Disney vs. Universal
- Pat Jackson
- 4 hours ago
- 8 min read
I'm often asked "Which is the better park to go to - Disney or Universal?
There is no pat answer to that. It depends on your family's expectations, budget, the ages of your kids (if any) and so many other factors. What is it that you WANT in a trip to a theme park?
There are similarities to the two parks and there are definite differences between the two.
Both are located in Orlando, Florida...Universal just down the road from Disney.
Each has multiple theme parks. Walt Disney World Resort is made up of Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Universal Orlando Resort is made up of Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Volcano Bay, and Epic Universe.
Both Disney World and Universal Orlando have similar ticketing options in that they offer multi-day and park-to-park options. Also, the more tickets you buy, the less it will cost you in each park.
Their overall cost is comparable with Disney being a bit more expensive, however. Both Disney and Universal offer a wide variety of price points, designed to appeal to a wide range of budgets,
They each have vacation packages available.
They each have waterparks associated with them. (Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon at Disney, and Volcano Bay at Universal.)
Both have convenient transportation systems for hotel guests.
Both have on-site accommodations ranging from budget to luxury that include exclusive perks for hotel guests. There are over 25 Disney World resort hotels, whereas Universal has 7 hotels.
Disney World guests who stay at Disney Resorts receive perks such as first access to Genie+ which is the paid option for shorter lines. Advance dining reservations and extra magic hours are also a perk for Disney Resort guests. Guests staying at Universal Orlando Resort’s premiere hotels get complimentary Express Passes included with their stay.
They are also allowed Early Park Admission an hour before day guests in the morning.
THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO PARKS
Both parks have castles as their iconic landmarks but they couldn't be more different from one another.
Disney's Cinderella Castle makes for a great photo op, but you can't actually go into it unless it's for an uber expensive character breakfast at Cinderella's Table. There are luxury accommodations, the Cinderella Castle Suite upstairs but guests cannot rent it. You only stay in it by invitation or you win a stay in it during one of Disney's occasional promotions.
Universal’s 150-foot tall landmark, on the other hand, is Hogwarts Castle, located at Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park.
Hogwarts castle is the main building of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft as featured in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter book and movie series.
Unlike Cinderella’s Castle, visitors can actually enter the castle gates and go inside Hogwarts Castle for a fully immersive experience. Here, there are Harry Potter relics and corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that include locations such as Dumbledore’s office, the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and the Gryffindor common room.
The castle is also home to one of Island of Adventures most popular rides, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. This amazing 4D motion-simulator ride takes place on an enchanted bench. (That sits atop a highly technological robotic arm!)
Disney and Universal are both theme-driven parks, meaning that their rides and shows are more about the characters and settings rather than physical thrills. It's the theming that sets the two parks apart from one another.
Striving for a laid back vibe that appeals to everyone, Disney World theming is based on its Disney franchise. Universal Studios, however, features theming based on the entertainment industry, in particular movies and television. The vibe here is edgier with more high-tech and thrilling rides.
At Disney, you can expect to see rides and shows based on the following:
Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, and Donald & Daisy Duck
Star Wars
Pixar (Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles)
Disney animation (Frozen, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King)
Pirates of the Caribbean
James Cameron’s Avatar (Pandora – The World of Avatar)
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
The best rides at Universal include these themes:
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Marvel’s Avengers
Jurassic Park
Fast & Furious
Transformers
Spider-Man
The Incredible Hulk
Despicable Me, including the Minions
The Simpsons
Dr. Seuss
Disney World is HUGE encompassing 27,258 acres of land. (That's the size of San Francisco!) You will do an exhausting amount of walking in Disney World.
By comparison, Universal encompasses 1500 acres of land so is considerably smaller and far more walkable and transportation around the resort takes much less time.
Disney World’s larger size means that there is more to do, but there is also more ground to cover. You need at least 4 – 5 days in your to get even close to a full experience.
Universal Orlando, however, is smaller which means there’s less to do, but it’s easier to maneuver around. A minimum of 2 – 3 days is needed for a complete visit.
Some people will say that Disney World is for families with young kids and that Universal Orlando is better suited for families with older children and teens. I'd agree with this. My great nieces and nephews as they got older, outgrew Disney.
While there are still plenty of attractions that smaller kids can do at Universal, these attractions are not Universal’s strong suit, whereas many of Disney World’s classics are perfectly suited for toddlers and younger, smaller children. (Height requirements)
One of the biggest differences between Disney World vs. Universal Studios is their ‘skip the regular line’ option.
Sadly Disney got rid of their Fast Pass option for all intents and purposes. Disney is known for incredibly long waits to ride its major attractions.
Instead, FastPass has been replaced by Genie+ and Lightning Lane Passes.
Disney Genie+ is a ticket add-on purchased through the My Disney Experience app that includes Lightning Lane access to more than 40 attractions.
For $15 per person per day at Walt Disney World guests gain Lightning Lane access to rides including Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise at Magic Kingdom; Mission Space, Spaceship Earth and Test Track at Epcot; Slinky Dog Dash, Rock n’ Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror at Disney’s Hollywood Studios; and Dinosaur, Kilimanjaro Safaris and Na’vi River Journey at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
In addition, Disney is now offering the purchase of individual Lightning Lane Passes for top-tier attractions not included in Genie+.
The list includes Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Space Mountain at Magic Kingdom, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen Ever After at Epcot, Rise of the Resistance, and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Hollywood Studios, and Avatar Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest at Animal Kingdom.
Attraction prices range from $7-$15 per ride; prices and ride offerings vary by the day.
The ‘skip the regular line’ option at Universal Orlando is called Universal Express.
Universal Express is also a ticket add-on, meaning that it’s an additional cost to standard park tickets (prices vary by date and expected crowd levels).
The add-on can be purchased ahead of time, once you’re in the park, or comes free when you stay at a Universal Premier Resort.
The purchase of a Universal Express pass allows you to use the Universal Express line, for the entire day, at most of the attractions at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure.
The number of Express Passes available on a given date is limited, however, so it is recommended to purchase them ahead of time. (Definitely worth it!)
Both Disney World and Universal Orlando have awesome shopping, dining, and entertainment districts that feature some of the best things to do in Orlando.
The difference is in their proximity to the parks, and on what they offer.
Disney’s entertainment district is called Disney Springs.
Disney Springs is located 2.5 – 6 miles from each of the Disney parks.
This equals a 10 to 20-minute drive depending on where you’re driving from.
The best things to do at Disney Springs involve browsing their specialty shops, dining at restaurants, and riding in the world’s largest tethered helium balloon (and many more fun attractions!).
Universal CityWalk is the name of Universal Resort’s dining and shopping district.
You actually have to walk through CityWalk in order to enter both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, meaning that the shops and restaurants there are much more accessible than at Disney Springs.
Universal CityWalk lives up to its nickname as “the epicenter of awesome” as there are literally so many.
Likewise, there are more restaurants here than you would ever be able to experience in one visit!
In my opinion, Disney focuses more on their dining experiences inside of the park, whereas, the best restaurants and dining experiences at Universal are located in CityWalk.
At Disney World, each of the four theme and two water parks has its own outdoor parking lot. The parking lots are huge, and they all have separate entrances.
Trams cycle through the parking lots offering rides to tRegular parking is $25/day (parking is good for all day and you can go to other parks).
At Universal, there’s one gigantic covered parking complex for day guests visiting Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, Citywalk, and/or Volcano Bay.
Once parked, escalators and moving walkways bring you into the transportation hub.
Here, you will find security checkpoints, restrooms, vending machines, and souvenirs.
From the Universal transportation hub, it is a 15-minute walk to get to any of the theme park entrances.
Regular parking is $27/day.
Now we get to the deciding factor for me personally - Customer Service.
Most feel both Disney World and Universal Studios focus on providing a seamlessly top-notch guest experience - although I'd argue that point.
They operate very similarly when it comes to high standards of customer service and professional staff members.
You will definitely notice a difference in the way that the opposing staff members make you ‘feel’ however, as each park has a different approach to its corporate culture and marketing approach.
Disney employees that work at Disney Parks or Disney Stores are called Cast Members.
Cast Members are trained to be as positive and as nice as possible, as well as to bring Disney to life for their guests.
Most cast members have lanyards for trading Disney pins with guests, as well as are encouraged to be interactive with guests in order to promote feelings of nostalgia.
They can be identified by costumes mimicking the rides, vests with bowties, or brightly colored polo shirts.
Universal employees are called Team Members. They too are trained to provide an enjoyable and memorable entertainment experience for their guests.
It often seems that Universal Team Members are hipper and edgier as well as have a more hands-off approach to the guests in order to mimic the action-packed atmosphere here.
They don’t necessarily have the same warm-fuzzy feeling as Disney Cast Members, but it fits with the ambiance of the park.
Universal Team Members can be identified in colored polo shirts, costumes matching the ride’s theme, and staff name badges.
The behavior of Disney World cast members is what turned me off to Disney permanently, particularly toward disabled guests. Many of them didn't even know the Disney parks HAD a disability pass much less how to handle one - or the disabled guest for that matter.
I got no "warm, fuzzy feeling" from Disney cast members whatsoever. In fact, they subjected me to an insulting, embarrassing incident they themselves were at fault for. I will not spend another cent in Disney parks as a result.
By contrast, the Universal Team Members were awesome and went out of their way to accommodate guests with disabilities. If I'm going to drop a bundle of cash at a theme park I don't expect special treatment apart from my medical restrictions but I do expect to be treated with common courtesy. That was lacking at Disney.
In addition, at Disney I felt like I was being 'pickpocketed' the entire time with outrageous prices and a Disney merchandise shop in my face every time I turned around. I did not feel that way at Universal.
But those are just my personal opinions based on my personal experiences.
Deciding between Disney vs. Universal really comes down to the factors that you’re looking for and comparing, and what appeals to you and your family. Each park has its strong points and its weak points.
One thing you might want to take into consideration is that Disney is so large your entire vacation will have to be about Disney if you want the fullest experience.
On the other hand, since Universal is so much smaller, you can combine your trip to Universal with a trip to the beach or other Orlando attractions - if you want more variety during your trip.
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