Disneyland

[dragitoff]

Not sure if this is the right place to put this, but I've got a question to pose to yall. I will be staying in Anaheim for business next October. My company will fly me out there, furnish a room (since the convention center is less than a mile from Disneyland, I'll probably stay on property). Here's my dilema. I've been pushing for a trip for my family to DL, but since we live so close to WDW, my wife always says no; however she's insisting that I not go to DL w/o my family even though I'd get to go for pretty much nothing. I'd only have 1 day to hit the parks since I'll be there on business, but figured this would be the chance of a lifetime. I've heard we'll be disappointed because most people compare WDW to DL, but I want to go to see the original. I want to ride the original POTC and HM. What should I do? She's an avid DSer like I am.

 

[tink too]

Best advice if you decide to go to Disneyland is not to compare it to WDW. It's lovely but different. After all, it is Walt's park.

 

[Sleeping Becca]

I would not pass up a chance to go to DL.

My DH travels alot and does things that I would love to do, and I'm happy for him. Sure, I wish I could go sometimes, but I would never keep him from doing something he really wanted to do.

I went to DL for the first time last year and absolutely loved it! I think that DL is better than MK, MK is DL lite. Don't get me wrong I still love WDW, but I can't wait to return to DL.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I insisted my DH visit DL last year - he was afraid it would be too small. I asked him to look at it as someting different than WDW.

DL has advantages WDW will never have.......but for DH.....

He was THRILLED. There is much that is similar but enough different to charm any Disney lover. Many of the rides are even BETTER than at WDW.....Pirates, HM...SPACE MOUNTAIN.

These are the stones, the pathways, the streets that Walt designed and walked. There is a Disney magic there which cannot be duplicated.

It's compact. You will walk EVERYWHERE.....want to go back to the room for a quick nap....it's a 5 minute walk.

The Disney resorts are wonderful. The Grand Cali is our favorite hotel anywhere in the World --- and we have been to some fabulous hotels! It is simply beautiful and the side entrance into CA is great.


Bottom line...is it a 10-day stay adventure? Probably not. We stayed for 5 nights and it was just about right.

We live on the East Coast ---- but hope to visit DL again in 2009.


Take the family.....they will love it and you will not be sorry.

 

[DebbieB]

My first time in DL was on a business trip about 2 years ago, just an afternoon. I liked it and had my first actual vacation there last April. I'm going back next week for 3 days! I love looking at the differences and I love DL/DCA on it's own, not comparing so much which is "better".

 

[WhateverLolaWants]

Not going to lie, DL really can't compare to WDW in my opinion but I think it's something that needs to be seen. I absolutely love their POTC better than WDW's, their parade is amazing (and I'm not a parade person at all), and it is really neat to see the original park.

 

[snikelfrizt]

Funny!!! We are the opposite! My family is on the west coast so we are Disneyland vetrans make atleast 2 trips a year. This Jan we will be going to WDW for the 1st time............. about 6 years ago my hubby had the chance to go to WDW on business with out us. I was totally bummed we couldn't go but told him he couldn't miss out. He has been dying to take us ever since.
I say go for it....... we love DL.if you are alone you could more than likley hit both parks and get a great taste of it.
Have fun!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

By all means, visit Disneyland. I find that when I compare Disneyland to the Magic Kingdom only, there's no contest. What makes WDW special for me is Epcot. Despite its' smaller size, Disneyland actually has more attractions than the Magic Kingdom and quite often has the superior version of those attractions the parks share(Space Mountain, just about all of Fantasyland, POTC to name a few).

Disneyland has a special charm to it, seeing as how it is Walt's dream. The other thing that really stands out to me is the attention to detail in Disneyland. Fantasyland itself is loaded with elaborate building facades out of London, Germany, and Italy that transport you to another place.

I echo the idea of trying not to compare the resorts. You may well find yourself missing out on what makes Disneyland so special. And last but not least, remember this. If it wasn't for Disneyland there would be no WDW.

 

[ktlm]

Your wife is not going to like me for saying this, but I say- GO GO GO!!! I love WDW and can even remember not really liking DL the one time we went there as a kid because it was not WDW, but I got the same opportunity as you a few months ago- a business trip in the area with 1 open day. I felt bad about going to DL without my 2 year old, but I couldn't be that close and not go (I did actually take DH with me since all it cost was his airfare, but there was no way I could keep up with DD on the business trip so she stayed home). I'm so glad I did!! We spent 1 day and park hopped. We stayed pretty much from open to close and went like crazy trying to get as much in as we could. It was great!! You need to go even if just to ride Indiana Jones, POTC and Space Mountain. Indiana Jones is terrific!! There are also rides that WDW doesn't have like Alice, Pinocchio, Mr. Toad, Monsters Inc., Roger Rabbit, etc. I loved DL and someday we will make a family trip there, although we won't go to California just to go to DL like we do with WDW. We will probably spend a day at each park and then do other things. I would suggest (if you can't just take your family with you this time) telling your wife that you NEED to go so that you can scout out whether it is different enough and good enough that you should all come back on a family trip. If you are like me, you would go absolutely crazy being so close and not going to the parks.

 

[rosiep]

I think it's a little sad that your wife doesn't want you to go. I have been married for 25 years and I would never want my husband to miss out experiencing something he would love just because I wasn't able to be with him.

As for DL vs WDW. I have been to both and while I think WDW is a better vacation, DL is a fabulous park. The rides are so much more detailed and you just can't help but feel you're standing in the middle of where it all began.

I hope you go, and I hope your wife makes peace with it.

 

[dragitoff]

I think it's a little sad that your wife doesn't want you to go. I have been married for 25 years and I would never want my husband to miss out experiencing something he would love just because I wasn't able to be with him.

As for DL vs WDW. I have been to both and while I think WDW is a better vacation, DL is a fabulous park. The rides are so much more detailed and you just can't help but feel you're standing in the middle of where it all began.

I hope you go, and I hope your wife makes peace with it.

To be honest, I think she's just giving me a hard time about it. She's definitely not being rude or mean about it. See, I went to MNSSHP this past October while I was at this same convention in Orlando. I asked my DW to come as well, but we couldn't let our DD's miss school. She picked on me about doing that without them, so I think she's just giving me a hard time, but it really seems like too good of a deal to pass up. I'm an avid lover of POTC and HM, so to ride the originals would be a treat! I really want to ride the original Space Mountain and DL exclusive rides like Matterhorn.

I had a layover in Tokyo earlier this year and you don't know how tempting it was not to try to get over to Disney Tokyo. Had I not been in China for a week, I probably would have stayed over an extra day and did it!

 

[parrothead928]

GO GO GO GO GO GO GO!!!!! The Indiana Jones ride will be worth every ounce of grief that you will get from your spouse!!!!!

Have a fun time! POTC, the Haunted Mansion, they are wonderful, but, DO NOT MISS Indiana Jones!!! Did I mention that is a great ride????

 

[rosiep]

To be honest, I think she's just giving me a hard time about it. She's definitely not being rude or mean about it. See, I went to MNSSHP this past October while I was at this same convention in Orlando. I asked my DW to come as well, but we couldn't let our DD's miss school. She picked on me about doing that without them, so I think she's just giving me a hard time, but it really seems like too good of a deal to pass up. I'm an avid lover of POTC and HM, so to ride the originals would be a treat! I really want to ride the original Space Mountain and DL exclusive rides like Matterhorn.

I had a layover in Tokyo earlier this year and you don't know how tempting it was not to try to get over to Disney Tokyo. Had I not been in China for a week, I probably would have stayed over an extra day and did it!

I can see how she might pout a little having missed the last trip..but if she's a good sport in the end then you MUST go. POTC in DL just blew me away.

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I've moved this thread to the Disneyland board.

 

[bumbershoot]

"since we live so close to WDW, my wife always says no; however she's insisting that I not go to DL w/o my family"


That just makes no sense. Surely she realizes that.

Sounds like she's starting to realize that she does want to go, so this could probably be turned into trip planning for a family DLR trip!

But of course you will need to check it out first, just to make sure everyone will enjoy it. Get the lay of the land, so you're not all total newbies when you get there.

But I totally understand being jealous. Get this bit of nonsense on my part: I have taken TWO solo trips. Spent almost 48 hours away at Disneyland last January, and last month I went away for 5 days for a (really awful) "girl's trip" to San Diego, which ended in a day solo at Disneyland. Hubby even had to take time off to watch DS for that!

We're in deep negotiation/planning for different sort of FUN girl's trip, with people here on the Dis, and the deal on the table right now is that I can go on that one, but then DS and DH will go alone for a "guy's trip" over hubby's birthday. And I am BEYOND jealous! I can barely even handle the idea of them going without me.

So maybe your wife knows that it's a silly feeling, even though she's having it, just like me.

 

[zeitzeuge]

I've been to DLR numerous times growing up and even more in the past few years. I've also finally been to WDW a couple of times recently as well. It's almost like comparing apples and oranges. DLR is smaller, more quaint and just has an over all different feel then WDW in my opinion. I go to each park for different reasons. Each one is unique and offers a different experience. I personally like DLR a lot more, just due to the fact that it's Walt's original park. Sounds silly, but I find the place more magical then WDW.

I say go, but would spend the entire day at DLR and not waste your time right now with trying to do both parks (DCA) at this time since so much of the park is under construction and change.

 

[Sherry E]

Way back in the '80s, way before there was an Animal Kingdom and a Disney-MGM (later to become Disney Hollywood), Blizzard Beach, etc., people I knew who had been to the Magic Kingdom in Orlando said that it was not the same as DL. They said it didn't have the same personality or character and charm that DL had. DLR can't really compare with WDW as a total resort experience, but DL as a singular park is supposed to be so much better than the MK. I think a lot of people think WDW is better because there is so much to the whole experience, but forget all of that. Just look at DL and DCA as two totally different places from anything in Florida. In fact, I bet you will really end up loving DCA! DCA has a lot of great little areas to see that have a different feel from what is in Disneyland.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

If you only have one day, then I would honestly skip DCA altogether. The very best headliner attractions in DCA are all at WDW in one form or another.

 

[tueyesonu]

Spend the day at Disneyland. It will be easy then to speak from first hand on how great it would be to take the family.

 

[Marciern22]

Hey!!!! Think of it as a scouting expedition. Tell your spouse that you need to check it out so that the two of you will be better informed about making a future trip with the family. She really needs to visit us. SOON!!
As avid DISers, you should already know the HUGOMONGOUS differences there are between the two resorts and you should never compare them if at all possible. Disney lovers like us, should explore it all, and appreciate it all differently.
Come...Enjoy!!!!
But make a trip thru DCA, it has already changed from what it was, and it's gonna change a lot more.
I was there two weeks ago and they were draining the lake at Paradise Pier, all of that money down in the water looked so gross and I counted 4 hats and 5 pairs of glasses just where I was looking over the side. Then last week...the lake was completely empty. So weird to see.
Visit the Blue Sky Cellar and see all the changes coming up.
And don't forget at DL...It's A Small World is BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!