DL Vs. WDW

[Always_forever_love]

Im not sure where I should have put this post...
Anyways I have only ever been to DL (multiple times) and I love it, but I was considering WDW as well for my honeymoon, but I am unfamiliar with WDW and I was wondering if anyone has visited WDW. Which do you prefer better?

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I have been to WDW many times, and just recently returned from my first trip DLR. I prefer WDW mostly because of better food options, a wider variety of attractions in parks, friendlier CMs, and more choice of resorts. Both DLR and WDW are wonderful destinations, and I realize there are some pretty intense opinions contrary to mine

 

[amberkow]

They are both awesome, but in a different way. I find that since their is so much more to explore at WDW, we spend more time their, than we do for a trip to DLR. There are small differences that make each place special, and if you have only been to only place, it's worth it to check out the other one!

 

[MenchieMan87]

If you love Disneyland, than WDW would be a great place for a honeymoon! A lot will be new, plenty will be familiar, and you can spend a week a more there and never run out of stuff to do! Make sure to plan ahead, WDW trips require more planning than Disneyland trips. Also, consider a tour? I think tours is one of the few areas WDW has Disneyland beat. (I did the Keys to the Kingdom tour in '09, loved it!) Also, if you're going to be there for a while, you can even set aside a day to go to Universal. (especially if you're a Harry Potter fan!) I also recommend setting aside a day for mini-golf. Seems random and out of place, but the GF and I had a great time at the Fantasia course near the Epcot hotels.

 

[rentayenta]

After visiting Disneyland (DL) hundreds of times, I finally gave in and visited WDW for the first time in 2007. Our last trip was in 2009 and our next will be October 2012.

WDW is comprised of 4 parks and 2 water parks. Disneyland has the 2 parks. On sheer size alone, I wouldn't visit WDW unless I had a week to 10 days minimum. I don't know the exact number but am guessing that WDW has 10x the amount of table service restaurants that DL has- dining takes a lot more planning for sure.

As far as on property hotels, The DLR has the 3 and again, just a guess, but WDW has over 25 resorts to choose from. Lots more research involved.

WDW is amazing. Disneyland will always be my favorite park but WDW is more of a vacation destination- just more options across the board.

As far as attractions go, WDW does have some old school favorites that I enjoy visiting: CBJ, Tomorrowland Transit Authority (aka Peoplemover), and CoP.

I'd go to the WDW boards and starting reading around.

 

[HydroGuy]

This may help...

"An Introduction To WDW For DLR Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=16541636

 

[PryncessChrysty]

I'm a DL vet (like mother, like daughter), and DH found a love of DL through me.

Before we ever went to WDW, I told DH I wanted to honeymoon there. He wasn't too pleased with the idea because he preferred something more "standard" and tropical, like Hawaii. In September of 2008 my mom & step-dad were going to WDW for 2 weeks (this would be their 4th trip - their first time there was their honeymoon in 1995!), so we decided to join them for a few days to see what it was like. We booked a room for the 2 of us at Coronado Springs (a moderate resort) and off we went. DH went in not really knowing what to expect, andfrankly his expectations weren't very high. He was absolutely blown away - he couldn't wait to go back! We booked another trip with a great promo deal for the following March! Needless to say, we ended up Honeymooning there (10/2010) and had an AMAZING trip. We're currently planning our 6th trip back to the World for this December. We are completely addicted!

We still love DL and visit regularly (thankfully we're local), but there is a different magic to WDW. DL is charming and there is obviously so much history there. WDW is engrossing, it's like an entire city of Disney. You can completely escape from the real word for days, not just hours.

 

[mybestieismickey]

I think everyone has made some excellent points. If you love DLR, you won't be disappointed with WDW. Just make sure to have at least a week to spend and do lots of research before you go. That's the thing that will kill a trip more than anything else. Don't expect it to be just like DLR. There are many similarities, but most everything from the weather to the locations of attractions is at least a little different. Spend lots of time on the WDW boards and get to know the parks and other things to do. Look at maps and menus.

Given the choice, I would have much preferred to go to WDW for our honeymoon (he hadn't been at that time), but with DH's job things were up in the air the months leading up to the wedding so we drove to DLR instead.

As long you consider carefully, whatever you choose will be great (even if it's not *gasp* Disney). It's your honeymoon for crying out loud!

 

[kikiq]

I guess I'm in the "why does it have to be DLR vs WDW?" camp, why can't it be both? We live 30 minutes from DLR, love it and as old timers, it is our date night spot on Saturday nights. BUT we love WDW just as much. It is where my DH wants to vacation. We have spent our last 5 anniversaries at DLR or WDW and a couple of years at both. And in 3 weeks, we will be at DLR for our 37th anniversary weekend.

I say GO FOR IT! Enjoy! Make your own traditions. Ours is a hug and kiss at the DLR Partners statue and a hug and kiss on the bridge to France in Epcot. We stroll down DL Main Street holding hands and we always stroll the World Showcase holding hands.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I'm going to go ahead & move this to our DL Community board since this thread isn't about planning a DL visit.

 

[skiingfast]

I'm going to go ahead & move this to our DL Community board since this thread isn't about planning a DL visit.

Or is it?


I suggest DLR since you are familiar with it. This may lead to a more relaxing trip. But maybe you will want the adventure of a new place?

I've been to WDW many times and DLR many many times. While I like each for thier similarities and differences I slightly prefer DLR.

I'd think more about what you want in your honeymoon visit to Disney to be.

 

[bonofreak]

They are both awesome, but in a different way. I find that since their is so much more to explore at WDW, we spend more time their, than we do for a trip to DLR. There are small differences that make each place special, and if you have only been to only place, it's worth it to check out the other one!

I agree with this. I have been to Disneyland more times than I can count, but this year we tried WDW for the first time. We spent 3 days there and while I'm sure we did not see or do it all, we had a blast. I also agree with the poster who said they could not understand why there has to be a battle between the two! For crying out loud! They are BOTH Disney! Of course, Disneyland holds a special place in my heart since I have gone there since I was a baby; but that doesn't mean that I didn't also love WDW. We found good things about each one and even had fun sort of comparing which ride was better at which park.

One thing we really did enjoy at WDW was the old rides that are no longer at Disneyland; like the People Mover and the Carousel of Progress and Country Bears. It was fun to walk down memory lane on those.

At DL, I enjoy being able to walk right over to Downtown Disney and to the parking lot. At WDW you really have to use their transportation to get around. It was nice though and worked out well, but I like being able to just park and walk on over best.

As others have said, go to the WDW boards and study, take notes and you will have a great time. That was another difference; at DL I never make plans per se; but at WDW I had a little notebook! Good luck!

 

[Judy from Boise]

I would decide based on weather. I love WDW November through May, and DLR any time but winter. I cannot envision having fun at WDW during the summer months.

 

[Always_forever_love]

Thank you everyone for all the great input. I am torn between both resorts. If I could I would visit one that fly straight over to the other.

 

[HydroGuy]

I agree with this. I have been to Disneyland more times than I can count, but this year we tried WDW for the first time. We spent 3 days there and while I'm sure we did not see or do it all, we had a blast. I also agree with the poster who said they could not understand why there has to be a battle between the two! For crying out loud! They are BOTH Disney!

It is usually the WDW vets who start the argument...

 

[skiingfast]

It is usually the WDW vets who start the argument...

Because our park is bigger it is thus better!

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

They're just two different types of vacation. We did WDW in Feb and DLR is our home park. WDW is like a Disney-themed Club Med--removed from the rest of the world and all of your needs are taken care of. DLR is easier to traverse (especially with small children) and more intimate. We found the bus/boat/monorail system at WDW to be an absolute nightmare with a 2 year old, but probably not as bad with just adults. Still, we felt that a HUGE amount of time was spent on transit rather than on park enjoyment. I really disliked the amount of planning we had to do beforehand, like booking our main meals. I prefer to have flexibility, but its just not possible to decide that afternoon which restaurant you'd like for dinner unless it's the off-season. I found it stressful to basically have to have a plan for guaranteeing that you will do the things you want to do, and like DLR's freedom better.

That said, for a honeymoon as a couple's get away from it all, I would definitely pick WDW over DLR.

 

[HydroGuy]

They're just two different types of vacation. We did WDW in Feb and DLR is our home park. WDW is like a Disney-themed Club Med--removed from the rest of the world and all of your needs are taken care of. DLR is easier to traverse (especially with small children) and more intimate. We found the bus/boat/monorail system at WDW to be an absolute nightmare with a 2 year old, but probably not as bad with just adults. Still, we felt that a HUGE amount of time was spent on transit rather than on park enjoyment. I really disliked the amount of planning we had to do beforehand, like booking our main meals. I prefer to have flexibility, but its just not possible to decide that afternoon which restaurant you'd like for dinner unless it's the off-season. I found it stressful to basically have to have a plan for guaranteeing that you will do the things you want to do, and like DLR's freedom better.

That said, for a honeymoon as a couple's get away from it all, I would definitely pick WDW over DLR.

I think you are right on and it just shows a side of human nature that I find amusing. Whatever a person gets accustomed to sort of fades into the background and folks do not notice it. To a WDW vet buses, boats and monorails are so much a part of the landscape it does not bother them after awhile. Trying to explain the advantages DLR has with park and ride proximity falls on deaf ears and all they hear is "DLR is smaller".

Many WDW vets get so ingrained with planning out their dining, parks and shows six months in advance. When you tell them they do not need to do this at DLR and in fact cannot do this, they cannot handle it and get nervous and bothered to the point where they see this as a negative about DLR. Sort of like "DLR must be inferior because I cannot plan my dining four months from now".

And of course DL's small castle always seems like such a big deal. They rarely stop to think "yeah, but MK does not have a Matterhorn". Why? Because they never had a Matterhorn so they do not see that about DL. It is like it is invisible.

Again, I am not knocking WDW vets - I am just amused by human nature. At WDW I have kind of gotten used to all the limitations at WDW. I never park hop and I have learned pretty well how to work their transportation system to keep it to a minimum. It bothers me there how much time is wasted if you want an afternoon break so I have figured out ways to work with that too. I make lots of dining reservations to give myself options.

And interestingly I have found some things at WDW to which I have gotten emotionally attached. And when I am at DLR I miss WDW. A quick list would be Off Kilter, "Mulch, Sweat & Shears", Rock 'n Rollercoaster, Streetmosphere characters at DHS, "Beaches & Cream", Philharmagic and Sci-Fi Dine-In.