This doesn't happen at Disney World!

[phamton]

You WERE supposed to wear the wrist band and have the tickets AND go to only a participating restaurant FOR ONLY a limited menu AND ONLY for an entree and dessert/one trip thru the line- no all you can eat. Drinks not included. another plan for that.

You take the ticket to the first restaurant and exchange it for the wristband. You can go through the line as often as you want. The drinks aren't another plan. It is just a cup you purchase for free refills. Some people would rather save money and just drink water.

Thanks, notatourist! I'll have to head on down for a Whataburger.

 

[silverhaze269]

WDW and USO are two completely different parks. They are marketed to a different demographic and as such you’re bound to have some differences. I would say Disney is marketed to families with children, young children especially. Because of this everything has a family feel, something that I really like. Their themeing seems to be more cartoon oriented, something that’s to be expected because that’s where Disney got his start. I think that’s what gives the park that childlike appeal. No matter how old you are there’s just something about WDW that makes it that magical place where you can be a kid again. It’s great. Plus there’s something for everyone, especially at Epcot. In my opinion, you can’t go to Orlando and not see the Magic Kingdom at least.

USO is geared towards families with older children. I can’t quite put my finger on what makes USO so great, but it just is. US has the appeal because you know the movies the rides come from (a lot of people do anyway). It makes it really fun to get “in” the movies. True, they might not have the best food options, but city walk is 15 minutes away, and there are tons of awesome places there. (I haven’t timed how long it takes to get from the farthest end of the park by MIB or Jaws to the NASCAR Café, but I will in December) IOA is my favourite park of the two, only because I like the themeing better. In Suess Landing it really feels like you literally jumped into a Dr. Suess book, and in Jurassic Park you feel like you’re there. Toon Lagoon is just fun, and the Lost Continent is just mystical. Marvel Superhero Island is great for the superhero fan in all of us.

Both resorts are really great, but when it boils down to it, no one resort is better than the other. They are both awesome in their own respect. Just because you prefer one over the other doesn’t make the other one not as good. Don’t sweat the small stuff and enjoy your vacation!

 

[micksterlee]

I have never been able to figure out why people try to make Universal and Disney the same place. We love them both, each for reasons that are unique to each park.You can t ride with Spiderman at Disney and you won t run in to Mickey Mouse at Universal. I have very good things happen at both places as well as a few less enjoyable times at both places.

 

[Sabbie]

Alright. I have to come out and say a little. I live in Florida, have a Annual Pass to both USO and Seaworld, and I frequent Disney A LOT (4 times in the last 5 months). Both parks (USO and Disney) are different places. However, they both sell food, both have rides, both have employees, and both sell tickets for an astranomical amount. They both have on-site resorts, and offer different food options. Both have outside "entertainment areas" (DTD and CityWalk), and of coarse, both charge for parking. Both require a bit of walking, yet offer fastpasses to ease it all up. You wait in lines for attractions at both places, and always, in the end, pick up a souviner or two.

Now you may wonder where each is different. Disney is bigger, yes, true. Universal doesn't have as much land mass, resort numbers, nor number of parks. Yet people still go. It all depends on the person, in my opinion. Some people enjoy inverted roller coasters that are offered at IOA; some enjoy Shamu at Seaworld, and, of coarse, some enjoy Mickey at Disney. Now I know Disney is known for having it's spark of magic -- and that's what drawls a lot of people's attention.. however, at both USO and Seaworld, if you ask, you can recieve that same amount of employee attention -- their desire is to make your trip worthwhile so you will come back again.

True, Disney is typically for younger kids, or, those who are kids at heart.. and USO is for a bit older kids, and those who wnat to do more thrilling rides. However, I, many times see quite the opposite at both parks. Disney may hold an elderly couple who is walking through Main Street, watching the castle. A photographer come sup, snaps a picture and they smile. And USO, may have a young child who is barely three, watching upwards at the soaring Dueling Dragons in awe -- maybe one day she will get to ride it.

Personally I believe all parks are brillant -- it takes time and effort, and yes, lots of dedication to run them all. They have different themes, workers, and ideas -- but, like I said in the beginning, it all depends on the person, and what they enjoy most.

Just my two cents.

 

[ChrisFL]

Alright. I have to come out and say a little. I live in Florida, have a Annual Pass to both USO and Seaworld, and I frequent Disney A LOT (4 times in the last 5 months). Both parks (USO and Disney) are different places. However, they both sell food, both have rides, both have employees, and both sell tickets for an astranomical amount. They both have on-site resorts, and offer different food options. Both have outside "entertainment areas" (DTD and CityWalk), and of coarse, both charge for parking. Both require a bit of walking, yet offer fastpasses to ease it all up. You wait in lines for attractions at both places, and always, in the end, pick up a souviner or two.

Now you may wonder where each is different. Disney is bigger, yes, true. Universal doesn't have as much land mass, resort numbers, nor number of parks. Yet people still go. It all depends on the person, in my opinion. Some people enjoy inverted roller coasters that are offered at IOA; some enjoy Shamu at Seaworld, and, of coarse, some enjoy Mickey at Disney. Now I know Disney is known for having it's spark of magic -- and that's what drawls a lot of people's attention.. however, at both USO and Seaworld, if you ask, you can recieve that same amount of employee attention -- their desire is to make your trip worthwhile so you will come back again.

True, Disney is typically for younger kids, or, those who are kids at heart.. and USO is for a bit older kids, and those who wnat to do more thrilling rides. However, I, many times see quite the opposite at both parks. Disney may hold an elderly couple who is walking through Main Street, watching the castle. A photographer come sup, snaps a picture and they smile. And USO, may have a young child who is barely three, watching upwards at the soaring Dueling Dragons in awe -- maybe one day she will get to ride it.

Personally I believe all parks are brillant -- it takes time and effort, and yes, lots of dedication to run them all. They have different themes, workers, and ideas -- but, like I said in the beginning, it all depends on the person, and what they enjoy most.

Just my two cents.

Very well written and I agree completely.

 

[Calgary DISHeads]

We just spend 12 days at Pop Century followed by 4 nights at HRH - what I found truly amazing was the lack of (on the most part) customer service plus very poor housekeeping at HRH compared to the Disney Hotels we have stayed at. To be fair there were some really some staff especially the lifeguards at the pool (fantastic with the kids), servers at the pool - some of the staff at the Club Lounge were outstanding whereas others seemed to trying auditioning for jobs at Tower of Terror or Haunted Mansion. I'll give you a prime example of "it wouldn't happen at Disney" and I'm talking the response not the situation - we came back from the parks very tired one night at 5:50pm and our room wasn't cleaned. I was very irritated and called the front desk. I didn't an apology only a "we'll send someone up" which saw me seeing red. When I expressed that I was tired, grumpy wanted to have a shower and relax in a clean room and was not happy that I had to leave while it was cleaned at 6pm I received a lecture on "how hard the room attendants work, they work between 9 - 6pm and that is all you are guaranteed, that your room will cleaned before six. This was at 5:55pm!
We went and sat in Club Lounge and at 6:15pm my son went back to the room to get his camera, housekeeping had already "cleaned and turndown the room" in about 10 minutes. Our room was cleaned properly on the first night, they did a really, really great job but went steeply downhill from there. We thoroughly enjoyed the majority of our stay at Universal but there were a few more incidents like the one above that soured the adventure. From $79 at Pop to $359 at HRH with incidents like housekeeping makes it hard to justify. FOL can just about justify anything though

 

[makinorlando]

I miss Whatburger! Like Florida, Texas gets a lot of snowbirds too. They call them "Winter Texans."

Not to hijack the thread but I have seen two "Whataburgers" in my travels this past week - one new one just opened east of Orlando (Bithlo) on 50 - heading towards Christmas, we also saw one on University - near Goldenrod.

 

[macraven]

Not to hijack the thread but I have seen two "Whataburgers" in my travels this past week - one new one just opened east of Orlando (Bithlo) on 50 - heading towards Christmas, we also saw one on University - near Goldenrod.

have got to ask....

do you know if there are any whataburgers up chicago way?

 

[phamton]

We just spend 12 days at Pop Century followed by 4 nights at HRH - what I found truly amazing was the lack of (on the most part) customer service plus very poor housekeeping at HRH compared to the Disney Hotels we have stayed at.

Actually I would have been a little upset also with not having a clean room. But for the record and for those who don't already know, the hotels are not owned by Universal but by Loews. Just as there are some hotels on Disney property that aren't owned by Disney (near the downtown Disney area), the hotels on Universal property are not owned by Universal.

Sorry Macraven, I can't answer your question about Whataburger. I was surprised to hear that we have them in Orlando. I thought it was a "Texas thang"

 

[ChrisFL]

Im just glad there are no resorts at Universal which are as gaudy and tacky as Pop Century.

 

[Fan2CSkr]

have got to ask....

do you know if there are any whataburgers up chicago way?

I just looked...Texas and Southern US
Bummer!

 

[Fan2CSkr]

Actually I would have been a little upset also with not having a clean room. But for the record and for those who don't already know, the hotels are not owned by Universal but by Loews. Just as there are some hotels on Disney property that aren't owned by Disney (near the downtown Disney area), the hotels on Universal property are not owned by Universal.

Sorry Macraven, I can't answer your question about Whataburger. I was surprised to hear that we have them in Orlando. I thought it was a "Texas thang"

Actually Loews co-owns the three hotels with Universal Parks and Resorts and The Rank Organization. Loews owns very few hotels, they manage and operate most of their properties.


Poor housekeeping though not acceptable can happen anywhere. The housekeeping staff is huge and a few not up to par employees can and will slip through but they wont be there for long. Aside from your housekeeping incident I cant see how anyone would compare Pop Century to HRH. You pay for what you get. As far as your "prime example of "it wouldn't happen at Disney" comment, it sure will and does. Read all about it on these boards, I have. I'm glad Hotel Express made it all OK for you.

 

[Motherfletcher]

have got to ask....

do you know if there are any whataburgers up chicago way?

We ate at Whataburger in Harlingen, South Padre Island and Port Isabel, Texas last weekend. It is a Texas thing that started in Corpus Christi in 1950. Its good to see them going national. What I miss from the midwest is Maid Rites!

 

[Fan2CSkr]

We ate at Whataburger in Harlingen, South Padre Island and Port Isabel, Texas last weekend. It is a Texas thing that started in Corpus Christi in 1950. Its good to see them going national. What I miss from the midwest is Maid Rites!

I saw Maid Rite on The Travel Channel. Loose meat...YUMMY! I wish we would get some of these neat restaurants around here. I would settle for a Chick-fil-A.

 

[Amity 3]

What I miss from the midwest is Maid Rites!

and pork tenderloins.

 

[ChrisFL]

hey guys, have we derailed this thread enough yet?

just checking...

 

[macraven]

hey guys, have we derailed this thread enough yet?

just checking...

dunno,
maybe we could get a couple of more miles on it.....

 

[Fan2CSkr]

hey guys, have we derailed this thread enough yet?

just checking...

derailed? how bout detoured, we must all be hungry!

 

[macraven]

whataburgers sounded good.
makes me want to move to texas or florida.........

 

[rie'smom]

We are DVCers but we also love,love ,love the Universal hotels. Never have we experienced anything but top notch service and super clean rooms. If Universal had timeshares,we would have bought there first. As far as the parks go, WDW is great,but,IMO,US and IOA are too. Oh and we are wild about the FOTL.
I don't understand why it has to be one or the other. Both are fun-why the competition?