Is Disney Still the Best Theme Park in the World?
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- With all of Disney’s recent unpopular changes and swarming controversies, the question stands: Is Disney STILL the best theme park in the world? Or has another company taken the top spot? Let’s find out what the future of your theme park vacations is gonna look like, today on DFB Guide.
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The main complaint I have about Disney is that it has become a monster to plan and cost more than other theme parks. When I went to Dollywood it was a easy to get tickets online and show up. No big deal.
Okay, gotta ask… what’s your favorite Dollywood ride?
@@dfbbreea river rampage
Mystery mine
@@mikebledsoe5723 when I rode Mystery Mine for the first time, I had NO idea what to expect 😂
Likewise. The vertical climb was lit.
Universal is killing it. I can’t wait for Epic Universe and their year round horror attraction in Las Vegas!
I have to say I've enjoyed DFB branching out into other parks, resorts and other theme park vacation options. It's just what people are doing these days and it makes total sense to give credit where it's due. It's much easier to make a theme park vacation work financially if you're NOT considering disney. We'd love for disney to go back to the way it was but there's a whole generation coming up that isn't as invested in the IP and definitely not a vacation surrounded by it.
One thing that wasn’t mentioned about Universal is that many of their rides aren’t inclusive to some body types. My husband is 6’ tall with a broad chest and shoulders. He is by no means overweight though. He could not go on half of the rides because the safety restraints would not fit over his shoulders and chest to lock into place. He was so disappointed that he had to sit by while the kids and I went on rides. I ended up sitting out a lot so he would not be alone. However, this is not the case at WDW. He can go on every ride, including the ones with over the shoulder restraints, with no problem.
Failed to mention the amount of staff that need to be paid. We can say Disney is greedy but let’s be real. It’s the safest, cleanest theme park around and it takes an army to keep it that way. The army needs to be paid.
Couldn’t agree more!!!
Disneyland cast members may be going on strike soon, so I am not sure if the pay is actually good.
I'm all for paying cast members well but I'd be very surprised if their wages increased at the same rate as ticket prices.
The pay for cast members is outrageously low. Not much of the profit from the parks makes it into the pockets of the front-life workers making magic happen.
Honestly, as a top tier pass holder to DisneyWorld, the value is just NOT there anymore. It's a ridiculous amount of money for pretty much no benefit. The Universal Pass is absolutely worth it with many more perks for the top tier pass including a ticket special events like HHN. I will not be renewing my Disney pass which is just a shame. They've become so obsessed with squeezing every penny out of its customers, it's sad.
When it comes to pass holder perks, the seaworld park’s annual pass outshines Disney’s and universal’s
My mother and I are always on Team Disney
Disney is in a league of it own when it comes to theme parks. You cannot just show up, buy a ticket, and ride some rides. Disney takes planning, money, and lots of effort. That being said, some people just want to go to a theme park and that's why it may not be the best for some.
Weird you don't mention the quality difference between disney and universal. You want a shock go from the disney bubble to universal. Universal employees don't care about your vacation and they show it. And universal premium hotels have so serious cleaning issues. And that's just the tip of the quality difference.
Disney has been starting to have the same issues sadly from recent past year guest experiences
Good point
Careful about criticizing universal. I’ve noticed a lot more defensiveness from the universal stans than the Disney ones lol
It's always been that day. Like I said in my own post Universal is nice and all but by comparison... really there is no comparison. WDW on every level is just a higher quality experience.
@zasur323 totally agree! The universal employees were visibly annoyed and audibly grumpy when i went. after having just been at disney for 4 whole days prior, it was shocking and disappointing. Made me feel right smack back in the real world dealing with every day BS. We don't pay that much money and spend that much time waiting in line to have to deal with attitude from employees.
Imo, no it is not. For my personal taste, I think Islands of Adventure is the best theme park, but that’s just my opinion. Then, there is also Tokyo DisneySea, which while I haven’t been to, looks exceptionally well designed, crafted and themed, and it looks to maintain that very well. Disney doesn’t own that park tho. I also haven’t been to it, but Efteling looks like a phenomenal place. I can’t wait to see if Epic Universe might beat or at be at least on par with these parks for me 🔥
I still love going to the Disney Parks, and always will, and there will always be things I love about the parks and great memories, but they’ve taken a beating at what made them stand out as a premiere theme park choice imo.
I know they'll never cut ticket prices (at least not unless people stop buying them) but dang they need to take a break from increases for a while. The ticket prices have increased way faster than inflation and they're unffordable for a lot of people. And a 10-year-old needing an "adult" ticket? C'mon, man....
I would love to see some kind of free FastPass too, even if there's also a premium, paid version. I'm sure those days are gone (especially since Universal Express is so expensive) but I can dream.
WDW had a lot of ride pauses or outright breakdowns while I was there at the beginning of July too. Those were not exactly magical.
DFB is right in saying "There is still imagination in the world". The problem is there is no imagination at Disney.
Universal has REALLY cool ideas. But it’s their execution that always falls short to Disney. Their staff will never be as into their jobs as Disney cast members, and you can really feel it. Especially if you’re used to the Disney experience.
But I would say the level of professionalism from cast members has declined in the past 4 years . Not quite as high caliber .
Really? Universal's final products mostly look EXACTLY like their concept art - which can be a stark contrast to Disney. Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade and Volcano Bay are three of the best themed experiences you can get in Orlando, including anything at Disney.
If you go to WDW parks off season, stay in a non-Disney hotel, eat just healthy snacks, don't buy alcoholic drinks, and don't buy souvenirs, you can cut your expenses dramatically. Epcot World Showcase, Disney movies' rides, and the fireworks over Cinderella's Castle are unique and irreplacable. 🎉❤
I'm doing both Disney and Universal next year. I was debating earlier this year whether I should stick with Disney or switch to Universal. But in the end I decided "Why not do both?"
I think that is a solid choice, they are both amazing in different ways and like you said why limit yourself to just one!
That’s exactly what we did for Spring Break in March and I didn’t regret it at all! Although I felt like my boys had more fun at Universal and I did too!
@@jackwilkinson4911 same. we’ll be going to disneyland with my granddaughter for the first time, plus my adult son and i are going to hit epic universe/universal orlando for 3-4 days and maybe do a day or two in wdw later in the year.
WooHOO! Double prizes!!
@@kellydoolingI hope Epic Universe is open by the time I go. Although, I'll be there in April so knowing my luck probably not. But still, I've never done Universal before, not even when I was at Disney this year and last year. I wanted to, but I felt I wasn't quite ready, but now I am. Bring on the Hulk Coaster!
We always go to universal first, and save disney for the later part of our trip because there’s just something about Disney parks in the feeling you get when you walk it, that can be matched. Then again I’m a Disney adult
I’ve done the same thing before!
I think my next Disney experience will be Paris or Tokyo. I have never been to either but have been to Disneyland and Disney World multiple times.
Oh my goodness, that’d be SO awesome!
Don’t even consider Paris it’s a shell.
Have been to Disney Tokyo - great fun and a lot less than the parks here in the US!
I just came back from DLP. Nice to see once, or maybe twice from the US. It's getting some love, but needs way more. Tokyo for the win!
Disney represents so much of my childhood and each time I visit it’s like walking down memory lane. I just love Disney so much.
I feel this 💖
It is to me. 💜
I love all of Orlando, it’s amazing living here but WDW will always have my heart.
💖💖💖
I truly believe universal is going to blow our minds with this park. I doubted volcano bay till I went 😳
Universal offers a different experience than disney. Universal has leaned more into thrilling attractions
@@metallicnole4514 I know what I’m talking about
As out-of-state passholders for more than 25 years (we were there for the cake castle), we let our passes expire this past September. I still love some parts of Disney, but they finally took away too much of what we enjoyed and made trip planning and Park-ing too complicated. We'll be back, but not enough to warrant the passes.
Planning is super easy…I dont get what people have problems with
@@Canrugger OK. I'll bite. We had Platinum Plus Passes and were then changed to IncrediPasses. I paid a lot more so I would have no blackout dates. I work my butt off and my life is very busy. We would often go down last minute for a weekend and we very often went down for the last day of a long-time attraction or the first day (or premier) of a new attraction. We were there on the 50th anniversary, but had to first go to EPCOT and then park-hop to MK right at 2:00, before they shut down park-hopping at about 2:15. I paid for no blackout dates because I want flexibility. The Park reservation system and limits on park hopping don't work for me.
We want to go last minute when we can and we want to go on big, busy days and don't mind the crowds. If we didn't need to be at a certain park, we would leave and hop to another--I don't want to wait until 2:00.
We also loved the old FastPass+ system that let us make a few ride reservations in advance--even if we sometimes didn't get the top rides because we went last minute--because we knew we had some rides lined up before we got up. I don't like the stress of being up and on my phone at 6:58 to see how good our day might be--I'm on my phone 24/7 for work and I want to escape while at Disney.
Disney also took away advance registration for RunDisney events a couple years ago and we've been unable to register everyone in the family a few times since. I don't want to pay for multiple RunDisney passes, so we don't even try to register anymore and that was good for 2-3trips every year.
Finally, Disney eliminated almost all late night hours except for paid events--while on vacation, we don't want to be up at 6:58 to check the app or be at the park for rope drop--we preferred sleeping in until 10 or 11, getting Mickey Waffles, going for a swim and then going to the park at 3:00, 4:00 or even 5:00 and staing until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning. I have many years' worth of pictures of my kids (from age 3 through teenage years) standing under the Main Street clock at 3:00 in the morning.
We will always have a soft spot in our hearts for Disney World and we understand some people love being on their phone and using it throughout vacation. I have no hard feelings toward any of them--it just stopped working for us.
WDW still has the most nostalgic, heartwarming, and fascinating experiences. There's such a variety of rides, shows, food, and music.
OoH - which park is your favorite??
No, Disney ruined it by being too greedy and maximizing short-term profits at the cost of everything else.
People are waking up, opening their eyes they see prices go up and making you wait in line longer and shorting Park hours hoping you spend more $ to try waiting less.
Nickel and dime you.
That’s called inflation. It’s your wage that hasn’t kept up.
Yeah they're the only park looking for profit 😂
Awe waaaaaa….geez every park is increasing prices
@@LuisMartinez-kg3nqI noticed this in 2019 the people allowed in were too many and lines were 3 hours long .. personally that’s just too damn long and not enjoyable half of the day is gone when u get out of one and only to ride for 10 mins and wait 3 hours
I went to Disney and universal for the first time ever in 2021. Universal was actually expensive, more than disney we thought. And planning to go was not as easy as planning disney. The lack of cohesive theming was also distracting and ultimately boring imo. It seems a lot of people that are hyped for Universal recently haven't been to Universal in a very long time so it seems new and shiny, so I think it'll be impossible for them to give honest comparisons because theyre excited. I had no allegiance or fav prior to 2021, but I can honestly say our experience at disney was more enjoyable over all. Disney has plenty of cheaper options. For instance we stayed at a good neighbor hotel and had many of the same perks as a disney hotel - I don't think a lot of people realize they have more options that can really save money.
I agree. When we did both, universal was just as expensive or more and harder to plan. We stayed at Disney for those reasons. Most rides at Disney were for the three of us (to handle) vs hardly any at Universal. We felt happier at Disney than at Universal which was interesting as I like both. It was a shocking disappointment for us in regards to Universal. We are excited about the new park though so we are still holding out some hope…
I cannot wait for epic universe!!!! Disneys magic kingdom was so worth it but the other parks we didnt care to see. Universal is where it's at!
Hey AJ :-) could you please do a video on what's going on with the DAS program at Disney? I'm sure a lot of your disabled viewers like me would appreciate😅❤
I don’t see much concern for people like me. I’m in my upper 60’s and have always loved Disney. But my parents hated to travel, and had the Depression mentality of spending only on necessities and saving as much money as possible. So my first trip to Disney was in 1983, when i was 27 years old. I was able to go back a few times, but couldn’t really do much until both of my parents had passed away. So my inner child still craves the experiences i never got as an actual child. I want to meet characters and princesses, but they often ignore me to focus on actual little kids, not deprived adults trying to experience their dreams before age and health makes these trips too difficult. I want to live in “The Wonderful World of Color”fantasy, not superhero lands or fast rides and roller coasters my body can no longer handle. No Universal for me. I know Disney properties evolve and change, but they must keep original stuff for people unable to experience them when they were actually kids in the 1960’s.
I grew up at Walt Disney World and my daughter grew up at Disneyland. We've cruised with Disney twice. Having said that, we recently became annual passholders at Universal Studios Hollywood. It ain't Disney, but the price for that annual pass ain't Disney either! We have a blast in the Harry Potter area, the Simpsons area, the Illumination area, the Nintendo area, Grinchmas at Christmas time, meeting Hello Kitty, and most of all, the thing that no other theme park has: a tram ride through an actual, real-life, working movie studio backlot. So our hearts will always belong to Disney, but discovering Universal Hollywood has been a blast.
💞💞💞
I have been visiting Silver Dollar City since I was 8 years old. I love this park. It's easy to navigate and at Christmas time everything is beautiful with lights and so much fun. I would love to spend more time at Disneyland and eventually Disney World but it's so expensive.
SDC is my home park!
For me I love Disney because one I have been going all my life but I’m not a thrill ride person also. Disney has so much more for people to enjoy with shows, characters tours and more. The only time I ever went to universal so many rides were roller coasters or said if you have motion sickness do not ride. Spent money to just walk. Harry potter world was worth all the coin.
The Wizarding World sections are my absolute FAVORITE part of both Universal Orlando parks, too!
If you spend thousands on a Disney vacation and then you dont get on that virtual queue, it is upsetting, and honestly, I feel it's suuuuper unfair! I'm an annual ppass holder so I eventually get on the queue because I can always try again on a different day but I can't help to think about how much it must suck to not be able to get on a ride when you paid full ticket price to get in!!! It just doesn't seem right. Fast pass needs to come back
Love Silver Dollar City! I was part of a show on the Showboat Branson Belle (same company) and it's a great company to work for
Fun fact: I worked as a princess for a short amount of time during the Showboat’s Princess and Pirates cruises!
@@dfbbreea Oh that's awesome! When was it? I was part of the Country On The Lake show in 2017
@@BrendanYoungMusic I did it for two summers - in 2015-2016!
@@dfbbreea RIGHT before me 😂
I think Efteling is the best park in Europe. They have a great fairytale forest and several thrill and not so thrill rides.
Please tell me everything about Efteling so I can live vicariously. It’s a bucket list theme park of mine, truly 😭💖
15th comment here to say I think disney is not what it used to be.
Yes. In my opinion, WDW is. Yes, it has issues with lightning lanes, etc, but it still has the magic for me.
The state parks and US national parks in Florida and California beat the Disney parks any day for me. I know, apple and oranges. But still ...
But I get it! It’s like beach people VS mountain people - both very different vacation spots, but many prefer one over the other!
I haven’t been to either, but I think that the Dollywood Christmas looks prettier than the Disney Christmas. Smoky mountains seem like they would feel more festive than Orlando. Plus all the lights might cover the fact that the atmosphere isn’t as polished as Disney World.
Went to Dollywood last November. It was awesome! Beautiful park! Employees were nice. The atmosphere was great. Very family oriented. I recommend going there while Dolly Parton is alive. It seems when the founder passes, it becomes just a business. Sadly Disney has become just a business.
Can confirm: Dollywood at Christmas is GORGEOUS 🎄
I wonder when epic opens, will disney's prices become more competitive?
We live a daytrip drive from Dollywood & recently went for a day while in the mountains. I'll be passing on WDW for a while- Dollywood is chiller, more cozy & did we mention MUCH cheaper than WDW? $250 for an annual pass (including friend passes, no block out dates & parking), it's a no brainer to give Disney a long long break.
Plus they have the BEST CINNAMON BREAD.
I do think Disney should take a page from Universal where it comes to hotels, especially the Deluxe hotels. No reason Disney should not also offer the Lightning Lane as a free perk to their Deluxe guests and either a reduced fee for their other hotel guests for standard LL or a pass to a single pay LL, like Guardians or something. No real value to stay on property anymore, unfortunately, especially as their transportation has gone a bit downhill.
I'm planning a family vacation for 7 people for 2027. My mom will be nearly 70 and gets vertigo. My nephew who will be 22 is terrified of heights. My niece and youngest nephew ,who will be 17 & 15, don't like Harry Potter and aren't a fan of thrill rides.
The only people that would enjoy Universal would be me, my sister and her boyfriend
So we're doing Disney World. My sister and her boyfriend will go to Universal for a "Date Day". I went to the Harry Potter park shortly after it opened and they have never been there
I honestly don't see one park being worse or better than the other. It depends on what you would enjoy
I'm a Disney guy... but will likely go to Universal when the new park opens. I haven't been to Universal for over 10 years.
I’m SO excited for it!!
I'm a Hershey Park passholder, and the season pass is incredible! For my wife, son, and me, I paid about $730 for the year. Every day we visit the park, we get unlimited fountain sodas and two meals (three hours apart).
I love hearing Hershey mentioned. Despite how affordable and accessible Hershey is, there are passholders who complain about it, similar to how people complain about Disney. There are certainly ways to be critical of these parks, but there are a lot of negative Nancys out there.
Love the content and we cant wait to get back to Disney!
We were thinking of going to Disney this year but honestly, it has become a stressful vacation. You are on your phone so much and the expensive is out of control. Difficult to relax, have fun, and live in the moment.
WDW/L and Universal both have their differences and will appeal to different people. Just do you and enjoy yourself, I swear some people just look for stuff to get stressed about. Just relax and take it easy. P.s. They could drop the price a bit though.
Short answer, no
Long answer, hell no
Depends on what you’re looking for, imo…there are plenty of parks with more thrilling rides, but I’ve never experienced the level of immersion that Disney World has at any other park! Universal rivals Disney’s immersiveness in the Wizarding World of HP, but that same level of commitment to the bit isn’t there for the rest of their park, imo. People like to complain about the cost of Disney, but at the end of the day we live in a capitalist society and that’s what happens when there’s high demand. Disney’s fun, but it’s a corporation - of course they’re trying to make as much money as they can! Universal is also super fun if you’re like me and love thrill rides, but it also has its drawbacks. Universal relies too much on screens (yay for motion sickness 🤢), their Express Pass costs WAY more than Disney’s (like literally 10x more in peak season!), and it’s simply much smaller than WDW. Of course it’s going to be less expensive, bc you’re not getting as much! You can do it all in like 2 days. That’s not inherently bad bc that makes it less overwhelming and easier to plan, but it’s comparing apples to oranges. At least for now, but I’m excited to see how things change when Epic Universe opens!
I think "best" is a matter of your personal tastes and what you want from a park. For us, WDW has been THE park since 1974 and that won't be changing for our family at any time. We've tried others and every time they don't even come close to WDW. But that's our opinion.
I love Disney and I love Universal, but for different reasons and I dont think that will ever change. Going into a Disney park automatically fills me with joy and happiness and going into a Universal park is thrilling and exciting. Two very different experiences and in my opinion are made for two very different types of guests. I cannot and will not pick one over the other as I love and appreciate both
I say that’s fair!!
disney has made a lot of bad decisions lately and regularly gouges guests, making it impossible for many people to afford to go. however, i still think it’s the dominating theme park company, with universal a close second. as for the disneyland hotels, we never stay in them. there are dozens of good hotels that are walking distance to the parks, some even closer than the disneyland and pixar place hotels, at a fraction of the cost. wdw is a different animal, however, and despite the lack of benefits these days, we’d likely not stay off property in florida.
Disney is the standard for hispitality. They teach classes to train others in the industry (i think they still include Hilton).
The "free" benefits are already factored into the cost of the room. Everyone booking a room must pay for those services whether they use it or not. The free DME, since i travel solo, was worth about $50 to me, and $200 for a family, and we're charged the same by the room. The free parking is not used by me but is included in the cost. I'm better off when they separate all the "free" stuff i pay for.
not gonna lie i was expecting this video to be 15 seconds long: the intro and then AJ saying "no
LOL can you IMAGINE
@@dfbbreea i can imagine the "no :)" in aj's sweet happy voice so clearly lmao
It is still the best for me and always will be. A Disney fan forever!!!
❤❤❤
No! We have been disgusted at the way they’re treating the disabled community. Our son with severe autism has been denied DAS access as well as MANY others who actually “need” it. We used to believe the magic and defend them whole hearted, but now we are unable to go and the magic is truly gone. All because they’re money hungry.
From what I've seen online in comments people usually do a split stay Disney and universal at least in Orlando. I love both but universal might be my favorite. I love hp and have spent multiple days just hanging in diagon alley. I'm so excited to go to epic in a few years. I also can't do many thrill rides because I get very motion sick. And HHN is my favorite I wish I could go every year. I like that universal and Disney are both expanding and making new rides.
I’ve always been too big a scaredy cat to go to HHN! But maybe someday……….😅
Disney is timeless.
‘Tis true!
I think nothing compares to past Disney parks. Say of 15/20 years ago. The absolute best. But Disney lately has declined in both substance and value while others (Comcast, Dolly etc) have taken the substance and value idea to happy customers. Will Disney sit up, take notice and change for the better? Who knows. But we are definitely benefiting from the park competition.
Not anymore. I still love Disney, but planning is more stressful than any other park, the prices keep climbing while the value keeps dropping, the attractions are not as interesting or creative as the other parks. Other parks used just build a roller coaster but now, theming is improving in other parks, food is improving, and on top of all that they’re more affordable. Disney has led the way but decided to take a nap and let everyone catch up.
Disney prices are really inflated, regardless of operational costs. Goes to Disney shareholders and execs making all the money!
The deal breaker for us is the IP. I’ve been dreaming of taking my son to WDW since he was born. Next year he turns 10 and we have decided to take him to Universal. Minions, Transformers, the new Dreamworks land, and now Mario and HttyD. The properties today’s kids care about, at least for my boy, are at Universal.
My nieces and nephews are in the same boat! They love Disney, but their absolute favorite characters right now are from the Super Mario games and the Dreamworks films. So all we hear from them is how excited they are for Epic Universe!
Disney still has the crown. This can’t be determined in the next two or three years as Universal WILL have a huge jolt with Epic. It won’t be until the dust settles in the late 20’s where we can get an objective look again.
Timestamps:
1:48 Why it’s still the Best
1:54 They’re not afraid to make drastic changes
4:35 They’re Timeless
7:40 They’re adaptable
9:31 The Numbers don’t lie
11:13 Why it’s no longer the best
11:20 The compition is getting fierce
15:54 Prices Have Outpaced inflation
19:42 The resort incentives HAVENT been as enticing as others
25:29 What should *you* do for your next theme park vacation
Not anymore. As someone who's been visiting with their family since 2012, I used to think so. In recent years there have been far too many changes and controversies. As of this year we had to cancel our AP's. I am a disabled veteran and can no longer go because of the DAS pass changes. Universal has been making great strides and I have their disability pass. Once Epic Universe opens, I think they will reign supreme. Disney can do better with more effort and actually listening to their guests.
could you please explain this a little more? i'm disabled and have heard about disney disability changes but don't know the full extent of them
@@dietdrsunnyd5537 They are now only authorizing DAS pass for persons that are autistic or similar developmental issues.
@dietdrsunnyd5537 It's now only for persons that are autistic or have similar developmental disabilities.
9:31 I saw the caption here and the wresting fan in me immediately said “and they spell disaster for you at Sacrifice!” 😂
Anyone else old enough to remember ticket books?? I think we still have some in a scrapbook somewhere ❤
Best? That’s complicated.
Positives? Top tier hospitality, huge variety of entertainment, incredibly clean, good to great food, great hotels, thoughtful theming, safe, great for kids, nostalgia. It’s a very impressive place to visit.
Cons? Hyper expensive, most rides underwhelming to adullts or out of date, hot, crowded. Merch sales to ride ratio leans too heavy to merch. Also relies on nostalgia as an excuse to not update attractions that badly need it. Rides for older guests are few and far between and mostly far from being thrill rides.
Disney makes changes but most are just minor tweaks. In my opinion they haven’t changed nearly enough. Feels like they have been coasting on their reputation for a long time.
It’s great and clearly the best in many ways but I think Disney could clearly do better. Hopefully Universal pushes Disney to be less complacent.
What needs updating that hasnt been updated recently? Hyper expensive? Nope…its pretty comparable and they are higher in price because nothing is comparable. All rides are enjoyable for a variety of ages and many seniors can enjoy most of the rides. Seems like its really a you issue and not disney
@@Canrugger Long list of rides needing updates or replacement. Starship earth, Peter Pan, Tomorrowland Speedway, most of the rides with animatronics look dated, Journey Into Imagination, living with the land, the seas with Nemo, the people mover, etc. literally the majority of the rides are well off the curve given the premium prices Disney charges and what we know they are capable of.
I can get vastly better value and mostly better rides at lots of other amusement parks like Cedar Point or Dollyworld. Some of the rides are world class but most are heavily animated kiddie rides that haven’t been updated in decades. They don’t all need to be thrill rides but if they aren’t the special effects need to be on point.
The overall Disney experience is great but the rides are unquestionably not the best part of it with notable exceptions. Disney could have had the Harry Potter stuff at Universal but they famously dropped the ball on that. Galaxy’s edge is amazing. Love Soarin and several rides at Animal Kingdom. Pirates is a classic though could use a refresh. Test track was ok but needed a refresh which it is getting. TRON is great for the first half of the ride - basically a modern space mountain. Tiana’s Bayou looks like a solid update.
I suspect competition from universal will drive them to update and improve. I’m not hating on Disney but rather holding them to a high standard.
It's a hard question about Disney, the only thing for me personally for what they are doing wrong is absurd pricing. As an International Guest coming to Orlando, Disney World is extremely expensive. Our flight ticket from Europe is already very expensive, then the ticket prices + genie+ and lightning lanes for rise of the resistance or guardians of the galaxy, etc...then food and drinks + Merchandise, yeah...very berry expensive.
The last two years I stayed twice at two different Universal Hotels and always took an uber to Disney. Either alone (2022) or with my gf (2023). So Universal get's my vote when it comes to Pricing for the Hotels + Tickets. Even Busch Gardens Tampa is really affordable with the unlimited fast lane pass and amazing for thrill seekers like me.
For me I visit Universal, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld when I want mostly Thrill & Theming (last applies only to Universal), however most of Universal Rides does not get me emotional except for E.T. or Jurassic Park / World.
When me and my gf visited Orlando last year, it was her first ever visit to both parks (Disney & Universal) and thanks to the Disney Parks, it made for us a Holiday Memory of our lifetime which ranks now at No.1 / No.2 Spot and we still talk about it today with others how amazing and MAGICAL it was, YES, even Adults can feel the magic if you want too, you just have to believe ;)
The Disney Parks even made my gf cry several times because of how everything is presented and executed.
Certain Disney Rides broke me emotionally, the night time shows blew us away and the staff and everything was just top notch, except for the food, food at universal was way better and less expensive, sorry ;)
That is why we decided to visit Disney World next year again for our first ever Christmas there and we decided to do a split stay at two disney hotels for over a week, then move to a universal hotel for another more then a week. We already started saving money, lol.
So, Universal for the thrill & theming, pricing, overall value, food and good hotel prices (includes park entry ticket's except HHN) and Disney for pure Nostalgic & Emotional experiences that Includes some of the best Themed Rides I ever experienced unlike anything else plus extreme addicting merchandising. I love both sides really as they compensate each other very well!
Two things about food. First of all the 38% inflation is not true when it comes to groceries either, with many people noticing that plenty of items cost double, or more, what they did in 2020. So that's not just a Disney thing. Second, Dollywood food. We actually love Dollywood, though it has nothing on Disney. But their food is SOOO EXPENSIVE even compared to Disney. We're talking more than $15 for a corn dog and fries. They charge $7 for a small side of fries. It's pretty horrendous. And since visiting there for us is a day trip and not a budgeted vacation, we typically bring our own food and/or eat on the way home. Disney food is often cheaper than Universal too. Though typically only by about a dollar or so per quick service entree.
If you haven't been to Holiday World, that is one to check out. Their ride line up isn't as diverse as Dollywood, but FREE is their keyword. Free parking, free soda, free sunscreen, free wifi, and even free electric car charging. And their water park entry is included free with theme park entry. It's in Santa Claus IN, which is a very charming town.
I live in DFW as well AJ. Lived in Frisco for 4 years
Dollywood is okay but it is not as good as Universal or Disney. I think Disney World will have a real problem when Epic opens. Universal has done a great job with their theme parks. I feel that Disney parks are still a cut above but Universal is right there on their heels.
Huh? Universal studios is boring…cmon fast & furious ride, jimmy fallon ride? That place is dead and islands of adventure is outdated
We are doing universal parks then Disney cruise this summer. Would pick universal parks over disney parks.
I’ll say this, Disney is the best for younger families…nothing beats the Disney bubble, I’m a crazy European mom who has taken 2 kids under 7 alone multiple times to WDW, 😂 I feel safer there than at disneyland Paris, I’ve actually briefly “lost” my 4yo last year and they were able to locate him in less than 5 minutes, I don’t know what would have happened if I were at Universal, in fact I’d never venture there alone.
I am still team disney... I always do universal and disney but the volume of things to do at disney still outweighs universal to me. 3 days and I am finished at universal but disney I usually need 6 to 8 days and I do not do water parks. Epic universe looks awesome and will mean an extra day at universal to be sure but I am also sure that disney will add more as well. I love both places and both have become far more expensive, on that there is no question but really they are coke and Pepsi. Pepsi portrays itself as an equal but in reality one is just plain massive. Disney is massive.
I wish they hadn’t gotten rid of the band at the grand Floridian, it was the best part of that hotel
DISNEY NEEDS A NEW PARK IN TEXAS OR COLORADO.
We went to Disney world for Xmas and new year 2023 and had planned 3 nights in universal. We ended up cancelling our universal stay. We wanted to see grinchmas so went to universal part way through our time in WDW. As someone who lives in the UK and doesn’t experience both parks regularly….disney is in a completely different league. I couldn’t help but notice the differences when comparing the two….universal felt cheap including rides and general walk around areas. We could see “how” the rides were done, the place needed a good paint! The staff looked miserable too. It felt fake, honestly I could go on and on with why Disney is just soooo much better. we couldn’t wait to go back to the Disney bubble, it is expensive though. Fingers crossed the new wave in investment in Disney will bring exciting additions. Heading to Japan in 6 weeks and cannot wait for 3 days in Disney Tokyo resort, I’ve heard good things!
Dollywood has bumper cars, and Disney World does not.
This is a valid point.
That's the tie breaker.
Cinnamon bread is amazing!!!
@@candycemonroe7345 It looks so good!
So does the local county fair.
I wonder if I stay at the arts of animation resort, would that mean I can’t stay at magic kingdom till 11.00pm?
It just depends on how long Magic Kingdom is open for the day of your visit! But if you’re wondering about Extended Evening Hours, those are only available for Deluxe Resort guests. HOWEVER, you CAN still use the early theme park entry at every park on every day of your visit to get you into the parks 30 minutes early!
Disney food blog gets their media pass cupcake. I find nothing critical or detailed about the theme park. At least AJ has a nice soothing voice
The one this Disney got over all these parks is emotion!!! I never heard someone cry at universal because they just so happy to be there! That’s what make Disney the #1 theme parks it a connection not just a bunch of IP 1/2 of yall never even made it to the end of a Mario game …..
My family and I love Disney, we had passes for many years. However it has gotten to be so, so expensive! Like only the wealthy can afford or the average family has to go into debt to pay for a Disney park vacation! Yes it cost to run a park like Disney however these discussions should held when all of
this planning is done. New
innovations are great but how
many will be able to enjoy it! I look
back at Walt Disney’s purpose for
the park which was for all families
to be able to have fun and enjoy . I think fewer families will have that privilege.
My family used to go to WDW multiple times per year since 2012 because it was our happy place to get away. The empty suits in the Disney C suite ruined that company so much that we stopped going altogether. They took away all the magic and value from the experience. They alienated half of the country with their politics and made it obnoxiously expensive just to walk in the door. If by some miracle they were to stay out of politics, bring back the magical and family friendly environment in the parks, reinstate the old school “Disney Difference” customer service, and bring back the value to their guests, THEN we would consider a return. Until then, we will take our trips to other places and bring our hard earned dollars with us 👋✌️
I feel like i'm cheating on Universal because i went there first in 2016 and it's just me and my parents and im an oldie (olden) We do like The French Quarter, can you do a video on getting to a universal park at the Disney hotels? I mean hopefully by the time I go back i will be living there (not....i'm to old for a dream but it's nice to think about)
Nope
I’m guessing that neither Disney or universal don’t know about Australia as there are no theme parks of them in Australia. Australia feels like an island far from other countries.
Its still the best in my opinion. Good things are still being added. Cosmic rewind is the best roller coaster ive ever been on, and tron got added to but i didnt get to ride yet. The removal of splash mountain really hurts me deeply but for now its still the best.
I love Cosmic Rewind so much 🤩 Which song do you get when you rode it last?
@@dfbbreea I got tears for fears latst time and that's my favorite one!
There are more parks to choose from in Florida.
“Disney has ‘plans’ to . . .” I’m getting so tired of hearing that.
As somebody who has only been to Disney since the pandemic (thus I don't have the old Disney to compare it to), I honestly love Universal and Disney in their own way. Universal is great because I can buy the Express Pass Unlimited and can ride whatever ride I want, as many times as I want, without concern. However the resorts leave a lot to be desired and I often find myself miserable at them (long check in lines, limited assistance, etc). Disney is great for the vibes and people. As somebody who travels solo a lot, I often find other solo Disney adults there who are just loving life like I am. People watching is a blast at Disney and I often find myself just sitting for hours in Batu or Pandora with an alcoholic drink in hand just watching people walk by. That being said, Disney definitely needs to step up its game. There's just not enough fun rides for adults and the lines are incredibly awful.
Yes but also right now its a bad experience and is declining
All depends on yer intrests...best if ya like disney yea....best if ya like anythings else? Probably not
Not until they get their act together and reform the Disability Access Service so it actually serves the disabled community. Their treatment of us has been appallingly awful since it was implemented and many of us who need the service are being denied even though we meet their qualifications of having a developmental disability and difficulty waiting in lines. We’re debating whether or not to renew our Magic Keys at Disneyland or return to the Magic Kingdom.
So are you guys planning to make a UFB guide?
Is it the best park? Maybe but only by a small margin. While I do still enjoy going the magic isn’t quite as magical these past few years.
Thanks so much for this awesome video, DFB and crew! For me, yes. Been going since I was super young in 2015. As soon as I arrived, the good memories began. I hold onto those epic and special memories forever which makes me still feel that Disney is still the best. Too many special moments with loved ones to say otherwise. That’s just for me ❤ great work DFB!
Nostalgia is a big reason for me too, there are wonderful memories baked into every corner of WDW for me. 💜
😍😍😍
I’m just curious, but do you fly to Disney all the time, or do you live in Florida? I thought you mentioned you live in Texas. I was wondering because it seems like you go to Disney everyday.
I think they have reporters who go to the parks daily even though AJ is in texas
@@oolweewoo that makes sense. Thanks for the reply!
Everything Disney does is the same as everything in the industry ….but sure Disney is the problem 🙄🙄🙄
This is certainly an individual's opinion. I still rank it number 1 based on the beloved intellectual properties. There is an emotional attachment to Star Wars, Avatar, Pixar, Indiana Jones and a plethora of animated movies. Thus, it isn't just the ride or the atmosphere itself, but the added joy we feel as memories flood our minds. I would liken it to the question, "Who is the NBA's GOAT?" . Regardless of the stats of present or future basketball stars, I'll ALWAYS say it is Micheal Jordan as I watched the NBA regularly through the 80's and 90's and his greatness is deeply imbedded in my mind's eye. Example: At EPCOT, the new roller coaster is fantastic...but it's even better thanks to the Guardian's movies which I love. For those who have a strong love for Harry Potter, it is likely they will vote Universal as number 1 for the same reasoning.
Funnily enough, I think Disney needs to get way more original stuff in their park again instead of IP. I love a lotta the IP’s they own, like Star Wars and Indiana Jones and Pixar, but something like Indy or Star Wars imo has seen the worst out of Disney. So for me, it loses a bit there. A lot of my favorite Disney movies don’t have attractions either which is a shame for me.
Universal cruelly ironically enough, I love a lot of the IP’s they got. Harry Potter, Marvel, Jurassic Park, E.T., Transformers, Despicable Me, even Simpsons (tho they’ll go away soon). Now they’re getting Nintendo, Dragon, as well as some other DreamWorks IP, it’s close between the two, but I think Universal has managed them a bit better imo. I understand and respect the opinion tho
I'm looking forward to watching Walt Disney World break Epic Universe like a toothpick!
They really need a 5th park dedicated to villians/marvel/planet of the apes
Is it more worth it to get a Mears connect from the airport, or to get an Uber to Disney world? What is the average price difference? I want to get to Disney world as soon as possible, and I’ve heard that the Mears connect can take a long time.
We’re doing Mears. For a family of 4 with a bunch of luggage it would be $80 each way ($160) total for Uber but Mears was $120 round trip
@@stuartirwin8628 thanks for your reply! I’m going with just my mom next month, so I was thinking about spending just a little more on the way there on an Uber just to get there as quick as possible. If we don’t have any flight delays, we should get to the airport by 10:30-11am. I know check in isn’t until like 3, but I’d like to spend a couple hours at the pools and check out the resort then head over to Disney springs for the rest of the day.
So here is the thing. I don't believe Mears ever sells out, Sure they want you to pre-reserve, but practically speaking you can just show up. So, as your luggage is coming around the carousel, look up what the Uber-Lyft pricing is right then, and decide whether to walk thisaway or thataway.
@@mymasmith7848 good tip! Thanks
You know google is free right?