Back from Harry Potter and never again.

[sm4987]

Tinydancer and bumbershoot, Thanks for the welcome. Bumbershoot I will check out the trip report.

I am really looking forward to this trip!

 

[Tink2Day]

Hmmm, maybe the original commercial but the new one?

Still most people planning a trip would at least try to look it up.

There's that word 'planning' again


Oh and what is it they say about intelligence but no common sense

JUST KIDDING (I think).

 

[tinydancer09]

Hmmm, maybe the original commercial but the new one?

Still most people planning a trip would at least try to look it up.

There's that word 'planning' again


Oh and what is it they say about intelligence but no common sense

JUST KIDDING (I think).

You've got a bit of fire behind those wings dont you tink?

I'm not even going to tell you what character I was in the ballet

 

[bumbershoot]

Hmmm, maybe the original commercial but the new one?

Well, they are ALL about the DVR, so the fact that they even saw ONE commercial about it is shocking to me.

And they aren't planning a trip at this time...they just know that we went (and they were invited but couldn't get away from work plus they had a terribly ill cat) and that we're going again (and they are invited again). I would hope that if they started to plan, they would find it out on their own... But still.

Then again, he was an incredibly late adopter to the Disney FP system, and completely ignored my attempts to explain it to them... Part of me thinks he *likes* standing in line for longer periods of time!

 

[Ohiodislover]

Well when I read the title I got all freaked out. Then I read the whole post and calmed down a bit.

I am going for the first time to Universal this summer after years of doing nothing but Disney. I'm not going to Disney at all because I want to experience the other side of Orlando for once. We are staying on property have multi-day tickets and tickets to Sea World also.

I am not expecting it to be anything like Disney. Don't get me wrong boy do I love Disney but I am looking forward to another experience and hopefully a different experience so that when we do make it back to Orlando again, I won't feel like Disney is the only thing my family can do and have fun.

This is the exact same vacation as you. Yes we will miss Disney, and quite frankly, will miss Epcot and the flower and wine show. But willing and looking forward to Universal.

Enjoy your trip, and I'm sure we will too

I have friends who thought Harry Potter had his own park also But it was a more "wondering" question rather than an assumption

 

[2tink4u]

WEll, KUDOS, to Universal for building such a hot, popular place that everyone loves. The OP did say it was awesome.

In trying to replicate, I think, they made the area a little too small. However, I"m told it really looks like Hogsmeade. What is wrong with that?

I love Disney, but I feel for the size of them, they add new stuff with awesome up to date technology infrequently.

So, Universal will get my dollars this year and be rewarded for going for it big time.

The spending of dollars will encourage them to build these awesome experiences and maybe get Disney off it's but to consider doing the same.

With todays technology Magic Mountain could be really fabulous and 4D. I'de like to see them be more aggressive about update, refresh, refurbish, replace.

Universal seems to have this concept. So, good on them.

I agree people should be more aware of what their getting into. But let's face it, many of them are just looking for the magic and don't even know these boards exist.

I'm not saying anyone is wrong at all. Just be understanding.

 

[2tink4u]

Ps,
You guys are awesome and knowledgeable and deserve a reward for your efforts to steer people away from the misery......

 

[damo]

I agree people should be more aware of what their getting into. But let's face it, many of them are just looking for the magic and don't even know these boards exist.

I'm not saying anyone is wrong at all. Just be understanding.

Lol, the OP had no trouble finding this board to complain.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

OP, sorry you did not have a good trip to Universal. A trip to Universal requires advanced planning as much as a trip to Disney, particularly if you go at a busy time to a very popular section of the park. The PPs are right that the info was all over this board to help you have a better trip.

As someone who loves both Disney and Universal and who thinks they both have excellent rides, theming and cast/team members, it is not surprising that you have been called out on this board for suggesting Disney does something better than Universal. I have been called out for daring to suggest Disney might do one thing better, even as I point out that Universal does something else better. It's the nature of the boards - fans of both places are very loyal and a bit defensive, present company included sometimes. In general, I think they are both fairly equal overall - just different. For me personally, Universal does some things better and Disney does some things better, but they are both very worthy of my time and vacation dollar.

We are doing only Universal this year - we did Disney and Universal last year and agreed that we want to spend more time at Universal this summer. But even having been to WWOHP last year and to Universal several times, I wouldn't go without a plan. IMO, Universal deserves to be more than a side trip during someone's vacation - there was so much to enjoy even before WWOHP opened, and it keeps getting better and better.

 

[Bluer101]

IMO, Universal deserves to be more than a side trip during someone's vacation.

I think this best describes what happened to the OP.

"Hey, look a new Harry Potter Land in Orlando, lets stop by and take a look"

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Lol, the OP had no trouble finding this board to complain.

MTE!!! I always laugh when I read posts that are so anti-Universal and then realize that it was simply poor planning that caused most of the headaches.

We have APs and visited last August hoping to be able to ride FJ, but realizing (and warning the kids) that it might be too crowded to ride, but we'd at least get to see the area and have a butterbeer. Much to our delight we were able to ride (the girls got to ride 2x - once with me and once with DH) and we spent most of the rest of the day soaking in the ambiance of the area.

 

[AMG]

Wow.

I never had a post cause so much controversy. I don't know whether to be honored or horrified. I guess walking into a hen house eating fried chicken was not the best decision. Let me just state this and hopefully this will end peacefully.

I honestly have read most of these posts and I will concede that you all have solid points. Maybe if I explain my whole story, I may redeem myself…or maybe not.

First, I am not a Universal hater, nor am I a Disney fanatic. This was a Christmas gift from me to my family including 5 children who had never been to either Disney or Universal before. This was going to be their only trip (probably ever) and I wanted to make it magical. (Excuse the Disney reference). I planned this trip for 18 months in painstaking detail to make sure all went well. Although Disney was our main focus, the younger children were HUGE fans of Harry Potter and I did not want this trip to go by without seeing it.

Second, I knew the cost going in and that was never a factor. The fact that we only had one day in the park meant we had to get everything done in one shot. When the children did not get to see the castle because we were pushed through, and did not get into the stores because of the lines, I was disappointed because I knew we would not be back and yes I probably felt to blame for that.

The staff was a bid rude at times and yes in my opinion the park was not up to what I had seen in Disney, but I think my frustration and disappointment for the children may have contributed to my attitude. As far as Disney, we waited in longs lines there to and if we had gone there for only one day, I would have had the same opinion of that park as well.

Should I have planned better, yes. Should we have stayed in the park for a few days to get the true feel for it, yes. Should I have emailed my original post to myself and then burned it, yes. But, what’s done is done.

My apologies to anyone who was offended by my post. I was just venting as a result of not being able to enjoy what I believed to be a FABULOUS park.

AMG

 

[Bluer101]

Wow.

I never had a post cause so much controversy. I don't know whether to be honored or horrified. I guess walking into a hen house eating fried chicken was not the best decision. Let me just state this and hopefully this will end peacefully.

I honestly have read most of these posts and I will concede that you all have solid points. Maybe if I explain my whole story, I may redeem myself…or maybe not.

First, I am not a Universal hater, nor am I a Disney fanatic. This was a Christmas gift from me to my family including 5 children who had never been to either Disney or Universal before. This was going to be their only trip (probably ever) and I wanted to make it magical. (Excuse the Disney reference). I planned this trip for 18 months in painstaking detail to make sure all went well. Although Disney was our main focus, the younger children were HUGE fans of Harry Potter and I did not want this trip to go by without seeing it.

Second, I knew the cost going in and that was never a factor. The fact that we only had one day in the park meant we had to get everything done in one shot. When the children did not get to see the castle because we were pushed through, and did not get into the stores because of the lines, I was disappointed because I knew we would not be back and yes I probably felt to blame for that.

The staff was a bid rude at times and yes in my opinion the park was not up to what I had seen in Disney, but I think my frustration and disappointment for the children may have contributed to my attitude. As far as Disney, we waited in longs lines there to and if we had gone there for only one day, I would have had the same opinion of that park as well.

Should I have planned better, yes. Should we have stayed in the park for a few days to get the true feel for it, yes. Should I have emailed my original post to myself and then burned it, yes. But, what’s done is done.

My apologies to anyone who was offended by my post. I was just venting as a result of not being able to enjoy what I believed to be a FABULOUS park.

AMG

I'm not offended at all, but now I could understand your frustration. What is done is done and I'm glad you came back to sum it up. Maybe someday your family can get back and really spend some more time to enjoy Universal Resorts.

 

[SmallWorld71]

FWIW - Sometimes the perfect storm can happen and you just have a miserable day at a park. For me, it was my first visit to DHS. It was awful. I came away hating the park and wondering how Disney could not be embarrassed to have their name on it. If it was up to me, I probably never would have gone back. Fast forward to another trip with some friends who convinced me to give it another try and I reluctantly went. We had a blast!

We visited WWOHP a bunch of times on our trip. Most of the days were great. But, there was one where FJ broke down, there were lines to get into stores and lines to get into the land itself. I commented to DH that if this had been our only day, we would have been sorely disappointed and missed out on what was so amazing and incredible!

The same was true of SeaWorld. Our first day was quiet and we saw things multiple times. The second day we had bad weather, it was crowded and our favorite ride was down. Without that first day, we wouldn't have thought too much of a fabulous park.

Really, if I think about my Disney vacations, there is always a day or two that stick out as being great. It's not a reflection of the parks themselves, really, but more of a reflection of our luck in touring that day, our moods....tons of things.

OP - I am very sorry that your day didn't go well. But, it's really not that Disney does things better than Universal or the other way around. I've encountered lots of fabulous CM's over the years and some that were downright rude. I've walked onto Space Mountain on one day and seen lines for the TTA on another. Same type of thing holds true for Universal. Hopefully you will be able to visit UO another time and get to see how much it really has to offer in it's own right even if it isn't in the near future.

 

[damo]

AMG, probably if you would have left out the disney vs. Universal comparisons we would have been a lot more sympathetic. We really want everyone to love the parks as much as we do and are dedicated here to coaching people on how to have a wonderful vacation. So when someone comes along and in one post puts so much doubt into new visitors' minds about visiting the "Harry Potter Park", it is really tough to swallow and we are all quick on the damage control.

 

[tinydancer09]

AMG, probably if you would have left out the disney vs. Universal comparisons we would have been a lot more sympathetic. We really want everyone to love the parks as much as we do and are dedicated here to coaching people on how to have a wonderful vacation. So when someone comes along and in one post puts so much doubt into new visitors' minds about visiting the "Harry Potter Park", it is really tough to swallow and we are all quick on the damage control.

 

[ky07]

AMG, probably if you would have left out the disney vs. Universal comparisons we would have been a lot more sympathetic. We really want everyone to love the parks as much as we do and are dedicated here to coaching people on how to have a wonderful vacation. So when someone comes along and in one post puts so much doubt into new visitors' minds about visiting the "Harry Potter Park", it is really tough to swallow and we are all quick on the damage control.

 

[dolphindan1]

I am a Disney Nut...Love most things Disney...I spend most of my time on the Disney Board...BUT let me tell you I adore Universal, SW and BG....Theming at Universal is easily on par with Disney...experience's are amazing at both destinations...I have yet to experience Harry Potter but plan to in Sept...we havent been to Universal in 2 trips...we were waiting on HP to be completed...We went to Disney this past Nov and we saw the castle from I-4 and was amazed....we cant wait to experience it...

I will never ever put down Universal...but you will never get me to say anything good about DHS I despise that park for some reason...I like RnR, ToT and TSM...I just dont like being in that park...cant explain it...our new love is BG first time in 2009 and we have gone every trip since then...love the coasters

 

[Seeker615]

OP - I too have many a time been frustrated and then vented and later wish I could take it back.

My first visit to Disney and Universal I was totally unprepared and I planned the trip poorly. Plus it was spring break to boot! I remember one point at the Magic Kingdom we were in line for over an hour for Splash Mountain and I just wanted to jump off the dang mountain as line went on what seemed like forever!!! I was not feeling the magic for sure!

When I went back a few years later I planned out everything and used boards like these as well as few good books and it was a totally different experience.

I am heading back to Universal in late August and I am doing a ton of planning so we can get the most out of our short trip.

 

[sk!mom]

I'm a Disney freak and going to Universal for the first time this year but won't be knocking it. They are two different parks. So please don't lump all of us Disney Freaks all in one group. Simply not fair to stereotype.

Sounds like the OP didn't plan to me. I fully expect waiting and crowds when we go. My sister and I are HUGE, HUGE, HUGE Harry Potter fans. If all I get to do is ride FL once and drink a butterbeer, I'd be happy. I think it's all about expectations before you go. We simply expect to see whatever we can of WWoHP and the rest of the park, however, crowded it may be since we chose only one day to go. I think for us it's more the experience then what we will accomplish in the day. However, I think with planning, we'll accomplish a lot more than the OP. If they were handing out return times, I don't think the OP got their at RD which I think is probably a must do, especially during spring break crowds.

I'm also a Disney Freak!! We've left WDW on one trip for only one day trip to IOA. We liked it but didn't feel the need to return. And then Harry came along...I am also in full planning mode! We said after that one day trip, that if we ever returned to Universal we would stay onsite for FOTL. We're booked at HRH for two nights, we'll be at the gate by 7:30 am those two mornings, and we'll hot foot it to the castle.

If DD15, gets to see the castle, ride FJ, buy a wand, and drink some butterbeer, it will be a perfect day! No waiting in line or managing fastpasses in the rest of the two parks will be icing on our cake!

I'm surprised the OP would spend so much with such a negative attitude going in. Of course, $800 sounds like a monstrous amount to someone with a small family and I realize that for such a large family an amount that large spent on one day of vacation would be fairly common. Imagine what Disney was costing per day.