This doesn't happen at Disney World!

[Medic1895]

I think DW fell in love with me again when I said that at Universal Studios. As true Disney lovers, we knew we would likely never leave DW to go to US, so we planned a special 1 week trip to go there and SeaWorld. Great prices with a package and Southwest airfares. All going well with planning for a Monday morning flight when, oops, I get sent for a one day seminar in San Francisco on Sunday. OK, plans: I fly out Saturday, stay overnight, then the seminar, then red-eye back Sunday night to Philly, arrive at 6am, wait for DW (is it US-W now? whatever..) DD3 and DD6 who will arrive at airport at 8am. Perfect right?
Well, surprisingly it did work and I even slept on the plane back.

Arrived at Orlando, got the car, drove to offsite hotel. Then to US to pick up our 5 day pass that also included free meals for the kids. Great. Pick up passes and then hit the park. These passes have the free lunch? Absolutely the employee says (they are just not CMs.)

Routine rides, plenty of fun, but just not the ambiance at DW. What was most crazy is that a half hour before the park closed, the shops and food stands closed up! That would never happen at DW!

Ok, next day up and at-em, head to the parks, IOA this time. Luckily both DD3 and DD6 are tall - DD6 can go on anything and wants to. DD3 not far behind, but of course more limited.

We head for lunch (free remember) and go to check out - no free lunch. How to fix it? Head all the way across the park to guest services. That's it, I blow and yell out 'This doesn't happen at DW.' I know it might, but its never happened to us.

Rest of the trip was fine, Sea World was great (free beer). Oh don't give me that look, if you have kids you must understand the overwhelming desire to drink in the middle of the day.

But, we kept looking southwest. Its not too far is it? DW and I drop hints then finally just say, want to go get dinner at Big River? Our eyes light up! And breakfast at Boma before we fly home YES!

So we caved, and saved the vacation. When we made the reservations and the CM ended with 'Have a magical day" then when we got to BW and the guard CM said 'watch out for Donald and his friends' (at was drizzling) we knew we were home.

Back to DW (where we belong) in 4 weeks 4 days.

Offsite 1982, 1987
DL (Honeymoon) 1995
Sports 2004
Swan 2005

 

[beck0321]

Yeah you're right. It's not the same, it's just not. Disney is like a total experience, whereas Universal is more like an amusement park. The rides are really fun, but you don't get the same FEELING you get in Disney. It's hard to explain. I can't imagine spending a week there, I would get bored.

 

[ChrisFL]

Sorry you didnt feel the same, I fail to see how Universal relates to an Amusement park at all, it's totally different.

There's also rides unlike you'll find ANYWHERE at DW (OR any amusement park), and thats why I enjoy both equally.

Plus I prefer the restaurants and hotels at Universal to Disney, much better value and quality.

 

[FlyingBelle]

Ahhhh... music to my ears! Mouse ears that is!

It's been a long time since I was at Universal (before IOA opened). However I was at Disney a few years ago for a convention and one of the pre-convention activities was at Studio Walk (or whatever it's called). It just seemed so... dirty?

I just haven't had any reason to go back.

 

[Medic1895]

We'll go back when the kids are old enough to go on everything. We didn't hate it, it just wasn't the same. We did like the enchanted oak - drinks for us, snow cones nearby for the kids - incredible atmosphere. But a couple coasters were closed and when stuff started closing early, it bummed us out.

 

[Cinderella822]

Well, before our trip to US this past summer, I would have felt he same way. I was hesitant to go as I LOVED WDW. But I'm so glad I gave US a fair chance. We really, really enjoyed it. No, it's not like Disney. But, no, I don't think it's just an amusement park - far from it. My DD is older now, 14, so the kid-factor was not a big issue. But, for the first time in years, we actually took time to relax on this vacation. Because we didn't have to spend all day waiting in lines with FOTL, we were able to just relax and enjoy the parks rather than plan out our timing of which rides to do when. And we stayed for a week. No boredom here. We were sorry to see the week end. The hotels were far nicer than any we stayed at in WDW and I found all the employees to be equally as friendly, if not more so. I guess it just depends what you're looking for, but for us, US was wonderful. As soon as we were home, we booked our next vacation for a week at US next summer.

 

[lorax123]

Oh well at least you tried! I just spent a week staying on-site at Disney and I just kept crying "it's not Universal!" Disney just doesn't do it for me. I almost cried the three days we went to Uni and I drove into the parking garage. Oh god, I even love the parking garage!
But I agree the free beer at Seaworld is incredible! For me, that's the best part of Seaworld :> And I do understand the overwhelming desire to drink. We brought our 23 month old along. I was so glad she was sleeping when we hit the hospitality bar.

 

[AllieKat]

Free beer at SeaWorld? I'm there! I don't even have kids, but still understand the overwhelming desire to drink in the middle of the day.

Thank you for posting your opinion...everybody has their own. IOA and Disneyland give me *that* feeling. I don't get the feeling at all at Universal (both Orlando and Hollywood), California Adventure, Animal Kingdom or Magic Kingdom. I haven't been to Epcot or MGM.

I pretty much grew up at Disneyland so MK had a lot to live up to. I mean, I have years of memories with Disneyland. I've learned that when I go in with huge expectations, I'll pretty much always be disappointed. I wish I hadn't had such huge expectations of MK as I'm sure I would've enjoyed it a whole lot more. I really shouldn't compare one park to another...with any park. They're all different and should be treated as such.

 

[FayeW]

I will preface this by saying that I think the Islands of the Lost Continent, paricularily the area by the Flying Unicorn and Dueling Dragons, holds the most sense of wonder and magic for me. I think it is the unicorn hoof prints in the ground, and the tinkling music and lanterns in the trees.

Having said that, I admit to feeling the magic watching Spectromagic on Main St USA! I think that parade alone is worth the admission to MK!

 

[phamton]

Then to US to pick up our 5 day pass that also included free meals for the kids. Great. Pick up passes and then hit the park. These passes have the free lunch? Absolutely the employee says (they are just not CMs.)

You might be surprised. I know of several Guest Service team members are also cast members at Disney. You may have seen one of them as a castmember at Tower of Terror. Another one was a safari driver at Kilimanjaro Safaris.

What was most crazy is that a half hour before the park closed, the shops and food stands closed up! That would never happen at DW!

Umm, yes it does. Many of the outdoor food vendors close before park closing at Disney. And at Epcot, they don't even open World Showcase until 11:00 AM. What's up with that? Any shops that may have closed early are third party vendors. All of the Universal stores stay open. Some of the food vendors do close early at Universal and IoA but some do at Disney also. I tried to get a coke across from Pirates at El Pirata Y el Perico and they were closed an hour before park closing. This is just one of many places closed before park closing at Magic Kingdom. I also wanted to grab a bite to eat at MGM and tried both Backlot Express and Starring Rolls and both were closed an hour before park closing.

We head for lunch (free remember) and go to check out - no free lunch. How to fix it? Head all the way across the park to guest services.

You should have been given food tickets for each day of your visit. Each day you use that to get a new wrist band for the day. It seems like either you didn't bring that day's tickets or someone neglected to give them to you.

That's it, I blow and yell out 'This doesn't happen at DW.'

Nice. You know I go to Disney several times a month and if I ever have a problem, I certainly wouldn't bring up Universal's "perfection" to the Guest Relations people there. I would state my problem and expect them to solve it.

 

[JawsCPA]

Just had to respond with a positive for UNI.

Our first visit to the UNIVERSE was one week the last of June this year. We stayed at Hard Rock and LOVED LOVED LOVED it. Our only complaint was the RAIN RAIN RAIN and Universal doesn't control that!

We stayed for 5 nights and bored didn't even cross our minds. We have a 16-18 hour drive or we would visit again soon.

We also spent a few days at Disney about 6 years ago and also loved that experience.

People - you can love both - you don't have to pick only one!

 

[Rabbitlover]

People - you can love both - you don't have to pick only one!

I couldnt agree more I grew up going to Disney World and on Disney cruises ( even before it was DCL, when it was premiere if that tells you anything..lol) and we just got back from our first trip to Universal & IOA and I loved it! You cant compare it to DW because its not. I honestly will go back to Universal before I will visit DW again ( unless of course we are taking another cruise and do the cruise and park package )

 

[momof3disneyholics]

Wow, I worked at Disney and Universal at the same time and certainly didn't turn off the "magic" when I went from one to the other. It's not that Universal's guests don't expect the same kind of quality as Disney, it is just that they tend to not focus on getting their behinds kissed and just enjoy their vacations.

 

[aztecgoods]

I have to disagree, I think IOA has its own kind of magic, on the par to Disney but not inferior by any means. I agree with the other poster that the Lost Continent section is magical for putting you in that other world. Same with Jurassic Park, it really makes me feel like I am in the movie there. Suess Landing and all the areas, especially the IOA entrance Port of Entry area has a magic that it makes me feel like I'm being transformed into another time or dimension or something. I love IOA, I love Dis too, but I don't think Dis is any "better" they are different with their own magic. The old U park is not as "magical" as IOA but its great too. And to the poster that hasn't been since IOA was built, i would say then you haven't ever really been to U, not just becuase of IOA but for all the new things put in the old park as well. If you made me pick I would pick going to U property over Dis, but I prefer to do both.

 

[Medic1895]

You should have been given food tickets for each day of your visit. Each day you use that to get a new wrist band for the day. It seems like either you didn't bring that day's tickets or someone neglected to give them to you.

Wow. Yeah, I left them on the counter in the hotel bathroom. How could I have forgotten....
Obviously I kinda trusted the staff member when they told me they were on the card.

Nice. You know I go to Disney several times a month and if I ever have a problem, I certainly wouldn't bring up Universal's "perfection" to the Guest Relations people there. I would state my problem and expect them to solve it.

That's the problem I had that day - their solution was to pay for lunch then a 20 minute hike TO guest relations. And yes, they handled it fine. But my point was I wanted it to be right the first time, especially when I tried to confirm it at the beginning of the day.

 

[phamton]

Wow. Yeah, I left them on the counter in the hotel bathroom. How could I have forgotten....
Obviously I kinda trusted the staff member when they told me they were on the card.
But my point was I wanted it to be right the first time, especially when I tried to confirm it at the beginning of the day.

Well it sounded like it was your mistake not theirs. The "staff" know that the meal deal tickets are for your meals. They do tell you that when they give you the tickets and it is printed on the meal deal tickets in case you forget. They got it right the first time by giving you the meal deal tickets for your entire trip. You forgot them in the room. If you had forgotten to bring your themepark tickets would you blame the "staff" for that? It was your mistake and they made it right for you. They did not have to do that but instead of being grateful you felt the need to berate them.

If I forget to bring my Disney dining vouchers for the free dining, I seriously doubt that Disney would let me eat free and just trust I had enough dining points. And if I did forget the vouchers at the hotel, I certainly would not be throwing the Universal comparison out to Disney guest relations for my mistake. But hey, that's just me.

 

[Medic1895]

Um, I was being sarcastic - we didn't forget anything. (I thought it was obvious, I guess it wasn't)

When we checked in to get our package, the guest services representative forgot to give us any meal tickets and told us they were on our admission tickets. We even asked to confirm and he said yes they are on your admission ticket. They were not. And we found that out when we went to eat. You are correct, they give you meal cards then you get a wristband. How in the world would we know that, especially when we asked?

I guess I just don't appreciate having to waste an hour of our vacation to go fix a mistake they made. And yes, I told them I was angry. And I would do it again. To me, that is 'Nice' - Nice to my family and defending myself/them when we have been wronged.

 

[phamton]

I'm sorry I didn't catch the sarcasm. My mistake. I apologize for that.

Did you pick up your original tickets at the hotel or the park? I suspect it was the hotel representative as I can see them making that mistake but find it almost impossible to believe that the Guest Services coordinator at the park would tell you that.

The hotels are not owned by Universal and don't always give correct information.

To me, that is 'Nice' - Nice to my family and defending myself/them when we have been wronged.

There is nothing wrong with defending your family but this was hardly a hostile take over or a mugging. Yes, you can be upset for the time wasted but it is not necessary to bring up Disney. I was talking once to a Guest Relations representative at Disney several months ago and was asking about some of their biggest complaints and she mentioned being yelled at because Disney does not let you purchase fastpass for the entire day like Universal does. She mentioned how she hates it when people start out with "at Seaworld" or "at Universal". I just think that is inconsiderate to do that to any employee whether they work at Disney or Universal or even Warmart. State your complaint, ask for them to make it right but don't throw up other themeparks into the discussion.

 

[Amity 3]

ahhh, the New York/New Jersey/Florida love triangle rears it's head.

 

[phamton]

ahhh, the New York/New Jersey/Florida love triangle rears it's head.

Yes, the next time I'm up in Yankee country, I'm going to yell at the waitress and tell her that we always get better service when I lived in Texas. I'm sure she will appreciate that.

Don't mess with Texas.