I say that I am a "Disney Snob" because thats all I have ever known. I did visit US when i was in in high school (1993?), but it was just a day trip, it wasnt the full blown family vacation that I had been on so many times as a kid. I think that WDW is familiar to me, thats whay I call myself a Disney snob...
i do both parks and have since almost their openings. disney in 1973 and universal in 1992.
i know plenty on both parks but would never refer to myself as a snob. i guess that word means something different to me than it does to you. thank you for explaining it to us.
I have **heard** (read) from some that the two are uncomparable.... I understand that they are two totally different theme parks and both have their own great attributes. Thats why think it will be best to visit on different vacations.
at the cost of flights, i couldn't do them as two separate vacations. it gets costly for me if i break it down to separate trips. i can not imagine going to orlando and NOT doing both parks. no way could i alternate every other year and not hit universal annually.
i have no problem enjoying universal and wdw on the same vacation.
i keep my mind open and take it all in at each park and resort.
I do feel that US/IOA is geared mostly toward older kids, with lots of great stuff for the younger kids as well. But if I wait for all of my kids to be old enough to really get everything out of a park, the older ones would miss out and be too old. This is why we all continue to go back year after year, because the kids are always different ages and into different things... We will just have to go back another time so that DSalmost2 will be able to get the things out of it that my older boys will.
i heard just the opposite. i went before i had kids and saw as many strollers at each park on my visits. i went to orlando and got bruises on the first day and left orlando with more bruises on the heel. both places have those strollers....ouch!
if you check out the universal websites, you will see listings for what littles can enjoy there with the families. so much is geared to littles!
the child swap waiting areas are perfect for the family also. you can have up to 3 people reride when you child swap.
my kids grew up on Dr Seuss in our schools, they loved Seuss land at IOA.
when you take a child not quite 2 to any park, be it disney, universal, six flags the local carnival, very few will have a lasting impression on them.
what they will connect with is the family bonding, enjoying vacation time with the entire family.
This is great to know - that it why I posted here. enjoy all the reading and knowlegde I have done and very much enjoy the reading and learning aspect of planning my trips. Although it means I spend more ime on The Dis and feeds my addiction!! LOL
you should go to where your heart leads you. if you don't enjoy new adventures and yen for what has been traditional for you and your family, it will be a bummer of a trip for you. you don't need disappointments on a family vacation. family trips should be happy times. take pics of the kids, watch how they grow up each year. they won't remember a lot but you as the parent will. that is what makes memories so special for mommies and daddies.
the more you read the trippies, the more you will learn about a new park.
posters tell it like it is, the good and the bad. what they have experienced may not even be close to what you encounter.
The prices are amazing! So affordable - I def. think Disney needs to get onboard with all of it. US/IOA def sounds more family friendly budget wise. After what I paid last year for a week at WDW/WL, We wont be going back til the economy picks up or we save save save for months and months. Our upcoming trip to US/IOA this winter sounds like it will be tons of fun for our 3 boys and a nice accent to our family vacation - without breaking the back! God only knows what heating fuel will be here this winter!!
i enjoy disney. i like the longer park hours, do need that with the busses that take you forever to get anywhere...
i like the musical shows, i like the rides, i like the tours, i like the fire works and parades, but the management and CM's there have changed in attitude over the recent years. when you have a problem and try to talk to a supervisor, they assume you are trying to get something for nothing by how they treat the person. i think too many people have had bullied their way to get free items at disney and now they are cracking down. the ones that really have a problem suffer in the long end. long story, will tell you sometime about it.
disney is getting too expensive. i used to keep the annual pass there.
yikes, when it hit $465 it was not worth it to me. i could not always get the ap specials on room only discounts. they would be snatched up so quickly.
it got to be the point where my ap there was only helpful on some meals M-F for the 10% discount for certain hours and the park admission.
i buy from undercover tourist for the multi day tickets.
a one day ticket, no hopper at disney is $75.xx now.
i booked a room for the day after value season ends this year, at a value hotel.
who in their right mind pays over $100 a night for that....and they now tack on an extra $10 a night for friday and saturday. you know they are including the parking fee into those rates. disney says free parking for resort guests but somehow it seems those free parking spaces are really included in the room rates somehow..
the value resorts are a no thrill place. even motel 6 has larger rooms and at a cheaper price. yet, i continue to give the mouse my money each year.
the tickets, resort costs, adds up. i don't see how families can continue to go annually and stay on site. it is expensive. (you stayed at a deluxe. that is costly at disney..)
i am now leaving my family back home and going solo. i could not swing a family trip there anymore. my kids are not littles they are big people now so easy to do that......
i can stay on site at universal and end up paying less than what i do at disney.
i like the food at both places. disney has the regular fare at counters most of the time. universal has a bit more variety of choices.
disney has nescafe..........don't like at all........universal has real coffee and starbucks.
i am a coffee drinker, it makes a difference with me.
i hate getting started on this but on a roll now.
first, i am not trying to insult anyone that is reading this essay.
just stating how it is for me. i know others have different opinions and that is kewl. we all think different on things that are dear to us.
and, let me say, what is so nice about the universal forums, no one is ugly or back biting when they disagree with a poster. we can voice our thoughts here without being put down or leave with an ill feeling on how another poster talked to you...
disney does not give good discounts to their loyal fans.
when you stay at a resort and buy the refillable mug of about $13, it is valid only for that visit. the mugs don't change often but you can not reuse them on future trips. you have to buy into a package to get a good deal but not all deals when broken down has you come out ahead.
no AAA discounts for much at disney except for rooms and that is a 10-15% discount. no personal attention on some problems that happen at disney where you needed help and no follow up most of the time.
long story that happened to me......
at universal, they love their loyal and once in a life time guests.
buy a refillable mug at the park and it is good for a life time
buy the refills of soda at the park for .74.............cents, yup and this summer refills are lower.
have an AAA card? 10% off all merch and food in the parks, city walk and main resturants at the hotels.
same with AP cards.
pool hopping is encouraged. each hotel has a pool room where you can use the lockers, take a shower, get towels..........no charge.
coupon booklets given out at different times. buy adult entree at city walk, kid eats free ......
now at the onsite loews hotels, cheap rates up to aug 31. get a room for $143 a night plus tax.
rate promos constantly change.......read up and take advantage of it.
loews giving back a $30 credit to use at the hotel this summer if you show you paid a fee to take a suitcase on the plane......
dive in movies at night at the hotels, no charge.......entertainment and activities year long for children at the pools....no charge
show your report card when you check in, get a gift........
robes in each hotel room, for your convenience
have an issue at the park, go to guest services and you will leave with a smile. not going to say anymore on that. they do go the extra mile to make you have a great day in the parks. someone posted their locker was jammed and it took the company that runs the lockers to come to the park to open it. that family had their wallets, camera, etc tied up for over 2hours because of that. know what universal did......offered free express passes for entire family for the day. family stayed on site so it was not anything they wanted so universal paid for this entire family to have dinner anywhere they wanted. they could choose the parks or city walk.
universal covered that meal to make up for the inconvenience the family had.
i read that on the trippie of a person that returned a few weeks ago.
free meal for a family of 5, anything you wanted.......kewl
they also were given free soda while in the park....
i like the way universal spreads the mummy dust when they do an "oops"
i appreciate how universal tries to make all their guests enjoy the day with them.
the more i go to universal, the more i want to return.
ok, i 'm sure you didn't want to hear all my ramblings...........more info than you wanted to know....
- we LOVE Universal!!!!
