Whats Wrong with Disney?

[Missymouse18]

Two totally different experiences. Disney is family oriented, Universal is for the bigger thrill seekers. Both great experiences, but include tons of imagination, but each one fits for different folks.

My thoughts, exactly. I have nothing against Universal - in fact I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan. However, I am a Disney girl through and through, and therefore, choose to spend my time and money at the one place on Earth that totally immerses me into another "world." Universal is fine for those who love it. If the way Disney does things is not agreeable to some folks, then the solution is really quite simple - don't go. As for me, if WDW never added another ride or attraction, it would be just as magical for me.

 

[kpal2490]

Because universal waits until they're ~5 months before opening to announce (even though everyone knows about it long beforehand - I knew about the new wands two years ago and they announced them last week - they're really horrible at keeping secrets over there) whereas Disney announces them in the concept stage. They take about the same time to build and develop, Disney just announces them earlier in the design process.

Universal likes to copy and paste rides from other parks too. That's why transformers took so little time. It's easier to build a copy than something new.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

This is exactly right. I completely agree. They did the same thing with the Minion Mayhem ride too.

 

[sonofanarchy]

Universal likes to copy and paste rides from other parks too. That's why transformers took so little time. It's easier to build a copy than something new.

That's exactly what Disney did with The Little Mermaid. Only difference is it took much longer than Transformers and it's a joke by comparison.

 

[Planogirl]

The blind loyalty argument is a good one. You can see that in many of these posts and there's nothing wrong with that. DS really worked on me for a while before I agreed to try Universal and I have a bit of an adventurous spirit. I couldn't imagine "wasting" my time at another themepark but he really wanted to go so off we went.

We've never looked back. My rose-colored glasses were ripped off my face and I was completely shocked at how much I liked the place. I knew at that point that trips were going to cost me a whole lot more since we would have to go to two themepark resorts from that point on. I don't dare return to SeaWorld.

Universal has made remarkable strides since we started going and they are doing that while fighting an uphill battle. They have to fight misperceptions such as them being only about thrill rides and having nothing to offer but the Harry Potter stuff and so on. Blind loyalty is great up to a point but sometimes a person might just discover that there is so much more out there. I can't speak for anyone else but I want it all.

 

[Planogirl]

The Transformers ride might be a copy of Spidey but it did provide two of the best meet and greet characters I've ever seen. They are literally works of art.

Besides, I never get enough of a good thing.

 

[MillauFr]

We've been to Disneyland several times in the last few years and they are always opening something new and great. The new CarsLand themed area blows everything else out of the water that I've seen in any amusement park I have been to. It is beyond great.

 

[DOOM1001]

Nah. Avatarland is going to take so long US will have something new to compare it to by then.

King Kong/Skull island, you can see the construction between Toon Lagoon and Jurrassic Park.

 

[disneymac000]

Because universal waits until they're ~5 months before opening to announce (even though everyone knows about it long beforehand - I knew about the new wands two years ago and they announced them last week - they're really horrible at keeping secrets over there) whereas Disney announces them in the concept stage. They take about the same time to build and develop, Disney just announces them earlier in the design process.

Universal likes to copy and paste rides from other parks too. That's why transformers took so little time. It's easier to build a copy than something new.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

The only reason Universal built Transformers was because they made too much revenue and wanted a tax cut. The fact they still made a copy and paste ride in less time than it took Disney with the Little Mermaid is still quite impressive. And Tower of Tower, Toy Story Mania, should I continue?

 

[Patience]

I agree with whomever said that Disney takes too long to build new attractions (except for DVC accomodations, those they seem to build pretty quickly ). 3+ years for the Mine Coaster? Ridiculous! We decided not to go to WDW again until at least 2016 but I am beginning to think we may check out Universal next time because my oldest daughter really wants to see the new Harry Potter stuff. Their hotels look a lot nicer than Disney's too so we may split a stay between a Universal resort and Disney.

 

[L&Lfan]

I found Portofino Bay nicer than ANY of the Disney deluxes. And I love the Disney deluxes.

 

[luisov]

Same old arguments...
Yes, the Wizarding World is possibly the best expansion US has built in any of their parks. The attention to detail is amazing. Most of the rest of the park pales in comparison.
Yes, Disney latest additions haven't been impressive.
Yes, Universal is building at a faster pace than Disney. However, you guys forget that Universal is still a park under development as IoA is fairly recent. Disney reached that point during the 80's/90's.
Yes, Universal has done great rides recently. The ''Disney dark rides are overdone already'' argument is invalid. Universal does have a lot of simulator/screen rides, which is not necessarily more original than having an omnimover with lots of props and animatronics. Universal has been doing simulators for quite a while. It's not like Transformers and the Forbidden Journey are not the first ones.

I really don't see how the Avatar material is correlated to the quality of the rides. I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, but I can't think of a reason for Avatarland to be bad, even if I'm not the biggest fan of the story.

We all have a bigger range of options for a vacation, so we should be happy that Universal is investing in their parks. If you don't like Disney anymore just stop going and avoid the stress. We do need some extra space over there.

 

[clsteve]

Because universal waits until they're ~5 months before opening to announce (even though everyone knows about it long beforehand - I knew about the new wands two years ago and they announced them last week - they're really horrible at keeping secrets over there) whereas Disney announces them in the concept stage. They take about the same time to build and develop, Disney just announces them earlier in the design process.

Universal likes to copy and paste rides from other parks too. That's why transformers took so little time. It's easier to build a copy than something new.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

?

Wands do not equate to Lands in a Theme Park and I have no idea where you're getting your data. Pick a source - DIS and other recognized blogs, media outlets, wiki, and on and on - I'm not sure you're going to get a lot of support comparing the 2 companies on how closely they hit their estimates for completing major projects.

And I don't understand why this whole "copy and paste" moniker is hung on Universal. If you objectively inventory NFL: another family-friendly mine coaster, the M&G's, 2 x Dumbo, a DL duplicate dark ride - there's just a little copy and paste going on, don't you think....?

Plus, Universal's ride innovation and new theme-ing concepts over the last 4 plus years have blown the minds of all of the industry experts.

Disney can do it if they want to, nobody doubts their ability. We'll see if they take the innovation handcuffs off the Imagineers for Avatar. I hope they do....

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

My thoughts, exactly. I have nothing against Universal - in fact I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan. However, I am a Disney girl through and through, and therefore, choose to spend my time and money at the one place on Earth that totally immerses me into another "world." Universal is fine for those who love it. If the way Disney does things is not agreeable to some folks, then the solution is really quite simple - don't go. As for me, if WDW never added another ride or attraction, it would be just as magical for me.

Yep this. I love the Harry Potter books (less so the movies) and while the pictures of Universal look awesome, I'm not going to spend my time or money there.

 

[sonofanarchy]

The blind loyalty argument is a good one. You can see that in many of these posts and there's nothing wrong with that. DS really worked on me for a while before I agreed to try Universal and I have a bit of an adventurous spirit. I couldn't imagine "wasting" my time at another themepark but he really wanted to go so off we went.

We've never looked back. My rose-colored glasses were ripped off my face and I was completely shocked at how much I liked the place. I knew at that point that trips were going to cost me a whole lot more since we would have to go to two themepark resorts from that point on. I don't dare return to SeaWorld.

Universal has made remarkable strides since we started going and they are doing that while fighting an uphill battle. They have to fight misperceptions such as them being only about thrill rides and having nothing to offer but the Harry Potter stuff and so on. Blind loyalty is great up to a point but sometimes a person might just discover that there is so much more out there. I can't speak for anyone else but I want it all.

Can't say it any better than that.

 

[sonofanarchy]

Same old arguments...
Yes, the Wizarding World is possibly the best expansion US has built in any of their parks. The attention to detail is amazing. Most of the rest of the park pales in comparison.
Yes, Disney latest additions haven't been impressive.
Yes, Universal is building at a faster pace than Disney. However, you guys forget that Universal is still a park under development as IoA is fairly recent. Disney reached that point during the 80's/90's.
Yes, Universal has done great rides recently. The ''Disney dark rides are overdone already'' argument is invalid. Universal does have a lot of simulator/screen rides, which is not necessarily more original than having an omnimover with lots of props and animatronics. Universal has been doing simulators for quite a while. It's not like Transformers and the Forbidden Journey are not the first ones.

I really don't see how the Avatar material is correlated to the quality of the rides. I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, but I can't think of a reason for Avatarland to be bad, even if I'm not the biggest fan of the story.

We all have a bigger range of options for a vacation, so we should be happy that Universal is investing in their parks. If you don't like Disney anymore just stop going and avoid the stress. We do need some extra space over there.

Sorry, but the arguments are better than "I don't care - I just love the magic so much. If you don't like it, don't go - More room for me."

The arguments are from fans of Disney who know they can do better and deserve better after years of loyalty. How is Universal a park "still under development"? The Studios opened 1 year after Hollywood Studios and Islands of Adventure opened 1 year after Animal Kingdom. The fact is, Universal moves their butts and gets things done fast. Disney takes their time on it. How long has this catastrophe of a project been going on at Downtown Disney? In between last July and this April CityWalk closed a bunch of restaurants, quickly got new ones up and running, closed some old stores, quickly got new ones up and running.

There used to be something said in almost every guide book about WDW: You could go back and always find something new. That has not been the case for many years. THAT is the main problem with WDW.

 

[Suvadoo]

There used to be something said in almost every guide book about WDW: You could go back and always find something new. That has not been the case for many years. THAT is the main problem with WDW.[/QUOTE]

How can you say that? There's magic bands, new DVC's, and new ticket prices. And all according to Disney, enhance the guest experience!

 

[luisov]

Sorry, but the arguments are better than "I don't care - I just love the magic so much. If you don't like it, don't go - More room for me."

The arguments are from fans of Disney who know they can do better and deserve better after years of loyalty. How is Universal a park "still under development"? The Studios opened 1 year after Hollywood Studios and Islands of Adventure opened 1 year after Animal Kingdom. The fact is, Universal moves their butts and gets things done fast. Disney takes their time on it. How long has this catastrophe of a project been going on at Downtown Disney? In between last July and this April CityWalk closed a bunch of restaurants, quickly got new ones up and running, closed some old stores, quickly got new ones up and running.

There used to be something said in almost every guide book about WDW: You could go back and always find something new. That has not been the case for many years. THAT is the main problem with WDW.

Universal was an underdeveloped resort until pretty recently. Their market had lots of room to grow and still does, even with the new additions. The Disney World resort reached that point a long time ago. They could build something in less time if they wanted, but their recent expansions don't represent a significant growth in park attendance and overall profit, so they go for the ''Let's take some time and make our visitors come back with gradual improvements'' approach. On the other hand, Universal still has a chance to increase their market and bring even higher numbers of people to their parks.

So yeah, for them it's definitely important to build faster and gain momentum at this point. People now see Universal as an alternative place to visit, whereas a few years ago Disney monopolized pretty much the whole industry. Universal is definitely gaining recognition and momentum, but don't be surprised if in a few years from now they reach capacity just like Disney has and their pace of construction slows down significantly.

Although I personally prefer Disney over US, I'll be the first one to admit that Universal has done a wonderful job with the WWoHP, because as I said, the attention to detail and inmersion is highly superior to that of other older attractions (I still cringe when thinking of Ripsaw Falls' overlay). It's great to have another place to have fun at Orlando that has a different philosophy than Disney and still worries about the quality of the guest experience.

I'm not blind or biased enough to deny that Disney's managemente in recent years has been far from perfect. I think it's fun that people are having discussions over which park is the best though. It's not like we get one cent out of their profits for taking a side, so for me Universal improvements (as well as SeaWorld's, Legoland and so on) only mean more choices to have a more enjoyable vacation.

In regards of the ''If you don't like it don't go'', take it as an advice and not as an attack. Why would anybody pay to visit a place they don't enjoy anymore?

 

[wunkmom]

Because universal waits until they're ~5 months before opening to announce (even though everyone knows about it long beforehand - I knew about the new wands two years ago and they announced them last week - they're really horrible at keeping secrets over there) whereas Disney announces them in the concept stage. They take about the same time to build and develop, Disney just announces them earlier in the design process. Universal likes to copy and paste rides from other parks too. That's why transformers took so little time. It's easier to build a copy than something new. Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

This makes sense. I can see that disney is trying to hype up the crowd for new attractions, but it does give the illusion that it takes forever to complete a project. Maybe they should aim for somewhere in between.

 

[Gottahavemorecowbell]

How long has this catastrophe of a project been going on at Downtown Disney?

You were actually making some valid points but you lost me with this statement. An inconvenience for sure, but really? A catastrophe? And yes, I've been there recently. Maybe I'm just in the minority but what happens at US doesn't really affect us much. Disney is Disney and always will be. They have our confidence that they will provide a wonderful vacation for our family. Disney hasn't come close to disappointing us yet and we can't plan our next trip soon enough.

 

[DOOM1001]

Disney luckily backtracked from that Hyperion Wharf refurb of Pleasure Island as everything I got from Hyperion Wharf was a better landscaped Pleasure Island with more areas located next to the lake,a stage an extra restaurant or two along with a lot of lights at night.It looked promising at first since PI had been empty for so long but the truth is the whole DTD needed to be refurbished with many more additions than Hyperion Wharf would have brought,as well as the much needed parking garages.So I think they got this right,even if it took almost a decade,but I don't like them removing Team Mickey especially since I'm not overly impressed with the Co-Op store.