Disney World or Disney Land?

[Vivianne]

We've been to Disneyland 1x and Disney World = Many.

We mostly enjoy Disney World....

However,

If you could go to Disneyland just once like we did it would be a very
good thing. After all it was Walt's first park and it's a great opportunity
to see the West Coast if you haven't been there. Don't think you'll regret
going to any but it's interesting to experience Disneyland too.
Have fun whatever you decide...

 

[Floydian]

Since you've been to WDW several times and never been to DL, if you're not afraid to drive in the southern California traffic, I'd suggest Disneyland. It's a great park, with the bonus of California Adventure right across the plaza, but is a different experience from WDW. So unless you love your room and the pool, you'll run out of things to do in 8 days. Also, it's more of what I call a "day park", in that the locals come more often for a day than seems common at WDW. As a result, I've sometimes felt like it was more of a Six Flags crowd and not a bunch of Disney fans.

But, you can spend several days enjoying DL, and use it as a jumping off point for places like Sea World or the San Diego Zoo. Hollywood, Knotts Berry Farm, Universal Studios. The Santa Monica pier, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach. Catalina Island or the Mission at San Juan Capistrano. Again, you'd need your own transportation, but there's a lot to do.

Now, if you just want to be fully immersed in Disney and nothing else for 8 days, go to WDW. As fun as DL and SoCal can be, you cannot get that "all Disney all the time" experience there like you do at WDW.

Either way, I'm sure you'll have a great anniversary.

 

[AquaDame]

I ( like everyone it seems! ) agree that 8 days is too much to do just Disney... but there is a lot more there too! You can go to Seaworld, Universal or Six Flags as daytrips or just go into LA and take some tours/ see the sights. When I was little we would always go for a week and split the days up with non-disney days and it was perfect. If you are just going to the Disney parks and have no interest 4 or 5 days is plenty.

A shuttle from SNA airport is $10 pp so its not a big deal that there is no ME - its a much shorter drive as well. Yes there is no dining plan but the restaurants are cheaper and far, far easier to get into even as a walkup. I called in a reservation for Blue Bayou three weeks prior and the gal who took my call laughed and said I was the first one to make a reservation for that day even though it was half marathon weekend. Two days before we got there I called and added in a reserved viewing dinner for World of Color - no trouble there either, which show would I like?

There is less walking, shorter waits and tons of 'love' in the park IMO; the castle is TINY compared to the one in WDW but everything has a certain charm that I just like better than the Magic Kingdom. When I go to WDW its for Epcot and AK; after going back after 5 years I do not feel the need to go back to WDW after my two trips this year for a long time - the hastle of planning transportation between the parks and hotels and restaurants, the super early reservations (booked in march and many ressies are no longer available but the entertainment schedule isn't posted so Im not sure what I have will work the best, argh!), hotels, the cost... I'm just done for awhile!

 

[KimmyZ05]

The last time I was at Disney Land was when I was like 7 or so maybe younger. I have always enjoyed Disney World More. I think there is no contest between the 2

 

[ExpatDisneyLover]

Disneyland Resort is worth a trip if you have never been - but it is land locked.

So if I were going to be in the LA area anyway or wanted to visit LA at some point I'd work in a trip to Disneyland but if I were planning a long Disney vacation I'd definitely do Walt Disney World.

Have fun planning!

 

[franandaj]

I think it just depends on what you want to do. I live 30 minutes from DL but we just bought into DVC (at VGC) last year and we have started to experience a whole new world of vacationing in our backyard. We actually tour the park in a whole different way. We've been AP holders for over 15 years, but as someone with a partner with disabilities we don't go for the rides or stay in the park for long periods, however since we have been staying over, we have taken advantage of the restaurants that we normally would not have visited. We take more time at the attractions. I can't imagine how people see everything in two days, they must run from one thing to the next (something that they take for granted because my DP can not even get on some of her favorite rides any more, we hope the two knee replacements will change that!)

We take things very slowly, take our time in the room, check out at 11AM and then spend another few hours touring some attractions. Until her knees are fixed, she waits and reads a book while I go on a couple rides and then we head home. Or like the last stay for the D23 event, we spent two days in "Disney seminars" so on the third day instead of doing the scavenger hunt we went to Goofy's Kitchen buffet, before heading home.

The point I'm trying to get to is that it doesn't matter where you go for your eight days, you can find things to do. If you're a "junkie on the run" and have to be moving the whole time, there is plenty to do in So Cal if you get bored at Disney, however, as a local, I have a feeling that we could stay eight days at the resort (if we had the points) and leisurely check out all the rides we wanted, take naps, go to the spa, hang out at the pool, cook a few meals in our DVC room, have some GREAT meals out on the town and really enjoy ourselves. The only problem is that I would want to drive home and see our kitties being so close!

It all depends on how you spend your vacations as to where you go. Personally I find it hard to plan eight days at WDW because I'm afraid it's not enough, I'm working on my 2011 trip (see my sig for PTR) and I'm still trying to figure out how many days to go and exactly when. We have another 30 or so days to decide for the initial reservation, but it all comes down to how much do you want to run around, becuase at WDW you can't do it all EVER! At DLR you probably actually could if you really tried and gave yourself enough time.

 

[danall]

We went to WDW many times and to Disneyland once and I still prefer WDW. It has four parks, downtown Disney, Boardwalk, etc. compared to two parks at Disneyland. We love the DDP at WDW and they don't have it at Disneyland. We were happy to have been able to go to Disneyland but not sure if we would do it again.

 

[tlionheart78]

I can't really make a sound decision because my argument is rather one-sided. I've been to WDW four times in my life and I've never been to Disneyland. This is mainly due to three things:
1.) Location
2.) Location
3.) Location

Living two states north of Florida does have some advantages. But, this doesn't mean I don't want to visit DLR. I would love to visit the park at least once in my life so I can actually do a comparison between the two. That, and to experience the nostalgia of where it all began.