It seems that the two largest theme parks in Orlando, Florida are competing for attention more than usual this year. You can’t avoid the news lately. First we hear that Universal is coming out with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure. With billions of Harry Potter fans around the [...]]]>

Disney Castle

It seems that the two largest theme parks in Orlando, Florida are competing for attention more than usual this year. You can’t avoid the news lately. First we hear that Universal is coming out with The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure. With billions of Harry Potter fans around the world, this new attraction is destined to be a big hit among park-goers. Opening next Spring, people all over the world are waiting in anticipation to be among the first to experience the Harry Potters films in person.

Next, we learn that Disney has purchased Marvel. Well, everyone knows that Universal Orlando has Super Hero Island at Islands of Adventure, which features Marvel characters. This section of the park contains rides and attractions with Spiderman, Hulk, and X-Men. So, the Disney purchase of Marvel is bound to affect Universal’s park in some way.

Then last month it was announced that Disney will be expanding and improving their Fantasyland, part of the Magic Kingdom theme park. This announcement has earned mass and expected appeal from little girls, because of the focus on Disney’s princesses. But little boys and adults alike are also looking forward to the new “land.” New rides and attractions, plus improvements to some existing ones promise to boost attendance of people who have “done Magic Kingdom” before and thought they wouldn’t be interested in going back for a long time. Well, Disney has given the world reasons to visit again- soon.

All of these changes do breed competition among the big theme parks of Central Florida, but this only means good things for tourism in the area. It poses a dilemma for people who do not live in the Orlando area, though. Some who travel here will be forced to choose between the parks, but since they’re opening the new attractions years apart from one another, it may be the best scenario for the Orlando area. Hopefully, people will rush to Universal when the Harry Potter park opens and then rush back to Orlando when Disney’s made its changes to Fantasyland. We Floridians say, “Keep ‘em coming!”