slo’s FRIDAY 2/3 poll - Universal Studios Florida

[Moliphino]

I last went sometime in the early 2000s. It was fun, but I haven't wanted to sacrifice time at WDW on any more recent trips to go back (plus it's much cheaper to add 2 days onto a WDW park hopper than to buy a 2 day Universal ticket).

 

[luvnwdwgal]

We’ve been there 2 times. First was shortly after it opened in 1990. Second time was about 17 years ago.

 

[soccerdad72]

Two or three times, I think. Trying to remember the last time, though - it's probably been 5 or 6 years, I think.

 

[BorderTenny]

Local passholder here since 2020. Stopped in real quick a couple weeks ago to get our passholder lanyards. Right now getting ready for the Orlando Informer meetup tonight. Staying at Dockside, and this will be the 4th (out of the 8 as of now) Universal resorts we'll have stayed at.

 

[Mysterian]

I went in the early 2000's, during a January, I think. It was definitely off-season.

I'm not sure how California's US was at that same time, but based on footage in recent years, CA definitely has better cast members/costume quality than FL. I'm guessing because...CA's massive film industry?

FL's Grinch is someone in a cartoon costume, CA has someone in full Grinch makeup, plus lots of characters from Whoville (but I think Florida may have recently followed the same effort).

CA's Megatron is a cool looking stilt suit with a talented guy behind the voice who roasts the audience.
FL, it's a cheaper looking version of the suit with pre-recorded sounds/voices playing.

In CA you can see various Universal Monsters, Lucille Ball, Marilyn Monroe, and more. All I saw in FL was the Blues Brothers and Ghostbusters running around dancing and singing. Perhaps that's all changed now?

I know people consider characters as more of a kids thing (maybe moreso Disney than US), but CA has many talented performers in Disney and US that make the place seem more alive with them being there.

 

[CdnCarrie]

On a related note - not crazy about Universal Hollywood. Much prefer Florida.
We have been to USF I think 8-9 times. Hollywood 2-3 times.

 

[MGMmjl]

I've been a few times, the last being in 2017. I would like to go back to see some of the new attractions, like Hagrid's and Velocicoaster.

 

[1420Elexismc]

I've been a few times. Last time was in 2017(part of our honeymoon). We will be going back in May of this year! We really love it there

 

[#1hoosierfan]

We went 4 or 5 years ago. Heading back the third week of March for spring break.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Back in early 2000's, maybe like 2001 through 2006/7, I had a USF/IoA annual. pass. I think the initial pass was like $149 and then annual renewals were like $99. Included both USF and IoA. In the past, I did two WDW trips each year, usually for F&GF in April or May and then the first or second week after Thanksgiving. Back then I also rented a car. I would take one day from my trip to drive over to USF/IoA and do both parks, usually from about 9 AM to maybe 3 in the afternoon. Head back to WDW and do Epcot in the evening, walk back to the Swan. Then the prices started going up on the renewals and I felt satisfied with doing just WDW only on my visits. But I did enjoy USF/IoA for those years and using the various AP perks. I did have a WDW AP for all the years from 2000 though 2019. Then did not renew in 2020.

So, my short answer is yes, prior to 2018.

 

[_19disnA]

Was at Universal many years ago as part of a vacation where we visited Disney and spent time at the beach also. Universal seemed more like a place where people within a couple of hours would visit much like a local amusement park in our part of the country. With Disney now so expensive & crowded, we have very little reason to ever return to Orlando.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Never been. At one time I would have wanted to go to see the Harry Potter stuff, but since Rowling outed herself as a notorious transphobe and is sure to get a percentage of the money taken in, I refuse to let some of that money be mine.

Also, before all the Rowling stuff came to light, we tried to budget a day for Universal and it was just too expensive for us to justify it at that time. I could swing it now, but don't want to.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Never been. At one time I would have wanted to go to see the Harry Potter stuff, but since Rowling outed herself as a notorious transphobe and is sure to get a percentage of the money taken in, I refuse to let some of that money be mine.

Also, before all the Rowling stuff came to light, we tried to budget a day for Universal and it was just too expensive for us to justify it at that time. I could swing it now, but don't want to.

J.K. Rowling only gets a cut from merchandise sales in Wizarding World along with ride photos and food. Her contract with Universal states that she does not get money from Universal ticket sales and the Express pass sales, so it's doable to go without giving her anything. I totally get your opinion though as she really is awful.

 

[georgina]

Never been. At one time I would have wanted to go to see the Harry Potter stuff, but since Rowling outed herself as a notorious transphobe and is sure to get a percentage of the money taken in, I refuse to let some of that money be mine.

Also, before all the Rowling stuff came to light, we tried to budget a day for Universal and it was just too expensive for us to justify it at that time. I could swing it now, but don't want to.

Based on those feelings you probably shouldn't be spending any tourist dollars in Florida at all (or Utah, Texas, etc etc etc) I have had those thoughts sadly.

 

[loves to dive]

We have been twice. Once a thousand years ago (really maybe 25 or 30). I think there was only one park at the time, my son was pre-teen. We went at the front end of a Disney trip, they didn't even have hotels of their own at that time. We were supposed to go for two days, went for one and said, o.k. not for us (even though my son loved roller coasters and rode them all) and added another day at the front end of our Disney trip. The second time was again at the front end of a Disney trip. Again, I don't remember if there were two parks yet, there were not hotels on property. We stayed at something like a Hampton Inn directly across the street. We had two day tickets, one for arrival afternoon and the other the next full day. We did arrival afternoon and until around 2 the next day and again, said nope not for us. Again, my son was a big roller coaster fan, he was probably in his early to mid 20s by that point but it just didn't work for us. He would love to see the Harry Potter stuff but can't ride roller coasters or many 3D rides any more, has an almost 2 year old daughter so probably not worth it for them to go. He would have to get the two park tickets to see all of Harry Potter and probably wouldn't be able to ride any of the rides except the train, so the price wouldn't be worth it for them. I've thought about doing a 2 night staycation just to stay in one of the resorts because they all look cool but really have no interest in going to the parks.

 

[White Cat]

Was there not long ago.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Based on those feelings you probably shouldn't be spending any tourist dollars in Florida at all (or Utah, Texas, etc etc etc) I have had those thoughts sadly.

I know those states have draconian legislation either on the books or pending. I have had thoughts about not going to Florida and have no good answer to what I should do. It won't be an issue for a few years at least. But Rowling has publicly stated her bigotry so often that I just can't ignore it.

 

[tvguy]

Only been to the original in California. And only been to that location once since they changed it from a movie studio tour to a theme park. Not a fan of the change.

 

[The Mayor]

Last time we were at Universal was 2010 and I get a lot of crap for saying this… but compared to all the detail that Disney puts into their parks and rides, Universal feels like I’m walking through a carnival instead of a theme park. Not a HP fan so that area doesn’t do anything for me. We won’t be going back again.

 

[CinderEmma94]

I have been to USH several times (grew up in Southern CA) but have never been to USO even though we live locally. My husband and I would love to go but there is zero for our kids to do and I would have to pay for two of them to get in and sit around all day so that’s not going to happen as much as we would like to check it out.