Here is why Universal is a better value than Disney (get those flames ready!)

[Marquibiri]

i have no dog in this fight so i'm out of here now.

I love the darkside.........

Take a look at this year's HHN shirt I've designed for me to wear.... It is not the final version, the upper text goes in Disney font type...

Marquibiri

 

[neilsalop]

Tickets:
Universal tickets 14 days unlimited park to park £85, around $120 (two parks). Works out over two weeks to less than $9 per day.
Disney ticket 14 days unlimited park to park £225, around $360 (four parks, two water parks and DQ). Works out over two week to nearly $26 per day.

Both offer different value for money, but if you don't want to spend every day at Disney and just spend 7 days out of 14 the daily price has doubled to over $50, which is a lot of money even for the 3 of us, whereas 7 days at USF would still work out quite cheap at only $18 a day. In the height of summer it would be expensive to buy express passes for US, but if we get in early enough we shouldn't really need them. Disneys FP are great if you get in early and get to store them up for later in the day, but turn up late and you're stuck with late in the day FPs or none at all and standby lines.

Accomodation:
We have always rented a villa every time we've visited and get a four bed, two bath behind Medieval Times for £400 ($580) per week. We can get up as early as we like, sit outside by the pool and have a coffee and a smoke in our sleep wear. We couldn't do this at any hotel on-site at either WDW or US. It usually takes us a couple of coffees and cigarettes to liven us up in the morning and we don't want to have to get dressed to go and find a smoking area, only to go back to a room to get showered and ready. Personal preference I know, but on-site is not going to be on our radar any time soon. We also like the space to spread out like we do at home. Two weeks in one room would be hell for us (teenage daughter).

Food:
Although we do like to eat sometimes at Disney, we don't want to plan our lives around meal times 6 months from now, we wouldn't at home, so why should we have to when we're on holiday. I like to eat when I'm hungry, if I eat more than I should for breakfast (which I often do) I won't be ready for a 1pm ADR.

To sum up, we're coming in a little over 3 weeks time, we'll have US/IOA tickets for 14 days, stay in a lovely villa with its own pool and hot-tub and eat when we want to. If we decide that Boardwalk and DTD isn't enough of a Disney fix we'll get a two day ticket at the gate and get there early to get as many FPs as possible and get as much done as we can. We'll only do MK and MGM Studios as Epcot is not our favourite park and we don't really like the zoo at all.

 

[Brownie54]

Tickets:
Universal tickets 14 days unlimited park to park £85, around $120 (two parks). Works out over two weeks to less than $9 per day.
Disney ticket 14 days unlimited park to park £225, around $360 (four parks, two water parks and DQ). Works out over two week to nearly $26 per day.

Both offer different value for money, but if you don't want to spend every day at Disney and just spend 7 days out of 14 the daily price has doubled to over $50, which is a lot of money even for the 3 of us, whereas 7 days at USF would still work out quite cheap at only $18 a day. In the height of summer it would be expensive to buy express passes for US, but if we get in early enough we shouldn't really need them. Disneys FP are great if you get in early and get to store them up for later in the day, but turn up late and you're stuck with late in the day FPs or none at all and standby lines.

Accomodation:
We have always rented a villa every time we've visited and get a four bed, two bath behind Medieval Times for £400 ($580) per week. We can get up as early as we like, sit outside by the pool and have a coffee and a smoke in our sleep wear. We couldn't do this at any hotel on-site at either WDW or US. It usually takes us a couple of coffees and cigarettes to liven us up in the morning and we don't want to have to get dressed to go and find a smoking area, only to go back to a room to get showered and ready. Personal preference I know, but on-site is not going to be on our radar any time soon. We also like the space to spread out like we do at home. Two weeks in one room would be hell for us (teenage daughter).

Food:
Although we do like to eat sometimes at Disney, we don't want to plan our lives around meal times 6 months from now, we wouldn't at home, so why should we have to when we're on holiday. I like to eat when I'm hungry, if I eat more than I should for breakfast (which I often do) I won't be ready for a 1pm ADR.

To sum up, we're coming in a little over 3 weeks time, we'll have US/IOA tickets for 14 days, stay in a lovely villa with its own pool and hot-tub and eat when we want to. If we decide that Boardwalk and DTD isn't enough of a Disney fix we'll get a two day ticket at the gate and get there early to get as many FPs as possible and get as much done as we can. We'll only do MK and MGM Studios as Epcot is not our favourite park and we don't really like the zoo at all.

Thanks for your input. It makes a very good point to me that there isn't a right way for everyone. For years we would rent a pool home for the week for our extended family. It was a perfect solution for us. As our family has gotten older it became harder to get everyone together for the same week. We have done Disney Hotels(value, moderate, and deluxe), area hotels, and Universal's. For us, Universal has become a big favorite. It is also more economical then staying at Disney(for us). I'm sure many could argue that staying at Disney is more economical. That is what is so great about these forums. We all can read and learn to make an informed decision that makes the most sense for each of us. Too bad Congress can't do that.

BROWNIE%$
Check out my new blog at: http://therealitycheckreport.blogspot.com/

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Agree in general that Universal is the better value, but couldn't disagree more with you criticism of the fastpass system. Plan better and don't wait in the longer standby line. It's free and convenient. There should be nothing to complain about.

ITA that is why I stopped going to Universal. AM going this trip but hope the lines will not kill me. I never really wait at Disney b/c I work the FP system and do other things while I wait for my FP time to arrive.

 

[Brownie54]

ITA that is why I stopped going to Universal. AM going this trip but hope the lines will not kill me. I never really wait at Disney b/c I work the FP system and do other things while I wait for my FP time to arrive.

That's quite a statement. It certainly helps to "work the FP system" but really, you never really have to wait? When I have gone I will get to Soarin or Toy Story early to pick up a Fast Pass and have found my return time is much later in the day making the FP system useless until then.

 

[damo]

That's quite a statement. It certainly helps to "work the FP system" but really, you never really have to wait? When I have gone I will get to Soarin or Toy Story early to pick up a Fast Pass and have found my return time is much later in the day making the FP system useless until then.

You do realize that you can get another fastpass two hours later. The time is printed on your fastpass when you can get another fastpass. You don't have to wait until you actually use the fastpass to get another.

 

[mesaboy2]

You do realize that you can get another fastpass two hours later. The time is printed on your fastpass when you can get another fastpass. You don't have to wait until you actually use the fastpass to get another.

 

[SharkyGoddess]

Personally, having just returned from US, their system seems to create a big divide between those who have and those who have not. Not everyone can afford the prices of the hotels around there, but we are still paying good money for park tickets. Disney's system puts everyone on the same playing field--a guest is a guest no matter where they are staying and are all treated equally.

Early entry and late stays are enough incentives to stay on property at Disney. Fast passes should be available to everyone just like Disney does. JMHO

I'm sure I'll corrected if I am wrong, but the hubs and I both remember having to pay extra for the early entry/late stay perk for Disney.

As for the haves and have nots comment, plan ahead, spread out your vacations and save for a bigger vacay every other year as opposed to every year.

 

[debbs0723]

That's quite a statement. It certainly helps to "work the FP system" but really, you never really have to wait? When I have gone I will get to Soarin or Toy Story early to pick up a Fast Pass and have found my return time is much later in the day making the FP system useless until then.[/QUOTE

The longest and only line I've waited in at Disney was 30 min for the jungle cruise because the fp machines for that were turned off when I was there. Other than that I'd say I'm in about 10 min or less lines. Yes I go in January but everyone else is still waiting over an hour for rides and I've never waited. We ride things multiple times also. If you learn how to use the Fastpass system and get to the parks at rope drop, you will never wait. Easy statement to make actually. I haven't even been to universal so as another poster said, I have no dog in this fight and I do think it is funny how people get so worked up about the topic.

 

[Planogirl]

We stay offsite and don't have much trouble seeing what we want to at Universal. Going at rope drop and having enough days makes it work for us. We go in August.

However, I would love to stay onsite just because the hotels are so nice. We landed a good deal at the Royal Pacific once and thoroughly enjoyed the hotel. I find the regular cost of the hotels high so I'm always watching for another good deal.

 

[CampbellScot]

The one thing about US that I think Disney is lacking is the drink system. My goodness, was it nice to buy a butterbeer mug and get 85 cent refills all day long. I wish Disney would do that. I think I got sick one day at Disney because I was too cheap to buy 3 dollar drinks. And, I agree that you can't compare DHS and US because there is a lot more to do at US!

85 cent refills?! count me in!!! Wow! SO buying a mug! Now I have a fabulous excuse!!!

 

[AnjieNet]

85 cent refills?! count me in!!! Wow! SO buying a mug! Now I have a fabulous excuse!!!

This is a great deal! But can you take the mugs on the "locker" rides, ie FJ? We don't want to have to mess with putting mugs in a locker if we don't have anything else going in one. Thanks!

 

[damo]

This is a great deal! But can you take the mugs on the "locker" rides, ie FJ? We don't want to have to mess with putting mugs in a locker if we don't have anything else going in one. Thanks!

Mugs go in the lockers if they are loose.

 

[AnjieNet]

Mugs go in the lockers if they are loose.

Is clipped on a belt/fanny pack considered loose?

 

[damo]

Is clipped on a belt/fanny pack considered loose?

We did that on FJ and one guy gave us a hard time but we did manage to ride twice doing that. I'm not sure what the official policy is about it.

 

[the Dark Marauder]

Is clipped on a belt/fanny pack considered loose?

Yes. You'll be told to put them in a locker. If not, consider yourself lucky.

 

[cuches]

That's quite a statement. It certainly helps to "work the FP system" but really, you never really have to wait? When I have gone I will get to Soarin or Toy Story early to pick up a Fast Pass and have found my return time is much later in the day making the FP system useless until then.

I use the GAC for many rides with my daughter (use FP when I can get them but having a child with autism I have to go at HER speed and just can't always get to the parks early enough to get all the good FP) and we enter the ride through the FP lanes and we have had plenty of LONG waits even there...especially with Saorin' and TSM. I can't say which system is the best or fairest...they both seem to have good and bad points.

I LOVE Disney because they are really very accomadating to children with special needs (even the characters treat my daughter wonderfully) so I will never bash them but the one negative thing about the whole WDW experience I find is the restaurants....why should I decide 6 months in advance where I want to eat, then plan our entire trip around the ressies....not cool I did this one year and drove my DH and DD CRAZY with rushing to catch a ressie. WHY? The food is not all that great for me to worry if I can get in to Prime Time Cafe! I live on Long Island, just a car drive away from NYC where some of the best restaurants in the world are, so for me the whole ressie system just is dumb. If I want a good steak I know where to go. Since that trip that I drove my family nuts I decided to stick with the counter service meals mostly and our trips are far better now

 

[Melanie230]

I love the Prime Time Cafe!! We tried the Sci Fi Dine In last year. That was a blast too!! We love Disney...but won't ever go without Free Dining. Making our ressies hasn't been a problem. But we are VERY ready for our US/IOA trip....it is just a lot more relaxing to us.

 

[SanFranciscan]

I heaven't finished reading the responses yet, but I work as a photographer at the front gate of Universal Studios so I would like to respond to the part about the park opening at 8:40 instead of the scheduled 9:00. I feel a little sorry for people who show up early only to find that there are people already inside the park and on the rides. I don't see the big deal about being first, but I know that it is important to some people.

By the way, if you really want to move through the lines quickly, you might want to come in in the afternoons. We have more people leaving the park than coming in at that time so you could probably walk right onto a lot of the rides.

 

[Kallisti]

Funny thing about the 85c refills is that they're valid on the day of purchase only but as a guy behind the counter said to me yesterday, they've no way of knowing when you purchased the mug.

It does seem as if US/IoA have much lower volumes on Sundays. We went last sunday and didn't really queue all day, and that was mostly in the main queues, with only one Single Rider instance.

I don't think much of charging $50+ for the fastpasses or giving them to on-site hotel guests, but, to be honest even going on a relatively busy day we got by fine without them and never seemed to have to queue too long.

This is my first Orlando vacation going to US instead of Disney. Tickets for the family were under half the price (though obviously for less choice), and give me complete flexibility of where I want to go and when (valid for 14 days as much as I want + park hopping!).