Disneyland vs. Disneyworld...

[HolyCowImADisneyBrde]

I'm having a super hard time deciding which one to go with! Disneyworld is bigger, but Disneyland is a lot closer for us (we live in WA). Disneyworld also has cheaper hotel rooms for our guests, but Disneyland would be cheaper airfair. I keep going back and forth. Does anyone have any suggestions or comments to help me out?

 

[hiwaygal]

I'm not sure I can be of any help...but I do have some thoughts.

Have you checked out the Disney Wedding Website? From there you can take a look at the options for a DL or WDW wedding.

Personally, I think you have more choices (and therefore more flexibility) with a WDW wedding. And as you pointed out WDW is MUCH bigger. If your guests aren't necessarily "into" the theme parks, they have a lot more options for things to do and see while at WDW (the resorts themselves can be worth going for! )

Maybe call around to some of your guests and ask which they think would be better?

 

[RangerPooh]

Something else to consider is the price of a wedding at both locations.

WDW weddings:
Intimate (up to 18 guests max) for 2008 start around $4000 (could be more), This price doesn't include a reception or an officiant. But does include photgraphy, cake, champaign, 4 hrs of limo, and a violinist

Custom start at $10,000 for a M-TH weddings. Fri-Sun have higher minimums to meet. Obviously the mimimums for inpark weddinsg can be more.

Pros:
WDW has more options regarding transportation, locations, characters to appear,
MK/EPCOT in park in weding attire portrait sessions available for extra fee
larger parks,more to see/do
more lodging available both onsite and off


Cons:
Higher number of room nights to meet, minimum is 25 for 50 guests (?)

Disneyland
Monday-Thursday minimum pricing starts at ~$7500, Fri-Sun start at $10,000. Obviously in park would be more.

Pros:
Fewer number of room nights to meet, 10 I believe
easier location choices as not too many available
Lower cost
guests can stay off site or on site, off site is obviously cheaper and actually closer at times
Cinderella's coach is cheaper to rent and much more elaborate looking
2 parks so guests stay close, other attractions in the area include beaches, Hollywood, Knott's

Cons:
fewer location options
they discontinued the inpark photo sessions in wedding attire

As a former DL bride who lives in Washington state, I say that you can't go wrong with either! We planned our DL wedding from a distance (nothern Ca at the time) and didn't ahve any problems. Many of our guests stayed offsite and it wasn't an issue. DL felt very intimate and we loved our wedding. We had a Monday wedding so the minimums to meet were lower and that's always nice. However, we are now considering a VR for our 10th (or possibly sooner) anniversary at WDW. If you ahve any questions please feel free to ask.

 

[lurkyloo]

I would just add that (if this is important to you) you can actually get married in a park at WDW for the $10,000 minumum, whereas Disneyland wants $25,000-$65,000 (ceremony only) for in-park weddings.

We live an hour from Disneyland but we're having to get married at Walt Disney World in order to have an in-park wedding. But that's our priority - maybe not yours!

Also: Airfares from the West Coast to Orlando can be as low as $200 R/T, and I've never seen an airfare to LA from Seattle for less than $180...

 

[RangerPooh]

Also: Airfares from the West Coast to Orlando can be as low as $200 R/T, and I've never seen an airfare to LA from Seattle for less than $180...

This is a good point. We have flown out of Portland, Seattle, and Spokane (all depends on the price) to both DL and WDW and the price can fluccuate heavily. Now we have occassionally gotten Portland/Seattle to Anaheim for ~$!80, it's usually in the $250+ range. But then again the price to Orlando fluccuates too. Although this morning I was able to book airfare to MCO from PDX for $236 each after tax! But we've been paying upwards of $325 per ticket lately. However, if you have guests who plan to make the drive to Anaheim then flying isn't a factor.

 

[Janell]

Even thought I live 20 min from DL, I choose WDW because you could get photos taken infront of the castle and I like the locations they offer a lot better.

Also, I have tried calling DL to set up a bridal shower and its now two months later and they have never called me once. I know people who have tried to get things done at DL for events and they said its hard. With WDW, its easy to get what you want done and they will call you back.

Good luck choosing, either way your going to have a great wedding.

 

[Bouncy bounce]

I'm having a super hard time deciding which one to go with! Disneyworld is bigger, but Disneyland is a lot closer for us (we live in WA). Disneyworld also has cheaper hotel rooms for our guests, but Disneyland would be cheaper airfair. I keep going back and forth. Does anyone have any suggestions or comments to help me out?

Ok, Here is what I have found and I will be completely honest. After over twenty trips to Walt Disney World in Orlando we finally decided to change it up and go to Disneyland.

To me it just isnt the same.
~ Not as many things to do/ see
~employees there just dont care and they will talk about the latest gossip before they will help you out (to me i have never seen that in walt disney world)
~ cheaper hotel rooms in fl... Expect the califorian hotel was really nice in Ca
~ food wasnt as good
~ you can tell where improvement were made from the rides in ca that are also in fl..

Maybe I'm just hooked on Walt Disney World but this is just my honest opinion and experience

 

[dwelty]

Also: Airfares from the West Coast to Orlando can be as low as $200 R/T, and I've never seen an airfare to LA from Seattle for less than $180...

Where are you finding these rates? We fly from LA to Orlando all the time, and I have never found a rate lower than $300.00 R/T (I use Travelocity,Expedia, etc.) what is your secret?

 

[theantibride]

I've been to both and love both but for me WDW was the easiest choice cause we're passholders and we're there ALL the time. Also although our family is spread out all over the country the majority of them are spread up & down the East coast. That solidified Disney for us because a lot of my family does not fly. I come from a long line of claustrophobic people who would rather drive so asking them to come from say NJ to FL is a lot easier than asking them to get to CA. I think you need to go with whichever park is nearest and dearest to your heart as well as where most of the people you want to be there live and would travel to. Good luck!

 

[lurkyloo]

Where are you finding these rates? We fly from LA to Orlando all the time, and I have never found a rate lower than $300.00 R/T (I use Travelocity,Expedia, etc.) what is your secret?

Not to go too far OT, but here's what I do: Use www.bookingbuddy.com to type in my travel dates once and then search as many different sites as I want. Kayak.com usually comes up with the most results. Then I go to the website of the actual airline to purchase (saves on booking fees).

General tips: I don't buy tickets more than four months out or less than 2 weeks before. I try to travel on Saturdays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays - saves a ton! Example: Two weeks ago I got a nonstop ticket from LA to Orlando for $226 R/T on United for September, traveling Saturday to Tuesday. It was $60 more to travel Sunday to Tuesday or Friday to Monday.

Hope this helps - and sorry I hijacked your thread, OP!

 

[HolyCowImADisneyBrde]

Thanks so much for all of your advice! We have decided to go with Disneyworld. =)

 

[cryssi]

guess I'm too late here...glad you made your decision, though! I was a Disneyland bride and it was wonderful. The food was quite possibly the best wedding food ever! The cake was hands down the best cake ever! We had our ceremony in the Rose Court Garden and reception after hours at DCA! OMG, it was so much fun and I still can hardly believe that ordinary people like us had an after hours park event.

We were originally going to do a WDW wedding pavilion wedding, but it would have just been too difficult for all our family (all in CA) to go there. Most of my family is in northern ca, so they all either drove down or flew southwest $49 each way or something like that. Plus, my grandparents, who wouldn't have been able to make the trip to FL came, which meant so much to me. It's all these things you have to weigh to make your decision, but since you have to travel a distance anyway, go with what works best for you!

 

[cryssi]

Example: Two weeks ago I got a nonstop ticket from LA to Orlando for $226 R/T on United for September, traveling Saturday to Tuesday.

???????????????????? lol seriously?!?!?!

 

[lurkyloo]

Seriously!! ...now where's that smiley with the shades...?