TripAdvisor ranks IOA as #1 theme park in the USA

LOL

 

Generally Universal is slow in December until the week before Christmas. Plus, there is generally not a lot of strollers or electrical vehicles in the parks. Different demographic than Disney.

 

I glanced at the Magic thread and it wasn't as bad as some of you were making it out to be. There was a lot of positivity about Universal, with various members saying they've done split trips recently and having a better time at Universal overall. I think I even saw a positive Fast & Furious review. I had to clean my screen to make sure I was reading that right.

But overall a lot of great points were made: they feel that guests at Universal parks are more adequately distributed amongst attractions, that newer attractions have much better capacity and thus shorter overall wait times, etc. I don't know as much about the 1-day trippers because that's not how I do it but Universal HAS been providing the superior theme park "Vacation" experience for well over 15 years now. I see how the Magic folk might be shocked by this but it's the truth. It's factual.

 

agreed some people like to create drama when there is none
all great points

 

That's what I've read, so it's a relief to hear from people with actual in-park experience during this time. I love How the Grinch Stole Christmas (and Dr. Seuss' books/worlds in general) and we picked the first week in December to take advantage of the weather as well as the Christmas themes in the parks, while hopefully missing out on the larger crowds closer to the holidays. We know it's not going to be slow by any means, as even SDC at Christmas is wall-to-wall people at night during their Old Time Christmas celebration, but we're hoping it will be slower so we aren't fighting crowds each day.

 

Slight correction, Trip Advisor rated the #1 AMUSEMENT Park, not Theme Park, and in my mind there's a distinction to be made that seems no one here, or on Magic are making.

I mean #1 Amusement Park is more like Cedar Point or Busch Gardens Williamsburg.

#1 Theme park is Disneyland, IOA, etc.

My take on the question. There's more to do for all ages at the Disneyland parks than at IOA which is still severely lacking family friendly rides and attractions, and now there's 1 less with the closing of Sindbad

oh my #1 is Tokyo DisneySea, BY FAR

 

The truth is finally out...Trip Advisor is probably shaking in their boots....someone's getting fired

 

I'm sure for the basis of this ranking, Amusement Park = Theme Park. I'm sure there is no differentiation in how they categorize them.

 

Exactly. They use both terms in their story and rankings....and....Nearly all the top ten are theme parks. ..Of course, all this is pretty subjective. But it is nice to see IOA get recognition.

 

Looking at May 2019 hours for my upcoming vacation, I see that IOA is open until 9:00 PM nearly every night during the month (27... 9:00 PM closings). That's a nice direction that Universal is moving in. Before 2018, IOA usually closed at 6:00 or 7:00 PM with a few 8:00 PM's sprinkled in during May. Rarely a 9:00 PM closing until Memorial Day weekend. Way to go Universal. ...(and last May USF did the earlier closings since they didn't have a night show and IOA had Potter. But for 2019, now that they have the new lagoon show, they will also be open until 9:00 PM on 27 nights in May)