Is Disney or Universal Better? – 10 Fascinating Questions Our Readers Asked Us
Ah, the mysteries of our universe and the age-old questions we all seek the answers to in life: blonde or brunette, caramel or chocolate, margaritas or pina coladas, Disney World or Universal Orlando?
Well, we don’t know the answers to all of these, but we can help with some of the most requested questions from MouseEars TV fans, including the most pressing one of all: is Disney or Universal better?
Some of our answers might shock you, while others may enlighten you – we promise none will bore you. So, buckle up MouseEars TV fans, we’re about to tackle the greatest prizefight in all of theme park fandom: Disney versus Universal.
1 – Is Disney or Universal Bigger?
The short answer is Disney World, but there’s a little more to the story.
After all, how did these two behemoths come to stand alone, above all others, in the world of theme park entertainment? It’s important to understand what makes Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort so different from the competition. Perhaps the most striking difference is that both are resort properties, first and foremost, and not just stand-alone amusement properties like the Six Flags parks dotted across the country.
Okay, well, what does that mean? In a nutshell, amusement parks across the country are single entity properties encapsulating less than two hundred acres. By comparison, Disney and Universal combined house six of the top twelve theme parks in the world on just two properties, both located in Orlando, Florida.
Both companies offer multiple theme parks and resort hotels along with waterparks, entertainment districts featuring unique shopping and dining experiences, as well as other stand-alone attractions, including things like an eighteen-hole championship caliber golf course, multiple miniature golf courses, movie theaters, and nightlife, all of which are held within two single properties, complete with in-house complimentary resort transportation for guests.
A guest could spend the entirety of a four to seven-day vacation at either Walt Disney World or Universal without ever leaving the property, something you be hard pressed to do at any other theme park across the nation – or the world, for that matter!
For direct comparison, Universal Orlando Resort stands on 840 acres, located just off Interstate 4 near the north end of International Drive, while just a few miles further down the way, Walt Disney World Resort encompasses an astounding 27,000 acres, making it twice the size of the island of Manhatten!
2 – Is Disney or Universal More Crowded?
Once again, the short answer is that Disney would technically be considered more crowded than Universal. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom tends to be the most crowded of all Orlando Parks, no matter the time of year you visit. In fact, Magic Kingdom is the single most popular theme park in the world and has held that title since opening over 50 years ago.
Now for the context, because we really are splitting hairs with this type of question. Remember, the two together account for half of the largest one dozen theme parks in the world, including all of the top five. Disney takes the crown here simply because there is more of it. Walt Disney World resort features four parks, including the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, in contrast to just two at Universal, which includes Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure. Disney also possesses two water parks versus just one at Universal. There are more hotels as well. More restaurants, more shopping, just more of it, period.
Park strategies and good planning are, without a doubt, paramount to the quality of any visit to one of the aforementioned parks. First things first, you must understand and accept the fact that you cannot do it all in a single vacation. (We locals call these types of vacationers “stroller mommies from hell” or “hell mommies” for short because they only succeed in making themselves, their family members, and those around them miserable.) Second, make a plan. Trust us when we tell you that spontaneity may sound good in “The Most Magical Place on Earth,” but in reality, it never works out well. You will simply become overwhelmed and frustrated.
There are many resources available to potential visitors planning a vacation to Central Florida. So to get you started in the right direction, here are some websites we recommend visiting – Disney World’s official website, Universal Orlando’s official website, Visit Orlando, and of course, our website, MouseEars TV. Some reading materials we recommend checking out are The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World 2023, Frommers Easy Guide to Walt Disney World, Universal and Orlando 2022, and for the adults in the group, Drinking at Disney. Finally, we recommend these helpful vlogs in no particular order – The Disney Food Blog, The Dis, The Dis Unlimited, Attractions Magazine, The Tim Tracker, and Mickey Views. Be sure to check them out on YouTube!
3 – Is Disney or Universal More Popular?
A better question would be, who are these parks most popular with? While both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando offer attractions and activities for all age groups and demographics, they do target slightly different niches. Disney World describes itself as “The Most Magical Place on Earth” and gears itself mostly towards families with younger children. In contrast, Universal tends to appeal to a younger, hipper crowd with a park that features more thrills, if not quite as much fairy dust. It really just depends on what you’re looking for in a vacation!
4 – Is Disney or Universal Cheaper?
It’s a tie, sort of. As of the writing of this article, the cheapest available ticket, a one-day, one-park standard ticket, will run you $109.00 per person at both Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando.
Now for the all-important context. Both resorts offer multiple park hopper style options as well as Express Pass/Lightning Lane skip-the-line type options. Think of these extra add-ons as pay-for-play type of options, and the more you want to play, the more you will certainly pay.
If you are still wondering is Disney or Universal cheaper, when you include all of the general add-on options, as well as the guided tour programs offered to guests of the parks, the House of Mouse becomes more expensive because there are simply more expensive options. Universal offers more bang for your buck with a simple, straightforward program, while Disney has been recently criticized for moving from the popular and free fast pass system to the new Genie system, which includes multiple add-on additions that can be quite confusing for guests.
If you are on a limited budget and have to choose between a park hopper ticket or Lighting Lane at Disney or an Express Pass at Universal, we highly recommend you always take the line skipping options over the park hopper options. This is because you can enjoy the Express Pass or Lighting Lane throughout the day in one park, and the lack of park hopping won’t affect the quality of your day. However, the park hopper option without the Express Pass will render it, for the most part, useless.
5 – Does Disney or Universal Have More Rides?
As far as rides and attractions are concerned, Disney tends to have a little more in each of its parks. However, here comes that word again, folks: context. Each property also features character meet and greets as well as smaller types of entertainment which we did not include in our count. This is a general count as best we can determine by their own advertisement and our own personal opinion on what we feel can be considered a major attraction or ride.
- Magic Kingdom: 40
- EPCOT: 31
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 22
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 23
- Universal Studios: 19
- Universal’s Islands of Adventure: 20
6 – Does Disney or Universal Have Better Rides?
Both companies feature some of the best state-of-the-art attractions found anywhere in the world. Disney tends to rely more on animatronic technology and old-school state-of-the-art background theming, while Universal leads the world as far as green screen technology in a theme park setting. If you are still wondering does Disney or Universal have better rides, that said, both Disney and Universal are capable of doing both on a world-class level.
7 – Is Disney or Universal Better for Toddlers?
The short answer here is, once again, Walt Disney World. The Magic Kingdom, especially. Keep in mind, however, that all of the parks feature rides and entertainment for younger children. The Magic Kingdom just has the most children’s experiences for the little ones. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure offer the most thrills for the teenagers in your family.
8 – Is Disney or Universal Better for Adults?
The short answer here is both. It really just depends on what your interests are and the types of activities you may be looking for in your vacation. In a general sense, Disney would most likely work better for honeymooning couples or retirees, while Universal would be the place to go for a group of twenty or thirty-somethings looking to let their hair down.
If you are still wondering is Disney or Universal better for adults, it can also come down to what fandom you’re in. Are you a hardcore Disney movie buff or more of a Potterhead? A preference for pixie dust or spells from Hogwarts might tip the scales in favor of one resort.
Above all, we encourage you to do your research and figure out what fits your own needs before booking your trip!
9 – Is Disney or Universal More Expensive?
Walt Disney World resort hotels tend to be more expensive than those found over at Universal. However, a little more affordability should not be confused with cheap by any means. When asked is Disney or Universal more expensive, make no mistake, a vacationer can spend a fortune at either resort property, and believe us when we tell you that both companies spend enormous amounts of money researching how to separate you from your dollar bills.
10 – Is Disney or Universal Better?
Disney versus Universal? Twenty years ago, the clear winner would easily have been Walt Disney World, but over the past two decades, NBC-Universal has poured millions, if not billions of dollars, into their Florida parks to close that gap with Mickey. While Disney may still be king of the magical mountain, you can rest assured that Mickey, Minnie, Luke Skywalker, and Buzz Lightyear can now see Jurrasic Park’s dinosaurs, Transformers, and Harry Potter in their rearview mirror.
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