If I have to hug one more princess, I am going to hurl!

[disneylizzy]

I really tried to sit on my hands and not get involved, but after slogging through all 12 pages of posts, I have to bring up an issue that a lot of people have come close to, but no one has really hit on.
Let me start by saying, I was raised at the parks. I have worked off and on for Disney (in various roles), Universal (in various roles), and Sea World, since 1992. What a lot of people on this board seem to miss is this: Yes, you're all wonderfully well informed. You spend time on the forums. You know what's what, and what's where, and have touring plans and dining schedules and all that stuff. You are all in graduate school compared to the kindergarten knowledge of the average person who is contemplating an Orlando vacation. Your average person out there on the street thinks that central Florida is Disney. Sea World, Universal, Busch Gardens...all owned by Disney, according to Joe Schmoe vacationer.
I can't count the number of times, while working at Animal Kingdom, I was asked for directions to Spiderman. Or while working at Universal Studios, asked how to get to Dinosaur. Or while working at Epcot, asked where Jaws was. People are confused. They try to get into the Magic Kingdom with their Portofino Bay room key, and hand the Universal Team Member at Earthquake a Fast Pass from Space Mountain.
And for every person who actually came to Orlando and is experiencing that confusion, there are hundreds who won't vacation in Orlando at all, because "it's all Disney" and "Disney is for kids (or sissies, or what have you). That's the group that Universal is targeting with their commercials. Letting Joe Public in another state know that there is an option. Obviously, Joe Public isn't a Disney fan, and his kids may well have made similar comments to those of the kids in the commercial. If they were Disney fans, they'd already be in Orlando. But they're not, and they have no idea that Universal offers a completely different experience. And that's the advantage of that type of marketing. Taking what the person *already believes to be true* about Disney, and turning that into a chance to show that Universal is different.
It's unbelievable how much backlash this commercial series has generated. But like another poster said, the key to marketing is to be remembered, and they've certainly done well with that. But to the poster who made snide comments about Universal Team Members, I just have to ask: Do you really believe that I have some sort of multiple personality? When I'm wearing a pin trading lanyard and playing with your kids outside a Disney attraction I'm awesome, but when I'm playing with your kids outside a Universal attraction I'm trash? Think about that one for a moment.
Go ahead, flame away.

This is the most intelligent post I have ever read on the "hurling" and Disney v Universal advertising. It should be referred to each time the subject comes up.

 

[PghLybrt]

I loved the commercial too! There are little girls out there that really are not into the whole princess thing...in fact I am still one of them. That is not to say that I don’t love Disney ....We go every year at least once but we always go to universal too!

 

[DisneyPhD]

This may be unkind of me to say, but.... Maybe if more of our little girls hugged a few more princess' we wouldn't have so many snotty little brats.

Ok, I am being a bad dis'er and I haven't read the whole thread yet, but this stuck me as funny!

I don't like the comerical and when DD's see's it she wonders what is wrong with that girl? I say more princesses for us. She agrees. (and Mickey, and minnie, pooh.................)

 

[Ariel Mae]

I despsise this commercial, and honestly wonder, what the heck? Is that supposed to make me want to go to Universal? ha.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

JL Traveling, as a former Disney CM, I can *definitely* relate to your experiences. People create magic everywhere. I'm sure you brought magic to Disney, Universal, Sea World, etc. You probably brought a little to any other jobs you've had, too. I've put some of the philisophies I've learned at Disney to use as a teacher. Universal isn't trash, nor are its CM's. Hey, when I was a CM, I even had a crush on a few of them.

(Anyone who puts down the TM's for the decisions the company makes is jumping the gun. I remember one person irritated about Fastpass complaining to me, as if I had singlehandedly implemented it and was going to change it. *Why did you put this in? I . . . ")

Universal TM's are just as hardworking and deserving of respect.

But I still don't like the commercial.

Obviously I love the whole Disney Princess thing (I mean look at my sig! ) I just feel like people who love the Disney Princess thing would be less likely to include Universal because of that commercial, not out of spite, but because of the logic that "If this spokeschild wants to vomit because of hugging princesses, which I love, maybe I'll hate what she loves?"
KWIM?

 

[JLTraveling]

But I still don't like the commercial.

Obviously I love the whole Disney Princess thing (I mean look at my sig! ) I just feel like people who love the Disney Princess thing would be less likely to include Universal because of that commercial, not out of spite, but because of the logic that "If this spokeschild wants to vomit because of hugging princesses, which I love, maybe I'll hate what she loves?"
KWIM?

Lulu, thank you for a well-reasoned and kind response. I completely understand what you're saying. No company is ever going to make a commercial that will appeal to all of the people all of the time. And this particular line of commercials certainly doesn't appeal to Princess lovers such as yourself. I think you have reasonable and valid reasons for disliking the commercial, very unlike the knee-jerk "Oh my gosh, did they just bash Disney?!?!" people who have responded to this thread. I love both parks equally, and for vastly different reasons. I think the people who favor Disney will continue to do so, and the people who favor Universal will continue to do so, regardless of what some ad campaign tells us to do. I just think that with this particular line of commercials, Universal isn't targeting Disney-lovers, they're targeting those who have no idea what there is to do in Orlando in the first place. Poor sad people that they are.

 

[Pig Pen]

After visiting Orlando 2 or 3 times per year for the past 10 years, people are shocked that we have never been to Universal. Maybe someday, but I don't see it happening.

 

[Micca]

They should be so lucky to have the princesses, or any other character that is so loved that people want to hug them.

 

[FayeW]

I have to admit that the constant references to "bashing" Disney confuse me!

The commercial doesn't even mention the park by name, how on earth can you stretch that to "bashing"???? Certainly, they ALLUDE to Disney with the princess comment, but as many have pointed out, US has their very on princess, Fiona!

I think that this commerical is mainly about pointing out that there is more to a vacation experience than "just" storybook princesses, incase fairytales aren't your thing. Some of you really take this stuff way to seriously. When we went to Florida for the first time, it was supposed to be "once in a lifetime" so we wanted to experience a little of everything. We went to MK twice,(because MK is WDW flagship park in Orlando, and every image I ever had of Disney included that castle!), 2 days at SW, and 5 days at US/IOA purely because those 5 days cost us less than 2 days at WDW would cost. I was completely unbiased when we visited Orlando, and we loved all of the parks we experienced (however, MK was our LEAST favourite! Luckily, I think that Spectromagic and Mickey's Philharmagic alone are worth the cost of admission). Anyway, because of the success and enjoyment of our visit to all 3 brands of parks represented in Orlando, and the fact that SW & US/IOA were so inexpensive, we've been able to go back already a second time, and are planning our 3rd trip! Every trip we take to Orlando will include US/IOA. When we can get 5 days for $100, how could it not?
WE ARE THE DEMOGRAPHIC THIS COMMERCIAL IS TARGETING!

 

[VSL]

I can't count the number of times, while working at Animal Kingdom, I was asked for directions to Spiderman. Or while working at Universal Studios, asked how to get to Dinosaur. Or while working at Epcot, asked where Jaws was. People are confused. They try to get into the Magic Kingdom with their Portofino Bay room key, and hand the Universal Team Member at Earthquake a Fast Pass from Space Mountain.

Well said, BTW! Excellent post.

 

[JLTraveling]

They should be so lucky to have the princesses, or any other character that is so loved that people want to hug them.

Yeah, you're so right...cause nobody hugs Spongebob, or Dora, or gee, maybe even PRINCESS Fiona. Poor sad Universal characters, with nobody to love them

 

[GemmaPixie]

This thread has been over for over a year but I just HAD to comment and thank you all!! I have been wetting myself laughing at this thread! It's hilarious!!!

The first post that stuck in my mind was one on page 1 or 2 and actually stated "Universal isn't like Disney" HAHAHA no bleep!! It's not supposed to be like Disney or else it would be boring.

Another few that made me laugh my socks off were ones where people said 'I have never been to Universal and will never go!'. haha!! Oh god, thats hilarious!! That's fine if you want to be narrowminded- a lot of people feel they have to be loyal to Disney and if they go to another park then they are being unfaithful to the mouse- here's something for you- other parks *are* really really good (SHOCK HORROR!) It's like cutting your nose off to spite your face.

As for the commercial- I've never seen it because I'm from NI but it's what all companys do. People on here are just getting so defensive because it's their precious DISNEY that is being made fun of and that it just TRAGIC! lol.

My 2 cents (or should I say 2 pennys) is that, for me, I prefer USO and IOA, mainly because I hate really long queues and love the rides that they produce so for me, it a better fit. Doesn't mean I don't like Disney, I do like it. I don't love it because I get frustrated in it but that's just me.

Anyway, sorry for opening up old wounds (is that the expression), but I just spent the last good while reading this thread (it was mentioned on another board which is how I got to it) and couldn't not comment.

Best read in a while!

Thank you

xx

 

[Micca]

I am not a theme park fan, I am a Disney fan.

 

[lindalinda]

Completely OT, but gemmapixie, who is peter crouch?

 

[Mnementh]

While I am not "loyal" to Disney by any means, while Disney has taken steps to improve its parks, Universal is downgrading their parks, in my opinion (speaking strictly about WDW and Universal Orlando, as I haven't been to the others). I'm going to be heading down to Orlando in mid-September and I'm visiting both WDW and Universal, but while I was planning, I was looking at what each park has, since its been several years since I've last been to Florida, and the changes that Universal made seem like a downgrade from the last time I was there.

 

[GemmaPixie]

LindaLinda- Peter Crouch is a football player. He plays for Liverpool Football Club. (ohh soccer to you guys lol). Most people find him ugly but I'm obssessed with him and find him so sexy!! He's really tall and lanky. I met him in a club in Liverpool and nearly died on the spot. I love him I love him I love him!!

Mnenemth- interesting you they UO have downgraded? Which ways do you mean?

 

[Mnementh]

Mnenemth- interesting you they UO have downgraded? Which ways do you mean?

Well, last time I was there, they had the Nickelodeon Studios tour, which I loved, and that's gone. They got rid of King Kong and Back to the Future, two of the most classic rides they had there, and they added a ton of new thrill rides, especially at Islands of Adventure (which they were still in the process of building the last time I was there). Now, if you're a thrill seeker, I can see why this would be considered an upgrade, but I'm far from one. Last time I was at Universal, I had a blast because I wasn't afraid to get on any ride they had, but now I'm leery about getting on half of them.

 

[GemmaPixie]

Ohh I see, well then yes that would be a downgrade for you. For me personally, I love the new rides. I love that universal are always adding and updating. UO is still a pretty mild park, the only 'thrill' ride would be ROTM but I wouldn't so much call it a thrill ride.

 

[eclectics]

If it were an 'either or' type of situation, I'd pick Disney, of course. If I had an extra one or two days I would certainly check out Universal if I could. I haven't been there since '92 and wouldn't mind seeing the new attractions (I loved Kong however, and am sad to learn it's gone). I'm not a roller coaster fan so I could skip IOA (although I would love to check out Jurassic Park). Two days tops. The main vacation time would belong to Disney though.

 

[ChrisFL]

If it were an 'either or' type of situation, I'd pick Disney, of course. If I had an extra one or two days I would certainly check out Universal if I could. I haven't been there since '92 and wouldn't mind seeing the new attractions (I loved Kong however, and am sad to learn it's gone). I'm not a roller coaster fan so I could skip IOA (although I would love to check out Jurassic Park). Two days tops. The main vacation time would belong to Disney though.

IOA has 3 rollercoasters, most of its rides aren't rollercoasters, I still dont know how people get this idea thats all there is