DL better than WDW/Disney Vacation Planning DVD

[spacenut]

I took my family (DW, DS (2), DD (4)) to DL and DCA from 12/19-12/22 and I have to say that DL is much better than what is offered in Orlando. I used to work at Typhoon Lagoon so I know WDW like the back of my hand. Unfortunately, my previous trip to DL was 28 years ago, so I couldn't remember a thing about DL except for maybe a vague memory of waiting in a line outside for Space Mountain.

When I first entered DL, I had to laugh because everything was so much smaller than at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando. Main Street, Sleeping Beauty Castle, Big Thunder, Splash, and Space Mountains all looked so much smaller. I then quickly came to appreciate how much there is to do at DL compared to WDW. Yesterday I went back and watched the Disney Vacation Planning DVD I got AFTER the trip and I was amazed to see that there are only 5 rides in Orlando's Fantasyland compared to 12 at DL (I threw out Pooh in Orlando because it's in Critter Country at DL). Overall, there is more to do in a smaller area at DL which means more bang for the buck and less walking.

As for DCA, it had some interesting attractions but I noticed that the three key attractions are at three different corners of the park (Soarin', Screamin', and ToT). My wife hated how much walking there was to get to just a few rides. Right away I thought "Uh oh. She's going to hate Orlando." Again, after watching the vacation planning DVD, I think that if you are closer to CA than FL, go to CA and then do only EPCOT in Orlando. Besides the Philharmagic movie in Orlando, the Magic Kingdom doesn't have anything that DL doesn't have. The Studios has the Indy and Stunt shows and the newer Rock N Roller Coaster, but so what? That doesn't justify my family ever going now that we've done DL and DCA. IMO, EPCOT is really the only standalone park worth visiting if you've been to DL and DCA. I won't even mention Animal Kingdom (yawn).

The WDW portion of the DVD also notes right off the bat that "you can't do it all in one trip". I don't know about you all, but I'm not loaded and if Disney is trying to get me to want to come back for a return trip before I go on a first visit, then that's a huge red flag for me. Disney seems to be masters of helping you feel left out of something if you don't try to "do it all". Anyway, the video also points out the fine dining available, too. We did do Ariel's Grotto at DCA which was pretty amazing. Other than that, we snacked and split meals to help make the trip more affordable. The bottom line for me is that I will go on a cruise on my next big vacation where I don't get a huge bill after every extravagant meal like I would at Disney than eat at Disney's restaurants the whole way and be broke for years.

 

[LOVEDISNEYLAND]

I'm really glad I read your review on WDW compared to DL. I have never been to WDW and my husband has no desire to go there at all, mostly because of the 5 and a half hour fight. (we are from Seattle, Washington) MOSTLY everyone I've ever talked to says that Disneyland is way better then WDW for a number of reason, one mostly being that you can get a lot done in just a couple of days and everything is so close together. Yea... I know people will probably read my post and say that I need to go to WDW just to experience it and I will later, but for now I really don't have the desire to at ALL!! I remember asking my travel agent to price a 9 day trip to Disneyland. including a 8 day hopper pass, rental car for 9 days, 8 nights hotel right across the street from DL, airfare for both of us and 1 day Universal Studios and it was $1,800 compared to a trip to WDW which included 5 days just to WDW resort, airfare and hotel was $1,600. Now, I know that when your spending that much money on a vacation two hundred dollars is not really that much of a big deal to spend considering that we could do a LOT more and stay 4 more days. I just think that I would be very disapointed if we went down their after spending all this money for a vacation. So for right now I will stick to Disneyland.

 

[honeymom]

It's like the difference between a city and beach vacation. At DL, it is go-go-go all the time, lots of action, visiting the parks, never stopping. At WDW, some of the best moments are spent relaxing at your resort and you definitely want to build in breaks to do so during your day.

My vacation style is more suited to WDW, but I like an occasional trip to DL, too.

 

[AllJackedUp]

I agree...it's very much "City Mouse" meets "Country Mouse"...I love WDW especially AK which seems to get dissed a lot but I love it because you don't have to do anything there...just enjoy the music and the scenery. If you want rides, go to Busch Gardens. Some of our best vacation memories at WDW have not been at the theme parks themselves, but rather bicycling on the paths at Dixie...oops, I mean Riverside...and watching Illuminations in The Breathless....my son on the Pirate Cruise when he was seven...
However, all that said...we are buying land to build a house and have chosen to make that our priority over the next few years so I don't see a WDW trip in the near future. After going to DL and DCA last February, my now 14-year-old says he actually prefers DL/DCA to WDW! And being in Denver, it's a whole lot cheaper! So this year, we put APs in the budget and will hopefully get to make a couple of trips (maybe even for the POTC3 premiere....crosses fingers...)

 

[Daggett]

Apples and Oranges. I have to admint that most of the rides at DL are superior to those at MK. But let's remember DL is a land, WDW is a world!

Living in Atlanta, I get down to WDW 6 or 7 times a year, and my business takes me out to OC 2 or 3 times a year. So I get the best of both worlds, but I can's say one is better than the other.

DL is a day destination, therefore you get a lot more un-rulely teens in the park. (IMHO) WDW is more of resort destination, and you see more family group. (more to my likeing).

I have been going to WDW for over 15 years, and the DW and do new things everytime we go. There is no way you can see all of WDW in one trip, unless of course it is a very long trip.

If you put a gun to my head and made me choose one resort over the other, I just couldn't do it, it would be like choosing between two children!

 

[rosiep]

Apples and Oranges.
DL is a day destination, therefore you get a lot more un-rulely teens in the park. (IMHO) WDW is more of resort destination, and you see more family group. (more to my likeing).

I think you hit the nail on the head. I only recently experienced DL after always going to WDW. I think both parks were amazing and am glad to heve visited both. DL's rides were much better and it was an honor to see Walt's original..but having said that, I was dismayed by the "day trip" feel of things. If I lived in CA, I would be there all the time, but with so many locals present, it didn't quite feel like "vacation".

 

[Vanvmom]

Personally, I've done both and my family prefers DL over WDW (note... we did not do Epcot while at WDW).

Many reasons why the preference are all noted in my trip report on the cruise report section of this board (and on my website blog).

 

[HydroGuy]

I would say anyone who is either primarily WDW or DLR oriented, but who really loves Disney, will enjoy the opposite resort. We made our first visit to WDW in June, and we had a blast. As others have said, the experiences are different in many ways and the biggest danger is trying to force the opposite resort into the expectations you have developed for your home resort.

For those who have said DLR is more of a "day trip" location, I strongly disagree. It is true you can have a lot of fun at DLR on a day trip, but it is really a 3-5 day destination.

There are several rides that are much better at DLR, and several shows that are better than anything at WDW (e.g., the Remember Dreams Come True fireworks/laser/special effects show). But DLR does not have the expansive, all encompassing feeling of WDW, or offer the breadth of experiences, entertainment, or dining.

 

[spacenut]

After reviewing everyone's replies, I think I agree with everything. WDW is a different place that offers so much more to do (dining, recreating, parks). Having said that, I guess I'm a parks guy that likes the sensory overload that comes with the rides. Since I live in UT, I can get better recreating in for nearly nothing (and zero mosquitoes too). As for dining, I would just rather go on a cruise to a real location (last year, I mean 2005, I went to the Mexican Riviera-not fantastic but it was my first cruise) and get the gourmet food that I don't have to pay for at the end of the meal. I suppose I'm still really price sensitive at this point in my life.

Speaking of the "day-trip" issue, I understand the locals argument. There were a ton of locals at DL, but that's okay with me. DL is a cool place to hang out and I didn't come across one teen that was unruly. Since my kids are so young, I really appreciated the quick access to both parks and the closeness of the rides (especially in Fantasyland where we did everything but IASW Holiday in less than 90 minutes on 12/19).

As for the other attractions, PotC is waaaaaayyyyy better at DL. I was amazed at the start of the ride and then the caves, two falls!! Wow! Space Mountain was incredible with the music track that played. Buzz was fun too. I got a kick out of the ferris wheel at DCA. DW and I took DS and DD on it thinking it was nothing, but we got into the rocking cages and whoa-that thing really moves! I've probably scarred my kids for life and that was the same day my wife suggested I take DD (just turned 4) on ToT. That was not a good idea but the psychiatric bills have been low since we've gotten home. DD is expected to start talking to us again sometime in February.

Fortunately we went home on Thursday because that is when the Christmas crowd really hit. Tuesday and Wednesday were fine otherwise. As for the YoMD, DW got 2 Dream Fastpasses after DD and I went into the park early. The DFs were great, but we got them on the last day when we were just taking our time and didn't care what we went on, but it was good to win something. My wife did meet a family who was picked to be GM and stay in Mickey's Penthouse. I noticed cast members hanging out near restrooms early in the morning right after the park opened (Main Street and Fantasyland by Gepetto's gift cart).

Sorry to spread this topic so broadly, but there is a lot to talk about. WDW certainly does offer more experiences, but for the extra money they charge for Florida, the ticket price is not a great bargain. Although I've never paid to park hop in Orlando, it has never taken me less than an hour to jump from one park to another. At DL, it takes about 5 minutes and a couple of hundred yards of walking. Ultimately, I think DL is more affordable and a better value because there is more competition for entertainment dollars in the SoCal area. Orlando IS the destination because of Disney, so they can just charge whatever and get away with it. I mean, where else are you going to go? The nearby swamps? There are beaches on both coasts roughly an hour east and west of WDW, but people are in Orlando for Disney usually. In CA, Disney is more likely to be a part of a larger trip-causing a Disney trip to be a better value.

Thanks for everyone's comments.

 

[EnnEss]

I agree with what you said about the spacing and distances. Ive been to WDW once, first time ever this year, it was amazing. I've been to DLR many many times, I'm from the west coast.

I read a lot about the differences before hand so I wasn't shocked when I went to WDW but the large distances between places do put a damper on things, particularly for someone new who doesn't know where to go when etc.

THe one thing that was so amazing in Orlando, I feel, is Animal Kingdom. That is the most stunning, amazing theme park I have ever been in. Wow. Its a bit light on rides, but I was taken aback at just how much work went into that. I'm not an animal nut or anything but that place is just amazing. It made me happy to think that Disney is trying to help and be charitable, I realize that mainly they are a business. I donated instantly to that program they have there. I generally don't do that. Expidition Everest is a ride with absolutely beautiful theming mixed with a great ride.

I hear they're opening a new restaurant there, I look forward to that. AK is really the reason I will return to orlando. Myself and my girlfriend ended up choosing the Wilderness Lodge as a hotel, which is another reason Orlando is great. The hotels are far cheaper than DLR. So is the food.

Other things though, like DTD meaning a massive amount of travel time to visit is quite bothersome. Your post was very helpful OP. I just really wanted to express that AK is my favorite park ever. Of course, it obviously is not for everyone.

 

[Angie_Ohio]

I have only been to WDW and am currently planning an 08 trip to Disneyland. It sounds almost like we're talking about a family member when we discuss which park is better. You know, when someone else criticizes your "family" it stings but you can say whatever you want about them. I LOVE the world but it's all I know. I can't wait to try DL. My sons are also looking forward to the trip. I prefer to think of it as different rather than better or worse. Just like my family members. Different!!
Angie_OH

 

[HydroGuy]

WDW certainly does offer more experiences, but for the extra money they charge for Florida, the ticket price is not a great bargain.

Ultimately, I think DL is more affordable and a better value because there is more competition for entertainment dollars in the SoCal area. Orlando IS the destination because of Disney, so they can just charge whatever and get away with it. I mean, where else are you going to go? The nearby swamps? There are beaches on both coasts roughly an hour east and west of WDW, but people are in Orlando for Disney usually. In CA, Disney is more likely to be a part of a larger trip-causing a Disney trip to be a better value.

It sounds like you are saying that WDW is more expensive than DLR in general, and I disagree with this. It is true that our June WDW trip cost 4 times as much as a typical DLR trip, but that is for two primary reasons:

1. Travel costs.

Like you, we are much closer geographically to DLR. We visit SoCal 1-2 times per year already (by car) to visit family and the beach. So travel costs to DLR are zero for us since we are already there for other reasons. To WDW we had to fly (cost $2500 for our family of 6).

This is not an extra cost for WDW as much as a reflection of where we live. For those who live further east it may be the opposite.

2. Number of Required Days

To really enjoy DLR you need 3-4 days, while WDW needs 5-10 days. We spent 10 days at WDW. This increased the cost of the trip dramatically.

Although I've never paid to park hop in Orlando, it has never taken me less than an hour to jump from one park to another. At DL, it takes about 5 minutes and a couple of hundred yards of walking.

To WDW vets accustomed to buses, boats, trams, etc., and long commutes to and from and between parks, it is hard for them to understand how much of a benefit this is at DLR.

After consulting my trip reports, I found out that we spent 5-8 hours of each day at WDW actually inside one of the parks, while at DLR we spent 10-12 hours per day. I attribute this primarily to the closer park and hotel locations at DLR, along with longer park hours at DL.

 

[minnietoo]

DL is a day destination, therefore you get a lot more un-rulely teens in the park. (IMHO) WDW is more of resort destination, and you see more family group. (more to my likeing).

Interesting comment - I have an AP to DL and go at least twice a month - I have NEVER seen "un-rulely teens" in the park.

 

[Albertan mom]

Interesting posts.
We went to DL two times, WDW once.

We did free dining in WDW last August, and loved that. We really loved all the 'extras' you can do at WDW (parasailing, Cirque, tours, boats etc...) But when we got home, my kids said they missed the 'small, magical feeling of Disneyland' and said they wanted to go there next.

Now that we have been home a few monthes, they are back to thinking WDW is where they want to return.

Financially-it is hard to compare. It cost us $7000 for WDW, it cost us less for DL, but mostly because the flights were so much cheaper. Because we did expensive things like Parasailing and Cirque De Soliel, we paid more. But we also stayed in a Value resort so we could do those things.

In a nutshell our feelings are:
Disneyland--magical (smaller, more detailed, cleaner, better service)
Disneyworld--exhilarating (larger then life, exciting, everything is big, big, big!)

They are both wonderful, and I am thrilled we got to experience both!

 

[Tinkerbell424]

Thanks for writing the review

I havent been to DisneyLand before,but I have been to WDW since I was two(im 13 now).We havent gone to DL because for one my mom hates to fly and WDW is closer to us.I would like to visit DL one day because from what I have heard it seems very cool,and they have some awesomeer rides then WDW like Monsters Inc. and Alice In Wonderland.WDW is great and im sure DL is too and I hope to one day visit there.So thanks for your review!=)

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

My dd, Kelly, & I recently spent a weekend at WDW - 4 days total. Since our time was limited, and we were there to go to a party on Saturday, we did three parks in 2 days - Epcot & Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party @ the Magic Kingdom on one day, and MGM Studios the next day. We also visited the deluxe hotels on the monorail (Contemporary, Polynesian, & Grand Floridian), & went to DisneyQuest, since we both like that place.

Since we were there for such a limited amount of time (plus the parks closed rather early - 7pm for MGM Studios), we only did a few things at each park.

At Epcot there was a group of loud teenage girls - locals. After reading all the comments that people make about the number of locals @ DLR, compared to relatively none at WDW, I was surprised that we were in line with some. These girls were pretty loud, especially since we were in a confined space, and at first I was a little annoyed, and then thought how silly I was being. I started joking with them & teasing them, and we had a fun time in line. On the Tower of Terror, when the lights go out after the film, some teens screamed - like they do on the Haunted Mansion at DLR. When we got on the elevator, a man actually got off with his daughter, and told the CM that he refused to ride with the unruly boys who were there. I looked at these teeens & asked them, "You aren't going to repeat what you did to make that man mad, are you?" and they replied "no," and I asked them what they did that was so bad, and they said they screamed. It was no big deal for me, but I thought it was funny that I always hear about unruly teens & locals @ DLR, and here we were running into them @ WDW, but it wasn't anything that would ruin my experience.

At MVMCP, Kelly & I went on attractions at the MK that are different than DLR, and we enjoyed them, even though they are different. We liked Pirates, and we even liked It's a Small World. We thought it was charming. We also liked the holiday parade that was so different than our own here at DLR.

I think the Disney park experience depends in part on the attitude of the people who go. We didn't go with the the intent of comparing, we went with the intent to enjoy the differences, and we did.

This was just my little perspective of someone who goes to DLR a LOT, and rarely gets to WDW.

 

[Vanvmom]

Cost differences:

Family of 5:
DL Good Neighbor Hotel (Candy Cane Inn: free parking and breakfast): $120/night.
WDW Swan & Dolphin (with a 40% teacher discount/ parking extra/ food extra): $250/night

DL 5 day park Hopper: $149/person
WDW 5 day (single park per day/no hopper): $206/person

For our family, WDW was significantly more expensive, before you even look at the transportation costs. Plus, with a bigger variety of "non-character" dining options at DL, our dining costs were lower at DL as well.

Just to note... we did the calculations on our 7 night Disney Cruise (not counting transportation- which only cost us $10/person using frequent flyer miles).

DCL (2 Category 9 rooms- all food and non-alcoholic beverages included)
$172/person/day

 

[HydroGuy]

Cost differences:

Family of 5:
DL Good Neighbor Hotel (Candy Cane Inn: free parking and breakfast): $120/night.
WDW Swan & Dolphin (with a 40% teacher discount/ parking extra/ food extra): $250/night

DL 5 day park Hopper: $149/person
WDW 5 day (single park per day/no hopper): $206/person

For our family, WDW was significantly more expensive, before you even look at the transportation costs. Plus, with a bigger variety of "non-character" dining options at DL, our dining costs were lower at DL as well.

At the risk of being argumentative - which is not my intent -

Tickets:

From the DL website http://disneyland.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/reserve/ticketListing?name=TicketListingPage - adult 5 day park hopper is $219 - discounted to $179 if you buy online ahead of time. If you buy it at the gate the price is $219, I believe. Yes, these are parkhoppers built-in, but that is only because Disney had to do that to get traffic into DCA (hardly anyone went to DCA before this, and it embarrassed Disney). It is not because DLR wanted to be more generous with their ticket pricing.

Further, I do not think it is fair to compare 5 day tickets at DLR to WDW as WDW trips are, on average, twice as long as DLR trips because there are twice as many parks. From that point of view, a 10 day WDW ticket is $216. Thus the per day ticket cost is much lower at WDW.

Hotels:

I have never stayed at CCI or Swan/Dolphin. I have seen both, and have read about them, and IMO these hotels are not comparable.

From what I found out, there are numerous nice, off-property hotels at WDW which have rates in the same range as CCI. I think you are trying to say that WDW hotels are in general more expensive than those at DLR, and from what I understand this is not true. If anything, the DLR hotels (on property or off) are more expensive.

 

[EnnEss]

Cost differences:

Family of 5:
DL Good Neighbor Hotel (Candy Cane Inn: free parking and breakfast): $120/night.
WDW Swan & Dolphin (with a 40% teacher discount/ parking extra/ food extra): $250/night

DL 5 day park Hopper: $149/person
WDW 5 day (single park per day/no hopper): $206/person

For our family, WDW was significantly more expensive, before you even look at the transportation costs. Plus, with a bigger variety of "non-character" dining options at DL, our dining costs were lower at DL as well.

Just to note... we did the calculations on our 7 night Disney Cruise (not counting transportation- which only cost us $10/person using frequent flyer miles).

DCL (2 Category 9 rooms- all food and non-alcoholic beverages included)
$172/person/day

You can not compare those two hotels. I've been to both of them. One is four or five star while the other is 1 or 2. I think the Swan and Dolfphin is actually usually rated with diamonds instead of stars. I'd say on the whole WDW is FAR cheaper for accomadations, their high end hotels are 200 - 300 where as DL is 300 - 500 for comparable hotels. Not only this, the WDW hotels are far nicer as they almost are all newer than the PP or DLH, the GCH being the exception.

The reason is fairly obvious, California has a very limited hotel capacity so they can charge more. WDW has many many hotels and plenty of room to build more if need be.

Much of the time the differences in accomadation actually covers the flight cost variance. I live in Vancouver but fly from Seattle. Still for me, I burn a day basically each time I travel to Orlando, so that enters into it, I simply can't take that much vacation time without creating a situation where I have to work very hard to catch back up once I return to real life.

Still, either park can be anyone's favorite, they are both beautiful and different and wonderful .

 

[JRDisneyClan]

Apples and Oranges...But let's remember DL is a land, WDW is a world!

...DL is a day destination, therefore you get a lot more un-rulely teens in the park. (IMHO) WDW is more of resort destination, and you see more family group. (more to my likeing).

The number of unruly teens at DL is no different than the number of unrespectful/unknowing/self-centered foreign travelers (or even domestic ones feeling they need to get every cent out of their trip because of the amount of money they've spent) that visit WDW, families or not. Being that there are whole families that have complete disregard for anyone other than themselves, I wouldn't say that there's much difference in the amount or effect of either group unless you're more sensitive to one group or the other.

Back to the original thread, apples & oranges is absolutely correct. You can compare like attractions individually (there is most definitely a difference in the same rides in both places) & park indiosyncracies between CA & FL, but what can't be equated is the overall atmosphere & magnitude.

Lots of good comparisons above, city vs. country, city vs. beach, day trip vs. relaxing & that's exactly it...they're different. If you're absolutely set on one type of trip or another (breakneck or relaxing, close or your preference/opinion is slanted towards one, then the other will never meet your satisfaction. IMO, they're both terrific & that's being 15 minutes from one & a day's worth of travel to the other. You just can't get a WDW vacation at DL, but you can't see as much in the same amount of time at WDW as you can at DL. If you're happy with one or the other & don't see the need to do the other, then to each his own, but IMO, you're missing the different experiences that each of them offers & it's all Disney!

Cost differences:

Family of 5:
DL Good Neighbor Hotel (Candy Cane Inn: free parking and breakfast): $120/night.
WDW Swan & Dolphin (with a 40% teacher discount/ parking extra/ food extra): $250/night

DL 5 day park Hopper: $149/person
WDW 5 day (single park per day/no hopper): $206/person

For our family, WDW was significantly more expensive, before you even look at the transportation costs. Plus, with a bigger variety of "non-character" dining options at DL, our dining costs were lower at DL as well.

When doing cost comparisons, it would be more accurate to compare like products, so for anyone interested in making either trip...

DL Good Neighbor Hotels are more like a Disney AS Resort which can be had for less than $100/night with free parking & transportation to anywhere in the World. Trying to compare a Good Neighbor Hotel to Swan & Dolphin is like comparing a Honda to an Acura or a Toyota to a Lexus, it's value vs. luxury. If you're willing to rent DVC points at WDW, you can get Deluxe accomodations for as much as it would cost at a DL Good Neighbor Hotel.

DL 5 day PH is only $149/person through 4/26/07 (or around there) with the Adults Play at the Kids Price promotion. It's a limited time promotion. The regular 2007 5 day PH cost is $189 purchased in advance online. The above comparison also ignores the fact that each additional WDW day after 5 days is only $2-3/day more (I don't have the exact $ amount off the top of my head). You can also go to 2 additional parks with the PH option.

As for the variety of non-character dining options at DL vs. WDW, there are absolutely more non-character dining options at WDW than DL. If you're talking about easier access to McDonald's, Subway, Dennys, Millies & other cheap off-site restaurants, then yes, it's easier to get to cheaper food simply because of proximity, but the amount of non-character dining around the World is exponentially greater at WDW & the surrounding area than DL simply based on sheer size. WDW is 20+ times bigger than DLR. The WDW DTD area is loaded with a much broader variety & quantity of non-character dining areas than the DL DTD.

It all boils down to the kind of trip you want to take, you can plan either trip at either end of the price spectrum. Just make sure you're comparing like items in comparing price & amenities.