Universal is taking advantage of Disney's weak spot

[JeninTexas]

We went to Universal last year and had a great experience. The hotel, Royal Pacific was very nice and the front of the line pass made it manageable, even during Christmas. It is certainly much easier and more relaxing to do a Universal trip. Booked the hotel and tickets with one call and then just showed up. No staking out the website searching for discounts or getting up at 5 am to make ADRs. No worrying about Fastpasses. Basically, every ride is a FP because of the front of the line pass. Disney is certainly fun, but the stress of planning is wearing me out!

 

[MichiganDVC]

http://youtu.be/gId6nrMDmUU

"If you have to ask, big man, you can't afford it."

 

[JeninTexas]

I agree with some of the comments but I wanted to add that staying at Universal is like a real vacation. You don't need FP+ or adr's and you can pool hop and it's just a different feel. We can spend all or part of several days in the parks and walk or ride the launch to try other pools or play mini-golf or see a movie. No worries with transportation and there are always plenty of activities too. I felt extremely well-rested after we stayed onsite at Universal.

I'm not tired of Disney at all but they are making me feel a bit frazzled nowadays.

I agree complete! Universal definitely has an advantage because of the things you mentioned.

 

[MichiganDVC]

We went to Universal last year and had a great experience. The hotel, Royal Pacific was very nice and the front of the line pass made it manageable, even during Christmas. It is certainly much easier and more relaxing to do a Universal trip. Booked the hotel and tickets with one call and then just showed up. No staking out the website searching for discounts or getting up at 5 am to make ADRs. No worrying about Fastpasses. Basically, every ride is a FP because of the front of the line pass. Disney is certainly fun, but the stress of planning is wearing me out!

I feel bad for people who do stake out websites and wake at 5am for ADRs. In my last 12 trips in the past 4 years, I have never done either of those things and have always had a great time. I think people put too much pressure on themselves to "maximize their enjoyment." They feel they didn't get their money's worth if they don't squeeze maximum value out of each second, then they wonder why they need a vacation when they get home!!
My advice to those people who are feeling frustrated by planning and waking early for ADRs and such: next Disney trip, just make resort reservations and two ADRs. Plan nothing else. Go with the flow and see how your vacation turns out

 

[MichiganDVC]

I agree complete! Universal definitely has an advantage because of the things you mentioned.

I'm not sure I understand. When I stay at Boardwalk, I can walk to two parks (or take watercraft) and walk to mini-golf. And walk the Boardwalk, and rent PWCs for Crescent Lake, and go to dueling pianos.

I guess you like having all the parks next to each other, but I think the idea for WDW was to NOT have it look like Disneyland!

 

[Mad Hattered]

"If you have to ask, big man, you can't afford it."

Beerfest?

Don't always believe what you hear.....

http://youtu.be/B-kx9YgItFY

 

[EMode]

I feel bad for people who do stake out websites and wake at 5am for ADRs. In my last 12 trips in the past 4 years, I have never done either of those things and have always had a great time. I think people put too much pressure on themselves to "maximize their enjoyment." They feel they didn't get their money's worth if they don't squeeze maximum value out of each second, then they wonder why they need a vacation when they get home!!
My advice to those people who are feeling frustrated by planning and waking early for ADRs and such: next Disney trip, just make resort reservations and two ADRs. Plan nothing else. Go with the flow and see how your vacation turns out

We, or really I have stopped planning so much for our WDW trips and its really nice. Last trip I only made 1 ADR for the entire 8 days we were there. We still ate where we wanted but it wasn't stressful worrying 6 months in advance where we would want to be, and then plan around that when we got there. That is why FP+ really doesn't appeal to me. I can't imagine picking times for rides 2 months before I even step foot in the parks. Some days we don't even know what park we're going to until that day.

Anyway I just wanted to agree that it is okay to not plan every detail and still manage to have a wonderful WDW vacation. That isn't saying you shouldn't be informed and have a general idea of what you want to do, but its really okay to not plan your dinner reservations 6 months out, even during busy times

 

[Viva Las Disney]

Umm except Disney is the turtle slowly but surely adding rides and just building off past success. Universal is the company building like mad at a pace that will likely curtail at some point either due to money or land....

Glad I wasn't the only one that had this thought while reading that comment.

It drives me crazy how long it takes Disney to complete projects but the positive is they are always working on a dozen different things at a time and as soon as one is finished they add another to the mix, they never stop, they are definitely the turtle.

I agree with some of the comments but I wanted to add that staying at Universal is like a real vacation. You don't need FP+ or adr's and you can pool hop and it's just a different feel.

I'm not tired of Disney at all but they are making me feel a bit frazzled nowadays.

I love WDW but this is one of the reasons I prefer DL over WDW. There is something very relaxing about just making a hotel reservation and going. No stress, no planning, no itineraries, etc. DL, DCA, DTD, and the hotels are all walking distance and minutes away. It's a more relaxing vacation.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I feel bad for people who do stake out websites and wake at 5am for ADRs. In my last 12 trips in the past 4 years, I have never done either of those things and have always had a great time. I think people put too much pressure on themselves to "maximize their enjoyment." They feel they didn't get their money's worth if they don't squeeze maximum value out of each second, then they wonder why they need a vacation when they get home!!
My advice to those people who are feeling frustrated by planning and waking early for ADRs and such: next Disney trip, just make resort reservations and two ADRs. Plan nothing else. Go with the flow and see how your vacation turns out

Personally, I think you're still making a lot of assumptions about how others tour.

I wake up to get BOG ADRs, not because I feel like I have to "get my money's worth" or "squeeze maximum value out of each second" - but because I actually enjoy the atmosphere and the food. So, while I do get annoyed that I have to wake up early - usually on multiple days - to get those ADRs, that doesn't mean my actual vacation is stressful.

DH and I very much enjoy the different restaurants at WDW, so ADRs for BOG, CA Grill, etc, are integral parts of the magic of our vacation. The planning I do ahead of time allows us to be go with the flow with the rest of our time at WDW.

Don't get me wrong..I still think it's ridiculous to have to plan those meals 180 days ahead, but it would be *more* stressful to hope that there was walk up availability, so plan ahead I do. In doing so DH and I experience things we really enjoy together. That's what vacation is all about, isn't it? Relaxing and enjoying the things that make a vacation special for your family?

My way may not be your way, or any one else's way, but it's what we love, and that's all that matters.

ETA: If planning caused frustration on the actual vacation, we'd go to DLR instead of WDW. There's no need to plan so far in advance for DLR. We've decided less than a week beforehand to go to DLR, and have still been able to get Blue Bayou reservations (the only one we bother with at DLR).

Basically what I'm saying is you can't equate being frustrated with planning ahead to actually having a stressful/frustrating vacation. They don't always go hand in hand.

 

[mmbl]

I just stumbled across this and have to say I'm surprised at the OP contention! US 'pilfering' Disney? This has to be a joke. Keep up with the stock market and you'll see this just isn't so!

 

[Davey Jones II]

Umm except Disney is the turtle slowly but surely adding rides and just building off past success. Universal is the company building like mad at a pace that will likely curtail at some point either due to money or land....

The tortoise and the hare is not really a parable about speed. It's about overconfident, complacent favorites eventually losing out to underdogs who try harder and never give up. So no, I don't think that Disney is the tortoise.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

I just stumbled across this and have to say I'm surprised at the OP contention! US 'pilfering' Disney? This has to be a joke. Keep up with the stock market and you'll see this just isn't so!

My "pilfering" comment was used in the context of the way Disney would see Universal. Y'know taking away dollars and guests that have historically been "theirs". It's not to be taken literally. Could I have worded it better? Sure.