Attendance Tracker

[JungleSkip]

I don't really consider them all that much cheaper, $360 (2 park Uni) is less than half of $699 (Gold Disney) for half the parks. Which now Disney is finally dumping money into like they should have been, is more important.

$360 is way cheaper than 700. I think you get more value from a Uni AP too, mostly because I think 3 of Disney's parks in Orlando are not very good.

EDIT: But even ignoring that, the fact remains way more people can afford a UOR AP than a WDW AP

VB is a different animal because Uni wanted it to be a different animal and saw a way to milk people and call it a "Water Theme Park" or what ever happy nonsense they decided.

Huh? No, it's a different animal because it's a water park. Disney doesn't include its water parks in its AP either. Uni didn't include WNW in its AP before Volcano Bay.

 

[Brian G.]

I don't really consider them all that much cheaper, $360 (2 park Uni) is less than half of $699 (Gold Disney) for half the parks. Which now Disney is finally dumping money into like they should have been, is more important.

VB is a different animal because Uni wanted it to be a different animal and saw a way to milk people and call it a "Water Theme Park" or what ever happy nonsense they decided.

This doesn't even make sense. How is that not cheaper? Half the parks. Half the cost. The Disney Gold Pass also has about a month's worth of blackout dates.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

This doesn't even make sense. How is that not cheaper? Half the parks. Half the cost. The Disney Gold Pass also has about a month's worth of blackout dates.

Question, is there a FL discount or special pass for UOR? Because if I wanted to buy a WDW AP it'd be $850 minimum.

 

[SeventyOne]

I don't really consider them all that much cheaper, $360 (2 park Uni) is less than half of $699 (Gold Disney) for half the parks.

Obviously I'm not arguing your math, but I think most customers perceive "number of weekend days I can spend in any park" v. "number of parks I can access." Actually came up with some friends Wednesday night, and the belief that UOR is the cheaper AP seems alive and well.

 

[Brian G.]

Question, is there a FL discount or special pass for UOR? Because if I wanted to buy a WDW AP it'd be $850 minimum.

Yup. FL Res + Special is $330 for 2-park Preferred. Same pass is $395 for out of state.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Yup. FL Res + Special is $330 for 2-park Preferred. Same pass is $395 for out of state.

Got it, so the comparable pass to the Disney one would be even less (Power if I'm not mistaken).

But in the end it's about offerings, not parks, and IOA and USF feel more complete in their offerings (for rides and shows) than Epcot/DHS/DAK.

 

[Nick]

So ... more anecdotal evidence about Disney ...

Grog Grotto mugs were announced Monday as coming out Tuesday. Most leaks say 800 a day this year. First day was the nightmare you'd expect--some AP even got trespassed for threatening CMs because he showed up at 9:10 and couldn't get a wristband for a mug. But Wednesday ... you could still walk up and get a mug as of like 4 pm. Thursday, they were available as late as 7, maybe 8 pm. Despite the facts guests can now buy 2, not just 1, mug. Many potential reasons why, but fairly clear the market for overpriced Haunted Mansion tiki mugs isn't what it was the past few years.

Orange and Seminole County schools out today--the two most densely packed, most well-off counties in the area. Not surprisingly, HHN was a madhouse last night--kids can stay out late. But MNSSHP was actually very reasonable. Not quite an early September crowd, but 20 minute lines on Pan and walk up at 10:16 and still see the fireworks reasonable. It should have been packed with Orlando schoolkids.

We can continue to debate Galaxy's Edge all we want ... but something is up here. It's not just Star Wars.

Not sure about Seminole, but in Orange kids were in school yesterday. Today they're off, but yesterday was to make up for Dorian. Also, HHN is way cheaper for middle/high schoolers than MNSSHP is. For Just a little over $100, you can get access to HHN for most of the event. For $100, you can get access to MNSSHP for 1 night.

 

[MrRoamer]

Got it, so the comparable pass to the Disney one would be even less (Power if I'm not mistaken).

But in the end it's about offerings, not parks, and IOA and USF feel more complete in their offerings (for rides and shows) than Epcot/DHS/DAK.

I put it at Preferred vs Gold because it seemed the most even due to parking and black out days.

$360 is way cheaper than 700. I think you get more value from a Uni AP too, mostly because I think 3 of Disney's parks in Orlando are not very good.

EDIT: But even ignoring that, the fact remains way more people can afford a UOR AP than a WDW AP



Huh? No, it's a different animal because it's a water park. Disney doesn't include its water parks in its AP either. Uni didn't include WNW in its AP before Volcano Bay.

This doesn't even make sense. How is that not cheaper? Half the parks. Half the cost. The Disney Gold Pass also has about a month's worth of blackout dates.

The thought process I was using was cost per park value not actual money being spent, by no means a perfect comparison but felt it was the best way to compare.

Obviously I'm not arguing your math, but I think most customers perceive "number of weekend days I can spend in any park" v. "number of parks I can access." Actually came up with some friends Wednesday night, and the belief that UOR is the cheaper AP seems alive and well.

Thinking through it more, its all about perception. I look at it as the most experiences that we can do for the cost. More parks have more environments and Disney has a more diverse lineup of types of attractions, clearly everyone has different views than I do. I definitely think that both parks are fast approaching the point where most people are thinking twice about going, if they haven't already passed it.

Also my reality includes my son who can do maybe 3 rides at all of Universal's parks, so that definitely influences my opinions.

 

[SeventyOne]

Not sure about Seminole, but in Orange kids were in school yesterday. Today they're off, but yesterday was to make up for Dorian. Also, HHN is way cheaper for middle/high schoolers than MNSSHP is. For Just a little over $100, you can get access to HHN for most of the event. For $100, you can get access to MNSSHP for 1 night.

But it's still a not-school-night school night with Friday off. And I don't expect middle/high schoolers to be particularly interested in MNSSHP, more noticing their parents aren't taking their little brothers and sisters to the event. In other words, whatever this is, I think it affects the Mouse directly--Universal is affected only in the sense that their are fewer WDW guests to siphon off for a day. Which lines up with what I've heard about this past Summer.

 

[Mad Dog]

But it's still a not-school-night school night with Friday off. And I don't expect middle/high schoolers to be particularly interested in MNSSHP, more noticing their parents aren't taking their little brothers and sisters to the event. In other words, whatever this is, I think it affects the Mouse directly--Universal is affected only in the sense that their are fewer WDW guests to siphon off for a day. Which lines up with what I've heard about this past Summer.

Yes, Universal gets a bit of a cold whenever WDW gets sick. It's happened in the past and probably still does. WDW is still the main driver of Orlando tourism. But Universal seems to have kept a stronger attendance pace through this year than WDW and I'm guessing the quarterly report will show that again, as it did last quarter. ......and on Annual passes...there's only very minimal block out dates on the Univ. Power pass, and not much more on the Univ. Seasonal pass ...and, for us out of a state tourists the WDW non Floridian pass is really way too expensive to purchase, while Universal's non Floridian passes are affordable.

 

[Scott W.]

Yes, Universal gets a bit of a cold whenever WDW gets sick. It's happened in the past and probably still does. WDW is still the main driver of Orlando tourism. But Universal seems to have kept a stronger attendance pace through this year than WDW and I'm guessing the quarterly report will show that again, as it did last quarter. ......and on Annual passes...there's only very minimal block out dates on the Univ. Power pass, and not much more on the Univ. Seasonal pass ...and, for us out of a state tourists the WDW non Floridian pass is really way too expensive to purchase, while Universal's non Floridian passes are affordable.

I was in Virgin Holidays last night trying to get this trip booked (Long story) but I as talking to the woman for a good hour or so and I asked how many people are booking up just Universal now and she's noticed a huge rise over the past year.

Many of her regulars have just became fed up with Disney and the pricing and once they try Universal, they're completely sold.

'Tragic Kingdom' I believe was the expression.

 

[Mad Dog]

I was in Virgin Holidays last night trying to get this trip booked (Long story) but I as talking to the woman for a good hour or so and I asked how many people are booking up just Universal now and she's noticed a huge rise over the past year.

Many of her regulars have just became fed up with Disney and the pricing and once they try Universal, they're completely sold.

'Tragic Kingdom' I believe was the expression.

Universal is like the old Lays Potato Chip commercial, "You can't eat just one". Once you've lived the on site Universal Hotel Experience of a leisurely relaxing vacation, with affordable, nice amenities, hotels, it's hard not to go back. :thumbsup:

 

[NJBrandon]

It is such a difficult issue of perception... a lesser price can imply a lesser park to some.

Bingo.

 

[frank_1991_]

Universal is like the old Lays Potato Chip commercial, "You can't eat just one". Once you've lived the on site Universal Hotel Experience of a leisurely relaxing vacation, with affordable, nice amenities, hotels, it's hard not to go back. :thumbsup:

That’s what happen to me. I would stay off site always until I visited cabana Bay with my ex and had a wonderful time. I can’t imagine not staying on site at universal. But I would never in a thousand years pay onsite at Disney.

 

[Mad Dog]

That’s what happen to me. I would stay off site always until I visited cabana Bay with my ex and had a wonderful time. I can’t imagine not staying on site at universal. But I would never in a thousand years pay onsite at Disney.

:thumbsup:

 

[bob albert]

That’s what happen to me. I would stay off site always until I visited cabana Bay with my ex and had a wonderful time. I can’t imagine not staying on site at universal. But I would never in a thousand years pay onsite at Disney.

I think with Disney some of the price differences just get into "may as well uber everywhere or pay for parking at the parks" territory. Universal hotels can be a good value for certain people, but I would say I drive has a lot to do and is more affordable than city walk as well. You can still find places with shuttles or get cheap ubers/trolley to universal. On a longer trip especially I might rather stay on I drive and take advantage of one of the buy x get x day deals.

I will say on a limited amount of time my buddy's family did royal pacific for 4 with the included express for 250 per night. Really good deal in that case. Makes Disney look like highway robbery. I did also really enjoy the acoustic brunch at hard rock hotel. Disney character brunches are priced too high especially if you don't have little kids.

Prob made this point but value is something for me that is "how can I just get into these parks for the least amount of money". If I were in FL the Disney weekday select would be the winner by a mile. But in the Northeast we are banned from any cheap Disney passes so I gotta say universal seasonal 2 or 3 park (don't drive there as a tourist) is the best value vs the amount of things to do. Adding sea world or doing other things is still a decent sell for me vs going over to Disney given the insane day ticket prices.

 

[Disneyhead]

I don't really consider them all that much cheaper, $360 (2 park Uni) is less than half of $699 (Gold Disney) for half the parks. Which now Disney is finally dumping money into like they should have been, is more important.

VB is a different animal because Uni wanted it to be a different animal and saw a way to milk people and call it a "Water Theme Park" or what ever happy nonsense they decided.

People with a Disney preference always go to the "WDW has twice as many parks" thing. Completely ignoring things like the fact that IOA has twice as many rides as DAK.

Not to mention that Universal has more rides that I actually want to ride.

 

[shiekra38]

People with a Disney preference always go to the "WDW has twice as many parks" thing. Completely ignoring things like the fact that IOA has twice as many rides as DAK.

Yeah Primeval Whirl is a game changer

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I have 10 days at Universal coming up and I’m not at all worried about being bored lol. Granted 1 or 2 of those days will be specifically pool days but still

 

[shiekra38]

I have 10 days at Universal coming up and I’m not at all worried about being bored lol. Granted 1 or 2 of those days will be specifically pool days but still

Pick a few days and don't set your alarm, wake up when you wake up...It will change your life haha