Honest comparison with Disney, please?

[MrsMud]

Okay, I am definitely a huge Disney fan. However, with the great offers right now on US/IOA, and the 1 day, return free at Seaworld, I am seriously considering skipping Disney this fall and doing these instead. Considerations: 1) I have two girls, will be 5 1/2 and 7 1/2. Is there really enough at US/IOA for them so that they won't wish we had gone to Disney instead? 2) I can get the 5 day US/IOA PLUS 2 days at Seaworld (where they really do want to go) for about $300 less than 4-day park hoppers for Disney! I personally would choose Disney first for that age, but I'm having a hard time justifying the price difference. I mean, 7 days vs. 4 days at parks, and more money to spend on other things. Anyone have an honest opinion on what we should do?

 

[Tigger&Belle]

What types of rides do your girls enjoy? How about the adults? How tall are your girls?

We are going to Universal (no WDW) in April. I have been to WDW 5 or so times and Universal once and was so impressed with Universal. The theming is beautiful, the front-of the-line for onsite guests can't be beat, the rides fun and more thrilling than WDW, the water/play areas for kids were enjoyed by all of my kids (toddler-teen), the hotels are a quick walk (especially Hard Rock Hotel) and the entertainment rates are good. There are less rides suitable for the whole family at Universal (Haunted House type, etc), but your girls are big enough to do most everything except the thrill rides that they probably wouldn't want to do anyway.

You'd have a great time and it would be hard to wait in lines at WDW again.

T&B

 

[TreeOfLife]

Here is the honest truth as I feel it: There is no comparison, dear. There is also no need to feel you are unfaithful to one or the other for visiting both places.
VIPs get it all paid for: Cruises, shows, admissions, meals... Paid by *us* struggling to save , scouring coupons and codes here and there. For loyalty to any park, nobody even gets a free ice cream. Some fiasco, huh?

So my advice is: Visit both and enjoy them for the different attractions they are. If you like one more than the other, return to it.

We are staying at the AKL and then HR during our next vacation. I like Disney but nothing beats how Universal treats its guests. Universal does not have the Animal Kingdom but Disney does not give me front of the line privileges for staying onsite. I like them both, for different reasons and refuse to wear a blindfold that traps me in either place.

Enjoy your family and vacation money, my friend! It is YOUR choice.

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

My honest opinion is that I'd still do WDW; however, only you can make the decision.

I'm sure whatever you do, you'll have fun!!

 

[JessicaR]

TreeOfLife, beautifully said!

Mrs Mud,

We first took my boys at ages 3 and 7 and found plenty to keep them busy. We have been back at their request every year since

 

[damo]

My DS, 14, absolutely hates Disney. He is a Universal fan through and through. However, my DD, 17 definately misses Disney. I honestly think that little girls and Disney go hand in hand. They probably wouldn't miss it for one year but I don't think they would want to give it up. Seaworld is fun, we were there in December and were very surprised at how much it has improved in the past ten years.

So, I would say that you could get away with Disney this year but I don't think you'll get away with it for long with your two little girls.

 

[MrsMud]

Wow, thanks for all the quick replies! I think I have made up my mind and will do US/IOA and Seaworld this year. Now I have to look into finding a suite. Thanks again!

 

[kellymonaghan]

Originally posted by MrsMud
Now I have to look into finding a suite.

I would recommend the Kids Suites at Hard Rock.

 

[Swazie]

We like Universal, but we LOVE Disney. Our kids range from 25 to 8. Two days at Universal is plenty for us. They have wilder rides for our adventurers but also Seuess Land that our youngest (who first went when she was three) absolutely loves!

We are staying on-site at Universal for four nights this May for the first time, simply because for the first time we found "a deal" on a room with the Entertainment Card and we are going to give it a try. I know the new hotels are great here, but they are VERY expensive, in my opinion. We always stay at Disney deluxe resorts, but I always find a deal.

One thing I don't think Universal does anywhere near Disney's standards is cleanlinest. When we were there in October last year, almost every ride we went on was in need of paint, repair or just a very good cleaning. While at times I may find something at Disney I think needs spruced up, I could go back a week later and it has been. I think they do an outstanding job in that area.

I also like the security at Disney. I feel very comfortable at all of Disney's hotels and attractions. We have had a lost child a couple of times, and they reacted and were there for us each time.

For us . . . we like Universal, but only for a couple of days. We LOVE Disney and could stay an entire month.

 

[sha_lyn]

here is a copy of a post I made a few weeks ago. It list the rides a 3 and 8 could ride at US/IOA

There is plenty that the 2 yr old will enjoy and remember too. Both parks have plenty that the kids can do, but IOA probably has more that the older 2 will want to do.

Give me an idea of what they enjoy at WDW to help you a little more. Here are a few things at each park that all your kids can do

US... (all of these my DD did at 3)
ET
Animal Plant live show
Earthquake
Wlid West stunt show
Fivel's Playland
A Day in the park with Barney (play area and a show)
Woodywoodpeckers Kids zone
Twister
Jaws (DD didn't like it but loved the now gone Kongfrontation which was scarier)


The older 2 could also do

Back to the Future
Men in Black
Terminator 3 D


IOA for all 3

One fish 2 fish
Caro Seuss el
If I ran the zoo
Cat in the Hat
Camp Jurassic
Me ship toe Olive
Poseidon's Fury Iffy for the 2 yr old, DD slept thorugh it at 3, liked it at 4)

For the older 2

Spiderman (my DD's favorite at 4)
Dudley do right
Popeye and Bluto's BileRat Barges
Jurasic Park river adventure

Hulk and Dueling Dragons maybe for the 8 yr.

One thing I don't think Universal does anywhere near Disney's standards is cleanlinest. When we were there in October last year, almost every ride we went on was in need of paint, repair or just a very good cleaning. While at times I may find something at Disney I think needs spruced up, I could go back a week later and it has been. I think they do an outstanding job in that area.

US/IOA repaints something every night. I've never seen anyting at US or IOA in need or repair, cleaning etc.

Both of my kids and my niece love US/IOA. My 13 DS and I prefer IOA over any other park (except maybe Cedar Point).

 

[Robinrs]

We can all be as honest as we like but it all boils down to personal preference.

I try not to compare the two entities, I do have my favorites, but they are personal to me. What you prefer depends on what you like.

My son is a thrill ride enthusiast, a science fiend and a theatre/movie fan . So he loves the science aspect of EPCOT but hates the fact that it only has one thrill ride. He likes the mountains only at MK because he's a very mature 10yo boy, and the "magical" aspect of MK goes right over his head. MGM gives him his movie fix AND RnRC and TOT.

IOA gives him everything he wants and needs, and US gives him the movie aspect again.

I could go on and on but like I said, it depends on the person. We like Disney but we LOVE Universal.

 

[Cindy B]

No comparison, they are two totally different things.


I took my kids, 7 and 4 back in August. They are now 8 and 5. They LOVED Universal/IOA, and SW, and we didn't do a lick of Disney.

My kids are thrill ride NUTS, who love fun things... My DD who was 4 at the time, went on everything.. and wasn't too afraid. (The only things she couldn't do was the coasters!)


The themeing is just grand at USF/IOA. From the parking garage... (yes an actual garage, so your can doesn't cook on concrete in the heat).... the sounds from your section in the garage... you hear Spiderman theme song in the Spiderman section... ET theme music in ET.. the moving sidewalks and then to Citywalk.. very very nice and clean..

ON to the parks.. we have had better service at USF than Disney.. The employees at USF go out of their way to really take care of the guest!

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I don't remember seeing things at Universal that needed painting, etc, so maybe that's not a normal issue.

I do love MGM and when my sister and I went to
WDW a year ago (just us--no children ) we went on ToT 13 times in days. Very fun.

Isn't there a lot of smoking at Universal? It seems that at WDW it is more confined to the smoking areas. If I'm remembering correctly, that was my only real complaint about the parks.

T&B

 

[the Dark Marauder]

As of Saturday, 2/15, both Universal parks will have designated smoking areas. There will be 11 per park and there will be a pole mounted Smoker's Snuffer at each location.

 

[dansyr]

We could never choose between the 2. We always stay at Disney but take a Mears bus over one or two days to US and IOA. Depending on how much time you are spending, I think would depend on where you'd stay. I think there is so much more to do at Disney, so we always stay there on a 6 or 7 day trip. We can usually do US and IOA in a couple of days. Whatever you choose I'm sure you'll have a great time.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

Wonderful about the smoking areas! We're non-smokers, but parks have to be realistic about people who do smoke and give them a place to do it that's a place they'd want to be and not a punishment. Not that I want to start and controversy!

 

[zaxmom]

I am also glad to hear about the smoking section. That is about the only thing I did not like about Universal. These are top-notch theme parks. I was greatly impressed by the cleanlines at Universal as well as Sea World. These parks are kept up way better than Disney these days, in my opinion. I would splurge on an on-site hotel if you are just doing Universal and Sea World. The front of the line is the greatest. The hotels are excellent. Our last trip to Florida, we did just Universal/IOA and Sea World. It is a complete vacation all by itself, but we still wanted a taste of Disney. So, we went to dinner at Chef Mickey's one night and rode the monorail and saw the Electric Water Pageant from the beach at the Grand Floridian, and another we went to Downtown Disney. It felt like we were at Disney World as well. You could always save Disney for next year. I think you will have fun at Universal, though. Take time to smell the roses and play in the water!

 

[Kevs mom]

MrsMud-
We just returned last week from our first non-disney trip and I have to tell you my reason for choosing to try US and IOA was due to the great price I got for the 5-day tickets. I had my reservations before going and told my husband I wasn't sure that I could stand being that close to Disney and not going but I have to admit we had the BEST vacation. My DS 11, DD 8, and
DS 5, LOVED the parks. At US we were able to ride everything together, there was nothing my 5 year old couldn't do there and that was the first time ever we have been able to enjoy every ride in a park as a family! We spent two days at each park and loved "Citywalk" as well, we had dinner at "Margaritaville" one night and enjoyed it. The whole atmosphere was very lively and the parks were extremely clean, my DD 8 even commented on how nice and clean all the bathrooms were every time we used one. I don't think you will be disappointed at all, it was exciting trying something that was "new" to us for a change, we had no idea what to expect going in but we came out hooked, so now we just have to learn how to plan our next vacation to include both Disney and Universal parks! Have a great trip!

 

[MrsMud]

Thank you so much, everyone! You have made it much easier. We have done Disney (and love it), but have never done "the other parks". Disney will still be there in a couple of years. So, US/IOA and Seaworld, look out! Here we come!

 

[Disney Debbie]

Because of the great deal on the tickets, we're going to splurge on Cirque du Soleil this trip. I've seen both shows in Vegas and DH has seen one but DD has never seen them. I'm going to surprise her. I've never had enough money left over on an all Disney trip!