Walt Disney World may be the most famous place of interest in Orlando. However, Universal Studios has gained a lot of popularity over the last years, thanks to attractions such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, as well as more thrilling and recent blockbuster movie rides. There are many ways to enjoy these parks, depending on the family group, age and budget.
Walt Disney World consists mainly of four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. There are also two water parks, a shopping mall area (Disney Springs), and several resorts with varied pricing and themes. Additionally, there are golf courses and other facilities that are less popular for most people, but that add up to an unforgettable experience.
I believe no Disneyworld review can be complete without mentioning the importance of vintage rides such as Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, and Haunted Mansion. They are the reason why many visitors return over and over to these parks. New rides such as the Seven Dwarves’ Mine Train add up to the expectation and innovation, but usually have waiting times of more than 60-90 minutes.
Every park is constantly renewing its attractions, offering fresh entertainment, with more modern technology and usually based on the latest movies, even though these expansions take a lot of time. Some of the latest additions are Pandora – The Land of Avatar, and Toy Story Land. There is a lot of excitement surrounding the opening of a Star Wars park with a themed hotel in the 2020s.
Favorite rides: Aerosmith’s Rock n’ Roller coaster, Haunted Mansion, Expedition Everest, Toy Story Mania.
Universal Studios, on the other hand, has two theme parks: Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios Florida. Tourists can enjoy many restaurants, stores, and sights in the Citywalk before or after entering the parks. Most recently, hotel resorts with more amenities and a water park have been opened.
Both Universal parks have Harry Potter areas that are connected by a themed train ride (you need to have tickets for both parks on the same day to ride it). There are several intense rides for adults and milder entertainment for young children.
Universal Studios Florida has changed (updated) over the years, transforming 20th century film attractions such as Back to the Future, Jaws and King Kong, into more modern rides from the 21st century such as Transformers and Despicable Me. Men in Black: Alien Attack and The Mummy Revenge have been part of the renovation of the park too, and are still very enjoyable.
In Islands of Adventure, Marvel superheroes have their own section, where some of the coolest rides can be found. Jurassic Park’s area impregnates nostalgia and fantasy, and other famous characters such as The Simpsons, Popeye, and Dr. Seuss have their own space too.
Favorite rides: Hulk Coaster, Rip Ride RockIt, Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls, Amazing Adventures of Spiderman, and everything Harry Potter.
There are huge roller coasters in Universal that you cannot find in Disney (with a couple of exceptions), but you may not find the same magic surrounding Disney’s Cinderella castle, the Epcot giant ball, the Tree of Life, or the Twilight Tower of Terror anywhere else. Disney’s closing shows and parades are also a step ahead.
It’s a good idea to plan as much as possible before starting your vacation to this wonderland. You should determine the budget, number of days and the more convenient place to stay, depending on the group size, age or things you want to see or do.
After this, you should review the different options Disney and Universal have regarding park tickets, hotels, dining options, and/or special events. There are packages that offer all of these, including flight tickets from most parts of the world. Naturally, the time of the year has a big effect on the number of people in the parks, the weather, hotel fares, and events.
Personally, I’ve chosen Disney hotels on the last couple of visits. You can find transportation to Universal parks if you ask around. This way you don’t have to rent a car, save time and get early admission to Disney theme parks, as well as ticket/package discounts. Universal hotels look good and may be an interesting choice for the future, too. Dreams do come true in Orlando!