Articles | Disneyland | Walt Disney World
Results 1 to 19 of 19

Thread: Less Disney, more Universal ?

  1. #1
    Trust, but verify Greg in TN's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2005
    Location
    Wherever I can plan my next Disney trip

    Less Disney, more Universal ?

    I've always been much more of a Disney person than Universal. Wanting to spend all my time at Disney; thinking Universal was just this little road-side carnival that didn't deserve my attention. But during this most recent visit, we DID spend a day at Universal. Overall, we spent the same amount of time in Orlando, but instead of all at Disney, we spent a day @ Universal. Very nice place--especially the Harry Potter land.

    Now I just read a very interesting article about some of the NEW Harry Potter stuff they're adding. Really makes me want to spend MORE time at Universal the next visit to Orlando.

    Nothing I've read that Disney is doing makes me want to spend more time there. Some things sound mildly interesting, but I can just work them into a normal visit. As a matter of fact, this FastPass+ fiasco is making me feel like spending less time at Disney.

    I never thought I'd say that -- spend less time @ Disney & more @ Universal -- but comparing the two right now (over the last 3 - 4 years, anyway, and for the foreseeable future) I think there's a lot more exciting stuff going on at Universal than at Disney. Disney (it's sad to say) seems to have lost their way; they've forgotten what made them the premier theme-parks in the world. Or maybe they just became over-confident. Were they caught completely flat-footed by how fantastic Universal has become?

    Either way, I hope Disney can get it back. I think it would be tremendously exciting to see Disney come out and really fight toe-to-toe with Universal.

    "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!" -- Donald Duck

  2. # ADS

    Join Date
    Location
    Posts
     

  3. #2
    Registered User
    MousePad Subscriber
    cstephens's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Dystopia
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg in TN View Post
    Now I just read a very interesting article about some of the NEW Harry Potter stuff they're adding. Really makes me want to spend MORE time at Universal the next visit to Orlando.
    I have a number of friends who are planning to visit Orlando when the new Harry Potter additions are done, and some have visited Orlando just to go to Universal without going to any Disney theme parks at all, which is cool. Since I'm one of those who has zero interest in Harry Potter, none of those developments at Disney parks does anything for me. I don't get to visit Orlando very often, so it's hard for me to be willing to allocate days to other theme parks. We've only done it on very rare occasions. But my last experience at the Orlando theme parks was enough to make me shy away from returning much. There were a few things I enjoyed, but the overall experience left me more frustrated than anything else.

    I am looking forward to seeing the new Fantasyland at the Magic Kingdom when I get a chance to visit, and I'm really looking forward to the opening of the Mine Train ride.
    Please don't ask me how I feel, I feel fine.
    Oh I cry a bit, I don't sleep too good, but I'm fine


    Pancake, pancake, pancake, pancake, pancake, pancake, pancake, pancake, pancake...

  4. #3

    Less Disney, more Universal ? Blasphemy! lol

    Tony S.
    "It's kind of fun to do the impossible." - Walt Disney

    url=http://www.magicalkingdoms.com/timers/][/url]

  5. #4

    We leave for WDW in 44 days and we have decided to do a day at Universal IOA so that we can go to Harry Potter. I must admit that I have pondered buying a two day ticket and going for two days instead of one. I agree in that there is nothing overly exciting going on at WDW that just screams "come see me". I am interested in seeing the Mine Train, but the rest of the new Fantasyland was just kind of a yawn. And the FP+ fiasco is not helping much either.

    I will be back at WDW in 2015 because of a work convention and may try to head over to US to see the new Harry Potter stuff. But any family planned Disney vacation will be back to Disneyland.


  6. #5
    Out of this world for Disney DwarfPlanet's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Colorado Springs, CO
    Blog Entries
    2

    Disney has had "some" additions to the parks while I notice there have been "alot" of additions to their hotels, which makes me think of also of going elsewhere for they just make the parks more crowded. I'm also not a big fan of Avatar which was basically a grade B cowboys and indians movie with great CGI while Harry Potter land interests me more.

    "Although we think it's DOPEY that Pluto has been downgraded to a dwarf planet, which has made some people GRUMPY and others just SLEEPY, we are not BASHFUL in saying we would be HAPPY if Disney's Pluto would join us as an 8th dwarf. We think this is just what the DOC ordered and is nothing to SNEEZE at."

  7. #6
    Some people are worth melting for oregontraveler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Springfield, Oregon
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg in TN View Post
    Either way, I hope Disney can get it back. I think it would be tremendously exciting to see Disney come out and really fight toe-to-toe with Universal.
    This sums it up perfectly for me. I'm hoping to go back to Orlando in Feb. 2015. Would like to see what USO has to offer.
    I spent a day at USH, Nov. 2012. I was blown away at what they did with the Transformers ride, got to ride it twice sith the small crowds that day. The addition of HP land, on both coasts, will only step up the competition between the parks.
    Not so excited about Avatar-land, but Disney should be able to hit a home run with any new Star Wars rides etc.

  8. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2001
    Location
    San Francisco
    Blog Entries
    1

    Have planned 2.5 days at USO and 7 days at WDW this year (early Sept.). Have been going to WDW since it opened (3-4 years between visits), but this will be my first visit to USO. Have visited USHollywood several times (last time 12 yrs. ago), but think they can't hold a candle to Disney theming/immersion, so if USO is somewhat similar to Hollywood, will be glad to be spending more time in WDW. BTW, does anyone have suggestions for fast/easy/inexpensive transportation between MCO and USO and USO and WDW? Also, do you suggest travel insurance for this (hurricane season) time of year?

    Wishing i could be at WDW...

  9. #8

    Although I LOVE Disney(Land & World) and I can never get enough time of either place, I am scheduling in time at USH and USO this summer. I will be fortunate to be able to go to both California and Florida this summer, so I can't wait to see Diagon Alley in Universal Studios Orlando. I was not all that impressed with USO when we went in 2010, but it is because I expect theme parks to live up to the Disney standards (no trash anywhere, the cast members helpful not mean - most of the time, the fastpasses that you don't have to buy). I am not a huge roller coaster buff, so that doesn't interest me, but US-IOA is geared towards little kids with all of the Dr. Seuss stuff. I like visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, but the area is so small, I am really looking forward to the expansion.

    I will always love Disney, and I will always visit there when I am in Florida or California, but in August my family is actually going to spend more time at other parks because we don't do that enough. I want them to enjoy different places and not get bored with Disney. I have never even seen Avatar (I know blasphemy) so that doesn't really thrill me. I would like to see Disney come up with something that will rival the Harry Potter craze though. But variety is the spice of life right?

    Shelley
    DLR '80, '05, '06, '07(x2), '09, '14, '15, '16; WDW '97, '10, '12, '13, '14, '15, '16; DCL '13, '16


  10. #9
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    southern New Jersey

    Although we adore Disney, we do a week at Universal every 5 years. We absolutely love staying at the Portofino Bay Hotel. Our next Universal visit is scheduled for 2015. We reluctantly went to Universal for the first time in 2005 and we had one of our best vacations ever. A blast!

    John

  11. #10

    Competition is good. I haven't been to USO since the HP stuff was added. I did work there when the park first opened and it was a catastrophe. Simple things like queue lines in the shade, water fountains, etc were not there. So it's okay that USO has caught up and passed WDW is some areas. That inspires WDW to build and the pendulum swings back the other way.
    I live here and sometimes I am happier driving to Tampa and enjoying Busch Gardens which is nothing like the other 2 parks. (at least to me). And then at other times I enjoy Kennedy Space Center, Gatorland, or any other small places just because I don't want to be bothered with crowds and I only want to be out for a couple of hours, not a whole day. I try hard not to compare 1 place against another. Each park or attraction has it's good and bad. I try to measure it against it's own yardstick to see how it's progressing over the years. Gatorland has done an amazing job of making a destructive fire help them upgrade and improve their small park.

    I hope that everyone follows their dreams and visits both parks and everything in-between,
    GnP


  12. #11

    We are going back to Universal in 2015 after a break of a few years. I like it but it's not Disney. That said. Disney do need to up their game to compete with the new HP stuff. Avatar land does not excite me one iota.

     

    If no-one out there understands, start your own revolution and cut out the middle man (Billy Bragg)

  13. #12
    Zzzzzzz... Ohthatjeff's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    Qui Transluit Sustinet
    Quote Originally Posted by jrsharp21 View Post
    We leave for WDW in 44 days and we have decided to do a day at Universal IOA so that we can go to Harry Potter. I must admit that I have pondered buying a two day ticket and going for two days instead of one.
    Keep an eye out. It seems that Universal is almost always running "2 Days for the Price of 1" sales.

  14. #13
    Self-proclaimed Diz nut TinaMouse's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    My Old Kentucky Home

    Speaking of Uni, does anyone know if there is a way to drop off/pick up? The kids are old enough to tour on their own, but I was going to drive them so I could have the car....

    Working hard for that next WDW trip!

  15. #14

    We did one day at IOA our last trip, mainly to see Harry Potter. With the additional land being added at US (and the kids being older), we will definitely go again next year and probably go for 2 days.


  16. #15

    I've only done Universal once, and it was with a private corporate party when I was working the event as a video engineer. While I had a good time, overall what I saw didn't impress me. There's more than enough to do at WDW to keep me busy for a 3 to 5 day visit, so I don't feel the need to do Universal at all.

    The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
    - James Taylor

  17. #16
    Registered User
    Join Date
    May 2001
    Location
    San Francisco
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by danyoung View Post
    I've only done Universal once, and it was with a private corporate party when I was working the event as a video engineer. While I had a good time, overall what I saw didn't impress me. There's more than enough to do at WDW to keep me busy for a 3 to 5 day visit, so I don't feel the need to do Universal at all.
    Was that trip pre-IOA or post-IOA?
    Wishing i could be at WDW...

  18. #17

    We did a week at WDW and one day at universal (IOA) this past Spring Break. We started talking about where we are going next spring break and the wife and kids both said universal. So it looks like we may be going for 4 days to Universal and two days to WDW next Spring Break. The new Diagon Alley and ride just look so awesome. Much more appealing than the Mine Train.


  19. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by DisDreams View Post
    Was that trip pre-IOA or post-IOA?
    It was pre-IOA, so I haven't had the pleasure yet.
    The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.
    - James Taylor

  20. #19
    Self-proclaimed Diz nut TinaMouse's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    My Old Kentucky Home

    Holy cow. Just bought a 2 park, one day at Uni. YOWCH! EXPENSIVE.

    Working hard for that next WDW trip!

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •