What is your line in the sand?

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

To me, Universal's pricing is an illusion because of hidden costs. For example, at the resorts they charge for daily parking, airport transfers, and in room refrigerators. Parking and fridge fees adds about $40 more per night. Also, Cabana Bay is excluded from the complimentary express pass. People would be outraged if Disney charged off site and value resort guests for FP+.

They charge for parking and refrigerators????

My tipping point? We haven't come anywhere close. In fact, we just purchased Disney's Vacation Club. So we plan to vacation at Disney for years to come.

 

[Love Tink]

You see an express pass for some attractions as the better pass. I see a FP that allows access to all popular attractions as the better pass. Agree to disagree.

How can you possibly, with any hope of being taken seriously, compare the express pass to FP+ and say FP+ is better?

Not "Agree to disagree." It's more like "Agree to make a completely ridiculous assertion because I can't admit how ridiculous it sounds."

Our entire hotel bill - including parking and tax - was $794.25 for four nights at the Royal Pacific (walking distance to the parks) in August. That included daily early entry in either park and unlimited express pass for five people for five days.

I'll check with my kids and see if they preferred walking to the front of every line, all day every day, and getting into the parks an hour early to ride the two rides for which they couldn't do this (and then re-riding using the single-rider lines they both have)...or whether they preferred using their FP+ for Nemo and Spaceship Earth.

 

[SmithSmith]

How can you possibly, with any hope of being taken seriously, compare the express pass to FP+ and say FP+ is better?

Not "Agree to disagree." It's more like "Agree to make a completely ridiculous assertion because I can't admit how ridiculous it sounds."

Our entire hotel bill - including parking and tax - was $794.25 for four nights at the Royal Pacific (walking distance to the parks) in August. That included daily early entry in either park and unlimited express pass for five people for five days.

I'll check with my kids and see if they preferred walking to the front of every line, all day every day, and getting into the parks an hour early to ride the two rides for which they couldn't do this (and then re-riding using the single-rider lines they both have)...or whether they preferred using their FP+ for Nemo and Spaceship Earth.

It's my opinion, not an assertion. It's better FOR ME. I'm not a thrill ride person, and I certainly don't like thrill rides first thing in the morning.

What happens if you don't stay onsite or don't want to be at a theme park at 8 in the morning?

 

[SmithSmith]

They charge for parking and refrigerators????

My tipping point? We haven't come anywhere close. In fact, we just purchased Disney's Vacation Club. So we plan to vacation at Disney for years to come.

Congratulations!

 

[pooch]

It's my opinion, not an assertion. It's better FOR ME. I'm not a thrill ride person, and I certainly don't like thrill rides first thing in the morning. What happens if you don't stay onsite or don't want to be at a theme park at 8 in the morning?

Not trying to take sides here but considering how many preach the necessity of rope drop at wdw, it's kinda tough to argue early entry at universal

 

[Poohsmommi]

If they ever took away the Florida resident discounts, I would be done.

 

[SmithSmith]

Not trying to take sides here but considering how many preach the necessity of rope drop at wdw, it's kinda tough to argue early entry at universal

I see what you mean but rope drop and early entry aren't the really the same thing. Early entry is equivalent to early EMH. I do not like early EMH because it's just too early. The benefit of doing Uni's early entry is so you can ride HP's thrill rides. Which like I said is not something I want to do at 8am. I understand that I'm in the minority on this but its how I like it and that's all that matters to me.

 

[pooch]

Well early entry is at 8 almost exclusively as us/ioa' s park hours don't vary much. As far as I can tell, and I NEVER do rope drop, people get to MK earlier than that in a regular basis

 

[Luckybee]

How can you possibly, with any hope of being taken seriously, compare the express pass to FP+ and say FP+ is better?

Not "Agree to disagree." It's more like "Agree to make a completely ridiculous assertion because I can't admit how ridiculous it sounds."

Our entire hotel bill - including parking and tax - was $794.25 for four nights at the Royal Pacific (walking distance to the parks) in August. That included daily early entry in either park and unlimited express pass for five people for five days.

I'll check with my kids and see if they preferred walking to the front of every line, all day every day, and getting into the parks an hour early to ride the two rides for which they couldn't do this (and then re-riding using the single-rider lines they both have)...or whether they preferred using their FP+ for Nemo and Spaceship Earth.

I was about to reply when I read your response. I could not believe that anyone who had ever been to both Disney and Universal could possibly suggest that a mechanism that can get one on ONLY 3 rides was better than one which gets you on all but 2. This is so outstandingly illogical that I've begun to realize that some will blindly say that anything at Disney is better because...well because....hmmmm ... because its Disney.

Also on the thrill ride thing....when we were first considering Universal back in the summer in the thread where this was discussed I had expressed the same concerns because dh is not a thrill ride person. He enjoyed the rides at Universal more than those we did at D. Things like ET, Men in Black, Minions, Jurrasic park(he didn't love the drop at the end but loved the rest) etc were right up his alley. Because of hearing the "Universal is just thrill rides" mantra from the Disney can do no wrong set we almost didn't do U. and that would have been a shame .Had we done so we would have missed out on amazing parks, with amazing rides and attractions, and with real front of the line "fast" passes for more than just 3 rides(and yes I know theoretically one can get more at Disney but Im not one who wishes to ride Stitch....lol).

 

[Luckybee]

It's my opinion, not an assertion. It's better FOR ME. I'm not a thrill ride person, and I certainly don't like thrill rides first thing in the morning.

What happens if you don't stay onsite or don't want to be at a theme park at 8 in the morning?

LOL...well lets see...out of 2 days we did EE for one of them and on the other day we didn't get to the parks until noon. We had 0 wait because of our express passes for all rides except Gringotts where we had to wait...wait for it....30 minutes (you know ...about the same time at the waits were for POTC at Disney, and other secondary rides there).

If one doesn't stay onsite they can purchase express pass as I mentioned in my earlier posts. Isnt it unfortunate that Disney doesn't have the same thing...but wait for it....Disney doesn't even have passes for onsite guests that will get you to the front of the lines for more than 3 rides.

I know somewhere you purported to have actually tried Universal but Im skeptical. Because if you had, you'd know how well express works, and that it is available to anyone who wants it for a fee and you would know there are more than just the scary rides.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

You know what I noticed on this visit? It's LOUD. Everywhere is loud. The parks loud music, talking, yelling, announcements; everywhere we went. I was at the Grand Floridian and had to make a very important phone call. I finally found an empty alcove with wall phones where it was quiet enough to hear.

 

[SmithSmith]

Well early entry is at 8 almost exclusively as us/ioa' s park hours don't vary much. As far as I can tell, and I NEVER do rope drop, people get to MK earlier than that in a regular basis

On our trip this past Sept, Uni early entry was 7 am!

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Congratulations!

Thanks.

 

[pooch]

On our trip this past Sept, Uni early entry was 7 am!

No argument from me. Even 8am is probably earlier than I could manage! My point though remains one of time. Whether it's EE, EMH, RD - Disney fans swear by how much you can get done if you arrive for park opening. The same holds true for universal. I, apparently like you, will never see it but it's an advantage for both.

 

[SmithSmith]

LOL...well lets see...out of 2 days we did EE for one of them and on the other day we didn't get to the parks until noon. We had 0 wait because of our express passes for all rides except Gringotts where we had to wait...wait for it....30 minutes (you know ...about the same time at the waits were for POTC at Disney, and other secondary rides there).

If one doesn't stay onsite they can purchase express pass as I mentioned in my earlier posts. Isnt it unfortunate that Disney doesn't have the same thing...but wait for it....Disney doesn't even have passes for onsite guests that will get you to the front of the lines for more than 3 rides.

I know somewhere you purported to have actually tried Universal but Im skeptical. Because if you had, you'd know how well express works, and that it is available to anyone who wants it for a fee and you would know there are more than just the scary rides.

Why is it that people have to defend their positive opinions about Disney World on a Disney World Fan site?

Some of my dissenting opinions on Universal...
We do not like long lines. I will take 10 minute waits at all attractions over short waits at most and 30-90 minute waits at a few.
I'm not an amusement park person, I'm a Disney person.
I'm not a thrill junkie.
I loathe Harry Potter.
Not a fan of the Simpsons either.
Or marvel superheroes.
Basically, I have no emotional connection to any of the properties being represented
I've been to Uni on both coasts, I'm not a fan.
I do not like to be "nickel and dimed"
I could go on...

Please accept that these are my opinions, and move on.

 

[SmithSmith]

No argument from me. Even 8am is probably earlier than I could manage! My point though remains one of time. Whether it's EE, EMH, RD - Disney fans swear by how much you can get done if you arrive for park opening. The same holds true for universal. I, apparently like you, will never see it but it's an advantage for both.

And that's why I LOVE FP+, it took away the need for rope drop.

 

[pooch]

And that's why I LOVE FP+, it took away the need for rope drop.

Amen sister!!

 

[Luckybee]

Why is it that people have to defend their positive opinions about Disney World on a Disney World Fan site?

Some of my dissenting opinions on Universal...
We do not like long lines. I will take 10 minute waits at all attractions over short waits at most and 30-90 minute waits at a few.
I'm not an amusement park person, I'm a Disney person.
I'm not a thrill junkie.
I loathe Harry Potter.
Not a fan of the Simpsons either.
Or marvel superheroes.
Basically, I have no emotional connection to any of the properties being represented
I've been to Uni on both coasts, I'm not a fan.
I do not like to be "nickel and dimed"
I could go on...

Please accept that these are my opinions, and move on.

I have no problems with your "opinions" but when you misstate them as fact and potentially influence others because of mischaracterizations then I along with others will call you on that. Most of what you stated above and in your earlier posts is inaccurate and some of it is so far from accurate it is actually bizarre. Please accept that that is my opinion and move on

 

[SmithSmith]

I have no problems with your "opinions" but when you misstate them as fact and potentially influence others because of mischaracterizations then I along with others will call you on that. Most of what you stated above and in your earlier posts is inaccurate and some of it is so far from accurate it is actually bizarre. Please accept that that is my opinion and move on

Ok I'll bite. What did I say about Universal that is inaccurate or "bizarre"?

 

[Luckybee]

Gosh I really had hoped that some of that was explained but if not let me give it a go.
You said "You see an express pass for some attractions as the better pass. I see a FP that allows access to all popular attractions as the better pass"Many wonderful things that could be said about Disney and for some D offers a better experience. But to suggest that FP+ with its 3 ride limitations (save and except the in park booking where one is at the whim of how busy the park is that day) is in any way better than express pass at U is imho bizarre and suggests to me that you are prepared to say anything in order to defend D no matter how ludicrous. If im not mistaken there are 31 rides and attractions that one can use the ep for. There are 5 that it cant be used for. The express passes (there are more than one type) are obtainable by anyone either by staying on property, or by choosing the one you prefer and paying for it. It can be purchased in advance or day of . Depending on how busy the park is with ep one either has a short wait or the rides are walk ons

You said "We do not like long lines. I will take 10 minute waits at all attractions over short waits at most and 30-90 minute waits at a few"Im not sure what parks you're talking about. When we were at both D and U end of Sept beginning of Oct most rides at D were about 30 min waits or more without FP+. With ep all rides were walkons or a minute or 2 waits. When Gringotts first open there were crazy lines I understand but when we were there we were on the 2 times in 15 min with ee and about 30 without. Hogwarts was longer but we tried that mid day. Forbidden Journey I did alone using single rider and I waited less than 10 minutes (although dh and I did tour the castle together first and then moved over to SR). Avoiding long lines was one of the main reasons we decided to move over to U to try it out and Im sorry this is the first time I've heard from anyone that U lines are apparently longer than D's esp when one factors in the ability for anyone who wishes to do so of purchasing ep.

You said "I do not like to be "nickel and dimed"

I presume you're comparing the on property experience. If I can get a deluxe hotel better than any of the D deluxes for better than any at D for 1/2 to 2/3's of the price of Disneys and I have to pay for parking....hmmmm....yea nickel and dime me please. I'll still save over $200 nightly.

You also indicated that for AP's that they seemed to be at some type of disadvantage when it came to ep's
and said "Also, the best Uni offers is a restricted express pass for certain AP holders"



and I already dealt with that when I said :



"But one can supplement the annual pass with express pass on the days they feel they might need it. So theoretically for $214 (with a few blackout dates) or $294 (without blackout dates) one can buy a full year of park to park admission(the pass with limits, the limits which are after 4 and 1 of ea ride per visit....a whole lot more than 3) are only $434....and then for $35 and up for the passes not including express(depending on date and whether one wants unlimited or one ride of each ride) they can buy express passes. Of course the express passes don't limit you to only 3 rides. Don't think I need to do a cost comparison on this one since I think it is kinda obvious. I mean my goodness, a throwaway room at D for JUST 3 attractions would be more for us than unlimited EP's for a day in May (but I'd rather stay at Loews Portofino for a night or 2 so we wont need to buy EP's )...oh and for Florida residents those ap's I mentioned above are only $189 ,$259 and $384 respectively. "

You made financial comparisons that were simply inaccurate and skewed.

I could go on.......