How Playing Your Own Game Leads to Victory
A story, quote, and lesson on how a theme park is competing with the greats
Never stop running your own race
In the world of theme parks, there is only one giant that comes to mind: Disney. They have always been the one to beat — the gold standard, the dream factory, the untouchable. Most people would be scared off at the thought of competing against them.
But there has always been a challenger pushing at their heels.
Universal Studios started off as a film studio in California but soon added a full-fledged theme park in 1964. Their Orlando park first opened across the street from Disney World in 1990 and they have been steadily adding new attractions, restaurants and experiences.
They didn’t try to copy Disney's magic formula — instead, they leaned into thrills, special effects, and later, deeply immersive storytelling rooted in franchises like Harry Potter and Jurassic Park.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Disney is objectively generating more revenue with its theme parks division than Universal. In Q1 2025, Disney reported revenues of $8,078 million (with 12 parks) while Universal reported revenues of $2,374 million (with 7 parks). Instead of letting this drastic difference put them down, it has only spurred them on.
Instead of mimicking Disney’s formula, Universal embraced what made them different — thrilling rides, darker themes, and franchises for older audiences. For example, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter wasn’t a copy; it was a game-changer. That bold move forced even Disney to innovate, proving that real competition thrives on originality.
And Universal’s biggest bet yet is coming up soon. With the 2025 launch of Epic Universe — a bold new park featuring Super Nintendo World, How to Train Your Dragon, and more — Universal is poised not just to compete... but to redefine the next era of immersive entertainment.
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll end up amongst the stars.”
- Norman Vincent Peele.
Whether you’re building a business, chasing a dream, or navigating your career, the lesson is clear: You don’t have to out-Disney Disney. You don’t have to beat the biggest player at their game. You just need to commit fully to your own.
When you stop trying to outshine someone else and focus instead on what only you can bring to the table, that’s when your light becomes impossible to ignore. For Universal, they’ve embraced this mindset, knowing that their guests don’t choose one over the other — they usually choose both.
So now I ask you:
Are you trying to outshine someone else, or are you focusing on what only you can bring to the table?
This great example reinforce the challenges we face in life. And many times we get distracted by trying to beat others instead of focusing on our own strengths which if done right will lead us to succeed. This is something that leaders are responsible for and need to be clearly focused. It came to mind the example of ON tennis shoes that took a big piece of the market from giants like Nike and Addidas. What a great accomplishment but also what a tough process it must have been for Nike and Addidas executives. This article reinforces what we need to focus on. Thanks
I love this both are great are totally different experiences