A WDW regular visits DL

[AladdinsPrincess]

Hi all! My husband and I are just back from a quick, long weekend trip to DL. We live in FL and are WDW annual passholders, but we didn't want to miss the 50th Anniversary celebration in DL! Here is our recap of some high's and lo's...

We started our trip at DCA and we weren't crazy about the park. It just didn't seem to have the Disney magic. Paradise Pier seemed like everything Walt was trying to avoid with his theme parks. That said, CA Screamin is a fun, long coaster but no different than anything you'd find at any other amusement park. We did love the wine, the Block Party Bash, the ToT (we liked it beter than MGM!) and the highlight of my whole trip may have been the Aladdin Show! WOW!! Awesome stage, cast, effects...everything was amazing! We had the "priority" seating that comes with booking a trip through Disney, but the seating is really better on the Mezzanine level. LOVED IT!!

DisneyLand was amazing. Don't miss the Dedication Ceremony in the morning - my husband and I both cried. The 50th Anniversary movie is also great. Overall, we thought the rides out there were better than the same rides at WDW (Haunted Mansion, Small World, Buzz Lightyear, etc.) Space Mountain was so different, I don't think you can even compare them! We also loved Storybook Land. So nostalgic and quaint. You could just feel Walt in that ride! Fireworks were cancelled both nights we were there, but the parade was fun and very well done.

We ate dinner the first night at Yamabuki at the Paradise Pier Hotel, which was ok. If you get a combination dinner it's a lot of food for the money, but the atmosphere is very bland. The second night we ate at Hook's Pointe at the DL Hotel. It was delicious, but outrageously overpriced. Definitely check out the lobby of that hotel though. There are some great photos of DL and Walt back in the day (walk toward the convention center). Finally, we did a character breakfast at the Storyteller's Cafe at the Grand Californian that was fabulous. The food was terrific, the atmosphere was very Disney, and the character interaction was great.

Overall, we had a wonderful time! I definitely wouldn't go back in March though. For Floridians, the weather was way too cold and the parks were pretty crowded.

Sorry this got so long! I meant for it to be a brief overview!

Kathryn

 

[Hermosa11]

great comments!
I am the opposite of you...........many years of Disneyland and my first trip to WDW summer of 2004. I LOVED WDW soooooooooo much I ach to go back.
but I agree, some rides are so more terrific at DL.
So glad you got to see Disneyland!

 

[dmk1021]

I gotta tell you, it's a shame you missed "Remember...Dreams Come True' fireworks.

If you've seen "Wishes" and you think it's great, "Dreams" is "Wishes," but 10 times better! A section of Wishes is actually in it, and at first I was annoyed (plus, the song is the same, the whole "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight" deal).

But, instead of being narrated by Jiminy, Dreams is narrated by Julie Andrews (anything with her screams Disney Magic to me, and I get misty), also, the show incorporates music and clips from the rides and attractions and DL. It is an amazing show, just amazing. I wish that everyone who thought "Wishes" was the best show ever could see this show. It puts "Wishes" to shame.

I'm going to DL next Thursday, and maybe I'll put a video of "Dreams" on here for the WDWers to check out.

 

[AladdinsPrincess]

Oh! You're killing me! We were so bummed to miss the fireworks; that was a big part of the reason we made the trip to DL, but the weather just didn't cooperate. I look forward to seeing your post of the display. I'm sure they are just amazing!!

Thanks!!
Kathryn