Disney or Universal?

[TaylorsDad]

Harry Potter is way more than just movies. Heck, they didn't even start as movies!

Universal has a huge new hotel opening next summer. The new Diagon Alley will feature two new family rides. The Jurassic Park additions next summer are also supposed to add two more family rides. In the five years after that even more new rides are slated to open.

I don't think Universal ever expects to lead the pack but they sure are going to take a chunk of Disney's business away. You can see already how many people on these boards are spending 2 and 3 days of their vacations at Universal. 5 years ago that rarely happened.

Exactly, more and more people are trying Universal and surprise most of them love what they see. They say how spoiled they feel with all the convenience and benefits of onsite stay and how nice it is not to feel one has to plan a year in advance to get the most of their vacation. Anyone who has spent any time on the Universal boards can attest to this fact due to all the trip reports and threads stating this.

And I do remember one post from a few years back where someone stated Harry Potter would not stand the test of time just a passing thing like Star Wars. Well, time will tell but I think Star Wars has been around a couple of years now and I think HP will last a while as well.

 

[DCTooTall]

I had to chime in and throw in a vote. I threw my vote under Universal simply to try and give the resort some love considering the obvious major Disney Bias in this forum.


That being said... I love both the resorts, and they both have their advantages, and disadvantages.

Disney's biggest advantages from my PoV are simply the sheer size of the resort... 4 "major" parks, 2 water parks, numerous hotels, golf courses, and misc adventure and activity opportunities.... Universal just simply can't compare when you look at the big picture (and, it doesn't try). The other advantage is nostalgia. I grew up going to Disney, and watching Disney Movies, so the parks have some major nostalgia cred for me.

Unfortunately... Disney also takes some HUGE hits. Disney Dining now is a horrible joke. Food quality and options have degraded to the point I feel I can almost get better food at a choke&puke or diner, for much less cost, than what Disney is putting out and charging these days. Having to decide where I want to eat 180 days in advance is also ridiculous. Prices are constantly going up and up at crazy levels for everything, and with various perk and policy changes, program discontinuations, attraction/ride/show/store/building closings, and minimal new attractions, I'm finding the value of my $$ spent at Disney decreasing almost as fast. With the crowds and increased costs, it's becoming harder and harder to have a relaxing vacation at just Disney and still feel like I spent my money wisely. The result is it's requiring much more planning which can take away some of the relaxation and fun of the trip.


Now with Universal.... It's a much smaller resort, But they have been showing over the past couple years (Under new ownership) a real desire to invest in the property. There are some GREAT Table service food options at the parks, which you can easily walk up and get a table at. Citywalk is right there too so you have even more food options without wasting hours of your day just getting to/from places outside of the park to eat.

the Onsite hotels are truly deluxe level accomodations with the quality, luxury, and relaxing qualities you just can't find anyplace onsite at disney.... Let alone for the price Universal charges.

Yes, Universal has dramatically raised their prices in the past several years since Harry Potter opened, But we are also seeing non-stop construction and additions to the park. The one major empty building Universal had in it's parks they recently demolished to build a whole new attraction in about 1yr (Let's see Disney try that with Oddysey....or Wonders of Life...Or Sounds Dangerously....etc). the result is you get the feeling like the value is the same, or actually improving.



Honestly.... the easiest ways to put it is that Disney has always had that "Magic"... even before Disney tried to use the term "Disney Magic" to describe everything about the parks and what they had to offer.

Unfortunately, What I've seen over the past several years is Universal putting all sorts of money, hard work, and effort into improving their product and the guest experience to try and help maintain and drive their growth and image. Disney however has decided to rely simply on the Magic they stockpiled over the previous 50years of their Theme Parks to maintain and drive their growth..... which has had mixed results in our experience as reality does its best to make itself seen behind the pixie dust.

 

[bcrook]

WDW's advantage is the connectedness of the parks. To me with the annual pass or hopper ticket, I roll between all four parks as if the are one giant park. In between are nice experiences like the Boardwalk or animal Kingdom lodge.

But when I look at pieces, I am finding that the world outside of Disney World is pretty darn cool! I just got back from Florida. I went to SeaWorld and Busch Gardens for first time in thirty years. They were amazing. I went to islands of adventure last summer, and I loved it. The theming in all parks are excellent. The workers were super nice at all three parks. Everything was clean. I have heard how old, dirty and rundown the non Disney parks are, I didn't see it all.

Busch Gardens is a complete park, and I was shocked to admit it is much better than animal kingdom (I love animal Kingdom). The mixture of animal exhibits and rides were unique, innovative and creative. The Cheetah Hunt coaster and theming and cheetah exhibit was awesome! In the train ride through the 150 acre Serengeti was magnificent. I really liked the train stations, and especially Stanleyville at Busch Gardens. The night time show Kinetix was also very good.

SeaWorld is a beautiful park also. That Atlantis ride was roller coaster, dark ride, and log flume. Super fun. I loved turtle trek, and the Antarctica penguin exhibit was well done.

The Wizarding Word of Harry Potter was the best experience in a park for me. I can't wait to see the London section and ride the hogwarts Express.

I would say Disney is way behind in the creative sector. Imagineering is being done much better outside of Disney right now.

I do love spending time in the WDW collection of venues, I am just not able to say that the parks are better than the competitors at this time. Disney is thriving on their name and marketing right now, but maybe the rumors will be true, and help is on the way (upgrades at DHS and DAK). I hope so, because in the last week, I have discovered a whole new world of entertainment.

 

[Lees3rwe]

We just returned on Friday from a Universal/LEGOLAND trip.

We stayed onsite at the Royal Pacific for the Universal part of the trip.
Here are my observations:

1. We had a wonderful time. The rides are AMAZING. We actually had the chance to preview the Transformers ride THREE times!
2. I would never visit these parks without the front of the line perks. Or at least the hour early entry that you get from staying at a partner hotel.
3. I thought the food was awful. I didn't enjoy a single thing I ate there.
4. Things are not well marked including line ques, park hours, etc.

Lastly, we wouldn't need more than 2 days at the parks. We had a 3 day ticket and only stayed for 1/2 a day on our last day.

We missed being "in the bubble" of Disney. We had to get out into Orlando to find places to eat and other stuff to do. (which my husband did not enjoy).

I could see combining another Universal trip with maybe a SeaWorld trip or Busch Gardens, or something else, but I couldn't spend a week there.

So, I pick Disney.

 

[Lees3rwe]

Also, with our hotel...

You had to pay for Wi/fi and there was no fridge in the room.
That should be standard for any room that you are paying over 200.00 a night for!

 

[damo]

I definitely say Disney
Last year we did Disney and universal. I had a great time at both
I really like IOA better then universal though.
Loved the Harry potter and the superhero section and the kids liked dr suess.

But you definitely don't get the same feel when in the park.
This year we didn't do universal and it was fine
Next year I'm definitely going to IOA again for new Harry potter section.

But I love all the Disney parks Hollywood is my favorite. I lOve being there all day and ending with fantasmic.

Just as a heads up, the new Harry Potter section isn't in IOA. It is in the Studios.

 

[csmith041177]

My family and I absolutely love both! The magic of Disney will never be matched by any other park. Because so many people grew up on Disney movies, shows and stories, that background and love can never be made up.


However, my personal opinion is that the absolute best single park area anywhere in the world is the wizarding world of Harry Potter. For those who have never been, the atmosphere is immersive in a way that cannot be explained. Also- for those who love thrill rides, it takes the cake.


Having said all of that, I don't understand the folks who think you have to pick one or the other. My family makes it a point to visit the Disney and universal parks on every visit.

 

[texasteacher35]

For our family, WDW seems to have many attractions that we like to ride and watch over and over... When we go to US in Florida or California, we spend like one day or 2/3 of a day there and then we are done. The Harry Potter area is very cool, but I expected more rides/experiences than what was offered. IMHO, US and IOA don't have enough attractions/shows to keep me there for days and days, like Disney does. The experience is so different. US is kind of like Six Flags on steroids...and Disney is, well, DISNEY and classic. Hard to explain, but I only want to ride Revenge of the Mummy a few times and then I am done for a couple of years. LOL

 

[tigerdragon]

It's Disney hands down for my family. US/IOA is a once every 4 years park for us and it just doesn't compare, IMO. We went a couple years ago just to see the Harry Potter stuff and it was neat but I don't really have a desire to go back. And I'm a huge Harry Potter fan. I agree with what a PP said that Disney is an experience and I just don't feel that way about Universal.

 

[LilMommyBug]

We love them both for different reasons

This.

 

[rteetz]

Shockingly, I said Disney.

Universal is kind of an upscale six flags to me. It's less family oriented. A little trashy, a lot of girls in booty shorts and bikini tops. I have fun but it doesn't feel more special to me than a trip to Great Adventure.

HP is a cool ride. But its really one ride to me. The theming in the area is nice but it is so congested that I can't really enjoy it. I spent two days in Universal and that is the max for me. I have plenty to do in a week at Disney.

I completely agree upscale six flags they could do so much more but they are just trying to chase disney

disney lover at heart

 

[rteetz]

Had this question been asked prior to our previous trip, I would have voted Disney.

But, after our last rip to Orlando, where we spent two days at Uni before heading over to WDW, right now Uni edged out WDW.

In our experience (and it may have been a fluke, of course, but it was our experience), the hotel at Uni was nicer and the folks more friendly, the dining options were better, and the park touring was just more "fun."

I tend to be rather put off by WDW's dining ADR's now. It's hard to decide 6 months beforehand where to eat for us. And some of our signature dining exposures this last time were a bit less than impressive.

The Express Pass at Uni hammered the Fast Pass at WDW into the ground. No comparison.

I can see us doing a Universal-only trip (and we are actually looking at doing that next time......maybe a quick day at MK).

I Dortmund you fastpass is going under massive undertaking and should be ten times better than express pass when finished.

disney lover at heart

 

[fairyprincess88]

I completely agree upscale six flags they could do so much more but they are just trying to chase disney

disney lover at heart

There is nothing Six Flags about Universal and to even say that is beyond ridiculous.

Six Flags is a standard amusement park with big coasters, some flat rides, long lines and dirt.

Universal Studios and IOA are top notch THEME parks. There is not anything in a Six Flags that can match up to the WWoHP or Jurassic Park or even the new Simpson's food court.

It's completely understandable that some prefer Disney over Universal and are biased in their thoughts but at least make accurate statements. If my local Six Flags was even slightly like Universal it would sure save me a lot of money on flights to Orlando but it no where near even comparable.

 

[texasteacher35]

Nothing personal, US/IOA just doesn't have the magic my family looks for, aka Disney.

I love some of the attractions, the rides are fun. It's just not quite enough to bring me back, again and again, multiple times a year.

I think it's more of the fact that WDW is nostalgic, and classic. Dumbo, Mickey, Peter Pan, all of it brings many of us back to childhood...and to see our kids relive those same feelings of complete and utter awe, it's priceless. And it happens each and every time we visit.

Spider-Man, Jurassic Park, Super Heroes are cool and all, just not the same.

 

[Mad Hattered]

There is nothing Six Flags about Universal and to even say that is beyond ridiculous.

Six Flags is a standard amusement park with big coasters, some flat rides, long lines and dirt.

Universal Studios and IOA are top notch THEME parks. There is not anything in a Six Flags that can match up to the WWoHP or Jurassic Park or even the new Simpson's food court.

It's completely understandable that some prefer Disney over Universal and are biased in their thoughts but at least make accurate statements. If my local Six Flags was even slightly like Universal it would sure save me a lot of money on flights to Orlando but it no where near even comparable.

I live 18 miles from a Six Flags and I totally agree. Yet we trek our ^$&es from the middle of the country to Univeral (and sometimes Disney for the record) 2 times a year. If Six Flags had a que even remotely close to the Mummy then I am pretty sure it would be covered in chewed gum.

 

[metzgardesign]

I Dortmund you fastpass is going under massive undertaking and should be ten times better than express pass when finished.

disney lover at heart

If you are referring to the advance FastPass+ ride reservation idea. No thanks. That idea sickens me even more than 6-months-out dining ADR's.

Currently, the FastPass system blows compared to the Express Pass concept (at least in our experiences).

I have always enjoyed WDW since my childhood. But recent (and by that I mean within the last 15 years or so, cumulatively), as well as impending or proposed, changes really make each successive trip just a bit less enjoyable than the previous.

I am sure we will still visit every now and then, but it won't be with the regularity we have had before (and recent trips have been far more spread out than they used to be).

I am glad some folks still enjoy the place as much or more than they always have (even with it's increasing quantity-over-quality modifications).

But if they really want to make the Magic strong again, then start concentrating on maintaining the current attractions in the manner Walt Disney would deem acceptable (instead of obligating most available resources to building yet another DVC timeshare joint; make dining at the various unique eateries (in terms of atmosphere and location) a pleasurable and decidedly memorable occasion, relative to the spot in which it resides (at least more accurately than many restaurants have become); allow the Imagineers the creative latitude to build the attractions folks will talk about, will come to see, and will bring THEIR kids to see in 10 years.

In short.....reacquaint themselves, resort-wide, in the ideals that Walt had for his theme parks....not some candy-coated, corporate-sponsorhip acceptable, timeshare-selling, dining-plan homogenized skeleton of what it used to be. Make it more "fun."

 

[Mad Hattered]

If you are referring to the advance FastPass+ ride reservation idea. No thanks. That idea sickens me even more than 6-months-out dining ADR's.

Currently, the FastPass system blows compared to the Express Pass concept (at least in our experiences).

I have always enjoyed WDW since my childhood. But recent (and by that I mean within the last 15 years or so, cumulatively), as well as impending or proposed, changes really make each successive trip just a bit less enjoyable than the previous.

I am sure we will still visit every now and then, but it won't be with the regularity we have had before (and recent trips have been far more spread out than they used to be).

I am glad some folks still enjoy the place as much or more than they always have (even with it's increasing quantity-over-quality modifications).

But if they really want to make the Magic strong again, then start concentrating on maintaining the current attractions in the manner Walt Disney would deem acceptable (instead of obligating most available resources to building yet another DVC timeshare joint; make dining at the various unique eateries (in terms of atmosphere and location) a pleasurable and decidedly memorable occasion, relative to the spot in which it resides (at least more accurately than many restaurants have become); allow the Imagineers the creative latitude to build the attractions folks will talk about, will come to see, and will bring THEIR kids to see in 10 years.

In short.....reacquaint themselves, resort-wide, in the ideals that Walt had for his theme parks....not some candy-coated, corporate-sponsorhip acceptable, timeshare-selling, dining-plan homogenized skeleton of what it used to be. Make it more "fun."

Very nice. Very nice indeed. That sounded soooooo much better than my gum analogy.

 

[metzgardesign]

Very nice. Very nice indeed. That sounded soooooo much better than my gum analogy.

I hate to sound so negative, but our most recent trip was in time for the new Fantasyland expansion opening, and honestly, our collective observation (even the kids in our group) was "Really? That's it? No....really? The best they can do? Oh yeah....the still-being-built 7 Dwarfs train-thingy looks like it may be kind of cool, but, the rest, well, sort of sucks."

And, then the maintenance issues. I mean, yeah, I guess Walt would be totally OK with the Yeti situation on Everest. "Sure guys, I think the strobe light will give pretty much the same sort of effect. It's cool. Just let it stay broken."

Or "The film scratches and such on Soarin'? Naw, we're good. Just leave it. Heck, I wouldn't even make this film specific to WDW. Just use the same one we use in California. And no need to go digital. Sure, the local movie theaters in most small towns have gone that route, but the repetitive playbacks of our film only make the quality degrade a little bit. Folks won't notice.....much. They'll still wait in line for 90 minutes for this. I mean....they can even have fun pretending to dodge the giant hair floating over the river scene. Should we pump in some Aqua-net scent, you think?"

"Captain EO?.....bring that bad boy back from the vaults and run it until MJ comes back from the dead. It was really awesome 25 years ago, before most of the radically disastrous facial resculptings, so I am sure it will be equally awesome today, and tomorrow, and next year, and a decade from now. Nostalgia, baby, nostalgia!! Think of it like Steamboat Willie with a pop soundtrack, better-ish dancing and 3D......3D, I TELL YA!!!!"

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

I completely agree upscale six flags they could do so much more but they are just trying to chase disney

They are adding another huge resort, are currently expanding The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Springfield, opening up the Transformers ride this week, have added a nighttime show, just added two mini golf courses...

Universal is as impressively themed as Disney (even better in some areas). I don't understand the comparisons to Six Flags, except that Universal happens to have some large thrill rides.

 

[glocon]

Although we have hit both on our last few visits, I voted for UO. We spend 1-2 days at WDW and the remainder of our vacation at UO. Love the deluxe resorts at WDW, love all the resorts at UO. Love MK, love US and IoA. Love both MNSSHP and HHN.

Love the nostalgia at WDW, love the thrills and theming at UO. Never tried the super high end restaurants at WDW or UO, but the regular sit down dining and many of the counter service restaurants are better and more affordable at UO.

And you can't even compare FP to unlimited express passes. That is kind of a joke. And also one of the main reasons we love UO so much.

One of the main reasons we spent so much time at WDW early on was to see all the parks. You really need more time at WDW because there is more to see and do there. And the feeling there is just magical. But once we stayed onsite at UO, it just won our hearts.

We love them both, and if it is up to me, our family will continue doing both.
But we just enjoy the parks/perks/resorts/dining a little more at UO.