Something that has been debated for a while amongst theme-park goers is the question of which one is better - Disney or Universal?

To be honest, Disney has my heart and I won't ever be able to say that I think Universal is better. However, depending on your family and situation, Universal might be a better fit for you. I love all things Disney but I admit I'm pretty much a little kid when it comes to that stuff. I know a lot of people that prefer Universal and today I'll talk about a few reasons why that might be the case. Even I have to admit that in the following areas, Universal has the edge!

1 - Security Process

I am all for stringent security at the parks - I really do feel safe there and that's worth a lot. But in this area, Universal wins hands down. They have an almost airport like security area in which you send your bags through an x-ray machine and then you go through the metal detector. When we visited, it was first thing in the morning and we were through security in a matter of seconds. Also, since it's at the entrance to CityWalk, you go through once and you're good for both theme parks and all of CityWalk until you leave.

Disney does a thorough, by-hand, bag check. It's time-consuming and sometimes a bit frustrating. If only everyone understood the process and got ready before their turn it wouldn't be a big deal, but not everyone reads my blog!! :) They also have metal detectors and they randomly send guests through them. We typically waited 5-10 minutes to get through, which isn't much, but I really loved Universal's streamlined process. Plus at Disney, if you leave a park and go to another, you get to do the security process all over again.

2 - Proximity of Parks to Each Other

Universal is smaller than Disney which can be a great thing. If you stay on property, you can easily get to both Theme Parks and all of the CityWalk entertainment on foot. They do have shuttles and water-taxis but it's nice to have the option to walk if you don't want to do public transportation (Don loves this option).

At Disney, if you want to go from one park to the other, or head to Disney Springs, you can't walk. The area is just too large.

The maps below may look similar sized, but looks are deceiving. Universal is around 800 acres and Disney World is 43 square miles!!

3 - Harry Potter!

OK, so I know that Disney has all of my favorite characters. I mean they have Mickey Mouse after all. But the thing about Universal and Harry Potter is that you feel like you are actually in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley. Disney has amazing theming but nothing quite so immersive as the Harry Potter areas. This may all change when Star Wars Land opens up though! I'll keep you posted!!

4 - More Rides for the Big Kids

To be quite honest, I'm happy as a little clam riding Small World, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan... You name it. But I know some people like a little more thrill from their rides. Universal has that. I won't ride a few of them since I'm a big chicken, but if thrills are what you're after, you can find them there. Disney has a few too, but as a whole, I think Universal has the edge here.

So is Universal better than Disney? You decide!!! And please, give me a call to let me help you plan and figure it out. Don't forget my services are free and I would love to help you make this decision!!

Surely you didn't believe my click bait headline, but without all of the security measures that Disney has in place, that could sadly happen.

Everyone tends to get frustrated when you walk up to the park entrances and there's a long line at the security checkpoint to get in. In this post, I'd like to explain how everyone can make it run smoother (and faster) and some general security info.

First of all - Be Patient!! Everyone is in a hurry. Everyone paid their hard-earned money to be there. Let's face it, none of us deserve to be the head of the line, so wait your turn. No sense starting your day Grumpy, just know there may be a wait and be prepared for it.

To help it go faster, there are a few things each person can do...

If you don't need to bring something into the park, then leave it in the room. The more items in your bag(s), the more they have to search through. If it's possible to not carry a bag at all - do that! Most people can't get away with this, but if you can, then even better.
If you have a stroller, take everything out of the compartments before getting to the front of line.
Pay attention and be prepared for the front of the line. Have your bags unzipped and opened as much as possible.
Don't try to sneak in something you shouldn't. You can take in food and drink but not alcohol. Security will confiscate it and slow you down. If you think something might be inappropriate (weapons for instance) just leave it home. I've included Disney's list of prohibited items at the bottom of this post.
Have one person from your party take the bags through the checkpoint. The rest of the party can go through the "no bag" line and meet you on the other side. They could even go on in the park and get in line for your first attraction. Either way, the less congestion in line the better, so have them move away from the security area.
Be nice! The security officers working the checkpoint are always very friendly - unless you happen to be one of those inconsiderate guests that treats them rudely. They are doing a job - an important one - and being rude doesn't help.
Get to the park early. If you have a breakfast reservation at 9, don't show up to the entrance at 8:55 thinking you'll just walk right in. Some new good news at Magic Kingdom is that you can actually enter park an hour before the official open time. The rides aren't open but some Main Street shops and restaurants are open. You can go through security and eat/shop/get some great pics before the official rope drop.
Always plan extra time at each park to get through security and you'll be much less frustrated!

One new change to security that I love is that there are now security checks at the Transportation and Ticket Center. Guests arriving at the Magic Kingdom via ferry boat or monorail will then be able to skip the bag checks and metal detectors that are placed at the park entrance.

Likewise, guests staying in any of the resorts along the “monorail loop” ( Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney’s Polynesian Village) will be checked at the resort monorail stations. This is a part of Disney’s effort to relieve congestion at the park entrance.

Guests arriving via bus will still have to go through security checks at park entrances at this time. This is one more great reason to consider staying at a monorail resort!!

There is so much more information that I haven't even gone into here - how Disney handles medical emergencies, ride safety, weather safety, lost children, and so many other safety issues is amazing to me. If you have some time, google Disney and safety stories and you'll find tons of interesting reads.

The bottom line is, in a world that seems pretty unsafe these days, Disney does a wonderful job of making me feel completely safe - and happy of course!

Read on below for Disney's official word on security and the list of prohibited items...

Here is Disney's note regarding security from their website:

Walt Disney World Resort takes a comprehensive approach to security that includes some measures that are visible and others that are not.

Security

Please note that we do not broadly discuss the specifics of our security procedures to avoid compromising their effectiveness. However, be aware that:

The visible security measures at our theme parks and Resort hotels include the presence of uniformed police officers, using specially trained hazard detection" canines to help patrol, bag checks at our theme park entrances and security kiosks at our Resort hotels.
In December 2015, we implemented additional security measures, including randomly selecting Guests for a secondary screening using metal detectors.

Prohibited items in Disney parks:

Wagons
Skateboards
Scooters
Drones
Remote control toys
Inline skates
Shoes with built-in wheels
Strollers larger than 36" x 52" (92 x 132 cm)
Suitcases, coolers or backpacks with or without wheels larger than 24" (61 cm) long x 15" (38 cm) wide x 18" (46 cm) high. Coolers required for medication may be stored in a locker or at Guest Relations.
Any trailer-like object that is pushed or towed by an ECV, wheelchair or stroller
Wheeled mobility devices with less than 3 wheels and devices that cannot maintain stability and balance when stopped, unpowered or unoccupied. Training wheels or similar modifications are not permitted.
Alcoholic beverages
Weapons of any kind or object that appear to be weapons (toy guns, toy blasters, squirt guns, etc.)
Folding chairs
Glass containers (excluding baby food jars and perfume bottles)
Pets (unless they are service animals, defined as any dog or miniature horse trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability)
Balloons and straws are not permitted in Disney's Animal Kingdom Park for the safety of our animals
Tripod stands or monopod stands that cannot fit inside a standard backpack
Wrapped gifts (all gifts must be able to be unwrapped for inspection)
Selfie sticks (hand-held extension poles for cameras and mobile devices)

Additional items may also not be permitted inside the theme parks. Please use your best judgment and do not bring anything that may be potentially harmful or disruptive.

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