WDW and Universal. Who wins?

[HokieRaven5]

Just going to step in before this gets anymore heated. Sometimes it's ok to agree to disagree and sometimes you can enjoy both Disney and Universal
The "Theme Park" war between Universal and Disney should only benefit us guests as each new addition should push the other one to do something new, which we as guests can enjoy. Whether you are just for Disney or just for Universal, there is no denying that the two's "competition" has given us some great new attractions

Yep, I’ll gladly take getting this over a 10 year period:

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

True. I admit I’m a little more revved up because we’re coming off a magnificent Disney trip, but also 2.5 days at Universal tant were mostly stressful and showed Universal to be, for us, mediocre.

I also saw 2 Universal employees yell at a group of guests who wanted to return merchandise but didn’t have a receipt. It was by far the worst behavior I’ve seen from customer service people anywhere.

Just a warning, if you plan to visit Disneyland Paris in the future, France has banned receipts from being printed automatically. You will have to ask for one. Without a receipt for returns or exchanges you will be out of luck.

 

[mercuryvenus]

They both have pros and cons. I'll keep going to both and enjoying the benefits

I do like Disney more overall but Epic Universe appeals to me more than anything the Disney company is cooking up. If Universal removed some of their mediocre screen rides for some S tier experiences like Hagrid's and Velocicoaster then it could be a game changer.

I do like Hagrid’s a lot. But it’s lame that you can’t skip the line at all.

Velocicoaster is really cool, but Cedar Point will always win on rollercoasters. I go to Orlando for immersive lands.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If they're going to keep the Imagination pavilion looking like we're back in 1999, they should at least commit to the aesthetic and make some seating area look like a 90's Taco Bell

oh straight to my heart with that one! Sooo many memories especially because my best friend worked at Taco Bell when I was in college and the location still looked like that for a while

 

[mercuryvenus]

Just a warning, if you plan to visit Disneyland Paris in the future, France has banned receipts from being printed automatically. You will have to ask for one. Without a receipt for returns or exchanges you will be out of luck.

The policy is one thing. But they were rude and aggressive. It was horrible.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I do like Hagrid’s a lot. But it’s lame that you can’t skip the line at all.

Velocicoaster is really cool, but Cedar Point will always win on rollercoasters. I go to Orlando for immersive lands.

Can I say it's lame that the only way I get to ride Guardians is pay for it OR hope to all heck I get a VQ at 7 am and if not I gotta go for 1pm and even just knowing that is an uphill battle!

***Oh and that they did this with Rise and Remy too

 

[mercuryvenus]

Can I say it's lame that the only way I get to ride Guardians is pay for it OR hope to all heck I get a VQ at 7 am and if not I gotta go for 1pm and even just knowing that is an uphill battle!

***Oh and that they did this with Rise and Remy too

It’s easy to get a VQ for Guardians. Not like Rise was at the beginning.

You know what’s really awful? When my husband waited 2 hours for Hagrid’s and then it broke down.

 

[Smugpugmug]

I do like Hagrid’s a lot. But it’s lame that you can’t skip the line at all.

Velocicoaster is really cool, but Cedar Point will always win on rollercoasters. I go to Orlando for immersive lands.

The capacity for Hagrid's would be absolutely wrecked if Express pass was added. That sort of happened to Velocicoaster but that ride can load more people per hour than Hagrid's. I think it'll be added when Epic Universe opens but we'll see. I feel like if they did add it sooner they'd have to make it once per day which isn't great if you have unlimited.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The policy is one thing. But they were rude and aggressive. It was horrible.

I wouldn't expect people in France to be the kindest either but I'm just pointing out that if you plan to visit in the future and you don't have that receipt with you you're probably not going to get what you think in terms of customer service.

I think it stands to reason we've all seen TM's not be the best and CM's not be the best. I've heard quite the horror stories about Disney and on something far more important than a return. But both parks have their sour grapes.

 

[mercuryvenus]

I wouldn't expect people in France to be the kindest either but I'm just pointing out that if you plan to visit in the future and you don't have that receipt with you you're probably not going to get what you think in terms of customer service.

I think it stands to reason we've all seen TM's not be the best and CM's not be the best. I've heard quite the horror stories about Disney and on something far more important than a return. But both parks have their sour grapes.

I’ve never seen a customer facing person literally yell at customers. That was a new one.

Then one of them turned to the other and sighed, saying “Just call the manager.”

We went to Disneyland Paris and never saw CMs act like that.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It’s easy to get a VQ for Guardians. Not like Rise was at the beginning.

You know what’s really awful? When my husband waited 2 hours for Hagrid’s and then it broke down.

You said it's lame that you can't skip the line. I said it's lame that you have only two ways of riding an attraction which is pay up or frantically be on your phone. The people who were at Disney World in the early days of Rise, Remy and Guardians all don't have the experience of "it's easy to get it" VQ for Guardians was going like hot cakes super fast too.

I didn't like VQ over at Jimmy Fallon (and can show the comments on the DIS too) anymore than Disney doing it. But if you think it's lame you can't skip the line at least you can enter the line without having to do what you have to do at Disney.

Why can't you take fair criticism of Disney here?

 

[Smugpugmug]

You said it's lame that you can't skip the line. I said it's lame that you have only two ways of riding an attraction which is pay up or frantically be on your phone. The people who were at Disney World in the early days of Rise, Remy and Guardians all don't have the experience of "it's easy to get it" VQ for Guardians was going like hot cakes super fast too.

I didn't like VQ over at Jimmy Fallon (and can show the comments on the DIS too) anymore than Disney doing it. But if you think it's lame you can't skip the line at least you can enter the line without having to do what you have to do at Disney.

Why can't you take fair criticism of Disney here?

Jimmy Fallon had a virtual queue? That's one of those rides Universal should be planning to get rid of, like, yesterday.

 

[mercuryvenus]

You said it's lame that you can't skip the line. I said it's lame that you have only two ways of riding an attraction which is pay up or frantically be on your phone. The people who were at Disney World in the early days of Rise, Remy and Guardians all don't have the experience of "it's easy to get it" VQ for Guardians was going like hot cakes super fast too.

I didn't like VQ over at Jimmy Fallon (and can show the comments on the DIS too) anymore than Disney doing it. But if you think it's lame you can't skip the line at least you can enter the line without having to do what you have to do at Disney.

Why can't you take fair criticism of Disney here?

I also think VQ is annoying, but I think it’s more annoying to have no way of avoiding a 2 hour line.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I’ve never seen a customer facing person literally yell at customers. That was a new one.

Then one of them turned to the other and sighed, saying “Just call the manager.”

It's happened for sure at Disney. We all have our own experiences but it's like prior conversations on various things. Just because someone hasn't seen strollers be used aggressively doesn't mean it isn't a common enough complaint.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Jimmy Fallon had a virtual queue? That's one of those rides Universal should be planning to get rid of, like, yesterday.

And it’s not even that old. They opened it in 2017.

 

[Smugpugmug]

And it’s not even that old. They opened it in 2017.

I'm convinced absolutely no one wanted that ride to exist except for Jimmy Fallon. I would take Twister back over that experience.

 

[mercuryvenus]

It's happened for sure at Disney. We all have our own experiences but it's like prior conversations on various things. Just because someone hasn't seen strollers be used aggressively doesn't mean it isn't a common enough complaint.

You’ve seen CMs literally yell at guests? I hope you reported them. Honestly. I have never reported an employee anywhere, but would do it in that case.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Jimmy Fallon had a virtual queue? That's one of those rides Universal should be planning to get rid of, like, yesterday.

It did when it first opened. It never needed it but when we were there in Sep 2017 it was in usage. I thought it was silly, stupid, etc and didn't like that the only way I could ride it was that. Although turns out my irritation at that was misplaced at the attraction fell flat for my expectations of it.

 

[Skywalker3]

Caught up on reading through this thread this morning. Very little chance of convincing folks who don't like Universal, or who have never been, but assume they wont' like it, of any of its fabulous experiences.
What people like is subjective. For instance, I don't like shows, and don't care one whit about if tumble monkeys are back in Festival of the Lion King, Fantasmic, or what the new fireworks/projection show is called at MK. Just doesn't matter to me. But it does to others.

I shudder to think what Disney would've done with HP. one or 2 rides in Fantasyland. What we get at Universal is just so beyond immersive. Diagon Alley is one of my favorite places. And there are quiet places to hang out. Hate to give this one away, but there is a wonderful, shaded little alcove next to the Magical Menagerie, where I now take my Florian's ice cream or DragonScale and just hang out. Ditto Knockturn Alley.

As far as IPs being repeated, I am totally for that if it can be as great as what they've done with HP. Disney does it with Frozen, Toy Story, etc. doesn't bother me at all. I don't care about sightlines, or if something fits the theme, like I think Guardians is great at Epcot. I miss the old MGM studios feel, but it's LONG gone, so if they want to put more IP there, good. I don't care if Tiana's bayou adventure fits in Fronteirland.IF the experience is great, then fine with me. and I'm more than okay with Star Wars being EVERYWHERE!!! give us ALL the trilogies all over the place!
I don't have to even like an IP to appreciate the ride> I don't like Avatar, saw it once in the theater, but FoP is one of my favorite rides at any park,

And at Universal, I feel they have PLENTY of fun non_HP stuff. Every trip, I ride MiB 3-4 times in a row, It and the Mummy are my 2 favorite rides there. I even do them solo/single rider,. Velocicoaster is my favorite roller coaster anywhere now. And Spiderman and Jurassic Park will always be nostalgic, from trips dating back to the early 2000s. I did get a little choked up going on Jurassic Park this year. I have very, very happy memories of a trip in 2003, and our first ride on it.
But, Disney did get an actual tear out of me, seeing the Falcon for the first time, and pulling back to go into hyperspace.

I do think Universal takes less planning, but it still takes planning. We would NEVER just show up at a theme park, and wing it. My first trip to SeaWorld this past June, I made sure to do some research on what rides opened at park opening, layout of the land, etc. Did the same on our first trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. No planning at all would stress me out.

We've owned DVC since 2011, and have been doing trips about 3:1 Disney/Universal ratio, so we spend much more time at Disney, and we LOVE it too. Our next trip is at our 'home' Boardwalk, in October. Doing 7 nights there, but DS and I are going to do 1 night at Sapphire Falls, for HHN. We also might do one night/day before Disney at Universal to all try the new Minions stuff. Looking very forward to Food/Wine, hopefully getting all the songs on GotG, and much more!
I would never compare our 1 and 2 bedrooms to the regular hotel rooms at Universal. That's not apples/apples, unless you're comparing a hotel room at Disney to Universal, or a 1 bedroom suite to another 1 bedroom suite. I would compare the resort offerings, pools, food, parking proximity, ease of getting to parks, and Universal and Disney are equal on that, with Universal edging it out in several categories.

I"m just so happy to see some competition, and everyone upping their games for great rides. GotG and Tron are great additions to WDW, and I"m looking very forward to whatever Epic brings us. and hopefully even more great stuff in the Lost Continent, and the Dreamworks areas. and can't wait for HHN this year. What an awesome lineup!!

 

[mercuryvenus]

Caught up on reading through this thread this morning. Very little chance of convincing folks who don't like Universal, or who have never been, but assume they wont' like it, of any of its fabulous experiences.
What people like is subjective. For instance, I don't like shows, and don't care one whit about if tumble monkeys are back in Festival of the Lion King, Fantasmic, or what the new fireworks/projection show is called at MK. Just doesn't matter to me. But it does to others.

I shudder to think what Disney would've done with HP. one or 2 rides in Fantasyland. What we get at Universal is just so beyond immersive. Diagon Alley is one of my favorite places. And there are quiet places to hang out. Hate to give this one away, but there is a wonderful, shaded little alcove next to the Magical Menagerie, where I now take my Florian's ice cream or DragonScale and just hang out. Ditto Knockturn Alley.

As far as IPs being repeated, I am totally for that if it can be as great as what they've done with HP. Disney does it with Frozen, Toy Story, etc. doesn't bother me at all. I don't care about sightlines, or if something fits the theme, like I think Guardians is great at Epcot. I miss the old MGM studios feel, but it's LONG gone, so if they want to put more IP there, good. I don't care if Tiana's bayou adventure fits in Fronteirland.IF the experience is great, then fine with me. and I'm more than okay with Star Wars being EVERYWHERE!!! give us ALL the trilogies all over the place!
I don't have to even like an IP to appreciate the ride> I don't like Avatar, saw it once in the theater, but FoP is one of my favorite rides at any park,

And at Universal, I feel they have PLENTY of fun non_HP stuff. Every trip, I ride MiB 3-4 times in a row, It and the Mummy are my 2 favorite rides there. I even do them solo/single rider,. Velocicoaster is my favorite roller coaster anywhere now. And Spiderman and Jurassic Park will always be nostalgic, from trips dating back to the early 2000s. I did get a little choked up going on Jurassic Park this year. I have very, very happy memories of a trip in 2003, and our first ride on it.
But, Disney did get an actual tear out of me, seeing the Falcon for the first time, and pulling back to go into hyperspace.

I do think Universal takes less planning, but it still takes planning. We would NEVER just show up at a theme park, and wing it. My first trip to SeaWorld this past June, I made sure to do some research on what rides opened at park opening, layout of the land, etc. Did the same on our first trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg. No planning at all would stress me out.

We've owned DVC since 2011, and have been doing trips about 3:1 Disney/Universal ratio, so we spend much more time at Disney, and we LOVE it too. Our next trip is at our 'home' Boardwalk, in October. Doing 7 nights there, but DS and I are going to do 1 night at Sapphire Falls, for HHN. We also might do one night/day before Disney at Universal to all try the new Minions stuff. Looking very forward to Food/Wine, hopefully getting all the songs on GotG, and much more!
I would never compare our 1 and 2 bedrooms to the regular hotel rooms at Universal. That's not apples/apples, unless you're comparing a hotel room at Disney to Universal, or a 1 bedroom suite to another 1 bedroom suite. I would compare the resort offerings, pools, food, parking proximity, ease of getting to parks, and Universal and Disney are equal on that, with Universal edging it out in several categories.

I"m just so happy to see some competition, and everyone upping their games for great rides. GotG and Tron are great additions to WDW, and I"m looking very forward to whatever Epic brings us. and hopefully even more great stuff in the Lost Continent, and the Dreamworks areas. and can't wait for HHN this year. What an awesome lineup!!

We had 1 bedrooms at both Disney and Universal deluxe resorts. The Disney one has 2 bathrooms, a balcony, and a full kitchen. The Universal one has none of those things.

Food-wise, we found nothing at Universal that matches Disney.