Holy Diagon Alley Batman!

[Mad Hattered]

Why is it that a themepark resort has to have so much to be a destination? I know people who visit resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico and they treat them like destinations and they don't even have a single themepark.

A destination is whatever a person considers a destination. It would be easy to just treat the Universal resort as a place to relax and swim and dine. The same is true of WDW.

Or does a themepark "lose" it's destination status just because it was the original park and opened in 1955? Does one lose it's "destination" status once a bigger clone opens in 1971 and then opens it's second park in 1982? I'm pretty torn, because to "me" it means a little more to see the lantern burning in Walt's apartment above the Firehouse in DL. I think a true Disney fan would find walking the very streets that Walt walked a "destination" in itself. Maybe that's just me, a true fan.

 

[robpa]

Exactly! Welcome to the "Darkside", robpa! Wallets are the only thing that speak to Disney. We are doing our part to help the cause and it hurts because we are Disney fans from long ago.

I visit this board because I hope that Disney will turn things around but in the last 4 years I am usually dissapointed.

 

[Mad Hattered]

I visit this board because I hope that Disney will turn things around but in the last 4 years I am usually dissapointed.

We have 3 or 4 more years until Avatarland to figure that out. I guess we will make that decision once it opens.

Now break out the Star Wars land and we will be there. Not so much the sequel to Frozen where we will once again be asked if we want to build another snowman. Nope. I don't.

 

[DisUniversal]

I would define it as would you take a trip to Florida to exclusively visit Disney? Many, many people do. Would you do the same to exclusively visit Universal? Most would probably not. Even if you didn't visit Disney, you would probably have to combine Busch Gardens, Seaworld, and various water parks to fill out a trip that included Universal.

Is this what people visiting Disney World had to do before they opened Animal Kingdom? Did they have to fill out their trip with a bunch of side trips to other parks and attractions?

 

[robpa]

We have 3 or 4 more years until Avatarland to figure that out. I guess we will make that decision once it opens.

Now break out the Star Wars land and we will be there. Not so much the sequel to Frozen where we will once again be asked if we want to build another snowman. Nope. I don't.

Well my boys are 17 and 14 so unless Avatarland or Star Wars land are going to be thrill ride filled I doubt it will make much difference. Maybe when I become a grandparent but those may be either dated or unknown by then. I guess maybe I can hope for nostalgic?

 

[Mad Hattered]

Is this what people visiting Disney World had to do before they opened Animal Kingdom? Did they have to fill out their trip with a bunch of side trips to other parks and attractions?

Not to mention, Typhoon and Blizzard. And DHS was only an afterthought because Universal announced they were opening a park in Orlando. It's still an afterthought this many years later.

 

[BugsDaddy]

Is this what people visiting Disney World had to do before they opened Animal Kingdom? Did they have to fill out their trip with a bunch of side trips to other parks and attractions?

No, they didn't need to in most cases because people could take an entire week between MK and Epcot. The fact is that Universal cannot say that. What percentage of Universal guests today stay on site at Universal and visit Universal exclusively for a week? Don't bother trying to figure that out. It is a very low number.

 

[robpa]

No, they didn't need to in most cases because people could take an entire week between MK and Epcot. The fact is that Universal cannot say that. What percentage of Universal guests today stay on site at Universal and visit Universal exclusively for a week? Don't bother trying to figure that out. It is a very low number.

I think the Orlando area has more to do now than years past so it's unfair to compare the MK and EPCOT years to now. I know that every year I planned a primarily Disney vacation I also visited Sea World and Universal and also did Kennedy Space Ctr. I believe most of the European guests visit other venues other than just Disney on their Holidays. I think that most guests that go to Orlando and only visit Disney are either somewhat local or are taking short vacations (under a week)

 

[DisUniversal]

No, they didn't need to in most cases because people could take an entire week between MK and Epcot. The fact is that Universal cannot say that. What percentage of Universal guests today stay on site at Universal and visit Universal exclusively for a week? Don't bother trying to figure that out. It is a very low number.

You're just making it up as you go. You have no idea what the numbers or percentages are related to this discussion. You really think that if someone stays on site at Universal and takes a day or two to visit other attractions in the area, that somehow makes Universal less of a destination?

 

[Mad Hattered]

No, they didn't need to in most cases because people could take an entire week between MK and Epcot. The fact is that Universal cannot say that. What percentage of Universal guests today stay on site at Universal and visit Universal exclusively for a week? Don't bother trying to figure that out. It is a very low number.

WDW opened Epcot 8 years before Universal Orlando was opened. WDW ONLY made DHS because Universal announced they were building a park in Orlando. They threw the park together so fast just to beat Universal by a year with only The Great Movie Ride and The Backlot Tour as "rides". Not exactly "destination".

 

[DisUniversal]

WDW opened Epcot 8 years before Universal Orlando was opened. WDW ONLY made DHS because Universal announced they were building a park in Orlando. They threw the park together so fast just to beat Universal by a year with only The Great Movie Ride and The Backlot Tour as "rides". Not exactly "destination".

Sometimes the view from within "The Bubble" makes it hard to see reality.

 

[robpa]

Are any places really vacation destinations unless they are all inclusive like most of the island vacations?

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

Well my boys are 17 and 14 so unless Avatarland or Star Wars land are going to be thrill ride filled I doubt it will make much difference. Maybe when I become a grandparent but those may be either dated or unknown by then. I guess maybe I can hope for nostalgic?

Well they'll be 20 and 17 when Avatarland opens, and if SW land happens at all the oldest might be 30 and the youngest 27 at that point.

 

[robpa]

Well they'll be 20 and 17 when Avatarland opens, and if SW land happens at all the oldest might be 30 and the youngest 27 at that point.

Exactly! which is why the grandparent quote came in. I'm feeling old now

 

[Mad Hattered]

*Pow* *Bam*

Just to keep it on track with the "Holy Diagon Alley Batman" theme...

Let it be known that I am thankful that the Gringotts goblins aren't wearing Ray Bans and rapping like the other new ride.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

*Pow* *Bam*

Just to keep it on track with the "Holy Diagon Alley Batman" theme...

And you're at the wheel, Captain.

 

[DOOM1001]

Or does a themepark "lose" it's destination status just because it was the original park and opened in 1955? Does one lose it's "destination" status once a bigger clone opens in 1971 and then opens it's second park in 1982? I'm pretty torn, because to "me" it means a little more to see the lantern burning in Walt's apartment above the Firehouse in DL. I think a true Disney fan would find walking the very streets that Walt walked a "destination" in itself. Maybe that's just me, a true fan.

I can't see how Disneyland wouldn't be considered a vacation destination,DTD and two great parks with the one that started it all,come one!A vacation destination is whatever you want it to be,I've heard of parents who have taken their kids to that Nickelodeon resort for a 3 day vacation,and when I say they went to the Nick resort that's what they did,2 miles from the WDW entrance,about 5-10 miles to Sea World and Universal and they spent all their time at the hotel with the kids enjoying the waterpark and activities offered.As far as Universal I can see someone spending a week there easy,you have the two parks,Wet n Wild is part of Universal,everything in Citywalk,if that's not a vacation destination I don't know what it is.I mean you can look at the tourist areas in Orlando with all the non theme park attractions,shopping malls,outlets and you can easily spend several weeks there without hitting a theme park or waterpark,I'm not saying I would but I've gone with "mall people" to the Mall at Millenia and have spent 5 hours there,not my choice but people do it.Every year after I run the Disney marathon I spend like 2-3 hours at Theme Park Connection looking at their showroom.I know I'll be stiff so I can't walk much so just looking around there fills a good amount of my day.Orlando as a whole is a vacation destination,I've had days where I drive from my house in Miami to Tampa to do Busch Gardens for a couple of hours,drive to Orlando to Sea World,ride their coasters,go to Universal until like 8-9pm and finish my day at DTD eating at earl of Sandwich,just like there's been days I'll see the first two concerts at the Epcot F&G festival then drive over to Universal for their Mardi Gras parade and concert,for me I need to do all the events at the parks,Disney,Universal,Sea World,Busch etc...Some people consider a beach in a resort in Mexico or the Caribbean a vacation destination,I understand it but for me I would be bored within the first hour,different people have different choices and ideas.

 

[fairyprincess88]

I would define it as would you take a trip to Florida to exclusively visit Disney? Many, many people do. Would you do the same to exclusively visit Universal? Most would probably not. Even if you didn't visit Disney, you would probably have to combine Busch Gardens, Seaworld, and various water parks to fill out a trip that included Universal.

That is what I mean by "vacation destination". Exclusivity. Disney has that dialed in. They bring you into the Disney bubble and you don't want to leave.

My question is this though, why does it matter? Do you have to be a so-called "vacation destination" to be a first class amazing theme park? I honestly don't think so. So what if Disney has this many hotels and this many parks? That does not necessarily make them have the best attractions. Now don't get me wrong, I love Disney and have spent many of vacation days there, but I have been in Diagon Alley and there is nothing in WDW that can compare in theme, ingenuity, design and all around wow factor. Universal is doing something right.

I think people here get too wrapped up in numbers and titles and for some reason think that there no way possible anyone else could do something better than Disney. The facts are that yes Disney is awesome, and yes Disney is the foremost theme park destination vacation but in the end that takes absolutely nothing away from Universal and the magic they just created.

 

[BugsDaddy]

You're just making it up as you go. You have no idea what the numbers or percentages are related to this discussion. You really think that if someone stays on site at Universal and takes a day or two to visit other attractions in the area, that somehow makes Universal less of a destination?

Do you really need exact statistics to determine that WDW is more of a destination than Universal? How about you start with raw attendance numbers and the amount of 7 day plus vacation packages purchased at Disney vs. Universal. I am not even sure you can book a 7 day package at Universal.

So, yes, I am saying that if you stay on site at a Universal resort and spend half your time visiting other parks, it makes it less of a destination than WDW.

Universal is a great park and deserves the recognition it gets. Just take your blinders off and keep it in perspective. Disneyworld is still the premier theme park destination in Florida and will be for the foreseeable future.

 

[PlutoMars]

Why werent they running Escape from Gringotts at full capacity today? Reports have it running at half capacity or less which contributed to the insane line times. Couple that with the downtime it experienced today.

How many break downs did it have today?

Then they turned people away after they had been waiting for several hours in line. Some twitter accounts says they waited 5 hours! Not to mention the time they had to wait just to get to Diagon Alley. How many guest did Universal disappoint today by not running the ride at full capacity and having so many issues?

Amazing how certain people are more forgiving for Universal ride openings. these people would be gleefully proclaiming any issues Disney has with new attraction openings. And if Disney turned guests away from an attraction after people had waited several hours, people would be screaming on here how unacceptable that is.