Disneyland...OMG!!!!!!!!!!

[BrianL]

I like them both for different reasons. DL has the charm of the smaller size, and DCA has Avengers Campus. WDW has Epcot and Animal Kingdom.

Yeah, they both have their pros and cons. I think the CM's are a bit better at WDW (not to say DLR CMs are bad at all). The food is definitely better at DLR, especially quick service options. WDW has Epcot and AK, but DLR does have some nice exclusives too like World of Color, not to mention all the original dark rides from the 50's. They have a different vibe, but both are worth visiting.

 

[disny_luvr]

You will love Disneyland. For other thing, Fantasyland is far superior to WDW's Magic KIngdom as well as Pirates, Haunted Mansion, plus Matterhorn....the theming at DL is better. PLus, it is the only park Walt designed himself!

Yes, I’ve read that some things are better in DL! I’m especially excited to ride Disneyland’s Pirates and Haunted Mansion. I’m really looking forward to CA weather, too. Anything has got to be better than the weather we just experienced in Disney in June.

 

[Dug720]

Yeah, they both have their pros and cons. I think the CM's are a bit better at WDW (not to say DLR CMs are bad at all). The food is definitely better at DLR, especially quick service options. WDW has Epcot and AK, but DLR does have some nice exclusives too like World of Color, not to mention all the original dark rides from the 50's. They have a different vibe, but both are worth visiting.

Yes, exactly! I see them as both/and not either/or.

 

[Rich M]

Yeah, they both have their pros and cons. I think the CM's are a bit better at WDW (not to say DLR CMs are bad at all). The food is definitely better at DLR, especially quick service options. WDW has Epcot and AK, but DLR does have some nice exclusives too like World of Color, not to mention all the original dark rides from the 50's. They have a different vibe, but both are worth visiting.

For me DL is a weekend getaway and WDW is a vacation. I find both CM very good but find that people outside the Disney bubble at WDW are very rude and seem very bitter that they don't work for Disney. I love both places

 

[DLgal]

I'm so glad you had a wonderful first trip to Disneyland. It really is the best!

I live a stones throw from Disneyland and go VERY often. I sometimes wonder if my perspective of DL compared to WDW is sort of tainted by visiting DL so frequently.

Well, I just got back from 9 nights at WDW (first trip there since 2018) and I can confidently say that the following are still true:

WDW food is (much) worse than DL food, especially quick service. I am SO looking forward to some good Disneyland food this Saturday.

WDW guests are not as nice as DL guests

WDW cast members are not as kind OR knowledgeable as DL CMs. I got a LOT of blank stares, "I don't know" answers, and several answers in Spanish (?). I just think WDW is struggling with finding and training good CMs.

WDW parks are not as clean/well kept as Disneyland

We had a great time at WDW, don't get me wrong. My kids love it and it will always have a special place in my heart. I already want to go back. But the differences are glaringly obvious at this point. WDW hasn't quite kept itself as well as DL has. Things there have noticeably gone downhill since my last visit in 2018. Somehow, Disneyland has improved in the same time frame. It's very noticeable.

 

[BrianL]

For me DL is a weekend getaway and WDW is a vacation. I find both CM very good but find that people outside the Disney bubble at WDW are very rude and seem very bitter that they don't work for Disney. I love both places

Yeah, I think the guests at DLR are friendlier because they are mostly local and have that laid-back, SoCal vibe - right on, you know? At WDW people come from all over, and you get a mix of people. I'm from the South, so sometimes people from other regions come off rude, which is not to say that there aren't plenty of perfectly nice people all over the country, but it's just a mannerism that can be a bit more brusque than I am used to.

The CM's just, "Drink the Kool-Aid" a little more at WDW - they're more consistent and have that extra happiness going, even if it's forced. At DLR sometimes I can find them a little lacking, especially when they are working crowd management for fireworks. I know it's an absolute nightmare, but it feels like they expect you to always know where to go and are quick to correct you if you don't.

 

[joseph821]

Are you going to Storytellers's for two different meals?

Tomorrow night - Dinner. I figured after my 6 hour flight and landing in the morning, I would want a nice sit down dinner at Storyteller's. On Monday, I am going for breakfast at 9 after early entry at Disneyland.

 

[DLgal]

Tomorrow night - Dinner. I figured after my 6 hour flight and landing in the morning, I would want a nice sit down dinner at Storyteller's. On Monday, I am going for breakfast at 9 after early entry at Disneyland.

Both are great. Enjoy!

 

[joseph821]

I'm so glad you had a wonderful first trip to Disneyland. It really is the best!

I live a stones throw from Disneyland and go VERY often. I sometimes wonder if my perspective of DL compared to WDW is sort of tainted by visiting DL so frequently.

Well, I just got back from 9 nights at WDW (first trip there since 2018) and I can confidently say that the following are still true:

WDW food is (much) worse than DL food, especially quick service. I am SO looking forward to some good Disneyland food this Saturday.

WDW guests are not as nice as DL guests

WDW cast members are not as kind OR knowledgeable as DL CMs. I got a LOT of blank stares, "I don't know" answers, and several answers in Spanish (?). I just think WDW is struggling with finding and training good CMs.

WDW parks are not as clean/well kept as Disneyland

We had a great time at WDW, don't get me wrong. My kids love it and it will always have a special place in my heart. I already want to go back. But the differences are glaringly obvious at this point. WDW hasn't quite kept itself as well as DL has. Things there have noticeably gone downhill since my last visit in 2018. Somehow, Disneyland has improved in the same time frame. It's very noticeable.

I went to WDW last year - different vibe than DL in CA. I am from NY - born in NYC, now living on Long Island, the people travelers are not as nice as DL. WDW has a lot of East Coast people and sorry to say this that they who they are and when they go to FLA and WDW, watch out. I always stay at a WDW hotel so it is better. The people are much nicer and friendly at DL.

 

[joseph821]

Both are great. Enjoy!

Thanks!!

 

[Dug720]

I know it's an absolute nightmare, but it feels like they expect you to always know where to go and are quick to correct you if you don't.

I wonder if part of that is they're so used to locals they just assume everyone is and knows where to go.

 

[BrianL]

I wonder if part of that is they're so used to locals they just assume everyone is and knows where to go.

Yeah, I think that's what it is. It's also so chaotic because of the space constraints, so you know, I get the frustration.

Also, some of the DLR guests, while they are friendlier, they also sometimes act like they own the place. I've seen things that would just never fly at WDW, like the little makeshift camp in the Main Street Cinema - kids just laying on the floor, clothes draped over the railings - my friend and I called them "The Vagabond Children of Main Street, USA." It's definitely a little different, but it's part of the vibe.

 

[DLgal]

I wonder if part of that is they're so used to locals they just assume everyone is and knows where to go.

I think that is part of it.

As a local, though, I STILL don't understand how to get from Tomorrowland to Frontierland or vice versa during parades and fireworks. It's something we just actively avoid at this point. We rarely stick around for fireworks, and just make it a point to either leave by 9pm or be in DCA while they are happening. We avoid entering or leaving DL during parade times. It's just easier that way.

 

[DLgal]

Yeah, I think that's what it is. It's also so chaotic because of the space constraints, so you know, I get the frustration.

Also, some of the DLR guests, while they are friendlier, they also sometimes act like they own the place. I've seen things that would just never fly at WDW, like the little makeshift camp in the Main Street Cinema - kids just laying on the floor, clothes draped over the railings - my friend and I called them "The Vagabond Children of Main Street, USA." It's definitely a little different, but it's part of the vibe.

We do own the place.

 

[tjkraz]

We visited Disneyland at least 1x per year from approx 2008-2013. As frequent WDW guests, we found it to be a refreshing change. Particularly due to the expansion happening during that period. The Nemo Subs reopened, CarsLand was added, Monsters Inc ride, the entire refresh of DCA lead by John Lassiter. There was a lot you could find at DL/DCA to set it apart from WDW.

Various reasons kept us away from the west coast for a number of years. My wife and I made a 1-day visit in 2019 and finally a longer family trip in 2022. My lasting impression was that the tables had flipped and suddenly DL felt like more of a rehash of WDW. Web Slingers is fun, along with the refreshes of Tower of Terror and Incredicoaster. But just about everything else added over the last ~10 years is replicated at WDW: Galaxy's Edge, Runaway Railway. (Is there anything else??)

Meanwhile over that same span WDW was getting Pandora, Toy Story Land, Frozen Ever After, Cosmic Rewind, Remy and Tron, in addition to already unique experiences like the World Showcase and all of Animal Kingdom.

Many of the rides at DL are superior to their WDW counterparts (Space Mountain, Indy>Dinosaur, etc.) but as someone who went about 9 years between lengthy family visits, by 2022 it felt stale.

Personally I never got the sense that either CMs or guests were more well-behaved at one park over the other. Our 2022 DL trip ran from Tuesday to Saturday. By the weekend, there was a palpable difference with large groups of teens roaming the parks. There was more of a street-corner festival atmosphere rather than the relative isolation of WDW. But at WDW you get groups of adults "drinking around the world", grumpy families, etc. Which is better? Probably depends on a lot of factors, including whoever you happen to bump into while crossing miles of theme park.

Dating back to our string of trips 15+ years ago, our perception always was that DL had better quick service and WDW better table service restaurants. I think that's still true today. However, good luck finding QS dining outside of the parks. There's virtually nothing at Downtown Disney. Part of our trip was spent at Disneyland Hotel and the menu at Tangaroa Terrace is pretty rough, especially if you're dealing with picky eaters.

The size of WDW is both a curse and a blessing. Sure it takes longer to get around. But it also means you have 20+ resorts to choose from, literally dozens of restaurants and complete isolation from the outside world. Things like Goofy's Kitchen and Blue Bayou are fun and unique...until you're on your third or fourth family trip and are struggling to find something else that appeals to the group.

You can't beat the compact nature of Disneyland. The two parks feel about 1.5x the size of any park at WDW and it's undeniably easy to get around. There's a certain "Walt" charm that will never be replicated at WDW. And the SoCal mid-summer weather beats WDW hands-down. (You might be surprised at how cold it can be other times of the year, including May and June when good swimming weather aren't even guaranteed.) But between the lack of unique experiences at DL and the generally higher cost of travel and lodging, I found it tough to justify cross-country trips year after year.

 

[irlandaise]

Yeah, I think the guests at DLR are friendlier because they are mostly local and have that laid-back, SoCal vibe - right on, you know? At WDW people come from all over, and you get a mix of people. I'm from the South, so sometimes people from other regions come off rude, which is not to say that there aren't plenty of perfectly nice people all over the country, but it's just a mannerism that can be a bit more brusque than I am used to.

I think there's also a large element of DL visitors being more easygoing because of them, as you say, being mostly local and therefore likely frequent DL visitors. They aren't in a rush to do everything. If they feel that a line for a certain ride is too long this time, they can always try again when they come back next week or later in the summer.

At WDW, many families are there for their big trip of the year, or maybe even the only WDW trip they ever expect to have. There's a lot of self-imposed pressure to do everything, and that makes people impatient and sharp-tongued.

 

[DLgal]

I think there's also a large element of DL visitors being more easygoing because of them, as you say, being mostly local and therefore likely frequent DL visitors. They aren't in a rush to do everything. If they feel that a line for a certain ride is too long this time, they can always try again when they come back next week or later in the summer.

At WDW, many families are there for their big trip of the year, or maybe even the only WDW trip they ever expect to have. There's a lot of self-imposed pressure to do everything, and that makes people impatient and sharp-tongued.

There are a LOT more angry parents at WDW, that is for sure. I heard so many parents straight up yelling and berating their kids at WDW for being "sassy, crabby, grouchy, entitled, whiny, spoiled, and needing an attitude adjustment. From where I was standing, a lot of this seemed like projection.

 

[BrianL]

There are a LOT more angry parents at WDW, that is for sure. I heard so many parents straight up yelling and berating their kids at WDW for being "sassy, crabby, grouchy, entitled, whiny, spoiled, and needing an attitude adjustment. From where I was standing, a lot of this seemed like projection.

I think that does happen more at WDW, though the worst one I ever saw was at DL as this lady was just absolutely going off with a profanity laced tirade. I do think though that WDW causes more meltdowns overall becuase of the complexity of the visit and overwhelming nature of it all.

 

[DLgal]

I think that does happen more at WDW, though the worst one I ever saw was at DL as this lady was just absolutely going off with a profanity laced tirade. I do think though that WDW causes more meltdowns overall becuase of the complexity of the visit and overwhelming nature of it all.

I blame the weather, personally. But also, I think people push themselves too hard at WDW, especially with kids. I think everyone was just hot and tired most of the time.

 

[Pluto468]

I'm so glad you had a wonderful trip! Thanks for sharing all about your magical time