HUGE announcement from Universal

[Haveamagicalday!]

I completely agree!

Totally! I am personally not a big Universal fan. Maybe it has to do with the company stealing Walt's staff when he first started in Hollywood. Those darn traitors! I feel Disney has surpassed them miles in creativity also. I also felt thay the recent commercials that mocked Disney were rude and uneccessary. They must be extremely desperate for those rates. Kind of sad actually...

 

[hniki234]

I really dont get the "six flags" comments, it's like the lowest standard in most parks. Six Flags are AMUSEMENT PARKS, Universal and IOA are THEME PARKS.

Ok, so they have 3 rollercoasters outside, but the queues are some of the best themed with a full storyline and even the coaster cars are themed, especially the Dueling dragons ones. Not to mention that they each offer unique elements you won't find at any other park.

Besides that, there is NOTHING at all that you can compare the parks to Six Flags about.

I mean when you consider how many other parks are out there like Hersheypark and Busch Gardens, those are higher on the quality and theming list than Six Flags and even they are well below Universal overall. IOA especially has an immersive experience where every land is themed perfectly and completely.

It just get tiring after a while, as Im sure people used to hear about AK being nothing better than the local zoo.

But Im sure the Six Flags comments will never stop. Why say something worth while when you can just throw that in there?

I don't think Six Flags and Universal are at the same level. I was simply comparing the roller coasters at Universal to those at Six Flags. I guess I could've used Busch Gardens or some other park as a reference, but I don't really see much of a difference. I also stated that I felt that Universal had other rides that set it apart from Six Flags. I didn't mean to offend. Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

 

[SnackyStacky]

But I just disagree with your above post. It's just my opinion, mind you, but I will take a tram ride to the front entrance of the park over walking that long way in the heat (even though it is covered) at Univ. anyday!! When we were there the end of Aug./2004, I was completely drenched of sweat BEFORE we hit the turnstiles at Univ. I mean, completely drenched. I couldn't believe how hot it was and we walked such a long way. Like I said, many probably love that parking garage, this is just my opinion. My air conditioner works really fast so no problem there.

We'll just agree to disagree.

 

[BluOrchid2]

I am turned off by Universal's advertising, plain and simple. On our first ever trip to Orlando, we were in Florida for 16 days. 3 at the beach, 1 at Kennedy Space Center, 3 at Universal, and the rest at WDW. We stayed at the Portofino Bay Hotel, and loved it. Loved the FOTL access, too. This was back in 2000. I don't recall, at that time, seeing Universal compare themselves to Disney, or use Disney in their ads in a negative way.

It used to be, many years ago, that an honorable company did not mention their competitors by name in advertising. Universal has just completely thrown that out the window, and it just doesn't sit well with me. When I go to their website and see a "Compare to Disney World" link.....I just think HOW TACKY - Can't they make it on their own merits without having to compare/contrast their park to Disney's?

 

[Foladar]

I am turned off by Universal's advertising, plain and simple. On our first ever trip to Orlando, we were in Florida for 16 days. 3 at the beach, 1 at Kennedy Space Center, 3 at Universal, and the rest at WDW. We stayed at the Portofino Bay Hotel, and loved it. Loved the FOTL access, too. This was back in 2000. I don't recall, at that time, seeing Universal compare themselves to Disney, or use Disney in their ads in a negative way.

It used to be, many years ago, that an honorable company did not mention their competitors by name in advertising. Universal has just completely thrown that out the window, and it just doesn't sit well with me. When I go to their website and see a "Compare to Disney World" link.....I just think HOW TACKY - Can't they make it on their own merits without having to compare/contrast their park to Disney's?

Its done often now, see: Coke/Pepsi.
I personally don't see anything wrong with comparing it to Disney, they want to show people the costs for both trips, most go to both places anyway IMO. It's just like car insurance companies these days, they compare to other companies. I don't see anything wrong with it, since your going to compare them anyway on your own time

 

[Uncleromulus]

My guess is that their attendance was down and this is simply a marketing strategy to get folks to come. At those prices, it'll probably work.
Won't do much for us tho, as we only go to Universal/IOA every 3-4 years just to see what's new.

 

[Jon99]

2.) Location, Location, Location...EVERYTHING, Citywalk, 3 hotels and the 2 theme parks are located practically within walking distance of each other. Plus there's very nice boats you could take from the resorts as well. That means NO stinky buses to go back and forth.

So having a LOT less than Disney and being able to have it all located together makes is a good thing? I guess that makes Sea World even better yet as everything they have is located in the same park?

 

[mom2my3kids]

We may think about that next year, we love universal studios had a blast when we went a few years back just for the day. To be honest we had more fun then on a very busy day at disney. See years back we went to magic kingdom and mgm during spring break. Horrible idea, it was soo sooo crowded we had to wait almost 2 hours to see mickey and minnies house. I told my husband never again will I go during the busy times at disney world. But we went the same time to universal while it was busy (not as busy as disney) lines were not to bad and you were not arm to arm crowded. We had a blast, but we have never been to the universal island that is for older kids and adults. But I love disney and this is while we are going at off peak time next month.

 

[Puffy2]

Some of these comments are hysterical.

Universal Studios is hands down THE BEST PARK in Orlando. Islands of Adventure lags seriously behind, but it still has some attractions worth seeing. Combined with the restaurants and some entertainment at City Walk, and the fabulous hotels onsight that are superior to any that Disney offers, this is a great deal and opportunity. No, I wouldn't spend 7 days in the parks...but I might spend a solid three, enjoy some down time at City Walk and the hotels and perhaps go over to SeaWorld for a day. Great vacation.

 

[Jon99]

If US is the best park, hands down as you say, why does it lag in attendance?

 

[ChrisFL]

My guess is that their attendance was down and this is simply a marketing strategy to get folks to come. At those prices, it'll probably work.
Won't do much for us tho, as we only go to Universal/IOA every 3-4 years just to see what's new.

Universal's attendance last quarter was UP over last year actually

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

This is what IMO Universal has advantages over Disney:

1). Resorts are very nice and are comparatively much less expensive than Disney.

2.) Location, Location, Location...EVERYTHING, Citywalk, 3 hotels and the 2 theme parks are located practically within walking distance of each other. Plus there's very nice boats you could take from the resorts as well. That means NO stinky buses to go back and forth.

3.) Front of the Line- Hotel guests get the VIP treatment and are able to get on the front of the line for nearly all attractions

4.) 2 full-day parks- Both US and IOA opened with a full complement of rides, shows and other attractions and didnt rely on waiting for something to be built a few years down the road to keep guests happy. IMO AK and MGM were not like this and in some ways still do not offer the same full-day experience, though they are trying.

5.) Laid back feel- This one is more difficult to seriously talk about but many, many trip reports I've read have the same idea that it just seems less difficult to get to where you want to go and be able to do everything. Of course, FOTL helps this IMMENSELY. It also means that you don't HAVE to do as much planning ahead of time with ADR's, EMH's etc. like Disney.

Those are just a few of the ones I can think of right now

I've never stayed at their resorts, but I think from what I have read on this board, I can agree with the above. Ofcourse, if they grow then No. 2 will become less and less an advantage.

And may I say, I'm glad people love U/IOA. I wish more people did. It would make the crowds less when I go to WDW.

 

[ChrisFL]

So having a LOT less than Disney and being able to have it all located together makes is a good thing? I guess that makes Sea World even better yet as everything they have is located in the same park?

But it isn't a lot less for some of us. I can spend 3 days at Disney parks, tops, maybe even 2 sometimes. MGM and AK just don't have the amount of attractions that I like.

Plus Epcot has totally lost its way, there's nothing "future" in future world anymore, they closed Wonders of Life, Mission:Space makes people sick, Imagination is nowhere near as good as the original, Test Track is fun, I like Soarin', but it's exactly the same as DCA, Energy is the same ride its always been, but with Ellen and Bill Nye, Spaceship Earth needs a rehab desperately, Living Seas I dont know about yet until the new version opens.

Oh and World Showcase hasn't been had anything new since...the 1980's?

I DO enjoy Disney and I go there a few times a year, but I see reality about the place and that is that they're not building the same top quality attractions they used to.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Universal's attendance last quarter was UP over last year actually

I'm glad it is up. That would make it better than 2005. Found this site with some info. Ok, call me clueless, but I didn't know WDW's attendance was that much more than U/IOA. For 2005, U/IOA had 11.86million and WDW's was 42.9 million. I know WDW has two more parks, but that is more than 3 1/2 times. Wow.

http://www.coastergrotto.com/theme-park-attendance.jsp

And in 2005, WDW's attendance increased by at least 5% and U/IOA's was down by 8.5% from the year before.

I think Uncle R. is right. I'm sure U/IOA wants a bigger piece of the pie. If I were a U/IOA lover, I would love it.

edited to add: And I hope no one thinks I am bashing the Univ. parks. Just stating some facts. Like I said before, I hope U/IOA's stategy works. Really, I do. There is nothing that will keep WDW's tickets down like good old fashion competition.

 

[Wish_I_Was_At_WDW]

That is a great price and I'm happy for those who like to go there. I've never been to Universal (except in California) or IOA. Actually have no desire to go no matter what the price. It works out well for the Disney fans if this draws some crowds over to the "other" park!

 

[Amity 3]

UO had a big growth spurt in 2004, which is why the numbers in 2005 dropped. so far this year, the numbers are about static, but they're bringing in much more revenue. they're simply using the same plan WDW is - keep people in their parks for a longer amount of time.

don't believe that Mickey loves you so much that he created free dining and Magical Express just to make your vacation more carefree. plans like these are a direct assault on Universal, Sea World, Busch Gardens, etc.

Orlando is the number one toursit destination in the world, of course the other parks want a shot at your money. WDW wants it all, with good reason. they're the reason Orlando is the number one tourist destination in the world.

but WDW isn't going to drop their gate fees because of competition. they're actually raising them to force the other parks to do the same. WDW's new tactic is that eventually, the other parks will have to drop their gate fees and appear as second tier parks. IOA alone cost one billion dollars to build on existing land with ex-Disney Imagineers, it's not a second tier park. it's no Six Flags.

WDW is the king of Orlando, there's no doubting that. the other parks are just trying to differentiate themselves and appeal to a different customer base. if you're put off by their commercials, so be it. you're not the fans they're trying to attract. as they say in the Horror Makeup Show..."This isn't Disneyworld, we don't have to be nice to you."

 

[damo]

I am turned off by Universal's advertising, plain and simple. On our first ever trip to Orlando, we were in Florida for 16 days. 3 at the beach, 1 at Kennedy Space Center, 3 at Universal, and the rest at WDW. We stayed at the Portofino Bay Hotel, and loved it. Loved the FOTL access, too. This was back in 2000. I don't recall, at that time, seeing Universal compare themselves to Disney, or use Disney in their ads in a negative way.

It used to be, many years ago, that an honorable company did not mention their competitors by name in advertising. Universal has just completely thrown that out the window, and it just doesn't sit well with me. When I go to their website and see a "Compare to Disney World" link.....I just think HOW TACKY - Can't they make it on their own merits without having to compare/contrast their park to Disney's?

If you go to the Universal Boards you will see that one of the most popular questions is, "How does Universal compare to Disney?" This is a very legitimate question and Universal answered that question on their website.

 

[BluOrchid2]

If you go to the Universal Boards you will see that one of the most popular questions is, "How does Universal compare to Disney?" This is a very legitimate question and Universal answered that question on their website.

It's one thing for the consumers to talk amongst themselves about the similarities and differences between two products. It's another thing entirely for one company to pit itself against another publicly, IMO. I can do the research on my own; I don't need (or trust) one company to tell me how much better they are than another and why.

For the poster who compared Coke and Pepsi and auto insurance companies doing the same thing....I DO admit that I have a faulty memory, but I can't recall Coca-Cola ever doing that....only the #2 Pepsi - just as #2 Universal is doing it to Disney. But I dunno, maybe they have. As far as Progressive auto insurance, to me that's different because they offer comparison rates from SEVERAL other companies, not just one that they're out to beat down. And, they don't always paint themselves in the most favorable light - they aren't always the lowest price shown.

I liken it to a person who has to put down others in order to inflate his own ego.

Universal Studios is hands down THE BEST PARK in Orlando. Islands of Adventure lags seriously behind, but it still has some attractions worth seeing. Combined with the restaurants and some entertainment at City Walk, and the fabulous hotels onsight that are superior to any that Disney offers, this is a great deal and opportunity. No, I wouldn't spend 7 days in the parks...but I might spend a solid three, enjoy some down time at City Walk and the hotels and perhaps go over to SeaWorld for a day. Great vacation.

Are you sure you're on the right board?

 

[WillCAD]

If US is the best park, hands down as you say, why does it lag in attendance?

Uni doesn't own its own TV network to give it billions in free advertizing.

Uni only has 3 resorts instead of 24, and hasn't based its marketing strategy on developing a completely captive audience.

Universal Pictures hasn't based their entire corporate image on a single animated character, which puts them at something of a disadvantage to Disney, whose entire corporate structure is unified by Mickey Mouse.

Uni keeps getting unfairly bashed as being a "second-rate park" or a "ripoff of Disney" or "similar to Six Flags", mostly by people who have either never been there or who went into it determined to hate it. None of those comments are true, by the way, but they get spread around and a lot of people believe them.

And by the way, all of those who have been complaining about how Uni's commercials are "rude" or "mean" seem to forget that Disney's entire marketing strategy for the last 10 years has been to find more and more ways to lock you up on Disney property, sucking every dime our of their Guests and driving other businesses in the greater Orlando out of business.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

but WDW isn't going to drop their gate fees because of competition.

I can see what you are saying, but we really don't know that since they don't have a lot of competition. Like you said, they are the King of Orlando. But I get your overall point.