Universal Orlando takes Disney by the ears

[JustBob]

But, responding to Johare's blowing off of the gum comment, I've gotta say that we have a park here in Denver that doesn't do anything about the gum and it's a disgusting mess. In a previous incarnation of the park they actually had a tree covered with people's wads of gum. Now the park is owned by 6 flags, so of course it's as bad or worse than ever.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[larworth]

When O'Brien said "Universal has the rides" I took that as rides in the broadest sense (attractions) and not just thrill rides. Since Disney has so many more attractions (rides) it is an interesting perception. Must be the ratio (attractions to total entertainment offered) that causes this? Since Disney offers so much more they do have a lower ride ratio.

However, if we built a one-day Disney park with their best attractions and a one-day Universal park with the same I still can't see Universal as a clear winner. At best a toss-up? I was thinking about my top 12-15 attractions from each.

Things we could add to Europa's list:

BTTF vs Star Tours
Cat in the Hat vs Pan or Pooh
Twister vs Alien Encounter
ET vs Pirates or HM
Playground vs Playground

Of couse excluding shows. parades, and spectacles is a big equalizer.

 

[johare]

But, responding to Johare's blowing off of the gum comment, I've gotta say that we have a park here in Denver that doesn't do anything about the gum and it's a disgusting mess. In a previous incarnation of the park they actually had a tree covered with people's wads of gum. Now the park is owned by 6 flags, so of course it's as bad or worse than ever.

I blew off the comment as it applies to USF/IOA. I've NEVER seen any problem with gum on the ground at any Disney OR Universal Park...in fact, I don't think SeaWorld even has a problem with it. Cleanliness at Universal is right up there with Disney. Six Flags is a completely different story...those parks are filthy and disgusting.

 

[YoHo]

How can you blow off the point of a thread?
johare. I'm inclined to agree that Universal has never exhibited a "GUm" Problem, but it's there PR guy that basically says that a little gum on the ground is a good thing and Disney is a bunch of anal retentive freaks for caring so much. That Statement of Universal PR is beyond ludicrous regardless of the Park's Gumlessness (?!?)

 

[raidermatt]

Good point yoho.

Also, I found this quote "interesting":

"I don't know of another hotel where you're likely to be checked in by a person with a pierced lip,..."

To each his/her own, but I don't exactly see this to be something most WDW guests are looking for. Most people who consider this to be a plus probably don't visit WDW that much. That would be one reason why Universal added millions of guests without WDW suffering. They're going after a different market and they know it. Sure, there's some overlap, but not enough to make anybody at WDW squirm.

Most of us seem to agree that a little competition is good, and will force Disney to invest in the parks. However, maybe we should re-think this. We also thought that if attendance fell at a Disney park (DCA), mgmt would be forced to re-think their ways, and go in a different direction. Instead, as AV points out, that may not be the case. Their response might simply be to give up and do things cheaper to keep making money.

Any chance they would respond in this manner if Universal did start to suck away the very profitable family guests?

 

[OnWithTheShow]

Hey, don't get me wrong I really like IOA (not a big fan of Universal Studios). I think it is a great park with some serious thrill rides that at some points even make an attempt at theming (IE Dueling Dragons queue). However it still doesnt stack up to Disney in any regard other than thrills. It definitely outrates any Six Flags I have visited in every category. The gum story is a real true tale from the Spiderman queue. I do personally know many Univeral cast members who work there because they got terminated from Disney for one reason or another and I am not insulting there cast there are many Universal cast members who certainly are more friendly than some of the people I have worked with Disney. I apologize if my comments came out the wrong way. Just trying to start a friendly discussion!

 

[KNWVIKING]

My two sons were 20 & 17 last time they went to WDW. They enjoyed themselves but did get bored. They do like the thrill rides and do not yet appriciate WDW for it being more then just rides. I know the crowd IOA is shooting for but I think they failed. As far as thrill ride parks go,the SIX FLAGG parks beat IOA easily. Whats IOA gotueling dragons are just average coasters that usually just beat your head around & leave you with a headache. Hulk is a good coaster,but I prefer Aerosmith. Dudley's log flume is poorly themed and basically you need to realize that you will get soakingwet not because of the drop & splash but because they blast you with water cannons when you hit the bottom. I personally don't want to spend a late December day soaking wet. Dr Doom...please,what a waste. Spiderman is a great ride,wish Disney had it. Overall I don't see where the park is more then a one day trip every other year.

I do prefer City Walk to PI & there are some great attractions in US. I like the way US puts you in parking garages & uses the people movers to get you into the parks.I don't like all the wasted acres of parking lots in WDW. I realize,space isn't an issue at WDW and parking garages are more costly,but I just don't like acres of asphault.

My oldest boy graduates next June. We're planning a trip to Orlando that won't include WDW. We're staying right on I-drive and getting our sons the Orlando Flex Pass. We think they'll enjoy Sea World, Wet-nWild,IOA & US more the WDW. But I know when they get older & have their own kids,WDW will be where they'll go.

 

[raidermatt]

The gum story is a real true tale from the Spiderman queue.

I do personally know many Univeral cast members who work there because they got terminated from Disney for one reason or another

I apologize if my comments came out the wrong way. Just trying to start a friendly discussion!

Show, no need to apologize for passing on your experiences and insights. They are very helpful and offer an inside perspective most of us do not have.

 

[DVC-Landbaron]

Hey, don't get me wrong I really like IOA (not a big fan of Universal Studios).

Me either. I have only been to Universal once. I liked it, but I have no burning desire to go back. I am going to try IOA for the first time this year. We’ll see!!

I apologize if my comments came out the wrong way.

Welcome to the club!!

Just trying to start a friendly discussion!

Yep! Don’t ya just love it!!!!

BTW the two new confirmed attractions at Disney World are both going to be top notch and also expect to hear more official news soon.

Hmmm. Didn’t anyone else notice this? I found this a bit intriguing. Care to elaborate Mr. Show!?

 

[raidermatt]

An article on Vivendi's current cash crunch. Ouch.

OS article on Vivendi

Here's the text:

NEW YORK -- If the ouster of flamboyant chief executive Jean-Marie Messier was meant to calm the turmoil at Vivendi Universal, it didn't work.

Bond downgrades by rating agencies Moody's Investors Service and Standard & Poor's sparked near-panic selling in Paris where Vivendi shares on Tuesday plunged 25 percent to a 15-year low. The S&P report indicated Vivendi's debt obligation this year is $3 billion higher than many analysts had expected.

Suddenly, investors were less concerned about the media conglomerate's fuzzy strategic focus and management woes than its ability to survive a severe cash crunch. Vivendi's new management now must negotiate at a disadvantage with the big European banks that control the company's future and with potential buyers of properties that may need to be sold more quickly that originally planned, analysts said.

Some of the company's signature properties could go on the block, analysts said, including Universal Studios, Universal Music, French pay-TV unit Canal Plus, and French wireless-phone company Cegetel.

The company has scheduled a board meeting in Paris today, during which directors are expected to address the liquidity crisis and the appointment of Messier's successor. The top candidate is said to be Jean-Rene Fourtou, 63, vice chairman of the French-German drug company Aventis.

But there are more immediate problems. While Moody's dropped Vivendi's credit rating to junk-bond status, S&P sliced it to one notch above junk, with the explicit warning that the rating "would be lowered several notches" if the company does not secure "significant refinancing within the next few weeks."

Vivendi spokeswoman Anita Larsen said the company had no response to the credit agency reports and Vivendi stood by a previous statement that it has enough credit to meet its cash obligations for the year.

 

[Another Voice]

Mr. Show – work at the parks long enough and you’ll think that the “gum stories” are the easy ones. Any place the packs 50,000 humans inside for a day runs into problems. Disney is no better or worse than Universal.

The real difference between the two place is that WDW is for people who come to see “Disney”, Universal is for people who come to see “Orlando”.

Universal does not expect people to spend six days on their property – they want your hotel money and a couple days of your time. The rest is for Sea World and even maybe Disney. It’s the Las Vegas model of tourism: the place is the big draw, a single casino works on attracting as many of the people in town as it can and to hold them for as long as they can. By they all understand people are going to go out onto the Strip.

Disney works like a cruise ship – once you’re on property you don’t leave the boat even if you know how to swim. Disney wants your ENTIRE vacation – hotels, theme parks, meals, merchandising, parking, snacks, in-room movies, pay phone calls, the change you accidentally drop. Is it any wonder that all of the additions on property have been taken from success businesses off property? Think water parks, night club spots, mini-golf, shopping. Even Main Street has more t-shirt shops than International Drive does these days.

A lot of people are very happy with the 100% Disney model. But there is a large number of travelers that aren’t as enthralled as some around here. That’s the market Universal is going after. They know they will never cause WDW to empty of people and that’s why their park has a different feel and different attitude than the Mouse.

 

[HauntedMansionFan]

I'm just going to address a couple things from the article.

and street-soiling gum is conspicuously absent from stores

I prefer it that way. I don't want to step in it or see it on the sidewalk.

"I don't know of another hotel where you're likely to be checked in by a person with a pierced lip," says Williams

A hotel that I would rather stay away from. A pierced lip? Hard Rock Hotel or not, I think that is unprofessional.

it has morphed into a self-contained vacation universe with multiple parks, hotels, restaurants, nightclubs and even a full-service spa — in short, a mini-Disney World

I honestly can't see spending more then two days at Universal, even if I was staying on-site. One day at each park, the evening times at CityWalk.

Universal, finally, is "a full-blown resort," à la Disney, says Tom Williams

Not even close.

Disney does "a terrific job with the younger set, and I don't see any opportunity for us to ever try to take that segment. (But for teens), our experience, frankly, outdistances the competition

I'm 24, so I believe I'm part of their key demographic. I wouldn't lose any sleep if I never went to IOA or USF again. The reason I do go to IOA on trips to Disney is because my partner and friends like to go.

"it's a very guest-friendly experience

I don't find the staff at Universal very friendly.

Universal also has poured millions into white-knuckle attractions that ride enthusiasts say top anything at Disney, part of its strategy of targeting teens

There lies Universal's fault. They will attract only a certain demographic, not an entire segment. The "targeting teen" part gets to me. Not putting anyone down, but I try to avoid snotty teens while I'm on vacation.

"You could come to Orlando for a week now and never set foot in Disney World."

Or you spend a week in Disney World and never set foot anywhere else.

Just my take on things.

 

[HauntedMansionFan]

BTW, any new carnival attractions under construction at Disney?

Wow, even better than Primeval Whirl and the Aladdin's Magic Carpets!

Or do you mean, better then Caro-Seuss-Sel, One Fish/Two Fish, Dr. Doom's Fear Fall, Storm Force Accelatron, The Flying Unicorn? Please.... Universal has its handfull of off the shelf rides also.

 

[disrailfan]

We (DW, Kids, myself) really have no plans to ever visit IOA or US. See the one thing is that US and IOA are primariliy Roller Coaster Parks. It's very similiar the reason why we will not got Sea World when we visit Orlando. See I like Roller Coasters but the wife and kids are not so eager to ride them. I can spend less money taking a weekend and going to Cedar Point to get my annual roller coster fix.

We will continue to be hooked on Disney and will continue to spend two vacations a year there.

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by HauntedMansionFan
I don't find the staff at Universal very friendly.

They can be just as nice or just as surly as Disney employees or anyone for that matter.

There lies Universal's fault. They will attract only a certain demographic, not an entire segment. The "targeting teen" part gets to me. Not putting anyone down, but I try to avoid snotty teens while I'm on vacation.

Why is it a fault...the wanted to draw teens and they do...seems like a success to me. You may not have wanted to put anyone down..but seems like you did.

 

[EUROPA]

There are two kiddie coster as US and IOA and Two(Three if you split DD) Adult coasters at IOA. So the idea that they are Coaster parks is not true. Two of the best coasters in the country but only two still. You should give it a try with an open mind and I bet you will be surprised.

 

[Eeyore2U]

Originally posted by EUROPA
There are two kiddie coster as US and IOA and Two(Three if you split DD) Adult coasters at IOA. So the idea that they are Coaster parks is not true. Two of the best coasters in the country but only two still. You should give it a try with an open mind and I bet you will be surprised.

I did. We take DS since he's a tweener. Last year we did both parks in less then 8 hours. On our next trip we'll drop off DS and his buddy and go do something fun. And by the way.... the money stays with me at my villa at BWV. I understand the demographic but think US/IOA has hit it's saturation level.

The funny quote I heard was in Guest Services at IOA. Acouple was having a problem and as the walked out they both said "that would never happen at Disney!!"

Europa, if you don't believe I went to IOA, take a look at my pics.

 

[HauntedMansionFan]

They can be just as nice or just as surly as Disney employees or anyone for that matter.

I have found in my experience and from hearing of experiences of others that Universal employees are worse the Disney's. I can honestly say that I've never seen a Universal CM greet me with a smile.

Why is it a fault...the wanted to draw teens and they do

Because Universal has claimed they want a larger piece of the action, yet they shut themselves off from larger demographics.

 

[EUROPA]

Originally posted by Eeyore2U

Europa, if you don't believe I went to IOA, take a look at my pics.

For some reason I've found an admirer on the boards. Hate to tell you this but I could really care less if you went to IOA or Universal Studios. I have no reason to doubt that you went or if you had a good time or not. Sorry did you expect some sort of argument from me about you going? Sorry to disappoint you

So you didn't like it so what? Not everyone likes everything I'll admit that. We'll label you as a USF hatter or whatever fits. Sound good?

 

[HauntedMansionFan]

Well that was a little uncalled for.