A DLR Guide for WDW Vets

[DLR29]

Philharmagic would be #1 reason. Country Bears and TTA would be secondary reasons.

Once New Fantasyland is done then MK gains a ot of ground on DL.

I was just gonna post Philharmagic.

Honestly, though, the New Fantasyland looks good but not fantastic IMO. It's a lot of new meet and greets, and that's not my thing. Along with that they're adding another Dumbo (yay?) and Ariel's Undersea Adventure (same as DCA). The only things that intrigue me are the Snow White roller coaster (not finished for another 2 years) and maybe the Be Our Guest restaurant.

Oh and you forgot to mention Stitch's Great Escape...a high quality attraction!

 

[ValpoCory]

Just a small update, Snow White's Scary Adventures has recently become a ride at DLR that is not at WDW. Now the only FL dark ride that they share in common is Peter Pan.

They both have a Winnie the Pooh dark ride. And a Buzz Lightyear inside ride. Not sure what is considered a dark ride. And if you expand your view, both WDW and DLR have a Toy Story midway mania.

 

[ValpoCory]

(Plus superior versions at DL of 6-8 E & D ticket rides (plus DL has Indy).

To be fair, to most, Splash Mountain is better at WDW than DLR. A couple minutes longer ride time, IIRC.

But your points are extremely valid. DLR has a lot of positives. And when you add in Cars Land, the scales are tipping for lots of families.

By the way Hound 109, I live in Austin, too. North side, near Parmer and MoPac. Glad to see another Disney fan on here from Austin.

 

[DLR29]

They both have a Winnie the Pooh dark ride. And a Buzz Lightyear inside ride. Not sure what is considered a dark ride. And if you expand your view, both WDW and DLR have a Toy Story midway mania.

Fantasyland dark ride. I guess Pooh 1/2 counts cause it's in MK's FL but not DL's.

 

[CamoMama]

To be fair, to most, Splash Mountain is better at WDW than DLR. A couple minutes longer ride time, IIRC.

But your points are extremely valid. DLR has a lot of positives. And when you add in Cars Land, the scales are tipping for lots of families.

By the way Hound 109, I live in Austin, too. North side, near Parmer and MoPac. Glad to see another Disney fan on here from Austin.

I went to WDW in February and DLR in May, and didn't see any real difference in Splash Mountain, it didn't seem any longer at WDW.

And PotC is FAR better at DLR than at WDW. At WDW there is no bayou and the ride is about half as long. I was utterly disappointed when we were done riding at WDW what has always been our favorite ride at DLR.

 

[ValpoCory]

I went to WDW in February and DLR in May, and didn't see any real difference in Splash Mountain, it didn't seem any longer at WDW.

And PotC is FAR better at DLR than at WDW. At WDW there is no bayou and the ride is about half as long. I was utterly disappointed when we were done riding at WDW what has always been our favorite ride at DLR.

Not to mention only one drop at WDW on Pirates.

But yes, Splash Mountain is longer at WDW. According to Wikipedia, it's 9:18 at DLR and 10:41 at WDW.

 

[CamoMama]

Not to mention only one drop at WDW on Pirates.

But yes, Splash Mountain is longer at WDW. According to Wikipedia, it's 9:18 at DLR and 10:41 at WDW.

Ah, just over a minute, no wonder I didn't notice. The difference at PotC is extremely noticeable, at DLR PotC is 15 and a half minutes, at WDW it's 8 and a half minutes. That's a massive difference. There's no bayou, no Davy Jones reflected on the mist, no treasure room scene, no drunk pirates on the cannon scene, it's just a huge disappointment.

Small World is infinitely better at DLR as well. As is the Jungle Cruise, Space Mountain and Grizzly River Run (when compared to Kali River Rapids, which is basically the same ride only better at DLR).

The only thing I miss at DLR is the food. I wish they had more dining choices and the dining plan that WDW does. Dining was a huge part of our WDW trip, and honestly it's just an afterthought at DLR, a necessary evil that takes us away from park enjoyment. During our upcoming trip we've made no reservations, we'll probably do counter service for every meal.

 

[ValpoCory]

The only thing I miss at DLR is the food. I wish they had more dining choices and the dining plan that WDW does. Dining was a huge part of our WDW trip, and honestly it's just an afterthought at DLR, a necessary evil that takes us away from park enjoyment. During our upcoming trip we've made no reservations, we'll probably do counter service for every meal.

Why do you like the Dining Plan at WDW? We used to do it before we realized we were eating way too much food and barely breaking even financially by ordering the most expensive thing possible at the TS restaurants. Of course, we like character meals, which are not good dining plan TS credit values.

So now we plan and make ADRs like we are on the dining plan, without actually paying for the dining plan and paying for CS credits we wouldn't use anyway.

At DLR, we are planning on eating at character meals (Minne & Friends, Surf's Up!, maybe others). We are staying at the VGC, so that makes eating at the DLR a little more convenient.

 

[CamoMama]

Why do you like the Dining Plan at WDW? We used to do it before we realized we were eating way too much food and barely breaking even financially by ordering the most expensive thing possible at the TS restaurants. Of course, we like character meals, which are not good dining plan TS credit values.

So now we plan and make ADRs like we are on the dining plan, without actually paying for the dining plan and paying for CS credits we wouldn't use anyway.

At DLR, we are planning on eating at character meals (Minne & Friends, Surf's Up!, maybe others). We are staying at the VGC, so that makes eating at the DLR a little more convenient.

We definitely would have paid more out of pocket than I did on the dining plan, and it's far more convenient, sure, we ate a lot, but we would have eaten a lot any way, we love food. And I'm not sure why you don't think character meals are good TS values, paying out of pocket for them is way more than they cost on the DP.

I'm also horrible at saving money for leisure, things always come up. So having as much paid in advance as possible leaves me just souvenirs to save for and that's much easier for me. The dining vouchers at DLR are good for that as well, but the coupons aren't nearly as convenient as the KTTW card.

 

[quantumottle]

...<snip> If a DLR vet had only 3-4 days to visit WDW, is there any reason to even visit MK at this point??

In my opinion, no, not really. HydroGuy mentioned Philharmagic and the People Mover, which are pretty cool, and the castle is impressive compared to the castle at DL. I suppose it's interesting to see the differences between MK and DL, but for the most part, MK will probably just leave you wishing you were at DL (for the record, I agree that SM is better at WDW).

I say skip MK, and check out Animal Kingdom and Epcot, they are different compared to DL and offer some things you can't get at DL.

 

[kikiq]

If a DLR vet had only 3-4 days to visit WDW, is there any reason to even visit MK at this point??

I consider our family to be DLR vets living 30 minutes from driveway to parking structure. AND we have visited WDW at least once a year for the last 5 years. My DH loves going to WDW on vacation, but not necessarily to the MK. Being honest, we usually do not go to MK on short trips unless it's to watch Wishes inside the park and to go to Philarmagic. (I keep hoping that by watching Wishes inside MK, I will love it as much as I love DLR's RDCT). The disclaimer here is our children are grown so our trips are just as a couple. BUT we are looking forward to the day we can take our DGD to the MK, if only to hear her "critique of DL/MK" just like her mom did at the age of 4.

Last year, I finally convinced my DH to spend 1/2 day there and he was disappointed. POTC is one of his favorite rides...too short. And as my oldest said 24 years ago, when she was four, "What's with IASW?". This year I spent the morning there to check out the new Fantasyland area. My DH wouldn't even go with me, I met up with him in Epcot(his favorite WDW park). Personally, I'm excited to see the new area finished. It will be a great addition to Fantasyland.

 

[ValpoCory]

We definitely would have paid more out of pocket than I did on the dining plan, and it's far more convenient, sure, we ate a lot, but we would have eaten a lot any way, we love food. And I'm not sure why you don't think character meals are good TS values, paying out of pocket for them is way more than they cost on the DP.

Back until 2007, the DDP was a nice deal. Starting in 2008, they removed tips from being included and the DDP became a break-even proposition for almost everyone. Since then, steady price increases has made it a losing affair for most participants.

This isn't the thread to fully explain why, but in general, it's this: Cost is $51.54 or $53.54 (peak price) per adult (age 10+) per day. You get a refillable mug ($13.99). So if you stay a week, that's $2 per day. The average snack is $3.50 and the average CS meal plus drink is $11.00. So that means that in order to break even, you need to average about $35 or $37 (peak price) on your one TS meal.

Most TS meals are less than $35/$37, so it's a losing battle. Crystal Palace breakfast is $24.49-$28.75, for instance. Cinderella's Royal Table dinner is $65.74-$70.61 for 2 credits that cost you $70/$74. Tusker House is $26.62-$30.88;. You can find TS options more than $35/$37, but to average $35/$37, it's a challenge. And that assumes you use all your credits. If someone splits a CS meal because they are not too hungry, it's even harder to break-even.

 

[CamoMama]

Back until 2007, the DDP was a nice deal. Starting in 2008, they removed tips from being included and the DDP became a break-even proposition for almost everyone. Since then, steady price increases has made it a losing affair for most participants.

This isn't the thread to fully explain why, but in general, it's this: Cost is $51.54 or $53.54 (peak price) per adult (age 10+) per day. You get a refillable mug ($13.99). So if you stay a week, that's $2 per day. The average snack is $3.50 and the average CS meal plus drink is $11.00. So that means that in order to break even, you need to average about $35 or $37 (peak price) on your one TS meal.

Most TS meals are less than $35/$37, so it's a losing battle. Crystal Palace breakfast is $24.49-$28.75, for instance. Cinderella's Royal Table dinner is $65.74-$70.61 for 2 credits that cost you $70/$74. Tusker House is $26.62-$30.88;. You can find TS options more than $35/$37, but to average $35/$37, it's a challenge. And that assumes you use all your credits. If someone splits a CS meal because they are not too hungry, it's even harder to break-even.

I did the math for us, and we saved a bit with the DDP. Add to that the convenience of not having to budget for food and it was worth it to me. If it's not worth it for you, that's fine, but you're not going to talk me out of using it as I know exactly how much it would have cost us to eat out of pocket and how much our trip cost us and how much less stress I had when planning meals and budgeting.

We were there for 10 days, used our mugs at meals, got bottled milk for the beverage and took that back to our room for breakfast cereal the next day.

 

[ValpoCory]

I did the math for us, and we saved a bit with the DDP. Add to that the convenience of not having to budget for food and it was worth it to me. If it's not worth it for you, that's fine, but you're not going to talk me out of using it as I know exactly how much it would have cost us to eat out of pocket and how much our trip cost us and how much less stress I had when planning meals and budgeting.

I must apologize. It wasn't my intent to be combative in any way. Just information swapping to see if there is anything new out there that might help change future DDP decisions I make. Sometimes message boards don't allow for the best communication. Thank you for explaining your stance for me. I appreciate it. I am one of the old school DDPers, when it was such a good deal, that the current one seems like a rip off by comparison. I forget not everyone is as jaded by the good old days as I am.

I do agree with you that some of what you are buying with the cost of the DDP is piece of mind. Pre-payment is great. And to first timers, it forces you to become familiar with the restaurants. With the DDP, you don't shy away from certain menu items because of the price.

And thank you CamoMama for your service.

 

[jenseib]

Ah, just over a minute, no wonder I didn't notice. The difference at PotC is extremely noticeable, at DLR PotC is 15 and a half minutes, at WDW it's 8 and a half minutes. That's a massive difference. There's no bayou, no Davy Jones reflected on the mist, no treasure room scene, no drunk pirates on the cannon scene, it's just a huge disappointment.

Small World is infinitely better at DLR as well. As is the Jungle Cruise, Space Mountain and Grizzly River Run (when compared to Kali River Rapids, which is basically the same ride only better at DLR).

The only thing I miss at DLR is the food. I wish they had more dining choices and the dining plan that WDW does. Dining was a huge part of our WDW trip, and honestly it's just an afterthought at DLR, a necessary evil that takes us away from park enjoyment. During our upcoming trip we've made no reservations, we'll probably do counter service for every meal.

Pirates at WDW did have Davy Jones in the mist...now it is Blackbeard. I hope to go to DL though someday because I always hear how pirates is so much better there and it is my favorite at WDW.

I agree about the dining plan. We LOVE it. We always make out on it ahead. Never once broke even or lost money. True that doing breakfasts are not the best choices, but we rarely do a breakfast anyways. The prepaid option plus not worrying about what to order as to not go over budget is wonderful to us.
We have only had snack credits left once and we just bought a few snacks for the plane ride home. Food is a big part of our vacation too. And with dinners at place like Akershus..I would die to pay OOP for that. Last year we only stayed on night on property and did 2 park days and paid out of pocket. We would've saved by doing the dining plan if it would've worked out. But we had tickets already.

 

[quantumottle]

I hope to go to DL though someday because I always hear how pirates is so much better there and it is my favorite at WDW.

Pirates being better at DL vs MK is subjective of course. The main differences are that POC is about 7 minutes at WDW and almost twice as long (I believe about 13 minutes) at DL. Plus, DL has two drops as opposed to MK only having one drop.

If longer with more drops is better to you, great. Personally, I think 13 minutes is a bit long, but it's always nice to get out of the heat on a summer afternoon, soooo...

I hope you get to experience the DL version someday. It's the original, which means more to me than how many drops or how long the ride is.

 

[CamoMama]

I must apologize. It wasn't my intent to be combative in any way. Just information swapping to see if there is anything new out there that might help change future DDP decisions I make. Sometimes message boards don't allow for the best communication. Thank you for explaining your stance for me. I appreciate it. I am one of the old school DDPers, when it was such a good deal, that the current one seems like a rip off by comparison. I forget not everyone is as jaded by the good old days as I am.

I do agree with you that some of what you are buying with the cost of the DDP is piece of mind. Pre-payment is great. And to first timers, it forces you to become familiar with the restaurants. With the DDP, you don't shy away from certain menu items because of the price.

And thank you CamoMama for your service.

Thanks for clarifying. I agree it can be hard to gauge tone and meaning in text.

I wish it was still as good of a deal as everyone says it used to be, but we gotta make do with what we've got. I just really wish that DLR and WDW weren't quite so different when it comes to making reservations and dining. WDWs system is so much easier and the dining options are so much more diverse. DLR will always be my favorite, but I'm definitely going to continue going to WDW for the differences like that. And Epcot.

 

[Albytaps]

So you stayed offsite, leaving the magic every night?

At DLR, you can stay on-site, staying completely immersed in the magic.

Don't get me wrong. I am a WDW vet and prefer WDW to DLR, but Cars Land opened and now we must try a VGC (DVC rental) stay. We are not renting a car, just like our WDW trips. At this point, the magic in the planning stages has been the same. I fully expect that to continue all the way through.

I stayed off site mostly when I was young, yes. We had to park at the TTC and we usually took the monorail transporting us to that magical land with a castle in the distance.

We stay on site now so we do have that fully immersed atmosphere. I can't imagine any other place feeling the way it does staying in WDW.

I guess it depends on what you mean by magic then. I would not say that DLR and WDW both make someone feel the same way. The experiences are different. However, when it comes to underlying Disney magic they both have it. So the feeling of Disney magic is the same whether or not the overall experience feels the same.

Using your example, I could say something similar. When I was a kid I remember driving to Disneyland and it was always a game with my father and family members to see who was the first to spot the Matterhorn peak as we drove in. There was an excitement and anticipation to the search. And then there was the "I see it!" moment.

MK at WDW does not have a Matterhorn. So when I visit MK I never get the same feeling as I did at DL when I was a kid. That does not mean that MK lacks magic. It just means that MK is different. The monorail or boat approach to MK also gives a sense of anticipation and build up. But it differs from DL.

Don't be so quick to assume that since the setting at DLR is different from WDW and that somehow lessens the magic.

In some ways DLR will feel lesser. But in other ways it will feel like it is better. Overall the feeling of Disney magic is very strong. At both DLR and WDW.

The "magic" is a variety of different things at Disney, but the main thing being the feeling you get when you're there (IMO.) Arriving is a magical moment, and that's why I included it in the difference in magic between the 2. All I was getting at was some deeper conversation in the sentence I quoted.

I guess the main thing I was getting at was that DLR is surrounded by a city while WDW is surrounded by nature. I'll have to see for myself but I'd guess that you'd feel more away from it all at WDW more so than DLR.

99 out of a 100 WDW Dis'ers who read this thread (& then visit Walt's park) gain invaluable information from this thread & swear by the accuracy of the information in this thread.



You do realize that most folks who have posted in this thread have visited both WDW & DLR several times? (& HG has visited the 2-3 other Dis Parks as well as DLR & WDW dozens of times??)

Many of the dis posters here keep it civil (or they absolutely believe) that BOTH parks have equal magic & are equal DIS destinations. Not "fanboism" but that is their take.

Me?.....I've been to both parks (WDW 4 times.....3 times as a certified DIS board commando & now DLR 7 times). & I don't think the resorts are even close. DLR is superior in MANY, MANY different ways in regards to:

- "magic". (It's Walt's park).
- weather
- transportation.
- no heat or humidity
- better attractions
- heat humidity (saying it twice because I HAVE visited WDW in July )
- no love bugs & brazillian youth groups
- no stinkin' busses.
- more classic rides (especially in FL)
- both parks & DTD are NEXT to each other!!
- LOTS of other stuff to visit nearby. (LA, SD etc.)

(The only things i miss about WDW is World Showcase, Mission Space, Mickey's Philharmonic, about 4-5 of their very cool restaurants & the dining plan. Don't miss the golf or water parks because we have golf & water parks (better than Orlando) where i live.)

For me, the magic & goose bumps hit when i pass under the Railroad arch way & read Walt's plaque. (not when i read a billboard or leave a parking lot). But HG, seeing the Matterhorn for the first time DOES put an extra skip in my step.

Albytaps, please post back after your visit & share your take.

I will most definitely post again once I go to DLR and I promise to keep it civil. I wasn't trying to start an argument but just trying to clarify and not get my hopes up too high for DLR as many people have told me it doesn't compare to WDW. But I don't care, I want to see it for myself.

I would hope there are many differences because there would be no point in going if there wasn't any difference at all.

And holding that kind of skeptical attitude almost guarantees that your experience will be less "magical" than it could be.

We just spent two great days at DLR (should have been two and a half, but thanks to Delta, the first day turned into only 20 minutes in the park!), and we had a wonderful time!

I don't think so. If I had very high expectations I think I would be let down. The same goes for every aspect of entertainment. Usually in movies and video games, if you're hyping it up a lot there's a good chance you'll be let down. However, if you lower your expectations then you'll probably be pleasantly surprised.

I know what to expect from DLR and I know I'll have a good time. The children will be the real judges and the only thing I told them is that the castle is really small and showed them what it looks like on youtube.

 

[HydroGuy]

I stayed off site mostly when I was young, yes. We had to park at the TTC and we usually took the monorail transporting us to that magical land with a castle in the distance.

We stay on site now so we do have that fully immersed atmosphere. I can't imagine any other place feeling the way it does staying in WDW.



The "magic" is a variety of different things at Disney, but the main thing being the feeling you get when you're there (IMO.) Arriving is a magical moment, and that's why I included it in the difference in magic between the 2. All I was getting at was some deeper conversation in the sentence I quoted.

I guess the main thing I was getting at was that DLR is surrounded by a city while WDW is surrounded by nature. I'll have to see for myself but I'd guess that you'd feel more away from it all at WDW more so than DLR.

No doubt about it, one gets a different feeling of immersiveness at WDW if they are staying onsite. The downside is lots of time spent (wasted IMO) on buses and boats. To me it is part of the tradeoff, but I love, love, love being able to walk to the parks at DLR. The closest you can come to this at WDW are the Epcot resorts or Swan/Dolphin.

At WDW I know it will feel farther away from the real world, but then transporation will be an issue. When you have kids it just becomes a complication. WDW vets are just so used to it that they often fail to appreciate the proximity at DLR.

Once you are inside DL you will not know you are in a city. In DCA that is not as true.

I have no intention of saying one is better than the other. At DLR you are in a city but everything is close. At WDW you are farther from the city but everything takes longer to get to.

Anyone who (secretly) wants the two resorts to be carbon copies of each other will be frustrated. Anyone who wants Disney magic in whatever form it comes will be delighted.

 

[Albytaps]

No doubt about it, one gets a different feeling of immersiveness at WDW if they are staying onsite. The downside is lots of time spent (wasted IMO) on buses and boats. To me it is part of the tradeoff, but I love, love, love being able to walk to the parks at DLR. The closest you can come to this at WDW are the Epcot resorts or Swan/Dolphin.

At WDW I know it will feel farther away from the real world, but then transporation will be an issue. When you have kids it just becomes a complication. WDW vets are just so used to it that they often fail to appreciate the proximity at DLR.

Once you are inside DL you will not know you are in a city. In DCA that is not as true.

I have no intention of saying one is better than the other. At DLR you are in a city but everything is close. At WDW you are farther from the city but everything takes longer to get to.

Anyone who (secretly) wants the two resorts to be carbon copies of each other will be frustrated. Anyone who wants Disney magic in whatever form it comes will be delighted.

Thanks for the feedback. Having 4 kids, I know what you mean. And with strollers? Forgetaboutit! I'm sure DLR will be amazing!