A Big Thank You! I Officially Love Disneyland!

[shellie may]

First I want to give a real big thank you to everyone on this board. You all give such great information and advice!

I just returned home from my first visit to Disneyland!! Now I'm from Florida and live just 50min away from Disney World and had an annual pass since I was 12 and I'm 19 now and I never get tired of going it still feels magical to me. Needless to say my family loves us some Disney and we make day trips often. Me and my mom have wanted to go to Disneyland for a long time but it was never a reality til last October when we did an overnight trip to all star music for the Halloween party at magic kingdom and we decided we needed a change of scenery.

Fast forward to last week and I took my first ever plane ride to the greatest place ever! It was a little funny to fly out of Orlando and see all the people so excited to go to Disney World and me and my mom were leaving Orlando to make the plane ride to Orange County\Disneyland. Me and my mom were completely over the moon and every day we woke up we couldn't believe we were there. Both parks were amazing! We may have been the only people ever to make our first visit to Disneyland and not go to the original park first, we started at California Adventure and we loved it! Both parks were just so great everything was so different and so detailed and we never encountered an unfriendly cast member, however it was hilarious when we said we were from Florida and there eyes would get real big and go "whoa" and then they wanted to have long conversations about Florida.

The trip was the best one ever and I admit it will be hard to go back to Disney World this weekend when we go for a day trip. I love my home park, but I admit Disneyland is more magical and spectacular. I've never gotten so teary eyed at a theme park before it has something Disney World doesn't and that's history and now I understand why people love it so much! The good news is I wont have to wait long to go back because we are planning a return trip for this September!!! Can't wait! Let the planning begin!

 

[larina]

I'm so glad you got to feel the magic! It is pretty amazing. And tips from here just make it that much better!!!

 

[awdsmama]

Awwww I got all teary thinking of you getting all teary from the magic.

So glad you had a great experience!

 

[Honeybee1983]

awww that is so awesome!! Disneyland IS so wonderful! I have heard that Disney World isn't nearly as good...but I've never personally ben, so I can't speak from experience. lol Glad you had such a great time!!

 

[candy0730]

I am so happy that you had a wonderful time. My family is going to DL next month for the first time and I am very nervous that we won't like it as much as WDW.

What did you like better at DL compared to WDW? Did the contsruction at DCA take away from the magic? I keep reading that DCA is a "half day park" since all of the construction but I don't understand why since all of the attractions are open.

How long was your trip? Did you feel like you had enough time to do everything you wanted to?

Enjoy planning your next visit!

 

[mickeymom629]

That is so cool!
We are taking my 17 year old DS on his first plane ride and trip to Disneyland. You can see by my signature that, although we don't live as close as you, we have been to WDW many times during his childhood.
I hope he enjoys our trip as much as you did!

 

[scion5220]

Sigh.

I grew up in Florida and have been going to WDW since before it opened.

It is MAGICAL to me even though I go all the time. I have also been to DLR many many times, both when I lived in Cali for seven years and also since I moved back to Florida.

To me, personally, neither is more "magical" than the other...they are both infused with years of PERSONAL memories. I will say that I feel more at peace at WDW and more "on vacation" there...especially on any of the waterways.

And Illuminations is the only nighttime spectacular that can move me to tears.

But that's just me.

Everyone should enjoy all the parks if they have the chance.

 

[scion5220]

I am so happy that you had a wonderful time. My family is going to DL next month for the first time and I am very nervous that we won't like it as much as WDW.

What did you like better at DL compared to WDW? Did the contsruction at DCA take away from the magic? I keep reading that DCA is a "half day park" since all of the construction but I don't understand why since all of the attractions are open.

How long was your trip? Did you feel like you had enough time to do everything you wanted to?

Enjoy planning your next visit!

You will love it! Enjoy it for its differences.

Hopefully some of the construction walls will be down in DCA because frankly...they do somewhat diminish the experience of that park right now, but it is still fun and there are lots of things to see and do. I think you could spend an entire leisurely day seeing everyhing in DCA. The rides and details in Flik's Fun Fair are particularly worth checking out as there is nothing like that in WDW. Even though the rides are aimed more at kids I rode them all and had a blast!

The Monsters, Inc. ride is also fun and fun to take in all the details in the queue area.

As far as DL goes, you should really try the rides that don't exist at WDW, like Indiana Jones and the Nemo submarine. Also the rides that are different than their WDW counterparts...Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion (although it's mostly different on the outside) and Pirates.

If you are staying at a Disney hotel take advantage of the Magic Mornings, you can ride so many rides during that time! I rode the Mad Tea Party completely by myself one morning. Only Tomorrowland and Fantasyland were open during MM (not sure if that is always the case) so you can plan accordingly.

I basically had a list of all the attractions at both parks and worked my way through all of them in a week. (With time off for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon.) Of course being a ride chicken there were a few I skipped.

 

[DharmaLou]

Glad you had so much fun!!

 

[scion5220]

Oh and I really enjoyed Toontown...I so miss Mickey and Minnie's Florida houses.

 

[shellie may]

I am so happy that you had a wonderful time. My family is going to DL next month for the first time and I am very nervous that we won't like it as much as WDW.

What did you like better at DL compared to WDW? Did the contsruction at DCA take away from the magic? I keep reading that DCA is a "half day park" since all of the construction but I don't understand why since all of the attractions are open.

How long was your trip? Did you feel like you had enough time to do everything you wanted to?

Enjoy planning your next visit!

See I originally thought DCA would be a half day park, so we decided to do it on our first day and did DL on the second day and park hopped between the two on the last two days. However, we spent the entire day there opening til world of color. We rode everything at least once (we did the little mermaid like 4times only because we still have to wait til it opens in MK and we wanted bragging rights when we got back home). there are a lot of areas that you could spend a lot of time in me and my mom loved the animation building (my mom could've sat in there all day and watched the movie clips) and we took our time in the blue sky cellar. I think you could easily spend an entire day at DCA at a relaxed pace.

 

[shellie may]

Sigh.

I grew up in Florida and have been going to WDW since before it opened.

It is MAGICAL to me even though I go all the time. I have also been to DLR many many times, both when I lived in Cali for seven years and also since I moved back to Florida.

To me, personally, neither is more "magical" than the other...they are both infused with years of PERSONAL memories. I will say that I feel more at peace at WDW and more "on vacation" there...especially on any of the waterways.

And Illuminations is the only nighttime spectacular that can move me to tears.

But that's just me.

Everyone should enjoy all the parks if they have the chance.

I still think WDW is magical as a whole, but I never truly felt any magic at MK (i was the weird child who would rather go to epcot then magic kingdom) i enjoyed all the rides, but didn't get a warm and fuzzy feeling partially because I always thought it lacked something that I really couldn't put my finger on until I went to Disneyland. Now epcot is my favorite disney park at WDW I can just go through the countries and have a fantastic time. I love it to pieces and illuminations is still my favorite nighttime spectacular at WDW as well. As for the toontown houses I completely agree with you because I miss being able to go through them it was always fun and I'm still really mad about MK closing the snow white ride in fantasyland because its a classic.

 

[awdsmama]

Where did you stay this trip?

What were your favorite foods?

And the big question...have you set the date for your next DL vacation ahhahahaa!

 

[shellie may]

Where did you stay this trip?

What were your favorite foods?

And the big question...have you set the date for your next DL vacation ahhahahaa!

1.) the Quality Inn on Manchester. No complaints its was about a ten minute walk and the room was clean no bugs so that's a plus. Ive heard a lot of people complain about highway noise, but we were on the second floor facing the fairfield hotel and I didn't hear any highway noise.

2.) I really enjoyed all the character meals. We ate at Storytellers, The Plaza, and Goofy's Kitchen all for breakfast (we actually made a reservation for Goofy's from our hotel on a Saturday on the same day. if we tried to do that at WDW they would've laughed at us). Oh and Cafe Orleans and I fell in love with Monte Christos so good so delicious I want one right now!

3.) We are thinking late September or early October I wanted summer, but my mom hates summer heat (but she chooses to live in Florida where its hot and humid all the time go figure). However, I really want to see Disneyland at Halloween time and all the overlays. Plus we want to see cars land so excited!

 

[HydroGuy]

See I originally thought DCA would be a half day park, so we decided to do it on our first day and did DL on the second day and park hopped between the two on the last two days. However, we spent the entire day there opening til world of color. We rode everything at least once (we did the little mermaid like 4times only because we still have to wait til it opens in MK and we wanted bragging rights when we got back home). there are a lot of areas that you could spend a lot of time in me and my mom loved the animation building (my mom could've sat in there all day and watched the movie clips) and we took our time in the blue sky cellar. I think you could easily spend an entire day at DCA at a relaxed pace.

What did you think of World of Color? Were you able to get a good viewing spot?

 

[nunzia]

So glad you felt the magic!
Halloween Time at DLR is very cool..just be prepared for a bit larger crowds than you might hope for. I cannot wait for the walls to come down!! Really affects the experience and it seems like they have been there FOREVER..You'll be amazed when you return

 

[shellie may]

What did you think of World of Color? Were you able to get a good viewing spot?

Loved World of Color it was amazing as soon as we got in the park we went straight to the fast pass machines. we decided to get spots on the bridge (we thought about going for rail spots, but it was really windy\cold and we didn't want to risk getting wet being from Florida I'm super wimpy in cold weather) and they were great I really wish we could've seen it again, but we left Friday and Saturday open for fireworks (which ended up getting cancelled both nights) I really cant wait to see it again when I return oh and your threads are great btw i read them multiple times before my trip and they were really helpful

 

[candy0730]

You will love it! Enjoy it for its differences.

Hopefully some of the construction walls will be down in DCA because frankly...they do somewhat diminish the experience of that park right now, but it is still fun and there are lots of things to see and do. I think you could spend an entire leisurely day seeing everyhing in DCA. The rides and details in Flik's Fun Fair are particularly worth checking out as there is nothing like that in WDW. Even though the rides are aimed more at kids I rode them all and had a blast!

The Monsters, Inc. ride is also fun and fun to take in all the details in the queue area.

As far as DL goes, you should really try the rides that don't exist at WDW, like Indiana Jones and the Nemo submarine. Also the rides that are different than their WDW counterparts...Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion (although it's mostly different on the outside) and Pirates.

If you are staying at a Disney hotel take advantage of the Magic Mornings, you can ride so many rides during that time! I rode the Mad Tea Party completely by myself one morning. Only Tomorrowland and Fantasyland were open during MM (not sure if that is always the case) so you can plan accordingly.

I basically had a list of all the attractions at both parks and worked my way through all of them in a week. (With time off for the Tinkerbell Half Marathon.) Of course being a ride chicken there were a few I skipped.

Thank you for all of the suggestions! We aren't staying at a Disney hotel but do plan on being there at rope drop each day and using one MM.

That is so neat that you got to ride the Tea Party ride by yourself. Last time we went to WDW we got to stay on Test Track 2 times because it was EMH and nobody else was waiting. So much fun!

What is Flik's Fun Fair? Is that where they have the bugs land stuff?

I think I will subscribe to Ridemax to help with a strategy. I am not used to going during peak season so I am a little nervous.

 

[scion5220]

Thank you for all of the suggestions! We aren't staying at a Disney hotel but do plan on being there at rope drop each day and using one MM.

That is so neat that you got to ride the Tea Party ride by yourself. Last time we went to WDW we got to stay on Test Track 2 times because it was EMH and nobody else was waiting. So much fun!

What is Flik's Fun Fair? Is that where they have the bugs land stuff?

I think I will subscribe to Ridemax to help with a strategy. I am not used to going during peak season so I am a little nervous.

Yes...it's the Bug's Land area in DCA, there are four rides and a water play area. It is so cute and well-themed. I wish they would put this in DHS at WDW...might alleviate some of the crush on Toy Story Midway Mania!