Changing from Disney to Universal - Anyone Else?

[simonkodousek]

Has anyone else felt the lack of desire to return to Disney following a trip to Universal?

I just don't have the driving ambition to return to Disney after my vacation to Universal last month. To me, the quality of product for the amount of money spent, is astronomically higher at Universal.

I absolutely love Disney and couldn't imagine my life without it, but some of the decisions coming out of the corporate offices are pushing me (and I'm sure, many other people) to consider other locations to vacation.

Anyone else feel this way?

 

[KatMark]

Has anyone else felt the lack of desire to return to Disney following a trip to Universal?

I just don't have the driving ambition to return to Disney after my vacation to Universal last month. To me, the quality of product for the amount of money spent, is astronomically higher at Universal.

I absolutely love Disney and couldn't imagine my life without it, but some of the decisions coming out of the corporate offices are pushing me (and I'm sure, many other people) to consider other locations to vacation.

Anyone else feel this way?

Nope. Haven't been to Universal in three years and in no hurry to go back. Now this could be because DH and I are both over 50 and aren't into the roller coasters, Harry Potter, etc. We have no complaints about Disney from any of our recent trips.

 

[wdwfreeksince88]

I would have to say no also. Now we journey to Sea World quite a bit. We have annual passes to both Disney & Sea World. I have a friend that works at Universal so we get free passes when we do choose to go. Usually we only go during Mardi Gras for a concert. But I can't see the value per dollar there as I am not the normal tourist. But Universal just isn't our fav. It might be some peoples but not ours. Different strokes for different folks. Universal appeals to some people just as Disney appeals to some. There is nothing wrong with Universal we just find for us it is only a once every year or two kind of park. Disney on the other hand(mainly Epcot) and also Sea World for us we use sort of like most people use there local park for. I know John & Kevin have said on the podcast they do the same. All the parks have great entertainment to dollar value some just have a little more. Alot of that depends what you are into. We are not into Spiderman, Hulk, and some other things Universal has. But there are things there we like also. It all depends on the person and what you like and that is how you get good entertainment value to your dollar. Hope that makes sense.

 

[mainegal]

I want to do them all!

 

[*NikkiBell*]

Absolutely not. I was made to go to Universal about a week ago by my boyfriend's friend. I found it to be of a lower quality than Disney. I also thought that the park was dirty and many of the attractions were either poking fun at WDW or blatant rip offs. Not trying to start a debate. These are my personal opinions.

With this being said, we will only return to Universal to see Harry Potter and not after that. From what I learned during my Dine with a Disney Imagineer luncheon, that will be a disappointment and not a must see every FL trip.

 

[MM32830]

I have APs at all three parks but I frequent Disney far more than the other two.



__________________
Armand

 

[klam_chowder]

Not changing but branching out. After 2 trips to WDW, we're going to only visit US/KSC/SW next month. We do like coasters and am excited to feel the differences btwn the big 2 parks. Disclaimer: we're spending a couple of days in DLR first so I'll have had a Disney fix

cheers,

 

[mikelan6]

I'm all for visiting different places around the world, but WDW is still the King of the theme parks.

 

[ADP]

Universal is a nice compliment to a Disney trip. I find Universal a better value if you do it the right way.

 

[kaligal]

The parks are all great. It's hard to compare any of the parks. Even AK and MK are so different. I do like the Uni parks every bit as much as WDW, though.

Uni hotels and transportation have WDW beat, IMO. But the parks are all worth a day or two.

 

[Poohbug]

Yes, as a matter of fact we will be focusing our next trip around Universal and not around Disney.

This decision is not really because of corporate rulings. They come from the feeling of relaxation and peace I felt while walking into IOA last spring after spending a week at WDW. The US parks are just different than Disney and I am O.K. with that. No rushing around, time to ride everything, multiple times and the food at US is great(and cheaper).

I still love Disney and I'm sure I will return-we are just going to branch out and do some other stuff too.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

We like them both. DS14 prefers Universal over Disney now since he really enjoys all the coasters.

If we end up going to see DS14 play in his band on Memorial Weekend, we've been talking about adding a couple of days at Universal/IOA for something different.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

I'm not crazy about Universal/IoA (that may change once I see Harry Potter), but I certainly like to branch out to other parks. Personally, I think I will want to get over to Busch Gardens/Tampa on my next trip of any length, and I really need to get on the new attractions at SeaWorld!

 

[wishspirit]

As someone who isn't keen on the big coasters (you couldn't pay me to get on Duelling Dragons or the Hulk.... ok maybe I would if If you paid for DAP or PCC 2.0 ), there isn't the thrill of the coasters to entice me in. Plus the reviews of the new one sound horrid!

I admit I do love the Popeye raft ride (the other animated stuff, like Ripsaw falls, means nothing to me as they aren't shown in the UK), and Revenge of the Mummy. Yet there are a lot of things I can't/ am too afraid to do. The only thing I won't do at Disney is Mission Space (and American Idol ), so I feel there is a lot more for me there, plus the theming and the extras.

That being said, I will hopefully be going in June with my boyfriend for a few days. I am not sure if we will take a taxi over or stay at one of the resorts (cost depending) but that will be for maybe 3/4 days of a 2 week trip (including seaworld), the rest will be spent firmly on Disney property (maybe going off for a little shopping! )

So I will go again, but Disney is my base.

 

[Launchpad11B]

Nope. The other parks are fun but Disney is why I go to Orlando.

 

[PeterPan09]

I have APs at all three parks but I frequent Disney far more than the other two.



__________________
Armand

I'm a "townie", and I have AP's at both Universal and Disney, but I really get far more use out of my Disney passes. The main reason is that I won't pay the additional $$$ at Universal for the Express Pass, and without one it's pretty tough to get on the good rides on a weekend afternoon or after work trip. When "Potter-Land" opens it will only get worse.

If Universal offered express pass to their annual passholders (or even just us "townies") the way they do for their onsite guests I'd spend more time there.

 

[clombardi]

Not changing but branching out. After 2 trips to WDW, we're going to only visit US/KSC/SW next month.

What's KSC? Thanks!

 

[MM32830]

What's KSC? Thanks!

Kennedy Space Center





__________________
Armand

 

[Worfiedoodles]

We are giving my ds11 a trip to Orlando over Thanksgiving as a reward for doing some extra advanced academic work. We offered him a trip to Disney, and he eagerly accepted. Then we went to Universal in June. We stayed onsite, and never waited in a long line. He started thinking about the lines at Disney during a holiday, even with EMH as we also stay onsite at WDW. After we came back he asked to change his trip to Universal, and we agreed.

I personally enjoy WDW very much, and I also enjoy Universal very much. It all depends on what you are looking for in your trip. This trip is all about ds and what he wants. Our next trip to Orlando in January will be all about dh and I doing the WDW Half Marathon, which we believe to be one of the best run races we have ever encountered. I am looking forward to enjoying Disney themeing for that trip.

So, I guess while we're not switching in general (although we did for our upcoming trip), we are taking advantage of what both complexes have to offer and making sure our needs for a particular trip are met. I like both, and I expect to continue to go to both.

Maria

 

[dalt01]

IMHO.................universal studios is pound per pound the best of the theme parks in central florida..............islands of adventure on the other hand would be third from the bottom for me..................... just above animal kingdom and seaworld.