Universal rides vs Disney rides

[parkbr]

Hello,

The more am I watching POVs and reading reviews, the more I am getting confused. So I will look to you and get your opinion.

I am not a big thrill ride person. I can handle speed and roller coasters and occasional turns, if it is not too bad.
But I do not like (more like hate) free falls or huge drops - such as vikings or drop towers, for example. I refuse to go on those.
I also get motion sickness easily as well when the rides spins too much.

When I look at the rides in USO, I know I won't be able to ride Hulk or Rip Ride, but I am at the verge of Velocicoaster. It looks fun (i like dinosaurs), except for that one drop which I am not sure if I can handle or not. So I want to know what your recommendations are compared to the Disney rides.

For Disney, I enjoy every rides except for Tower of Terror - which I've only done once and maybe once more with my daughter when she's ready to go on it, but won't do it again, and Mad Hatter - too much of spinning. I like RnRC very much and any other 4D rides, if I feel like I am getting dizzy, I sometimes close my eyes and generally I am good.

Another reference is: I am from Toronto, Canada - and if you are familiar with Canada's wonderland, I cannot do Leviathan, Behemoth, or anything that is going up and downs. (at most, I can do Bats, I would say.)

What do you say about Velocicoaster? Also are there any other rides that I should not be riding?

Lastly, my daughter is a thrill seeker, but haven't gone to the any of the big roller coasters yet.
She is just right at 50 inches tall. Velocicoaster is at 51. Is that with the shoes or without shoes? I think with shoes, she will be 51, but not sure if I feel comfortable. She is also very skinny as well. (she is a very small 9 year old). Thoughts?


Thank you!

 

[macraven]

I stopped the coaster rides at disney and universal for the most part so I am no help to answer your questions

But, most peeps that go to UO, hit the coasters and love them

You will get many opinions which can guide you in order to know which would be more your style for you.

Rides that have speed are fine for me, rides with drops can make me wet my pants…

 

[parkbr]

I stopped the coaster rides at disney and universal for the most part so I am no help to answer your questions

But, most peeps that go to UO, hit the coasters and love them

You will get many opinions which can guide you in order to know which would be more your style for you.

Rides that have speed are fine for me, rides with drops can make me wet my pants…

I know! My DH is so excited and I feel like I will be the 'bag watcher'. LOL.

Which ones did you like - when you did the rides?

 

[macraven]

I am looking at the website for the rides as it’s been awhile I did the “speedy fast” rides years back

Not a coaster fan but have done them when with a friend
Could never say no to a best buddy.
Some were very well themed.

I need to look at the guide list to jog my memory of the ones that were a one and done due to twisty- turning rides

 

[NJlauren]

I can’t really comment if you’ll enjoy Velocicoster or not. I personally think it’s smooth, so it’s not so bad. I have done it a few times. My husband who can not to RnR didn’t mind Velocicoster. He gets bad vertigo after rides where is head bangs around, he found Velocicoster to be better then RnR.

As for your daughter it’s 51 with shoes, my daughter did it at 7, she is big for her age. I felt fine putting her on it. Now the people behind me on the 2nd ride of the trip asked if I was worried she would fall out! I wasn’t till they said that. But she was fine, and has been on a few times since.

Have you considered your Hagrids plan? I don’t want to spoil anything and highly recommend trying it once but that would may be harder for you.

 

[WEDcryoHEAD]

I do not go to Universal as I am a loyal WDW person. I can only say that Guardians of the Galaxy is a great coaster. I also find that Tower of Terror, Rock and Roller Coaster, Everest and the Mountains in MK satisfy my thrill seeker urges. Plus you get the added bonus of the Disney characters. IMHO that beats a dorky wizard every time.

Mickey or Mario? Is this even a question that should be asked? I mean for real.

 

[greeneyedchick]

Hello,

The more am I watching POVs and reading reviews, the more I am getting confused. So I will look to you and get your opinion.

I am not a big thrill ride person. I can handle speed and roller coasters and occasional turns, if it is not too bad.
But I do not like (more like hate) free falls or huge drops - such as vikings or drop towers, for example. I refuse to go on those.
I also get motion sickness easily as well when the rides spins too much.

When I look at the rides in USO, I know I won't be able to ride Hulk or Rip Ride, but I am at the verge of Velocicoaster. It looks fun (i like dinosaurs), except for that one drop which I am not sure if I can handle or not. So I want to know what your recommendations are compared to the Disney rides.

For Disney, I enjoy every rides except for Tower of Terror - which I've only done once and maybe once more with my daughter when she's ready to go on it, but won't do it again, and Mad Hatter - too much of spinning. I like RnRC very much and any other 4D rides, if I feel like I am getting dizzy, I sometimes close my eyes and generally I am good.

Another reference is: I am from Toronto, Canada - and if you are familiar with Canada's wonderland, I cannot do Leviathan, Behemoth, or anything that is going up and downs. (at most, I can do Bats, I would say.)

What do you say about Velocicoaster? Also are there any other rides that I should not be riding?

Lastly, my daughter is a thrill seeker, but haven't gone to the any of the big roller coasters yet.
She is just right at 50 inches tall. Velocicoaster is at 51. Is that with the shoes or without shoes? I think with shoes, she will be 51, but not sure if I feel comfortable. She is also very skinny as well. (she is a very small 9 year old). Thoughts?


Thank you!

Velocicoaster is an intense roller coaster. I wouldn't recommend that. It goas upside down. However, there is the Jurassic Park log flume which only has 1 big drop and is a fun ride. Lots of dinosaurs in the log flume ride compared to Velocicoaster. It would be similar to Splash mountain but the boats that you ride in are wider (I think 6 people across). Escape from Gringott's in US is similar to Thunder Mountain in intensity, but better. The Mummy in US is similar to Space Mountain (but I also enjoy it more. Hagrid's in IoA is rather smooth. I highly recommend it. It doesn't have big drops.

 

[parkbr]

I can’t really comment if you’ll enjoy Velocicoster or not. I personally think it’s smooth, so it’s not so bad. I have done it a few times. My husband who can not to RnR didn’t mind Velocicoster. He gets bad vertigo after rides where is head bangs around, he found Velocicoster to be better then RnR.

As for your daughter it’s 51 with shoes, my daughter did it at 7, she is big for her age. I felt fine putting her on it. Now the people behind me on the 2nd ride of the trip asked if I was worried she would fall out! I wasn’t till they said that. But she was fine, and has been on a few times since.

Have you considered your Hagrids plan? I don’t want to spoil anything and highly recommend trying it once but that would may be harder for you.

I am glad that your husband liked velocicoaster. I do not like head bangings either, so maybe I will give it a try? lol.

So your daughter was 51 with shoes? So she was a bit smaller than 51 without shoes, right?
I am actually worried that my DD will fall out, given she is also quite skinny as well. She knows that she may not be able to, but she said she would LOVE to try if she could.

Hagrid is a definitely yes, unfortunately. At least once for me - just because we're going to USO because of my DD loves HP. I wish she comes out of HP soon. LOL!

 

[CAPSLOCK]

The "big drop" rides are:
Dr. Doom's Fearfall (straight up drop ride, no actual story of any sort, totally fine to skip)
Rip Ride Rocket
Hulk
Velocicoaster (other than that one big drop, the rest of it doesn't feel like much height or dropping. But it's intense and goes upside down a lot)

Lesser drops but still be aware:
Jurassic Park River Adventure (if you can live with the drop, it's definitely worth a ride!)
Dudley Do-right log flume

Hagrids has a very brief "freefall" feel, but is so worth the ride. My friend hates drops, and Hagrids is her favorite ride (anywhere). She doesn't do any I listed above except for JP River (because the rest of the ride is very good).

However, motion sickness will also knock out some others. Everyone varies a bit, but general consensus is Simpsons & Forbidden Journey are the worst. Have you considered doing the behind the ear trans-derm scop anti-nausea patch? Or other meds to help? The patch really makes a huge difference & no one wants to spend their day feeling queasy. Significant motion sickness will impact your Universal ride choices much more than drops. My friend is most affected by MiB (spinning), but wears the patch so she can do everything (MiB is ok w/ patch if not riding it back-to-back times).

 

[parkbr]

I do not go to Universal as I am a loyal WDW person. I can only say that Guardians of the Galaxy is a great coaster. I also find that Tower of Terror, Rock and Roller Coaster, Everest and the Mountains in MK satisfy my thrill seeker urges. Plus you get the added bonus of the Disney characters. IMHO that beats a dorky wizard every time.

Mickey or Mario? Is this even a question that should be asked? I mean for real.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I LOVE WDW and loyal.
It's that my DD started reading HP and fell in love. She really likes it, so we said we will go to Universal Studios for her birthday. Hence she got 1 small gift for Christmas, nothing for Lunar New Year (she normally gets money), and 1 small gift for her Birthday. And was just counting her days to go to USO.

We did WDW last May and we will be going back next April-ish, and trust me, I can't wait to go back to WDW.

 

[parkbr]

Velocicoaster is an intense roller coaster. I wouldn't recommend that. It goas upside down. However, there is the Jurassic Park log flume which only has 1 big drop and is a fun ride. Lots of dinosaurs in the log flume ride compared to Velocicoaster. It would be similar to Splash mountain but the boats that you ride in are wider (I think 6 people across). Escape from Gringott's in US is similar to Thunder Mountain in intensity, but better. The Mummy in US is similar to Space Mountain (but I also enjoy it more. Hagrid's in IoA is rather smooth. I highly recommend it. It doesn't have big drops.

Thank you so much. I dont mine upside down, I really mind the big drop.
I am not sure if we wanna do the log flume if it will make you very wet? Does it?
We only have done Kali River Rapid once, and that was even before my daughter was born. LOL.

Thank you for other comparisons. I feel much better now!

 

[WEDcryoHEAD]

I'm old and don't get the appeal of HP. Plus I can be insensitive. I hope your daughter has the best time when she gets to the Wizarding World. I cannot be any help with regards to the rides or attractions. I do hope you have a wonderful time.

 

[NJlauren]

I am glad that your husband liked velocicoaster. I do not like head bangings either, so maybe I will give it a try? lol.

So your daughter was 51 with shoes? So she was a bit smaller than 51 without shoes, right?
I am actually worried that my DD will fall out, given she is also quite skinny as well. She knows that she may not be able to, but she said she would LOVE to try if she could.

Hagrid is a definitely yes, unfortunately. At least once for me - just because we're going to USO because of my DD loves HP. I wish she comes out of HP soon. LOL!

I love HP, Disney girl at heart but I don’t hate universal due to loving HP.

I think she was over 51, cause she made it on doctor doom which was 52. However we went back this year and all she wanted to do was ride the hulk. She was so close they had 4 people measure her. She was too short. I say all this to insure you they take the height requirements seriously! They do not joke around!

I’m not going to lie Velocicoster and rip ride rocket are not my favs, I do love Hagrids. If you’re up for it try Velocicoster once if your daughter is tall enough, when do you go?

ETA you might want to consider skipping forbidden journey.

 

[parkbr]

I'm old and don't get the appeal of HP. Plus I can be insensitive. I hope your daughter has the best time when she gets to the Wizarding World. I cannot be any help with regards to the rides or attractions. I do hope you have a wonderful time.

No worries and Thank you.
I didn't think it was insensitive. I actually had a good laugh, as I am in the same boat as you! I was devastated when she said she LOVES HP. My husband gave me a biggest hug as I looked so hurt. lol
I do not fancy HP either. But we want to make it special for her and my DH likes roller coasters, so I gave in. (with tons of fake tears! LOL)
I said we have do visit Disney one day, and we booked Hoop Dee Doo! I have been wanting to go there since 2016 and finally it is happening. We booked rather late - just 2 wks ago (and we're going to Orlando this Friday), so only got Category 3, but hopefully it is good.
We will be getting some Park Exclusive items from Disney Springs and I am looking for a place to have lunch. I think we tried more than half of resort restaurants, so I am thinking where else to go, or where to go again.
Any recommendations?

 

[WEDcryoHEAD]

Hoop Dee Do is one of my all time favorites. I haven't been since it reopened after the pandemic. Last time I was there was in 2017 and it was spectacular as always. I hope its great for you.

If you are eating in Disney Springs Homecomin' is always great. I also enjoy the Edison. If you looking for something for the kids I prefer T-Rex over Rainforest. For small bites or a quick drink I like Polite Pig and Hangar Bar.

If you are just talking Disney. My favorites are Sanaa (bread service is the best. not great for picky eaters), Ohana (again, not for picky eaters), Skipper Canteen, Be Our Guest, Rose & Crown, Garden Grill.

 

[maverik85]

Id recommend trying Velocicoaster at the end of a day. The big drop isn't too bad as it's following a launch so you don't have the time to think about it during a lift hill. The rest of the rides flips around some but is very smooth. If you're ok on RnRC I think you might like it. The only ones I'd say for sure are probably big skips are Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit (A few large drops/elements and is rough), Hulk (same thing as RRR, but is a much better coaster), Dr. Doom's FearFall (standard drop tower). Everything else is pretty comparable to a ride of some type at WDW or is a coaster that doesn't have any large drops. The only questionable one would be Jurassic Park River Adventure as there is a large drop at the end, but if you enjoy Splash isn't not much different. It is a little taller, but starts inside so you don't really see the height of it like on Splash.

 

[greeneyedchick]

Hello,

The more am I watching POVs and reading reviews, the more I am getting confused. So I will look to you and get your opinion.

I am not a big thrill ride person. I can handle speed and roller coasters and occasional turns, if it is not too bad.
But I do not like (more like hate) free falls or huge drops - such as vikings or drop towers, for example. I refuse to go on those.
I also get motion sickness easily as well when the rides spins too much.

When I look at the rides in USO, I know I won't be able to ride Hulk or Rip Ride, but I am at the verge of Velocicoaster. It looks fun (i like dinosaurs), except for that one drop which I am not sure if I can handle or not. So I want to know what your recommendations are compared to the Disney rides.

For Disney, I enjoy every rides except for Tower of Terror - which I've only done once and maybe once more with my daughter when she's ready to go on it, but won't do it again, and Mad Hatter - too much of spinning. I like RnRC very much and any other 4D rides, if I feel like I am getting dizzy, I sometimes close my eyes and generally I am good.

Another reference is: I am from Toronto, Canada - and if you are familiar with Canada's wonderland, I cannot do Leviathan, Behemoth, or anything that is going up and downs. (at most, I can do Bats, I would say.)

What do you say about Velocicoaster? Also are there any other rides that I should not be riding?

Lastly, my daughter is a thrill seeker, but haven't gone to the any of the big roller coasters yet.
She is just right at 50 inches tall. Velocicoaster is at 51. Is that with the shoes or without shoes? I think with shoes, she will be 51, but not sure if I feel comfortable. She is also very skinny as well. (she is a very small 9 year old). Thoughts?


Thank you!

I just re-read and saw that you like Rockin Rollercoaster, so you would probably enjoy Velocicoaster. It's definitely smoother than RnR. Either way, I highly recommend that you and your kids take non-drowsy dramamine in the morning of the days that you go to Universal. Universal is strict with ensuring that the rider meets the height and weight requirements. I would feel comfortable with my 9 year old riding if she met the requirements. They have seats in front of the ride that you can try before waiting in line. You can see how you feel about how secure your daughter is in the seat.

For those of your who wouldn't think of going to Universal over Disney, I urge you to give it a try. Universal is well landscaped and cleaner than Disney these days (I have seen horrible, smelly bathrooms at Disney for the last few years). The cast members are friendly, helpful and abundant. You won't hear people say that there is a shortage of help there. Full maid service at their hotels, too (and they've had full maid service for more than a year). There are lots of street performers and shows. Their Mardi Gras and Christmas parades are high quality. The best part about Universal is that it's fun! You don't have to worry about being at a certain ride at a certain time for your fastpass. You don't have to worry about dining reservations or pre-ordering your meals (although you can order on your phone if you prefer). You can walk onto whatever ride you feel like at that time.

The parks are also smaller, so you don't get as exhausted walking around. And moving from one park to the other doesn't require any buses, trams, ferry's, monorails, etc. There is a train for your convenience and you can park hop whenever you want. You only go through security once rather than having to go through it for each park. The security lines are faster and more efficient than Disney, too.

There's no pre-planning involved. It's what Disney used to be 20 years ago. It's not quite as "magical" and doesn't have the same characters, but my kids prefer it over DIsney. They don't have the same love for Disney and Mickey as I did growing up. We used to be annual passholders for Disney but now you can't pay them to go there. It's too much effort to even get into the park. Universal is just all around easier and you get the sense that the company appreciates your business more.

 

[parkbr]

I love HP, Disney girl at heart but I don’t hate universal due to loving HP.

I think she was over 51, cause she made it on doctor doom which was 52. However we went back this year and all she wanted to do was ride the hulk. She was so close they had 4 people measure her. She was too short. I say all this to insure you they take the height requirements seriously! They do not joke around!

I’m not going to lie Velocicoster and rip ride rocket are not my favs, I do love Hagrids. If you’re up for it try Velocicoster once if your daughter is tall enough, when do you go?

ETA you might want to consider skipping forbidden journey.

I think I know some HP now, as I just did a big HP birthday party for my daughter (since her last one was 4 years ago and every January our Government decided to lock us down, so she was kind of forced to not celebrate her birthday - not even with grandparents!).

Oh, she was over 51.
We get that a lot - people measure her all the time.
There was one time that she was obviously tall enough (I think it was 44, and she was like 47), and she got measured. The employee chuckled so much as DD was walking close to the measuring stick and she was obviously pass the mark. lol.
We will be in line for Velocicoaster regardless to see how it looks like and DH will definitely go. I will see how it goes.

I think I am not allowed to skip any of the HP rides... lol.

 

[parkbr]

The "big drop" rides are:
Dr. Doom's Fearfall (straight up drop ride, no actual story of any sort, totally fine to skip)
Rip Ride Rocket
Hulk
Velocicoaster (other than that one big drop, the rest of it doesn't feel like much height or dropping. But it's intense and goes upside down a lot)

Lesser drops but still be aware:
Jurassic Park River Adventure (if you can live with the drop, it's definitely worth a ride!)
Dudley Do-right log flume

Hagrids has a very brief "freefall" feel, but is so worth the ride. My friend hates drops, and Hagrids is her favorite ride (anywhere). She doesn't do any I listed above except for JP River (because the rest of the ride is very good).

However, motion sickness will also knock out some others. Everyone varies a bit, but general consensus is Simpsons & Forbidden Journey are the worst. Have you considered doing the behind the ear trans-derm scop anti-nausea patch? Or other meds to help? The patch really makes a huge difference & no one wants to spend their day feeling queasy. Significant motion sickness will impact your Universal ride choices much more than drops. My friend is most affected by MiB (spinning), but wears the patch so she can do everything (MiB is ok w/ patch if not riding it back-to-back times).

Thank you so much! This really helps. I may consider getting ear patch. It reminds me of my childhood days.
It's been a while.
How bad is Jurassic Park River Adventure ride drop? Is it like Splash mountain? Also for Jurassic Park River Adventure and Dudley ride, are you going to get soaked? What if you are wearing a poncho?

 

[Smugpugmug]

Thank you so much! This really helps. I may consider getting ear patch. It reminds me of my childhood days.
It's been a while.
How bad is Jurassic Park River Adventure ride drop? Is it like Splash mountain? Also for Jurassic Park River Adventure and Dudley ride, are you going to get soaked? What if you are wearing a poncho?

The wetness level of Dudley Do Right is as if you were to take a bath with your clothes on. You might as well bring your shampoo and conditioner onto the ride.