Universal In, Disney Out.

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Actually, it looks like they took away the FOL passes for their onsite packages...they were there last month, but gone now. I guess they realized it was too good a deal LOL.

Express Pass is not included at the new Cabana Bay resort, but is still a perk at Royal Pacific, Portfino Bay, and Hardrock.

http://www.loewshotels.com/en/Royal-Pacific-Resort/exclusive-benefits

http://www.loewshotels.com/en/Hard-Rock-Hotel/exclusive-benefits

http://www.loewshotels.com/en/Portofino-Bay-Hotel/exclusive-benefits

HOTEL GUESTS ENJOY EXCLUSIVE THEME PARK BENEFITS:

SKIP THE REGULAR LINES with Universal ExpressSM Unlimited ride access* in both theme parks - a FREE benefit worth up to $89 per person, per day^ (valid theme park admission required). It's the fastest way to ride – enjoy unparalleled access all day long, as often as you'd like!
Early Park Admission† to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ at Universal's Islands of Adventure® one hour before the theme park opens (valid theme park admission required). This is your opportunity to experience some of our most popular attractions before nearly all other guests.

 

[Figmentforever24]

It be nice if their new rides were aren't screen based though. Everything has screens with little to no AA's. You can built immersive all u want but eventually the screen thing is going to be over.

 

[NavyDad]

I love both parks....

I now have 1 teen and 1 pre-teen so they love the rides at UO. We are all HP fans so WWoHP is awesome for us and we think UO really knocked it out of the park.

We have not been able to just drop Disney (because we still love it so much) but we have started to add in a couple of UO days to our trip. I can't imagine doing 8-10 days at UO as we do at WDW but 2-3 days there is about perfect.

Unlimited Express pass is a really great perk at UO but I believe as the parks and on-site resorts continue to grow this system will become un-sustainable. There is no way possible WDW could do this with the number of rooms they have.

Either way the growth of UO is great for Orlando and people who like to visit. Having more/better choices is great.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I still love the Disney Parks (the Resorts not so much, or I should say not at the prices they charge). But after our first onsite trip to Uni at Portofino this past winter, I definitely can't wait to get back there!

 

[Gracefulskinny]

It be nice if their new rides were aren't screen based though. Everything has screens with little to no AA's. You can built immersive all u want but eventually the screen thing is going to be over.

And for folks like me and my family who have major issues with motion simulators and screens there is little to actually do at Universal. But by all means posts like these make me happy.

You go off and enjoy the cookie cutter insert theme here attractions over at universal while I happily ride the peoplemover eating my dole whip to my hearts content.

 

[NickyKnack]

I hit USF/IOA a few times a few years ago and my impressions were:

- They're nice theme parks
- The older attractions are heavy on the cheese / not quite up to what Disney puts out.
- With Harry Potter they seem to be turning the corner and really trying to step up the game.

Some of the stuff left me wanting: The Mummy, Twister, & Poseidon come to mind.

Other stuff seemed like good theme-park type attractions: Earthquake (or whatever it's called), Bluto's Raft Ride (by far, the best raft ride I've been on - I love it that you get really wet), Men in Black, E.T. (not great, but standard theme park stuff), The Hulk, etc.

Harry Potter and that whole land over there I thought either matched or beat Disney.

Some of the simulators were really good with The Simpsons Ride, Spiderman, etc.

Dudley Do-Right's Rip-Saw Falls (I think that's the right name) was good but with one of the oddest ways I've ever seen to put humans on a ride. Keep your body stiff and kind of slide in. So weird, awkward and uncomfortable. The ride itself is good, though.

The other oddity which I was kind of excited about riding was Dueling Dragons. When I got on it it felt really light on the theming. The loading area is OK but the ride itself felt like it was just out on some ill-kept empty lot which may be a water retention pond for heavy rain. They also stopped running them in synch which took some of it away.

Probably the biggest difference for me is that at WDW I feel like away from it all and immersed in Disney stuff. IOA/USF felt like I was at a theme park (hopefully that make sense). Not bad, just kind of left me wanting it to be "more".

So, to me, it's kind of a mixed bag at IOA/USF, but if they continue doing things on the scale and with the quality of Harry Potter, I'll be going back. Even now I'm intending to go back for the Harry Potter section opening in USF.

Yeah, some of Uni was kind of cheesy, but then most of Disney is kind of cheesy so.

Loved the Mummy and liked Posiden, but agree with Twister - though it isn't any worse then the backlot tour at Disney Hollywood Studios.
Men in Black seemed like a cooler version of Buzz Light year - but then we aren't pixar girls. And found ET actually a little more interesting then Disney Dark Rides which are comparable. Simply because instead of showing us scenes modeled in animatronics that we have seen in the movies as Disney does, ET took the story one step further and showed ETs planet, something we never saw in the movies.

The simulators were a large part of what won us over. We loved Spider Man, Transformers, Dispicable Me, etc.

The Dudley Do Right cars actually reminded me of the cars for space mountain, I've never been really good at getting into out and out of those either. And if you want to talk uncomfortable boat seats - let's talk Small World. If you're legs are longer then a six year old's it's an awkward ride all the way through.

I didn't feel any more or less while roaming the parks in either place. They both felt like well themed theme parks to me.

 

[NickyKnack]

It be nice if their new rides were aren't screen based though. Everything has screens with little to no AA's. You can built immersive all u want but eventually the screen thing is going to be over.

As opposed to the moving dolls Disney is still giving us? Which at the time were inovative - but we've long since moved past? Give me a good 3-D screen which makes me feel like I'm really there and in the thick of things over moving dolls any day of the week. Seems to me like this is the next step towards virtual reality theme rides - possibly many decades from now, all the way to something like holographic tech for rides.

 

[NickyKnack]

And for folks like me and my family who have major issues with motion simulators and screens there is little to actually do at Universal. But by all means posts like these make me happy.

You go off and enjoy the cookie cutter insert theme here attractions over at universal while I happily ride the peoplemover eating my dole whip to my hearts content.

As opposed to cookie cutter dolls? Esp the New Mermaid ride which is kind of an ill conceived joke? (they could have TRIED to cover up the lighting and the giant pole sticking out of Ariel's back.)

As for the people mover? That was kinda nice for sitting out the rain, but the Seuss train over at IOA was a lot more fun then the people mover.

 

[surferdave]

Both parks are using a lot of monitors/screens in their new attractions. The biggest difference is Uni is building a lot more than WDW is lately.

 

[Seeker615]

After staying at Royal Pacific last November I could not even imagine spending too much time at Disney. (Now once my little grand-daughters are a bit older I would happily go and spend a week there but until then...)

From Royal Pacific we were able to walk to both parks and the Citywalk, no waiting in long lines for a shuttle..if we wanted to go to another park or back to our room it was a 15 minute walk max!

I don't get where people are saying the theming of the parks is not as nice as Disney...They are wonderfully themed! I feel like I am in old Hollywood or old NYC at the studios. In fact one evening before the night show it was raining a little and it was dark and the NYC area had lights up and it was like being transported back in time. It was a very romantic look. The new Simpsons area is very well themed and the new Diagon Alley will be amazing!

Over at IOA - from the moment you step in the park you are totally immersed. The comic book area is so cute with all the thought bubbles to stand under and the amazing colors! Seuss Landing is also very well themed with colors and kid friendly rides. Each sections flows seamlessly into the next. And hands down the Harry Potter section is the best themed area I have ever seen.

I also don't agree about the simulators. Yes there are a couple of traditional ones but Spiderman and the Transformers are way more than simulators. You are totally immersed in those rides. There is really a lot to do in both parks if you go in with an open mind.

My husband was skeptical about going there last year and he was sold by the amazing service, convenience and of course the front of the line access!

 

[Seeker615]

As opposed to cookie cutter dolls? Esp the New Mermaid ride which is kind of an ill conceived joke? (they could have TRIED to cover up the lighting and the giant pole sticking out of Ariel's back.)

As for the people mover? That was kinda nice for sitting out the rain, but the Seuss train over at IOA was a lot more fun then the people mover.

I do agree with the Little Mermaid Ride. Good gracious the outside was themed so nice but the ride was a huge letdown. I felt like I was in a huge warehouse seeing a sneak peak of what should have been a top notch attraction! One should not see the stuff we saw!

 

[luisov]

No need for these childish twitter feud conversations. You don't like Disney/Universal, that's fine, we get it. No need to have this discussion over and over. Move on people.

 

[NickyKnack]

No need for these childish twitter feud conversations. You don't like Disney/Universal, that's fine, we get it. No need to have this discussion over and over. Move on people.

You do know you don't have to read every thread in the forum right? I mean you could always take your own advice, and move on.

 

[Seeker615]

I don't think anyone is feuding.

I think people are just expressing their opinions. No biggie!

 

[Queen Grimhilde]

I still love the Disney Parks (the Resorts not so much, or I should say not at the prices they charge). But after our first onsite trip to Uni at Portofino this past winter, I definitely can't wait to get back there!

Agreed! We went to Universal in February and stayed at Portofino. Much, much cheaper than WDW and we never waited in line for more than 10 minutes, even for rides without Express Pass. My older kids loved being able to ride the coasters over and over again. Drawbacks of Universal, IMO are the food, the lack of attractions for kids under 7-8 and the tired/dated live shows.

 

[lugnut33]

I do not like that Disney spent 1.5 billion on MDE, MM+, and FP+, I think that was a waste.

That said, if you look at what Disney has spent overall on parks over the last 10 years I don't think US can even come close. Unfortunately all the resources are not directed at WDW and it seems to me to be the ugly Step-child in the Disney household. It just doesn't get the love that Disneyland gets.

Speaking of Disneyland, the OP should go to that park for the best park experience. US cannot even come close.

 

[fairyprincess88]

It be nice if their new rides were aren't screen based though. Everything has screens with little to no AA's. You can built immersive all u want but eventually the screen thing is going to be over.

While they might use screens, I do think they got some pretty impressive AA's happening over at Universal. These are just part of the queue line for the new Gringotts.(SPOILERS)
http://youtu.be/1tz4xNRRR4M

 

[luisov]

You do know you don't have to read every threat in the forum right? I mean you could always take your own advice, and move on.

I'm actually interested in everyone's opinions. I'm not interested in the ''Disney rocks Universal sucks'' game, and viceversa. It's difficult to move on when the exact same discussion appears over and over.

 

[OtherScott]

It's difficult to move on when the exact same discussion appears over and over.

Thread titles will sometimes offer clues, although "Universal In, Disney Out." is pretty ambiguous.

 

[NickyKnack]

I'm actually interested in everyone's opinions. I'm not interested in the ''Disney rocks Universal sucks'' game, and viceversa. It's difficult to move on when the exact same discussion appears over and over.

You know your post contradicts it'self right? If you were truly interested in EVERYONE's Opion then you wouldn't be in such a hurry to try to tell people what they can and can not post about. Because this discussion is exactly what you say you're interested in - a list of opinions from everyone who posts here.

I can look at the first few pages of this forum and find threads that have NOTHING to do with this subject, so no, it isn't all that difficult to move on - you just don't click on the title link and you go look for something that interests you.