Differences between WDW and DL

[MoniqueU]

I am guessing the food at WDW is better. I only have had TS there. But the food here in CA is so bad if you ask me. The buffets are better then the menu restaurants. I have tried Blue Bayou and Ariels Grotto and they both were pretty bad.

 

[mechurchlady]

I am guessing the food at WDW is better. I only have had TS there. But the food here in CA is so bad if you ask me. The buffets are better then the menu restaurants. I have tried Blue Bayou and Ariels Grotto and they both were pretty bad.

yes to them having better food. DLR removed Tony's at the front of DL, the second restaurant across from Plaza Inn and the Tahitian Terrace. DL has to deal with kitchens way older than any WDW kitchen. WDW can afford to have state of the art kitchens run by top chefs.

DLR does have the steakhouse, PC Grille and a couple nice restaurants at GHC but in DCA there is Taste Pilots, Award Weiners, Corn Dogs, Pizza, and Ariels and the Tratatoria. I could spend my next 50 years at WDW and never get bored. They have so many restaurants to choose from. They even will send you a list of allergen free foods. WDW food is way better. Mor choices and more special needs foods.

 

[surgefest]

Great stuff so far. Thanks!

 

[Fishin' Mike]

DLR takes much less planning. WDW is more of an all-encompassing experience, where it's beneficial to stay on site and eat on site.

All the advice here is good but this sums it up in my opinion, very simply.

I say this as a veteran of WDW (20 trips in the last 7 years) and only once to DL and that was last week, lol.

I wanted to see DL for the nostalgia and it being the first park. I have read most all the books on Walt Disney and to see the two parks makes it very easy to understand what happened back in 1955. DL was to be a purported failure in all the critics eyes and when it took off, Walt was mortgaged to the hilt and could not capture the surrounding land to take advantage and make the parks better and more enjoyable.

Fast forward to the WDW project and Walt secretly purchased a massive amount of land where there would be no encroachment and he controlled all the aspects of what would happen in the Florida location.

Anyhow, taking our style of attack on a park that we have perfected at WDW, and just being the wife and I, we purchased 3 day passes and were done in 2 days and had seen and done it all. We had a great time and loved the Ca weather, that was a nice plus compared to Fl weather.

I always advise that WDW is a minimum 6 day trip and we work for 7-9 days. We have also done 10-13 days adventures with lots of golf, waterparks and shopping added into the mix. In my opinion, DL is a 2-3 day trip at most. Planning is a must at WDW whereas you can fly by the seat of you pants and still make it happen at DL.

I would have liked to stayed onsite at DL but I had free rooms at the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point. Upon researching the rates at the onsite hotels, it was a no brainer, they are too expensive. It would be nice to roll out of the Grand California into DCA but they don't open until 10am. We did eat at both the Disneyland Hotel and the GC and they were nice places, very nice. You can stay off property at DL and use the ART to get where you need to go very easily and save some money.

As fas as WDW, we feel it is a must to stay on site and we love the Value Resorts. You are too far from the action staying in Orlando as well as paying $12/day to park. The extra magic hours are a great benefit to those that know how to utilize them and can make a good trip great. I see people complaining about the Disney transportation and I might say it is not for everyone but we use it from time to time nowdays but before we learned our tricks, we used it all the time and it was great.

WDW is a vacation adventure destination, there is so much offered that will cater to each member of a family. It can be overwhelming to a novice but with some planning it can be the trip of a lifetime.

I look at the difference like this, DL was the first park, the first castle and all that goes with being first, the original, and it set the bar for Walt. He then realized that he could offer so much more, that the park or park(s) would be everchanging and growing and he needed more room than DL offered or he could afford and then set out to make the Disney experience the best it could be and he wound up with WDW. He took it to another level and it resulted in a place where you can truly escape, you can leave your room with one card and go anywhere you want, parks, swimming, golf, the zoo(AK), shopping and the finest dining if you want.

DL is a great place but WDW is a massive evolution of that same theme, the biggest and the best of what this day and age has to offer in a theme park setting that is really so much more.

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

Blech. Why do these threads always end up with someone saying how WDW is so much better? Why go to DL at all if you are only there to prove how much superior WDW is? Park for park...Disneyland is the best there is, hands down. And DCA is at least as full as Hollywood Studios. WDW has better resorts and restaurants, no doubt. I very much enjoy the onsite resorts there! But DLR has better rides!

 

[mechurchlady]

Blech. Why do these threads always end up with someone saying how WDW is so much better? Why go to DL at all if you are only there to prove how much superior WDW is? Park for park...Disneyland is the best there is, hands down. And DCA is at least as full as Hollywood Studios. WDW has better resorts and restaurants, no doubt. I very much enjoy the onsite resorts there! But DLR has better rides!

WDW is better in handling food allergies and special diets. It has state of the art kitchens and technology and the wiring is modern and can handle computer systems. WDW has more buying power and can buy 50,000 snails and 100,000 ears of corn where as DLR can not house as much stuff let alone have a need for bulk items.

That said I think DLR is not as good as WDW because WDW is the mansion on the hilltop that is located in the plains and owned by rich people while DLR is the small little home nestled in the suburbs. I love my little home in the suburbs though I would rather have the mansion. I still love going to DLR and I still love eating there. I was so happy with my hot dog and my cheddarburger and criss cross fries. Enough ketchup got me through the chicken dinner but that is SID speaking.

I love DLR and when you weight the two sites have to say that pound for pound and based on the disadvantages that DLR faces that it is superior to WDW. It is and always will be my home and ohana means family and I love my DLR family and the people who work there to make my meals a joy.

 

[Lizzybear]

I went to WDW and DLRP before DLR and enjoyed all 3 but I feel like Disneyland Park has a special magic from being 'the original' and for that reason I preferred it to both Paris's version and MK in WDW. I think it's down to personal preference really, i'm a big one for nostalgia

 

[jolynda]

I don't see one being 'better' than the other - they are just different experiences. Here's a few interesting tidbits we noticed.

summer in FL is oppressive, so the waterparks are a HUGE plus.

WDW requires TONS of planning. The crowds and lines EVERYWHERE YOU GO are daunting. We ended up going back to Typhoon Lagoon 3 times because we just needed to escape (well, that and the wave pool!)

WDW has enough variety to keep you busy for days without repeating - and there really is something for everyone

WDW castmembers don't seem as friendly or enthusiastic as DL castmembers. In fact, I was shocked at how many vocally discontented CMs there were. We did meet many friendly CMs but we met far more unhappy ones.

Food variety is better in WDW - more choices and better variety.

You can do DL for way less money because you can easily stay offsite, eat offsite, etc. and not have your experience diminished in any way. AND you can do DL/DCA in less time.

DL is a more intimate experience - maybe because it's smaller? I feel the 'magic' more in DL.

.. those are just a few thoughts.. we love both places for different reasons

 

[Brancaneve]

I like to think of DL as a precious antique in comparison to WDW. NOt saying that WDW is not precious or treated as such but DL is more so.

 

[MichaelColey]

Blech. Why do these threads always end up with someone saying how WDW is so much better?

I don't see one being 'better' than the other - they are just different experiences.

I agree with jolynda. I really don't see this thread as being a WDW is better than DL thread. There are advantages to each, and depending on what you're looking for, the advantages from one will make it better for you than the other. I like them both. Disney does a tremendous job. Just go to any Six Flags (we have a season's pass there) and you'll appreciate Disney even more.

We like the incredible deal and great food we get at WDW. For $2500, our family of four can spend two full weeks at Disney (in a value resort) with all food (with free Dining Plan - 56 table service, 56 counter service, 56 snacks) and park admissions (10 days in the four parks, no park hopper, water parks for the other 4 days). That's tough to beat. On the other hand, we appreciate the fact that we can take a last-minute trip to DL with virtually no planning and that we'll get to do a ton of stuff with less walking. Which is better? Neither. They both have their advantages.

 

[Disney Dreams]

You CAN'T compare WDW to DLR.

You can compare the Magic Kingdom at WDW to Disneyland at DLR.
You can compare DtD to DtD.
You can't really compare DCA to anything because there isn't anything like DCA at WDW.

WDW is better in handling food allergies and special diets.

I completely disagree. I have eaten at DL on a VERY strict diet. I have been given the opportunity to speak directly with the head chef, had my food prepared EXACTLY as requested, and delivered to my table without anyone in my party knowing I had something special prepared. You can't ask for better service than that!

...That said I think DLR is not as good as WDW because WDW is the mansion on the hilltop that is located in the plains and owned by rich people while DLR is the small little home nestled in the suburbs....

Not everyone likes a mansion on a hill. Some people would prefer to live in a quaint home nestled in the suburbs.

Again, you can't compare WDW to Disneyland. That is comparing a village to a street. You have to compare Disneyland to The Magic Kingdom.

- Dreams

 

[mechurchlady]

I am talking about counter service as well as the fact that I never got info on the parks as to what has soy. Yes, the chefs at sit down restaurants and Pizza Oom Mow Mow bent over backwards and made safe meals. The problem is that with WDW I could get a list of sesame free, soy free, nut free items but not at DLR.

Overall it is not the same but for chefs DLR equals those at WDW for table service. I have celiac so any gluten is very bad for me. Taste Pilot Grill spoils me also. At Hungry Bear I will get a burger with no bun, try eating that. Coke corner has gluten free buns and that was a pleasure.

The problem with DLR is that there is no information and it is hard for me to get food from counter service if I am not GF but something else.

 

[Bunless]

I like DL because we can just decide to fly down for a four day weekend, relax, not feel rushed, do our thing, and fly back feeling good.

WDW is a two week vacation for us...nine days there, two days to travel, the rest of the days to recover. It's fun, but not exactly relaxing like a weekend in DL.

I am talking about counter service as well as the fact that I never got info on the parks as to what has soy.

I was able to get a list without a problem. I did, however, call a week ahead and they sent me a list via email. This was about two years ago. I think I got it by going through vacation planning services.

I wish I still had it, but I'm not sure what happened to it.

The main thing was that the popcorn was a no-no for soy issues.
I think chicken fingers had soy in the breading.

The fryer oil was fine across the parks.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I am a complete veteran of both. To me one of the main advantages of WDW is the weather, because we like to vacation in January or February, and i can usually count on orlando having warmer weather.Of course in the summer the advantage goes to DLR. The second advantage for us is during the winter months i can count on a full schedule of fireworks, parades etc at WDW, while hours and shows are limited at DLR. Again, during busy times this advantage goes away.The third advantage for us is that airfare to WDW is often cheaper !
Overall I believe that DLR is a higher quality experience, say a boutique compared to a department store.DL is the best Disney park(If you take japan out of the mix)and DCA is an equivalent experience to the Studios at WDW.
Food is not that important to me, so at this point i have no strong opinions, Typically at WDW we only do 2 TS meals in a trip, because we are not that impressed.

 

[chris&adrimom]

I love both DL and WDW! I would go to either one in a heartbeat! One thing I really like about WDW is the waterparks, they are the best in the brutal summer months. And, DL has the matterhorn which I love love love!!!

 

[PigletGurl]

All I can say is DL is so much better. XD

 

[PinkBudgie]

And all I can say is I wish I could go to WDW so I could decide for myself.

 

[Mike_M]

I grew up going to DL and didn't make it to WDW until I was an adult so I look at the two coasts from that point of view. You can do more adult things at WDW (Alcohol in the World Showcase, golf courses, Pleasure Island before it closed, House of Blues, etc...) than at DLR so I seperate it as such. We take the kids to DLR, we save WDW for just my DW and I for when we want a Disney experience but some adult time as well.

I still prefer DLR, but I can appreciate WDW and it's differences.

 

[wdhinn89]

We have been to Disenyworld many many times and love it. I went to DL once 25 years ago when I was 20. The one thing that bothered me about it was the location of the park. I did not like how it was right off a major street. That kind of took the magic away for me. I stayed off site then. I have compared DL to my husband and kids to the Bronx Zoo in the case of them both having huge walls and on one side of the wall there is a beautiful world and the other side of the wall is buildings, cars , noise and traffic. In 2 words, everyday life. DL is very different from WDW in this sense because at WDW you are emerged into a world of Disney all the time.

Having said that, we planned a trip to DL in July. A time of year I would NEVER go to WDW. This time I insisted that we stay on-site so we will enjoy all things Disney and get away from the real world and I believe that is what vacations are all about. I want to stop and smell the roses at DL. Take in all the sites and enjoy everything. At WDW, everything is rush, rush, rush if you stay there less than 1 week. There is almost too much to do and no relaxation.

I am really looking forward to my adult views and ideas of DL and my families reactions and thoughts as well.

 

[Hollsey]

I'm a WDW vet, and I actually like Disneyland better!

From my perspective...

Disneyland is more magical. It's Walt's park, and you get more of that magical, neat feeling than you do in Walt Disney World. The size has something to do with it, I think. Walt Disney World can be really big and have an overwhelming feeling, whereas in Disneyland the magic is ALWAYS there. Even when you're walking from DL to DCA!

You can tell people go to Disneyland because they actually want to be there. At Walt Disney World, you get a lot of people coming over from Universal (which I'm sure happens in Disneyland--I Was only there for two days--people coming from other parks, I mean) and people who are conveniently in the Orlando area. Disneyland has a lot more Disney shirts and little princesses walking around, which I liked a lot!

Disneyland has a lot of the fun attractions from Walt Disney World! The Fantasyland attractions are similar, but somewhat different. I liked Disneyland's offering more. Alice in Wonderland is my favorite dark ride EVER! And you don't get anything like that at all in Walt Disney World!

Because it's smaller, I also think it's more detailed, which helps with the magic I think.

WDW's one advantage is staying on site. I read on here that you guys recommend staying off site (for the most part), and at WDW it's the opposite. In my opinion, it makes more sense to stay ON site because it's a little more convenient. And WDW is bigger so there's more to do, but there are little pieces from each of the 4 major theme parks within DCA and DL, so I don't see where it's that big of a deal.

Some things I said were probably said already, and I'm really sorry about that. But I decided to put in my two cents! Disneyland is definitely my favorite, and I've fallen head over heals in love with it!