Universal says: We will win in 2002

[Planogirl]

Good grief, everyone has different tastes. I know of some people who, believe it or not, can't stand Disney. I don't understand it but I don't expect everyone to feel like I do. I also know of a few people who absolutely adore the Six Flags parks and I don't think that they are weird or anything, just different.

However, give me Disney any day, at least so far...

 

[damo]

Like I said before, I think people like Disney because of the nostalgia. They were there when they were children and it brings back wonderful memories of their youth. It is also very innocent and "apple pie" and it encourages people to be young again. Universal is completely different and has a totally different appeal. I don't think that just because a person prefers one to another makes him superior intellectually though, Test Track, as you seem to be trying to bully us into liking Disney better. It is all a matter of personal preference. This could be debated forever. Personally, I really don't want to change anyone's mind and have everyone switching from Disney to Universal. I like the attendance just the way it is.

 

[Testtrack321]

Glivan!
My whole point is not to bully you into liking Disney (if it seemed like that, sorry) but is to ask, what make Universal better? It has half themed rides, and those that are done well, lack in some areas. Disney's rides also lack in areas. So damo, if Disney is "apple pie" and "nestalga" (which it is, look at Main Street), what's Universal. I think it is an attemt to make money off of Disney. Sure, it's themed well, but look here. Everything is based on Disney in some way. City Walk (atmosphere is better than DD, but shops and resturants are worse) is just like Downtown Disney. Many other rides borrow things from Disney too. So when you say Disney is all "nestaga", then look back on the things Universal has copied in some way. Nastalga isn't bad, its good, but mabey that's why Disney is doing so good and it's on top.

PS Sorry if it seemed as though I was bullying and/or had no respect to others oppinions. I just like debate.

BobO, I am just 15 1/2 so I didn't know about the Vetrans of War thing. Sorry.

 

[raidermatt]

Maybe I'm just slow (alright, forget the maybe), but what's "the MOOSE"?

I have a friend we call Moose, but I don't think this the same thing...

 

[Bob O]

Testtrack321 If i came off as being insulting towards you i apologize!!! With your age i understand now why you wouldnt have known. With my father being a ww2 vet i was aware of that group from a very young age and taught to respect the people who defend our freedom .

 

[Testtrack321]

dito. I am sorry for anything insulting. I didn't know and I have also been raised up to respect elders and others. But what the heck is MOOSE?!?!?!

 

[Msenser]

Testtrack
Moose is the short name for the Loyal Order of Moose a ferternal organization like The Lions Club, The Elks Club, And VFW Lodges although VFWS are very different since their members have all served this country in a war. The others pay dues, meet every week, vote, socialize and hold affairs. Much like a Rotary Clubs in some towns. Most of these orders do charity work in their communities.
I disagree when you said that Universal is half themed. If you ever went to IOA or the studio you would see how much detail there is to the themeing. That half finished foyer which is the main entrance to Spiderman is a replica of a waiting room of the daily Bugle paper. There are placques in the trophy room of Spiderman deplicting the names of the rides creators. The phone # in the marquee where spiderman fights Dr Ock has a real working number that guests can call to get spiderman info. These are well thought out details. And that is only one ride. Jurassic Park has thousands of minute details from the fossils to the ferns. USF is the same way Every street sign is real,details are exact. Movie sets are exactly as seen in movies. I didn't find that kind of detail in MGM. Next time you go to Universal let me know I will send you a list of things to look for. Believe me you could spend 2 days alone checking out the details.

 

[Testtrack321]

I have been to IOA and really don't plan on going in the very near future. Time, money, and other things won't permet. But send me some things to look for, and I'll send you some too. Disney and Universal are different, I perfer Disney myself. I saw the Daily Bugel loby, and that was half themed. One big picture of the head in the loby with a desk and two TV's isn't theaming. Look at the JC que. It was recently re-done and features lots of minute details. MGM has tons of them. But if I spent more time at Universal, and you spent more time at MGM, we would find them. MGM has crates to well known movie destinations near the crossroads, in ToT, when looking in the desplay case behind the service counter, the letters have fallen off the wall and have spell out (some say acadentily) "EVIL TOWER". Send me some and I'll send you some. I like learning about things and since I've tired out my Disney Trivia (You can only ask "What was the first Omni-Mover ride ever" question that many times) sector. I'll send you mine, you send me yours. Go to Disney, I'll go to Universal.

I guess the whole reason why were on these boards are because of one thing, we love theam parks and the rides and ideas the men that create them put into them. Weather it be Universal, Six Flags, Sea World, Disney, Paramount, Ceadar Fair, Bush, or many others, we need to remember that the industry feeds off eachother. Without Disneyland, there wouldn't be a Universal, without Universal Hollywood, there wouldn't be any Fastpass, without Bush, there wouldn't be any Animal Kingdom, without Cedar Point, there wouldn't be a Magic Mountian run to build rides. It's the same as cheering on your favorite team. Everyone has their favorites and weather it's their ego, hearatige, upbringing, or other wise that influences it, we still are loyal to the theme park industry. We come every summer, panchos, walkie talkies, and money, in hand at the front gate. When it opens, we run to our favorite rides. Millennium Force, Test Track, Spiderman, Superman, Indiana Jones, or Montu. We love the industry, and we should respect others opinions and tastes. We keep the industry running and pushing the boundaries of technology.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Putting my posts in perspective and in the spirit of the original thread post--Universal is no real threat to WDW in any way, shape, or form..as a travel destination. As a local "amusement park" appealing to teens--well maybe. When I begin to hear from more people that they're going travel to Florida just to visit Universal, then maybe I'll think different(ly?). But until then--Universal is a nice spot to visit--for a day, and then only once in awhile.
And no offense taken at the VFW thing. Lots of "old timers" and retiree's (like me) there and lots of trips and vacations discussed. Just thought it significant that none of them ever included Universal as the main destination---.

 

[drusba]

Going back to the original article noting the entry level wages at WDW $6.50, Universal now $6.60, and Sea World $6.65.

The main thing that struck me is that there are thus tens of thousands of workers in Orlando at the three theme parks who are terribly underpaid. How do all those nice CM's I meet manage to live on what they make?

 

[Testtrack321]

I don't know, Safari or OWTS might know. My point is a comparison of how much does a person make compared to Disney on a per hour basis. McDonalds, Movie Theater, Book Store, and others. What's the minnium wage, etc. I think we should stop debating about Universal v. Disney and take a "Orlando Theme parks pay to little" thread.

 

[Bob O]

Who says the workers are underpaid??? The marketplace determines what a job is worth. If employee's couldnt be found to do the job at the wage offered then wages would be increased. As is now with the cutbacks and all, people would perfer to get the wages stated rather than no wage at all. Their shouldnt be a government starting wage anyway but thats a different topic!!

 

[Msenser]

Universal's starting wage is $6.60 for ft, pt and seasonal help. FT and PT goes to $6.70 after 90 days. Uncle Universal may not be a destination for many but their hotels are alot fuller than Disneys are not and they are not locals.

 

[HauntedMansionFan]

I am now 24 years old, almost 25. I have been going to the Orlando area since I was 11, the first year I went in 1990, Universal hadn't even opened yet. The next time I went was in 1995, US was open, but I didn't care. Then I went back in 2000, IOA had been open for a bit. I decided to try both. I spent two days at both parks, spent one day at the US moping around because the quality in this park is horrible. The only thing that impressed me was Twister: Ride It Out, MIB was broken that day so I couldn't go on, nor will I ever go on it, I can't see spending another 50$ to go back to the Studios portion. Now on to IOA, I have only been to this park three times in all my visits to Orlando (as you can see in my signature, I've been quite a few times). Why I have only been three times? I love thrill rides just as much as any other adult or teenager, but I find that IOA is to in your face. "Look at our huge thrill rides!!! Look at our over the top shows!!! Look at us try to outdo Disney with our themeing" I see IOA as a one trick pony, and that pony goes by the name of Spiderman. Hulk, blah... after the launch and zero G roll it isn't that thrilling. Cat in the Hat? All they did was put up some walls in a big room and toss some animatronics in, this ride looks cheap. Dueling Dragons? If you don't sit in the front row, you miss the highlight of this ride. Jurassic Park? First time it was cool to see the T-Rex, now I know what's coming. Ripaw Falls? The drop is all that it has going for it, the animatronics here are worse then on the Cat In the Hat. Dr. Doom? No thanks, hurt my neck real bad last time. This is where the mention of my age comes into play. When I step into a Disney park I feel like I'm 10 years old again, so some of the rides are the same every time you go on, some of the rides could be deemed as "older" or "outdated". Disney gives me that carefree feeling of being a child again, that Universal has never even come close to giving me. When I go to Universal I feel that I'm there to be flipped upside down, soaked with water, and spun at high speeds. That's about it. The quality of employees at Universal pales to Disney also, it seems that most ride operators are Disney rejects. They have no personality, don't even smile at you, and can be very rude. Disney just touches me in a way that Universal will never be able to.

 

[HauntedMansionFan]

That is just my two cents. Take it or leave it.

 

[All Aboard]

Hauntedmansionfan,

Forgive me for picking at straws, but you mention that you've only been to IOA on three of your Central Florida trips. It appears from your signature that you've been to WDW 5 times since IOA opened. That would mean that you've made a point to go over to IOA during 60% of your Central Florida trips.

The casual observer would say that Universal has derived some significant benefit from you.

 

[HauntedMansionFan]

That would mean that you've made a point to go over to IOA during 60% of your Central Florida trips.

Correction. The correct answer would be 13% To clarify, all of three times that I've been to IOA, once was by choice. The other two were going along with a group of friends. Did I have the choice to stay behind? Yes, yes I did. But I went so I could spend time with my friends, not because IOA is a good place to go. So there is only one occasion that I actually said, "yeah, I want to go to IOA". And that was on my first and last trip. Will I continue to visit IOA, certainly, but by the decision that I have made to go with other people that want to go, so I can spend quality time with them. Also, just because I went to IOA, doesn't mean that I spend much time there. If you really wanted to get technical. Each time I go to Central Florida I spend 8 to 9 days down there. So for math we will say that I spend 8 days each time I go. We will cut out two days as travel days, so in total I spend at least 6 days every vacation doing park activities. So that totals to 30 days. The total time spent at IOA and US of all three times that I've gone is 4 days. So of all 5 visits that I've taken to Central Florida since IOA opened, I've spent 13% of my time on Universal Property. Not a large chunk when you consider that the remaining 87% was spent at Disney. Your math is wrong because you were just calculating the number of trips to Florida versus the number of trips to IOA. When in reality it should be time spent at each park. Now who is picking at straws???!!?? Lol.....

 

[mattjs]

Universal to win what? The award for most thrill coasters with theming and storyline like the spectacular Primeval Whirl? Woohoo! Thank you no.

I'm sorry, but a weakly themed and/or exposed track coaster is poor show whether it's the tiny little PW or some lightning, looping monstrosity down the street.

If that's winning then lets hope Disney drops out of this contest before it gets started. Getting suckered into a race to build no theme coasters is no way to get me back to Orlando every year. Hopefully Disney will be smart enough not to let Universal drag WDW down to thier level.

 

[Tluvs2talk]

I introduced My husband to Disney World on our Honeymoon 14 years ago. We have been back 30 times since. We have stayed on property most of those times. We have also been on 3 Disney cruises with a 4th one planned this October. "Disney World, been there, done that, going back."

 

[Judge Doom]

Getting suckered into a race to build no theme coasters is no way to get me back to Orlando every year.

Who says they are building coasters? At this time Universal isn't a threat but with their attitude (the little engine that could) along with Disney's (we are untouchable) I think in the next few years we will see a turn around...If Universal builds up their land...(and they have lots too) In 10 years I see them on the same playing field as WDW. The problem wih Disney is they have no competition and I'm glad Universal is steping up. In the end Disney will step up too and the only ones who win are us the guest.