Disneyland or WDW which would you choose ?

[gramto2boys]

If you had the choice of either park, what would you choose.... WDW theme parks, or disneyland/DCA
and why

 

[disney-inspired]

Just because I go to Disneyland so often, I would really like to go back to Walt Disney World. It's just new and I love the fact that I have to fly over there and I can stay on property.

Don't get me wrong, I love Disneyland, but I would like to visit the other parks in Florida.

 

[NWPrincess]

I have to say I was a bit disappointed on my first trip to WDW. Maybe it was because it was built up so much by the media and everyone else, but (I hope I'm not offending any WDW DISers out there because I appreciate their own love for WDW) I thought it was a bit industrial, overwhelming and too split up (a few good rides at each park and the parks took FOREVER to get to from one another).

I feel more relaxed at DLR. I can "do it all" in a few days. Once I get there, I just have to walk across the street to DCA and Downtown Disney. Also, this was Walt's park. There is so much history here. All the little detail and the quite charm which was Walt Disney.

I guess it helps that my mom was there when it opened and I grew up in SoCal and spent much of my childhood at Disneyland. It's a place of happiness that could not be replaced by anything...not even another (bigger) Disney park.

But again, I respect and love the diversity of opinions on this board and I hope no one is offended by mine.

 

[gramto2boys]

I always wanted to know what park was better, I wish I could go there and see how it was for longer then 1 week. I only get 1 week vacation and disneyland I can do it all and then some. also go to knotts of universal to. But florida its so spread out you loose time getting from park to park. I want to go there though, it looks awsome.... !

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

For me, if I were not a frequent visitor to Disneyland, my choices would be - if I were going to spend 3-5 days, I'd pick Disneyland, but if I were going to spend over a week, then I'd choose WDW.

 

[SmoothDisneyH2O]

IMHO people who want to just go on rides and play go to WDW. And those people who appreciate what the true spirit of Walts dream was go to DL. I think DL has a special vibe in it that no other Disney park will ever have. WDW is so big and seems to commercially run that I tend to lose the "little kid" feeling I get at DL. No offense to those who love WDW as it is fun but I just dont think it has the same spirit that DL has.

 

[Catrinabeach]

I've been to both and if it was only for 3-5 days I would do DL if it was 7 days or more I would do WDW.

We have done DL for 4 days plus 3 days at other parks, and then we did WDW for 7 days and 10 days and a week at other parks.

I love WDW and would go there all the time if we had the time. But when we can only do a short trip I would do Dl just because it's so much closer together and you can do so much more in a shorter time.

Basically you can do as much at DL in 3 days as you can in a week at WDW.

 

[Cadillac_Dreamgirl]

Well I have only been to Animal Kingdom in Orlando and a bunch in DL. It is probobly because i am a California native. I have read a bunch of forums and realize that DL has much more rides combined in 2 parks

I still would visit WDW at 2 least 2 times in my lifetime. However , knowing that DCA is going to have a complete makeover, most likelly DL will still be better moneywise in the long run.

 

[Dopey's MIL]

I perhaps would like to see WDW, but I was raised on DL and would still choose to go there! I think it's more intimate. More of a bonding spirit!!!

 

[DLR29]

Depends on the situation:

If I want to visit for one or two days, hands down DL, which is superior to any of the 4 WDW parks.
If I want to visit for a week or more, hands down WDW, which is larger and has more stuff to do.
If I want to stay onsite and be right in all of the magic, WDW.
If I want to save some money, while still staying near the parks, DLR.
If I want tons of unique and interesting dining choices, WDW.
If I want to have longer park hours/more time in the parks, DLR.
If I want better weather, DLR.

And the list goes on...

 

[ballarinamom]

We did both in the past year- 5 days at Dl and 8 days at WDW. By far we prefer DL. We had always heard there is "more" at WDW therefore it is "Better". Yes, there is more to do but for us it is a matter of quality over quantity. For us, the World Showcase at EPCOT was a let down. It was really like a big mall with great decor. DL is far superior to Magic Kingdom (see the sticky here for details). The Studio Park (it was MGM when we went) was ok but was really alot of nothing special. Animal Kingdom really just had the Nemo show and Expedition Everest. But it wasn't worth a special trip. We also didn't like having to take buses, monorails, etc to get anywhere. We ended up taking cabs just to save time. And it didn't matter how much you paid for a hotel. You still had to take some form of transportation to get to some of the parks. It was very inconvenient. We live in San Antonio, so we have a Sea World and several water parks so we were not interested in going to any of theirs.
In short, we just love the details that are missing at WDW. I think because of so many AP holders at DLR, the park has to stay on it's toes.

 

[honeymom]

I prefer wdw. I like the whole resort experience and take time to relax while there.

Diehard rides with little time doing anything else, than DL.

 

[davidsprincess]

I love anything Disney so in that aspect I don't care. But because of time and $$$, I go to DL.

 

[MPHARJ]

Both! Last year was our first trip to DLR we have gone to WDW every year for the past 7 years, including this year. I can't get away from it no matter how hard I try, hence why I am constantly on these boards! I enjoyed DLR last year and we are going back this June, at the request of my kids. I continue to book the FD at WDW each year, even though we have pretty much done it all, I just can't get away from our love for it. We can now go and enjoy what we really want to at WDW and not rush to get everything done. DLR we are still just getting to know and will do some things this trip we didn't get to last year. So basically, I'm no help!

 

[spaceace510]

they are just so different! I love WDW, my first disney trip that i can really remember. But when i went to DL last week I loved it too. They are just two completely different types of vacations. If you need that fairly short disney vacation, go for DL. But if u want a long and great disney vacation go for WDW or even DCL (that was amazing). But if i had to pick one i would have to go with WDW...even though i do live in California...

 

[quest4dl]

I'm looking forward to the more relaxed pace of DL - haven't been back since 1981 but have visited WDW 3 times since 2001 (plus 3 visits before those ones). However, I am trying to prepare myself for the DL castle which seems truly underwhelming in all of the pictures. I so love MK's castle and seeing it's changing colours at night!

 

[stopher1]

That's so hard, because I love them both... but...

like some pp's, if I had only a day or two - DL hands down. For a longer trip, WDW... but I'd sure like to choose BOTH.

 

[HydroGuy]

I'm looking forward to the more relaxed pace of DL - haven't been back since 1981 but have visited WDW 3 times since 2001 (plus 3 visits before those ones). However, I am trying to prepare myself for the DL castle which seems truly underwhelming in all of the pictures. I so love MK's castle and seeing it's changing colours at night!

For us DLR is not a more relaxed pace. WDW is. Since DLR makes it easier to get in more park hours, and the trip is shorter, it seems to be more high energy. With WDW and more days, we build in off days to the schedule to recharge batteries. For us it is more relaxed than DLR.

However, neither place is really about relaxing. Both are about stimulation of all your senses - all the time. As some have said, if you want to relax then go to the beach.

 

[gramto2boys]

I do not want to relax ! This old granny loves to ride the coasters and all the rides. as someone said.. if its all about the rides go to WDW well it is all about the rides, and I love the magic. Where I live there is no parks, no water parks, in fact nothing. its cold, just snowed 10 inches last night and down right sickening at times.
Im am just concerened about getting lost, getting exausted just trying to find my way around . Here are some more questions.....

how does one use a scooter to get from park to park? ( yes I use one a lot because my back is so bad. ) is it possible to do a scooter with out having to turn it in before you leave one park and paying for another at another park?
I assume you can not hop from park to park as you would disneyland and DCA,so do people just stay in one park that day and another the next?

Hollywood studio's is that universal like californias?
I wish I had a good map to see what WDW looks like up close.

 

[DLR29]

how does one use a scooter to get from park to park? ( yes I use one a lot because my back is so bad. ) is it possible to do a scooter with out having to turn it in before you leave one park and paying for another at another park?
I assume you can not hop from park to park as you would disneyland and DCA,so do people just stay in one park that day and another the next?

Hollywood studio's is that universal like californias?
I wish I had a good map to see what WDW looks like up close.

People do park hop at WDW, but unlike DLR, you have to purchase the "Park Hopper Option" for your ticket (which is like a flat fee of 40 bucks or something good for your whole trip). In fact, for our first WDW trip we bought park hoppers. Went to one park at rope drop in the morning, went back to our condo for lunch and a nap in the afternoon, and then returned to a different park for evening entertainment.

Disney's Hollywood Studios is not Universal. DHS is a park that has some great thrill rides (Tower of Terror, Rock n' Roller Coaster) and some great live entertainment (Lights Motors Action, Indy stunt show, Fantasmic, Voyage of the Little Mermaid).

Universal Studios Orlando and Universal's Islands of Adventure (yes, 2 parks) are about 10 minutes drive from the WDW resort and is much more expansive than the Universal Studios in Hollywood, but the same kind of park/feel.