Leora Tripp Week 4: Why I think Disney World is Superior to Universal Studios
Why I think Disney World is Superior to Universal Studios
Being born and raised in Florida, I have grown up going on annual road trips to Disney World with my family. I have always loved the rides in Magic Kingdom and the World Showcase in Epcot. Something about the quaint and cohesive nature of Disney World has always been more appealing to me than any other amusement park; especially universal.
After our recent school trip to Universal, I can confidently say that there is definitely a bigger interest in Universal amongst teenagers my age. Prior to the school trip, a poll went out asking students if they prefer Magic Kingdom (in Disney World) or Islands of Adventure (in Universal), and the results showed that Islands of Adventure won by a landslide. In a “Universal or Disney for Teenagers” topic on TripAdvisor, a Mom from the United Kingdom writes that “teenagers aged 24 and 17 love Universal Island of Adventure and Busch Gardens and find Disney a bit tame” (Carol 2004).
I have found that I do not fall into this category with the majority of teenagers my age. While I enjoyed my past weekend spent at Universal, I prefer the tamer rides and thematic environment that Disney World provides. I have also grown up visiting Disney World so it feels more nostalgic to me. On our recent school trip to Islands of Adventure, I felt more pressured to do bigger scaled rides that just didn’t seem as carefully crafted to constitute a common theme or message as the rides do in Disney World. For example, a water ride called Splash Mountain in Disney World follows the story of a devious fox who maneuvers his way out of a bad situation. There is a similar water ride in Universal, Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls, however, I did not feel that it told any story or followed any theme that made the ride enjoyable. I also noticed that there weren't as many interactive characters in Universal and found that the workers were not as friendly or cheerful compared to the kind workers and many characters in Disney World. In my eyes, these factors alone contribute to a less appealing environment at Universal when compared to Disney World. However, I think that less interactive characters and bigger scaled rides are what drive teenagers my age towards Universal instead of Disney. Which amusement park do you prefer?
I totally get where you're coming from; I originally voted for Magic Kingdom because of the happy environment and nice theme, but I actually surprised myself by how much I enjoyed Islands of Adventure. Islands of Adventure also has different themes within it like Jurassic World and Marvel Superhero. I agree that it's not as cohesive as Disney, but it still has fun themes and even better rides for all ages. I think people can outgrow Disney but can never outgrow Universal because of its more intense rides for teenagers and adults. I had so much fun on intense rides like the Hulk, the Velocicoaster, and Hagrid's Magical Creature Motorbike Adventure (which told a great story) along with so many other rides that I would have been disappointed to not experience if we went to Disney instead. There were even little kids on the intense rides as well like Velocicoaster and Jurassic Park River Adventure, which they won't think are too childish when they're older. I even saw a whole performance from universal characters while I was in the park, just like you would in Disney. Although I used to be a Disney person, I think I have turned over a new leaf and very much enjoyed everything universal had to offer this past weekend. Walking off the Hulk made me feel like a GODDESS!
ReplyDeleteI am most definitely on the same page as you! As a native Floridian who grew up going to Disney at least once every year, I have a stronger connection to Disney World and enjoy going there much more than going to Universal. Sure, some of the more "adult" rides can be fun, but I love the cute themes and unique stories that you can find in every ride at Disney in general, not just Magic Kingdom. Plus, the environment is all around more comfortable and light hearted, including our favorite childhood characters and delicious food. I never really understood, and still don't, why people like Universal better.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved Disney World, primarily Magic Kingdom. Being completely honest, I was a little confused as I was anticipating everyone to vote Magic Kingdom. However, Islands of Adventure definitely surprised me with how much I ultimately enjoyed it. But, in my opinion, Disney World is unsurpassed.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has grown up going to Disney, I completely agree that Disney has the best environment for a theme park. But, as I get older I tend to want to go to Universal more often because of the rides. The rides at Universal are for an older audience compared to Disney. With this being said I still have a better time at Disney and they are constantly coming out with better rides for an older audience which just makes it that much better.
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