Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

[JesterMn]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Do they really think they would even have a viable theme park if it weren't for the Disneyland crowd?? Or the Disneyland inspiration??

Seeing as how Universal has been drawing crowds for tours since 1915, I'd say they can be a viable theme park without Disneyland.

[cruise]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Did you ride the Simpsons? That ride filled to the brim with jabs at Disney. I personally love it when parks take jabs at each other and their fan bases.

Its all good fun. You shouldn't be offended.

Right! And Simpsons is also full on jabs at Universal themselves! To the OP, I don't know what was said to you but at least with respect to the mouse ears in JP: Yes, you are being too sensitive.

And of course people come to SoCal just for USH, in fact I've met plenty of people here in SoCal who prefer USH and hold it in the same regards that I hold Disney. Kids whose parents took them to USH have established that connection with that park.

They should be thanking Disney? Then Disney should be thanking all of their inspirations.

[flynnibus]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

big difference between the parks poking fun at each other.. and someone picking on or taunting a CUSTOMER'S CLOTHING in a way that that might insult them.

Why wear a Disney shirt? Because.. uhm... it's clothes they own?

It's poor poor customer service to do this in a way that would insult customers. Jokes in the shows are typically done by someone with actual talent. Far too often people think they have talent and instead just stick their foot in their mouth.

[BlAcKoUt510]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

They are just poking fun. It's not that serious.

[flynnibus]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

They are just poking fun. It's not that serious.

So would jokes about the person's race..
or maybe their weight..
or that maybe their kid looks like they were beat with the ugly stick..

Humor rarely is 'serious' - but what makes some humor acceptable or not is based on how it offends people or not.

[Miss Betty Juice]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

So would jokes about the person's race..
or maybe their weight..
or that maybe their kid looks like they were beat with the ugly stick..

Humor rarely is 'serious' - but what makes some humor acceptable or not is based on how it offends people or not.

It all rests in what exactly was said and how it was said - without knowing that, it's hard to tell if it was really something rude or something being taken too seriously. But comparing it to a racist joke or a joke about weight or appearance seems a little silly. A good deal of the time it really is just good-natured ribbing. If the employee was blatantly rude about it that's one thing - but if they're making a friendly joke that calls to the rivalry between parks, it's nothing to be getting so ruffled about.

[flynnibus]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

It all rests in what exactly was said and how it was said - without knowing that, it's hard to tell if it was really something rude or something being taken too seriously. But comparing it to a racist joke or a joke about weight or appearance seems a little silly. A good deal of the time it really is just good-natured ribbing. If the employee was blatantly rude about it that's one thing - but if they're making a friendly joke that calls to the rivalry between parks, it's nothing to be getting so ruffled about.

The point is... humor doesn't need to start out as hurtful or serious, to be hurtful. Most is just attempts at being funny, but may land flat and insult/hurt. What you joke about with someone you know.. is not the same about what you joke about with strangers.. or your boss... or maybe your CUSTOMERS.

There is a special relationship in play here - a business and customer - not you hanging out with your friends. The boundaries and expectations are different.

It's called tact - something often missing in so many people.

[sir clinksalot]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

I generally make it a point to not wear a competing park's shirt to a theme park.

That said, if I did wear a Six Flags, Disney, etc shirt to USH, Knotts, etc I'd expect to get mocked and I'd have absolutely no problem with it. It's all in good fun.

[Alexshow]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

my most annoying exprience was on the tram. this kid couldn't stop crying and i asked her father to shut her up but he didn't do anything!

[cruise]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

The point is... humor doesn't need to start out as hurtful or serious, to be hurtful. Most is just attempts at being funny, but may land flat and insult/hurt. What you joke about with someone you know.. is not the same about what you joke about with strangers.. or your boss... or maybe your CUSTOMERS.

There is a special relationship in play here - a business and customer - not you hanging out with your friends. The boundaries and expectations are different.

It's called tact - something often missing in so many people.

While I think you're partially right, it all depends on tone. Without knowing that, its hard to make a call here. That being said, you can't drink a Coke in a Pepsi factory and expect no one to say anything.

[sir clinksalot]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

That being said, you can't drink a Coke in a Pepsi factory and expect no one to say anything.

Great analogy!!!

You are at a Theme Park, the point is to HAVE FUN. To think that there was anything malicious in the gentle ribbing for wearing a competitors shirt is taking it too far IMO.

[TacAlert]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Again, I think this post by the OP is fake. They didn't even come back to clarify their original post from all of our comments.

[BC_DisneyGeek]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

I remember getting photos with characters at Universal Studios and they would cover any Disney logos with their hands. It was all in good fun.

[Tamiele]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Again, I think this post by the OP is fake. They didn't even come back to clarify their original post from all of our comments.

Well I am back and sorry to take so long to reply. The post is not fake. Perhaps many of you live and attend these parks on a regular basis but I do not. I get down there every two years or so. I know this has happened to me at least twice - beyond that I can't say for sure but starts to bug me when I have the same experience over and over again. And, I apologize for being such a goofy tourist - but I have one hat and one good sweatshirt that I take on all of my side trips - they are all Disney fare. I don't have 10 hats or 10 sweatshirts - I take the ones that I have incase of hot weather or cold weather. I don't even think about whether I should be wearing that or not inside another theme park....I am just prepared for all kinds of weather.

I guess I take things too seriously. I didn't see the humor in it - but when I don't personally know the person making the jab at me, it is hard to recognize humor. Even my husband thought it was unprofessional. I would prefer that people not jump to conclusions that my posts are fake. That is not my style.

[TacAlert]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

You are entitle to your opinion, but why would you not report this but instead come to a blog to talk about it? That is why I, and many others who have PM'd me, assume it is fake.

As a former USH employee myself, it is not uncommon to make jabs at other theme parks, especially when you know the person works at that park.

[Tamiele]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Why is this board full of people discussing the good and the bad if that isn't what a board is for?? I will discuss my opinions as you do. I did not report the incidents because it never occurred to me to do so and now after reading the responses here I see that it is my own issue so I will just leave it at that.

[disneyfann121]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

The same thing happens in Florida. I wore a WDW shirt to Universal, and was told "you can't get on this ride with that shirt" or "aren't you in the wrong park?" Lame jokes, but I laughed it off. A poster on another site said that he and his young child got lots of flak for wearing a Disney shirt, all day long. That's where they really cross the line. They should leave the kids alone. A child is more likely to take it seriously, and to feel attacked.

Worse, when they were about to embark on a ride, an employee told them that the father couldn't ride with the son because of his Disney attire. The son was already nervous about the ride, and got scared that he would have to ride alone. Is this acceptable? There are limits to "good natured ribbing."

[BlAcKoUt510]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

So would jokes about the person's race..
or maybe their weight..
or that maybe their kid looks like they were beat with the ugly stick..

Humor rarely is 'serious' - but what makes some humor acceptable or not is based on how it offends people or not.

Okay we are getting way too ahead of ourselves.

On topic, employees joking around about guest wearing other brands to their theme park is just a joke.
If it was that serious, then a complaint can be made.

I'm personally am not going to wear a Universal shirt at Disney and not expect to be poked fun at, knowing it's not malicious. We all have different emotions, so if it's that serious you know what to do to not get in that situation.

Once again, this situation is not that serious.

[flynnibus]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

When you are an employee, and the B-end of a joke or stunt is a customer... you don't want to find the boundary of what is serious or not. That is just not good common sense as a business person.

[jsmith11618]

Re: Annoying experience at Universal Studios Hollywood.

I have never heard this. Do you have an example that might refresh my memory?

I have heard skippers make various jokes along the lines of, I see a couple people here are wearing universal shirts, and leaving them with the head shrinkers (the scene where the small heads are towards the end.)

Once on pirates before departing there was a large group with knotts clothing on, and before our boat departed the lady said see you soon, well for those without knotts shirts on.

They always get a laugh and I have never seen these jokes as being bad.

I've had cast members make jokes with some of the shirts I have worn, I wore a Mt. Dew shirt once, and in the magic shop the worker cracked a joke about the park being a coke park, and I laughed, thought it was funny and went on my way.

Sometimes they are more obvious then other times and can be missed, but they are there.