Universal versus Disney: The Unofficial Guide to American Theme Parks' Greatest Rivalry (Unofficial Guides) Paperback – December 2, 2014

Excellent read! Very thorough in its' history. This isn't a picture book or a coffee table book. It's a very thorough history and behind-the-scenes look at how Disneyland came to be; the hard work, the thought process behind every decision.The nitty gritty details of working within city/state rules, guidelines, bureaucracy and so on. The creative genius behind all of the fascinating aspects of the park. Not just the attractions, but the food, sanitation, security and so much more that goes into creating a thing as substantial as Disneyland. The naiveté the builders and shapers had going into and creating this amazing place.Disneyland is a place that can be taken for granted in modern times but remember it was the first of it's kind. The very first amusement park that was themed and used the backdrop of movie sets in creating an immersive world that takes one into another world where dreams and fantasy are genuine. A place that builds the facades so intricately that one can forget about what's outside the park and return to a safe place in our childhoods where everyday worries don't yet exist.The magic of Disneyland exists for all those that enter and become immersed in this well-thought out microcosm that was painstakingly created. A place so popular for "kids" that in the early years adults outnumbered children 4:1. The adults needed the escape much more than there children. A fact I realized when my children were young and enjoyed the hotel pool more than Disneyland.This book gives perspective and history and enlightens one to appreciate this mecca moreso than before reading this detailed history. I loved reading this so much that I limited myself to read two pages a day to savor and really take in the wonders, magic, and logistical endeavors that make the happiest place on earth so magical. This is one of the two books I recommend to every person wanting to read or start a library based on Disney parks. The picture book version is the more currently created book, "Walt Disney's Disneyland" by Chris Nichols written in 2018. This is the best illustrated book on Disneyland the park that I've ever picked up. Many previously unseen photos.

This did not turn out to be the book I expected. I figured it would be a 'cute' comparison of coasters and attractions between the two theme-park giants. Instead, author Sam Gennawey (himself a planner specializing in Theme Parks) takes us back to the very beginning in an eye-opening look at the history between Universal and Disney.Universal Studios enjoyed much success and wanted to translate this into a tour of their Hollywood film base. While Disneyland, Marineland and Knotts Berry Farm were enjoying much success on the theme park front. Universal had no interest in this. In fact, Walt Disney sent some of his best men to help Universal get their Hollywood tour off the ground.Things changed decades later in the 70's when the 'monster' attractions took off for Universal --- Jaws and King Kong. They now saw an opportunity to immerse their guests in their films the same way Disney had been doing for decades. The gloves finally came off when the then President of Universal accused then Disney Chairman, Michael Eisner, of stealing the film studio tour idea with the creation of Disney MGM Studios (now Hollywood Studios).Whether this was true or not, the fans are the ones who benefit from this gigantic game of one-upsmanship. Every time one does something on a grand scale the other has to top it --- and everyone wins. The only critique I have is that Gennawey spends far too much time on Universal and their growth and far less on Disney. Even so, this was a well-researched and very interesting read.

The title is deceptive, as this is mostly a history of Universal Orlando with parts that focus on the Disney vs. Universal battle. Even so, it's still a really interesting book with a lot of information from the people who worked on Universal's attractions and on the business side. I was actually more excited to learn about Universal's history, as I knew little of the origins of the tour in most of the history prior to the past few decades. The stories of attractions that never happened or ended up being very different were fascinating. Gennawey writes in a way that's easily accessible while offering plenty of details. This sits alongside his book about Disneyland as a must-read for fans of theme park history.

Sam Gennewey does a wonderful job of telling the history of the Universal parks in the US. The problem I have with this book is the deceptive title...the is very little "versus" in this book. I feel that the author did this to get the hard core Disney fan to buy a book that they would not have even thought to buy, which is too bad for a book that would have been good enough to stand on its own.

An excellent book. Both exhaustively-researched and well-written. As a fan and employee over the years of Disney and Universal, I truly appreciate the story that Gennawey weaves - one that is a powerful read within the industry as well as a great read for people with a somewhat less powerful interest. While tons of books have been written about Walt Disney and his movies & parks (including excellent ones by Gennaway, himself), this book truly breaks new ground on the story of Universal / MCA and it's rise as another superpower in the themed entertainment realm.

Having worked for both companies over the last 30 years, this was an interesting and fun read for me, filling in some of the details and personalities I hadn't experienced first-hand. The writing could have been better and more consistent, but the book was well researched.

Sam Gennawey links all the key players, their actions, motivations, and personalities. This is the "Who dunnit?" for Universal Studios theme parks.

Ich verbrachte viele Urlaube in Florida und bin quasi mit Disney World und Universal groß geworden. Besonders interessant ist in diesem Buch, dass man sehr viel Hintergrundinformationen und bis weit zurück zu den Anfängen geht. Ein sehr gutes Buch! Leider nur in englischer Sprache und mit wenig bis gar keinen Bildern. Die Fakten sind dafür die Wahnsinn.

Book itself is well researched and well written as all of Sam Genawey's books are but the content wasn't what I was expecting from the title. This book is a history of Universal Studios theme parks from the famous Hollywood tour to the present day. It covers a little bit of the rivalry between US and the mouse but not much - Other books such as Realityland or Disney War cover in the same level of detail.I'd recommend for fans of US but think twice if you're more interested in Disney

Once again, Sam Gennawey combines his personal love of theme park with his innate ability to delve deeply into all available sources to provide well informed yet entertaining reading.This book provides so much insight to the workings of the corporate identity behind the Universal theme parks. Better still, he paints such a credible picture for the future of their parks and the competition which will motivate both the Universal and Disney organizations to keep the public entertained well into the future.