Why do American Disney fans hate Universal?

[Uncleromulus]

I don't hate Universal--we go there for the day once every 4 or 5 years just for a change of pace. But way too many thrill type rides for me. And less than friendly employees.

 

[Feralpeg]

I don't hate Universal--we go there for the day once every 4 or 5 years just for a change of pace. But way too many thrill type rides for me. And less than friendly employees.

Do you realize that many of the employees at Universal are also CMs at Disney? Many work both places. They'll work at Disney for their week and then at Universal on their days off from Disney. I'm not doubting that you have run into less than friendly employees at Universal. I've done the same thing at both Disney and Universal. For the most part, and I go to both Disney and Universal on a regular basis, the employees of both are very nice.

 

[TDC Nala]

There are many reasons why people don't like Universal

1) Universal tries to scare people. For example, Halloween Horror Nights vs. Mickeys not so Scary Halloween Party.

It would not have occurred to me to consider that detrimental. Many people attend and enjoy Halloween Horror Nights (including me.)

 

[LoraJ]

I did not know that Universal was owned by the French..that certainly isn't going to help their case any! (Before people start foaming at the mouth and pointing the finger at me, I'm French on my Dad's side)

I agree with the person that said they're not really a coaster person. I'm not either..I have no interest in going on the Hulk coaster. I will ride EE at Disney though because of the awesome theming and the fact that you get thrills from it, but you don't feel like you're going to die. Universal to me is a glorified amusement park..I like amusement parks but WDW to me is so much more. I have childhood memories there, I think it's more appealing to a wider range of ages. There is "magic" there. I will check out the Harry Potter park at Universal when it opens but Disney will always be my one and only.

Universal has been owned by GE since 2004. Vivendi only owns 20% of the company.

 

[shelemm]

Do you realize that many of the employees at Universal are also CMs at Disney? Many work both places.

It's not just the people, it's the management. We tried to get a second cup from a soda vendor at Universal, and the vendor couldn't give us one. At Disney my daughter lost a pin on a ride and they replaced it. The same with a gift card - they let her choose a hat from the nearby hat store.

I've been to Universal once, liked it, but I did everything and don't feel a need to go back. Same for the rest of the family. No surprises. At Epcot, you could spend a long time just enjoying the fountains.

 

[DisneyGirlie]

In my opinion, no one can ever touch Disney. Disney service and theming is just unparalleled. Disney has things that no one else has, i.e. their employees are cast members and the automatic doors are "automagic" doors. The point is everything about Disney World feels magical and it truly feels like you're in another world. Universal just feels like any amusement park to me, like a standard six flags or something.

 

[LoraJ]

Universal is a step above Six Flags. Much better theming.

I like both WDW and Universal. They're both very different parks. I think you can only really only compare US to DHS and I think in that instance, Universal does a better job. IOA can be compared to other thrill parks and I also feel they do a better job than most. The other parks at WDW are in a class of their own.

 

[Metallicat]

There are many reasons why people don't like Universal

1) Universal tries to scare people. For example, Halloween Horror Nights vs. Mickeys not so Scary Halloween Party.

2) I don't think they check their rides as well. (We went a couple weeks ago, and got stuck on rides 50% of the time.)

3) The couple of times we've been there the employees we have run into have not been the nicest.

4) I (Now this is me talking) Do NOT feel safe in Universal. Plain and simple.


Now, when my kids grow up and are a little older, we will be taking them there once or twice, but we'll get them hooked on Disney.

Huh? Universal tries to scare people? well, thats what halloween HORROR nights are all about. thats why some of us go. we want to be scared. if you don't want to be scared, don't buy the HORROR night ticket.

I have been to Universal at least a hundred times if not more. (been a annual passholder for years, been going since the Studios first opened) the employees are fantastic! once my DD's pizza was 5 minutes late coming out of the oven. they gave us 6 of those big $2.00 cookies for a tiny bit of inconvienience. I have been given free horror nights express passes when they sold out. (those are pretty pricey too.) given employee discounts in restaurants when one of them recognized me and DD. Once we were going to ride ET and the line was long. we turned away and a cast member came up to us and ask if we wanted to ride with no wait and took us in a back door to the building and we rode first. I could go on and on.. oh, and the time a cast member gave my DD a free stuffed animal was pretty awesome too.

Universal Cast members are the best in any park. kind, helpful and have done many good deeds to us.

again, I have probably been to Universal a hundred times. only got stuck on a ride ONE time in all my visits and that was on King Kong and then we were only stuck for about 3 minutes. (power outage)

I feel totally safe in Universal. there is security everywhere (just like Disney) and the parking deck is well lit. the only time I don't feel safe is when I drive up I-4 heading back to my hotel (which is Disney.)

 

[bairdbeth]

No one can beat the Disney magic! I do not hate Universal and will visit again to see the Harry Potter section. Most of the attractions at Universal make me nauseous and I am not a fan of most of their characters. While non magical moments may happen at Disney ( I have only experienced 2 in over 17 trips, which would be about 100 days or so) The 1 visit to Universal had several including having teenagers squirt mustard all over us from a bridge while we rode Dudley Do Right. I much prefer to go to WDW and Sea World.

 

[SanFranciscan]

I have monopolized this computer long enough. It is time for me to get off so that my husband can get online. I just want to subscribe to this thread to make sure that I can find it later and read the rest of these posts.

I have been to Universal Studios only once. We went to Universal Studios Hollywood to see ET because it was new. I loved ET and was entertained by wandering around the park, but I could tell immediately that the theming was better at Disney.

If I saw Universal Studios again, I might love it. My first impression of Space Mountain at Disneyland in 1990 was not good because we just rode around in the dark and got sprayed with water. What's so great about that? Yet when we saved enough money to go to Anaheim again in 2006, I took another ride on the renovated Space Mountain and found it much improved. Space Mountain is now my favorite coaster. Who knows what I would think of Universal Studios now since my impression of it is one from over 17 years ago.

 

[DJ Disney Kid]

I think its almost subconscience. In the back of a Disney fans mind, its like Universal is the competitor who is trying to take us out of our "magical" vacations. Im sure Universal is a fine company and a great theme park, but they are like the guy in a back alley calling you "Psst...hey buddy, come here, check out this stuff I can offer you!"

 

[Metro West]

Do you realize that many of the employees at Universal are also CMs at Disney? Many work both places. They'll work at Disney for their week and then at Universal on their days off from Disney. I'm not doubting that you have run into less than friendly employees at Universal. I've done the same thing at both Disney and Universal. For the most part, and I go to both Disney and Universal on a regular basis, the employees of both are very nice.

No one seems to remember that on these threads. All the rude people go to Universal to work and all the nice people to go Disney. Silly.

Last time I went to Universal they had an animal show with a 4 1/2 year old orangatan! At that age she should have been hanging on to her mother not performing stupid tricks so I don't go there now.

I dislike Universal for a few reasons.

One, many people in my friends and family circle are very Pooh sized. Universal has not been as good as Disney in making sure the ride seats will accommodate larger sized guests. One friend was injured on Men in Black because they couldn't sit in the seat properly, so the ride threw them around quite a bit. Some rides we can't even go on. We've never had a ride at Disney that everyone couldn't participate in.

Different types of rides require different types of seating. Do you think Buzz is more thrilling than MIB? Buzz has different restraints as do many Disney rides. The only problem I've heard of that some people can't fit into the rides at Universal are the coasters.

There are many reasons why people don't like Universal

1) Universal tries to scare people. For example, Halloween Horror Nights vs. Mickeys not so Scary Halloween Party.

2) I don't think they check their rides as well. (We went a couple weeks ago, and got stuck on rides 50% of the time.)

3) The couple of times we've been there the employees we have run into have not been the nicest.

4) I (Now this is me talking) Do NOT feel safe in Universal. Plain and simple.


Now, when my kids grow up and are a little older, we will be taking them there once or twice, but we'll get them hooked on Disney.

I would like to know why you don't feel safe at Universal and do at Disney. Just curious.

Halloween Horror Nights is an annual event...for a month...that is geared toward the older ages and yes it's scary. Look at the reaction on this board when HHN banner ads were rotating and how upset so many people seemed to be about it. Some people...like myself...enjoy being scared at Halloween and I go to HHN every year. MNSSHP doesn't cut it for me. I did enough treak or treating when I was a kid. So....How does Universal scare people otherwise?

Lots of team members work at Disney too...or didn't you know that? Do you think some magical spell comes over these rude people when they enter Disney property?

I've been going to Universal and Disney for five years...since I've lived here...multiple times a month and have only been stuck on a ride once! In that same period of time, I've been stuck on Spaceship Earth, Haunted Mansion and Dinosaur.

 

[Shelton123]

I've been to USO/IOA 2 times, and WDW 5 times.

Honestly, as a teen, I love both.

WDW for nostalgia and magic, USO/IOA for thrill rides.

I don't see why people can't like both?

ITA. I definitley like both. Some of the Disney attractions are as bad as the universal attractions. Some of the Disney attractions match the Universal attractions. Overall I say Disney is better, but we go back to Universal because it is still a very very good theme park, compared to anything we have around were I live. Like the Cat in the Hat dark ride, or Poseidon's Fury, they are both as good as Peter Pan or Fantasmic. For Poseidon's Fury, I might even say it's better than Fantasmic. Men In Black is better than Buzz. But Splash Mountain is much better than Dudley Do Right, and RNRC is better than Fire and Ice, and the natural disasters in both parks are about even. But Disney has nostalgia on it's side. You don't tear up at Universal, but you do at Disney. Disney isn't just a theme park, and that's what it's huge advantage over Universal. Disney has more good rides, but the good rides at Universal are almost as good as Disney's. Disney is quite a bit better, but Universal isn't bad at all. I'd much rather go to Universal than Six Flags or King's Dominion.

Last time I went to Universal they had an animal show with a 4 1/2 year old orangatan! At that age she should have been hanging on to her mother not performing stupid tricks so I don't go there now.

4 1/2 year old orangutans way past doing that. They are still living with their mothers, but are not dependent on them. They stop living with their mothers when they are 5-7 years old.

 

[Dawn68PA]

Don't even get me started on "Small World".

Ok I'll give you Small World as a thrill ride. It takes every ounce of me to survive that ride without going insane.

 

[pepe of ohio]

I figured I'd throw in my 5 cents worth. We've been to WDW 41 times and other Florida trips 5 times and never once been to Universal. Our vacation time is precious and there never seems to be enough of that just to see Disney. We have no interest in the other parks or sites, we usually have WDW AP's so buying another theme park ticket when I can visit any one of WDW 4 parks isn't thrifty. we're not into roller coasters either but prefer the show concept of Disney, we really enjoy the resort, we're deluxe snobs and spend alot of time around and in the pool. even though our WDW stays are 10-12 nights, we still prefer to stay just on Disney property, we never used nor rented a car and got to WDW just for the pleasure of not driving or worrying about a parking lot, directions or crazy drivers, we totally relax and soak up as much of the mouse's sun and fun as we can.

 

[loribell]

Why do we bother with these threads?

There is nothing wrong with the Universal parks. I have run in to rude guests @ the Disney parks & I have run in to rude guests @ the Universal parks. Actually I have run in to more of them at Disney. Probably because it costs so much more to go to Disney than it does to go to Universal and because I spend more time in the Disney parks because there are 4 of them as opposed to 2 Universal parks.

I have run in to rude CM's @ Disney & I have run in to rude TM's @ Universal. Actually I have run in to more rude CM's @ Disney than I have @ Universal. Probably because there are so many more demanding guests @ Disney because they paid so much to be there.

Universal Studios can only be compared to Disney's Hollywood Studios because they are working studios. So if you want to compare themeing do it between these two parks. The themeing is pretty much the same. In fact my 9 yo dd loves to go to Universal Studios but we have to drag her to DHS.

Islands of Adventure, on the other hand, has amazing themeing. I truly feel like I am walking in to Jurassic Park when I walk in to that section of the park. Toon Lagoon looks exactly like a comic strip. Marvel Super Hero Island looks like the comic books always looked but life size. Suess Landing looks like something straight out of a Dr. Suess book. The Port of Entry is beautiful. The lost continent has always seemed just like a mythical area to me. I can only imagine how amazing it is going to be when they get finished with Harry Potter Land or whatever they are going to name it. In my opinion non of the Disney parks come close to comparing to IOA. But yes the Disney parks do have some great themeing.

As for me I will never go to HHN because I do not like scary things but it is a separate HARD TICKET event. It is not something you experience throughout the day at the park. If you don't want to be scared just don't go. MNSSHP, MVMCP, P & PP and many other HARD TICKET events occur at Disney. Many I have no desire to experience so I DON'T GO.

Seriously folks WDW & UO are theme parks. They are vacation destinations.They are there to enjoy or not enjoy. How a family spends their vacation money is their business. Anyone that chooses not to go to UO makes the parks more enjoyable for those of us that do. Hopefully though the people that hate UO right now will choose to continue to only spend their vacation money at Disney when HP opens.

 

[CathrynRose]

We go to WDW atleast 6 times a year and have never been to US. I just can't not go to my happy place!! I love WDW!!! It makes me happy to just cross through the arch. No matter what we are doing there, it makes me happy. I did try to go to US one time, but couldn't do it. I just wasn't "happy" about it.

You should go. Universal - especially Island, IMO - is a great place to visit!

The year Islands opened, I was on Vacation with my mom and my son's. And my mom stated 'Disney needs to step it up'. They seemed to have gotten comfortable with no competition at that time.

Islands is beautifully themed, very clean, the workers (every time Ive gone) were as nice and kind as Disney ones.

Universal is a really nice place to visit - however, I wouldnt be going to Uni twice a year, like I do to Disney.

 

[CathrynRose]

Islands of Adventure, on the other hand, has amazing themeing. I truly feel like I am walking in to Jurassic Park when I walk in to that section of the park. Toon Lagoon looks exactly like a comic strip. Marvel Super Hero Island looks like the comic books always looked but life size. Suess Landing looks like something straight out of a Dr. Suess book. The Port of Entry is beautiful. The lost continent has always seemed just like a mythical area to me. I can only imagine how amazing it is going to be when they get finished with Harry Potter Land or whatever they are going to name it. In my opinion non of the Disney parks come close to comparing to IOA. But yes the Disney parks do have some great themeing.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I agree with you 1000%. Islands is truly stunning.

 

[Metallicat]

Actually, I'm glad that the die hard Disney fans don't go over to Universal. that means fewer strollers, and shorter lines for me.

 

[Dopey's twin Dippy]

we have only gone to US a few times. i am not a coaster rider really either. i loved ET and a few other things. its ok, its not some place i would want to go every time we are in florida. we also have been to sea world. my family likes it. i would def. go back there. i think we just all love disney so much, that is where we end up every trip. but i have friends who like both parks.