Do you like Disney World or Universal more? And why?

[shanew21]

I agree with you in principle, but lots of "planning" threads for WDW look exactly like that, with stuff scheduled to the hour.

There's a whole subforum for such plans ...

http://www.disboards.com/forums/pre-trip-reports-and-plans.144/

(When I first registered here I clearly remember someone's spreadsheet that was broken down into five-minute increments. They had carefully blocked off hours that were allotted to sleeping. Yes an extreme example, but again--an example you're unlikely to see anywhere but WDW.)

I personally love the planning. It builds the excitement for me.

However we always do Universal second because it's so much more laid back. After 4-5 days of Disney, we enjoy the relaxation that Universal brings.

 

[cruiser21]

I agree with you in principle, but lots of "planning" threads for WDW look exactly like that, with stuff scheduled to the hour.

There's a whole subforum for such plans ...

http://www.disboards.com/forums/pre-trip-reports-and-plans.144/

(When I first registered here I clearly remember someone's spreadsheet that was broken down into five-minute increments. They had carefully blocked off hours that were allotted to sleeping. Yes an extreme example, but again--an example you're unlikely to see anywhere but WDW.)

I've seen some of this, and I think it's a little nuts. We've been on several European cruises and I've never done anywhere near the extremes people go to plan a WDW trip. We've been to WDW 8 times and I've never done more than pick a park for each day and book ADR's but even that was subject to change once we got there. I'm the vacation planner in the family, but I try to take a laid back go with the flow attitude. If I were to pull out spread sheets I'm sure my family would have divorced me years ago.

 

[BigAlsGal]

What's Universal?

 

[macraven]

What's Universal?

A place where the red headed step kids of the Dis hang out

 

[perditax]

What's Universal?

The subforum whose thread you posted in.

 

[adisneyaunt]

I am making my first trip to Disney in 3 months and I am ecstatic to go but I am currently more excited to go back to Universal because that was my park growing up. I bet this question has been asked before but which do you prefer and why is that. From an outside perspective it looks like Disney has better themeing and more of everything but Universal and IOA have a lot of quality rides and less wait times.

Love Disney
Haven't gone to Universal...... yet

 

[skier_pete]

I don't know what we should have done in that situation - I guess our options were 1) Skip Soarin' before dinner (but then, again, we would have missed-out on park-time/ride-time due to ADR's), 2) Skip the ADR and waste $10, or 3) not have made the ADR in the first place and got counter service after Soarin' was over. In retrospect, rather than getting off the ride and running for our ADR, I should have done Option 3 - which is what we'll do from now on.

Even more off-topic: Honestly, what you should have done was stay on the ride and just arrive 20 minutes late for your ADR, then when you get there explain what happened. Disney is very understanding of these things. Basically if you have any sort of good reason at all - and "ride breakdown" is a VERY good reason - they will seat you and you won't be charged.

The reason that policy was implemented is that (as usual) people were abusing the system, booking multiple reservations and no-showing the ones they didn't feel like going to. I heard - and this may or may not be true - they were up to around 10% no-shows on reservations, so they were overbooking all the restaurants, so when people WERE showing, they would get all backed up. The $10 fee fixed that problem...but again they are very reasonable if you are late or even if you have to cancel at the last minute, as long as you don't do it all the time.

Slightly more on-topic: I've helped numerous people plan Disney trips, and I have 3 rules I always try to stress. Number 3 is "have a plan but be flexible". What I always say is, find the 5 or 6 things that you really want to do in that park that day, and make a plan that allows you to get those done. Anything beyond that should be considered bonus.

Eve more on-topic: What is the reason that people feel they don't feed a plan at Universal? I bought the touring plans book, and I would have normally put together a pretty regimented plan, but with DD leading the trip, I decided to let her decisions (mostly) lead the flow. However, I am still considering rope drop a must, and strategizing about the first 2 or 3 rides we do each day. I realize there's no ADRs or FP+ at Universal - is that the reason people think you don't have to plan? I think to me it means a plan is even more important - because now you don't have a system to take advantage of, you just have to outsmart everyone.

 

[VacaPlanner2012]

Even more off-topic: Honestly, what you should have done was stay on the ride and just arrive 20 minutes late for your ADR, then when you get there explain what happened. Disney is very understanding of these things. Basically if you have any sort of good reason at all - and "ride breakdown" is a VERY good reason - they will seat you and you won't be charged.

The reason that policy was implemented is that (as usual) people were abusing the system, booking multiple reservations and no-showing the ones they didn't feel like going to. I heard - and this may or may not be true - they were up to around 10% no-shows on reservations, so they were overbooking all the restaurants, so when people WERE showing, they would get all backed up. The $10 fee fixed that problem...but again they are very reasonable if you are late or even if you have to cancel at the last minute, as long as you don't do it all the time.

Slightly more on-topic: I've helped numerous people plan Disney trips, and I have 3 rules I always try to stress. Number 3 is "have a plan but be flexible". What I always say is, find the 5 or 6 things that you really want to do in that park that day, and make a plan that allows you to get those done. Anything beyond that should be considered bonus.

Eve more on-topic: What is the reason that people feel they don't feed a plan at Universal? I bought the touring plans book, and I would have normally put together a pretty regimented plan, but with DD leading the trip, I decided to let her decisions (mostly) lead the flow. However, I am still considering rope drop a must, and strategizing about the first 2 or 3 rides we do each day. I realize there's no ADRs or FP+ at Universal - is that the reason people think you don't have to plan? I think to me it means a plan is even more important - because now you don't have a system to take advantage of, you just have to outsmart everyone.

My reason for not needing a plan is simple - we stay on site and stay multiple days. Express Pass allows us to do everything we want with no stress. We go over in the morning, ride some rides, head back to the resort, then have dinner at CityWalk and close the parks. Over our allotted time frame, we do everything, most things multiple times. Add some general knowledge (like HP stuff in the evening is less crowded), and there you go.

We truly make dinner decisions no different than at home - go with what sounds good that day.

No planning? That might be an overstatement (or understatement, not sure which). For example, I know we are going to spend 2 hours riding the water rides at IofA, so we are going to wear water shoes and appropriate clothes. I will check the weather forecast and decide which day is better than another. I am sure I will use the same philosophy with Volcano Bay. If that is still considered some sort of planning, then I do plan some.

Compared to Disney - where I have to decide what type of food I want 6 months out (or eat counter service all vacation), therefore, also possibly deciding which park I will be in that day, then further have to be in a certain portion of that park at a specific time, and the result was stress. And this is for the same 7 day on-site vacation. Unlike the example being discussed, our situation was the ride was done 20 minutes before our ADR, so we had to wait until our ADR time with 2 young kids - no good. Thus, it "feels" like no planning.

 

[J-Dog]

Even more off-topic: Honestly, what you should have done was stay on the ride and just arrive 20 minutes late for your ADR, then when you get there explain what happened. Disney is very understanding of these things. Basically if you have any sort of good reason at all - and "ride breakdown" is a VERY good reason - they will seat you and you won't be charged.

The reason that policy was implemented is that (as usual) people were abusing the system, booking multiple reservations and no-showing the ones they didn't feel like going to. I heard - and this may or may not be true - they were up to around 10% no-shows on reservations, so they were overbooking all the restaurants, so when people WERE showing, they would get all backed up. The $10 fee fixed that problem...but again they are very reasonable if you are late or even if you have to cancel at the last minute, as long as you don't do it all the time.

Thanks for the advice. As I said, it may have been a rookie mistake on my part, in that I didn't have the experience that you do as to Disney's leniency, and so I wasn't going to risk wasting $10 of an already-expensive vacation. So it kind of ruined that experience for me.

I actually kind-of like the planning of stuff before-hand, even six-months out. But I really hated having to adhere to a strict (or even semi-strict) schedule when we are actually on vacation. My job consists of meeting with clients at specific appointment times every single day - meeting specific ride/dining times every day on vacation just doesn't appeal to me.

Having said that though, the Disney experience overall was still slightly better than UO, but the Disney experience would be WAY better than UO if it wasn't for the strict scheduling, IMO.

 

[tortilla24]

UO is so much more laid back. When I think of my future planning with children and a family (which is a few years down the line for me), I dread the thought of planning the Disney trips - it's mostly the ADRs and the FP for character interactions. Both my and my boyfriend's vacation style is to make a few reservations and play the rest by ear. SO not Disney compatible.

 

[Alicefan]

I posted a few pages back in this thread that I prefer Disney, but probably only by a little bit.

My biggest con is the planning. Not so much the pre-planning of FP+'s and ADR's, but the planning required once you are actually there in the park to make sure you meet the requirements of that planning.

Yes yes! Exactly this! I love the planning part because that is so much fun to do throughout the year, but getting there and having to think about where you are in the park at what time to make sure you're not on the wrong side when your ADR hits... blah blah blah. You can't just stroll around and enjoy anything at all. It's far too much thinking for a vacation. About your having to run for your ADR's, I'm willing to bet that they would have still given you a table if you told them you were stuck on a ride.

 

[psac]

Even more off-topic: Honestly, what you should have done was stay on the ride and just arrive 20 minutes late for your ADR, then when you get there explain what happened. Disney is very understanding of these things. Basically if you have any sort of good reason at all - and "ride breakdown" is a VERY good reason - they will seat you and you won't be charged.

The reason that policy was implemented is that (as usual) people were abusing the system, booking multiple reservations and no-showing the ones they didn't feel like going to. I heard - and this may or may not be true - they were up to around 10% no-shows on reservations, so they were overbooking all the restaurants, so when people WERE showing, they would get all backed up. The $10 fee fixed that problem...but again they are very reasonable if you are late or even if you have to cancel at the last minute, as long as you don't do it all the time.

Slightly more on-topic: I've helped numerous people plan Disney trips, and I have 3 rules I always try to stress. Number 3 is "have a plan but be flexible". What I always say is, find the 5 or 6 things that you really want to do in that park that day, and make a plan that allows you to get those done. Anything beyond that should be considered bonus.

Eve more on-topic: What is the reason that people feel they don't feed a plan at Universal? I bought the touring plans book, and I would have normally put together a pretty regimented plan, but with DD leading the trip, I decided to let her decisions (mostly) lead the flow. However, I am still considering rope drop a must, and strategizing about the first 2 or 3 rides we do each day. I realize there's no ADRs or FP+ at Universal - is that the reason people think you don't have to plan? I think to me it means a plan is even more important - because now you don't have a system to take advantage of, you just have to outsmart everyone.

We're not going until the end of the month, but I think the popular reason for not planing IS the express pass for staying onsite. If you have that, it's basically like unlimited fast pass (except for the HP stuff). So if you have FP for everything, and you can walk up most restaurants, you really don't need to plan. Without the express pass, I think planning is a good idea.

 

[Csaks]

Eve more on-topic: What is the reason that people feel they don't feed a plan at Universal? I bought the touring plans book, and I would have normally put together a pretty regimented plan, but with DD leading the trip, I decided to let her decisions (mostly) lead the flow. However, I am still considering rope drop a must, and strategizing about the first 2 or 3 rides we do each day. I realize there's no ADRs or FP+ at Universal - is that the reason people think you don't have to plan? I think to me it means a plan is even more important - because now you don't have a system to take advantage of, you just have to outsmart everyone.

If you have the express pass no planning needed. Harry Potter stuff has slow times, seen it around here somewhere. That would be the only "planning" I would need to do. Eating is easy, no different than home. Walk up ask for a table and if the wait is too long, move along to the next place.
When I started Disney back in '01, the extent of our planning was looking up which park to go to on which day of the week. I remember ADR's were going to the parks guest services and asking what they had open for the night and which restaurant , deciding, then putting our name on the list. Fastpass was pretty cool, we found there was usually big rides together in an area. So we'd get a Fastpass for one and go standby for the other. By the time we got out of that ride the FP was open for the other.
There was always a bit of planning to get the most out of your Disney trip but it has become work for me before and during the vacation. So in five weeks, we are going to Florida. Have enough in the budget for four days of hotels and parks before we meet up with family in Ft Myers. Years ago it would be a no brainer for us, Disney all the way, not anymore. For the money you drop these days, I want to leave relaxed.

 

[maltdizzy]

I might agree with so many others here.

I grow up at WDW, but we lived in LA for years when our kid was born and Disneyland ruined WDW for us. Having so many attraction (more than DW) so tightly packed, without the need for ADR's and FP+'s. It was..."a day at the park."

That's the feeling we get with Universal...just a day to go into a theme park and have fun and not worry about any schedule.

We still go to WDW, but we can only handle it every 3 years or so — all the scheduling, all the travel time just to get around the resort, and much of it just doesn't have the personal touch of DL. There are far more memorable vacations, like Hawaii and Europe, that are a lot less hassle. But, Universal is so easy, we could go there for 2-3 days every year.

 

[TheConsciousness]

Slightly off topic: I enjoy seeing the new faces of Disney fans who seemingly stumbled across this thread. Oh, and especially the ones who haven't visited Universal.
Was this thread linked to in the Disney planning forums?

 

[pcstang]

Slightly off topic: I enjoy seeing the new faces of Disney fans who seemingly stumbled across this thread. Oh, and especially the ones who haven't visited Universal.
Was this thread linked to in the Disney planning forums?

I hope not! Universal is terrible! Stay at WDW! Lol

 

[macraven]

Slightly off topic: I enjoy seeing the new faces of Disney fans who seemingly stumbled across this thread. Oh, and especially the ones who haven't visited Universal.
Was this thread linked to in the Disney planning forums?

No
but if you look at the profile of the person that started the thread he is a 23 yo male that started the thread last year and not returned this year

Doesn't appear to be an universal fan as I don't see his postings in our four forums

A few posts by him in the thread in the beginning only

Some posters make new threads in many forums and don't stay with them later

I've started threads before then move onto different things
One thought leads to another sometimes

 

[cbsnyber1]

I hope not! Universal is terrible! Stay at WDW! Lol

 

[cbsnyber1]

We NEVER wait in line at Disney, between rope drop and FP+, if we wait in line more than 20 minutes, it usually isn't more than 2 or 3 times a trip.

The magic words for WDW, "rope drop". Every single Disney planner says how important it is to be at the parks at rope drop...except my gang doesn't work that way. We're on vacation; at Universal we like to hang at the pools deep into the evening, or lounge at a watering spot in City Walk, or simply sit in the hotel lobby late into the night. And then sleep in the next morning in our comfortable Universal resort beds, rolling out whenever because we have express passes.

We aren't rope drop people because we prefer to relax, not plan around an early entrance. We have our beat the crowds strategy: the lovely and simple express pass. Our Universal trip planning consists of: which park or pool tomorrow? - we do that the night before. We do occasionally make a restaurant reservation while there but that's it.

Again, to each his or her own. I know families that love planning out every second of their WDW trip and doing rope drop, and they have a good time - make that a great time. That's their preference and I support them for that because they are doing what they love to do. Isn't that the point?

 

[pcstang]

The magic words for WDW, "rope drop". Every single Disney planner says how important it is to be at the parks at rope drop...except my gang doesn't work that way. We're on vacation; at Universal we like to hang at the pools deep into the evening, or lounge at a watering spot in City Walk, or simply sit in the hotel lobby late into the night. And then sleep in the next morning in our comfortable Universal resort beds, rolling out whenever because we have express passes.

We aren't rope drop people because we prefer to relax, not plan around an early entrance. We have our beat the crowds strategy: the lovely and simple express pass. Our Universal trip planning consists of: which park or pool tomorrow? - we do that the night before. We do occasionally make a restaurant reservation while there but that's it.

Again, to each his or her own. I know families that love planning out every second of their WDW trip and doing rope drop, and they have a good time - make that a great time. That's their preference and I support them for that because they are doing what they love to do. Isn't that the point?

Absolutely! Couldn't have said it any better. We prefer to...

Kinda disappointed the jimmy Fallon walls are almost all down. We have some hilarious poses infront of his different poses. Can't post them here but they are great. Well, maybe one...