Change!!

[disneygal2007]

I'm actually kinda bummed. For a few months now I have been planning a trip to DW. But Friday I was looking at the cost of the whole vacation in general and it was just over 6 grand. The only way I could justify this cost as if I was working steady catering jobs and I don't have the means to do that. Well since we live 18 hours from the park that Walt built we are going to DL! Going to DW has kinda gotten me spoiled with all there is to do. Can anyone tell me about DL? I haven't been there since I was a teen and back then I wasn't the Disney addict that I am now. Please help me get excited I also posted this on the DW boards.

 

[skiingfast]

If you need to save money DLR would work out much better. You could go for half the days, since there are less attractions. Plus you could drive instead of flying. And you can stay in cheaper hotels once there.

DLR itself has plenty to offer. Depending on your age now it may have lots more to offer than when you were last there.

 

[BELLEDOZER]

For us to go to WDW, factoring flights, food, hotels, hopper passes etc it would be in the range of $10,000 to $12,000CDN. DL is half the price. And I can't justify spending that amount of money for a trip when I can do DL for less money. Eventually we will head to WDW, but it won't be for quite a while as it's alot of money to save.

 

[disneygal2007]

We are going to drive. I love mini road trips. We can make it there is a day. Yes allot has changed since I was in High school back in 92 was when I went I marched down main street with my Marching band But at that time I was more interested in hanging out with friends and thrill rides. Now older with my own kids I love to see it through their eyes. I guess I shouldn't be bummed. At least we can go. I guess I need to break away from DW for a bit.

 

[BELLEDOZER]

Both CA and DL are alot closer that what you may think, and it's very easy to hop between the parks. Take advantage of the fast pass system if the crowds are heavy. Whenever we go we drive too, as we are just under 20 hrs away from the mouse, and we like to take our time on our vacations and don't like to rush. TSMM is alot of fun, as well as GRR, although you can get really wet on this ride, so get some cheap rain poncho's, as you never know when the geyser is going to get you when you least expect (I got soaked by it, much to the family's delight!). It can be alot of fun to go and HOJO's gives a 15% discount to DISer's if you call their number and ask for inhouse reservations. Hope that you have a great trip!

 

[smile4stamps]

This was me! I was looking at taking another trip to WDW with my hubby during the food & wine festival (It would be the only way I could get him there again). However when I priced out everything with seminars and deluxe dining (which we loved) It was going to be around $4000 at a moderate resort.

So I came to my senses and realized that wasn't going to happen so I took the advice of some Disers and started planning a trip to DL. Of course my hubby had no interest in going but I found a friend that was very happy at the thought of joining me!

So now I am going for 5 days (friend joining me for 3) and paying less than $750 for everything including a DAP but excluding food. (The $750 even includes the air fare to LAX, then to Milwaukee where I will spend 10 days with my family, and then airfare back to San Jose.)

So when it came down to it $750 plus time with my family who I haven't seen in almost 3 years versus $4K with my hubby in WDW. The DL trip won out. Plus I've lived in CA for 7.5 years (3.5 years of that I was in school full time including summers) and haven't visited even once!

I love Disney World a ton but I am VERY excited to see Disneyland!!!

 

[mmmears]

At first I read that you were going to spend 6K on DL and I thought:. I had to reread it! We have the same issues -- with airfare to WDW plus needing a longer trip there the cost is skyrocketing. Even though we love WDW, we're planning to do more DL and less WDW in the next few years.

Honestly, there is so much to do and see and DL... and lots of rides that you don't get at WDW: Indiana Jones, Alice in Wonderland... and many others. And Pirates is much better at DL.

All in a compact space which means less walking and no spending an hour to get from one place to another. So we get to see and do more in a shorter time and can take a weekend trip instead of a trip for 10-14 days.

I won't say you won't miss some things (like the waterparks, AK, the immersive experience of WDW), but you gain other things. DL is Walt's original park and there are little special touches everywhere you turn.

We stay at a Disney Hotel so we can get that "resort" feel of WDW, but you can save lots of money if you stay off site. I try not to compare them too much -- they are both wonderful in their own ways.

 

[disneygal2007]

At first I read that you were going to spend 6K on DL and I thought:. I had to reread it! We have the same issues -- with airfare to WDW plus needing a longer trip there the cost is skyrocketing. Even though we love WDW, we're planning to do more DL and less WDW in the next few years.

Honestly, there is so much to do and see and DL... and lots of rides that you don't get at WDW: Indiana Jones, Alice in Wonderland... and many others. And Pirates is much better at DL.

All in a compact space which means less walking and no spending an hour to get from one place to another. So we get to see and do more in a shorter time and can take a weekend trip instead of a trip for 10-14 days.

I won't say you won't miss some things (like the waterparks, AK, the immersive experience of WDW), but you gain other things. DL is Walt's original park and there are little special touches everywhere you turn.

We stay at a Disney Hotel so we can get that "resort" feel of WDW, but you can save lots of money if you stay off site. I try not to compare them too much -- they are both wonderful in their own ways.

I will miss WDW. And my son is a Huge Indiana Jones lover and would love to ride the ride. I was thinking about staying at the HoJo, but maybe we try a resort. Just so I can be in the magic. I am from Cali and maybe with this trip I will show my kids where I grew up since we have to drive through northern Ca.

 

[disneychrista]

I loved our trip to WDW but we can go to Disneyland for about what we spent on airfaire to get to WDW, so Disneyland wins out. There is so much to do there and park hopping is SOOO much easier, litterally 2 minutes from gate to gate. And what I have found is that Disneyland stays open later than the Magic Kingdom.

 

[tdashgirl]

I loved our trip to WDW but we can go to Disneyland for about what we spent on airfaire to get to WDW, so Disneyland wins out. There is so much to do there and park hopping is SOOO much easier, litterally 2 minutes from gate to gate. And what I have found is that Disneyland stays open later than the Magic Kingdom.

That's what keeps us from WDW - the cost of airfare for our family Plus, no direct flights from N. California, and with the time change, you literally spend the entire 1st day of your trip on airplane/in airports.

DLR really does have so much to offer. Try not to compare them in terms of what it doesn't have - but more like what unique experiences you can have at DLR. It really is lovely, and there is a certain magic there that I think is unique to DLR. It is very easy to park-hop, very easy to go back to your hotel and nap/swim, very easy to get to Downtown Disney. The weather, in general, is awesome. DCA is really starting to become a "real" park - it is under so much construction right now unfortunately, but still has it's own magic and special touches - and will be absolutely amazing in the next few years

 

[PinkBudgie]

This is why we have never been to WDW. We hope to go in about 4 years for our 25th anniversary. And by then, our boys will be in college, so it will just the two of us instead of paying for 4. However, there are so many cool things coming to DLR we just couldn't skip a year right now anyway. I don't want to miss anything!

 

[kkmcan]

We actually love DL more than we love WDW. We know all the ins and outs, the rides are so much better there than at Magic Kingdom and there are so many in 2 compact parks!

We drive from Tucson which turns out to be 7 hours. We hit rope drop every morning, return to our room for a rest/nap and then hit the parks again at 5pm and stay til close. So much fun!

Take your time in the Animation building. We didnt know for many years all there was to see and do in there. Now its one of our favorite places to visit.

We like to stay at one of the walkable hotels on harbor drive. We can do a 4 night DL trip for $1000-$1500 depending on how many Disney reward dollars I've saved up. Take your time and enjoy all that Walts park has to offer!

 

[Desert Dwellers]

Three summers ago, I priced out a trip to WDW. Flying from Arizona made it so expensive. I figured we could go to Hawaii for a week cheaper than we could do WDW, so we did.

We've gone to DL every year for the last three years, because it's so easy from Arizona. We enjoy it so much. When I read the WDW boards and read about the transportation and waiting for this or that bus or the monorail, I really appreciate how intimate DL is. We always find plenty to do at the parks to keep us busy for a few days, plus there is so much else to see in the LA area.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

We visited WDW for the 1st time last Oct. *DLR will always be #1 for me. Luckily my mom had enough frequent flyer miles for her and my DS - I only had to purchase airfare for DD & I - that helped so much. I know you'll have a fantastic time at DLR!

 

[dizneedoll]

Yup, I understand. I had a trip planned for December for my son and I and the costs were just too much, especially with airfare. We live about an hour and a half away from DL and although I love WDW, I just can't justify the cost right now. There have been a lot of increases in cost and cutbacks in quality and service imo at WDW. I might look at going back once the Fantayland expansion is completed. Now, we can go for Halloween in October and we'll be back for a few days in December for Christmas.

We stay at Hojo's all the time and I love it. It's very close to DL entrance, about a 10 min walk depending on your pace. I think the Harbor Blvd. area and the walk over to the parks feels like you are on the resort, especially with the monorail running right above the sidewalk on Harbor Blvd. and all the fun DL signage. If you decide to stay here or at one of the other "off property" hotels, you won't be disappointed that it doesn't feel "resort" like.