[rlander]

Originally posted by gregc
At WL's Whispering Canyon the CMs do a routine where they have the kids take the pledge, "...and I promise... not to... go to... Universal..."

I have taken this pledge!!!!

[JOANN]

[quote]Originally posted by rlander
[b]I have been to WDW 10 times. We tried Universal once in 2000. We found that there was just no comparison to WDW, so we have no plans to visit Universal or any other local parks around Orlando.



I so agree. Went to Universal in 2001. Stayed at the Portofino Bay Resort , beautiful, but just wasen't Disney.
I just kept comparing things to Disney, and you really shouldn't do that, because it's totally different. Only my opinion.:) JOANN

[DisneyTeacher]

Originally posted by gregc


At WL's Whispering Canyon the CMs do a routine where they have the kids take the pledge, "...and I promise... not to... go to... Universal..." at we all laugh and cheer like the home team.

I had forgotten all about that, thanks for reminding me.


We love WDW and don't plan to visit Universal. When we go to WDW we park the car and don't step foot off property until it is time to go home. We have been to Sea World a few times and thought it was okay but we don't feel the need to return like we do WDW.

I really don't know if I would like Universal or not but there is so much at WDW that we haven't done yet that I can't bring myself to take the time to go any place else.

[MickeyRon]

*Holding right hand up*
AND I PROMISE NOT TO RETURN TO UNIVERSAL ORLANDO!:D :D

[mickaholic4077]

My first love is and always will be Disney,but I do love Sea World too. In fact,next weekend(MLK weekend) I plan to get the Sea World fun card and pay it off at 6 bucks a month. I have no interest in doing Universal again unless my niece and nephew want to do it.

[goofyguy1958]

We do Universal each and every time we go to WDW. WDW is by far my passion but I have not seen any thrill rides at WDW that compare to the Hulk, Spiderman, Dueling Dragons, etc.. I think I am living my second adolescent years. I jumped on a coaster 4 years, after not riding one for about 15 years, because I knew my DD was going to want to ride as soon as she was old enough asnd now I am the one who can't get enough thrills. Sometimes you feel like a nut and sometimes you are one. Also, my, at our last visit, 2and 5 year olds had a great time at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure -- there is plenty of things for them. With all this, I would choose WDW over Universal in a heart beat.

[LAURENGOLD]

We do Universal, too. Not each trip, but every other. We like to add one thing each time, September we went to Busch Gardens in Tampa, last Dec we did both Universal parks.

We really liked Universal, could be that it was decorated for Christmas, got to meet the Grinch, etc....Next December we are trying to figure a way to include both Universal parks and Discovery Cove.

I do feel like I'm taking time away from Disney though, no matter how long we go it's not long enough:( !!!;)

When I win the lottery, I will be taking my family and friends for at LEAST a 1 month stay, booking the POLY MK view!!!;) ;) We gotta have something to dream at night!!

Lauren

[roncss]

We made our only trip to Universal two years ago; 3 days/2 nights at the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel. We loved it, especially their Express Pass for Resort Guests. We then spent 5 days at WDW - WL and enjoyed that as well. They are two different environments and each have things they do well. We will probably visit Universal again this year during one of our WDW trips.
Ron :)

[Dana]

I went to Sea World the same year I took my first trip to WDW. I really don't remember much about it except the shows were pretty cool..we also went to Gatorland Zoo....I just remember all the gators under the rickety bridge and feeding them fish. I was 8 years old, so it was AWHILE ago.

Every year we travel to WDW, I always suggest maybe trying one of the "other" parks to my DD. She is not interested. It's not Disney. I would be open to try it, but kinda like getting off the plane and planting myself on WDW property for 5 or 6 days. I really can't see how I could possibly fit anything else in. Maybe when she gets a little older this may be something she's interested in, but for now we are Disney to the core.

[ILUVMICKEY333]

My 2 cents...maybe some of yall will understand this.....

When we go to WDW we dont rent a car. We enter the world and completely absorb ourselves in Disney. It becomes an island. If we leave we lose the magic of being in this self contained fantasy city....who wants to know that there are people going to work and traffic and so on right outside? not me! If I want an amusement park then I will take a vacation to one, there are plenty all over the country, and we have Sea World right here in Texas. If I want Disney I go to Disney.

[CeltiaCat]

Well, I've seen a fair number of the other parks over the years - and have very little interest in wasting precious vacation time on return visits.

Sea World: is nice enough for an occasional trip, but I just don't find it stands up to frequent, repeat visits.

DiscoveryCove: was certainly an enjoyable day, but a pricey one, and not one I'll consider repeating until there's more shade.

Universal Studios: was enjoyable on my first visit but I was less impressed the second time I went. Again, I didn't feel it stood up to a repeat visit as well as Disney does.

Islands of Adventure: Hmmm, this one failed my Quality test straight off due to some astoundingly rude and ignorant cast members, compounded by the lousy food and the total lack of any thing I had the slightest interest in doing. This was further compounded by a lack of little details - at Disney, while I'm waiting for CowboyMickey when he's off on rides I don't like, I've always got SOMETHING to look at. At IoA, I found myself looking at lots of concrete walls and getting very, very bored...

Further afield, I did visit Busch Gardens once long ago, but I was very upset by the animal welfare standards I saw back then. Hopefully they must have improved those by now. I have no desire to go back to check it out though.

Also further afield, and not really a park as such, the Kennedy Space Center is a place I enjoy visiting every 10 years or so.

I think the key thing for me is that I class Disney parks as THEME parks, whereas I feel a lot of the other parks are just mere amusement parks. I have relatively little interest in going on rides. I could happily spend a quiet afternoon just browsing round the MK or Epcot just looking and enjoying the subtle little details that lots of people fail to see. That's what is missing for me in a lot of the non-Disney parks - the theming may be there, but not the degree I enjoy.


CC

[catfish1999]

Yes, I'll admit it...I love Universal too! Been there about 5 times (FL resident 2 year annual pass). I'm a roller coaster nut, and sometimes you just have to let your hair down and SCREAM! My brother and I went last Sept. and had a blast. We acted like kids and had a fabulous time. (Wouldn't have guessed that we're in our FORTIES!)
We stayed onsite at The Royal Pacific Resort. I would recommend it highly. We toured the Hard Rock and Portofino and decided that we like RP best.
My older son (17) likes the thrill rides, while my 12 year old HATES them, so we try to balance it out.
Universal will never top Disney, but it's a fun day none the less.

[tinkerbell]

Originally posted by CeltiaCat


I think the key thing for me is that I class Disney parks as THEME parks, whereas I feel a lot of the other parks are just mere amusement parks. I have relatively little interest in going on rides. I could happily spend a quiet afternoon just browsing round the MK or Epcot just looking and enjoying the subtle little details that lots of people fail to see. That's what is missing for me in a lot of the non-Disney parks - the theming may be there, but not the degree I enjoy.


CC

that was so well said!!

[iluvwdw]

Wow, I do agree with a lot of people here!

We go to Universal a lot...NOT for the theming and magic, but solely because of the THRILL RIDES. When we bring my little brother (now 16), he is not as into the MAGIC as he is into the THRILLS! So we go to Universal IOA to satisfy our thrill ride craving. I do LOVE Spider Man, and I think it is one of the BEST rides I have ever been on!

We have also been to Sea World, but it is definitely a half day park. There is no magic like Disney and there really isn't much to do. There are a few great shows though, and you can feed and touch the dolphins and stingrays...a stingray "jumped" on me the last time I was there and I was so freaked out!!!! :nooo:

The MEN in my family would love to go to Universal/IOA on every trip, but I ABSOLUTELY love WDW...and after our trip to WDW last month (only our second on-site stay EVER), where we were able to "RELAX" since it was so uncrowded, I realized that there are still SO MANY THINGS that we haven't done yet, that I don't care if I ever leave WDW property. Like someone else said, if I want coasters I could always go to another theme park...we have Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey that has so many thrill rides, yet I never have ANY desire to go there!

I don't think everyone should dismiss Universal or Sea World without giving them a chance...true THEY ARE NOT DISNEY. And if you expect them to be, you will be disappointed. But if Disney is all you want to do, HAVE FUN DOING IT!!!!!!

Afterall...Walt Disney World in Orlando (Lake Buena Vista) is the most MAGICAL place on earth...I truly, wholeheartedly believe that!

And until December, we only stayed on-site once since we own timeshare right outside of Disney property...but now, I want to go EVERY December and stay on-site for an amazing trip, like the one I just had!

Whatever parks you all decide to do, ENJOY YOURSELF!!!!! :)

[mattomouseman]

This past summer we spent the first days of stay in Orlando at Royal Pacific Resort in Universal. We had a good time and the resort was nice but IT AIN'T DISNEY! I would probably not go out of my way to go back to Universal except for maybe as day trip. I would not stay there again.

When we go to DL in Feb. we will spend a day at Universal Studios only because I am a big movie buff and love the studio tour there.:)