Many of us often dream of taking an amazing vacation. Two of my favorite places in the world to go to are two of the most iconic theme parks, Disney World and Universal (It is noteworthy to mention that both Disney and Universal also offer lots of other options such as cruises and other types of destinations). Both offer an amazing and wonderful array of resorts, rides, food, activities, and shopping for all ages.
But be prepared, although both places offer the same "types" of things, they are really two very different places. Disney World tends to revolve around a more laid-back nostalgic Disney themed environment (that's not to say they do not have an updated modern version of Disney present or that they don't have some thriller rides) where Universal is themed around the entertainment industry and the rides tend to be more thrill based. Each place has fun themes such as Mickey Mouse and Star Wars (Star Wars Galaxy's Edge is amazing and immersive) and Universal has Minions and Harry Potter (Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade are also amazing and immersive with an awesome train ride in between both areas).
Disney World is massive, literally being roughly the same size as San Franscico, offering lots and lots of rides, shopping, and eateries. Universal is smaller, so less ground to cover, but still packs a lot to do within its compact size. Both places offer a multitude of amazing food options with their own unique twist. Both places also have amazing "downtown" areas to explore when not in the parks.
Both Disney and Universal will tell you that they cater to all ages. In my personal experience, I will say this is true to a degree. Each place has something for everyone, but generally speaking, much of Disney does seem to cater to either young children, or just plain adults inner child, whereas Universal does seems to cater to the pre-teen, teenager, or adult (yes to their inner child here, too). Another noticeable difference is where Disney tends to intermingle "child" and "adult" activities throughout the parks, Universal has a separate "child" area. That's not to say that children and adult activities aren't interchangeable in both places and all areas of the parks, but this is just speaking to the general design of the parks.
Whether you decide to visit Disney, Universal, or even both in a split vacation, amazing experiences are definitely to be had any way you choose to do it!
