Disneyland Vs WDW

[AustinTink]

I just think a bus full of cranky children and strollers cracking my shins, and people who don't know the meaning of "indoor" voices no less desirable than seeing a freeway intersection. there is the good with the bad in both places.

ITA. Especially about the indoor voices.

 

[Planogirl]

I loved California. I enjoyed it much more than Florida even though there's a lot to do in both places. I might be biased in Disneyland's favor because of that preference, I don't know.

I also agree that there is nothing magical about WDW outside of the parks. JMO but I don't see why the buses are so great.

I will say that Disney-wise there is of course a lot more to see and do in WDW. That is one big advantage that WDW has. But we had so much fun seeing other things in California and Disneyland is so charming.... I say see both!

 

[Boston Tea Party]

You can hear the outside world from within the park. I heard sirens more than once and yes, while on the monorail you can see the busy life outside.

I didn't hear a thing. To each his own, I guess.

 

[clgwli]

I didn't hear a thing. To each his own, I guess.

Lucky for you then. I heard a siren at least once every day of my 5 day trip. It was the first time I went since I was 11 and highly saddened by it. I am closer to FL than CA so I go to FL more simply by ease. I will go to DLR again but next time I will at least know what to expect.

Again I hadn't been in decades and yes I was disappointed to see reality from my friend's room "on site" as well as from the monorail. As was I a bit sad to hear sirens from DL itself. Never in California Adventure.

There is good and bad to both is my point. I think it is poor taste to paint all types with one brush as you did though.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Are the two comparable or are they too different to compare?

They're pretty different. DL is two parks next to each other with a fancy shopping center in between and surrounded by normal everyday hotels, gas statitions and fast food palaces. WDW is...well, there's nothing really to compare it to. Nothing anywhere. Take DL and then extend that "magic" for miles and miles around. In size alone, WDW is shocking. A friend who had grown up in LA and had season passes to DL all his life was overwhelmed just at how much bigger the MK was.

I'm actually surprised that so many people here prefer DL. To me there is no comparison. Heck, the Pooh ride doesn't even bounce!! A bounceless Pooh ride?! What's the point?! Yes, DL is magical. I would just say that WDW was 3x's more magical.

Is it harder to book a WDW than a DL trip being that there is a size difference between the two?

No. The size has nothing to do with ease of booking. It's perhaps easier to plan a DL trip because there's, ultimately, less to do.

How do the prices compare (entry, food, merchandise) or is it pretty much the same?

Well, I haven't been to DL in a number of years, but I believe the prices are about the same. The only difference I would say is that the disney owned hotels at DL are more expensive than the cheaper of the WDW owned hotels.

How much time would you allow for a WDW trip?

Okay, you cannot (no...not even possible) do WDW in less that 5 nights. My last trip was 10 nights and, as a seasoned WDW traveler, we could not fit in everything we wanted to do.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

There is good and bad to both is my point. I think it is poor taste to paint all types with one brush as you did though.

Just heard the phrase somewhere before and liked it. Actually, I believe that it was a signature here. Didn't know that you were going to take it so personally... Sorry.

 

[Judy from Boise]

They're pretty different.
I'm actually surprised that so many people here prefer DL. To me there is no comparison. Heck, the Pooh ride doesn't even bounce!! A bounceless Pooh ride?! What's the point?!

not to argue, because i really like them both, but the DL people could say the same thing about a Space Mountain without music ( or the ability to sit side by side), or a Pirates without the Bayou scene (let alone a restaurant) or a travesty of a Tiki room under new management........even a Small world without the gorgeous building.
WDW is huge and encompassing and wonderfull, but most people would agree that the majority of "shared" rides are better at DL.

 

[Mickey527]

I have never been to DL but am looking forward to a visit in 2010. My son just got stationed at the Marine base in Mirimar near San Diego and he asked if I could come and visit and go to DL with him. YEAH, i trained him right!
But I do go to WDW at least 3 times a year.
On my last trip in July I stayed at OKW and I heard sirens every day at least once, sometimes as many as 4 times. I know there is an engine house right across from SSR but I can't see how anyone can use outside noises as a way to make one park seem better than the other.
I am really looking forward to seeing the original and from what I hear is the best, Small World. It is my favorite ride and I can't wait to see the DL version. I also am looking forward to seeing everything else, the same or different.
And I am sure I will see things and hear things that I won't hear or see at WDW, but each experience will be special because I will be enjoying the parks not the outside.

 

[wdwgirl03]

not to argue, because i really like them both, but the DL people could say the same thing about a Space Mountain without music ( or the ability to sit side by side), or a Pirates without the Bayou scene (let alone a restaurant) or a travesty of a Tiki room under new management........even a Small world without the gorgeous building.
WDW is huge and encompassing and wonderfull, but most people would agree that the majority of "shared" rides are better at DL.

Agreed. I finally got to go to Disneyland for the first time in 2004 after having been to WDW so many times. I was one of the ones who (sadly) thought I would be bored in Disneyland but I couldn't have been more wrong. Yes, they are two completely different experiences but isn't that kind of the point?!

As for the shared rides, Disneyland's POTC is by far better than WDW's but we think the WDW's Splash Mountain is way better.

I think because it was the first Disney resort I visited Disney World will always be my favorite but Disneyland is great too. In all honesty once we were in the DL parks I didn't feel like I was literally steps away from the motels.

For a true Disney fan, both DLR and WDW are musts. There is so much more to WDW, but what there is in Disneyland is fantastic. Enjoy your road trip in the U.S.

EXACTLY!

 

[KCmike]

I have never experienced any trouble at DL and can imagine where the crime might be an issue as it is so close to LA. I have actually have heard of more things on these boards happening in Downtown Disney in Florida about people getting robbed and mugged, things happening to kids at the value resorts, and people's credit cards stolen over the phone acting like people at the resorts. I guess crime can happen anywhere. So sad.

DL is still hands down better in my opinion.

 

[GeorgeG]

I suppose I would like to go to Disneyland someday if I happened to be in that part of the country, but the real deciding factor for me is that WDW is an hour away by car while the airport is an hour and fifteen minutes by car, one to two hours waiting around and three hours flying just to get to L.A.!

 

[dsny1mom]

We haven't even done our DL trip yet and I am already looking at a visit to WDW.
Are the two comparable or are they too different to compare?
Is it harder to book a WDW than a DL trip being that there is a size difference between the two?
How do the prices compare (entry, food, merchandise) or is it pretty much the same?
How much time would you allow for a WDW trip?
This trip would be a long time in the making (so long it's likely depressing )

They are very different.

My idea of a magical vacation does not include riding a bus or having to plan my days around what restaurant I have ressies at. Unfortunatley those are key components to vacationing at WDW. We perfer to walk to the parks and decide where we will eat based on where we want to be on any given day. That is how DLR works.

As far as DL being in a city, you are only effected by the city if you stay off site. No different if you go to WDW and stay off site. With the exception that if you stay off site at DL you can usually walk to the park in 10 minutes, while staying off site at WDW requires probably 30-60 minutes in drive, parking and traffic time.

It's harder to book a WDW vacation when it comes to restaurants. You have to book most sit down eateries 90 days out and many book up so quickly you don't have a chance at getting a ressie. So your vacation can be controlled by your ressies leaving you little spontinaity if you want something other than fast food.

You can get a cheaper room at WDW on site than at DL, but the HOJO accross the street from DL is much nicer (so I am told) than any of the values at WDW. Merchandise is similar in price at both locations. APs are less at DL than WDW. There are more sit down restaurants at WDW so the potential to spend more on food at WDW exists.

You will need more time at WDW, as it takes sooo much longer to get to to the parks and to navigate through them. IDK, 10 days of heat and humidity or rain and humidity is about all we've ever be able to stand at WDW. As for DL we can do two weeks plus every year and still don't want to leave.

dsny1mom

 

[jlmarr]

Good to get back to the original post - I don't think the OP intended to start a religious war. It occurs to me that since the OP has already done the DL planning that Hydroguy's Intro to WDW for DLR Vets might be useful. He always does a thorough and even-handed job.

 

[PatriciaH]

I suppose I would like to go to Disneyland someday if I happened to be in that part of the country, but the real deciding factor for me is that WDW is an hour away by car while the airport is an hour and fifteen minutes by car, one to two hours waiting around and three hours flying just to get to L.A.!

A lot more than 3 hours-try 6. Still, California is light years more beautiful than Florida and a wonderful place to vacation. Disneyland is my favorite out of all the parks we have been to (DL, CA, MK, Epcot, DHS, AK, DLP, DStudiosP.) New Orleans Square is my favorite land!