People have their favorites on all sorts of things, including top tier amusement parks. There are really only two companies that are in this top tier--Disney and Universal (I put Busch Gardens in Tier 2). How do the theme parks of the two companies compare? Which one is the king of theme parks?
One criterion is the focus of the parks. Certainly the 6 Disney parks and 3 Universal parks in the U.S. each have their themes. But what I mean by “focus” is a little different. “Focus” has more to do with the modus operandi of the theme park division of the company. For Disney, the focus is immersing its guests in stories. Universal’s theme park motto is “Ride the movies!” They have similar aims, but Disney’s approach is a little more universal (pun intended). Another criterion is the intended audience. Certainly both Disney and Universal cater to families. Walt Disney built the original Disneyland with the belief that there should be rides that parents and children can ride together. Universal does focus a little more on families with older kids or young adults. I really enjoy thrills (such as roller coasters) at theme parks. Some parks like Six Flags or Cedar Point are known for their roller coasters. Between the “Top Tier” theme parks, Universal takes the cake. It has the more intense coasters like The Hulk Coaster and Rip Ride Rockit. Jurassic Park River Adventure is more intense than its counterpart Splash Mountain at Disney parks. With any company that is focused on creativity, the vision of the founder looms large. This is certainly the case with the Disney company. Walt Disney’s mark on the Park’s is still seen to this day. His apartment in Main Street USA in Disneyland always has its light on in memory of him. The Partners statue in front of the Castle shows Walt and Mickey holding hands. The motto, “What Would Walt Do?” is still on many cast members’ minds. Now what about Universal Studios? Can you name their founder? In 1963 MCA Universal president Lee Wasserman asked VP Al Dorskind to look into the feasibility of providing a permanent tram tour of their studios in Hollywood. There were certainly other figures who pushed Universal into more of a theme park role, but it all started with the desire to make Universal Studios a place tourists would want to come to. They have succeeded in that, but their founder’s vision was a bit more limited in scope than Walt’s. Another way of evaluating the “Top Tier” parks is the impressions they leave with people. Guests at Universal will come away entertained and with good memories. Those are good outcomes for any entertainment company. But I don’t think it quite measures up to Disney. Guests leave Disney parks (especially Walt Disney World) changed. Having experienced the unique storytelling and immersion into themed lands, people’s imaginations are opened up. I think this is observable in the plethora of websites, blogs, and podcasts that focus on Disney parks (rather than Universal parks). So although Universal might have a niche with themed thrill rides, the best theme parks out there (in my opinion) are Disney’s.
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