Disneyland or WDW?

[minmate]

I have finally got dh on-board for another disney trip... likely next February. This year, it has been so cold and with no vaca to a warm spot put him over the edge! Yay for me! Here's my dilemma... do we do FLA or CA?

Details: We are from Boston and would be traveling with 6 total (me, dh, and kids, ages 7, 6, 4 1/2 and 3).

Flight from Boston to Orlando much shorter than to California... and for the same price, selecting where we'd want to stay and what to do, we could get 4 nights and 3 days at the parks in California for the same or close to price as 6 nights/7days in Orlando.

It's possible to stay off-site in California and save spend about $1000 less cashing in Marriott points... in which case the 4n/3d in CA WOULD be cheaper than the cost of Orlando. (I would want to stay on-site in Orlando, but not necessary in California).

Anyway, we went to WDW with the whole family last June 2004 and had taken our two older girls in March 2004 to WDW. None of them have been to Disneyland. I have friends in Calif. as I used to live there, that could come spend a day or two in the parks with us and I REALLY want my kids to epxerience the Main Street Electrical Parade while they are young. It was so special to me. I want them to have that (I don't get the same feeling from Spectro).... so is it worth the longer plane flight and shorter trip to California or should I just do WDW again? Your thoughts please!!!!! TIA!

 

[alicenwonder99]

My vote is for Disneyland in California. I prefer it over WDW. If the kids haven't been there yet, they would love it. You could rent a car and go site-seeing, too. We drove to the beach, Beverly Hills and Hollywood. We got a map of the stars' homes and drove all around the hills one day looking at the stars' homes...lol...so typical! But our highlight was actually seeing Halle Berry standing outside her gate talking with someone in a car!!! The kids loved that!!

Disneyland is a more relaxed park. Also, you don't really need to stay onsite there.

Let us know what you decide.

Mary

 

[LisaNJ25]

I also vote for Disneyland. I took my son a few years ago. We had a great time.

I used www.getawaytoday.com and got a great deal on tickets and hotel. It was so cheap for us to go.

The good thing is you do not have to stay on site. In FL that is a must for me. But it CA I walked to the parks from my hotel.

I also wanted to ad I would go just to see the Main Street Electrical Parade. I love it. I saw it in 2001 in both FL and than in CA.

 

[Nicolepa]

Well I vote for DW. We live in Seattle and we always go to DW, long flight and all. I haven't been to DL since California adventure opened, but I have heard that there is not a lot for small kids to do. For us once you go to DW DL doesn't come close to comparing. We don't like that from the rides on DL you can see the freeway & traffic on the street. Makes us feel like we are at any ordinary amusement park.

For us it's cheaper to do DW. The airfare is cheaper to go to Orlando, the rooms are cheap (we are DVC now, but we used to get FL discount as dh's parents would meet us there) and there is enough that we can stay for a week and not do it all!

 

[minmate]

I'm not sure how long the flight is, but how do you keep younger kids occupied on a cross-country flight such as Boston to LA or Seattle to Orlando?

 

[MinnieM21]

I vote for Disneyland especially since your girls have never been there! I've been going to Disneyland ever since I was a little girl and it's my favorite place in the world. Afterall, it's the original Magic Kingdom.

To keep the kids occupied: Coloring books, crayons, crafts, crossword puzzles, even a portable DVD player so the kids can watch movies, (I use my laptop to watch movies), lots of snacks, travel games, books.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I would normally vote for DL but in this case I won't due to the time of year you are considering traveling to S. California. February is very rainy (especially this year: mud slides, flooding, etc.). Try to keep that in mind when making your decision. Which ever you choose, I hope you have a great time and lots of warm sunny weather!

 

[amwhitaker]

My first Disney experience was at Disneyland in 1979. First trip to WDW was in 1985. I visited Disneyland again this past November and although I loved being there and experiencing California Adventure for the first time, I still love the World! I just didn't get the goosebumps I get at WDW. This may sound strange, but the CM's at the World are much friendlier than at Disneyland. I didn't get any good interaction with them.

 

[Nicolepa]

I'm not sure how long the flight is, but how do you keep younger kids occupied on a cross-country flight such as Boston to LA or Seattle to Orlando?

Well with layovers it is usually about 8-9 hours (6 hours of acutal flying). The first thing you do is pray really hard that they will sleep! The next thing I do is bring lots of new stuff for them. Doesn't have to be expensive, just new. Coloring books, new games for their leapster (or whatever game system they have, if they don't have one buy one!), play doh is a big hit, matchbox cars, books, etc. Lots of their favorite snacks and drinks. I don't count on the airlines for drinks, you never know how often they will be by etc. (Once they told me I couldn't have any milk for my baby, that it was for coffee only).

The third thing I do is apologize in advance to anyone sitting near us! No seriously the biggest thing is to know that they will make noise, they will run around etc and that's just tough luck. You try to contain it the best you can but I try not to stress out about it. I make this flight about 3x a year (in-laws live in Ft. Lauderdale). Do I enjoy it, no, but once you are there you forget all about the flight.