Disney-MGM Studios vs. Universal Studios Florida

[DL_CRAZE]

What would u say is the more popular, powerful and succesful movie theme park, Disney-MGM Studios or Universal Studios Florida?

[captsmith84]

Disney-MGM Studios is more popular than any other Movie or TV Studios in the world. That's based on attendance. Now, as far as rides go, I'd still say I like the Disney-MGM Studios more.

Now, if I went over and compared the Disney-MGM Studios and Universal Orlando, Universal would win.. 2 theme parks vs. 1... heh heh.

[TDLFAN]

I still prefer Universal Studios Japan over Orlando's version. But I have a harder time comparing it with MGM. They seem so different to me.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

The Studio Theme Park concept seems a little dated. Especially when they are not even shooting any game shows or doing any animation at MGM anymore.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOLLYWOOD (right by my house here in LA) at least is a real working television and motion picture studio, with a real tour of actual working sets and a lot of fun along the way. The theme park they added to it is OK but nothing like what they have built in FL and Japan.

They wanted to build an Islands of Adventure on the backlot here, but it would have been right accross the river from the Toluca Lake Golf Course, and who lives next to it? ROY DISNEY. No roller coasters and screaming overlooking the GOLF COURSE please!

So to this day, USH is kind of stuck in the 80s. They built the Mummy Coaster indoors to keep the noise down, but no new thrills other than that.

[figment1986]

Soo..... build a thrill land.... then build a Jiant Noise wall that looks like a hack drop... book themed and keeps noise down... IOAs looks like trees and is green.. and helps with the school directly behind it...

[Yensid TlaW]

Universal Studios Florida hands down.

[CaliforniaAdventurer]

Originally Posted by figment1986

Soo..... build a thrill land.... then build a Jiant Noise wall that looks like a hack drop... book themed and keeps noise down... IOAs looks like trees and is green.. and helps with the school directly behind it...

Except that ROY owns a ton of DISNEY stock and despite his problems with Disney management, he doesn't want Universal to add a second gate, or USH could upstage the Disneyland Resort as Southern California's hottest vacation destination.

Which is more popular in FL, Universal or Disney? I guess it depends if your kids are under 10 years old, or 14-18 years old.

[WDW1974]

Universal Studios is so much better maintained than Disney-MGM Studios, not to mention it has more quality attractions. Although I would make a trip to MGM just to dine at the Brown Derby.

Oh, Universal also doesn't have a tacky big *** hat/pin shop ruining its park.

[TheDisneyInquisitor]

Disney-MGM Studios wins. The only good thing about Universal is if your a kid and want to see Nickelodeon Studios. I went to Universal a few years ago and the employees were downright rude. The employees at the Studios are so much nicer. Universal has no theming at all (in either park) and 90% of their attractions haven't changed in a long time/at all. Earthquake, Jaws, Twister, King Kong, Terminator, ET, Back to the Future. Fear Factor and APL are just cheap TV promotions as is Jimmy Neutron. Also, there restuarants pale in comparison to the Studios and Fantasmic is reason alone to pick the Studios over Universal. There is more theming in ToT's queue than in the entire Universal Park. To me, it's a hands down win for Disney-MGM Studios.

-Michael

[pjdonnell]

Originally Posted by askmike1

Disney-MGM Studios wins. The only good thing about Universal is if your a kid and want to see Nickelodeon Studios. I went to Universal a few years ago and the employees were downright rude. The employees at the Studios are so much nicer. Universal has no theming at all (in either park) and 90% of their attractions haven't changed in a long time/at all. Earthquake, Jaws, Twister, King Kong, Terminator, ET, Back to the Future. Fear Factor and APL are just cheap TV promotions as is Jimmy Neutron. Also, there restuarants pale in comparison to the Studios and Fantasmic is reason alone to pick the Studios over Universal. There is more theming in ToT's queue than in the entire Universal Park. To me, it's a hands down win for Disney-MGM Studios.

-Michael

Um... King Kong's been gone since 2002. And I really have to disagree with you about the theming, especially when it comes to Islands of Adventure. IOA is so incredibly immersive, and even has its own small touches, like Sneetch Beach, which make the Disney parks so special.

[figment1986]

Originally Posted by askmike1

Disney-MGM Studios wins. The only good thing about Universal is if your a kid and want to see Nickelodeon Studios.
-Michael

nice.. and if i heard correctly the contract is ending soon.. and at the end of this or next month whats left of the tour is going away.....

I hopw somone comes in and uses it for what it was designed for...
making TV shows... not just random things...

[TheDisneyInquisitor]

Originally Posted by pjdonnell

Um... King Kong's been gone since 2002. And I really have to disagree with you about the theming, especially when it comes to Islands of Adventure. IOA is so incredibly immersive, and even has its own small touches, like Sneetch Beach, which make the Disney parks so special.

I don't know why I put King Kong in. Also, we weren't talking about IoA, just both Studios. What makes Disney parks so special is that it has something for everyone (mind you, not every ride has to cater to everyone, but the park as a whole does). Nothing in IoA is for kids, not even the Seuss section. IoA is a thrill park, nothing more, nothing less. I disagree about theming, but everyone has their own opinion.

-Michael

[Mr. Eggz]

I find myself agreeing with Askmike1. There is a great disturbance in the force.

[WDW1974]

I don't agree with askmike1 either, but everyone is entitled to their opinions.

I just spent a week in Orlando (have APs to all Disney and Universal parks, water parks etc ). I spent a full day at Universal and not a second at Disney-MGM. Universal is so much better maintained and they still try and have cohesive themes to what they are doing. So a shop at the end of Twister only sells merchandise from/inspired by the movie/attraction, no cheap generic Uni character crap like Disney does.

From a cleanliness standpoint Uni also wins. Disney-MGM has -- and has had for the pst 4-5 years -- the filthiest bathrooms at any Orlando theme park. At Uni they are spotless and there is always (like Disney used to have) a CM inside cleaning them.

Uni also has two great attractions that are new in Mummy, which blows RnRC out of the water, and Shrek 3D (which certainly is better than the highly dated 1991 MuppetVision 3D -- and I am a huge Muppets fan). MGM has a simulator attraction (Star Tours) that should have been updated a decade ago, so does Uni (Back to the Future). I prefer ST, just because BTTF is the worst, roughest, most miserable ride experience of any Orlando park. Men In Black is incredible and makes Buzz Lightyear look laughable in comparison. They also have the new Jimmy Neutron ride, which doesn't do much for me, but kids seem to love it.

From a theming standpoint, Disney has ruined its park with a big *** hat/pin shop that completely obscures its most architecturally stunning Chinese Theater. It's backlot is a joke. Uni's detailing is very top-notch.

Food wise, I agree Disney-MGM wins that battle, but Lombard's Landing is damn good and better than anything at MGM except for the Brown Derby.

Nighttime entertainment goes to Disney-MGM because it has some in Fantasmic, although some folks like me can't stand it compared to its great sister in Anaheim.

To me, there are only two things left at MGM worth seeing: Tower and Brown Derby. There are at probably 10 things I can enjoy at Uni.

[Disney Analyst]

Hahaha now I can agree with that, the great sister in anaheim! Who says it's a girl :O Let's check!