Am I crazy or is there missing magic at WDL?

[zavandor]

Foe me it's exactly the opposite. I love all Disney's parks. I visited WDW twice, DL once and Disneyland Paris countless of times. Each resort has his winning points, but if you talk about magic, DL is the most magical by far!
I visited it after being in San Francisco, where I've been in the Disney's family museum (in the cafeteria I met Walt's daugther!) and there I learnt a lot of things I didn't know about him. Then when in Disneyland I could still feel his presence, his touch everywhere. In the museum there are pictures of Walt in the park and then walking in the park I could see attractions that where like in that photos, like Walt imagined them.
There is a reason if the light above the fire station is always lit: Walt will always be in that park.

 

[luckyman_apd]

I for one loved DL. WDW will always be home for us but we were at DL in June and there are sooooo many differences that just can't be compared as better or worse, but can be appreciated for what they are. The immersion with the resorts at WDW has a whole different feel. You are still in Disney even when you leave the parks, but DL parks are better in my honest opinion. I loved the storybook land rides. You definitely feel walls influence and there is more bang for your time in those parks. Having the rides split in 2 parks instead of 4 makes a world of difference. Carsland was phenomenal and had us hoping for the rides to be brought to Florida.

We didn't stay at a Disney hotel out there, as our budget didn't allow that, and we don't have the points (let alone trying at 7 months for availability) to stay DVC, but I think I will always love the WDW resorts better than anything California just for the theming and variety of each stay. Our first impression upon entering DL was "wow, what a tiny castle!"

While I really enjoyed it, WDW is home. We read up on DL before heading there and feel we really were able to appreciate each for what they are. Upon returning returning home many people asked which was better, and our response was you don't compare them.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Put me in the category of many times to WDW, seldom to DLR. Florida was the resort we grew up visiting as kids, so it was the place that, by default, turned into my adult vacation choice.

Two years ago, we decided to take our first ever DLR trip. I figured it would be a "check the block" thing. Florida is much closer to us than California, and I figured once we'd been to California once, we wouldn't need to go back. As many others have said in this thread, though, that just isn't the case. It's not two locations of the same thing, they're two entirely different experiences with some similarities and shared themes. We'll continue to visit WDW multiple times annually, but will throw in a DLR visit every once in a while in the future.

One thing I really did notice about DLR was the weather. It may be that it rains far more frequently in Florida than it does in California, but because of that WDW is designed for the weather and the Cast Members and guests know how to deal with it. A rain storm in WDW is an inconvenience, but not the end of the day. In California, I guess rain is rare, so the park doesn't seem to be designed to deal with it. We were there for Christmas week two years ago, and were so uncomfortable on Christmas day when it started pouring. One of my happiest Christmases quickly turned into a frustrating and uncomfortable mess. The paths in front of the castle all flooded with about 8-12 inchs of water, and there didn't seem to be any way to walk without going through the very deep puddles. The cast members seem overwhelmed by it. There are fewer roofs and enclosures over things like there are in Florida -- fewer places to duck into out of the rain. At the bus stops, for example, there was no roof at all. So when the capacity crowd all decided to leave at once, it meant all of us had to stand out in the pouring rain in long lines. (We stood there getting soaked to the bone for nearly an hour, then finally decided to just walk the 1 1/2 miles back to our hotel.) People waiting for parking lot transportation were doing the same thing. It was the one sour experience we had at DLR.

 

[tjkraz]

Ah, yes. The topic of "Disney magic."

It always surprises me when people try to compare levels of "magic" from one resort to another, one park to another, one trip to another, etc. We've always found it to be totally inconsistent.

Disney Cast Members are human beings. Nobody is going to say "have a Magical Day" 50,000 times in a single work day. No Haunted Mansion CM is going to growl at 2000 people an hour. It's just the luck of the draw.

Personally, I find Disneyland to be much better run than WDW. Some attribute to it being so close to the Disney "home office"--never know when a VIP (or 50) might stop in for a visit. I think it also has to do with the DL operation being smaller in scale. Whether we want to accept it or not, standards have been allowed to slip at WDW because they have to tend to 4 theme parks, 25 hotels and they have 60,000 jobs to fill.

At DL there is less to oversee and fewer people to employ--they can afford to be more selective.

Disneyland lacks the sheer size of WDW and the awe it inspires. But no experience at WDW compares to staying at the Grand Californian and being a 5 minute walk away from both theme parks and Downtown Disney. At DL, you don't lose 10% of your vacation sitting on buses, boats, monorails or walking to theme parks.

 

[Longhairbear]

Ah, yes. The topic of "Disney magic."

It always surprises me when people try to compare levels of "magic" from one resort to another, one park to another, one trip to another, etc. We've always found it to be totally inconsistent.

Disney Cast Members are human beings. Nobody is going to say "have a Magical Day" 50,000 times in a single work day. No Haunted Mansion CM is going to growl at 2000 people an hour. It's just the luck of the draw.

Personally, I find Disneyland to be much better run than WDW. Some attribute to it being so close to the Disney "home office"--never know when a VIP (or 50) might stop in for a visit. I think it also has to do with the DL operation being smaller in scale. Whether we want to accept it or not, standards have been allowed to slip at WDW because they have to tend to 4 theme parks, 25 hotels and they have 60,000 jobs to fill.

At DL there is less to oversee and fewer people to employ--they can afford to be more selective.

Disneyland lacks the sheer size of WDW and the awe it inspires. But no experience at WDW compares to staying at the Grand Californian and being a 5 minute walk away from both theme parks and Downtown Disney. At DL, you don't lose 10% of your vacation sitting on buses, boats, monorails or walking to theme parks.

We chatted with parents of college age kids that are in the Disney college CM program in FLA. They relayed that the saying "Have a magical day" with a sweet smile is usually coming from a CM that has had their fill of WDW guests. Rather like saying the eff word, but being nice about it.

 

[zavandor]

We chatted with parents of college age kids that are in the Disney college CM program in FLA. They relayed that the saying "Have a magical day" with a sweet smile is usually coming from a CM that has had their fill of WDW guests. Rather like saying the eff word, but being nice about it.

Looks like something one would say if he wants to ruin the magic to others.

 

[La2kw]

WDW is too a lot of fun, but Disneyland is way better than WDW. The parks are better maintained, the rides are more imaginative, and the food is way better. I'm a native Californian who grew up going to Disneyland and have been there more than 100 times. I've been visiting WDW for over 20 years. WDW has great resorts and is a nice vacation destination, but Disneyland is our favorite park. Management at WDW is really, really bad and very greedy. Disneyland is better run and better maintained. California is way different than Florida and the people are as well. Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining- that's the feeling I get from WDW with all the "magic" BS they are constantly spouting. for example, the new addition at Fantasyland is pathetic compared to Carsland and the Harry Potter additions at Universal.

 

[ToddyLu]

for example, the new addition at Fantasyland is pathetic compared to Carsland and the Harry Potter additions at Universal.

In the eye of the beholder....I don't want Fantasyland to be like or similar to Carsland and I sure don't want it to be like the WWoHP. We were there last month and I loved the new Fantasyland and thought it fit right in to the area, which I hope was the intent. Universal is Universal and WDW is WDW. I would love to experience DL and have no interest whatsoever in Universal. I know I am wierd I guess but entitled to my opinion, just like everyone. And while this may come off as me snarky it wasn't meant too. I appreciate your opinion.

I have been to DL, once in 1978 for the day and remember very little about it, basically only remember we had fun. I was 10.

 

[DeluxePrincess]

I visited Disneyland for the 1st time last summer and absolutely LOVED it. I found the place so much more relaxing than WDW. Everything is literally footsteps away. No worrying about buses or transportation. Downtown Disney was right outside my door. Of course I love WDW as well. It just has a very different feeling to it. Love both parks for different reasons!

 

[pikaboo27]

It's too bad you didn't run into Maynard at the Tiki room or HM. IMHO he is the very best cast member in DL. He definitely brings the magic.

DH and I go about 6-8 times a year (4 days to go! Yay!) and we always meet at least 1 cm every trip that makes the trip magical. Whether it's the CM that found us a last minute spot for a parade so my son could see it, or the one who shares a neat story about their little corner of the park, ot the photo pass photographer who spends extra time to get a smile out of my grumpy DS, the CMs at DL are awesome.