DL and WDW

[Jaylie]

I'm a real disney freak -- visiting WDW about 3x a year. This summer my DH and I are going to visit some friends in San Francisco. We were thinking of making the drive down to DL for a day or two. What is the difference between DL and WDW? Also, how long is the drive down to DL. Many thanks for any info!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

SF to DLR is about a 6 hour drive.

ETA: IF you know when and how to avoid bay area traffic AND LA traffic.

 

[HydroGuy]

I'm a real disney freak -- visiting WDW about 3x a year. This summer my DH and I are going to visit some friends in San Francisco. We were thinking of making the drive down to DL for a day or two. What is the difference between DL and WDW? Also, how long is the drive down to DL. Many thanks for any info!

Well, DL is a theme park and WDW is a resort. A better comparison is DLR (Disneyland Resort) and WDW. See "Disneyland Resort Lingo for Newbies" - www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2214012

There are as many differences between DLR and WDW as there are similarities. A short answer is that DLR is smaller - much smaller - which is not an entirely bad thing. Another difference are the many walking distance hotels - where your hotel room door can be closer to the DL or DCA gates than some of the bus or boat drops are at WDW to the park gates there.

DLR has some awesome entertainment - better in many ways than WDW's. DLR has a higher ride concentration. The two DLR parks have only 10% less rides than WDW's four parks put together.

DLR has a weaker dining offering than WDW. Dining is not the thing at DLR.

DLR has better weather than WDW IMO, especially in the summer. See "Comparison of Weather For WDW and DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1711098

Read more here: "A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

 

[skiingfast]

I'm a real disney freak -- visiting WDW about 3x a year. This summer my DH and I are going to visit some friends in San Francisco. We were thinking of making the drive down to DL for a day or two. What is the difference between DL and WDW? Also, how long is the drive down to DL. Many thanks for any info!

I agree the with the PP the drive is about six hours, if you drive between when morning rush in the bay area is slowing so you can be coming into LA just as it's starting there. Don't delay for long lunch or you could really pay for it in LA. You want to take the 580 out of the bay area and take the 5 south.


If you have a day or two, take two. Don't be confused that because DL is smaller than MK that it's half the park, it has more to see than MK. DCA is arguably a half day park. But it has a lot of non equivilents to WDW so it'll take time as well.

 

[disfaninca]

If you have time to enjoy a longer drive, you should take the highway 1 all the way down the coast. It is such a beautiful drive. The 5 is a quicker drive, but it is all desert and very long and boring.

 

[PinkBudgie]

I'd say try to get 3 days at DLR if at all possible. If you are a Disney geek, then you will appreciate it. Of course, if you really can't spare the time, anything is better than nothing. Be sure to park hop everyday. Staying onsite isn't as important as it seems to be at WDW. We have never stayed in one of the 3 Disney hotels. Also, if you just want to get there, I'd take 5. It might be boring, but it is straight and fast. There are rest stops all along 5 and we usually get gas around Buttonwillow.