Shortly after I booked our September package to DLR this time last year, Free Dining came out at WDW. While toodling around on WDW's site, I couldn't help but notice we could get a 7 day package at WDW for *less* than a 4 night package at DLR. Zoiks!
There is a sad little form of dining plan at DLR, but it's nothing like WDW's, not even the changed, less-value, dining plan they changed it to this year. It's an OK way to pre-pay for food at DLR, but you get vouchers instead of "credits". If you use a $5.00 voucher for something that is $4.25, you do not get change back. If you decide to buy a bit extra so you don't "lose" money from that $5 voucher, then you pay out of pocket plus that $5 voucher. There are those that like it, though. But for me, I prefer to get giftcards and budget my meals that way, and that way I can keep my food money in my savings account, earning a bit of interest, until it's time to buy the giftcard.
No Animal Kingdom at DLR. At DLR there is
Disneyland (similar to Magic Kingdom, I hear) and Disneyland's California Adventure. But I was just reading that while WDW with its 4 parks has 73 attractions, DLR with its two parks has 63. Wow!
We have encountered light crowds during any weekDAYS that we have been there, and not THAT crowded on weekends. We've been there middish September, early October, early December, and late January so far.
DLR hotels are Grand Californian (posh and $$$$), Disneyland Hotel ("they" say it's the most Disney-themed and I feel that it is $$$), and Paradise Pier (further away from DLR than many off-site hotels! and $$).