For me(and this is just my opinion...different strokes for different folks) it was very tacky. I thought I would love the Cars and LM themes, but they were so loud and in your face..too much of a good thing is no good. It looked like they repainted a cheap motel and put up a bunch of big plastic Disney characters all over the place. I can't speak for what the room quality is as we didn't sleep in it. When I went into the Poly and even POR(which I said I didn't love) the décor is subtle and upscale. I looked into the family suites at AOA and no way I would pay to stay 3 to 400 a night. Just not worth it for what you get. It was crowded and LOUD! People running around like crazy people...didn't see this once at any of the resorts we went to. I thought POR was a little dirty (This was a big surprise because online I really liked that resort...so maybe I had built it up in my head or maybe just an off day. There the bathroom and dinning area was a mess), but wouldn't say I wouldn't ever stay there. AOA I can say I wouldn't ever pay to stay there after seeing it.
I agree, it is horses for courses. Personally speaking, I would never stay at a value because they are too busy and brash for me, but for others that is exactly what they want.
Do I ever think Universal/IOA will surpass WDW...probably not, but they certainly are quickly chinking away at their profits and making people want to leave their park to spend a couple of days over there.
What makes you think that Universal are chinking away at Disney profits? I'm just curious, because the financials do not support that at all. Disney has reported record profits for 2012 and the most recent Q2 results were huge for the Disney. I don't see Universal making any impact in terms of profit. Both companies are showing growth.
I think it's very easy to break the debate down to a few key things... i.e. WWOHP or Fantasyland Expansion but that doesn't really deal with the overall picture because largely those things are about personal taste. You couldn't pay me enough money to spend my time at WWOHP because it just doesn't interest me in the slightest. Someone else might say the same about attractions at Disney. It's just personal preference.
The bigger picture is about where people spend their time and their dollars and Disney win hands down. They simply offer a more rounded experience. If you want to swim with Dolphins, Disney offers it. If you want to play golf, Disney offers it. If you want to go to a spa, Disney offers it. If you want water parks, Disney offers it -- and so on and so forth. Add to that a fast pass system that is free to use rather than almost doubling your ticket price for an express pass. Add to that no need to drive. Add to that various levels of accommodation for all budgets. More parks, more attractions, more shopping experiences,
free dining periods etc. It's an all inclusive experience that Universal just can't replicate.
The debate is bigger than Disney haven't built much lately. The fact that they are investing in intellectual property and changes to infrastructure through My Magic +, will see them well for decades to come. In addition, guests have reported signs and CM have hinted also that they have recently broken ground for the start of the Avatar build. There is a lot in the pipeline which they may not have put out in the public domain too.
Disney have sat on their purses in terms of attractions but they have made some monumental franchise purchases. Star Wars is on it's way, as is Cars land. New patents are also being reported for ride technology that has never been seen before.
Universal are doing OK, they're doing what they have done for many years, rehash and add on to existing attractions. But in the longer term, they're going to struggle unless they come up with something fresh, new and exciting . They also need to expand what they offer.
