Can we trust TripAdvisor?

[BradChristian]

I know Pete trust TripAdvisor for hotels... but I can't help but think Universal has some influence on this list.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Attractions-cAmusementParks-g191

However - this may be 100% the Harry Potter effect finally trickling down to the general public. I know us junkies have followed it every step of the way and it is 'so 5 years ago', but it takes time to get into the minds of the general public. Plus universal has been featuring it's pop culture icons a lot more in the advertising where Disney has focused on themes of family.

May be a topic for next week's show...

 

[bear_mom]

It all is based on reviews so if more people are reviewing Universal the Magic Kingdom, then they will be higher on the ranking. From my understanding.

When dh and I were in Hawaii, we went zip lining and when we were done our guide asked us to review them on TA as they had a friendly competition going with another popular tour group to see who could get to the top and stay there. The more positive reviews, the higher they went in the ranking.

Now that doesn't mean that some companies will pay people for positive reviews. Or use other artificial means to go up the rankings.

 

[tjevans]

Anytime you open a rating system up to reviews from the "public," it can be gamed. There was a recent study about someone who created an entry for a non-existent restaurant and got it to be the top-rated restaurant on TA.

EDIT: Any system like this depends on there being enough honest reviews. The system counts on there being more honest reviews, but you also have to use some common sense. I don't place as much emphasis on a place with nothing but perfect reviews, but it only has three reviews, as I do on a place that may have 500 reviews with maybe a 3.5 star rating.

 

[GAN]

It's still the best option out there -can it be gamed? Sure. I tend to look at reviews from people who have a good amount of reviews -thought being, someone like that isn't willing to waste their time writing 50 bogus reviews. Hasn't failed me yet and I've been on some amazing vacations all over the place.

 

[MikeTaylor]

A lot of the negative reviews are the uneducated people using the FP+ system.

 

[NJBrandon]

Of course it has to be rigged because Disney didn't win? Give me a break.

 

[BradChristian]

A lot of the negative reviews are the uneducated people using the FP+ system.

I was thinking that some frustrated FP+ individuals may have had a little influence, but I agree - this is primarily people who don't understand the new system and would get mad if they knew that had to pay big money for universals version.

I know Magic Kingdom by far has the greatest attendance. However - with so much of that being international... I don't know how many of those tourist would write reviews.