Disneylander visiting WDW - Priorities?

[Psymonds]

We're coming in July out from the west coast to experience the humidity we've heard so much about. WE are frequent DL folks and haven't been to Orlando in 15+ years.
(we includes Me, DW, DS14, DD12 and DS6)

Trying to make a list for planning what our priorities should be at WDW because we likely won't be back out east for 10+ more years. Want to make sure we don't miss something special.

I think in General we're looking at:

1. Rides or Attractions Unavailable in DLR
   1. Magic Kingdom
      1. Country Bears
      2. 7Dwarves Mine Train
      3. People Mover
      4. Tron
      5. Barn Stormer?
      6. Hall of Presidents
      7. Monster's Inc Laugh Floor?
      8. Carousel of Progress
   2. DHS
      1. Rock N Roller Coaster
      2. slinky dog dash
      3. Stage Shows
   3. Epcot
      1. Everything but Soarin', Turtle Talk
   4. Animal Kingdom
      1. Everything except Kali River Rapids

going to add the interactive games in each park as hot afternoon activities.

• Rides that are substantially different at DLR
  1. Haunted Mansion
  2. Fantasmic?
  3. Stage Shows at DHS
  4. Tower of Terror
  5. Big Thunder Mountain RR
  6. Space Mountain
  7. Swiss Family Treehouse
• Things we enjoy anyway
  1. Tiki Room
  2. Jungle Cruise
  3. We'll ride Peter Pan either way because my wife loves it
  4. Runaway Railway
  5. We'll probably skip Small World.
  6. Muppet Vision
  7. Star tours
  8. Rise of Resistance
  9. Millennium Falcon
  10. Toy Story Mania
  11. Any Roller coaster (DS14 will want the credit)
• Restaurants that are unique experiences:
  1. unique WDW dining thread
• Unique other activities?
  1. Yeehaw Bob?
  2. AKL Savanna Views
  3. Resorts

Edits in italics from suggestions below

What are folks' suggestions in addition?

 

[onegai]

Doesn't Soarin' have different video in WDW vs DLR?

 

[Douglas Dubh]

Doesn't Soarin' have different video in WDW vs DLR?

Only the last scene.

 

[Apiary]

how long do these take to play? are they crowded? do you have to wait for stations?

Depends on the game. Pirates and Duck Tails are done in chapters, with each chapter taking 10-30 minutes depending on how long it takes to move between the stations. I don’t think there will be much of a wait, most guests don’t even know the games exist. For the wilderness explorer one there can be short waits at the tables, but there’s so many stations throughout the park it’s easy to just visit the ones without waits.

 

[mouschievous]

Hi there! Another west coaster here. We made our first trip to WDW in Jan 2022. here are my thoughts...

1. Rides or Attractions Unavailable in DLR
   1. Magic Kingdom
      1. Country Bears An oldie but goodie, and it's short and easy to get into so it doesn't take a lot of time. Super cheesy, but totally nostalgic for me, but even my husband - who had never seen it - enjoyed it
      2. 7Dwarves Mine Train. Yes! But beware, it's REALLY short.
      3. People Mover
      4. Tron
      5. Barn Stormer?
      6. Hall of Presidents We really loved this. Honestly though, I loved the lobby and all the artifacts more than the show!
      7. Monster's Inc Laugh Floor? YES! One of my favorites in WDW
      8. Carousel of Progress. It's ok. I'd probably skip it next time, but it's worth seeing once. it's just really long
   2. DHS
      1. Rock N Roller Coaster
      2. slinky dog dash
      3. Stage Shows Specifically the Indy show. Muppets 3D is really cute too, and if you haven't done MMRR yet definitely do it. Also, don't skimp on Toy Story Land - it's my favorite land in all of the Disney universe. I could spend hours there just soaking in all the details (except there's NO shade, so be prepared for that). And the queue for Midway Mania is FANTASTIC!
   3. Epcot
      1. Everything but Soarin', Turtle Talk
   4. Animal Kingdom
      1. Everything except Kali River Rapids
2. Rides that are substantially different at DLR
   1. Haunted Mansion. Not really that different, I didn't think, other than the outside.
   2. Fantasmic? Not all that different
   3. Stage Shows at DHS
   4. Tower of Terror
   5. Big Thunder Mountain RR. It's ok. It goes the opposite way of DL so it feels "wrong," and it's missing the effects and the goat. Not my fave
   6. Space Mountain. never again! It's worse than the Matterhorn
   7. Swiss Family Treehouse
3. Things we enjoy anyway
   1. Tiki Room
   2. Jungle Cruise There's an extra scene at WDW, which I didn't know about and enjoyed thoroughly
   3. We'll ride Peter Pan either way because my wife loves it The queue is fantastic!
   4. Runaway Railway
   5. We'll probably skip Small World.
   6. Muppet Vision
   7. Star tours
   8. Rise of Resistance
   9. Millennium Falcon
   10. Toy Story Mania
   11. Any Roller coaster (DS14 will want the credit)
4. Restaurants that are unique experiences:
   1. unique WDW dining thread. If I had to pick a fave, it was 50s Prime Time Cafe. Close second would be the German restaurant. 50s PTC was our fave because our server was so fantastic, and we were there with my parents who were kids in the 50s. The decor was like being at my grandma's! Mom and I loved our food, everyone else thought it was ok (I had meatloaf, mom had fried chicken, everyone else had caesar salads). But if you don't like the schtick, you won't love it.
5. Unique other activities?
   1. Yeehaw Bob?
   2. AKL Savanna Views
   3. Resorts

 

[Psymonds]

If I had to pick a fave, it was 50s Prime Time Cafe. Close second would be the German restaurant. 50s PTC was our fave because our server was so fantastic, and we were there with my parents who were kids in the 50s. The decor was like being at my grandma's! Mom and I loved our food, everyone else thought it was ok (I had meatloaf, mom had fried chicken, everyone else had caesar salads). But if you don't like the schtick, you won't love it.

we enjoyed PTC in 2006! it was just DW and I then, so we may have to do it again!

 

[Douglas Dubh]

We'll ride Peter Pan either way because my wife loves it

I don’t think anyone has mentioned it yet but in DL you fly over Neverland. In MK you fly through it

 

[Psymonds]

I don’t think anyone has mentioned it yet but in DL you fly over Neverland. In MK you fly through it

nice! there's also no lightning lane at DL so it's often our first ride of the day.

 

[Psymonds]

Doesn't Soarin' have different video in WDW vs DLR?

apparently its seasonal at DLR.

 

[nalabear]

Being DLR MK holders --- the biggest surprise of WDW was AK.

AK: Almost everything there is different. We loved the shows ==all three : Lion King, Nemo, and Bug's.. and a welcome break from the heat so plan on those spacing out . Flight of Passage maybe a rebadging of Soarin' tech; but it is extremely well done and your 12-14 yo will absolutely love it. Safari is a time suck but fun if you don't do it often (we have San Diego Safari Park)

MK: lots of nice differences: Hall of Presidents and COP are definitely for summer heat and nice education/Disney classic. Same for small world heat escape. The bears and swiss too are nice ones to have when on that side along with Alladin (would skip if time constrained). Don't forget small things like Tangled tower - hangout and charge your phone and people transit. We really liked big thunder and it's better than our DLR one but not as nice as the DL-Paris one. Seven dwarves worth the ILL if it's not off it by that time since Tron still will be ILL. Space --- skip IMHO, but understand if you want to ride. it's next level matterhorn jarring.

Epcot: HUGE and parents will love the showcase; kids -- maybe not so much, but the live show presentations are awesome if you're into things like Dapper Dans and troupes. The rides are awesome but all spaced out so LOTs of walking. Soarin' ending is WDW o/w same.

HS: slinky dog and IJ show with Mania (queue is so much nicer). On the other side - ToT and Aerosmith are oldies but classics we don't have. GalaxyEdge is completely duplicated.

Dining:
AK: Yak+Yeti and use Landry's card for priority seating. Loved Satu'li Canteen too.
MK: Suckers fro Be Our Guest if not; Gaston next door is a gem like our Red Rose Tavern
HS: bag lunch IMHO
Epcot - eat everything

 

[Psymonds]

we have San Diego Safari Park

This was a spring break staple for us for a few years but alas, not for about 5 now. DS6 will really enjoy

it's next level matterhorn jarring.

I've always thought they should sell neck braces for the Matterhorn, but I have ridden worse; A vekoma Suspended looping coaster will beat you up worse than either... DS 14 will want the 'credit' as a roller coaster enthusiast.

Epcot: HUGE and parents will love the showcase; kids -- maybe not so much

My 1993 self loved Epcot and I hope my similarly aged kids might too. DW did not see the appeal of future world in 2006 that I saw in 1993 (in large part because it had changed, and has changed again so much)