Do you feel like a traitor...

[crow11ad]

By taking a day or 2 to try Universal? We will be flying to FL for 10 days. The first 3 nights and 2 days will be spending with my Dad and step mom at the beach. DW has never met them. The next day we are leaving early to drive to Disney and check in. We are going for the day to Universal and IOA. Has anyone felt like a traitor doing this or go and have fun?

This will be our 3rd time to Diseny in 18 months and I don't know when we will be back. But I figure if we get called traitors we can look at this way: 1 day at US/IOA and 7 days at Disney..

 

[powellrj]

never! We love Universal (esp. FOTL!!!!)

 

[ctrabada]

Not at all.... it's ok to experience the other parks... otherwise, how will you be definitely confirm that WDW is the best? Besides, they offer different types of rides that WDW doesn't have...

 

[mcgrawfan]

Not really. The other parks are fun, but they don't have the magic.

 

[KayakDaddy]

Since my parents live in FL, I do multiple shorter length trips to Florida per year. I have tried all of the theme parks multiple times and enjoy them all for different reasons. We even had an annual pass (what they call a fun card) to Busch Gardens, Tampa last year. I agree with the other posters that doing this will confirm to you that the Disney parks and resorts are a step above.

You will really enjoy US/IOA. There are really some things Disney could learn from them. IOA has more water rides that can get you wet than all four WDW parks combined. I love the Spiderman ride - it combines 3D, a moving vehicle, simulators (video footage on walls makes you feel like you are falling, etc. I think Disney should have a ride like this based on Aladdin, on which guests fly through the cave of wonders on the magic carpet. OK, now I'm dreaming.

Have fun - you are not a traitor - you are on a spy mission for new ideas for rides Disney should develop!

 

[willis37862]

I enjoy different theme parks. They all have something to offer. Just have fun!! And like another post said if nothing else you will appreciate Disney more.

 

[applepwnz]

Two visits ago, we visited Islands of Adventure for a day, and it didn't even hold a candle to any Disney park I thought, the whole park felt empty (you have to walk about 5 miles between rides, and there are only about 3 rides there anyways.) I never really felt guilty about it though.

 

[Sorcerer Figment]

Do you feel like a traitor... By taking a day or 2 to try Universal?

No, but why would I want to do that in the first place?

I seriously prefer to spend all my time at Disney, but I probably would feel like a traitor for going to Universal. I'm just obsessive like that.

That said, no reason you shouldn't go. More power to ya. Have fun!

 

[DISNEY4FUN]

We have never been to Universal. I have no intentions of going because I would feel like a traitor. It may sound silly, but I feel like I would be breaking a loyalty to Disney. My kids are still little and eventually they will probably want to go to Universal and I will probably give it a try. Universal may have great rides but from what I have heard it lacks the innocence of WDW. Just my opinion. I would say to you to go and have a good time. Report back and let us know what you think.

 

[metsfan11]

i just got back from universal and it was fantastic! but disney is just in another ballpark. you shouldnt feel like a traitor. disney is just indescribable while universal is a thrill park that is great, but not in the same league as disney.

how many resorts does universal have?= 3
how many resorts does disney have?= i can't even count!

lol



(make sure to do mummy and spiderman)

 

[LadyDulcinea1]

Have never been to universal, I love spending the entire vacation totally Disneyfied!

That being said, DBf loves Universal and told me that he wants to take me the next time we get there. I'm going with an open mind, but I'm sure I'll be comparing everything to WDW the whole time

 

[jann1033]

didn't feel like a traitor just felt ripped off......we haven't been for a while( went twice and didn't like it either time) but it felt crammed packed ( disney felt "empty" at the same time) with long waits, really bad food and 2 second attractions...to bad cause some things would have been fun had they lasted more than a blink of an eye... we looked like idiots sitting on the rides when they were over but we honestly kept thinking there had to be more to come they were so short!... haven't been to ioa, husband isn't into thrill rides..so maybe that is an improvement

 

[d4est]

We spent 5 days at Universal last year. We loved it. We stayed on-site, so FOTL was THE ABSOLUTE BEST!! I am a thrill rider, so.... DS, then 7, also loved it. Plenty to do. It may not be Disney, but it's not supposed to be.

Go, try, enjoy. Just FYI, if you go with the attitude, comparing to WDW the whole time, you will probably be setting yourself up for disappointment. Just go and enjoy it for what it is.

Also, there is A LOT of good food choices! We loved Nascar, Margarittaville, & Tchoup Chop.

 

[vfb2girls]

We wi;; be able to let you know on our up coming trip to Florida. We are splitting our 10 day vacation with five nights at POP and 5 nights at Hard Rock Hotel. As much as I love to be at Disney I can honestly say I am more excited about the Universal trip since we are finally staying at the Hard Rock. The FOLP is something that we are really looking forward to. The way my husband and I figured is we will have to get up early to do the things at Disney done before the crowds get there and when we are at Universal we will be able to rise later and just maintain a nice pace to do the two parks. All in all I think our trip will be great.

 

[cleo]

I think you'd be missing a huge part of the Orlando experience if you skipped USF/IoA. Disney's terrific but they certainly aren't the only thing going. Islands of Adventure can rival or beat anything Disney puts out in terms of creativity and technology. It's not a 'pixie dust' park, but it's like adding meat and potatoes to your meal rather than just eating dessert.

 

[SamRoc]

I personally don't like Universal at all, the lines were horrible, and if we wanted something like that, we would just go to Great Adventure, which is not too far from us. Our family went there once about 4 years ago and we just all agreed that we would rather spend our time at Disney.

 

[BankBunny]

I personally have no interestin going to US/IOA. Yes, I love thrill rides, but have no desire to try these parks. I go all the way to Orlando to go to Disney. Earlier this year we went on a cruise that stopped at Port Canaveral so we did a shore excurshion to SeaWorld. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would and it wasn't because it wasn't Disney it just didn't compare to Disney.

Also, I'm still mad about the way Universal used to put down Disney at the end of their commercials.....remember "if fairy tales and pixie dust aren't your thing"? Don't they realize they wouldn't have a park like that today if it weren't for Disney???

 

[babar41]

The biggest piece of advice I could give you is... go, enjoy US/IOA for itself. Don't try comparing it to Disney. US/IOA is a wonderful place. But they are an entirely different type of theme parks.

DH and I went last year for the first time for 2 nights, then over to WDW for 8 nights. This year we are going to WDW for 10 nights then over to US/IOA for 3 nights. Universal has many things to offer, and judged on itself, not comparing to Disney, they do a wonderful job.

The parks themselves have a different feel. As one poster put it, it doesn't have the "pixie dust" of Disney, it does have a bit of a harder edge to it. The Disboard does have a Universal side, I suggest visiting it.

Go, enjoy yourself, but before you enter US repeat to yourself 3 times... "I will not compare this to Disney, I will not compare this to Disney..."

 

[phamton]

the whole park felt empty (you have to walk about 5 miles between rides, and there are only about 3 rides there anyways.)

Oh come on! 3 rides?

it felt crammed packed ( disney felt "empty" at the same time) with long waits

OK, people, which is it overly crowded or completely empty?

This just goes to show that many Disney fanatics are overly critical about any other park.

Why should you feel guilty? You're not cheating on a spouse but spending your money. Do you feel guilty if you are a Pepsi drinker and drink a Coke at a restaurant intsead of Pepsi? Do you only shop at one store for all your clothes or one store for all your grocery needs? How about gas stations? Do you go to only one or choose different gas stations based on location and price?

There are many employees of Disney that also work at Universal. Both Disney employees and Universal employees visit the other parks. If anything, they should be feeling guilty but they don't and shouldn't. We have annual passes for both Universal and Disney and I love them both for what they offer. Guilty? never!

 

[lillygator]

no I wouldn't feel like a traitor....I mean - we have to have variety in some things!