I’m a Disney adult.
I’m also a Potterhead who loves Revenge of the Mummy.
These things are not mutually exclusive.
Disney will probably always have a special place in my travel plans. I know the parks. I have favorite resorts, favorite rides, favorite restaurants, and more Disney memories than I could possibly fit into one blog post.
But put me in Orlando and I’m not staying inside the Disney bubble the entire time.
Because I love Universal, too.
And while Harry Potter may have been one of the biggest reasons I originally wanted to spend more time there, it’s definitely not the only reason I keep going back.
Yes, Harry Potter Is a Big Part of It
Let’s get the obvious one out of the way.
I’m a Potterhead.
Walking into the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is still one of those experiences that gets me. I can wander through the shops, look at all the details, and happily spend far more time there than someone who doesn’t care about Harry Potter would probably understand.
And I don’t just want to ride the rides and leave.
I want to be there.
That’s one of the things Universal does particularly well. The Wizarding World isn’t just a collection of Harry Potter attractions. Once you’re inside it, the details make you want to slow down and look around.
And, of course, there’s Three Broomsticks.
Theme park food doesn’t always need to be an “experience,” but sometimes I absolutely want it to be. Eating at Three Broomsticks is part of visiting the Wizarding World for me.
Then There’s Revenge of the Mummy
I love this ride.
There are rides I enjoy because they’re attached to a franchise I love. There are rides I appreciate because they’re technologically impressive.
And then there are rides I simply want to ride again.
Revenge of the Mummy is one of those.
It’s dark, it’s fast, it’s fun, and after all these years it remains one of my favorite things at Universal Studios Florida.
If you told me I could pick only a handful of Universal attractions to ride on a trip, Mummy would be on the list without much thought.
I Love Jurassic Park. VelociCoaster Is Where I Draw the Line.
Here’s where we need to establish something.
I like thrill rides.
I’m not standing outside every roller coaster holding everybody else’s bags.
But VelociCoaster?
No.
Absolutely not.
You all have fun. I’ll see you when you get back.
The rest of Jurassic Park, though? I love it.
I love the theming and the feeling of walking through the area, and I absolutely ride Jurassic Park River Adventure. Yes, including the drop.
There’s just something about that entire section of Islands of Adventure that works for me. It’s another example of why I enjoy Universal so much even as someone who loves Disney: Universal has created worlds that I genuinely enjoy spending time in.
I just don’t need to experience every single inch of those worlds at 70 miles per hour.
Apparently, I Also Like Getting Soaked
Universal has some serious water rides.
Not “you might get a few drops on your shirt” rides.
Wet.
And I love them.
There is something wonderfully ridiculous about reaching the point where you’re already so wet that avoiding the next splash doesn’t matter anymore.
That’s part of a Universal day for me. Sometimes the best theme park memories aren’t the perfectly planned moments. They’re the ones where you’re laughing because everyone looks like they jumped into a swimming pool with their clothes on.
MIB Gets a Little Competitive
Men in Black: Alien Attack is another one I’d hate to skip, although riding it with my GodDaughter turns it into something else entirely.
I don’t even remember what our scores were the last time we rode it. What I do remember is that she went for blood.
It was a riot.
And because apparently the day wasn’t chaotic enough already, we came out to pouring rain afterward. Somehow that just made the whole thing even more memorable.
Then there’s E.T. Adventure. It’s completely different from MIB, Mummy, or the big thrill rides, and that’s part of why I love it. It’s one of those old-school Universal attractions I’m still genuinely happy to ride.
Not everything I love at Universal needs to be the newest, fastest, or biggest thing in the park. Sometimes I just want to help E.T. get home.
Skull Island Is Another One I Keep Coming Back To
Skull Island: Reign of Kong is another attraction I enjoy and continue to ride.
And this is where my Universal favorites start showing why I don’t really think of Universal as a substitute for Disney.
It isn’t.
I don’t go to Universal because I want another version of Disney World. I go because Universal gives me experiences I can’t get at Disney.
Kong doesn’t need to compete with a Disney attraction for me to enjoy it. Neither does Mummy. Neither does Jurassic Park.
They’re different.
That’s the point.
And Then There’s Mythos
Mythos has been one of those Universal restaurants that feels like more than grabbing something to eat between rides.
It’s part of Islands of Adventure for me.
Knowing that its time may be coming to an end makes me appreciate having experienced it even more. Theme parks change constantly. Attractions disappear. Restaurants change. Entire areas get reimagined.
Sometimes that’s exciting.
Sometimes you realize that one of the places that became part of your version of a park isn’t going to be there forever.
I am so glad we found Mythos our very first trip to Universal. It’s been a favorite ever since. Their food is wonderful, but it’s not just that. It’s a sit-down restaurant with atmosphere and a place to just unwind during a chaotic day.
That’s one of the reasons I don’t believe in putting off everything until “next time” anymore. If there’s something you really want to experience, sometimes you should experience it while you can.
Halloween Horror Nights Is Its Own Reason to Go
And then there’s Halloween Horror Nights.
HHN isn’t just Universal with Halloween decorations.
It’s an entirely different experience.
The houses, scare zones, atmosphere and sheer amount of work that goes into transforming Universal for the event make it something I look forward to for reasons that have very little to do with a regular park day.
You also don’t have to stop loving Disney Halloween to love HHN.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Halloween Horror Nights aren’t interchangeable experiences. I can enjoy both without needing to declare one the winner.
One gives me Disney Halloween.
The other gives me Universal after dark when things get considerably less not-so-scary.
There’s room in my October for both.
Maybe I’m Just a Theme Park Adult
That’s probably the real answer.
I’ve never understood why liking Disney is supposed to mean I have to choose Disney over Universal—or vice versa.
I don’t.
Disney gives me things Universal doesn’t.
Universal gives me Harry Potter, Mummy, Kong, Jurassic Park, water rides, MIB, E.T., Three Broomsticks, Mythos, Halloween Horror Nights and experiences I can’t have anywhere else.
So yes, I’m still a Disney adult.
I’m just a Disney adult who will happily leave the Disney bubble, head over to Universal, drink in every bit of Harry Potter theming I can find, ride Mummy again, get completely soaked on a water ride and watch other people climb aboard VelociCoaster.
Because that thing is still a hard no.