Why choose Universal?

[Pixie_Dust]

I just clicked on an article posted somewhere on this site by someone who is "over" WDW and prefers Universal, which is kind of how I felt on our vacation this year -- very weary and discouraged, and thinking we might have saved a lot of $ and had a lot better experience if we stayed at Universal instead. I didn't recognize how big a part of the huge dropoff in "Disney magic" was caused by My Disney Experience until I read the article. I agree with his other call-outs too, but there was no link to send him a message of thanks (anyone know Steve Eldridge?), or a way to ask why he prefers Portofino of the Universal hotels.
https://www.wdwinfo.com/walt-disney-world/why-i-gave-up-on-walt-disney-world/amp/

 

[PollyannaMom]

...or a way to ask why he prefers Portofino of the Universal hotels.

That's actually the only one of their deluxes we haven't tried yet...but we want to! I've enjoyed them all though, and I expect that's just his favorite theme. They're all great!

We tend to alternate years between Disney and Universal, and like both for different reasons. I agree Universal is easier, though.

 

[bumbershoot]

I go to Universal because it's awesome. And I miss it. Divorce really messed with my travel budget LOL.

I first went there ostensibly to see wizarding world, but I realized that a gazillion people probably aren't wrong, and made a leap of faith and planned on 4 days at Uni (10 days at Disney...the ex had a job that made taking long vacations easy). Allowed myself to spend time there, seeing everything, and was not disappointed. I can literally just walk around Islands of Adventure, not riding anything, and I'm happy. Even the music leading into the park makes me happy.

Portofino is gorgeous. The rooms are large and wonderful. The grounds are very nice. THREE pools to choose from (on top of Uni encouraging pool hopping between resorts). We had our issues with the pizza place there, but I've never heard of anyone having all the troubles we did, so maybe just don't go there with me and you'll be fine.

Don't go because you're tired of Disney; go because you want to try Universal.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

We alternate Disney and Uni vacations too. I still like them both, but the value is much higher at Uni. We’re paying almost half as much to stay at Portofino (Uni flagship resort) the weekend before Thanksgiving as we are to stay at Boardwalk in May and it comes with EP for our family of 5. We love the HP areas and lots of other things about the parks. True there are (currently) only 2 parks but we enjoy them and WWoHP is more magical and better themed than anything at Disney.

I’ve been reading about GE and feel like Disney massively missed the mark on it. HP is so amazing because it’s like stepping into the books or movies. I don’t want to go to some other planet ‘in the universe’. I want to be on Dagobaugh or Hoth or even Jaku (anyone else want a ride through that overturned AT-AT) or Croat. I feel like the complaints about bathroom cleanliness or flaking paint is missing the forest for the trees but everyone has their thing. We we’re not going to go back to Disney next year but decided that it’s the last year we will probably be able to take the oldest out of school so we are. But I feel like our trips to Disney are numbered. The magic to money ratio is not in the mouses favor anymore as the kids get older and Disney puts so many experiences behind a paywall. But everyone’s calculation on that is different.