DonaldDoleWhip
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2008
I'm still not sure what came over me when I bought that ticket - it almost felt like my heart was turning to stone. Still, after spending 6.5 hours in the Universal parks over the past few days, I'll try to address some of those comparisons.Say it isn't so Mr. DDW! The Dark Side?! How could you!
I, for one, would be curious to hear about your comparisons of the two Parks in terms of general atmosphere, cast member interaction, of course overall food, etc. Andrew and I almost planned a trip to see the Harry Potter 'stuff' last year but I just couldn't justify the expense when we don't do thrill rides.
I have been to CityWalk and have seen The Blue Man Group. That is the extent of my visits to Universal. Oh, I have eaten at Emeril's Tchoup Chop and they may just be the two best meals I have ever eaten.
General atmosphere: Disney wins, no contest. Each of the WDW parks succeeds in transporting you from the real world to somewhere else (although obviously there are some weaker areas, such as DHS's backlot and AK's DinoLand). Universal's parks feel more 'real world', from the barely themed roller coasters (that you could find at a Six Flags) to the large 'warehouses' that house some of the attractions. Universal's atmosphere is definitely fun and energetic, but I prefer Disney's immersion and escapism.
-There's one exception to the above: the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (which matches WDW's immersion factor). The biggest flaw with the Wizarding World is that it recycled some of IoA's previous coasters. These coasters stand out (especially Dragon Challenge) because of their 'Six Flags' quality, but it looks like Wizarding World Part II will be completely original.
Cast member interaction: To my surprise, I didn't feel like Universal's cast members were any worse than WDW's. Both have workers who are really nice and friendly, and a few who might be having a bad day.
Food: My experience with Universal is extremely limited, but I have to give the edge to Disney here. Not only does Disney offer a ton of variety, but I feel like quality is slightly higher and prices are similar or more reasonable. My one meal in Potter World was good, but the menus at other locations seemed basic and/or overpriced. I even saw a place offering kebabs (which reminded me of Bengal Barbecue in DL), but when I saw other people carrying the kebabs around, they didn't look nearly as good as Bengal's. I haven't tried any of the table table service restaurants, and don't know if I will - good to hear positive things about Tchoup Chop, though!
Honestly, I think it was smart that you didn't go to Universal last year. There are some really cool shops and restaurants to explore in the Wizarding World, but aside from Potter, the thrill rides were my favorite part of Uni. That said, when Potter Part II opens, it might be fun visiting for a day (with a park hopper), as you could explore both halves of the Wizarding World and even take the Hogwarts Express between them.
That's a perfect description! When push comes to shove, I'm definitely on Team Disney, but the recent additions at Universal have finally compelled me to visit. Honestly, I'd be thrilled if Diagon Alley succeeds in drawing people away from WDW a bit longer, since then it might force WDW to actually start competing. Disney could certainly do more - they did it in DCA with Radiator Springs Racers (and they briefly tapped into it with the Mine Train's main show scene). I'd love to see Disney do it again.Though initially this came as a bit of a shock for me , the more I thought about it the more it made sense that you would want to try something a little different for fun and entertainment (yet still in familiar territory) as you begin this new chapter of your "real" life. So even though your surprise announcement is a little sad and disconcerting for me personally, as I have so enjoyed all your WDW reports over the years, in the end I think that having you reporting on things from the "dark side" will be of great benefit for me and all of your other readers. It will be kind of like having a spy behind enemy lines.
The dark side isn't as bad as I thought! In just a few hours (2.5 hours on Monday and 4 hours on Tuesday), I experienced far more than would be possible in WDW: Forbidden Journey (twice), the Incredible Hulk (twice), Dragon Challenge (both sides), Spider-Man, Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (three times!), Transformers, Simpsons, Mummy, and (of course) some of the highlights of the Wizarding World (excluding Ollivanders). Single rider was almost everywhere, which helped a lot. The dark side definitely isn't Disney, but it's still really fun (and will improve tremendously when the Potter expansion is complete).Mr DDW, I for one am glad to see you are expanding your horizons. As proud Universal AP holders, a trip to Orlando for us would not be complete without a couple of days on the dark side
I don't know when my next Orlando trip will be, but if it's before yours, I'll definitely share my thoughts on Diagon Alley. Maybe it would be worth it for a day.I have to come clean and admit that I have enjoyed my two visits to Universal - Orlando, especially the last one in summer 2010 because most of my family are big fans of the Harry Potter books and movies. However, our trips to Orlando are usually limited to about a week so when push comes to shove (so to speak), I will always choose WDW over US. But then again, I would love to see Diagon Alley...so perhaps "always" is too strong of a word.
Btw, I did notice a few people in Universal wearing MagicBands, so I wasn't the only one to start exploring the dark side.
Butterbeer was delicious...but I might have enjoyed pumpkin juice even more. I liked the spiced, cider-like flavor (and the ingredients list contained actual pumpkin puree!).Loved the Universal review! I also love Butterbeer