing, stay away from UO. No matter how much mummy dust is sprinkled about, you will hate it, because you already expect it to be inferior.

DH and I will venture to the darkside for the first time this March (we've had to cancel this trip twice this year, but this time we are going) I too have been doing a lot of research and have read the good and the bad, but unlike Wishing, I EXPECT to have a fabulous time! I have already enjoyed the "non-planning" planning part...sooo much easier than getting ready for WDW. I know that this vacation will not be perfect...I may run into a grumpy team member or notorious UO "thug", or see trash on the ground, or maybe it will rain the entire week we are there...so what! I AM ON VACATION! And I will have a wonderful time because that is what I expect!!

 

[macraven]

i like how idmilton thinks.

 

[Metro West]

We had a WONDERFUL time this past week and have no complaints! Oh yeah, we did have one! Do they pipe the water in from ALASKA on Dudley Do Right's Ripsaw Falls? All I can say is BBBRRRRRR!

 

[GuestServicesMonkey]

-- We did tell the timeshare and marketing people we weren't interested. However, like other people have commented on this thread, it gets annoying to have them come up to you numerous times.

I certainly didn't say that we didn't have fun in the parks the days that we were there. The crowds were light, we were able to ride all the rides and attractions that interested us, and we even got to be balloon handlers in the parade!

Hrmm. Chances are you were approached by a person in a jumpsuit asking if you wanted to be in the parade. So, therefore we can deduce that you enjoy being accosted by 'clipboard' people when it is something you want and are interested in... likely, you wouldn't have been in the parade unless somebody asked you.