Universal Studios-Not What It Use To Be

[damo]

Answer to both those questions would be No.

Little more in context question though...
If they changed T2 name and Pre show...I had forgotten where it was located and it was closed the day I went. I would probably come on and ask what happened to T2:3D.

So I would handle it differently then the OP and I don't think they are asking for everyone to agree with them but came on to share their experience and provide a little info about the ticketmaster tickets.

I don't agree nor disagree with either you or the OP...just trying to create some peace.

lol.

I am just trying to discourage people from giving such strong opinions that aren't even based on their own experience. It doesn't help our newbies who are deciding what to ride or even to visit at all.

 

[Miss M.K.J.]

lol.

I am just trying to discourage people from giving such strong opinions that aren't even based on their own experience. It doesn't help our newbies who are deciding what to ride or even to visit at all.

I can give my opinion on it because it IS based on my own experience (understand that I was there so therefore it is my experience). I am not telling people not to go there I am just giving my opinion on my trip- that's all!! Good God I didn't know that I would be ridiculed for having a freaking opinion on what seems to be YOUR forum-please forgive me as though I thought this was a open forum!! This is no different than the other posters saying that they didn't have a good time at Disney-all I am saying is that things have changed since I had last visited and I didn't like it as much. This will be the last time I comment on this as this is becoming just silly. Maybe you should go to Universal cause it seems as though you may need a vacation!

 

[going/again]

Years ago we started out as Disneyholics but our next vacation this December is almost all Universal. We got tired of the hassle of trying to have a good time at Disney, especially since they do not have anything like the FOTL benefit Universal offers its hotel guests.

To be fair its easy to give FOTL when you only have a couple of hotels Disney has how many.

 

[damo]

I can give my opinion on it because it IS based on my own experience (understand that I was there so therefore it is my experience). I am not telling people not to go there I am just giving my opinion on my trip- that's all!! Good God I didn't know that I would be ridiculed for having a freaking opinion on what seems to be YOUR forum-please forgive me as though I thought this was a open forum!! This is no different than the other posters saying that they didn't have a good time at Disney-all I am saying is that things have changed since I had last visited and I didn't like it as much. This will be the last time I comment on this as this is becoming just silly. Maybe you should go to Universal cause it seems as though you may need a vacation!

You said you didn't go on Disaster but you made the statement that it was an inferior replacement for Earthquake and because of that and the fact that you weren't impressed with Mummy and no one was in Amityville, you wouldn't be going back. How can you say that Disaster is inferior if you did not go on it? Where is your experience on that ride?

I'm not being silly, I am just calling you out for commenting on things you didn't ride.

 

[Jonny_Duck]

To be fair its easy to give FOTL when you only have a couple of hotels Disney has how many.

30 ish? Idk seems like a perk that could be offered for non value for me but shrug. Its great perk that sells rooms for Universal as I only stay there for that perk.

 

[Kay1]

In my mind, Kong and the Mummy are about equal, and the same with Earthquake and Disaster. Maybe some people are thrown by the fact that some attractions open later than others. It seems like they're closed when they're just not open yet. Universal is my favorite Orlando park but I really like them all.

 

[Jonny_Duck]

In my mind, Kong and the Mummy are about equal, and the same with Earthquake and Disaster. Maybe some people are thrown by the fact that some attractions open later than others. It seems like they're closed when they're just not open yet. Universal is my favorite Orlando park but I really like them all.

Well it depends on what OP meant by comparable...Could mean theme or in how ride operates.

I didn't ride Kong since I was prob 15 or 16 irl but I have a feeling if I were to experience it today it would not be as thrilling as it was when I was younger. I do wish there was a way they could co-exist though.

With Disaster...My personal opinion is it was greatly improved upon. The effects use in the pre show is rly cool. The ride was not changed but they updated it to the 21st century. Imo a great change to the ride.

 

[Returning DisFan]

Hi there, we recently returned from visiting both Disney & Universal and we preferred Universal. The tv programming was much better for watching tv in the room at night, of course fotl access was an extreme plus, water taxi was less crowded than Disney transportation. I guess we just enjoyed the change. Everybody leaves with different impressions I guess.

 

[cbsnyber1]

To be fair its easy to give FOTL when you only have a couple of hotels Disney has how many.

What's stopping Disney from offering it to guests of select properties?

I'll answer my own question: because they don't have to. They might someday if they start having trouble filling their resorts, but as long as people keep packing them full, why bother?

Disney's greatest strength is its brand marketing. It does a superb job of keeping the words Magic and Disney connected and that's what keeps people coming back. The other Orlando parks have to offer something unique to compete - Universal, among other things, uses FOTL to attract guests.

We as consumers then choose according to our preferences (driven in part by the marketing efforts of the parks). I enjoy both Disney and Universal but prefer Universal overall, and FOTL is a big reason why - but that's me. There's no wrong or right here, just consumers stating a preference.

 

[Planogirl]

Hi there, we recently returned from visiting both Disney & Universal and we preferred Universal. The tv programming was much better for watching tv in the room at night, of course fotl access was an extreme plus, water taxi was less crowded than Disney transportation. I guess we just enjoyed the change. Everybody leaves with different impressions I guess.

You illustrate perfectly the old philosophy "different strokes for different folks". I'm glad that you had fun.

I also found it odd that the OP complained that Earthquake was gone when it really wasn't. She didn't say it was different, just that it was gone. Then she admits that it was closed which probably meant that the party bypassed it in the morning. That section of the park is always a ghost town in the morning.

Now the Kong and Mummy comparison I can't comment on since I never saw Kong. I know that the Mummy is one of my favorites rides anywhere though so to each their own.

 

[Rip]

What's stopping Disney from offering it to guests of select properties?

I'll answer my own question: because they don't have to. They might someday if they start having trouble filling their resorts, but as long as people keep packing them full, why bother?

Disney's greatest strength is its brand marketing. It does a superb job of keeping the words Magic and Disney connected and that's what keeps people coming back. The other Orlando parks have to offer something unique to compete - Universal, among other things, uses FOTL to attract guests.

We as consumers then choose according to our preferences (driven in part by the marketing efforts of the parks). I enjoy both Disney and Universal but prefer Universal overall, and FOTL is a big reason why - but that's me. There's no wrong or right here, just consumers stating a preference.

Uni used to have the exact same express pass system that Disney now has - and most Disney-philes do not want them to emulate Universal because they either don't want to (1) shuck out the extra bucks to stay at one of Disney's "deluxe" hotels or (2) don't want to shuck out the extra bucks to purchase the passes in general.

I love Universal's system so much that, prior to them implementing it, I filled out a questionnaire for both parks while I lived there suggesting something similar.

 

[Timmy Boy]

^It is a shame that Universal charges for their Express Passes. I'm not a fan of any "skip the line" program available, as I think it slows down the regular line. I wouldn't mind waiting in a 45 minute line, as long as it kept moving. It is a huge money maker for them though. Although Disney's version sucks as well, because if there is some hold up, such as a Monorail or bus delay, and you get there and the FastPasses are gone for the day, you have no choice but to wait it out.

 

[SNylund]

Not going to Islands of Adventure is kind of like ordering a pepperoni pizza and taking all the pepperoni and cheese off of it. IOA is a GREAT park, and is my favorite, I could go to IOA without even going to the other park, it is that good.

I don't like the fact that they took out KK either, but the Mummy is truely a great ride. There are tons of things to do there, I would suggest you going back and trying to do more, sounds like you just tried to do a few things and then left it at that, you have to actually ride the rides to experience the park. Give it another chance and definitely start out at IOA, I guarantee you you will change your mind after that.

 

[inkkognito]

We as consumers then choose according to our preferences (driven in part by the marketing efforts of the parks). I enjoy both Disney and Universal but prefer Universal overall, and FOTL is a big reason why - but that's me. There's no wrong or right here, just consumers stating a preference.

Amen! We have APs to both Universal and Disney but go to Uni a lot more because we have Premier that gives us FOTL every day after 4 p.m. After getting used to that, long lines at the Mouse because less and less tolerable so we focus on the offseason at Disney. And now that we have Platinum passes for Busch, which means staying on to ride a second time, we go out there at least twice a month, buy their extremely reasonably priced Quick Queue FOTL passes, and get double the rides with no lines. It's not that I like Disney any less (Soarin' is one of my favorite rides anywhere), but why spent a day stressing over FPs and standing in lines when I can spend it on SheiKra or or go for an evening of no-wait Mummy and MiB rides?

 

[Candy30]

I haven't been to US in a long time and was looking forward to going this time. We went on 9/17, which was a good day because of the Bomb Threat with the Disney buses. I was not disappointed. I loved it! I did miss the picture opp of being in King Kong's hand. I still have that! And they used to do a video like disaster but you could make it with your party and get a copy at the end. It was Star Trek and we still have that. But the new rides were awesome. I only had one day and almost covered both parks in that time. But I would spend two days there next time. We all loved it! I bought the 1day 2 park ticket with round trip from Disney. That was great! IOA was great too!!!! The hulk by far my Favorite ride. Rode it 3x in a row. Spiderman Awesome. I could go on and on.