Disney World and Universal Studios are both family friendly parks in Orlando that have themed areas and rides based on the movies and properties each company owns. The two parks are in direct competition with each other, and the question stands: Who does the rides better? The answer depends on personal taste and age.
Both parks have newer simulation rides where guests can truly feel the world of the ride. Universal has a couple with its Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey being one of its most popular. Riders get on an upright held cart and are taken around a suspended dark ride where guests go through Hogwarts castle. The ride has good screens to display action but some poorly designed animatronics that may take riders out of the experience.
One of Disney’s newest and most popular rides is their Avatar Flight of Passage. Riders get on newer seats which simulates riding on a Banshee. The ride is an advanced 4D theater that flies guests through the world of Pandora. The ride is as good as Forbidden Journey, but it’s tamer and loses the novelty quickly since it is just a theater with a bit of water spraying guests from time to time.
Disney is much more versed in calmer rides and has a few water rides for guests to enjoy. Its major one, Splash Mountain (soon to be rethemed to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure) is an adventure through Georgia’s countryside where guests follow Br’er Rabbit attempting to escape Br’er Fox and Br’er Bear. Guests pass through lots of whimsical areas before heading to a 56 foot drop where guests get moderately wet.
Universal has a couple water rides to entertain guests such as their Jurassic Park River Adventure, a ride comparable to Disney’s Splash Mountain. This ride takes guests through an immersive experience where their river boat gets taken off course of the “intended” ride where dangerous carnivores have escaped and threaten guests during the ride. The ride has some sprayers and features an intense 85-foot drop at the end of the ride. This ride beats out Disney’s counterpart as they have a bigger drop and a much more immersive experience for riders.
For roller coasters, Universal has plenty. But one of its standouts is The Incredible Hulk Coaster on its Adventure Island wing. The ride takes guests through seven inversions at 67 miles per hour. The coaster is a standout in the park, and while it’s older than the other two newer coasters, it still stands up on its own.
In comparison, an older coaster at Disney that’s comparable would be the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster in Hollywood Studios. The ride only has three inversions and only reached 57 miles per hour. However, the story and theming for this coaster is much better than its Universal counterpart. Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster also has a killer soundtrack to accompany riders, making the experience much more fun.
Both parks are pretty even when it comes to rides. For riders, it just comes down to personal preference for which park guests enjoy more. Universal’s rides are much more aimed towards teens and adults. Disney’s rides are made more for kids to enjoy. Whichever park guests enjoy more, it’s up to them. But actually attending each is definitely worth it to craft your own opinion.
