Universal says: We will win in 2002

[OnWithTheShow]

And don't get me started on the paying to cut in line program that both Six Flags and Universal have!

 

[Captain Crook]

Show...I've been harping about that bogus offer for quite some time now! Glad you agree...

 

[damo]

Disney has it too with their EE mornings for those people staying at on-site resorts. That's no different than Universal giving FOTL to guests who stay on site.

 

[Bob O]

OnWitheShow At Six Flags you do have to pay for the privilege of cutting in front of people with a extra fee. While front of the line access(best hotel perk ever!) is part of your price of staying at a onsite hotel, no different than disneys ee was(of course ee was gotten rid of in favor of a supposedly superoir roving band of characthers if you believe that crock!) Each on site offers their own perks, from what ive read disneyland's lands hotels also offer a free fastpass for any attraction as part of a package.

 

[Testtrack321]

Originally posted by damo
Disney has it too with their EE mornings for those people staying at on-site resorts. That's no different than Universal giving FOTL to guests who stay on site.

Disney stoped the EE. Never thought Universal had it (nor needed it).
I can believe that people would go to Universal only, but a treck to Disney every once in a while is good and healty.

 

[raidermatt]

According to a post I saw on the Universal board, they did offer a form of EE, but no longer do.

But that doesn't make too much sense, since I've also seen multiple posts about attractions and restaurants not being open at the normal opening time...

 

[Msenser]

I first went to Disney on vacation on 94 with my 5 year old daughter. That same trip we went to Universal and haven't been back to Disney to this day. My daughter perfers Universal to Disney . It's just a matter of taste. I made many visits down here from New Jersey sometimes 3 times a year just to do Universal. Don't kid yourself, there are many people who perfer Universal to Disney and from the size of their crowds lately that number is growing.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I'm sure there are those who prefer Universal--. But I'm STILL looking to meet one of them up here!! At church, at local restaurants we visit, at Mrs. Uncleromulus' workplace (McCormick & Co.-the spice folks), at my VFW and American legion meetings, in talking w/my neighbors..all I ever hear is about upcoming trips to WDW. I have never heard anyone say-- "Boy are we excited--we're going to Universal!'"
And at Universal--what do you do after the second day??

 

[damo]

When we go to Disney there are only a handful of rides that my teens are interested in: TOT, RNR, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Test Track and that's about it for the rides they would go on more than once. If those rides were in one park we would have them done in less than half a day. At Universal there is Hulk, Dueling Dragons, Spiderman, Bilge Barges, Jurassic Park, Ripsaw Falls, Dr. Doom, Flying Unicorn, Cat in the Hat, Men in Black, Back to the Future, Hanna Barbara, ET and Terminator that they will go on more than once. The parks are right beside each other so you can flip from one park to another in a matter of minutes where at Disney there are a couple of great rides at each park and then it takes an hour to get to another park to enjoy its rides. So you can see that for us, Universal really has more to offer. Our kids have grown out of the rides like Pirates, Haunted House etc because they've seen them and there is no thrill left to them. Sure, for nostalgia sake it's fun to go on them once every few years but they don't have the intrinsic thrill that makes you want to go on them over and over like most of the rides at Universal. I think it's the nostalgia part that differentiates the Disney fanatics and the Universal fanatics. Now, I don't think I'll ever be fanatical about either park but Universal offers more for our family of teenagers right now. They also enjoy the fresh, young theming at Universal over the traditional and juvenile theming at Disney. Just a different viewpoint. When we went down last year my 16 year old DD thought for sure she would miss Disney but didn't at all and is not even interested spending any time at Disney this year even though I'd like to visit Downtown Disney a bit. My husband loves the FOTL access and much prefers Hard Rock Hotel to the many resorts at Disney where we spent twice as much money for half as much space. I like being able to walk to everything within five minutes.

So, there is a lot for us to do on the second day. Actually more than at Disney. I guess that's why we're going again in 18 days!!!!!

 

[Captain Crook]

Your kids have grown out of 'Pirates' but will do 'Cat in the Hat' multiple times???

 

[damo]

Cat in the Hat has great spins that make the ride lots of fun even if you ride it with your eyes closed. On Pirates, the first drop if fun but after that it's not so exciting if you've seen it six times already.

 

[Testtrack321]

When we go to Disney there are only a handful of rides that my teens are interested in: TOT, RNR, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Test Track and that's about it for the rides they would go on more than once. If those rides were in one park we would have them done in less than half a day. At Universal there is Hulk, Dueling Dragons, Spiderman, Bilge Barges, Jurassic Park, Ripsaw Falls, Dr. Doom, Flying Unicorn, Cat in the Hat, Men in Black, Back to the Future, Hanna Barbara, ET and Terminator that they will go on more than once.

(Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons voice)

Yet I don't understand how your kids have out grown Pirates but still ride the UNICORN ride! Sure its a rollercoaster, but that's it! Universal is a one day thing, one half for IOA, the other for the Studios. We went for the first time this fall and I won't be back for a while. Everybody will be going to "WDW" not "Central Flordia". Oh, BOY KIDS! WERE GOING TO CENTRAL FLORIDA! CAN'T YOU WAIT TO SEE INTERNATIONAL DRIVE!!?!?!
Kid: I CAN'T WAIT TILL WE RIDE THE BUS TO THE OUTLET MALL!
Kid 2: ME TOO!

Face it, no mader how hard Universal tries, they WON'T be as good as Disney. I am the travel person in our neighborhood, and I have never meet a single person who went to Universal for the majority of their stay. Nor staying at their hotels.

 

[Safari Steve]

I take issue with a "family/child-oriented" ride that small children and expectant mothers can not ride.

 

[raidermatt]

Good points Steve and Testtrack.

But damo is referring to teenage children. Everybody, including Disney, knows that this is their weakest segment. Not every teen gets bored with Disney. I know I didn't. However, that definitely was the time in my life when going to Six Flag's Magic Mountain was almost as high on my list as going to Disneyland.

So it doesn't surprise me that damo's kids feel that way. Certainly its not hard to find plenty of anecdotal evidence that supports the idea that many teens get bored with Disney.

I'd like to see Disney find a way to better attract and hold that market without hurting their other segments, but that's no easy task.

The only way the teen dis-interest would really concern me is if it were shown that this is happening MORE than in the past.

 

[Safari Steve]

Back in 1999 WDW tried to attract the local teen segment with a special hard ticket at MGM. There were live concerts with relatively well known bands and unlimited rides on Tower of Terror and Rock n Rollercoaster. I'm not sure how well they went over, but they certainly haven't done it since. The other teen oriented thing we do is grad nites, which becomes more scaled back every year due to cast safety and property damage concerns... Kids are rotten, and they all think they're funny. Every time I work one I am reminded of two things: Why I hated High School so much, and the fact that there will never be a shortage of fry cooks... not that being a fry cook is anything to be ashamed of...

 

[Bennet]

I'm no Universal expert but what I like about Disney is the variety. I like the coasters but I also like the slower rides - well themed stuff - just as much. Even more I like interacting with the cast who for the most part are great to us guests. I like the jungle cruise even if I haven't been on steve's boat.

I'm happy for the teens that they like IOA. Go have fun. I'm a little older and aspire to one of the seats up in the balcony on to the right at Muppets.

 

[Testtrack321]

I agree too. Everybody has their tastes, but variety and overall quailty rule for Disney, something Universal hasn't caught on to yet. When more good thrill rides are built, expect the compotition to do some impressive things. But I didn't mention who will build the rides or who the compotition is.

 

[Msenser]

Uncle
In my home town of Browns Mills NJ There is quite a Universal fan club. Many people come down JUST to do Universal.Many haven't set foot on Disney soil in years. One woman I know broke tradition this year and went on the Disney Cruise before hitting Universal and after it was over wished she had stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel instead. Her kids were unhappy, her husband and her felt she had wasted $6000. Maybe Universal people don't live in your town but they live in many towns in this country and they are many. They are in the churches and VFWS and the MOOSE. And hey, after reading the Universal site here on the boards many Disneyites admit Universal is "pretty darn fun" and many are spending more time there this year than Disney. Believe me, Universal is catching on.

 

[Testtrack321]

Catching on? Yes. Lasting? Well...
Universal dosn't warrent anything over a day trip. Disney offers more in terms of an experence. Think food. Disney has the usual burgers and fries, but they also have Jiko, an African resturant, Tepinyaki, Japaniese food cooked infront of you, and many others. Universal has the usual celbrety indorsed resturants. Universal has no on-site water parks, or anything like that (ex. Wet'n'Wild, not "on-site"). Disney Institue, nope. Mini-golf, nu-hu. Comprehensive vacation that indulse you into the atmosphere, not really...






PS I have to give credit to Universal by pulling a major feat and comming up on Disney. I also like their new comercials, tells more than the past ones.

Msenser-We live in big cities, I have never meet anyone who has just gone to Universal. Why did thoes people not like the cruse? Don't they know how to have fun. Wait, I found it out. At Disney, you must have an imagination to have fun, Universal, well, lets just say, someone with a frontal-lobatamy and you will have the same fun there

VFWS and the MOOSE

Whats that?

 

[Bob O]

I always get excited to go to Universal just as i do when i go to wdw, they are different parks but thats what makes them both unique and enjoyable. I can easily spend 3 days at Universal and that is with front of the line access. I much perfer riding my favorite rides numerous times.
Testtrack321 i hope you are young or just kiding but VFW's are Veternans of Foreign Wars- the people who fought for our country so we have the right to indulge in our pleasure hear and at the parks!!!!! If you dont know its a good idea to be aware of such groups as their ranks are liable to swell with the current state of the world!! And i dont think either park has a stranglehold on the mensa crowd!!!