Disney World vs. Universal

You're going to Orlando in the summer. The first real decision isn't which ride to hit or which hotel to book—it's which resort gets your time. Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando are both here, they're both massive, and they both want your entire vacation. But they're built on fundamentally different ideas about what a theme park should be, and choosing the wrong one for your group is the fastest way to waste a day you can't get back.

This page breaks down both resorts so you can pick the right one—or figure out how to split your trip between them. If you already know where you're headed, jump straight to the planning guides.

I Already Know

Walt Disney World Planning Guides

Universal Orlando Planning Guides (Coming soon)

The Short Version

Disney World is four separate theme parks spread across 25,000 acres. It's a resort the size of San Francisco. You will not see it all in a day, a weekend, or even a full week. It rewards planning, patience, and pacing. The experience is built around atmosphere, storytelling, and an almost obsessive attention to detail. The kind of place where even the trash cans are themed and the background music changes as you walk between lands. Disney is at its best when you slow down and let it wash over you.

Universal Orlando is a tighter, more aggressive experience. Three parks - Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and Epic Universe, which opened in 2025 as the biggest theme park expansion in Orlando in decades. Universal packs its biggest punches into fewer, more intense attractions. The rides trend harder, the IPs trend older (Harry Potter, horror franchises, Nintendo), and the parks are physically smaller and faster to navigate. Where Disney asks you to wander, Universal asks you to ride.

Neither is better. They're different tools for different trips.

What Summer Does to Both

Before comparing the parks themselves, you need to understand what summer does to Orlando. This isn't a minor asterisk, it changes everything about how you plan.

Heat: 93 to 97F daily highs with 80 to 90% humidity. The heat index regularly exceeds 105F. This isn't "warm." This is dangerous if you don't manage it. Hydration, shade breaks, and indoor attractions aren't suggestions, they're survival strategy.

Crowds: Summer is peak season. Schools are out nationwide. International visitors flood in. Every park at both resorts will be busy. Wait times for headliner rides routinely push past 90 minutes, and some will exceed two hours.

Afternoon storms: Florida thunderstorms roll through almost every afternoon between 2 and 5 p.m. from June through August. They're fast, violent, and predictable. Lightning means outdoor rides shut down. But they usually pass in 30 to 60 minutes, and the post storm cool down is the best weather you'll get all day.

Extended hours: Both resorts keep parks open late in summer, often until 10 or 11 p.m. The last two hours of the night, after the crowds thin and temperatures drop, are the most valuable hours of your day. Plan for them.

Size and Scope

This is the single biggest difference, and it affects every other decision you'll make.

Walt Disney World has four full theme parks: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom. Each one is a full day (or more). They're spread miles apart. You drive or take Disney transportation between them. The resort also includes two water parks, Disney Springs (a massive dining and shopping district), and over 25 resort hotels. Disney World is a self contained vacation destination. Many families stay on Disney property for a full week and never leave.

Universal Orlando has three theme parks: Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure, and the new Epic Universe. The first two parks sit side by side and are connected by the Hogwarts Express train (which requires a Park to Park ticket). Epic Universe is a separate campus a few miles south. Universal also has CityWalk, a dining and entertainment strip between the two original parks, and several on site hotels. It's a substantial resort, but the footprint is a fraction of Disney's. You can realistically experience both original Universal parks in two days. Epic Universe adds a third day.

What this means for planning: A Disney trip is a week long project with dozens of decisions. Which parks on which days, dining reservations 60 days out, Lightning Lane strategies, park hopping logistics. A Universal trip can be built in an afternoon and executed in two or three days. Neither approach is wrong. But if you're the kind of person who hates spreadsheets, Universal will feel more manageable. If you're the kind of person who loves optimizing every hour, Disney gives you more to work with.

Rides and Attractions

Disney's strength is depth. Magic Kingdom alone has over 25 attractions. Across all four parks, you're looking at dozens of rides, shows, trails, exhibits, and experiences. Many of Disney's best moments aren't rides at all. The Kilimanjaro Safaris is drive through the African savanna, the World Showcase at EPCOT is an 11 country walking tour with actual restaurants and cultural experiences, and Animal Kingdom's walking trails put you face to face with gorillas and tigers. Disney's ride roster spans the full intensity spectrum: from gentle dark rides with no height requirement (Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, it's a small world) to legitimate coasters (TRON Lightcycle / Run, Expedition Everest, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind).

Universal's strength is intensity. The headliner rides here are some of the best on the planet. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter spans both original parks and delivers two of the most immersive themed lands ever built. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure is consistently ranked among the best roller coasters in the world. Velocicoaster is a pure adrenaline machine with inversions, launches, and a 155 foot top hat over the lagoon. Epic Universe brought entirely new worlds including lands themed to How to Train Your Dragon, a dark universe with classic monsters, and a Super Nintendo World where you physically interact with the environment. Universal tends to go bigger on individual ride experiences while offering fewer total attractions. Universal also leans heavily on screen based rides, especially in the older attractions at Universal Studios Florida. It's a common criticism. But the newer headliners like Hagrid's, Velocicoaster, and the Epic Universe additions have shifted hard toward physical ride experiences.

The question to ask

Does your group want a lot of different things to do across a range of intensities, or do they want fewer but more intense experiences? Families with young children will find more to do at Disney. Groups of teens and adults who want to be thrilled will gravitate toward Universal. Mixed groups can go either way, but Disney's broader range usually serves mixed ages better.

Atmosphere and Theming

Both resorts invest heavily in theming, but they approach it differently.

Disney has historically treated theming as total environment design. When you walk into a themed land at Disney, the goal is complete immersion. The architecture, the landscaping, the sounds, the smells, the cast member costumes, even the food all serve the story. Animal Kingdom spent decades growing its vegetation to make you feel like you've left Florida entirely. Galaxy's Edge at Hollywood Studios was designed so that you can't see any other part of the park from inside the land. EPCOT's World Showcase pavilions were built with materials imported from the countries they represent. In recent years, Disney has leaned harder into IP driven attractions, and some longtime fans feel that commitment to original immersive design has slipped. That said, new leadership and a massive wave of announced construction projects suggest Disney is reinvesting in the parks in a big way. Whether that translates back into the level of detail that made the parks feel magical is something we'll see play out over the next few years.

Universal themes aggressively around intellectual property. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a masterclass. Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley are stunningly detailed, and fans routinely get emotional walking in for the first time. Super Nintendo World at Epic Universe lets you physically punch question mark blocks and collect coins with a wearable wristband. Universal's IP integration tends to be more literal and interactive: you're inside the movie, you're playing the game. Where Disney creates a mood, Universal creates a set you can walk through.

Neither approach is better. They're different promises. Disney leans on immersive environment design and atmosphere, though it has moved increasingly toward IP driven attractions in recent years. Universal puts you directly inside the thing you love. Both work. It depends on what you respond to.

Food and Dining

Disney has legitimately good restaurants. EPCOT's World Showcase alone contains dining options that rival standalone restaurants outside the parks, from sit down French and Japanese cuisine to festival food booths with globally inspired small plates. Disney's table service restaurants across all four parks range from solid to excellent. You can build an entire day at EPCOT around eating and drinking your way around the World Showcase lagoon. Magic Kingdom is more quick service heavy than the other parks, but it's not without options. Skipper Canteen has solid food with one of the best themed interiors on property. The Plaza Restaurant and Liberty Tree Tavern both have their fans. Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe is a quick service standout thanks to Sonny Eclipse, the animatronic lounge singer who has been performing nonstop in Tomorrowland for decades. You won't find the dining depth of EPCOT here, but calling it a weak spot sells it short.

Universal has improved its food game significantly. CityWalk has solid options like Antojitos, and the themed restaurants inside the parks like Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade are worth seeking out. Epic Universe has been the biggest leap forward, with over 30 dining locations including table service restaurants like The Atlantic and Blue Dragon that are getting genuinely strong reviews. Quick service spots like Pizza Moon and Oak & Star Tavern are being called some of the best theme park food anywhere. Universal still trails Disney in overall dining depth and variety, but the gap is closing fast, especially at Epic Universe.

If food and drink are a meaningful part of your vacation, Disney still has the edge in overall depth and variety, especially at EPCOT. But Epic Universe has closed the gap significantly, and Universal is no longer a place where you just grab something between rides.

Cost

Disney tends to cost more overall. Multi day tickets, Lightning Lane access (the paid skip the line system), dining plans, resort hotels, and the sheer number of days most people spend add up fast. Disney also has more opportunities to spend money inside the parks. Character dining, specialty experiences, premium events.

Universal is generally less expensive for a shorter trip. A two or three day visit costs less than a five to seven day Disney trip simply because there are fewer days. Universal's Express Pass (their skip the line system) is pricier per day than Disney's Lightning Lane, but you're buying fewer days of it. On site hotel guests at Universal's premier and preferred hotels get Express Pass included with their room, which is a significant value play that Disney doesn't match.

The real cost comparison depends on trip length. A three day Universal trip and a three day Disney trip are roughly comparable. But most Disney trips run longer, and that's where the gap widens.

Who Should Go Where

There's no single right answer, but patterns emerge.

Disney World is the stronger choice if:

You're traveling with young children (under 8). Disney has vastly more to offer this age group. More rides without height requirements, more character interactions, more shows and experiences designed for small kids.

It's your first Orlando trip and you want the classic experience.

You're a multi generational group where grandparents, parents, and kids all need to have a good day.

Food and dining are an important part of your vacation.

You want a full week of varied experiences across multiple parks.

Atmosphere and storytelling matter more to you than ride intensity.

Universal Orlando is the stronger choice if:

Your group is teens and adults who want high intensity rides.

You or your kids are deeply into Harry Potter, Nintendo, or horror.

You have two to three days, not a full week.

You want less planning overhead and a more straightforward trip.

Thrill rides are the main event, not the side dish.

You've done Disney before and want something different.

Plenty of people visit both resorts on the same Orlando trip, just on different days. If that's you, pick the one that matters most to your group and start there. The guides ahead are built around dedicating your days fully to one resort at a time..

Choose Your Destination

Walt Disney World Planning Guides: Full guides available
Universal Orlando Planning Guides: Coming soon