Which Is the Superior Park, DCA or Universal Studios, Hollywood?

[Ride Warrior]

I'd have to say that USH is better planned and far more exciting. For one thing, the park boasts three relatively new major attractions and two minor. The attractions are Shrek 4-D, the Mummy coaster, and the Simpsons ride. The Tram ride will see a new collapsing bridge, plus a replacement for the old Kong.

Compare all of this to Toy Story Mania, and ..well, it can be said that disney has been sitting on it's butt the past couple of years where DCA is concerned. However, the new makeover will make it a far better experience than USH in terms of rides.

Where food is concerned, there are far better dining options at DCA. In consideration of the overall experience, I place a much higher value on rides and other attractions than I do food.

[DisneyIPresume]

I'm guessing this thread was prompted by a similar thread comparing DCA to Knotts, with many people concluding that Knotts was the better park.

In this case though I would say that it's pretty much a draw, but with DCA coming out slightly ahead.

USH is an actual movie studio which is a plus, and that fact in and of itself puts it in a category that is different even from Disneyland itself. But as far as rides and food are concerned, DCA wins out. Shows are pretty much a wash.

[zeppelindude]

I enjoy USH, but like DHS at WDW, you have to plan your whole day around shows, which blows the care-free day you were hoping for. So i would say DCA, especially now with TSMM.

[Disneyland Daddy]

I say DCA....

[sir clinksalot]

No question ... DCA.

USH is good, no doubt. But there are really only 3 actual "Rides". (Simpsons, Mummy and Jurassic Park). The Tram is, well, a tram, and is totally cool. The rest are shows.

[Crazybirdman]

USH is cool, but the shows get tiring after a while. And look how many rides/shows they have closed.

[SiRocket]

ush is cool, but if one of the rides is closed.... it just is asking for a laugh.... and the admission should be cut 1/3 if one of the three rides is down.

I get tired and do everything by the halfday mark in either parks, but the repeat value of DCA is higher the USH in my eyes.

[Cuddles McHenry]

DCA. Apparently, no one who has voted for USH has ever ridden that Mummy ride. Ugh. Makes The Monsters Inc Ride seem like Indy....

[sir clinksalot]

Also, the the point that USH was better planned. Really???

It's a movie-studio. They had the tram-tour for how many years, which was probably nice. But then they tried to construct a theme-park as well. The 2 level system is a joke. It takes 10-15 minutes just to get from the top level to the lower level. Not to mention there is absolutely no room for expansion and if they want to build something new, they have to close something.

Also, USF makes USH look even worse after you've been there and see what Universal can do with a park with no space limitations.

[brand42]

Originally Posted by Cuddles McHenry

DCA. Apparently, no one who has voted for USH has ever ridden that Mummy ride. Ugh. Makes The Monsters Inc Ride seem like Indy....

Ha! Very true indeed. The queue, once you enter the building isn't bad. But the outdoor portion of the queue as well as the ride itself leave a lot to be desired.

I live only 10-15 minutes away from USH and yet would prefer the 40 min. trip over to DCA.

[caesarboxfan]

I say DCA.

Both have pretty much the same attractions. USH has Shrek 4D, DCA has Muppetvision and ITTBAB. USH has the Mummy, DCA has Screamin', etc.

It's just a matter of who does it better, and IMO that's Disney.

[monicaduy]

Originally Posted by sir clinksalot

Also, the the point that USH was better planned. Really???

It's a movie-studio. They had the tram-tour for how many years, which was probably nice. But then they tried to construct a theme-park as well. The 2 level system is a joke. It takes 10-15 minutes just to get from the top level to the lower level. Not to mention there is absolutely no room for expansion and if they want to build something new, they have to close something.

Also, USF makes USH look even worse after you've been there and see what Universal can do with a park with no space limitations.

Yeah i think its sad they have 2 take down something 2 replace it with something new, they really need a little bit more rides. I love Jurassic, Mummy, etc. but im done with those rides fast. Terminator is old for me, they need 2 change the show.

[BC_DisneyGeek]

My initial instinct of a response was...I don't know. Neither springs to mind as being overwhelmingly superior to the other.

DCA, flawed as it is, still has that Disney touch when it comes to repeatability. I never get tired of Tower of Terror. I can't say the same for Universal.

I would never forgo a visit to DCA if I were in the area, but when it comes to Universal - the only reason for me to go would be to see whatever is new.

For those reasons, I deem DCA the superior park for myself. Once the revamp is well under way, it won't even be close.

[Datameister]

I have similarly ambivalent-but-favoring-DCA feelings, BC_DisneyGeek. Neither is an amazing theme park, IMO, but they each have their own advantages. Universal, of course, benefits enormously from being a real movie studio, and the associated tram tour is a big draw. The few other attractions can be enjoyable, but they're nothing too special. DCA, on the other hand, is more consistent and of higher quality when it comes to theming, and it has a few more worthwhile attractions. But it still entirely lacks the magic of a real Disney park.

I guess if I had to pick just one of the two to visit right now, I'd pick Universal, simply because it's been a longer time since my last visit there, and I'd be interested in seeing what's left of the courtyard square in person. But objectively speaking, I'd probably rank DCA as a superior theme park.

[Legacy]

I went to Universal Studios for the first time this summer, and I really wasn't all that impressed. The theming is very much askew and there are sections of the park that appear to be there for no reason. Not to mention the fact that you have to go down twenty million escalators to get to two of the three rides. Honestly, I was most impressed with the park when I was enjoying the tram ride or other attractions that displayed the actual movie-making process. In that case, I think Universal would have been much better if they hadn't gone the theme park route and focused more about showing us how to make movies.