Universal sees 4 percent drop in this year's attendance

[ChrisFL]

Honestly, I can't see how this "new and improved" express pass policy is going to work to Universal's advantage.

I can't either, unless they thought they'd get more hotel guests on-site or more express passes sold.

 

[All Aboard]

Honestly, I can't see how this "new and improved" express pass policy is going to work to Universal's advantage.

Agreed, a greater portion of Universal's guests are local or state residents than Disney's. These guests are less likely to pay for express and more likely to be irked that the free version is gone.

So, do the increased dollars more than offset the turned off guests? Perhaps not. It smelled like a bad move from the start.

 

[flatline]

Agreed, a greater portion of Universal's guests are local or state residents than Disney's. These guests are less likely to pay for express and more likely to be irked that the free version is gone.

So, do the increased dollars more than offset the turned off guests? Perhaps not. It smelled like a bad move from the start.

you can't suddenly pull a benefit like that away from a guest (especially without any explanation) without a backlash. as an AP holder, it's the coldest move I've witnessed by any park here. I keep hearing how it's going to cut the standby times...bullcrap, they're horrible this year.

 

[LuvDuke]

Here's my tale of galloping woe: I'm a FL resident and my DD and I went to US/IOA for 3-4 days the last several years. We always stayed onsite so express pass wasn't an issue.

We're not going this year. The US/IOA management pissed me off with this new express pass rip-off and there's nothing new at either park.

We're going to Sea World.

And Disney is headed the same wrong way. $175 for a room at a mod during an "super-extended" summer season. Puhleeze! For what it will cost for a week at WDW, my DD and I can go on a cruise through the Caribbean.

 

[flatline]

we're Universal AP holders. with gas prices, we're more willing to spend time at WDW and take advantage of the FP's.

 

[Peter Pirate]

We're considering not renewing this year. Long lines and no new rides, I just don't see it. We can still go to City Walk.

 

[All Aboard]

We're considering not renewing this year. Long lines and no new rides, I just don't see it. We can still go to City Walk.

Just after we bit on the two year for the price of one renewal, they yanked the Express machines. They got me.

 

[Luv2Roam]

I have to say if they are hurting for return guests, taking away free Express is not the way to get return guests. They don't have so many rides and parks like Disney does. With Disney guests can strategize more. There is less ways at USO.
And they have too many rides and attractions that just don't change and are not ones that most want to ride repeatedly. IoA side can get by with it more than USO.

 

[LuvDuke]

We're considering not renewing this year. Long lines and no new rides, I just don't see it. We can still go to City Walk.

The only reason we're renewing is because the renewal costs $99, is cheaper than any other pass and has the advantage of a discount on merchandise and food. There is also an off chance I'll have some business in Orlando and I'll stop in with my DD.

But, that's it. No 4-days for us at US/IOA this year.

 

[ryley26]

If i were an FL res i'd be upset to a local park up here Cedar point charges for there fastpass. $50 dollars to get in and another 10 + for the fastpass. We go once a year and don't fastpass but it getting tiresome the kids say its not like Disney the waits are to long. We go to Disney and use are FP thank you

 

[fccabs]

My Wife and I honeymooned last december at WDW and Universal and the difference between the two places was massive. We stayed onsite at both resorts but Disney went out of their way to make our honeymoon as special as possible while Universal did absolutely nothing. Disney upgraded our room left us half a bottle of champagne, a card and a rose in or room one night and all in all generally made us feel like royalty. Universal didn't even acknowledge we were on our honeymoon and seemed more interested in their conference guests then us. We're planning to go back and stay onsite at WDW again in September/October as we have annual passes and we will still visit universal as we enjoy the parks but we won't consider staying at universal again as the overall expeirence was just so poor compared to Disney.

One thought with regards to universal express is that we found we were able to do everything in both parks in less then a day with universal express and overall we spent less time in the parks because of that. This maybe Universals thinking behind only making them available to hotel guests. By making the offsite vistors queue they keep them in the park longer and therefore hopefully they will spend more money.

 

[Luv2Roam]

By making the offsite vistors queue they keep them in the park longer and therefore hopefully they will spend more money.

That might be it. Plus hoping for more on site bookings.
But what will probably happen is make it even less likely for AP day trippers to visit and go to Sea World or Disney instead.
I would guess that if locals have USO APs, they probably have them at SW or WDW, or both also.

 

[flatline]

By making the offsite vistors queue they keep them in the park longer and therefore hopefully they will spend more money.

it's not working with us if that's the intent. we've been going at opening, hitting our favorites, and leaving after lunch. we've been going to a WDW park for a few hours after that. US/IOA used to be an all day trip on the weekends.

 

[Sleeping Jedi Beauty]

I'm not surprised to see this. With Magical Express and the dining plan, Disney has made it quite easy to never leave Disney property and have all your needs taken care of. Furthermore, Universal has Dr. Seuss, which I read as a child. Disney has Walt's films, which I loved as a child and still love as an adult. Disney has more to draw visitors in and Universal is trying to get people to stay on Universal property, which drives away locals and even visitors. I just don't think Universal can compete with Disney. The reality is that each of Disney's weakest gates(AK at WDW, DCA at DLR) outdraws Universal every year. Universal can make cool rides and neat attractions, but for most people they're probably not much more than your nice local amusement park.

 

[flatline]

Universal can make cool rides and neat attractions, but for most people they're probably not much more than your nice local amusement park.

UO's parks, resort properties, and Citywalk are a hell of a lot nicer than any amusement park I've ever been to.

certain aspects of UO's parks rival or beat anything WDW has to offer.

 

[ChrisFL]

UO's parks, resort properties, and Citywalk are a hell of a lot nicer than any amusement park I've ever been to.

certain aspects of UO's parks rival or beat anything WDW has to offer.

100% true

 

[SaratogaShan]

The withdrawal of free express passes changed our vacation plans. We just spent a week at Disney. We had originally planned to drive over to US/IOA two days out of our trip but we decided that queuing for every attraction with a four year old and a one year old were not our idea of a good time. At Disney, with smart use of fastpass we never waited longer than 15 minutes for an attraction. I am very dissapointed because we like universal, but if things remain as they are now, we will not return until the kids are much older.

 

[wdw4us2]

Maybe it's because they close some of their major attractions during the week.

DS's class went on their IOA end of school trip last Monday. Dueling Dragons was closed, and the park map showed that it's only open on Friday & Saturday. There isn't enough to do in that park for a one day trip as it is, and then they close one of their major attractions during the week? I don't get it.

 

[flatline]

Maybe it's because they close some of their major attractions during the week.

DS's class went on their IOA end of school trip last Monday. Dueling Dragons was closed, and the park map showed that it's only open on Friday & Saturday. There isn't enough to do in that park for a one day trip as it is, and then they close one of their major attractions during the week? I don't get it.

it was being refurbished at the time. they were doing the work during the week and opening it on weekends. it's now reopened full time.

 

[jade1]

Sorry if mentioned but for our group, the extra days on the WDW passes is what is keeping us from US. I think it was $184 for 3 days or $205 for 7. That reduces the hectic pace because we have every day available all week long at Disney prepaid for as, well as keeps us from going off site since we already have a pass for every day. Before we maybe would get a 5 day hopper (Also around $200) for example and have 3 days to do something else, now those days are free on Disney-sort of. That and one room for one night to get FOTL line at RPR has gone from $99 to $249. We hate not having FOTL at US.