Table of Contents
It’s no secret that the feud between Universal and Disney has been ongoing since their opening. In 2025, Universal plans to launch a new theme park that could shift the trend from primarily Disney-focused vacations to vacations centered around Universal, with Disney potentially becoming the secondary choice. If Disney wants to keep up with the competition, they’ll likely have to do something big, but just how will this war end?
The History of Disney vs Universal
These two massive theme park companies have been waging war against each other for a while. Walt Disney World opened for visitors on October 1, 1971. Universal Studios Florida opened on June 7, 1990. In the span of 19 years, Disney World rose to fame and stardom while introducing new theme parks like Hollywood Studios in 1989. But little did they know a competitor was starting to grow at a rapid pace in the theme park market.
Disney vs Universal Properties
It’s no secret that one of the main factors that draw people to the parks is their cultural relevance. When a park has outdated characters or properties, ticket sales drop. Universal Studios opened with incredibly popular franchises by the likes of ET, Jaws, King Kong, and yes, even Ghostbusters. However many guests criticized Universal as the majority of their properties catered to adults instead of children. Were they intentionally leaving out a demographic of their revenue or did Universal just not have access to kid-friendly properties?
On the other hand, Disney World opened with timeless children’s classics by the likes of Snow White and Peter Pan, instantly becoming a fan-favorite for families. Disney World had little competition, especially because the lack of resources at Universal was evident at Universal – almost every attraction broke down on opening day. But over time, while Disney was counting admission sales, Universal was carefully analyzing how it could improve. Enter The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
How the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Revolutionized the Theme Park Atmosphere
Without a doubt, Harry Potter is one of the most popular franchises in the world. The best part of Harry Potter is that it appeals to both children and adults. The feud between Disney vs Universal grew even further because after leaving an unsettled agreement with Disney, the creator of Harry Potter looked to Universal to fully flesh out her ideas. Universal agreed to give her full control and Rowling signed the agreement in May 2007.
Over three years, Universal and Rowling would collaborate to create one of the most immersive areas of a theme park that was known to North America. Once it opened to the public in June of 2010, Universal’s ticket sales soared way higher than Space Mountain levels.
This would be one of the first instances of North America being treated to an immersive part. Stepping into Diagon Alley truly felt like you were on the set of the film. It amazed park guests and kept them coming back for more. Every intricate detail of the books and movies was woven into the setting at Universal Studios, enough to make Disney sweat.
Before introducing the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, travelers would arrive in Orlando, Florida for a Disney World first and foremost. If time would allow, they might head over to Universal Studios, but that was a minority of park guests. Once The Wizarding World opened to the public, it switched the script and had people come to Orlando to attend Universal Studios. It seems that history is doomed to repeat itself.
How Disney Responded to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
With the boy who lived blowing Disney out of the water in terms of park attendance, Disney knew they needed to react quickly. In September 2011, just one year after guests were treated to Harry Potter, Disney signed an agreement with Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment and 20th Century Fox to include James Cameron’s box office hit in their parks. But would the acquisition of Avatar be enough to win the war against theme park admission?
Pandora – The World of Avatar – Was it Enough?
Pandora – the World of Avatar opened to park guests in May of 2017. While it took Disney several years to build this immersive land, they were quite strategic in its placement. You might not think Animal King would be a fitting place for a habited moon in space, but Disney was determined to set their sights on something big.
Why Pandora – The World of Avatar Was Added to Animal Kingdom
One of the main reasons why Pandora was added to Animal Kingdom was to harken back to the park’s origins. During the building of Animal Kingdom, there was actually going to be an additional land called “Beastly Kingdom” – you can even see remnants of this land on the current Animal Kingdom Logo! However, Disney was running under tight time constraints and had to choose between including Dinoland USA and Beastly Kingdom. They ultimately decided on the former since it was much further in production.
Beastly Kingdom was supposed to entertain guests with a fantasy realm that included mythical flying creatures, beautiful caves, and thrilling attractions – sound familiar? But the reason to add Pandora in Animal Kingdom doesn’t stop there. What better film franchise to promote the importance of environmental conservation than a species that has to evacuate their home due to humanity’s greed?
Pandora – The World of Avatar was received incredibly well upon its release and guests were mesmerized by Flight of Passage, the land’s flagship attraction. This was definitely Disney World’s most immersive land to date, complete with lush vegetation from the film and an ambiance that went truly unmatched.
Unfortunately, Disney’s acquisition of Avatar didn’t quite pan out as they thought. While Avatar is the number one grossing film of all time, not many people consider Avatar their favorite franchise in existence. The same can’t be said about Harry Potter.
Introducing Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
With the recent acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012, Disney decided to add a new land to their repertoire. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened to theme park guests in August 2019, immersing guests in a galaxy far, far away. Right away this land was a big hit with park guests. It drastically increased ticket sales to Hollywood Studios, filling in a gap that the park had been lacking. The best part was Disney finally introduced a land that not only appealed to children and adults but was also extremely culturally relevant – who doesn’t at least admire Darth Vader or Master Yoda?
However, Disney wasn’t without a couple of mistakes with the introduction of this land. For starters, this land felt incredibly empty to begin with as they hadn’t opened with Rise of the Resistance, which is now known as one of the best rides in Walt Disney World. Additionally, Galaxy’s Edge is set on a remote blackspire outpost called Batuu. Doesn’t sound familiar? That’s because it was never featured in the movies. This was a completely new concept for Star Wars fans who felt a little confused walking into it. Furthermore, Disney set the time period of this land in the sequel movie timeline, falling between Episode XIII: The Last Jedi and Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. This means you wouldn’t see beloved characters from the Star Wars franchise such as Darth Vader, Han Solo, Yoda, or even Princess Leia. That’s like if Universal opened The Wizarding World of Harry Potter but it only featured characters from the Fantastic Beasts universe!
Did the War Between Disney vs Universal Settle?
Even with the introduction of two immersive lands across two different theme parks, Disney isn’t quite the industry lead it was once known as. While Disney was preparing for a response to the boom that was the boy who lived, Universal kicked back, relaxed, and revamped other parts of their park that weren’t doing so well. But it seems that Universal also wasn’t without its faults as they introduced extremely controversial attractions that puzzled guests from the start. Attractions like Fast ‘n Furious Supercharged and Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon had guests scratching their heads in confusion long after the exit stage.
But as long as Universal keeps The Wizarding World up and running, it will continue to attract guests like a magnet because Harry Potter is extremely relevant, even after so many years.
What Comes Next?
In 2025, Universal will open a brand new theme park called Epic Universe, adding a third to its roster. One of the four immersive realms featured in this park is The Ministry of Magic, another Harry Potter location. This will without a doubt be the main attraction to Orlando in 2025, so how will Disney keep up with the market?
More Disney Info at D23
D23 is an expo that is held once a year and provides a platform for Disney to update the public on future plans. This year the conference takes place from August 9 – 11. However, the previous two conferences only highlighted “blue sky” projects, which are plans that are just in the brainstorming phase. While we do know that Encanto and Indiana Jones will be coming to Animal Kingdom in replacement of Dinoland USA, we don’t know much beyond 2024.
What Can Disney World Guests Look Forward to in 2024 and Beyond?
Let’s get the big one out of the way – Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Completely replacing the iconic Splash Mountain, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will take guests down a log ride through the New Orleans Bayou. We are so excited for Tiana to finally get her own attraction in Disney World – it’s long overdue. But we don’t have too much information on what’s coming next. We do know there are plans for a Zootopia show to replace It’s Tough to Be a Bug! in Animal Kingdom, as well as the aforementioned South American concept replacing Dinoland USA. But aside from that, there’s nothing concrete that we definitely know is coming.
This year leading up to D23 will be very telling. Just last week, on January 31, 2024, Universal confirmed the four themes at Epic Universe. So it’ll be up to Disney to decide how they plan to react to this one!
Final Thoughts
The theme park rivalry between Disney World and Universal Studios is fascinating. At one point, Disney was the top dog, known as the pioneer of immersive theme parks. But everything changed once Universal added some wizarding magic to their realm. Only time will tell what Disney World has in store for guests in 2024 and beyond. We’ll be sure to update you on all the latest news once we hear more word. For now, keep your head held high and believe in a little magic!
FAQs
The rivalry between Disney World and Universal Studios has been ongoing for decades. You may still have questions about this topic, so we aim to answer them in the below section.
What is the New Universal Theme Park Opening in 2025?
The new theme park is called Epic Universe, and it’s set to introduce a third major park to Universal’s roster. One of the highlighted immersive realms within this park is The Ministry of Magic, expanding the Harry Potter universe.
How has the Rivalry Between Universal and Disney Evolved Over Time?
The rivalry has seen Universal and Disney constantly innovating to outdo each other. Disney was initially the dominant player, but Universal’s introduction of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter significantly changed the landscape, drawing more visitors to Universal.
Why Did Universal’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Have Such a Significant Impact?
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter offered an unprecedented level of immersion into one of the most beloved book and movie series, attracting both children and adults and significantly boosting Universal’s ticket sales.
How Did Disney Respond to Universal’s Success with Harry Potter?
Disney responded by acquiring and integrating major franchises into its parks, such as Avatar with Pandora – The World of Avatar, and Star Wars with Galaxy’s Edge, aiming to offer similarly immersive experiences.
Has Disney Been Able to Regain its Lead Over Universal With These New Lands?
While Disney’s new lands have been successful and praised for their immersion, Universal’s consistent updates and the continued popularity of Harry Potter maintain its strong competition. The rivalry remains closely contested.
What Future Plans Does Disney Have to Compete with Epic Universe?
Disney’s future plans include Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and a new Zootopia show. Further announcements are expected at the D23 expo, which may reveal more about Disney’s strategies to compete with Universal’s expansions.
What is the Significance of the Theme Park Rivalry for Visitors?
The rivalry improves the theme park experience for visitors, as both Universal and Disney strive to innovate and provide more immersive, engaging, and entertaining attractions, benefiting guests with a variety of world-class experiences.
