DL smaller than MK at WDW?

[LauraAnn630]

Is DL smaller than MK at WDW? What about DCA? Is it compairable to MGM?
TIA

 

[quiltymom]

Yes, DL is smaller than the MK, but it has more rides & attractions than the MK does. Which means less walking with more to do!

I can't answer for DCA since I've never been there. Sorry!

 

[civileng68]

Let me just say, this is exactly my reason for being so excited for my first trip to DL in under 3 weeks. I live in Florida and go to WDW every month. However, Im taking a break now. I'm worn out of it.

Here's how my day goes at WDW:

Get up SUPER early to beat the crowds, drive to MK, park in a massive lot. Walk to the tram, which is a 5 minute ride to the Ticket Transportation Center, then walk to the monorail, wait in line five minutes or more, then take a 5 - 7 minute trip to the MK, then the 5 minutes walk/wait to get in.

FINALLY when in, I can enjoy myself.

Then, because the major attractions are so spread out, I want to go to Epcot to do some. So, it's another five minute walk to the monorail, a 5-10 minute ride back to the Ticket Transportation Center, then a monorail switch, so about a 5-10 minute wait for this monorail, then a 10-14 minute ride to Epcot, then the long (and miserable) walkway which takes about 10 minutes to get you in the park. Then, Epcot is absolutely MASSIVE so it's more wakling.

My point, I'm worn out completely halfway through.

As a veteran, I've basically learned to take it easy so we just sleep in now and go to the parks in the evening (one park per evening) but for the average annual vacationer, it's brutal and you need a post vacation.

I'M SUPER excited to get to DL to have most of my favorite attractions within a few minute walk of one another.

 

[quiltymom]

Make sure to check out the sticky's on the rides unique to DL & DCA, and Hydroguy's tips. But whatever you end up doing & seeing, you'll have a blast!

 

[DLR29]

The entire Disneyland Resort is soooooooo much more compact than WDW. You can park hop, walk to any of the onsite (and many offsite) hotels, or walk to Downtown Disney in just a couple minutes. With that said, DL is more compact than MK. The rides are very close together which means less walking in between attractions. MGM Studios (IMO) was the most compact park at WDW (also the smallest in size though). In size, I think DCA is a bit smaller, but it has more attractions.

 

[HydroGuy]

Is DL smaller than MK at WDW? What about DCA? Is it compairable to MGM?
TIA

DL is 25% smaller than MK on the surface, and as others have noted had 30% more attractions. DL extends outside the surface perimeter for its underground rides - Indiana Jones, POTC and HM.

DCA has an MGM (DHS) type of feel to it. Not sure of the relative sizes but I think DCA is smaller. But again, it has moree attractions. The four parks at WDW altogether only have 10% more attractions than DLR's two parks.

 

[LauraAnn630]

GREAT! Ya know everything looks small on a map...lol
I was just trying to get a better idea. A little less walking wouldn't be so bad. I'm sure we will get our exercise in at both parks!

I'm so excited! This trip was totally unexpected!

I told my husband, "I don't wanna go to Vegas if we cant drive to DL for 2 days."

Everything is costing more than Id planned. So I'm hangin out on-line and not leaving the house...lol...every time we leave the house we spend money!


Thanks for your replies.

 

[DoomBugger]

As a WDW vet you are going to love how nearly as many attractions in the DLR are all so close together, where WDW can be a logistical challenge and time consumer. That said, I love both but DLR is so much more dense.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Everyone keeps talking about how great it is that the attractions at DL are so close together. Yes, it cuts down walking time. But on the negative side...it makes walkways more congested and the place just tends to seem more crowded.

 

[Quest4fun]

Pirates is indeed an underground ride.

The Haunted Mansion and Indiana Jones on the other hand are not. They both use some very clever "Disney Magic" to give you the illusion.

Both attractions are outside of the park boundries with the bulk of the ride in a large building that cannot be seen from inside the park.

Haunted Mansion -
The elevator (stretching room) serves to take guests to a lower level so they can travel underneath the Disneyland Railroad tracks to get to the building that is located in the backstage area. You can see this building from the Mickey and Friends tram. while you walk through the corridor with the paintings you are actually underneath the tracks. After boarding your Doom Buggy you are taken up a staircase which puts you back at ground level and in the hidden building. You are underground for a brief period of time but not for very long.

Indiana Jones -
This one is substantially more clever at creating the illusion of going underground. You enter and exit the attraction walking down and up a slight grade. The backstage area relative to the park is a little lower on the Adventureland side. To make the trip appear to be a much deeper underground trip you enter the temple at a substantially elevated entrance then proceed to walk through the passageways as you get back to ground level. You may actually notice that you can see daylight through the very large doors before you enter the bat cave. At this point you gradually make your way back uphill then you enter the Indiana Jones Building that is very obvious from the Mickey and Friends tram loading area near Downtown Disney. It's hard to miss. They covered it with canvases featuring palm trees. The very loud sounds are actually quite audible from the tram area.

The illusion is quite impressive and you can't really get an idea of the scale and location unless you're fortunate enough to go backstage and have a cast member point them out. I have been fortunate enough to see both. I don't think it ruins the magic though. I think it makes it all the more fascinating especially when you're on the rides. The fun part is trying to figure out where you are relative to the park.

 

[stacielee]

The way I look at it, the rides I like the best at the 4 WDW parks, which are way too far apart for walking, are concentrated in the 2 DLR parks, which are only about a 1 minute walk from gate to gate. We can do so much more in much less time, and focus on the rides we like the best, several times!!

 

[HydroGuy]

The way I look at it, the rides I like the best at the 4 WDW parks, which are way too far apart for walking, are concentrated in the 2 DLR parks, which are only about a 1 minute walk from gate to gate. We can do so much more in much less time, and focus on the rides we like the best, several times!!

Well, we probably like some of the same rides but not all the same. I especially miss WDW's RnR and EE when at DLR, as well as Philharmagic and Test Track (a little). Test Track is coming to DCA's new CarsLand, and supposedly Philharmagic is coming to DCA as well.

It also bears mentioning that WDW and DLR are about much more than rides. WDW has about twice as many shows as DLR, lots more cool restaurants, and the water parks, not to mention everything else there.

Your main point that DLR has a high ride concentration of many WDW rides is of course true and has its benefits. Plus DLR has Indiana Jones.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Well, we probably like some of the same rides but not all the same. I especially miss WDW's RnR and EE when at DLR, as well as Philharmagic and Test Track (a little). Test Track is coming to DCA's new CarsLand, and supposedly Philharmagic is coming to DCA as well.

It also bears mentioning that WDW and DLR are about much more than rides. WDW has about twice as many shows as DLR, lots more cool restaurants, and the water parks, not to mention everything else there.

Your main point that DLR has a high ride concentration of many WDW rides is of course true and has its benefits. Plus DLR has Indiana Jones.

And Disneyland's version of Pirates is a million times better.

 

[Quest4fun]

The thing I like the most about DL and DCA is that I can GBAF between the parks quickly. The other bonus is IJATTOTFI as well as a FS SM with better FX.

DCA has CS which is VT and while it is missing TTD the TZTOT has the best part of the ride which is the DS. They're removing the MB which makes me a LS but I think other BR like MM and GRR will remain after the DCA remodel. DCA's vast array of QS restaurants will probably be SB since most of them are empty except on BD's.

DL is a classic and has what some would consider to be BV of the same rides that can be found in TMK. FL has a BT than TMK's CT look. We also get PDJ, MTWR, and AIW. SWSA is shorter and lacks all the extras that WDW guests get to see but the QA for DL's SWSA has a better theme. Plus there is the GA you can touch to hear the WQ. It may not be there anymore but you can still touch the base and HHL. TT also has a more isolated feel to it and RRCS is a top notch DR. The SV even with the FN enhancements is still the SOR. The MB, no matter how old it gets, will still have a LATM. DL doesn't have the PM anymore but I've learned to live without it. POTC is better in a million ways.

I still love many of the attractions at TMK like the HM. BTMRR, while a little slower has a lot more to see as well.

Each has their own strengths which makes me want to visit both parks though for very different reasons.

 

[LauraAnn630]

Disneylands pirates is way better? Even since WDW MK refurbished theres?

It my favorite ride!! I cant imagine it being better! Does it have the hill/drop?

Indiana Jones is a ride?! I wasnt going to do it cuz Ive seen it at WDW several times.

 

[Dobie]

The thing I like the most about DL and DCA is that I can GBAF between the parks quickly. The other bonus is IJATTOTFI as well as a FS SM with better FX.

DCA has CS which is VT and while it is missing TTD the TZTOT has the best part of the ride which is the DS. They're removing the MB which makes me a LS but I think other BR like MM and GRR will remain after the DCA remodel. DCA's vast array of QS restaurants will probably be SB since most of them are empty except on BD's.

DL is a classic and has what some would consider to be BV of the same rides that can be found in TMK. FL has a BT than TMK's CT look. We also get PDJ, MTWR, and AIW. SWSA is shorter and lacks all the extras that WDW guests get to see but the QA for DL's SWSA has a better theme. Plus there is the GA you can touch to hear the WQ. It may not be there anymore but you can still touch the base and HHL. TT also has a more isolated feel to it and RRCS is a top notch DR. The SV even with the FN enhancements is still the SOR. The MB, no matter how old it gets, will still have a LATM. DL doesn't have the PM anymore but I've learned to live without it. POTC is better in a million ways.

I still love many of the attractions at TMK like the HM. BTMRR, while a little slower has a lot more to see as well.

Each has their own strengths which makes me want to visit both parks though for very different reasons.

English, please.

 

[DLR29]

Disneylands pirates is way better? Even since WDW MK refurbished theres?

It my favorite ride!! I cant imagine it being better! Does it have the hill/drop?

Indiana Jones is a ride?! I wasnt going to do it cuz Ive seen it at WDW several times.

DL's Pirates is much longer, has 2 drops (yes 2), and was just refurbished at the same time as MK's. It has more skeleton scenes and a great opening Bayou scene.

Indiana Jones is my favorite ride at DLR. It is the same type of ride as Dinosaur at AK, but with much better theming/scenery. And not as loud.

As for the abbreviations that were used in that very long post I think I can make out some of the confusing ones:
IJATTOTFI-Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye (usually just abbreviated as IJA or simply Indy)
TZTOT-Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (usually just ToT)
TMK-Magic Kingdom (just MK is fine)
QA- Queue Area (just write it out!)

Ahhhhhhhh! SOme of them I can't figure out! Please if it's not obvious, write it out.

 

[HydroGuy]

As for the abbreviations that were used in that very long post I think I can make out some of the confusing ones:
IJATTOTFI-Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye (usually just abbreviated as IJA or simply Indy)
TZTOT-Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (usually just ToT)
TMK-Magic Kingdom (just MK is fine)
QA- Queue Area (just write it out!)

Ahhhhhhhh! SOme of them I can't figure out! Please if it's not obvious, write it out.

The poster was purposely trying to be obscure in order to make a not very obscure point (at least to me). In most informational communities I have been involved in (professional, educational, hobby, or otherwise) acronyms (i.e., abbreviations) tend to take the place of spelling out the entire phrase so as to speed communication and reduce either having to say the phrase over and over, or write it over and over. To those new to the community the acronyms take a while to learn. Once they learn them, communication can take place more quickly.

The poster apparently has an issue with this. Whatever.

 

[Quest4fun]

The poster was purposely trying to be obscure in order to make a not very obscure point (at least to me). In most informational communities I have been involved in (professional, educational, hobby, or otherwise) acronyms (i.e., abbreviations) tend to take the place of spelling out the entire phrase so as to speed communication and reduce either having to say the phrase over and over, or write it over and over. To those new to the community the acronyms take a while to learn. Once they learn them, communication can take place more quickly.

The poster apparently has an issue with this. Whatever.

I actually just wanted to see if I could fill in an entire message using the acronyms. I rarely read your posts and I don't have an issue with you using them. I've coined many of the acronyms I use at work. I was simply trying to amuse myself in this instance. I think one or two people got a good chuckle out of it.

When typing messages here though I do tend to avoid them so I don't alienate the unitiated. Most folks who want information are first timers and I want them to have the best trip possible to my favorite amusement park. I don't lose any time by typing out the entire word and most people don't mind reading it.

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Disneylands pirates is way better? Even since WDW MK refurbished theres?

It my favorite ride!! I cant imagine it being better! Does it have the hill/drop?

Indiana Jones is a ride?! I wasnt going to do it cuz Ive seen it at WDW several times.

I haven't read the rest of this thread so sorry if people already responded.

I think DL's Pirates is a lot better. It has two drops. And it has some extra scenes. It's pretty fabulous. And it does contain Jack just like the one at WDW. While both rides are great...I prefer the longer version. The extra stuff isn't spectacular or anything but it's still fun.

Indiana Jones is a great ride. It has the same ride vehicles as Dinosaur at Animal Kingdom (but in my opinion, is nowhere near as terrifying as Dinosaur! haha.) Definitely don't skip this one (unless you can't handle rides that jerk you around a lot.)