WDW and DL.... your thoughts!

[cinnaminny]

I've been to WDW many times (many I don't remember) and DLR 4 times over the past 3. What I must say is the biggest difference between the two, IMO, aside from the size differences would be the fact one is a resort destination while the other is two well themed parks. Don't take that to mean I don't love DLR, I absolutely do and am headed back out in September. When I go to either park I generally plan to stay on property (only stay exclusively on property at DLR, which I'll say why).

Overall I find WDW to be much more about the experience (albeit all planned 6 months or 60 days in advance). When I go to WDW I usually ride 5-10 rides across 2-3 parks a day. However, peppered into that day is time I visit different resorts, book unique dining experiences, spend time at the pool, or extra activities (safari trek, etc). However, when I go to DLR I ride maybe 15-25 rides between the two parks and eat predominantly at CS/QS restaurants (aside from Carnation Cafe and Cafe Orleans). So effectively I spend more time at DLR on the rides and WDW on different activities you can't find at DLR. With all this being said the experience at WDW is significantly more expensive than DLR (even with the more expensive tickets). Oh lack of firework focus is definitely noticeable at DLR the nighttime spectaculars at DLR seemed more intimate too because of the park size.

Reasons I stay on properties at each resort: WDW=Convenience - This allows me to do the other activities WDW offers and not focus on running around parks each day just doing rides. DLR=Extra Park Time - While both WDW and DLR have EMH for resort guests you get significant more mileage at DLR than WDW. In fact my upcoming trip to DLR is specifically to have that extra hour to get to SW:GE. Just much less competition for an equal number of rides than at WDW.

Pros/Cons of Each

WDW Pros: Larger, Unique Activities, Nicer Hotel Choices for all Budgets, Better Table Service Food (of course there are good and bad but the best at WDW: for example Victoria and Alberts, Jiko, etc. are much better than the best at DLR: for example Carthage’s Cicle and Blue Bayou; also on average, not just the best, I think WDW edges DLR out here IMO) by miles, Water Parks, and many others those are the big ones
WDW Cons: Larger (definite con too), FP+ requires 60 day planning, 6 months for DR/Event Planning, More people in general

DLR Pros: Smaller, Better Quick/Counter Service Food, Walkable to every corner, Characters are strolling around (though rumors are WDW is doing more of this again), DR is only 60 days in advance, More Ride time easily, MaxPass is far better, EMH is much better because of size
DLR Cons: Shorter amount of time spent there because of size, Onsite Hotels aren't nearly as nice (though haven't done GCH that is next trip)

I really can't come up with many cons since it is vacation and Disney after all. I love DLR for different reasons than I love WDW.

I feel this. I have only been to WDW once and multiple times at Disneyland. I have never tried to do a full week at Disneyland, and I am doing that this summer. I am going to try my best to do Disneyland right and then judge which one I am going to throw my money at for the next few years. lol




Its also funny to me how many people remark on the castle size. I walked into Magic Kingdom for the first time and the castle....felt weird. It felt too big with not enough character. I love Disneylands castle, I love that you can see the Matterhorn when you look at the smaller castle. It is like it would be in Europe. The castle wouldn't be taller than the mountains around it lol

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

Ugh my biggest pet peeve since visiting Disneyland is when I hear people trying to compare the two. You just CAN'T! If you go into the mindset of comparing one with the other, you will be disappointed, 100%. After visiting DL and falling in love with it, I am so excited to visit all the other Disney parks. Yes, Disney World is my "home" park as people say. But there is something about DL that makes me really emotional, especially knowing it is "Walt's Original Park". Although, I realize I'm more Disney obsessed than most.

If you care about the history of Disney, how Walt got his start and all of that, you will love DL. I also love the small feel of it, as WDW can feel kind of crazy at times. DL still has characters who walk around, which I haven't seen at WDW since I was a little girl so that was really special. I could be saying all this though because I stayed on site at the DL Hotel. I feel like if I wouldn't have, my feelings might be a little different.

If you want a more "go with the flow" trip, DL is that. If you prefer more planning, WDW is the place for you. I enjoy a little bit of both.

 

[hildyp]

I live an hour away from WDW and are APs. We go a lot. I'm currently planning my 3rd trip to DL. I LOVE Disneyland and wish it was in Florida so I can visit it more often.
While I agree that WDW has a more immersive feel to it, DL is the original. When comparing rides I think so many are better at Disneyland - POC, BTM, Space Mountain, Buzz. I even like the Peter Pan at Disneyland better. My mother disagrees with me and feels WDW is better. They both have their charm and it's a personal preference as to which is "better" IMHO

 

[DLRExpert]

Local to Disneyland all my life, been to WDW/Orlando 10 times.

The beauty about the Disneyland Resort is that everything is so close together (hotels, shopping, dining, parks, attractions, etc.), no need to plan too far ahead (hotel reservations, dining reservations, Fastpass, etc.), you feel more relaxed.
However, the one thing people make the mistake in is coming to California only for Disneyland. In Orlando, that may be understandable, but when you come to California you should really plan to visit the different areas of the state (other parks, zoos, beaches, Hollywood, mountains, etc.).

At WDW you definitely get that Disney Bubble feeling but after a few visits you start to see the negative aspect of having a vacation in that way. I really dislike the way you have to plan out your days so far in advance. It may not be completely noticeable, but I hate the feeling of stress that I have when I have to plan my visit 60-30 days in advance trying to get the right FP for the right time constantly making adjustments to my visit before I am even there. That is something that is not fun for me and it takes away from the vacation I should be looking forward too. Which is probably why that I now split my time between WDW, Universal, and the other parks in Orlando any time I vacation there. I really only visit WDW if there is something new that I haven't done before. Otherwise, I skip it and enjoy the other things that Orlando has to offer.

ME

 

[MommyToASquared]

We just returned from WDW after several trips to DLR. To us, WDW seemed much more intense. We needed a couple days to recover at the end of vacation. At DLR, it seems more like a relaxing vacation. I'm not able to compare which I like better. They are so different that it is almost impossible to compare.

I know this is a silly comparison - But at the top of BTM, at DLR, the goat gives you a "Baaaa". But not at WDW. I wanted my "baaaa"!

 

[BillFraser29]

The biggest difference between the two is geography.

DL "only" has two parks, but you can jump from park to park via a two minute walk, or you can turn a different direction and walk an additional minute into Downtown Disney.

WDW is much more spread out, but does have way more entertainment options (4 parks and Disney Springs). Plus countless resorts compared to DL's three hotels.

The biggest advice I give to both sets of tourists (DL regulars and WDW regulars) is to enjoy them both, but do not compare them. They were not meant to be identical so don't put your expectations to that. Enjoy the uniqueness.

 

[Mike_M]

The first time I went to DL I found it to be a little underwhelming, like when you see the castle and wonder where the rest of it is. It was like being in bizarro-world a little, with things similar yet not the same. I took a few wrong turns as I would be expecting to see a certain thing and then, woah, why is Big Thunder on the other side of the River? It's fun though to explore the differences, and get a fresh look a things. It will feel smaller and less grandiose in some ways, but in others it really excels. It is nice to not have to plan quite as hard and the closeness of the two parks makes hopping amazing! you're sure to have a great time.

Coming from the opposite direction as a DLR regular, I can say I had similar feelings.

The first time I went to MK I had difficulty finding my bearings. I like to say that it was like going home, but someone had rearranged all the furniture. BTMRR at MK seems so far away. Lol

The larger castle at MK is impressive, but the absence of the Matterhorn was strange to me. It’s definetly the landmark DLR regulars are used to, and not having a Mountain next to the castle led to me getting turned around a few times.

The only truly jarring difference for me was the absence of New Orleans Square at MK. It’s easily my favorite area in DL and is the place I tend to spend the most time at on my trips. Liberty Square has some similarities (HM, proximity to the river, and others) but I admit that I did miss the NOS charm I am accustomed to and couldn’t help but use that as a negative comparison.

It’s been a long time since that last trip to WDW. I managed a short trip to DL Paris a couple years ago and surprised myself by not comparing it to DL (or MK) in my head at all except to enjoy the differences as new experiences. I was even ok with the absence of my beloved NOS. As a result, I think I’m finally ready for my next trip back to WDW. One where I can appreciate the differences rather than take score to find a winner.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

DL for us was more like a weekend getaway when we lived in California ( about 7 hours away). Never a vacation. DL & California Adventure can be done in 2-3 days. Downtown Disney is small. DL has the old FP system & I recall they run out REAL FAST. I remember getting up before park opened just to get FP for Carsland. I was there bright & early & FP I got wasn’t until after dinner. I like the nostalgia & you don’t have to plan so much. But if I didn’t live I. California, I wouldn’t go there just got DL.