Damn It's Cold Here

[Harvestdj]

Back home after 16 Days at Pop Century, -32 When we landed in Calgary.
We made our first trip to Disneyland, California, in 1972 and have been Disney fanatics ever since. This Jan 29/2007 we made our first trip to WDW and stayed at Pop.
We loved the whole idea of the Value Resorts, especially PC, and wished Disneyland had the room to develop the same idea. The staff there were great, for quick meals the restaurant area was good, and generally very pleased with all the perks you get for staying at a Disney Resort. At DL there are only 3 Delux Hotels which are priced a little to high for the average joe.

As for the parks themselves, we had a great time, but, our next trip will be back to DL., for the following reasons;
1. Pirate of Caribbean, a signature ride, is only half as long as at DL. Whole sections are missing.
2. Tiki Tiki Room, one of my favourites, was also noticeably shorter and the program changed completely.
3. WDW, all parks are clean, but, Disneyland is spotless
4. With the number of staff Disney employs you expect to run into the odd bad one, but is seems we ran into a larger number of grumpy staff, especially on the rides and mostly at MGM???????? Maybe just bad Luck??????
5. In DL you can pop over to California Park or DT Disney in five minutes. At WDW you are in for at least a 45 minute bus ride to change parks.
6. We had a great time at WDW but after 14 days, we were ready to go home. We have been to DL many times, in trips just as long, but at no time were we ever ready to go home.

Some of these things are admittedly a personal preference and overall our experience at WDW was great, but we have spoken to a number of people who have been to both parks, and just about all have one similar complaint.
There is an attitude/atmosphere in the staff, music, at DL that appears to be missing at WDW. There are individual things at WDW that are definitely better than DL, but while the experience at WDW was great, our experiences at DL have always been Magical. The reasons for the differences are hard to pinpoint but anyone I have spoken to who has been to both parks, noticed it immediately.

All you WDW fans, feel free to jump on me now.

 

[OhMari]

I don't think anyone is going to jump on your opinions. I think you made a great comparison between the two parks. You have first hand knowledge and gave some great observations. Like the Tikki Room-I'm glad to hear it is a lot better at Disneyland, than it is at WDW, most people at WDW don't even give it the time of day to stop in and watch, everyone knows it is bad.

So, was WDW cold, or Calgary cold when you returned home, sort of confused.

 

[drag n' fly]

Back home after 16 Days at Pop Century, -32 When we landed in Calgary.
We made our first trip to Disneyland, California, in 1972 and have been Disney fanatics ever since. This Jan 29/2007 we made our first trip to WDW and stayed at Pop.
We loved the whole idea of the Value Resorts, especially PC, and wished Disneyland had the room to develop the same idea. The staff there were great, for quick meals the restaurant area was good, and generally very pleased with all the perks you get for staying at a Disney Resort. At DL there are only 3 Delux Hotels which are priced a little to high for the average joe.

As for the parks themselves, we had a great time, but, our next trip will be back to DL., for the following reasons;
1. Pirate of Caribbean, a signature ride, is only half as long as at DL. Whole sections are missing.
2. Tiki Tiki Room, one of my favourites, was also noticeably shorter and the program changed completely.
3. WDW, all parks are clean, but, Disneyland is spotless
4. With the number of staff Disney employs you expect to run into the odd bad one, but is seems we ran into a larger number of grumpy staff, especially on the rides and mostly at MGM???????? Maybe just bad Luck??????
5. In DL you can pop over to California Park or DT Disney in five minutes. At WDW you are in for at least a 45 minute bus ride to change parks.
6. We had a great time at WDW but after 14 days, we were ready to go home. We have been to DL many times, in trips just as long, but at no time were we ever ready to go home.

Some of these things are admittedly a personal preference and overall our experience at WDW was great, but we have spoken to a number of people who have been to both parks, and just about all have one similar complaint.
There is an attitude/atmosphere in the staff, music, at DL that appears to be missing at WDW. There are individual things at WDW that are definitely better than DL, but while the experience at WDW was great, our experiences at DL have always been Magical. The reasons for the differences are hard to pinpoint but anyone I have spoken to who has been to both parks, noticed it immediately.

All you WDW fans, feel free to jump on me now.

We also are from Calgary and got home Feb 15 and missed the cold and snow. I know I may have to put my flame suit on here but I absolutely agree with everything you said. However I did not run into grumpy cm's in the park. I did find the restaurant staff grumpy and rushed at times. Don't get me wrong WDW was fantastic! However if you want that old school Walt magic DL is it! After our first trip this is why Contemporary (loved it!) was my favourite hotel. It was old school Disney....just the way Walt envisioned it....simpler times!...ps..DL pirates rocks way better and that was even before rehab!

 

[Harvestdj]

Being a Disney fanatic I hated to post a negative report about WDW. When we first arrived we immediately headed for Pirates was immediately disappointed in the missing segments and admittedly that sort of set the tone.
The Pirates & Princess party was awesome as are many other thing about WDW, like the Lion King Show, WOW!!!!!!
But I hate to harp about something so subjective, but when you enter Disneyland, you immediately see, feel, hear the atmosphere, the magic. For me that was missing at WDW.
Having said all that, I am still a Disney Freak, and will continue to spend my hard earned dollars at a Disneyland as often as I can.

 

[Harvestdj]

So, was WDW cold, or Calgary cold when you returned home, sort of confused.

Sorry OhMari, the weather at WDW was wonderful by Alberta, Canada standards. I hope it never gets down to the -30's in Florida or California. We Albertans would have no place to go to get warm in winter.

 

[csuzannet]

I've had much more experience with WDW than any other Disney parks, but I have been to DL 3-4 times and to Disneyland Paris twice.

I'm always interested in how the rides differ from one park to the next. Like you, I prefer PoC at DL. Disneyland Paris, though, has the best Space Mountain.

I've never noticed a different in CM attitudes, but I do think your reaction to the size/space/sprawl of WDW is a matter of personal preference. I love the feeling that WDW is a world unto itself--removed from the rest of reality. I always have fun at DL, but I can't shake the fact that I'm in the middle of Anaheim! It's hard to feel removed from the worries of the world in Anaheim's traffic!