Disney Land or Disney World ?

[petsar68]

Guys i am so sorry to ask this as i fear it must get asked all the time. I had a flick through previous posts but couldnt find a link.
Anyway, we are a family of Brits that have just emigrated to New Zealand. We used to holiday in Florida/ Disney World but with our new home being trillions of miles from the east coast of the US i am looking at planning a holiday on the west coast. We are fully up to speed with DisneyWorld but have limited knowledge of DisneyLand. So what i am asking is firstly where is the best place to stay ( our kids are 7&9 ) and would we be dissapointed when comparing DW to DL?
We love Disneys themed hotels but also like private villas with large pools.
Thanks in advance for your help

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

I've never been to WDW as I live in AZ, DL was quicker & cheaper growing up!
You can get all you need in 2 days at DL, 1 day at DCA - I heard you need 2 wks at WDW to see everything - that is something I'd like to try & do someday.

DL is different. No humidity , smaller space...but a different experience all together.
And since you're coming from so far away you could use the extra time you have to see CA! The beaches are about 45-60 min away (Huntington, Newport areas) .... there's Sea World in San Diego (though it can be a tedious drive) .... & there's Hollywood Universal Studios not too far away.

You can't go to DL w/ a preconceived notion, take it for what it is. WDW went above & beyond...DL was a new frontier - an invention of ol' Walt himself. It's magical to me no matter, what I like to do is look up the hidden details & hidden mickeys ... it makes it even more fun after seeing the place over & over - google it, you'll find some great facts!

Forgot hotels - A DL resort hotel as mentioned below - there's character dining AND early entry on most packages. The DGC is where i want to go, they have story telling for the kids (concierge level?) - look into each & see what works best!

 

[Lithium_picnic]

Well, Disneyland is rather small compared to DW...but that doesn't make it worse. I would recommend one of the on site hotels; the Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian, or Paradise Pier).

Disneyland pays MUCH more attention to detail, and you will not feel like you got less.

 

[disneydenisel]

You will enjoy a trip to the West Coast of the U.S! I have been to DL many times and just last year went to WDW for the first time with my kids, then 3 & 6. It was a totally different "immersion" experience! We loved it, but we love being in SoCal too and having a lot of choices!

If I were you, I'd plan to stay 3 nights at one of the Disney hotels right on site (Grand Californian is my first choice). Then, book a nice timeshare villa in Newport Beach at Marriott's Newport Coast Villas for a week or so. They have 2 bed/2 bath villas with full kitchens and nice swimming pools. There are a lot of owners renting weeks out so you could probably find a week that you wanted, or you could rent from Marriott. This area is only a 25-minute drive from Anaheim, 45-50 minutes from Legoland in Carlsbad, and 5 minutes from Laguna Beach and other SoCal beaches. You could also try Four Seasons Aviara in Carlsbad, which has the best and largest timeshare villas I have ever stayed in! The pools are nothing spectacular, but the villas are spacious and super comfortable. Carlsbad is close to beaches and San Diego with its many attractions, and La Jolla is nearby too.

Depending on your budget and how much time you have, there is a lot to do and see. We have stayed at both of the villas I've mentioned above, and they are so huge compared to the DVC resorts in Orlando. Also, I'm not sure when you are going, but Hilton Grand Vacation Club is opening a brand spanking new timeshare resort in Carlsbad in late 2007. I'm planning to stay there next!

Enjoy your planning!

 

[Master Mason]

Disneyland after going to the MK would be like going to your house and they rearanged part of the furniture. There are somethings that won't be there, some that are the same, and some that are the same, but are different at the same time.

Example... POTC, it is a longer better ride at DL over the MK. Also, some of the rides are in slightly different places. ie Space Mountain. MK is much more open than DL but that is because it has less things in the MK with the 4 parks it is spread out more at WDW.

You will not be disapointed, but you also probably wouldn't have enought to do to spend a week or more there like you would at WDW. However you can as others have suggested go to other places to fill out your time.

You can go to the places suggested, or you can go to Magic Mountian or Knotts Berry Farm, or the 2 Presidential Libraries are very interesting as well.

Go you'll get to see the original and walk where Walt's dream came to life

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

I just want to add that the drive to Carlsbad or San Diego may say it's only 50 minutes or so but it get's very backed up on that freeway, it took us 3 hrs to go 70 miles both ways....not sure why that happened as there were no wrecks but just a word to the wise. Luckily we had DVD's going for the kids!

 

[Captjackson]

I think that if you are expecting WDW, then yes DLR may be dissapointing. It's so much smaller than WDW. Still, it's got all the Disney magic, IMO. If you've never been to California you shouldn't limit your trip just to Disneyland. (It feels like heresy saying that ) Enjoy.

Vic

 

[Judy from Boise]

Not heresay at all, which is why you should check out our other 3 boards....and our two trip report boards!

 

[HydroGuy]

If you bring your WDW expectations to DLR you may be disappointed. If you change (not lower) your expectations to align with DLR strengths I am sure you will have a great time. See "A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

Have a great trip.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

be careful....once you come your gonna be hooked

 

[GailT]

I bought a 4 day pass to DL, going at Chrisymas time, I figure it is going to take 4 days to see a few of the must do rides but I am also just doing other things. I am so excited to see it, my mom yrs ago told me it is so nice, I mean my son was 2 and he is 24 now so no CA. The fact my omo and dad were there in Walts dream get me excited about going, I know it isn't DW but I am going to be in CA.

 

[AspiringCindy]

Being a WDW vet and having just returned(July) from our 1st DL trip, I'd have to say...YOU WILL LOVE IT!!! Who says one has to be better than the other...but just between us, I think that I love DL better than MK!! I love the ease of park hopping and having dining choices in DTD! I definitely would recommend staying at DLH or GCH...especially if you are used to the deluxe hotels of WDW!!

 

[petsar68]

Thank you all very much for the superb info you have given me. The ideal plan would be to include a California Disney Cruise departure ( if and when? ) with that of a visit to the resorts you have suggested.
Once again thanks and i will keep you posted when we book something up soon !!

 

[jakoky]

hi there....for us WDW is a 7 hour flight and DL is just under 3 hours...i had been to DL 5 times when i was a child, but hadnt been back...well, in dec 04 we took our 3 kids to WDW(first flight for me and the kids-my dad always drove to DL)...but WOW, was it worth it ....WDW, what can i say, it is a unique experience....for 9 nights, it was just disney, disney, disney...the waterparks were unlike anything i have every experienced and probably never will til we go back...it was the most amazing thing...well, in may of this year we took the kids to DL, and you know, it again was amazing, yes different, but asking my kids, my 15 and now 13 year old would choose DL over WDW...they say that they want to go back to WDW for the waterparks but i think they love how DL is set up, everything is so close, no jumping on a bus to parkhop or get to the motel...my 10 year old is torn and so are my husband and I...i would love to visit each again before my oldest graduates, but in reality, it will probably be one last disney trip(with more to come later) and i will probably choose DL due to the long flight to the world, but they are both so worth it in so many ways...have fun
sharon

 

[ColinA]

DL is great for a few days, our personal preference is to spend the extra money and flight time and go to WDW which has a better atmosphere being located in its own world.

 

[abby]

Go to DL and then enjoy other things Calif. has to offer, San Diego is great. af few days there added to DL and you won't be disappointed.

 

[Tinkwantabe]

WDW all they Way... Not even a second thought to that!!!! Just go on the slower months so that you can get to everything.

 

[Laz]

As a 16 time veteran of WDW, we went to DL for 6 nights this past April. What a unique experience! We loved it! It was a slower wonderful pace even with the crowds of spring break. I would also recommend one of the DL resorts. We stay at the DLH and loved it! We could walk to the parks or take the monorail. We had time to do the Walk in Walts Footsteps Tour, go to Universal Studios and Knotts Berry Farm, as well as do all the little things that we felt we didn't have time to do in WDW. My wife really enjoyed just lounging by the Neverland pool while DD and I rode rides until we colapsed. To go to DL and see Walt's touch is very special.