Universal...I was really disappointed

[Bucsfan]

I'm sorry, I love Dis and all, but IOA in my opinion (and a lot of other peeps) is that its the best park in the world. Certainly a trip to Orlando should entail both parks, but if you don't think IOA and U is a great park, believe me its because you were there on a bad weather day. Those parks are world class. I've been to tons of parks all across the nation, and none in my opinion compare to IOA. Magic Kingdom is close, but I just think IOA is the best in the world.

 

[faindrops27]

People who visit Universal and don't stay onsite usually think it's just "ok."

You don't get the entire experience when you drive over.

What time did you arrive? At 11am? That's the worst time to show up. You have to arrive the parking garage at 8am, that gives you a couple hours to beat the crowd.

Anyway, the onsite hotels at Universal are like a luxury hotel at Disney. The pools are great, you can walk from your hotel, and you get the UEPs.

Well, I am the exception. I never stayed onsite, and LOOOOOVEEEEEE Universal!! I wish everyday that I could just ride the mummy. (My favorite ride of all time) I guess I will have to wait till september It will be my first onsite visit too, yipppee!!

 

[FayeW]

I'm sorry, I love Dis and all, but IOA in my opinion (and a lot of other peeps) is that its the best park in the world. Certainly a trip to Orlando should entail both parks, but if you don't think IOA and U is a great park, believe me its because you were there on a bad weather day. Those parks are world class. I've been to tons of parks all across the nation, and none in my opinion compare to IOA. Magic Kingdom is close, but I just think IOA is the best in the world.

I completely agree! I feel more "magic" in Islands of the Lost Continent than anywhere at WDW.

We have had some magical experiences and been dusted with pixie dust while at Disney parks, but there is just something about the tinkling music and unicorn hoofprints that just gets me!

 

[sha_lyn]

I've stayed onsite and off site and have enjoyed all trips.
Last offsite trip was the end of June. Parks were packed but we still managed to do everything(I did not do hulk or DD since my DD isn't tall enough and it was a girls only trip). We arrived 30 min before opening and headed to the most popular rides first. We had everything big out of the way by 11AM when the crowds started arriving.

 

[sha_lyn]

I completely agree! I feel more "magic" in Islands of the Lost Continent than anywhere at WDW.

We have had some magical experiences and been dusted with pixie dust while at Disney parks, but there is just something about the tinkling music and unicorn hoofprints that just gets me!

Oh I know exactly what you mean. I love to go over to Toon Lagoon right at opening and walk down to the railing along the lake. the view of LC across the lake shouded in morning mist is amazing.

 

[FayeW]

Oh I know exactly what you mean. I love to go over to Toon Lagoon right at opening and walk down to the railing along the lake. the view of LC across the lake shouded in morning mist is amazing.

I will have to check that out next month!

 

[Lucky82061]

Every thread on this part of the board seems to turn into a contest to see which one is better WDW or USO... I don't understand

WDW is absolutely amazing... and I love it... in fact I'm a disney freak

That is why I am a DVC member, I love staying on-site at WDW and enjoying my vacations there (and drinking the disney magic kool-aid ).... with that being said...

IOA is possibly the best park in Orlando... or even the country. Yes that is a bold statement but if you look at the theming and the rides, very few parks can compare. It has excellent rollercoasters (The Hulk and Dueling Dragons)... great water rides (Dudley do right and popeye's bilge barges)... amazing theming around the park.. I dare you to walk around the park and tell me you don't feel like you are actually going from one island to another... especially when you hit seussville.. or seussland or whatever it's called lol ... IOA also has arguaby the best ride in orlando (Spiderman).

I don't think that if you love WDW you have to hate USO or vice versa... that's the great part about vacationing in Orlando, the opportunity to try out all these other parks!

Oh and I disagree with saying you have to stay onsite to truly enjoy USO... I have stayed on-site and off and have had a blast... I bought FOTL passes last time when I went in mid-July and walked onto basically everything.

Each park has its own pro's and con's ... and as long as you don't try to compare everything to each other and just enjoy what you are doing, you will have a blast... and after all that's why you're on vacation isn't it?

Oh and since all that was O/T.. to the OP sorry you had just a bad time there... I would say give it another shot when it isn't raining.. rain can make anything a miserable day

 

[Taratink]

I went to US/IOA for the first time and I thought it was beautiful. I was really impressed with the grounds. I am not a thrill seeker so I played with the kids while my DH went on the rides.
We ate dinner on the outside balcony of The Nascar Cafe while the sun was setting. The tree's were lit up with lights and the waterway was twinkling. It was romantic, even with my 2 kids there. I never thought that I would use the Nascar Cafe and romance in the same sentence.
Tara

 

[yaytezIOA]

Every thread on this part of the board seems to turn into a contest to see which one is better WDW or USO... I don't understand

WDW is absolutely amazing... and I love it... in fact I'm a disney freak

That is why I am a DVC member, I love staying on-site at WDW and enjoying my vacations there (and drinking the disney magic kool-aid ).... with that being said...

IOA is possibly the best park in Orlando... or even the country. Yes that is a bold statement but if you look at the theming and the rides, very few parks can compare. It has excellent rollercoasters (The Hulk and Dueling Dragons)... great water rides (Dudley do right and popeye's bilge barges)... amazing theming around the park.. I dare you to walk around the park and tell me you don't feel like you are actually going from one island to another... especially when you hit seussville.. or seussland or whatever it's called lol ... IOA also has arguaby the best ride in orlando (Spiderman).

I don't think that if you love WDW you have to hate USO or vice versa... that's the great part about vacationing in Orlando, the opportunity to try out all these other parks!

Oh and I disagree with saying you have to stay onsite to truly enjoy USO... I have stayed on-site and off and have had a blast... I bought FOTL passes last time when I went in mid-July and walked onto basically everything.

Each park has its own pro's and con's ... and as long as you don't try to compare everything to each other and just enjoy what you are doing, you will have a blast... and after all that's why you're on vacation isn't it?

Oh and since all that was O/T.. to the OP sorry you had just a bad time there... I would say give it another shot when it isn't raining.. rain can make anything a miserable day

But thats the problem with most of the people on this and other disney sites. They see the need to criticize Universal just because its not disney and that it has stuff that disney doesnt. They dont realize that yes, it is different, yes it doesnt have the same thing that disney does, yes there are some better things at disney and yes you can have a bad day at Universal just like you can at disney. People are very ignorant, sorry to be blunt, about Universal and would rather criticize it than explore it and find out why we love it. When people do that, Universal fans, such as myself, feel obligated to come to the defense and try to educate folks to why we like something....and sometimes passionately. I was a disney nut for a long time. My honeymoon was Epcot, and my child was conceived at a disney resort for godsake. And for a long time we snubbed our noses at Universal. Then we got a chance to go to IOA, and right from the get go we were changed. Not only was it detailed, fun and had a lot of cool stuff, but at that time it was cheaper less crowded and more fun than disney. I think there is plenty of room for not only disney and Universal but all parks in the world. People just need to stop being snobs about a particular park and just take a chance. There are not huge communities for Universal folk like there is disney, why? Its a young park.....16 vs. 35. No brainer. But that can change if people start to realize there is more to life than just mouse ears.

 

[Figment22]

People are very ignorant, sorry to be blunt, about Universal and would rather criticize it than explore it and find out why we love it. When people do that, Universal fans, such as myself, feel obligated to come to the defense and try to educate folks to why we like something....and sometimes passionately.

I feel like this should be my signature!!

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't agree that US is just OK unless you stay onsite. If that's going to be Universal's selling point ("well, it's OK, but it's GREAT if you stay onsite") they'll never get higher in the popularity contest. Better weather would have helped the OP but nobody can control the weather.

I do like US but I have been coopted by Magical Express. It's not worth it for me to rent a car anymore.

And I agree that Twister is lame. I waited forever to see that and the response was "That was IT?"

 

[macraven]

where's the love here..........



universal is kewl

 

[Fan2CSkr]

Very well said post yaytezIOA.

 

[GrimReapuh]

Very well said post yaytezIOA.

Yeah, Yaytez knows what he's talking about.

 

[yaytezIOA]

I feel like this should be my signature!!

Feel free to.
And if you have nothing else to do, check out IOACentral Radio headed by yours truly.....we love all and just take the parks for what they are...parks.
www.myspace.com/ioacentralradio

 

[damo]

Feel free to.
And if you have nothing else to do, check out IOACentral Radio headed by yours truly.....we love all and just take the parks for what they are...parks.
www.myspace.com/ioacentralradio

They don't complain over there about announcements being late like us housewives on the disboards, do they?

 

[yaytezIOA]

Well...thats just for the show, and no we dont complain...in fact we laugh more than anything.

 

[FayeW]

.

And I agree that Twister is lame. I waited forever to see that and the response was "That was IT?"

I guess this just proves that US/IOA have something for everyone, because while you didn't enjoy it, Twister is just about our favourite attraction at US!

 

[tlinus]

The highlight of our trip in October was moving from the Nick hotel over to The Hard Rock Hotel. We are BIG fans of US and IOA!! When we asked our then 4 year old what he wanted to do for his 5th birthday, there was absolutely NO hesitation when he said he wanted to "go see Spiderman"

The only Disney park we hit this trip was Epcot for the Food and Wine festival. And we really didn't miss the others. Our next trip will include the Disney end a bit more.

Oh! need to say it was wonderful having the "built in" express pass while staying onsite!!!!

 

[MummyAW100]

But that can change if people start to realize there is more to life than just mouse ears.

LOOVED that statement! Come on, people! See what else is out there besides the still wonderful WDW!