Eight DVC Points, A Savannah View, and My First Time at Universal

Editor's Note

This trip report covers a vacation from August 2023, nearly three years before the launch of Disney Veterans Club and before the opening of Epic Universe. I'm publishing it now because it represents my first experience at Universal Orlando and my first stay at Loews Royal Pacific Resort.

Some observations, particularly those related to Universal's offerings and the Disney-versus-Universal debate, should be viewed through that lens. Since this trip, I've returned to Universal multiple times, including stays at both Royal Pacific and Portofino Bay after the opening of Epic Universe.

I'll be covering those experiences, and whether they changed my perspective, in a future article.

The DVC Problem That Wasn't Really a Problem

Like many DVC owners, I occasionally find myself being completely unreasonable about a very small number of points.

In this particular case, it was eight.

Eight measly little points sitting in my account that had been banked years earlier and were due to expire in September of 2023. Rationally speaking, losing eight points would not have affected my quality of life in any measurable way.

Emotionally speaking, those eight points were driving me insane.

Fortunately, DVC math eventually came to the rescue.

I was able to switch a two-bedroom reservation at Riviera to Boulder Ridge for October. My wife was not particularly thrilled about this move, but I wanted to check out the refurbished Boulder Ridge rooms, and the point savings turned those eight orphaned points into something useful.

Specifically, two nights at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Jambo House, Savannah View.

At roughly the same time, I had been hearing increasingly positive things about Universal Orlando. Despite multiple trips to Walt Disney World, we had somehow never managed to make it over there.

The pieces started falling into place.

This was also the last family vacation before my daughter started kindergarten, which gave the trip an added sense of importance. Military rates at Loews Royal Pacific made the Universal side of the trip surprisingly affordable, and the included Unlimited Express Pass made the decision even easier.

Just like that, eight leftover DVC points turned into a Disney and Universal split stay.

Animal Kingdom Lodge: The Resort I Never Thought I'd Love

Anyone who has watched my Disney origin story knows that Animal Kingdom Lodge was never particularly high on my list.

When the reservation switch happened, availability was limited. The realistic options were Animal Kingdom Lodge, Saratoga Springs, and Old Key West.

For me, a Savannah View room at Jambo House was an easy decision.

And honestly, I'm glad it worked out that way.

The resort is stunning.

My daughter spent so much time staring at giraffes from our balcony that I began wondering if we even needed theme park tickets.

If immersion matters to you, Animal Kingdom Lodge is one of Disney's greatest achievements. From the moment you enter the lobby to the moment you step into your room, everything works together to create a cohesive environment.

The flip side is that Animal Kingdom Lodge sometimes feels so immersive that it doesn't always feel like Walt Disney World.

I recognize that many people consider that a feature.

For me, it's slightly more complicated.

One of the things I love about resorts like the Polynesian, Contemporary, or Beach Club is that they constantly remind you that you're at Walt Disney World. Animal Kingdom Lodge sometimes feels like its own destination entirely.

That's not necessarily a criticism. It's just one reason it doesn't quite crack my personal top tier.

A Brief Public Service Announcement About Driving to Magic Kingdom

We drove everywhere during this trip.

That worked out perfectly.

Until Magic Kingdom.

For reasons I still do not fully understand, I made the decision to drive there instead of taking Disney transportation.

This was a mistake.

A monumental mistake.

I had forgotten how annoying the Transportation and Ticket Center can be when you're already staying on property.

The TTC remains, in professional military terminology, "no bueno."

Fortunately, every other park was easy to access by car, and parking was largely painless.

Jiko, Topolino's, and a Character Breakfast Revelation

One of the highlights of the trip was finally getting to eat at Jiko.

The experience was outstanding.

If I'm ranking Disney signature restaurants, I still put Topolino's, California Grill, and Flying Fish slightly ahead of it.

But only slightly.

Speaking of Topolino's, we finally experienced the character breakfast.

In my opinion, it is the best character dining experience at Walt Disney World.

By a lot.

My daughter spent the entire meal smiling and laughing. The characters were great. The food was great. The atmosphere was great.

And unlike some character meals, the adults don't feel like they're completely sacrificing their own dining experience.

The adult beverages certainly didn't hurt.

Genie+, Lightning Lanes, and My Stockholm Syndrome

Crowds were manageable during the trip. Not empty, but far from overwhelming.

I purchased Park Hopper Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes for Rise of the Resistance and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

Rise cost $22 per person.

Twenty-two dollars.

For one ride.

I paid it because my daughter had never experienced it before.

But still.

Twenty-two dollars.

While I appreciate the technology and execution of Rise of the Resistance, I absolutely despise the Sequel Trilogy, which means Galaxy's Edge doesn't generate the same emotional response for me that it does for some guests.

Genie+ remains one of my favorite Disney contradictions.

I hate it conceptually.

I love it operationally.

Every single time I've purchased it, the system has worked extremely well.

At this point, I've simply accepted reality.

Congratulations, Bob Chapek.

You successfully Stockholm-Syndromed me into buying Genie+.

I was also able to secure a Virtual Queue for Tron and use Rider Switch for my wife.

The queue, however, was long, hot, and surprisingly boring. The music was excellent. The queue itself was not.

Universal Finally Happened

Checking out of Disney always produces mixed emotions.

I'm never quite ready to leave.

At the same time, I was genuinely excited to finally experience Universal.

Pulling into Royal Pacific immediately revealed one thing that separates Universal from Disney.

You can see the attractions.

I could see Hulk.

I could hear people screaming on Hulk.

That was cool.

I've stayed at plenty of Disney resorts. I've never sat outside my room hearing people scream their way through Space Mountain.

Check-in was straightforward, although future visitors should know that you must physically check in to receive your Express Passes.

And those lines can get long.

Really long.

Our room overlooked Fun Spot and I-4, which admittedly detracted slightly from the South Pacific vibe.

Still, the resort itself was pleasant.

Nice.

Very nice.

But in my opinion, not Disney Deluxe nice.

My wife is a plant person. One of her favorite things about Animal Kingdom Lodge was the landscaping and the level of detail put into maintaining the property.

Royal Pacific looked good.

Her exact response was: "This wouldn't fly at Disney."

She's probably right.

To Royal Pacific's credit, however, the sushi was excellent. In fact, I thought it was significantly better than Kona's.

Looking at you, Kona.

The rest of the dining options were fine.

But they weren't Jiko.

I'll leave it at that.

The Universal Secret Weapon

One thing Universal does significantly better than Disney is simplicity.

One example: restaurant reservations.

Staying at Royal Pacific gave us access to a text concierge service.

You send a text.

Tell them where you want to eat.

Tell them when.

Then somehow a reservation appears.

I genuinely thought they were joking when they explained it.

They weren't.

The whole process felt suspiciously easy.

Getting Around

Universal's transportation situation is hilariously simple.

You either get on a boat or walk about seven minutes.

That's it.

That's the transportation briefing.

The convenience is remarkable.

It also highlights one of the key differences between Universal and Walt Disney World.

Scale.

Universal is compact.

Disney is massive.

Universal's simplicity is possible precisely because it occupies a much smaller footprint.

The Parks

We started at Islands of Adventure.

As someone who loves thrill rides, I was excited.

Universal did not disappoint.

Hagrid's is incredible.

VelociCoaster is legitimately world-class.

Spider-Man still holds up exceptionally well.

Forbidden Journey impressed me.

Escape from Gringotts was great.

The Mummy was fantastic.

The rides absolutely delivered.

The Wizarding World itself is also incredibly well done. I'm not a Harry Potter fanatic, but I can still appreciate the craftsmanship and immersion. It's very similar to how I feel about Galaxy's Edge. I admire it, even if it doesn't trigger any deep nostalgia.

The Express Pass is every bit as wonderful as advertised.

In fact, it worked so well that I found myself wondering how anybody spends more than two days there without reriding everything multiple times.

So Which One Is Better?

As we drove home, I realized something.

If I could redo the trip, I would reverse it.

Universal first.

Disney second.

Because while Universal impressed me, Walt Disney World reminded me why I keep returning.

Universal has better thrill rides.

VelociCoaster absolutely embarrasses Tron.

Honestly, that's not even a debate.

Tron isn't bad.

It's just disappointing.

Especially considering that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind exists in the same resort.

Universal also has easier transportation.

A better front-of-line system.

And arguably more momentum, even back in 2023.

Yet none of that changed how I felt when I drove away from Walt Disney World.

Disney has something that no competitor has successfully replicated.

The Bubble.

Not transportation.

Not hotel quality.

Not ride count.

Not intellectual property.

The Bubble.

The feeling that for a few days you are somewhere completely different.

It is the scale of that experience that remains Disney's greatest competitive advantage.

Looking Back From 2026

Looking back from 2026, I find it interesting how many of my initial impressions have held up and how many have evolved.

At the time of this trip, Epic Universe was still a concept rather than a reality, and my Universal experience was limited to Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios Florida, and a first stay at Royal Pacific.

That's one reason I'm glad I kept notes from this trip.

It captured my thoughts before several major changes reshaped the Central Florida theme park landscape.

Final Thoughts

I know many people believe Epic Universe will eventually tip the scales toward Universal becoming the dominant theme park destination in Central Florida.

I respectfully disagree.

Universal can absolutely continue closing the gap.

It can build better roller coasters.

It can build incredible new parks.

It can force Disney to improve.

That competition benefits everyone.

What it cannot do is recreate the sheer scale and ambition of Walt Disney World's original vision.

The irony is that the thing that worries me most about Disney right now isn't Universal.

It's Disney.

Listening to earnings calls, it is hard not to notice that management attention remains heavily focused on streaming.

Meanwhile, the parks continue generating extraordinary operating income and cash flow while often feeling like they're being asked to solve problems created elsewhere in the company.

Personally, I don't think Disney needs a fifth gate.

Not yet.

I think Disney simply needs to continue expanding and investing in the parks it already has.

And perhaps most importantly, it needs to remember what makes people fall in love with Walt Disney World in the first place.

Because after spending time at both resorts, one thing remains obvious to me.

Universal has great rides.

Disney has great Cast Members.

And while that difference may sound small on paper, it's one of the reasons I still find myself driving away from Walt Disney World wishing I could stay just one more day.