I spent a day at Universal and Disneyland and found the latter isn't great for a short trip

Carly CaramannaAug 14, 2022, 19:47 IST

I'm a regular at the Universal and Disney parks.Carly Caramanna

I frequently visit both Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland in Southern California.
I decided to rate them on different categories, such as dining, entertainment, and attractions.

To make things fair, I planned similar days at Universal and Disneyland.

I judged the days using the same criteria.Carly Caramanna

I opted to stay off-property at Disneyland.

There are limited on-property options at Disneyland.Carly Caramanna

Universal has two nearby partner hotels, but I opted to stay at a friend's place.

I was able to keep costs lower for my Universal trip.Carly Caramanna

I had to book my Disneyland ticket in advance.

Disneyland was operating on a reservation system.Carly Caramanna

At Universal, park reservations were not needed.

It was easier to get tickets at Universal.Carly Caramanna

Disneyland's parking lot was crowded, but it moved quickly.

It took me a while to get to the gates.Carly Caramanna

Parking at Universal was a breeze.

Without an annual pass, parking at Universal is more expensive.Carly Caramanna

At Disneyland, the attraction wait times ranged from 15 to 60 minutes.

You have to pay extra to skip the lines.Carly Caramanna

The wait times were minimal at Universal Studios.

I didn't have to wait long for rides.Carly Caramanna

I was able to quickly ride some of my favorite attractions at Disneyland thanks to the single-rider line.

The single-rider lines saved the day.Carly Caramanna

I was able to ride the major thrill rides at Universal with the single-rider line.

I was able to go on a lot of popular rides pretty quickly.Carly Caramanna

My favorite attraction at Disneyland was a surprise to me.

Some Disneyland rides get Halloween overlays.Carly Caramanna

Universal's oldest attraction was one of my favorites.

Studio Tour takes you backstage to see the Hollywood magic.Carly Caramanna

I found the character interactions to be quite limited at Disneyland.

Full interactions hadn't returned to the park.Carly Caramanna

I absolutely loved the character interactions at Universal.

I was able to interact with the characters at Universal more.Carly Caramanna

Disneyland's entertainment shined with roaming performers.

There were a few shows scattered around the parks.Carly Caramanna

I loved the shows at Universal.

"Waterworld" show at Universal Studios Hollywood.Carly Caramanna

Both parks have immersive lands, and I enjoyed visiting Avengers Campus at Disneyland.

The section of the park is filled with superhero characters.Carly Caramanna

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal was impressive even if you're not a big fan of the series.

There are plenty of Butterbeer-flavored treats.Carly Caramanna

The Disneyland app is critical for landing dining reservations.

I went to Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar.Carly Caramanna

Universal doesn't have a reservation system or mobile order.

Minion Café at Universal.Carly Caramanna

The mobile app is essential to the Disneyland experience.

I could mobile-order food on the Disneyland app.Carly Caramanna

I used Universal's app to keep up with wait times and peruse dining menus.

We could only look the menus up on the app at Universal.Carly Caramanna

I enjoyed the unique nighttime options at Downtown Disney.

Beignets from Ralph Brennan at Downtown Disney.Carly Caramanna

Universal's CityWalk has some great dining options.

NBC Sports Grill at CityWalk.Carly Caramanna

I loved the perks Disneyland offered for annual passholders.

There's a Magic Key Lounge at Disneyland.Carly Caramanna

Universal also has perks for people with annual passes.

Annual-passholder pin at Universal.Carly Caramanna

Universal Studios Hollywood is perfect if you only have one day.

Universal is perfect for a short trip.Carly Caramanna

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