Universal is taking advantage of Disney's weak spot

We fly, we're DVC members (BWV), and have APs. We also use a taxi or car service to take us to stay at a Universal onsite resort for a few days after the Disney portion of our trip. Our love for Universal happened unexpectedly. My then 9 year old daughter and decided to take 1 day to spend at Universal. We were hooked from that day to this one. Did you not see that Cyrano, a moderator, said it was ok to post about Universal? It was pointed out that Disney lost market share and Universal gained market share, so it is a thread about Disney too. We love both places. Disney has won the most $$$$ so far with our DVC purchase. Universal has won a bigger spot in our hearts. If they ever offered a DVC type of thing, we'd buy in a nanosecond.

I realize that you may not have read all my earlier posts, so I'll repeat: I never said it wasn't "okay" for this thread to continue, that it should be prohibited or moved, etc... I was simply questioning the motives of people posting universal love over and over on the WDW forums.


As for going to Universal in the middle of a WDW vacation: never for me. 1. I go for 3-4 days at a time. I barely have enough Disney time in those days. 2. I've priced it out to roughly $1000 for two days and two nights at Universal, whereas my WDW ticket is "free," (AP) and my hotel is "free" (DVC.)
Plus I don't do coasters or simulators.
 
Well, I'm out folks! Heading to the local micro-brew. Hopefully someone will start an anti-FP+|Yeah for Universal thread tomorrow and we can all meet up again! :-)
 
Well, I'm out folks! Heading to the local micro-brew. Hopefully someone will start an anti-FP+|Yeah for Universal thread tomorrow and we can all meet up again! :-)

I've had 4 slabs of ribs smoking for the last 5 hours-then headed over to friends for some local micro-brews as well (only because I like to stick it to the man;)).

See ya tomorrow. :)
 

I've spent some time browsing on the Universal message board here, since I'm hoping to spend some time there in the future, and I've come to the conclusion that it's not high traffic because it doesn't need to be. Occasionally a long time Disney fan posts and asks about a touring plan or strategy (which is a major part of this board) and they are told "relax, you don't need one".

They enjoy their parks and don't spend a lot of time or energy comparing it to Disney or anywhere else, that's all over here. They're grateful that the parks are expanding and improving, but they aren't that interested in them becoming the overcrowded money making machines that the WDW parks are because they know they will enjoy them less then. I think the comparison to the "little brother" mentality in the vicarious world of college sports isn't a strong one because the Universal fans don't want their parks to be like WDW at all. I'll agree with whoever said it's Disney fans that are hoping the Universal gains in market share will prompt WDW to improve that are making the comparisons.

For anyone that comes to this message board to plan their trip and navigate the gauntlet that WDW has become, the Universal discussions are not nearly as detrimental as the Disney "magic" group hugs that trivialize any negative WDW experiences and attribute them to the guest who reports them. I hate to think of what it's like planning a trip mostly with the help of someone who thinks it's wonderful just to stand at the gates and breathe in the hot diesel fumes all day because you luuuuuuuuuuuuv WDW so much. Those fans are hurting WDW (if not Disney corporation) much more than the ones who love WDW but will take park management to task for their shortcomings.
 
surferdave, those are good points. I love Universal but there is really so little to do when it comes to planning. We mostly just go and that's nice. I also hope that the place never gets too much more crowded because then the simplicity could vanish and dealing with WDW is already complicated enough.
 
Well, I'm out folks! Heading to the local micro-brew. Hopefully someone will start an anti-FP+|Yeah for Universal thread tomorrow and we can all meet up again! :-)

Have a great time!

I look forward to the value added posts focused on OP's original premise next time!
 
I would never shorten my 8 day Disney trip to go to Universal. However, I have now extended our stay at Royal Pacific to 3 nights. There is so much to see and do. We love the relaxed atmosphere, pool area, City Walk and front of the line access. The teens go off on all the crazy rides and the adults wind down.We always do it after Disney. Once we did it before going to Disney and it had the reverse happened. The lines and crowds at WDW seemed so much worse.
 
surferdave, those are good points. I love Universal but there is really so little to do when it comes to planning. We mostly just go and that's nice. I also hope that the place never gets too much more crowded because then the simplicity could vanish and dealing with WDW is already complicated enough.

Surferdave nailed it and I totally agree with you- DA, as wonderful and amazing as it looks, could be a crowd game changer.

I've had 4 slabs of ribs smoking for the last 5 hours-then headed over to friends for some local micro-brews as well (only because I like to stick it to the man;)).

See ya tomorrow. :)

I guess that would be rib-sticking to the man.....:thumbsup2

We're smoking whole bluefish today- microbrews on deck.......
 
Disney is spending billions on Magic Band technology and Shanghai Disney...as well as their other international parks.

Walt Disney World is getting hardly anything. Sure New Fantasyland and Avatarland(still three years away at least!) are going on but Universal is just growing and adding at an insane pace.

Since Disney is so much more *spread out* around the world with capital expenditures they are exposing their CROWN JEWEL Walt Disney World to insane pilfering from Universal.

I would love to hear froim anyone how WDW can recover from Universal Orlando's onslaught when Disney is spread too thin with their global commitments.

Since quite a few on the board got upset with my "scorned lovers" analogy that I based on reading a huge number of posts detailing how they truly love Disney but feel used and taken for granted in the last few of years and have decided to exclusively visit Universal on their next trip...I want to return it *directly* to my original post
 
Since quite a few on the board got upset with my "scorned lovers" analogy that I based on reading a huge number of posts detailing how they truly love Disney but feel used and taken for granted in the last few of years and have decided to exclusively visit Universal on their next trip...I want to return it *directly* to my original post
Um- I just want to say that the scorned lovers analogy was TRUE and sometimes the truth hurts!!!!!!!!! This aint nothin' new.....they mad and bitter and everybody can see it!!!!! :rotfl2:
 
Um- I just want to say that the scorned lovers analogy was TRUE and sometimes the truth hurts!!!!!!!!! This aint nothin' new.....they mad and bitter and everybody can see it!!!!! :rotfl2:

Thank you TooExcitedCantSleep...I hope you are being sincere?:confused3

I said I think "many" are of this mindset judging the many posts over the last couple of years. I don't know just what percentage it is...but it seems to be a sizable minority that are angry with Disney and either greatly reducing their WDW time in favor of Universal or scuttling it all together to make it a Universal-only trip while voicing that Disney is what they truly love but they feel burned.
 
Thank you TooExcitedCantSleep...I hope you are being sincere?:confused3

I said I think "many" are of this mindset judging the many posts over the last couple of years. I don't know just what percentage it is...but it seems to be a sizable minority that are angry with Disney and either greatly reducing their WDW time in favor of Universal or scuttling it all together to make it a Universal-only trip while voicing that Disney is what they truly love but they feel burned.

I've seen that sentiment too, but I don't think they're doing it to stick it to Disney, or something. I think some people are stressed out by how much planning Disney takes now. I've seen posts on here where they say the loved Disney but won't return until everything calms down. Universal, on the other hand, with its on-site hotel perks (like early entry and unlimited Express Passes), new attractions popping up every year and a major overhaul to CityWalk is becoming an increasingly more attractive alternative. They've really stepped up their game since Potter opened and people are noticing.
 
surferdave said:
For anyone that comes to this message board to plan their trip and navigate the gauntlet that WDW has become, the Universal discussions are not nearly as detrimental as the Disney "magic" group hugs that trivialize any negative WDW experiences and attribute them to the guest who reports them. I hate to think of what it's like planning a trip mostly with the help of someone who thinks it's wonderful just to stand at the gates and breathe in the hot diesel fumes all day because you luuuuuuuuuuuuv WDW so much. Those fans are hurting WDW (if not Disney corporation) much more than the ones who love WDW but will take park management to task for their shortcomings.

This Is pure truth. While some people might think I only sit here and hate on FP+ I have actually had some very positive things to say about it, particularly in high season.

Moreover if you look at my posts outside the theme parks strategy section, I often chime in just to give out the needed information someone Is seeking to help their vacation along.

But there are two common things I see here, among many, 1) people telling other people their complaints are useless, worthless, of no impact, "haterish", or, most often 'their own fault' because of their attitude. That they shouldnt be posting them and should just get over it, go somewhere else, go to another board/thread/fan site ...These people often simply gush at anything disney does and think Disney can do no wrong. How many of these people said those complaining about the monorail being down deserved no compensation and no where does disney say you get the monorail and staying at a monorail resort does not mean you are paying for the monorail ?????

The same people then do 2) .. when someone comes back with a negative trip report due to things like construction, repairs, unmet expectations ... they tell them they have no business complaining if they didn't do their research first on places like the disboards ...

So shut up with the complaints ... and don't complain unless you researched the potential complaints ... ??

People who just luuuuuuuuuuuuv disney or try to argue disney is still great therefore no complaints are justified are only serving to ensure the quality of vacation continues to drop. If a business can continue to cut while you are still willing to pay the same, or more, and not only not complain, but tell others not to complain, they are just going to keep cutting. The true fans will tell them when their favorite teams, places, restaurants, people, parties, are screwing up ... they want to see them at their best, not settle for "still doing well" I think It was phrased early in this thread.
 
:)
I've seen that sentiment too, but I don't think they're doing it to stick it to Disney, or something. I think some people are stressed out by how much planning Disney takes now. I've seen posts on here where they say the loved Disney but won't return until everything calms down. Universal, on the other hand, with its on-site hotel perks (like early entry and unlimited Express Passes), new attractions popping up every year and a major overhaul to CityWalk is becoming an increasingly more attractive alternative. They've really stepped up their game since Potter opened and people are noticing.

I don't disagree with anything you said here, except that that there are those that wish Disney would do the same thing. There are quite a few people that want Disney to do all of this exciting stuff so they only have a one-stop vacation.

Why?

Because it's DISNEY.
 
"Disney"...as a company...means so much more to a lot of people than "Universal".

I'm sorry...it's true. There is no other corporation like it for millions of people.
 
This Is pure truth. While some people might think I only sit here and hate on FP+ I have actually had some very positive things to say about it, particularly in high season.

Moreover if you look at my posts outside the theme parks strategy section, I often chime in just to give out the needed information someone Is seeking to help their vacation along.

But there are two common things I see here, among many, 1) people telling other people their complaints are useless, worthless, of no impact, "haterish", or, most often 'their own fault' because of their attitude. That they shouldnt be posting them and should just get over it, go somewhere else, go to another board/thread/fan site ...These people often simply gush at anything disney does and think Disney can do no wrong. How many of these people said those complaining about the monorail being down deserved no compensation and no where does disney say you get the monorail and staying at a monorail resort does not mean you are paying for the monorail ?????

The same people then do 2) .. when someone comes back with a negative trip report due to things like construction, repairs, unmet expectations ... they tell them they have no business complaining if they didn't do their research first on places like the disboards ...

So shut up with the complaints ... and don't complain unless you researched the potential complaints ... ??

People who just luuuuuuuuuuuuv disney or try to argue disney is still great therefore no complaints are justified are only serving to ensure the quality of vacation continues to drop. If a business can continue to cut while you are still willing to pay the same, or more, and not only not complain, but tell others not to complain, they are just going to keep cutting. The true fans will tell them when their favorite teams, places, restaurants, people, parties, are screwing up ... they want to see them at their best, not settle for "still doing well" I think It was phrased early in this thread.

@shaden...lots of great points that I don't disagree with at all.
 
Ever heard the expression "A rising tide lifts all boats"? It applies in this case to Orlando theme parks.

But if we are to believe the TEA attendance estimates it didn't apply to Sea World.

Attendance for Sea World Orlando:

2009 (Before Potter): 5,800,000
2010 (After Potter): 5,100,000

They've rebounded slightly since then but reported a 13% drop in attendance this past quarter, perhaps in part due to Blackfish but disturbing nonetheless.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-...p-in-attendance-as-blackstone-cuts-stake.html

Rather than a "rising tide" what we may be seeing is a "survival of the fittest." Sea World is the low man on the totem pole and would be the first to fall. After Sea World the next most vulnerable park would probably be DHS.
 
But if we are to believe the TEA attendance estimates it didn't apply to Sea World.

Attendance for Sea World Orlando:

2009 (Before Potter): 5,800,000
2010 (After Potter): 5,100,000

They've rebounded slightly since then but reported a 13% drop in attendance this past quarter, perhaps in part due to Blackfish but disturbing nonetheless.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-...p-in-attendance-as-blackstone-cuts-stake.html

Rather than a "rising tide" what we may be seeing is a "survival of the fittest." Sea World is the low man on the totem pole and would be the first to fall. After Sea World the next most vulnerable park would probably be DHS.

The trainer killed by a whale occurred in early 2010, so I have to think that had an impact.
 
But if we are to believe the TEA attendance estimates it didn't apply to Sea World.

Attendance for Sea World Orlando:

2009 (Before Potter): 5,800,000
2010 (After Potter): 5,100,000

They've rebounded slightly since then but reported a 13% drop in attendance this past quarter, perhaps in part due to Blackfish but disturbing nonetheless.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-...p-in-attendance-as-blackstone-cuts-stake.html

Rather than a "rising tide" what we may be seeing is a "survival of the fittest." Sea World is the low man on the totem pole and would be the first to fall. After Sea World the next most vulnerable park would probably be DHS.

But apparently they had record profits even with lower crowds.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...2_1_seaworld-orlando-seaworld-parks-blackfish
 


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