Looks like Universal win this round

[kathy884]

Of course. However some feel that people only visit AK and DHS due to multi-day passes. The same might be true in some cases when it comes to the Studios at Universal but that is likely about to change. I don't get it because I think that both Universal parks are amazing but some only go for Harry Potter.

This is us on our next trip -- only going to see the HP stuff (Haven't hit US or IOA since this they added HP). We are doing a one day park hopper at Universal just to see all the HP stuff (just to see something new and different). With low crowd predictions we'll get to see a hand full of other attractions at each of the Universal parks too. We usually just do one Disney day per trip too and vary the park, but the MK tends to get more visits than the others. // We get down annually on a mini trip and pick one Disney trip per year to visit and every few year or so, we might go down for a week instead of just two days. For me, I'm doing my first IOA visit ever and first US visit since 89 with my one day hopper (wasn't too impressed with Universal Studios back then (bad vibe -- didn't like the atmosphere / attractions -- stuff felt cheap/tacky to me back then vs. wholesome and family friendly -- just how I felt), but it's been 25 years. I hear even without HP parks are much improved, and the HP stuff looks amazing, so I'm finally willing to give their parks another shot). My expectations, though, are still relatively low, given my impressions in 89. But OMG if Kennedy Space Center did a total turn around from 25 years ago (which IMHO they did -- they went from so boring and horrible to wonderful), Universal may have too. DS is doing his second US/IOA visit (visited both in 2007 -- liked them then but preferred SeaWorld, Cedar Point, and all four of the Disney parks more at that time, so only this year finally with their HP expansion are we going back) and that's actually just because my 78 year old mom (a very active senior who likes thrill rides and loves HP) wants to go to see something different. She's just a little bored of all the other parks that she feels like she's been to a zillion times.

 

[Laketravis]

....But some here would have you believe that kids don't read these days.....

My 8 year old son has been to WDW four times for an aggregate of 5 weeks. He just finished reading the sixth Harry Potter book.

Guess where he wants to go now?

 

[Mad Hattered]

Um I was referencing this:



In which assumptions are made about individual guests.

But thanks for the diatribe and the funny picture if Mickey as Harry Potter.

Diatribe? Hardly.

Let me explain it....OSE that I referenced in my post is OnSpaceshipEarth that you were replying to. They weren't being serious. It was their attempt at mocking/humor regarding myself, Johde or anyone else who dare step off the Hallowed grounds of WDW and enter Satan's den (Universal). Only the first line of my post was questioning you. The rest was just me sharing an opinion.

I apologize if you took my quote personal. It wasn't aimed at you. I was honestly curious where someone stated that US/IOA had more actual visitors than AK/DHS other than OSE (which I would love to see their response to mac).

 

[Mad Hattered]

My 8 year old son has been to WDW four times for an aggregate of 5 weeks. He just finished reading the sixth Harry Potter book.

Guess where he wants to go now?

To ride the SDMT?

 

[clsteve]

To ride the SDMT?

That's only for non-readers...

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

All you guys have probably moved on already but our family has always been known to pop just into EP if we were in town for a show or something. It is our family stand by park (although mine and my honies is HS hand's down over any single park in Orlando.) The idea that people don't go to EP for the day seems silly to me. We have never felt that way about US or IOA. Also about AK being dead around 3, which isn't always our experience that's for sure, I think that's because it has always closed early so everyone starts there. If it did stay open later (like when they do Expedition Everest challenges) they would probably get the same ridiculous 3pm crowd HS does. Also originally when HS was built, it was designed to be a "half day" park, but of course its much more now. So I doubt the Execs are kicking themselves for AK quieting down so to speak in the late afternoons, not if they used to be in the business making half day parks...

 

[macphisto96]

The DC stuff is currently being used for themes (including Gotham) at Six Flags parks, together with other WB properties like the Looney Tunes. How would that effect a Universal switch from Marvel to DC?

Like the Marvel deal, the licensing is on a state-by-state basis (or country outside the US). So it's licensed in Georgia, but not for Florida. The major hang up is that they would not be able to advertise the DC stuff directly in states where Six Flags is present. But it wasn't a problem in licensing negotiations back in the 90s, even with WB selling off Six Flags. Marvel came in cheaper back then, so they went in a different direction. WB then decided to build a Six Flags park to compete with Orlando area stuff closer to Daytona. That never happened and Six Flags does not hold WB licensing to future parks outside of their current areas without negotiating for it. The license does not preclude WB from licensing their stuff to other parks outside the sphere of influence of a Six Flags park.

 

[rastuso]

All you guys have probably moved on already but our family has always been known to pop just into EP if we were in town for a show or something. It is our family stand by park (although mine and my honies is HS hand's down over any single park in Orlando.) The idea that people don't go to EP for the day seems silly to me. We have never felt that way about US or IOA. Also about AK being dead around 3, which isn't always our experience that's for sure, I think that's because it has always closed early so everyone starts there. If it did stay open later (like when they do Expedition Everest challenges) they would probably get the same ridiculous 3pm crowd HS does. Also originally when HS was built, it was designed to be a "half day" park, but of course its much more now. So I doubt the Execs are kicking themselves for AK quieting down so to speak in the late afternoons, not if they used to be in the business making half day parks...

AK and HS could not survive as stand alone parks somewhere. Both Universal Parks can, easily.

Many times the Disnoids will say US is a half day, which obviously means they only ride some of the rides/see some of the movies, and only once. That same person will say AK is so incredible, and they could spend days there, or that they ride Space Mountain 8 times in a day. I could ride Mummy for hours. T2 alone is nearly an hour time commitment.

US and IOA both have phenomenal rides. Rides that I ride MANY times in a day. They don't have the chaff like Disney has. I mean, MK could get rid of HoP, CoP, IASW, and JC and I sure wouldn't care. Same with about 75% of FW at Epcot. Epcot isn't a half day park, it's a quarter day park, unless you are going to eat there. And NO ONE would pay $99 to go there and spend hours eating an overpriced meal. Would they pay $10 more for a LOS pass and go there one evening? Sure.

Even the folks on here that love Epcot, and poo-poo Universal only talk about Test Track and that awful Soarin' ride as what they do at Epcot. I love seeing EO, but it's just not worth the hassle of going there and making the loooooooong walks required to hit the few neat things there.

It's interesting, this thread is the first time I've seen people fairly convinced the attendance numbers aren't really the "first click" totals they claim to be. I always found that hard to believe. Just visit Tokyo Disney for a couple of days. You will never believe WDW pulls in more visitors.

-jason

 

[macphisto96]

Um I was referencing this:



In which assumptions are made about individual guests.

But thanks for the diatribe and the funny picture if Mickey as Harry Potter.

Ultimately only each Resort knows about guest habits conclusively. Part of the reason why Disney did MyMagic+ was to get a lot more information about guest habits that they try to tie into a lot of different things. In many respects, it's more for them than it is for us.

Each resort tracks re-entries. Universal's numbers, when reported, do not include re-entries. They also are mostly non-park hopping. Most people that visit spend one day in each park. The Potter expansion is both to draw more crowds but also encourage more park hopping in an attempt to create more three day stays. Their goal is to go from a majority two day pass to a three day.

And there's Disney's concern. If Universal gets an extra day from vacationers, that's likely another day shaved off the Disney stay. So the 5 day Disney stay becomes a 4 day or the 4 day a 3 day, etc. It also means more merchandise sold, more food sold, etc. They are estimating a 25% increase in attendance at USF over the next year and about 10% at IOA. Much of that will come at Disney's expense in some way.

They are also pulling out all the stops. Jimmy Fallon shooting for a week in Orlando. You may see Universal references dropped into NBC shows. Today show highlights, etc. That's something from Disney's playbook, using your network to push your parks. GE never did that, Comcast does.

 

[FLchick415]

I must be one of these "Disnoids" you speak of (is the name calling really necessary, though?) because I DO think AK is incredible and I CAN spend a whole day at Epcot. And not just for TT and Soarin either.

 

[clsteve]

All you guys have probably moved on already but our family has always been known to pop just into EP if we were in town for a show or something. It is our family stand by park (although mine and my honies is HS hand's down over any single park in Orlando.) The idea that people don't go to EP for the day seems silly to me. We have never felt that way about US or IOA. Also about AK being dead around 3, which isn't always our experience that's for sure, I think that's because it has always closed early so everyone starts there. If it did stay open later (like when they do Expedition Everest challenges) they would probably get the same ridiculous 3pm crowd HS does. Also originally when HS was built, it was designed to be a "half day" park, but of course its much more now. So I doubt the Execs are kicking themselves for AK quieting down so to speak in the late afternoons, not if they used to be in the business making half day parks...

Not sure where you think they've specifically designed Parks as half day. But, adding Avatar and a nighttime spectacular to AK pretty much shows how happy they are with AK's current utilization. It couldn't be more apparent.

 

[jade1]

Not sure where you think they've specifically designed Parks as half day. But, adding Avatar and a nighttime spectacular to AK pretty much shows how happy they are with AK's current utilization. It couldn't be more apparent.

I do agree-but isn't that exactly why HP was added for at both US and IOA?

 

[surferdave]

Like the Marvel deal, the licensing is on a state-by-state basis (or country outside the US). So it's licensed in Georgia, but not for Florida. The major hang up is that they would not be able to advertise the DC stuff directly in states where Six Flags is present. But it wasn't a problem in licensing negotiations back in the 90s, even with WB selling off Six Flags. Marvel came in cheaper back then, so they went in a different direction. WB then decided to build a Six Flags park to compete with Orlando area stuff closer to Daytona. That never happened and Six Flags does not hold WB licensing to future parks outside of their current areas without negotiating for it. The license does not preclude WB from licensing their stuff to other parks outside the sphere of influence of a Six Flags park.

Good info, thanks! Personally I'd love to see Marvel move to WDW and be modeled after the movie franchises, if Universal has Batman and the other DC properties available. I can almost see Uni going along with it if Disney made it worth their while to switch over and if (and only if) Warner & DC gets their act together and makes the DC properties more attractive by improving the movie presence for everybody besides Batman.

 

[Mad Hattered]

I do agree-but isn't that exactly why HP was added for at both US and IOA?

Yes. Now what?

 

[jade1]

Sorry-I think I was the one that thought AK was the most accurate "individual" visits.

I'm not saying a lot of AK guests didn't then go to a 2nd park, but I think of all 6 parks it would have the fewest "rescan" admissions from the same person.

 

[jade1]

Yes. Now what?

Well....I...guess I don't know.

No I meant it sounded like it was some kind of secretly bad failure admission on AK, and they are forced to correct it. As if that is a bad thing or something. Yet US/IOA is just crushing WDW with it's "expansion" as a good thing.

But really they may both be admitting they are not happy with the current situation and improving them.

 

[Mad Hattered]

 

[jade1]

Ahhh...back to this again. I'm here all day!

Go mow the lawn or something.

I know-sorry again, but I missed the discussion and noticed I was the culprit, but still believe it.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Well....I...guess I don't know.

No I meant it sounded like it was some kind of secretly bad failure admission on AK, and they are forced to correct it. As if that is a bad thing or something. Yet US/IOA is just crushing WDW with it's "expansion" as a good thing.

But really they may both be admitting they are not happy with the current situation and improving them.

Which will eventually be a win/win for all of us.

 

[jade1]

Which will eventually be a win/win for all of us.

YES...THANK YOU.

Super excited and they are wonderful already.

Spend billions and billions on us, why would any of us consumers care, much less take sides.