Why Universal Is Better than Disney World

Zach Zappia, Staff Writer

Summer is rapidly approaching, and that means summer vacations are being planned. Theme parks are very popular vacation destinations. Possibly the biggest debate when it comes to theme parks  is Disney World vs. Universal Studios. When the advantages are weighed, Universal is better than Disney.
Universal has three different parks: Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and the waterpark Volcano Bay. Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure are in the same park, while Volcano Bay is only a 15-minute drive from the theme park.
Universal Studios has less visitors on average per year, and while that might seem like a downside, it’s not. With less visitors, that means the park is less crowded, which leads to shorter lines for rides. In 2018, Disney had 20.86 million people attend, while Universal had only 10.71 million guests. .
Compared to Disney, where most of the attractions are aimed at  young children, the rides at Universal are focused on teenagers. The majority of the rides at Universal are dark rides where teenagers are the primary audience. The six coasters at Universal, compared to seven at Disney World, are geared toward  teenagers , like the Incredible Hulk Coaster at Islands of Adventure and the Rip Ride Rockit coaster at Universal Studios. Along with rides, there are stunt shows, like the all-new Bourne Stuntacular, shows, parades, and more.
There are many dark rides at Universal, most of which are iconic and known all over the world. Rides like “The Amazing Adventures of Spiderman”, “The Simpsons Ride”, “E.T. Adventure”, and “Transformers: The Ride 3D”, are all at Universal.
Each dark ride is based on a movie or television series owned by Universal and are  directed towards teenagers and adults, like the “Harry Potter” and “The Simpsons” rides.

Some of the coaster rides at Universal incorporate dark ride elements and roller coasters elements in them, like “Revenge of the Mummy”, “Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts”, and “Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.”

There are many different themed lands at Universal based on different franchises, like “The Simpsons” and “Men in Black.” Each of these lands has a ride based on the franchise, which allows the visitors to experience their favorite show or movie in real life.
The most popular lands are from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The two lands are Diagon Alley at Universal Studios and Hogsmeade at Islands of Adventure. Both lands offer live shows, dining experiences, shopping and very entertaining rides.