I actually posted this review on the Disneyland side of the forum after my trip the week of October 1st 2012 and someone suggested i should also post it here for WDW vets thinking about going to Disneyland.
OK, my wife and I just got back from a California trip and Ive been visiting the Disneyland side of this forum for several months prior to the trip so I thought I owned the forum my review after visiting DLR last week. This is MY opinion and we know what opinions are worth so take it with that in mind. Also Im a big time WDW fan so my opinion comes from that prospective as well.
Lets start with California in general. People have stated the weather in CAL. is better than Florida ... I couldnt agree more, the weather was awesome. That said the traffic and driving in southern California is the worse Ive seen anyplace and I'm well traveled. Traffic is always backed up and people drive like maniacs. My advice to non-Californians who go to DL is to stay AT DL or at a friendly neighbor hotel so you don't have to drive much. We stayed in Indio which is east of Palm Springs and around 120 miles away from DL and the commuting to and from DL was a horror show. Getting around Florida is much easier if you stay off property.
Disneyland ... totally magical!!! Its small compared to the Magic Kingdom at WDW but its full of history and ... well ... magic. Some attractions which are at both parks are better at DL. Pirates is better and Space Mountain and The Haunted Mansion done up for Halloween totally blows away their counterparts at WDW however Splash Mountain at WDW is better. New Orleans SQ is also wonderful. My only issue with DL is the crowds. We went during a slower time and during mid week and there was still way too many people for such a small park. It felt more crowded than WDW feels during the busy season. If I had to pick which Magic Kingdom is better my nod would go to DL in California. DL simply has more heart and history than the Magic Kingdom in Florida.
The California Adventure ... Sorry but I was disappointed. To me it felt more like a Six Flags or Buch Gardens type park than Disney park. A lot of the rides were the type you can find at ANY amusement park and it just didnt FEEL like Disney. I was also disappointed with Cars Land. The theme was amazing but as far as im concerned it really only had ONE real attraction, Radiator Springs Racers. The wife and I got to the park at 10:30 (It opened at 10) and the Fass Passes for RSR were already gone! How does that happen in just a half hour?? Do they only give out 100 for the day? We went on it and it was great but not worth waiting for more than an hour IMO. Also IMO the floating tire ride is a joke and Matters Junkyard Jamboree was just a cute looking pre-school age carnival ride. (Little kids will love it though) Also most of the attractions the park shares with WDW, those attractions are as good or better at WDW. TOT is better at WDW, Its tough to be a bug has better theming in the Tree of life at WDW, The toy story ride has Mr. Potato Head as a barker in the WDW cue and he isnt at DCA, and so on. OH ... the Aladdin show at DCA was AWESOME!!!! That was a huge plus for DCA. Dont get me wrong, DCA is a nice park but IMO it doesnt hold a candle to Epcot, The Hollywood Movie Studios or The Animal Kingdom at WDW and I was very disapointed.
So in a nut shell, my opinion (you may not agree with my opinion but you won't change it) is Disneyland's Magic kingdom in and of itself is amazing and better than the Magic Kingdom in WDW in and of itself, but the California Adventure is a Disappointment and its not Disney enough for my taste. I think ALL WDW fans need to visit DL at least once in their life, Disneyland by itself (not counting DCA) is worth the trip and my wife and i LOVE Disneyland. But for me, because of Epcot, The Hollywood Studios park and The Animal Kingdom, (Not to mention all the Disney resorts and water parks) WDW is still where my heart is.
Thats my review and honest opinion.
Much love DL!!! Thanks for the wonderful magical time.
__________________
OK, my wife and I just got back from a California trip and Ive been visiting the Disneyland side of this forum for several months prior to the trip so I thought I owned the forum my review after visiting DLR last week. This is MY opinion and we know what opinions are worth so take it with that in mind. Also Im a big time WDW fan so my opinion comes from that prospective as well.
Lets start with California in general. People have stated the weather in CAL. is better than Florida ... I couldnt agree more, the weather was awesome. That said the traffic and driving in southern California is the worse Ive seen anyplace and I'm well traveled. Traffic is always backed up and people drive like maniacs. My advice to non-Californians who go to DL is to stay AT DL or at a friendly neighbor hotel so you don't have to drive much. We stayed in Indio which is east of Palm Springs and around 120 miles away from DL and the commuting to and from DL was a horror show. Getting around Florida is much easier if you stay off property.
Disneyland ... totally magical!!! Its small compared to the Magic Kingdom at WDW but its full of history and ... well ... magic. Some attractions which are at both parks are better at DL. Pirates is better and Space Mountain and The Haunted Mansion done up for Halloween totally blows away their counterparts at WDW however Splash Mountain at WDW is better. New Orleans SQ is also wonderful. My only issue with DL is the crowds. We went during a slower time and during mid week and there was still way too many people for such a small park. It felt more crowded than WDW feels during the busy season. If I had to pick which Magic Kingdom is better my nod would go to DL in California. DL simply has more heart and history than the Magic Kingdom in Florida.
The California Adventure ... Sorry but I was disappointed. To me it felt more like a Six Flags or Buch Gardens type park than Disney park. A lot of the rides were the type you can find at ANY amusement park and it just didnt FEEL like Disney. I was also disappointed with Cars Land. The theme was amazing but as far as im concerned it really only had ONE real attraction, Radiator Springs Racers. The wife and I got to the park at 10:30 (It opened at 10) and the Fass Passes for RSR were already gone! How does that happen in just a half hour?? Do they only give out 100 for the day? We went on it and it was great but not worth waiting for more than an hour IMO. Also IMO the floating tire ride is a joke and Matters Junkyard Jamboree was just a cute looking pre-school age carnival ride. (Little kids will love it though) Also most of the attractions the park shares with WDW, those attractions are as good or better at WDW. TOT is better at WDW, Its tough to be a bug has better theming in the Tree of life at WDW, The toy story ride has Mr. Potato Head as a barker in the WDW cue and he isnt at DCA, and so on. OH ... the Aladdin show at DCA was AWESOME!!!! That was a huge plus for DCA. Dont get me wrong, DCA is a nice park but IMO it doesnt hold a candle to Epcot, The Hollywood Movie Studios or The Animal Kingdom at WDW and I was very disapointed.
So in a nut shell, my opinion (you may not agree with my opinion but you won't change it) is Disneyland's Magic kingdom in and of itself is amazing and better than the Magic Kingdom in WDW in and of itself, but the California Adventure is a Disappointment and its not Disney enough for my taste. I think ALL WDW fans need to visit DL at least once in their life, Disneyland by itself (not counting DCA) is worth the trip and my wife and i LOVE Disneyland. But for me, because of Epcot, The Hollywood Studios park and The Animal Kingdom, (Not to mention all the Disney resorts and water parks) WDW is still where my heart is.
Thats my review and honest opinion.
Much love DL!!! Thanks for the wonderful magical time.
__________________
