HUGE announcement from Universal

[PrincessTiff]

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...

I agree. The princess one that they did mocking disney was completely out of line. Disney doesn't need to use mockery to get guest to come . What universal did in that commercial was classless but that's a whole different topic.

 

[Fredd's Girl]

One question. What is a Universal, and, why would I want to do that?

I'm with you! I've heard about this other thing in Orlando near Disney...but I know nothing about it! All I know is, I get off a plane, I go to Disney, I play at Disney, I get on plane and go home. People are crazy! "There's other stuff in FL" yeah right.

On a serious note. For 2 parks, isn't 7 days alot? The attraction to Disney is the 4 parks, plus water parks for seven days or more. So it's a great deal, but are you really going to spend 7 days at Universal or IOA?

 

[BluOrchid2]

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.

Disney's marketing strategy has been to win, win, win the consumer over to spending their hard-earned dollars on a well-deserved vacation on their property - and they've been successful. What's wrong with that? Your post really sounds like sour grapes.

 

[BluOrchid2]

I agree. The princess one that they did mocking disney was completely out of line. Disney doesn't need to use mockery to get guest to come . What universal did in that commercial was classless but that's a whole different topic.

Yes, CLASSLESS. TACKY. UNPROFESSIONAL. My sentiments exactly.

 

[damo]

I'm with you! I've heard about this other thing in Orlando near Disney...but I know nothing about it! All I know is, I get off a plane, I go to Disney, I play at Disney, I get on plane and go home. People are crazy! "There's other stuff in FL" yeah right.

On a serious note. For 2 parks, isn't 7 days alot? The attraction to Disney is the 4 parks, plus water parks for seven days or more. So it's a great deal, but are you really going to spend 7 days at Universal or IOA?

For my family, if I take the rides that we actually go on at Disney, they add up to about the number of rides we go on at Universal. Disney has spread it's good rides out over 4 parks to keep you there as long as possible. Universal has a water park. I don't see the fact that Disney has 4 parks over Universal's two as an advantage at all but actually a disadvantage since I have to waste more time to actually get to the good rides.

I love the 7 day pass since now I can stay at Universal for 7 whole days and go other places for part of the day if I wish and still come back to Universal for a while every day. I like to spend some time at the other Orlando parks but the majority of the time at Universal. I also prefer the Universal Hotels to the Disney hotels for the perks that I get. To our family, this is a great deal.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

Gee, I'm not a fan of Univ. but I thought the commercial with the "hurl" was hysterical. The first time I saw it, she said it, and I was like, Oooooooohhh, myyyyyyyy......I know who they are talking about, and then I laughed my head off.

I remember in Marketing class they said, No. 1 should never mention it's competition since they are No. 1, and NO. 2 should mention their competition so people can pay attention to the differences in the product.

Mentioning princesses, fairies, mice, etc. is just like mentioning Disney's name. We all knew who they were talking about.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You know folks, there is no reason why this has to be a competition. The OP told us about a GREAT deal, for those of us who love US/IOA. If you DON'T like the Universal parks, THAT'S OKAY!

I absolutely agree! In a later post, the OP even stated she doesn't care for, or isn't interested in, or something, USF/IOA - yet here she is, open-minded and flexible enough to post this exciting information for DISers who DO like those parks!

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!

Stole? You mean kidnapped? Tied them up and forced them to work for Universal Hollywood (which, by the way, is not particularly close to Anaheim - so if Universal's pay and benefits were better enough than Disney's, which enabled Disney Cast Members to make informed choices about being 'lured' to work for a different company, more power to 'em )

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

You never had to do a paper in school where you had to "compare and contrast"? That's really all negative advertising - which Universal did NOT originate - is.

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? [/quote] [/quote] With all the complaints about Disney buses, and Disney transportation, and how long it takes to get from "here" to "there", and having to make two stops in Downtown Disney and one at Typhoon Lagoon before heading to a park, and the buses being standing room only, and what how latecomers cut in front of everybody at the Main Depot at Port Orleans Riverside? How, exactly, is having everything located in one easily-accessible area a BAD thing?
Remember, nobody is being FORCED to visit ANY theme park. CarolA very considerately posted theme park admission on the Theme Park Attractions and Strategies board, for DISers who do, or who might, like Universal/IOA. If I haven't posted it elsewhere - thank you VERY much for the information!

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.

ENTIRELY different experiences. Sure, there are a few attractions in both CA and FL (Mummy for example), and USH has the backlot tour, instead of dismissing USF/IOA out of hand, or based on posts on a message board, everybody who has the opportunity should try one or both parks at least once.

 

[ChrisFL]

I'm with you! I've heard about this other thing in Orlando near Disney...but I know nothing about it! All I know is, I get off a plane, I go to Disney, I play at Disney, I get on plane and go home. People are crazy! "There's other stuff in FL" yeah right.

Thats what I dont understand, how people can be so brainwashed as to never even want to see what else there is out there....even if it was designed by former Disney imagineers!

As for the commercial, if you can't see the humor in it, then PLEASE stay away, we don't need that kind of tight-wad types at Universal, people at Universal want to enjoy a little sarcasm and edginess once in a while (and please don't ever go on Shrek or you'll be so offended at the little jabs at Disney you'll want to burn the place down)

People need to seriously lighten up. Disney is a mega corporation which wants your money, ALL of your money. Meanwhile they're giving us less quality attractions, and asking us to pay more for them.

 

[Fitswimmer]

We went to Universal Islands of Adventure for one day. We rode a bunch of rides and had a nice time. None of us had any real pull to go back. I've never been to the other park and may try that at some point, but I've got no real pull to go there either. It's a good deal for people who do like it though.

As for the commercials, I just thought the picture they painted was sad. Kids in our society grow up fast enough, why make them cynical before they're even 10 years old? I love that my 20 year old niece still wants her picture taken with Eeyore and I hope she never grows out of it. I know I haven't!

 

[PrincessTiff]

Thats what I dont understand, how people can be so brainwashed as to never even want to see what else there is out there....even if it was designed by former Disney imagineers!

As for the commercial, if you can't see the humor in it, then PLEASE stay away, we don't need that kind of tight-wad types at Universal, people at Universal want to enjoy a little sarcasm and edginess once in a while (and please don't ever go on Shrek or you'll be so offended at the little jabs at Disney you'll want to burn the place down)

People need to seriously lighten up. Disney is a mega corporation which wants your money, ALL of your money. Meanwhile they're giving us less quality attractions, and asking us to pay more for them.

I'm pretty much as sarcastic as they come but no, I don't find the commerical amusing nor do I see any humor in it. It was a cry for desperation if you ask me. Talking about taking your money, USO was absolutely not worth a penny of the price of their one day ticket. You don't need to tell me to stay away from universal I made that decision on my own last time I was there.

 

[Mom of Sleepy Bashful and BabyDoc]

I love that my 20 year old niece still wants her picture taken with Eeyore and I hope she never grows out of it. I know I haven't!

Oh, I love that my 13 yr. old still likes to do that too. She definitely displays that teenager "tude" sometimes, but she loves the mouse, so all is forgiven. (just kidding........) In reality, I think it's Jack Sparrow she has a thing for.

ETA: I guess this has gotten a bit off topic so I'll end my posts by saying I'm so glad there is a good deal for the Uni. people and thanks to the OP for posting it.

 

[BluOrchid2]

You never had to do a paper in school where you had to "compare and contrast"? That's really all negative advertising - which Universal did NOT originate - is.

Of course I did. But I am not the #2 company who is doing it to try and make themselves appear as good as or better than #1. I don't appreciate negative campaigning at election time, and I don't appreciate negative advertising by private companies. And I never said they invented it. I think it's tacky, and I don't like them doing it. I think they're better than that, should have more honor and tact than that, and should concentrate on what they have to offer instead of how threatened they are by Disney.

I like their parks and resorts, I just don't like their advertising tactics.

 

[goofy4tink]

I've never been to US or IoA....only WDW and Busch Gardens in Tampa. But, we will be doing US in Oct. My friend has somehow procurred day passes for the 4 of us, so we're going to venture over early in our WDW trip to see what the deal is over at US. Will I like it as much as WDW? Probably not, but that's my opinion. My brother thinks I'm certifiable because I go to WDW so often, and never to a park with 'real' thrill rides. But, since I'm not a huge thrill ride person..and my 13 y/o dd is less of one than I, I guess WDW meets our needs.
Someday I would like to stay at Universal...just for a change. Perhaps do a few days there, and then head to WDW. It is getting to the point where people are afraid to say they like Universal or IoA.....they think the WDW fans will jump all over them. There's plenty to like for everyone. Different parks for different folks.

 

[WillCAD]

Disney's marketing strategy has been to win, win, win the consumer over to spending their hard-earned dollars on a well-deserved vacation on their property - and they've been successful. What's wrong with that? Your post really sounds like sour grapes.

And Uni's strategy has been to win, win, win consumers who are already inundated by multi-billion-dollar advertising campaigns from a competitor who has such a huge advantage in size and longevity that they are literally a household name.


Disney doesn't use sarcasm or edgy humor in their advertising because they rely on the sappy, tear-jerky, corny, ultra-sweet style of advertising - a style which puts me off just as much as the sarcasm puts you off. But have I ever once complained about the sugar shock that Disney's TV commercials cause me every time they come on? Have I denigrated them for being the ultimate is sappy corn? No, I haven't, because even though those ads are not to my personal taste, they are still well-designed and effective.

Universal is starting from a huge deficit in product recognition and customer loyalty, and all they are trying to do is show that they are not a cheap rip-off of Disney, but a viable product in their own right, with their own atmosphere, attitude, and features. They choose to use an edgier type of humor that you don't care for, but that does NOT make them tacky, mean, rude, or desperate.

Sour grapes? Not when it comes to WDW; I go there every year and spend a lot of my hard-earned money enjoying the parks, resorts, and restaurants. I spend a lot more time - and money - at WDW than I do at Uni.

What sours my grapes is people who find it necessary to unfairly bash Universal. If you don't like Uni, then don't go. If you don't like their ads, don't watch. But I do get somewhat defensive when people come into a thread that's all about a Uni ticket deal and post a lot of negative comments about the parks or their advertising campaign, and as a loyal repeat Guest at both WDW and Uni, I feel it necessary to respond to those who post untrue or unsubstantiated negative comments.

A lot of people feel the need to denigrate things they don't like, which is way sadder to me than a commercial with a kid making a tongue-in-cheek joke about the biggest Mouse in the world. If I don't like something, I have the decency to admit that I don't like it because it's not my style, and I feel no need to insult it or convince anybody else not to try it. I'm not a fan of Lost or 24, I hate blue cheese, and the thought of bungee jumping makes me shudder, but I don't try to dissuade others from enjoying these things.

Why do some people who don't care for Universal feel the insatiable need to dissuade others from going there in favor of WDW? I already love WDW, you don't have to convince me that it's great - why do you feel the need to convince me that Uni is crap? Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's bad.

 

[Amity 3]

we've got AP's for WDW, US/IOA, SW/BG/AI. that's nine parks within an hour from us. if they weren't all quality theme parks, we'd drop their AP's.

I'm in a Disney, Universal, or a Busch Park just about every week. In the last three years, Disney is sliding in customer service. the 'Now Hiring' banner in front of Casting on I-4 is faded from the years in the sun.

the treatment we got from the staff at the Nick Hotel last week was better than I've EVER experienced at a Disney resort. I want Disney to do better, ramp it up a few notches.

 

[PlutoLuvr]

A lot of people feel the need to denigrate things they don't like, which is way sadder to me than a commercial with a kid making a tongue-in-cheek joke about the biggest Mouse in the world. If I don't like something, I have the decency to admit that I don't like it because it's not my style, and I feel no need to insult it or convince anybody else not to try it. I'm not a fan of Lost or 24, I hate blue cheese, and the thought of bungee jumping makes me shudder, but I don't try to dissuade others from enjoying these things.

Why do some people who don't care for Universal feel the insatiable need to dissuade others from going there in favor of WDW? I already love WDW, you don't have to convince me that it's great - why do you feel the need to convince me that Uni is crap? Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's bad.

Very, very well said.

I've been scratching my head and wondering the same thing myself. Over 100 posts on the pros and cons of WDW vs. USO, when it started out as nothing more than a ticket deal some folks who are trying to plan their "theme park strategies" might be interested in know about?

It's like a Big Mac vs. Whopper debate. I like Big Macs ... so what??? Would I ever argue with someone about how a Big Mac tastes vs. a Whopper who hasn't even ever tried one? Of course not. That would be absurd and would be such an extreme waste of time.

 

[ChrisFL]

Why do some people who don't care for Universal feel the insatiable need to dissuade others from going there in favor of WDW? I already love WDW, you don't have to convince me that it's great - why do you feel the need to convince me that Uni is crap? Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's bad.

My sense is that they truly think WDW is threatened by anything positive happening at Universal and that people might actually ENJOY themselves at a non-Disney park (cue: shock, horror)

They may have had friends who told them about how great Universal is and that they should try it.

I just find it very odd that no one is ever bashing Sea World or Busch Gardens the same way. Of course, those deals aren't often posted on the Disney sections of the boards either. Maybe if these Universal related posts weren't in the Disney area then we wouldn't have these problems.

Basically, people, if it's a thread about Universal, and you don't like or don't want to go there, GREAT! You don't need to reply to everyone that you don't like it! I mean it must be hard to see how you're typing with your nose so high in the air.

 

[Fitswimmer]

A lot of people feel the need to denigrate things they don't like

That attitide is EVERYWHERE, I've been noticing it for the last 10 years or so and it just keeps getting worse! Nobody can just disagree anymore, there has to be hatred involved. I was in the Sears lot one day, and some person I have never seen before started spewing hate at me because I was getting out of an SUV. If she had come over to me and started a discussion about her feelings calmly, I would have been fine debating the finer points of why I chose that vehicle and the size of my "footprint". Same with any other "touchy" issue like religion or politics, healthy disagreement makes for great discussions, reduced ignorance and enlightened minds. I guess it is a way for people to feel superior to others, but it's really hurting us as a society.

 

[Amity 3]

, healthy disagreement makes for great discussions, reduced ignorance and enlightened minds. I guess it is a way for people to feel superior to others, but it's really hurting us as a society.

an open mind is a good thing. however, this being a primarily Disney site, you're going to get your mouth smacked off if you go against the grain and don't use the 's

 

[PatriciaH]

I really like US and IOA, the theaming and rides are great. The Mummy is one of my favorite rides in Orlando. I do hate the steel coasters outside-VERY noisy and ugly. We really look forward to Halloween Horror Nights every year. I also love the Christmas/Whoville/Grinch stuff and their Macy's parade. The Mardi Gras parade and bands are a lot of fun too. We saw the Go-Go's one year and had a blast. US/IOA maintain their parks and resorts very well. Disney has gone downhill the past few years with this. You never used to see dirty bathrooms, chipped paint and cracked sidewalks at WDW now it is common (I have been going since 1978.) I will say (and I may get flames for this) that the crowd at US/IOA is totally different than at WDW. It is more like a Six Flags crowd. Not very family like. Now I know we have seen some tacky bikini tops in WDW too but US/IOA is overun with smoking in line, lots of heavy drinking, nasty t-shirts/clothing, nasty language, etc.. That just turns us off to going more. We used to have AP's to US/IOA and go a lot too so I am not just pulling this out of thin air.