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Better theming

Image: DisneyLook, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is amazing, and Universal deserves a tremendous amount of credit for its success. Still, the reality is that they finally succeeded in doing something that Disney mastered all the back in 1955.

Walt Disney famously struggled to express his idea to friends and family members. He wanted a series of themed lands that provide the ultimate in escapist entertainment for families. Even his wife thought Uncle Walt was too ambitious, but he carried through with his vision. He created the Happiest Place on Earth, a location equally divisible among five lands. Each one would cause guests to feel as if they were swept away to a faraway land or time.

Disney themed lands have remained a huge deal since that fateful opening day in 1955. Places like Tomorrowland and Adventureland have name recognition everywhere on the planet. People automatically associate these concepts with specific parts of the park, and that speaks volumes about Disney’s success in theming.

Image: DisneyThe concept isn’t a surface level implementation, though. Disney cares so much about keeping themes authentic that even their FastPass queues and garbage cans must seem like a part of the attraction. Every single element must tie back to the themed area and the specific attraction. Otherwise, the illusion will shatter, and a person will remember that they’re at a theme park. Disney has had six decades to master the premise, and it’s the life’s blood of the Parks and Resorts empire.

Disney’s so good at theming that they’re held to a higher standard. When Disney California Adventure opened, critics assailed it for offering little new, which was unfair for a place that introduced the world to Soarin’. Cynics will likely hurl similar criticisms at Pandora – World of Avatar, but Disney’s already taking a victory lap for what they’ve accomplished with their latest themed land. Disney’s latest themed land offers tantalizing hints at what Stars War Land can do when it finally opens in 2019.

Better transportation

Image: DisneyDescribing Universal’s transportation options as comically inept is a little unfair. The parks don’t have the need for transportation that a larger campus would. The main concern from a theme park design perspective is taking guests from onsite hotels to the two gates. Since Universal resorts are by the water, the only real option is a boat.

One quirk exists. Hard Rock Hotel has rickshaws for some reason, but those aren’t free. Also, having someone carry your cart to a theme park feels equal parts creepy and lazy. Realistically, the largest innovation in Universal transportation is ride sharing via Uber and Lyft, neither of which has anything to do with Universal. So, people take boats, and the trip is dull since the company hasn’t added a lot of frills to the boat ride.

Image: DisneyContrast to Disney’s American theme parks. Both of them feature the transportation of tomorrow according to people who lived in the first half of the 20th century. While monorails haven’t spiked in popularity and instead become the inspiration for a mocking Simpsons song, they’re still cool. Their novelty differentiates them.

Monorails exemplify the moment when someone enters the Disney Bubble. Once a person boards, the next stop is something Disney-related, and so is the one after that. Monorails connect people to theme parks and connecting resorts, and they also offer style points. Anyone can ride a bus or a boat, but how many of your friends will ride a monorail this week? Exactly.

Image: DisneyAs for buses and boats, the latter is one of Disney’s strengths. Since Disney controls their waterways, they make certain that plenty of landmarks are visible. Lush landscape also decorates the backdrop for each journey. Buses aren’t as ideal, but a great bus driver can entertain the troops during/after a hectic day at the parks.

Plus, Disney is always looking into new ideas for how to improve traffic congestion. They’re now hiring for an Uber-esque service, and a gondola system is in the offing. Nobody attacks traffic problems like Disney. They’re the gold standard and have been since Uncle Walt’s fateful trip to Germany.

 
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Comments

I agree on the rides. I think it's a push. Both are good in their own way. Disney does crush Universal on food, thanks in a big way to World Showcase at EPCOT.

I also think an advantage to Disney is the size. You just feel separate from everything while you are there. Due to it's location and size, Universal can't do the same.

Quite the opposite in regards to a totally immersive land. Universal has had Harry Potter for nearly a decade, and we are just now seeing Disney get their first immersive land with Pandora.

I know two teenage boys (my sons) who completely disagree with you. They are more about thrills and screens and less about slow boat rides and animatronics. To each, their own.

Agree with everything except better rides. Disney had better rides 15 years ago but not anymore. You make the same fanboy argument about motion simulators that is off base. Yes they have quite a few but no ones favorite ride is the Simpsons ride. Where are Hulk, Rockit,Dragons, Forbidden Journey, And Gringotts on this list. Plus the Hogwarts express is a much better mode of transportation between parks then the monorail or glorified cable cars will ever be.

Disney has nothing that can even compare to these rides at all. Nothing as technologically advanced or fun. Universal may do a lot of simulators (I'm looking at you Fallon) but their non simulator rides are leaps and bounds better than anything Disney is building. Disney has built a kiddie coaster, reskinned a boat ride, built the worst dark ride they have (that's you Mermaid) and well that's about it in the last decade. The two new rides this year are a boat ride and Soarin 2.0 as part of Pandora.

I'm starting this here... NOT ANOTHER BOAT RIDE at Disney. I think they have more boat rides than Universal has simulators. Pirates, Frozen, Pandora, Living with the Land, Small world, Tom Sawyer island, etc. Star Wars first order ride is going to be a boat ride I bet.

Overall good article, just please don't be a fanboy and fall for that garbage Disney argument of everything is screens at Universal. That's for whiny Disney fanatics that can't stand that they don't have good rides at their favorite park and have to go up the street to ride the best rides in Orlando.

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