Looks like Universal win this round

[RMulieri]

There are two parks that make up the Universal Orlando Resort - Universal Studios (the original park) and IOA. WWoHP first opened in IOA, but now there is going to be the "expansion", Diagon Alley, in Universal. You would need a hopper ticket to visit both if you only go one day. Otherwise, you'd need a 2-day ticket

Correct..ALSO keep in mind, in order to ride the new HOGWARTS EXPRESS ride that will connect both parks ( it is an attraction as well as transportation) , you will NEED A PARK TO PARK TICKET( equivalent of a park hopper) , a single day , single park ticket will not allow you access even if you have 2 days to explore both areas

 

[fairyprincess88]

Boy, I think had this wrong. I thought it was all in one park.

Is Harry Potter in both parks? The first part that opened is in IOA and the new part is in Universal Studios? Or is it all considered one park?

Do I need to buy tickets to both parks? I was only planning one day before our cruise to see all of Harry Potter - think I need two?

It's in two parks. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Hogsmeade is in IOA and the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Diagon Alley is in Universal Studios. So in order to see both you will need at least a park to park ticket.

I would personally take two days but if you just want to focus on Potter and not really explore it too much or spend too much quality time then you can do both in one day. No one knows how busy Diagon will be but I am thinking you will find lines for most things. It was not uncommon to be in an hour or so line to just get into one store in Hogsmeade the first 8 months or so it was opened. In fact, during busy times there are still queues just for getting into the shops and don't think Diagon will be much different in that regard.

Also to take the Hogswart Express you will be required to have a park to park ticket. No P2P then no ride because the trains board/disembark inside the theme parks. So if you take the train from Platform 9 3/4 inside Universal Studios then you disembark at Hogsmeade Station in IOA therefore will need admission to both parks and the same in reverse if you go from Hogsmeade to London.

 

[FLchick415]

Correct..ALSO keep in mind, in order to ride the new HOGWARTS EXPRESS ride that will connect both parks ( it is an attraction as well as transportation) , you will NEED A PARK TO PARK TICKET( equivalent of a park hopper) , a single day , single park ticket will not allow you access even if you have 2 days to explore both areas

Yes, that too. Thank you. (My brain is still asleep today lol)

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I was talking about tween and teen boys, in general.

I don't know, my 38 yr old honey loves it all! (Well, Peter and Jake not so much, but definitely the rest...)

I saw LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of teenage boys at HS this May. I WISH they would have been at USO! While we are at it, maybe they can leave MK alone so we can ride Space Mountain too.

 

[jeffbear]

To steer this conversation into a different direction, I also disagree whole heartedly that Disney is only courting us princesses. There are plenty of pirates, Cars & Planes, Peter Pans and Jakes, Simbas, Aladdins, Toys ...

Agreed. While New Fantasyland does have a decidedly pink hue, it's not like the 7DMT is especially girlie, nor is Be Our Guest and those are two huge parts of the new experience over there. And the non-Mickey character meet and greets might be dominated by princesses right now, but those things are clearly cyclical based on what the hot flavor of the moment happens to be. Right now it's Anna and Elsa ... in 2 years it might be some yet unknown Pixar character. Stuff like that changes ... frequently.

 

[amg35]

Thanks. We are going November 2015, this year is WDW only.

Maybe the crowds will die down?

What kind of tickets would you guys suggest for two days? Arrival day - probably half of the day and night, and then one full day/night. We def want to see both places.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Thanks. We are going November 2015, this year is WDW only.

This post here just basically answered this thread in a nut shell... "This year is WDW only."



Anyone else think that USO has won? I'd say WDW is still definitely alive and kicking! They got this family's business this year (and ours too, as I wasn't going to pay for USO over Disney), and even though this family has a genuine interest in USO and even HP, they STILL are going to spend 100% of their dollars this year at WDW!

 

[Hannathy]

Also Disney is holding all the cards right now with Star Wars. If Universal gets the rights to LOTR and builds a park Disney could match them with Star Wars and likely crush any attendance Universal was looking to grow. The worst thing Disney can do is try to rush Star Wars to the scene and be over shadowed later when an announcement of Lord of the Rings is made.

Oh yeah wouldn't want Disney to RUSH doing anything with Star Wars!!! Guess over 20 yrs can't exactly be called rushing! you are right.

The movie Avator has no where near the fandom that Star Wars or Harry Potter has, no where near.

 

[clsteve]

To steer this conversation into a different direction, I also disagree whole heartedly that Disney is only courting us princesses. There are plenty of pirates, Cars & Planes, Peter Pans and Jakes, Simbas, Aladdins, Toys (LOTS of them! Soldiers, Cowboys, Spaceman), Monsters, Stitches, not to mention all of the Star Wars verse (I agree this is another everyone pleaser just like the Pixar crew, but PLENTY of little boys LOVE Star Wars) and same for Marvel Superheroes (the girls like 'em too but have you seen the lil boys as Spiderman and Ironman???) This may come as a shock, but I have even seen lil boys on our cruise singing LET IT GO. THEY LOOVVE FROZEN, and it has Olaf and Sven and Cristoff too. I'm looking forward to see all the Cars and Pixar stuff at DLR hopefully next year.

Yes, there are plenty of princesses, but there is plenty for everyone and plenty for the boys too...

(To which I think USO has done just about equally as good, as everyone seems to enjoy the Despicable, SpungeBob, Shrek and so forth franchises.)

That worked until between the ages of 6-8 for my boys (and their friends). It's why DHS is their favorite Park, by far, followed by EPCOT- relevant entertainment for boys after 8 years-old.

The unfortunate thing is - Disney has produced recent movies that they really enjoy, like WALL-E and Incredibles (why not FutureWorld...?), that would bridge the gap and they are over the top about the potential of anything special being done with Star Wars in the Parks. But, nothing forthcoming.

I do hope they consider a better way to bridge the "boy gap" because I'm afraid that it's going to be tough, at least for my boys, to get Disney excited after they see DA and before something tangible in their age range happens- like SW Land (they're 8 and 11).

 

[fairyprincess88]

This post here just basically answered this thread in a nut shell... "This year is WDW only."



Anyone else think that USO has won? I'd say WDW is still definitely alive and kicking! They got this family's business this year (and ours too, as I wasn't going to pay for USO over Disney), and even though this family has a genuine interest in USO and even HP, they STILL are going to spend 100% of their dollars this year at WDW!

This is not true for everyone though. For each family only going to Disney, there are others just doing Universal. I used to do many "Disney only" trips but I have not done so since Potter opened and I honestly never will again. I have done Universal only trips though since WWoHP. I could never be in Orlando and not visit Hogswarts, there is just no possible way. Now before Potter, sure yeah, I could easily stay on Disney property and not be too bothered by not going offsite but now, no way no day. Not with Harry in town and adding Diagon makes the pull to Universal that much stronger.

So yes some are still going Disney only but that doesn't mean there are not others out there who are giving Universal all their dollars just the same. My trip this year is 100% Potter focused although we are discussing possibly adding an Xmas party to ride the Mine Train at MK since it wasn't opened in my Disney/Uni trip this fall.

I just think it's silly to judge one park against the other based on someone choosing to do Disney only for a trip or one to do Universal only for a trip.

 

[Angel Ariel]

They may lose 14 to 18, but even that age starts to lose interest in theme parks in general. If you went to a high school and handed out a choice for spring break of a week in Cancun with their friends, or a week at US/IOA with parents (or even with friends) my guess is at least 2 to 1 Cancun-probably a lot more. Not sure where WDW would fall if an option-still far less than Cancun but unsure compared to US.

I don't know many parents who would let their 14/15/16/17 year olds out of the country on their own with just friends for a week. I traveled internationally at that age, but on school sponsored trips...never in a million years would any of our parents have signed off on us all going to Mexico on our own at 14 y/o.

The college crowd? 18-22? Yes...but I don't think most high schoolers are going to Cancun for spring break.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

This is not true for everyone though. For each family only going to Disney, there are others just doing Universal. I used to do many "Disney only" trips but I have not done so since Potter opened and I honestly never will again. I have done Universal only trips though since WWoHP. I could never be in Orlando and not visit Hogswarts, there is just no possible way.
I just think it's silly to judge one park against the other based on someone choosing to do Disney only for a trip or one to do Universal only for a trip.

Ah, its just a bit of fun. But it does point out that Universal isn't winning. They both are doing well, and that while the other poster was even interested in HP, they still were spending all their Orlando money this year with Disney. Just pointing out that Universal has not cleaned Disney's clock, that's all.

Frankly, the more that go to USO and stand in HP lines, the better for me! So go'on, get yo' HP on and I'll get my Disney on!

 

[Mad Hattered]

This is not true for everyone though. For each family only going to Disney, there are others just doing Universal. I used to do many "Disney only" trips but I have not done so since Potter opened and I honestly never will again. I have done Universal only trips though since WWoHP. I could never be in Orlando and not visit Hogswarts, there is just no possible way. Now before Potter, sure yeah, I could easily stay on Disney property and not be too bothered by not going offsite but now, no way no day. Not with Harry in town and adding Diagon makes the pull to Universal that much stronger.

So yes some are still going Disney only but that doesn't mean there are not others out there who are giving Universal all their dollars just the same. My trip this year is 100% Potter focused although we are discussing possibly adding an Xmas party to ride the Mine Train at MK since it wasn't opened in my Disney/Uni trip this fall.

I just think it's silly to judge one park against the other based on someone choosing to do Disney only for a trip or one to do Universal only for a trip.

I was just going to say the same thing. I guess we cancel her out because we are only doing Universal this year (for 4 nights at Royal Pacific).

 

[Angel Ariel]

Oh yeah wouldn't want Disney to RUSH doing anything with Star Wars!!! Guess over 20 yrs can't exactly be called rushing! you are right.

Disney hasn't fully owned the Star Wars franchise for 20 years...

 

[FLchick415]

I've done both...Universal only, and Disney only...had a blast both times. Would love another Universal only trip soon.

 

[saskdw]

You gotta love it!!

Someone makes a 2 line post about nothing, with no one facts or substance of anykind, for the sole purpose of stirring up an agrument and rather than ignore it we are 28 pages deep!!

Hilarious!!!

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I just wonder if the Marvel characters would really fit well in any of the current Disney parks. I cringe when I hear about Darth Vader being at character meals so I would feel pretty uneasy seeing Thor and Dr. Doom hugging little kids. Not that it wouldn't be sweet but still...

Marvel is all over their new Disney Magic dry dock overhaul. The kids clubs have Super Hero training when they turn into virtual IronMans and Captain America takes photos just like the pirates and princesses. We got to watch Captain America 2 in the big theater on the sea day and it was great, and packed out, might I add.

Marvel and Disney does indeed work very very well! I would have liked to have seen even more Marvel tie-ins. Seeing as they evidently have limits to use the charactors in FL, I wonder if they will jump on that at DLR? For instance, I know they have an Avengers themed Half Marathon week planned.

 

[sethschroeder]

Oh yeah wouldn't want Disney to RUSH doing anything with Star Wars!!! Guess over 20 yrs can't exactly be called rushing! you are right.

The movie Avator has no where near the fandom that Star Wars or Harry Potter has, no where near.

You missed 90% of what I wrote about Avatar not taking on Star Wars or Harry or LOTR.... Avatar is something completely different.

You are also calling the biggest grossing movie of all time not having following when the 2nd movie HASNT EVEN BEEN RELEASED! Will it hit the same heights? Possibly not but that doesn't mean you dismiss it as its story is just beginning.

Star Wars has a universe to explore and has both history and future stories/movies/shorts/cartoons/video games about it. Harry Potter is what 7 movies in? 7 books in? and an 8th movie coming out about the creatures and what not?

Again Avatar was the perfect play as they see its does have a cult following, the story is just starting, and Disney doesn't need to look at a larger investment that Star Wars would call for. It also fits better than almost anything with the general theme of Animal Kingdom.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Again Avatar was the perfect play as they see its does have a cult following, the story is just starting, and Disney doesn't need to look at a larger investment that Star Wars would call for. It also fits better than almost anything with the general theme of Animal Kingdom.

Not to mention that Avatar is Pocahontas in Space! What's NOT to love?!?!


(Man, my desk is definitely quiet during holiday weeks... Good thing I have DIS to pass the afternoon! )

 

[ArwenMarie]

This post here just basically answered this thread in a nut shell... "This year is WDW only."



Anyone else think that USO has won? I'd say WDW is still definitely alive and kicking! They got this family's business this year (and ours too, as I wasn't going to pay for USO over Disney), and even though this family has a genuine interest in USO and even HP, they STILL are going to spend 100% of their dollars this year at WDW!

I saw two families getting picked up for Dis VIP tours at Portofino this past Febuary break. So I think there are lots of combos going on as far as where people are staying and going.

I do think the way both parks price their tickets, it makes the numbers look rough to do both as opposed to one or the other. But if your family wants to do both, as we probably will from now on, then people will.