Unpopular opinion (UOR edition)

Universal Orlando Resort
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Is there anything about any of the parks, hotels, or even the Universal CityWalk that most people seem to love but you just can’t wrap your head around?
I’ll go first:

  • Islands of Adventure is overrated. I frequently see it listed in the top 5 American theme parks, top 10 worldwide. But realistically, what does it have going for it other than Hogsmeade village? Marvel Superhero Island: unchanged since opening day. Toon Lagoon: unchanged since opening day. Jurassic Park: VelociCoaster shakes up twenty years of monotony, but storywise it clashes with the rest of the land. The Lost Continent: the best restaurants, but tragically sacrificed for the Wizarding World. Seuss Landing: unchanged since opening day.
    This isnt to say its not fun. But USF next door is constantly updating their attractions, yet its considered the inferior of the two. IOA is stagnant, except for rides they haveto pay Warner Bros. to license
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Nope. Nothing.
I love UOR.
But then I’m probably the ‘people’ in the ‘most people seem to love’ part of your question :woman_shrugging:t4::laughing:

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Then again, this is a big one. It was a game changer so huge that even Disney was caught off guard. Next level immersion. And since it opened, we got Hagrid’s… arguably the best thrill ride in all of Orlando!

But…both water rides are SO much fun. I don’t usually like water rides…but we try to set aside time to ride them at IOA. So, not really a need to change them.

I will give you this one. But I think IOA has to be careful here…because of Disney now owning Marvel. They don’t want to lose rights to what they already have. They would need to retheme the entire land in order to change it.

People are consistently ranking Velocicoaster their favorite coaster anywhere. I don’t put it that high, but agree it is one of the best. It injected much needed life into the land, with a visually stunning view over the lake as well.

Personal, I hope they raze the entire land to bring us something better. The Lost Continent has always been more or less a place you walk through to get elsewhere. It is beautifully themed, but I expect after Epic Universe is done, it is one area we will see revitalized.

I don’t think it needs to change…but it would be nice if IOA had more family-friendly attractions on par with Seuss Landing.

This is because USF tended to use IP that is more likely to fall out of fashion. IOA has more timeless IP.

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Dr Doom is the best ride in Marvel Superhero Island…I am not a fan on Spiderman.

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Not according to a new Trip Advisor ranking :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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Typhoon Lagoon is rated higher than Volcano Bay???
That’s nuts.
Even Blizzard Beach is better than Typhoon Lagoon.

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By best, do you mean least exciting?

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Bite your tongue! Seuss landing is perfect. The only change needed is being able to know when the Green Eggs and Ham opens.

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VooDoo donuts. I don’t care how much capt. crunch you pile on a stale donut, it is still a stale donut.

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I’m going to take a stab and guess for Universal having a classic attraction like Spider-man is a liability but for Disney it’s an asset, right?

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@Sophia818 - THANK YOU for saying it!! It’s just generic white bread covered in stale toppings!!!

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I’m gonna poke holes in some of your OP, but you have some good points…

Marvel Island is built to be “timeless” in the Adam Kubert style of being “inside” a 90’s comic. That’s why all the shops are named “Arcade” / “Store” and so much more… Spider-Man is still one of the best theme park rides around. (It’s needs a 4K update / new projections)

Until they finally make this JW as they’ve done out in Hollywood. I don’t know when they’ll do it, but it’s in the works. (rumored, but often by reliable vloggers)

This is the biggest “hot take” you have!! I’ve had them all and at best they are “OK”… Mythos is very overrated… (my unpopular opinion!! :rofl: :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:)

Without Poseidon’s Fury, Lost Continent is just something to walk past on the way to Hogsmeade. It and the Sindbad theatre are just sitting there empty now…

So we agree on that at least!! :rofl: :innocent:

They need a kids area in each park. They do constant upkeep on all the Seuss rides. CitH had every scene 100% working this week - I even saw something “new to me”

What do they need to change? It’s a classic. Plus, at Grinchmas it’s sooo beautiful with all the lights & garlands

Until 2020 USF hadn’t had anything new in a decades. It had to get updated… Bourne was added, then VCON / Minion Shops and now DreamWorks Destination is coming. After those I don’t expect you’ll see anything new from USF for a very long time.

This I agree… Toon Lagoon just needs new IP. You don’t even need to change the rides, just make it newer cartoons. OR…make it Bikini Bottom and go 100% SpongeBob… (that’s another thread to be had though!)

My own Unpopular Opinions…

VCON sucks…

Despicable Me isn’t as good without 3-D

Knock down Jimmy Fallon & the Rockefeller center for anything else

The Simpsons Ride is actually good!

Incredible Hulk is one of the worst coasters I’ve ever been on…

Fast & Furious isn’t as bad as everyone says…as long as you can board via SR or UXP to skip right to boarding the ride

Hogsmeade, as a land, is “meh” with the exception of Hogwarts. Once you’ve seen Diagon Alley it’s hard to see this…

The Tri-Wizard Spirit Rally is boring

I do want all of JP to be updated to JW

Volcano Bay is the best park of the three and the best waterpark in Orlando

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The Bourne Stunt Spectacular show everyone raves about was a one-&-done for me & my husband. His exact quote as we left the theater was “Well, there’s an hour of my life I’ll never get back” & he was just sayin’ what I was thinkin’ :joy:

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Wow. We loved Bourne. Loved it again the second time we watched it. But I guess that’s why your opinion is wrong…er…I mean… unpopular. :grin:

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So like Coldstone Creamery but with donuts?? :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::raccoon:

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:100:

We’ve seen Waterworld, Terminator and the OG Indy (and still the best show) and they were ALL much better than Bourne and we love the Bourne movies. It’s just too slick and thinks it’s too extra or something. :woman_shrugging:

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This is a great idea!

Also, the Simpson’s Ride is terrible! :joy: That’s literally the most controversial thing you said!

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I tried the Red Velvet ice cream later in the week. It’s really good! :rofl::rofl:

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Minion Mayhem opened in 2012.
Transformers opened in 2013.
Diagon Alley opened in 2014.
Race through new york opened in 2017.
Compared to IOA, USF had a lot of new rides opening in the 2010s…

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Yep! I was trying to say that once DreamWorks Destination is done that I don’t expect anything else again for a LONG time…(The lagoon projection / fireworks show may come back at some point… :man_shrugging:)