DL as "magical" as WDW?

[figment_jii]

True. You did say that it is no worse than any other city bus stop. But it is no better either.

To each their own...and their own experiences...I've seen some "scary" bus stops in New York, SF, and London and at least the one by DLR is well lit and reasonably clean. It's jarring compared to the bus stops in WDW, but I still don't think it's horrible or all the awful.

 

[Love Tink]

This is why I love the WDW bubble. We stayed at the HoJo last month and when we'd walk back from the parks, we'd always have to walk by a bus stop full of some of California's "finest". Scary at times. What's scarier is they know you're not carrying a weapon because Disney checks you for that.

What was so scary about these people (who are probably getting the bus to or from work)? That they don't dress like you or look like you?

The concept that people waiting at a bus stop - i.e. not people loitering somewhere dark, not people holding weapons, not people following you or making comments to you - are "scary" is pretty repulsive. Are they scary to you because they are Hispanic or because they don't have a lot of money?

I don't think the area around Disneyland is scary or disgusting. It's just an area with a bunch of hotels and a few restaurants (and even - gasp - some local residents). I love that you can walk to the parks from cheaper, off-site hotels and get food at cheaper, off-site restaurants.

I add my take because I'd hate for someone's casual racism/classism to make someone think that the area around Disneyland is scary and unsafe.

 

[JimmyV]

To each their own...and their own experiences...I've seen some "scary" bus stops in New York, SF, and London and at least the one by DLR is well lit and reasonably clean. It's jarring compared to the bus stops in WDW, but I still don't think it's horrible or all the awful.

I'm not disagreeing with you. I walk by two or three urban bus stops every day. I'm a big user of public transportation. Love the NY Subway. Never give it a second thought. But this does unnerve some folks.

 

[Love Tink]

And it's not just the "real world". It is a godawful world that is right outside the gates. More like an unreal world.

For goodness sakes. It's like a Mimi's Cafe, a McDonalds and a Residence Inn. You're really exaggerating.

 

[JimmyV]

For goodness sakes. It's like a Mimi's Cafe, a McDonalds and a Residence Inn. You're really exaggerating.

To me, that tableau is awful. Especially when I am on vacation and we are comparing it to WDW. I never spun this in the direction of "safety". I am merely talking about aesthetics. Anaheim is godawful ugly in the same way that any part of paved-over strip mall America is ugly.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I wished we had 3 days in the DL parks when we were there and a few extra hours to explore DTD in California.

Next time I go that's what I want to do. It'll probably be a few years though.

 

[mhconley]

Disneyland is the quintessential Disney experience and the most magical to me. Of course I've been going to Disneyland since my 4th birthday in 1963. I love the World but Disneyland will always have my heart.

Martin

 

[hakepb]

Disneyland is the quintessential Disney experience and the most magical to me. Of course I've been going to Disneyland since my 4th birthday in 1963. I love the World but Disneyland will always have my heart.

Martin

Good ole Autotopia!

Autotopia-a magical driving adventure through a variety of terrain while driving refined vehicles

Indy Speedway- a pedestrian "race" on a harsh, concrete jungle driving noisy cars that smell of gas.

 

[famy27]

For goodness sakes. It's like a Mimi's Cafe, a McDonalds and a Residence Inn. You're really exaggerating.

And Morton's. Which is only scary because of the prices.

Seriously, I was expecting to see boarded up windows and bars over doors and dogs with spiked collars chained to fences, based on the reports I've read here. To me, it was cleaner and nicer than most cities. I'd walk down that street at night with no issues.

Of course, I've seen a thread here where some people declared that it was too scary to walk the path between HS and EP late at night, so I guess I just have a different perspective about what's dangerous/alarming.

 

[Angel Ariel]

This is an interesting point...it wouldn't cross my mind that this would be a big deal. I don't know very many people that walk around carry a weapon, be it a knife or a gun, on a regular basis anyway, so I don't really see this as a major issue. Also, at any given moment, no one is going to know if you're a black belt in some martial art or have some other combat skill. I've walked by that bus stop plenty of times and it doesn't really strike me as any worse than any other bus stop in a city.

FTR, I have *never* felt unsafe or scared walking the immediate area outside DLR's gates (harbor blvd down to katella).

 

[cattywampus]

I think whatever park you grow up with always holds your heart. That is DLR for me.

I also laugh when people say 3-4 days is too long at DL. So, so, so very wrong.

The GC Hotel is incredibly close (pretty much inside DCA and Down Town Disney). So close that the GF felt kinda far from MK (don't worry - I managed just fine at GF and loved it). I stay at GCH a couple of times per year 3-4 nights each. Never grows old.

Everything is walking distance and the two parks are steps away from each other and I feel plenty "in the bubble".

WDW is a spectacular All You Can Eat Buffet and DL is an incredibly intimate sit down type. Both are good -- some prefer one to the other.

 

[GatorChris]

What was so scary about these people (who are probably getting the bus to or from work)? That they don't dress like you or look like you?

Are they scary to you because they are Hispanic or because they don't have a lot of money?

I add my take because I'd hate for someone's casual racism/classism to make someone think that the area around Disneyland is scary and unsafe.

Did you really just say that? Did you really start race-baiting on DISboards? C'mon! Yeah, that's it. I was scared because everyone was Hispanic . Hello!!! I live in Modesto! 1 in 3 people here are Hispanic. My boss, my best friend's wife, half the people I work with are of Mexican descent. These are people I love. You insult me and all Disney lovers pulling race into this discussion. Ridiculous.

My point consists of two different occasions when it was last at night and we were walking by the bus stop on the dark side of Harbor. One large (white, because I know you care about that) individual was scowling at us while we walked by and simply looked threatening. The other occasion was on a different night and consisted of three guys just standing as we walked in between them while one was reaching for something in his pocket - nothing happened, but I didn't take my eyes off of them until my family had passed. I apologize if anyone thinks it's evil of me to keep a worried eye on my wife and 3 kids. I think it's appalling that anyone would judge me for doing exactly that.

Plus, getting back to the point that I never ever had to worry about such things on my trips to WDW. Not once did worry over safety ever cross my mind while on Disney property. Which I guess leads me to believe that if I stayed at a Disney property in Anaheim, I wouldn't have such concerns. I guess I'll find out in a few months. I have a feeling that it will be as Magical as anything I've ever experienced at WDW or anywhere. When I get the bill for staying there....maybe not so magical

 

[DebbieB]

Disneyland is the quintessential Disney experience and the most magical to me. Of course I've been going to Disneyland since my 4th birthday in 1963. I love the World but Disneyland will always have my heart.

Martin

When I go with friends, we always climb in the monkey cage!

 

[grnflash]

Here's a true story from DL last Friday. We were walking up to Small World at night. It's just so indescribably beautiful right now with the xmas light overlay. And a woman walks up to ask if I could take a picture of her family. She was crying. Not like out loud sobbing, but for real tears streaming down her cheeks. Of course I said yes.

Well, we ended up next to them in line for SW. So she started chatting with me, laughing and saying I must think she's a crazy person with all the crying. As it turns out, they're WDW'ers on their first trip to DLR. It was their second day. They had been amazed so far at the magic and beauty of DL (and DCA.) They hadn't expected so much. Based on things she had "heard", they expected to like it. Have a fun trip. But also to have some disappointment and sorta wish they were at WDW instead. But that wasn't the case. They were in love with DL and couldn't get over how much they underestimated (her word) how wonderful DL would be. And walking up to SW with the lights on was her breaking point. She said she just couldn't keep her emotions in and she started crying, but for all the good things she was experiencing.

While her experience may not be totally typical, I don't think it's totally atypical either. There's a lot DLR (as in the resort) does not have compared to WDW. But magic in the parks is not one of them. DL has that in spades.

 

[Angel Ariel]

My point consists of two different occasions when it was last at night and we were walking by the bus stop on the dark side of Harbor. One large (white, because I know you care about that) individual was scowling at us while we walked by and simply looked threatening. The other occasion was on a different night and consisted of three guys just standing as we walked in between them while one was reaching for something in his pocket - nothing happened, but I didn't take my eyes off of them until my family had passed. I apologize if anyone thinks it's evil of me to keep a worried eye on my wife and 3 kids. I think it's appalling that anyone would judge me for doing exactly that.

Plus, getting back to the point that I never ever had to worry about such things on my trips to WDW. Not once did worry over safety ever cross my mind while on Disney property. Which I guess leads me to believe that if I stayed at a Disney property in Anaheim, I wouldn't have such concerns. I guess I'll find out in a few months. I have a feeling that it will be as Magical as anything I've ever experienced at WDW or anywhere. When I get the bill for staying there....maybe not so magical

I'm sorry you had the experience you did. As I said earlier in the thread, we've never felt unsafe in the immediate area surrounding DLR. We've always stayed offsite - twice at the Tropicana, once at the Sheraton on Katella Blvd (so more of a hike than Tropicana was). I'm certainly not dismissing your experience, but merely suggesting keeping an open mind. You may find you. don't have that experience this time around.

 

[Money82]

The other occasion was on a different night and consisted of three guys just standing as we walked in between them while one was reaching for something in his pocket - nothing happened, but I didn't take my eyes off of them until my family had passed.

Perhaps they reached for something because you "didn't take your eye off them." The smarter move would be to keep your head down and walk.

What if they had pulled a gun? What would keeping your eye on them have done at that point?

 

[figment_jii]

Perhaps they reached for something because you "didn't take your eye off them." The smarter move would be to keep your head down and walk.

I find it interesting that you recommend that someone "keep your head down" because I've always been told (in various self defense classes that I've taken) that it's safest to keep your head up and monitor your surroundings. I would keep my head up and make sure to look around and know who and what is nearby at all times, whether in DLR, WDW, or anywhere.

 

[Money82]

I find it interesting that you recommend that someone "keep your head down" because I've always been told (in various self defense classes that I've taken) that it's safest to keep your head up and monitor your surroundings. I would keep my head up and make sure to look around and know who and what is nearby at all times, whether in DLR, WDW, or anywhere.

Sure take a look around but don't antagonize someone by staring them down. What if they pull a gun out of their pocket? What do you gain from that situation by staring them down?

 

[figment_jii]

Sure take a look around but don't antagonize someone by staring them down. What if they pull a gun out of their pocket? What do you gain from that situation by staring them down?

I suppose it's all a matter of what is meant by "staring them down" and how aggressive you look. I would look around, but I would also probably keep my eyes going back to any group of individuals along my path.

What if they had pulled a gun? You're right, looking at them isn't going to stop anything if that is what they are going to do, but what if seeing them is enough to deter them from doing anything? I'm not saying you should glare at them or do your best to intimidate them, but being aware of your surrounds mean keeping your eyes moving, looking up, and, yes, looking at other people around you.

In the end, it's up to each person to decide what they want to or not to do. So for me, I would advise folks to keep their head up when walking down any street, whether it's in DLR, WDW or anywhere.

 

[niffer5150]

She was crying. Not like out loud sobbing, but for real tears streaming down her cheeks. .

the small world christmas overlay IS pretty awesome. i'm a big baby when it comes to shiny lighted things at xmas and it makes me a little misty every year when we go.