DIsney World: is it all that different from Disney Land???

[goodeats]

If you stay off property you must rent a car imo. Even if you rent a car I still find the roads at Disney to be very confusing.

I think it's worth it to stay on property and make a vacation out of it. You can get fairly reasonable rates through AAA.

 

[JRawkSteady]

Last year, during the slowest week in WDW I went with my friend...and it took us 7 days to go on every single attraction and see every single show and that was with an insane amount of planning, no naps in between, no real breaks, and plus we both had worked in WDW before, so we knew they layout like the back of our hands (we had all the secrets). This was just the main 4 parks. No water parks or anything else. We didn't even get a chance to go to any other hotel! (Each hotel is amazing unto itself) or go to Downtown Disney/Pleasure Island. The only night fun we joined was Jellyrolls!!! (The BEST piano bar I've been to in Florida)

When I was in Cali, in DL for my first time, I did everything in one day. THAT'S the difference between the two parks. You would need a month to do everything in WDW include relaxing...and even then you still would probably miss everything.

That's just my two cents though.

 

[HaleyB]

Another DL/WDW fan here. I also lived in SoCal for a long time. We still go to DL every year and WDW most years.

Do not stay off-site. This is not Disneyland. Stay at a value resort.

Four days will not do any justice to WDW. Your flight is going to be expensive. Stay longer. The ticket prices are such that you pay a lot less per day if you stay longer. Go here for ticket info and more www.mousesavers.com

Food. Here is another biggie, food is wonderful in WDW. There are tons of great dining choices. No Blue Bayou but lots of really good eats. You want to plan to try at least one sit down meal in Epcot. Lunch is cheaper than Dinner (as it is everywhere). Think about the dining add on. It is less than $40 a night per adult. It includes a full counter service meal and a four course table service meal plus a snack. Go here to view menus and food prices http://allearsnet.com/din/dining.htm

You can not just pop in to WDW with no plan of attack, we used to just go to DL on the spur of the moment all the time. WDW is much more complex, with the four parks and all. Invest in a guide book (Get the Unofficial Guide to WDW, it is the best even if it is a little over critical sometimes).

Try the Budget board too. Lots of really good budget trip plan advice there. If you post the time of year and approximate budget over there you will get tons of advice.

If you love Disney magic you will love (or at least like) the Animal Kingdom. It is notazoo.

MGM is not Universal, but sort of the same idea. The roller coaster is great. This is where you will find the Tower of Terror and Star Tours. Also the Muppet 3-d, a neat stunt show (Indiana Jones) and a few other things worth seeing. MGM is also home to the WDW version of Fantasmic! I like the DL one better... others like the WDW one best.

 

[MossMan]

If you have spent anytime at Disneyland, you pretty much know exactly what is waiting for you at Magic Kingdom. Both parks are mostly the same. It can be fun noticing the little differences here and there and many Disney fanatics like nothing more than drawing endless comparisons. But if you’ve been to one you have been to the other. In a pinch I would take the Los Angeles version over Orlando. I think DL has more charm than MK – but on a busy day I would far rather have the expansive walkways of MK.

So if you are coming to try something new, I would put MK on the bottom of you must-see list. On the other hand if you making a pilgrimage in order to worship at the alter of Disney, then spend lots of time at MK and make sure to gather fodder for those endless internet arguments about which park is better.

As for accommodation, you know yourself better than anyone. Some people need their little bars of Mikey soap and will spend countless dollars in order to do their business in Disney themed bathroom. If you are not one of these, then the only reason to stay onsite is the ease of transportation. While offsite hotels can be great, invariably their transportation choices are awful. Take a gander at the Orlando Hotels and Attractions board. The good people who haunt that section of the DIS can give you some great advice. But if you do stay offsite, please consider getting a rental car. You can get some killer deals on rentals in Orlando. Point of fact, it is often quicker to take your car into Disney than to rely on Disney busses from onsite accommodation – though Disney transportation does a good job.

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

mamacatnv: i my self stay at a friends house when i go to DL but not everyone has that option.

I'm trying to get why i want to spend extra money one a Hotel that has mickey mouse carpet when i don't plan on spending much time in the hotel? Can you find other hotels that are not WDW hotels that have shuttles? Or do you have to drive in if you are not staying at at WDW hotel?

(thanks again)

I'd stay at one of WDW's budget hotels before I'd stay offsite. The experience just isn't the same if you don't stay on WDW grounds, and the transportation is much better than any Holiday Inn shuttle van. I suggest going to the budget boards here on the DIS...lots of great tips to keep prices low!

 

[Ana~n~Joseph]

We had to stay at a Disney off-site hotel once because there was no room left at the values. Bad idea! Not only was it a 25 minute drive to the park but we had to pay for the shuttle and the shuttle only ran at certain times in the morning, and a few in the evening (we missed a lot of fireworks shows that year). That was very inconvenient and I would never do that again or recommend that someone does that. And even if you drive, you still have to pay for parking at Disney.

If you're on a budget, go during the offseason and stay at a value resort. Sure you'll get your Mickey bar soap and shampoo but it's more than that. It's Disney magic 24/7, it's free transportation to the parks, it's going into the parks early and leaving late thanks to EMH, it's having Disney World at your fingertips! Want to try to get a reservation for a nice dinner?, just go downstairs and the CMs will do everything possible to help you. It's being able to get the dinning plan!!!!!!!

I've never been to DL but I really don't have a desire to go either...maybe once but that's about it. DW has Epcot: ever been to Canada? China? Mexico? all in one day? I have! They also have MGM with Rock and Roll Rollercoaster and the Hollywood Tower of Terror and lets not forget Fantasmic! Animal Kingdom now has Expedition Everest, Dinosour and the amazing Lion King Show and the Safari is pretty amazing; sure you'll probably be done by 5 or 6 but it's so worth it, at least once. Have you ever been to Africa? Well you can go by visiting AK! And of course Magic Kingdom, there's no place that is more magical and amazing than MK! Then there is Downtown Disney, Cirque de Soleil, Disney Quest, the water parks, golf courses, the list is endless! And of course the resorts are truly a destination of their own with boats and bikes and horses and a lot more. Want to have breakfast with Mickey? Head over to the Contemp! Or want to check out an amazingly hilarious dinner show, Hoop de Doo is right down the road.

If you plan well and go with the right attitude I'm sure you will have an amazing experience!

 

[Eeyoreluver]

I would definitely stay onsite. My DD stays offsite just last week for one night. She didn't arrive at the hotel until after 2 and the shuttle only took you to the parks in the morning. So she took a taxi to DTD. It cost her $18.00. Then they gave her a place to be picked up and they didn't show. They said she missed the shuttle, and there were no more shuttles that night (only had one to start with). She took a taxi back to her hotel from Epcot, cost her $23.00. We have always stayed onsite except once when we had our own car and we rented a house with a pool. So, if you don't rent a car I would stay onsite. We enjoy the value even if the rooms are small, we don't stay there much anyway. I will be going to WDW and staying at POP in 31 days and I can't wait!

 

[mill4023]

First thing to do: Go buy "The Unofficial Guide To WDW" by Bob Sehlinger and start reading. It is well worth $20 for the amount of information in there. It will give you a much more thorough understanding of all WDW has to offer.

We took our first trip to WDW last year. We stayed off-site at the Fairfield at Marriott Village for the first 5 nights, then at Port Orleans Riverside for the last 4 nights. I definitely preferred POR, but for me it really had nothing to do with transportation or EMH (Extra Magic Hours) perks. I just enjoyed being in the Disney themed environment and POR is a beautiful resort.

Although my preference is to stay on-site, I'm definitely NOT one of those people who would rather not go than stay off-site. If you have a car, some of the off-site resorts can get you to the parks just as quickly as the on-site resorts. From the Fairfield, it was literally 3 minutes to get the the WDW entrance. Then maybe 10 minutes from there to MK. The Fairfield also had a great free continental breakfast. For our next trip, we'll be staying at the Fairfield again for 4 nights (Universal and Sea World days), then staying at All Star Movies for 6 nights and Port Orleans Riverside for 4 nights.

So if you are on a tight budget, you can get some good deals off-site (Fairfield cost us $52/night through AAA), but it won't have the Disney feel and you won't get the Disney transportation. It sounds like the Disney feel may not be important to you, but might be for your GF. If she would choose to go to DL 3-4 times a year, she would probably really enjoy staying on-site at WDW. The value resorts(and sometimes the moderates) can be very reasonably priced depending on what kind of deals are going on.

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

DL and WDW? Its like a cookie vs a cake thing (I'm on a diet and hungry bear with me) Cookies are good. Cakes are good and huge compared to cookies. Grew up east and west coasts. Been to both parks too many times to count really. I love them both but as pointed out above..DL is a great thing to do an a weekend, WDW can hardly be stuffed into a week...

 

[Uuaww]

6 hours from disneyland, I'm guessing your from Salinas or Fresno...

 

[Mom to a Princess]

Okay so I have to put my $.02 in. WDW and DL are two very different experiences. DL can be done in 3 days while WDW is much much more time consuming. DL resorts are pricey but with the close by hotels it isn't a big deal. WDW has a lot more variety of hotels to stay in. The value resorts are often cheaper than some off site hotels we have looked at. Take some time and read the unoffical guide and the boards. This will give you an idea of what you are getting into when you plan a trip to the world.



Don't get me wrong I love DL and I love WDW. My dd and I often go to both every year. (We have family in So Cal about 20 minutes away from DL). They are just very different experiences. I find that by appreciating each for what they are you can find enjoyment at both.

My dd 4 sums it up perfectly: DL - where the alice in wonderland ride is and we walk every where (to & From hotel if staying on site) WDW - no alice ride and we have to take a bus to all the parks.

 

[Twinprincesses]

Sorry I did read all the other responses, but Size is the big difference. Not just size but the hotels are amazing and in themselves are a blast to visit.

 

[mamacatnv]

Venport:

I would highly recommend one of the Disney Value Resorts. IMHO they are better than just about anything that can be found close to DL to give you something to compare to. We like the All Star Music (preferred room location). It is fairly quiet with a good food court, access to all the Disney Transportation, all the on property perks and it does not come with a huge price tag. It is worth every penny we have a number of friends and when we go we all stay at the values. If you are looking for a place to sleep then this is the way to go. I have never stayed off site at WDW and having only gone to the world twice I cannot even imagine what a hassel it must be to stay at an off-site property. Unlike DL you really can't walk from any hotel to the parks. There are some that are closer to some parks than others and a couple of resorts on the Monorail (very spendy). For the budget, the values are the way to go.... Good luck with your decision.

MamaCatNV