Just back 7/10 to 7/12

[AlexandNessa]

Sorry that I compared things to WDW, I did not know that wasnt allowed

Of course it's allowed. It's just the way that you went about it, for all the reasons that RVGal so aptly stated.

Unfortunately, your trippie is very typical of WDW people who decided that they are WDW people (and WDW people ONLY) before they even visited Universal. Step one: Visit Universal, discover (surprise) that Universal isn't Disney. Step two: find things to hate about it because it's not Disney. Step three: come back and report as much in a condescending tone. Classic cookie-cutter "WDW-only people" Universal trip report format.

As RVGal also stated, this type of trip report happens SO often on these boards, that it gets exhausting. Of course we think it's unfortunate that you didn't have a great trip. We would have loved to help you plan better before hand so you'd know what to expect and if it was right for you. Now you feel you've wasted your time and money, and there's not much we can do about that after-the-fact.

I am sorry too, that your experience at RPR wasn't all you'd hoped it would be. They seem to be suffering with some service issues lately, and I'm sorry you were a victim of that. I hope you took the time to complete a post-visit survey.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Of course it's allowed. It's just the way that you went about it, for all the reasons that RVGal so aptly stated.

Unfortunately, your trippie is very typical of WDW people who decided that they are WDW people (and WDW people ONLY) before they even visited Universal. Step one: Visit Universal, discover (surprise) that Universal isn't Disney. Step two: find things to hate about it because it's not Disney. Step three: come back and report as much in a condescending tone. Classic cookie-cutter "WDW-only people" Universal trip report format.

As RVGal also stated, this type of trip report happens SO often on these boards, that it gets exhausting. Of course we think it's unfortunate that you didn't have a great trip. We would have loved to help you plan better before hand so you'd know what to expect and if it was right for you. Now you feel you've wasted your time and money, and there's not much we can do about that after-the-fact.

I am sorry too, that your experience at RPR wasn't all you'd hoped it would be. They seem to be suffering with some service issues lately, and I'm sorry you were a victim of that. I hope you took the time to complete a post-visit survey.

Have they really been suffering service issues lately? I stayed in June and I was kinda treated like a rock star.

 

[AlexandNessa]

Yes, unfortunately, RPR has received some bad reviews lately. Perhaps it's because only those with bad experiences have been sharing them lately?

What was your excellent experience? Share to balance the equation!

 

[micksterlee]

I love to go to Universal and WDW both and always have a good time at both places.We just returned from Universal and even though I wouldn't fit in some of the rides I am looking forward to going back after the Harry Potter attractions are built.Hopefully by that time I will have lost this weight and will be able to ride more.

I have come to these boards for awhile now and I have gained a lot of great info from them.I have been to WDW 4 times now and Universal twice and enjoyed every trip.The thing is , I am beginning to develop a dislike for WDW due to the people posting on these boards.The I am right and you had better listen to what I say attitude a lot of these posters have is a huge turn off for me.It used to be when someone told me they were planning a trip I would refer them to the boards now I don't bother.

 

[bg4]

We arrived around 8pm and headed to City Walk. All the restaurants had an hour or more wait so we went to Jimmy Buffetts and snagged a high top table near the bar.

Starting here - Universal guests get next table service (some exceptions) by showing room key - not sure why you waited an hour? At Hard Rock Cafe we usually walk right in. - very strange.

Disney is not Universal and Universal is not Disney. You came in with pre-conceived disney dieas and you wanted Universal to be another disney and it IS NOT. If you had asked we would have told you not to take the bus but walk. Sorry for your bad experience. I had a sililar experience at Disney last June.

 

[chobie]

Starting here - Universal guests get next table service (some exceptions) by showing room key - not sure why you waited an hour? At Hard Rock Cafe we usually walk right in. - very strange.

Disney is not Universal and Universal is not Disney. You came in with pre-conceived disney dieas and you wanted Universal to be another disney and it IS NOT. If you had asked we would have told you not to take the bus but walk. Sorry for your bad experience. I had a sililar experience at Disney last June.

Amazing that the parks were dead all day but there were long waits at City Walk.

 

[GemmaPixie]

I have come to these boards for awhile now and I have gained a lot of great info from them.I have been to WDW 4 times now and Universal twice and enjoyed every trip.The thing is , I am beginning to develop a dislike for WDW due to the people posting on these boards.The I am right and you had better listen to what I say attitude a lot of these posters have is a huge turn off for me.It used to be when someone told me they were planning a trip I would refer them to the boards now I don't bother.

I'm sorry these people have put you off recommending people to this site. Please don't let them put you off, just ignore them.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Yes, unfortunately, RPR has received some bad reviews lately. Perhaps it's because only those with bad experiences have been sharing them lately?

What was your excellent experience? Share to balance the equation!

Haha.. let's see. The check-in girls were new but great.. and they were all Asian. Kudos to Universal for theming! :lol: But most of all she was very sweet and knowledgeable about all the happenings around the parks and CityWalk.. They were also great about helping me with an issue of getting room keys to people in my party arriving later.. The guys at luggage service were great. Three employees that I walked by on the way to my room welcomed me to the island.

And the saddest part was I was only paying like $15 more than my first few nights I spent at French Quarter..

 

[MickeyNicki]

Starting here - Universal guests get next table service (some exceptions) by showing room key - not sure why you waited an hour? At Hard Rock Cafe we usually walk right in. - very strange.

We did not know this and we were not told this when we checked into the resort. I did tell the clerk that we have never been here before but he was not helpful at all. I went to conceirge to see if we needed reservations anywhere and they told me to just go down to Jakes Bar and Grill or Island Cafe if we wanted dinner...I said we wanted to go to City Walk and they said oh no problem, there is good food all over City Walk and that was the end of the conversation. Luckily we got right in at Jimmy Buffetts and had a wonderful meal.

 

[MickeyNicki]

Amazing that the parks were dead all day but there were long waits at City Walk.

We did not go to the park that day, we did not arrive until 7:30 at night. We checked in and headed to City Walk

 

[phamton]

We did not know this

You've been on the DisBoards for 2 years and have nearly 3000 posts so you're not a newbie. Knowledge is power both when planning a Disney vacation or planning a Universal vacation. Many people have a less than magical time at Disney because they fail to learn about fastpass, ADRs, EMH, hotel codes, etc. That is why boards such as the Dis are such valuable resources. If you had posted on the Universal boards here before you left, you could have received lots of valuable information including information on the perks associated with staying onsite.

 

[MickeyNicki]

You've been on the DisBoards for 2 years and have nearly 3000 posts so you're not a newbie. Knowledge is power both when planning a Disney vacation or planning a Universal vacation. Many people have a less than magical time at Disney because they fail to learn about fastpass, ADRs, EMH, hotel codes, etc. That is why boards such as the Dis are such valuable resources. If you had posted on the Universal boards here before you left, you could have received lots of valuable information including information on the perks associated with staying onsite.

Ok, one more time people, this trip was booked 2 days before we arrived. We have not been to Universal since 93 and IOA since the day they opened. If I had more time I would have asked questions and searched the net but I didnt. If you want to burn me at the cross fine, whatever.

 

[GemmaPixie]

Ok, one more time people, this trip was booked 2 days before we arrived. We have not been to Universal since 93 and IOA since the day they opened. If I had more time I would have asked questions and searched the net but I didnt. If you want to burn me at the cross fine, whatever.

I'm really not being cheeky but you had 2 days.

I understand it was a rushed trip but one thread to simply ask for any advice for someone who hasnt been since '93 and you would have gotten all the info you needed. Seriously, on this side of the boards people are very helpful and informative and they would have given you all the information for a great trip.

 

[phamton]

I'm not trying to burn you at the cross. I'm trying to point out that some of your problems might not have ocurred if you had had a chance to plan.

I was a Dinseyland veteran. I went the first year after Disneyland opened (in 1956) and almost every year after that for 30 years or so. I did not plan my first Disneyworld vacation (in 1999) because I assumed Disneyworld was just a larger version of Disneyland. I bought a package online on the WDW website for an outrageous price. I think I bought the gold package. I didn't know my tickets included the water parks or Disneyquest (which they did) and didn't go to the parks on the day we checked in because I didn't want to waste a day on our tickets. I didn't even know they were length of stay tickets. No one told me anything at check in at Dixie Landings (now Port Orleans.) I even commented at check in how it would be nice to see the fireworks but didn't want to waste a day. The person who checked me in could have or should have told me that it wouldn't waste a day because I had length of stay tickets.

I heard other people talking about Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon, and DisneyQuest and my kids wanted to go but I didn't want to shell out more money since we already had "Disney" tickets. Little did I know that our tickets included unlimited DisneyQuest and water parks.

The first day in Magic Kingdom, I ran over to PotC to make reservations for the Blue Bayou. I knew the restaurant was next to Pirates but there was no New Orleans Square and definitely no Blue Bayou. And where did they hide the Matterhorn? What happned to the submarine ride? And SplashMountain was closed for refurbishment. Everyone at the park seemed to know that Splash was closed but I didn't know how they knew ahead of time.

Now the really sad part is I thought that MGM and Animal Kingdom were seperate parks and that we needed tickets for those. We only did Epcot and Magic Kingdom because I didn't want to spend extra money for MGM and AK. We talked to someone on the bus who had gone to Animal Kingdom and I was so jealous. I thought the next time we vacationed at WDW we would buy tickets for AK also. Yes, I was an idiot.

I joined the DisBoards right before our next trip and even today, I shake my head about the mistakes I made with our first trip. I don't blame Disney for our less than magical time. We still had a good time but it could have been much better if I had spent some time learning about the parks.

I know that this wasn't your first time to Universal but it has been a number of years since you last went. I'm not sure they even had onsite hotels then. A lot has changed since you were there. A little planning could have made your trip more fun and not so "blah."

 

[MickeyNicki]

I'm really not being cheeky but you had 2 days.

I understand it was a rushed trip but one thread to simply ask for any advice for someone who hasnt been since '93 and you would have gotten all the info you needed. Seriously, on this side of the boards people are very helpful and informative and they would have given you all the information for a great trip.

I booked the trip late Sunday night, we were on the road at 6 am without access to a computer.

I know the boards are very helpful, I have picked up many tips for WDW..if there was more time I would have done the same for Universal but I digress.....

 

[bg4]

I booked the trip late Sunday night, we were on the road at 6 am without access to a computer.

I know the boards are very helpful, I have picked up many tips for WDW..if there was more time I would have done the same for Universal but I digress.....

You state also

we did not arrive until 7:30 at night

You left Naples at 6AM but did not arrive until 7:30 PM?

13 1/2 hours drive for 200 miles?

I did the math - actually expedia.com and its

Total Route 197 mi 3 hrs 19 mins

There seem to be a lot of holes in this story. sorry.

 

[MickeyNicki]

You state also

we did not arrive until 7:30 at night

You left Naples at 6AM but did not arrive until 7:30 PM?

13 1/2 hours drive for 200 miles?

I did the math - actually expedia.com and its

Total Route 197 mi 3 hrs 19 mins

There seem to be a lot of holes in this story. sorry.

As I said in the beginning, DH had a business trip. I booked the reservation late Sunday night. We left home Monday at 6 am. We left Tampa Tuesday at 6:15 pm.

No holes, no lies.

 

[macraven]

i think what phamton said was well stated.

you were able to find the trip report section to post your thread.
we do appreciate trip reports so thank you.

i just assumed you were familiar with the universal forums since you did post your report about your recent stay and park adventures.
posters that post their trippies, have usually explored the other forums.

 

[RVGal]

Okay, everyone take a deep breath and move to neutral corners...

Whew!

I think the point that most of us were trying to make is that your report sounded like you only went to Universal because you couldn't go to Disney.. and you were expecting a Disney-ish time... and then had a so-so time because it wasn't, well, Disney.

I understand about not having time to research the trip, but I think the point Phamton was trying to make is that maybe you would have had a better time with prior research. Maybe not. But there are a lot of people that come back from Disney wondering what all the fuss is about because they missed out on all the things that would have made it a great trip for them... and with a little homework before you go, you learn what sounds good to you and what to skip.

You had no way of knowing how often there are trip reports posted on this board that begin with "We're Disney people" and end with "We will never go back to Universal"... but it does happen SO very often that people who post here tend to get rubbed the wrong way.

Imagine if I dropped in on the Disney trip report board and posted a TR that said, "I went... it was blah... I'll never go back..."
I would get skewered and roasted over an open pit while the natives danced with joy around my smoking carcass.

But I digress...

I think what also gets people defensive around here and posting opposing views is the fear that someone (or dozens of someones... or hundreds of someones...) will read yet another "Universal is crappy" report and make the decision not to go based on it.

It is one thing to say, "Universal wasn't for me." Hey, that's fine. Nowhere is for everybody. But to list out nit-picky stuff to try and paint a negative picture of Universal is something different, especially when those are the only posts you've made on this board, and it raises hackles.

Raised hackles, obviously, put you on the defensive and nothing good can come from a discussion when anyone feels defensive.

As my father used to say, "Let's just call this a learning experience and move on, shall we?"

On a side note, my father went to his grave (miss you Daddy) wondering why we drug him year after year to Disney. "Geez, all you do is stand in line to ride a boat and watch a bunch of robots. What the *@%$ am I doing here?" He, obviously, was way too much of a literal-minded realist to let go and immerse himself in the fantasy. Oh, well. As I said before, nowhere is for everybody...

 

[MickeyNicki]

Goodness if I knew my trip report would cause this much conflict I never would have posted it....I was just trying to give me opinion on my trip...lesson learned.

Sorry if I offended any Universal lovers, that was not my intent. No hard feelings?

If I had time believe me I would have researched my butt off.