USF-WDW article from today's Sentinel

[Dznefreek]

What's scariest at Universal? The slow decay
Published December 3, 2006

Jaws has lunged out of the water yet again here at Universal Studios. Alas, I am not terrified.

Poor old guy.

Maybe it's just because I'm old, too. But his skin looks worn. Teeth that had been white daggers of death now appear decayed with gingivitis.

Jaws is a Walter Brennan shark these days, impotently yelling at the tourists to stay out of his front yard.

Meanwhile, over at Back to the Future, more tourists bounce around in aging DeLoreans, chasing Biff around on a screen that has what looks like holes in it.

This is sad indeed. The once mighty Universal Studios, the park that put Disney-MGM Studios to shame, is being neglected to death.

It not only has fallen far behind Disney's movie park, it has slipped to second-tier status among all the major parks. I fear it is only a matter of time before neighboring Islands of Adventure is dragged down with it.

My purpose here is not to denigrate Universal. I have long trumpeted these parks. This column is intended as a wake-up call to save them from becoming Six Flags over Orlando.

Universal has had too many owners, none of them committed to the theme-park business. And so it seems there has been no long-term strategic planning, no continuing investment in upgrades.

Consider these movies on which rides are based: Earthquake came out in 1974 and Jaws in 1975.

Back to the Future, which featured Michael J. Fox as a teenager, came out 20 years ago. Terminator 2 came out 15 years ago.

This is your dad's theme park.

Once, its rides were top-of-the-line. But now when you go in Twister, the cables that swing a cow through the air are painfully visible. It looks like an Ed Wood production.

The only major ride Universal has opened in five years is the Revenge of the Mummy roller coaster.

The big new show, Fear Factor Live, is based on a television series slipping into the abyss of ratings.

It is no surprise that attendance has been steadily declining since 2004, despite numerous ticket discounts.

Meanwhile, down I-4, Disney is decked out in all its Christmas splendor with new attractions galore.

The Osborne Family's Spectacle of Lights at MGM-Studios is stunning. The Fantasmic show is the best I've ever seen. The Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show is a blast.

A new production at Animal Kingdom, Finding Nemo -- The Musical, is ingenious. It is Broadway quality. This follows the addition of a top-notch new coaster, Expedition Everest.

After adding the popular Soarin' ride at Epcot, Disney followed with a Nemo ride for the kiddies.

Combined with all this new stuff are multiday passes that basically give tourists free admission after four days so they can see it all.

Why leave Disney property?

Disney is out to bury Universal, and Universal is not fighting back.

Universal can surrender, put in a Publix at CityWalk and convert its parks to a new urbanism, condo/roller coaster mixed-use development.

Or it can overhaul the Studios park and upgrade Islands of Adventure, bringing both up to 2006 standards.

Cutting back and extracting more profits is not a viable long-term strategy, not when there is a Mouse nearby that is much scarier than any shark.

Mike Thomas can be reached at 407-420-5525 or mthomas@orlandosentinel.com.

 

[Fitswimmer]

My Mom called me to make sure I looked this article up! Mike Thomas is a good columnist and I tend to agree with a lot of his opinions. I'm glad you posted it.

 

[MJMcBride]

It does seem that Universal does follow Disney's idea of adding a major attraction every year or so.

 

[EUROPACL]

It does seem that Universal does follow Disney's idea of adding a major attraction every year or so.

What article are you reading?

 

[dbm20th]

It not only has fallen far behind Disney's movie park, it has slipped to second-tier status among all the major parks. I fear it is only a matter of time before neighboring Islands of Adventure is dragged down with it.

My purpose here is not to denigrate Universal. I have long trumpeted these parks. This column is intended as a wake-up call to save them from becoming Six Flags over Orlando.

I like the level of honesty here. This is a USF fan, and not someone grinding an axe for attention.

 

[Another Voice]

If only Disney could have the same level of honesty things would be a lot better there too.

 

[Mickmse2002]

....or perhaps the Disney model is working relative to the competetion?

 

[dbm20th]

....or perhaps the Disney model is working relative to the competetion?

True enough

 

[raidermatt]

....or perhaps the Disney model is working relative to the competetion?

Yes, they are doing better than Universal (which isn't their biggest competition, btw).

That was always the company's mission.

 

[rickandcindy23]

It really is about what you prefer. I think Disney has far more rides that are for everyone. Islands of Adventure has a bunch of thrill rides that I tend to avoid and the only rides worth any wait at Universal Studios are Mummy for hubby and MIB Alien Attack for me.

Disney has so many rides I will wait for.

 

[DisneyFanGuy]

I agree with the article. I would love to visit US more if they evolved and changed over the years. I used to split my time during my annual trips between Disney and US. Now it's almost all Disney. The reason isn't money or time.......it's that US hasn't added much over the years, and IOA (which has the most amazing ride I have ever seen in Spiderman) has done virtually nothing new since they opening. (They opened three small rides and closed a show and Dino tour). Universal Orlando is clean, well run, has good food, and just doesn't draw my attention. I visited once to see MIB, and once again to see Shrek and Mummy. All good additions. If they add something else cool I will take my family to see it.

Disney, however, adds enough new stuff every year to draw me back. They are also so large that there are many things that I see once every 3-4 years. This year it was EE (incredible!), the pirates update (lots of fun and everyone was talking about it!), Hollowishes, and Nemo at the LS. Last year it was Soarin', Wishes the new drop profile at TOT. The year before Mission Space, Philharmagic, etc. Next year I am already drooling to see the Nemo musical, the update on Rio De Tiempo, NEW pirates additions, maybe a TS island re-do, The new asian restaurant at AK, maybe a updated Illuminations show at Epcot, etc.

Disney has something really new and fun every year. US......not so much. I think the problem is that US has continued to change owners, and that NBC is not really interested in running a theme park. That, ultimately, will be their death. When they were built, they were gunning for Disney.

Now that the CEO of Busch has retired, I worry about that same thing with them. He, reportedly, was very passionate about their theme park business.

 

[seashoreCM]

I haven't been going to Universal (...Studios Florida) because they stopped offering something like Fastpass that anybody could use.

And they are crowded enough that waiting in lines is intolerable for me.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[rubberband1293]

I took the family to US this past summer for a week - this was our first visit - and we had a ball! I think I enjoyed it more than my kids did. We rode everything multiple times because the crowds were so low - in prime time summer tourist time and rarely had to use our FOTL passes (or whatever you call them). Now that we have been, I am not sure that we will go again unless new rides and attractions open. The author of this article is right on target - most of the rides and attractions are based on movies that are from my high school days (almost giving my age here) and my kids really can't relate - even though they had a great vacation too. As much as I enjoyed the parks, I am afraid that without new rides and updated attractions, the author will be correct in his prediction that US will go the way of the dinosaurs. I am not bashing US - (AGAIN, I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED MY VACATAION THERE!), but I have this "been there, done that" kind of mentality. DW on the otherhand - is a place we can go year after year and never tire of the fun, quirkiness, and magic (sorry!) - mainly because DW does invest in itself and creates new attractions.