DLP V's WDW - You decide!

[stonfiesta]

Thought this might be a good idea for a thread, we'll see??........anyways,

To give DLP newbies a taste of what maybe to expect, look forward too etc..........no chat.....just points.

take away the travelling aspect, the fact that DLP is more of a short break holiday(unless your doing more paris stuff obviously), and the language.....

Post 2 postives and 2 negatives about each destination.

DLP
---

+ Armeggedon ride.
+ Can walk to the parks.
- Rudeness of people (french, spanish).
- Food can be bland.


WDW
-----

+ Cast members friendly, polite and they cannot do enough for you.
+ Philharmagic.
- All star sports resorts had far too many noisy kids.
- having to tip.

 

[Happy Tappy]

Thought this might be a good idea for a thread, we'll see??........anyways,

To give DLP newbies a taste of what maybe to expect, look forward too etc..........no chat.....just points.

take away the travelling aspect, the fact that DLP is more of a short break holiday(unless your doing more paris stuff obviously), and the language.....

Post 2 postives and 2 negatives about each destination.

DLP
---

+ Armeggedon ride.
+ Can walk to the parks.
- Rudeness of people (french, spanish).
- Food can be bland.


WDW
-----

+ Cast members friendly, polite and they cannot do enough for you.
+ Philharmagic.
- All star sports resorts had far too many noisy kids.
- having to tip.

The two just don't compare. DLP is a fun trip, it's a nice park that you can enjoy for a couple of days and one that I've taken to visiting a couple of times a year to get my 'fix'. WDW is a holiday of a lifetime, the type of thing I can only do every 5 years at best. It's beyond words how that place makes me feel.

DLP

+ Disneyland hotel, until Disneyland hotel Tokyo opens it's the only hotel with zero walking time to the park!
+ Space mountain, a nice change from it's american cousins.
- It's not WDW!
- WDS is parp!!!!

WDW

+ That feeling you get when you get to the maingate,
+ Fantastic choice of resorts, even the value resorts are well themed (especially when compared to the drab Santa Fe).
- Sudden heavy rain in the afternoons. It always catches me out!!! Though I do like wearing the Mickey ponchos!
- I can't think of any more!!!

 

[steve_woodward]

DLP
---

+ Walk to the parks
+ Its just over the channel
- **People smoking everywhere**
- Expensive.


WDW
-----

+ Discounts available (Rooms, Tickets & Merchandise)
+ Four parks
- Can be very very busy.
- 9hr flight.

 

[wideeyes]

well I have not been to wdw yet, though I have done lots of research for our first trip next year, so this is based on what I think already(obviously subject to change once I have been)!!

DLP
+ 0nly 1.15 minute flight away
+The Disneyland Hotel
- Smoking
- Cold weather in winter

WDW
+Has an educational element (Epcot, Animal Kingdom)
+More choice of character meals
-ADRs (Having to book them 180 days before)
-Long flight

 

[lorapinky]

Hello

It would be hard to compare them but I will give the 2 pros and cons

DLP

+ Pirates of Caribean ride is better then at WDW
+ Like everyone has said the walking to the parks is a nice thing
- The staff aren't as friendly as the americans
- the park is only for a few days and not a proper long holiday like WDW

WDW

+ The size and the choice of things to do
+ It feels more disney if that makes sense?
- Its takes ages to save up to go (2 years to safe for us)
- Having to fly to get there

 

[TotallyAngelic]

DLP

+ The size and convenience
+ The rides are better (POTC, Space Mountain, Phantom Manor!)

- smoking
- no philharmagic, splash mountain or epcot

WDW

+ the American experience
+ the excellent value for money

- the flight
- the crowds!

 

[tinkerbell36]

Like wideeyes I have not been to WDW yet but I have done research

DLP

+ Everything centralised and easy to get to
+ The prettiest park and castle I reckon
- Can be hard to communicate with CMs and crowds sometimes
- I wish they had more pins!

WDW
+ Absolutely loads to do
+ Very friendly CMs
- Weather and flight would be too much for me
- SOOO expensive

 

[isma]

DLP

the most beautiful Magic Kingdom because of its design and details
the ability to explore the whole resort by walking

no long opening and fireworks except during special seasons
sometimes the fact that it`s in europe (rude CMs, smoking, counter service food not very tasty)

WDW (well, my last trip was quite some years ago, but anyway )

soooo many attractions and shows
american friendliness around the parks

(and an extra for the fresh ice-cooled pineapple-juice they sold during our very hot trips at the Magic Kingdom)

the feeling that you didn`t get to see everything when leaving because there`s so much (I think that`s a pro and a contra at once...)
crowds

 

[diswix]

DLP and WDW are such different vacations.We are WDW fanatics and were so surprised to find DLP, on our first visit last year, So magical.

DLP
+ quick and easy to get to ( flights and Eurostar)
+ Big Thunder is amazing ( closed for refurb when we go next week!)
-- understandably; absence of water parks
-- weather

WDW
+ IOA (not Disney, but close by)
+ Rope drop ( Americans make it so much fun).
-- Expensive car hire
-- Flight home.

 

[PATMAGIC]

Not visited WDW, but I suspect this will be mine when I finally do:

DLRP
+ Cast Members friendly and always happy to help out
+ Hidden Details are amazing, even in the WDS themeing is great
- Disney's Princess / WWODP has been there for ages
- People expect CM's to all speak English

WDW:
+ More parks means more fun
+ Expedition Everest
- CM's are too happy
- Park's management do not care about upkeep

 

[Mrs Stonfiesta]

DLP
+ Disney Castle - i love this one! Its special to me...
+ Small World, i love the ticking!!
- Def the people in the parks, they push in and there rude and i hate the smoking!!!!
- i wish it was a little bigger

WDW
+ Cast Members are so friendly
+ Size of the place, you can really get caught up n the magic here!
- Def the 9hr flight
- I cant think of anyhting else!!!

 

[Gonz Of Lancashire]

DLP

+ Ideal for short break
+ A good introduction to Disney

- The cost of virtually everything there
- The French

WDW

+ So much to do
+ Great atmosphere

- The flight
- The fact that you can't do everything you want to do in each trip

 

[angel659]

Not visited WDW, but I suspect this will be mine when I finally do:

DLRP
+ Cast Members friendly and always happy to help out
+ Hidden Details are amazing, even in the WDS themeing is great
- Disney's Princess / WWODP has been there for ages
- People expect CM's to all speak English

WDW:
+ More parks means more fun
+ Expedition Everest
- CM's are too happy
- Park's management do not care about upkeep

I had to reply to this comment and I will apologise if this offends, but how on earth can you compare the two parks when you have never been

How can you say that WDW does not care about the up keep and the management WDW regularly paint and spruce up each of there parks and I have never found any evidence of the park being in need of attention. However, I have recently come back from DLP and I was shocked with how much the park needed some TLC. The back of the castle was disgusting and they obviously only paint the front of the castle and you would not see this in WDW. Some of the shops needed TLC, if they were not on main street. Ok they have themes, but you could tell it was not part of the theme. There are ciggarette butts on the floor in DLP and you would not see this in WDW.

CM's in DLP were so disorganised they did not have a clue on how to organise things or did not seem to care. The poor characters being swarmed with park visitors and the CM just walking arounding In FL the CM ensures there is a line that is in place and encourages people to take turns and also takes care of the character.

As for CM's being too friendly thats part of thier job and the disney charm. I was disgusted with DLP CM's and feel they need a course on customer service. Yes they should speak english as we found english was a universal language I found many Spanish and Italians speaking english to the CM when ordering or asking for help.

Believe me if you do go to WDW you will notice the difference and I am so shocked with the attitude of the CM's, the disorganisation with the park guests line jumping, smoking in lines and even shows the list continues.......

 

[angel659]

Hi

I have been to both parks and feel that I can make an honest judgement. I understand we all have our preferences here are mine.

WDW.

+ Friendly CM's and Americans
+ Beautiful park that is obviously well kept
+ Many many many more plus too many to list
- It costs so much

DLP

+ Adventure Land very pretty and well kept
+ You can go to Disney for a fix for cheap i.e camping
- CM so rude
- Smoking - needs designated areas.

 

[jillrobinson]

Yes they should speak english :

and people wonder why they get rude CM's - not me I should hasten to add, I've never had a problem.

 

[angel659]

While we out there we spoke basic french whilst ordering etc. My point is that even though they may not be able to say sorry or thank you in english they sure can say it in french. At least this way they are gesturing to you and not just ignoring you and snatching your tickets off you at the turnstiles this is unacceptable behaviour in my opinion. Manners do not cost a thing.

Ok not all the CM's are rude, but the majority were and this lets the park down. I have not encountered one rude CM in WDW hence why DLP is a negative to me when it comes to staff. Perhaps because it was peak time we experienced this I do not know, but we will return next Jan when it will hopefully be quieter.

 

[PATMAGIC]

I don't mean to let this get into an argument but I have heard about the WDW CM's and their apparent organisation you are only allowed to watch the parade on a certain side of Main Street, organisation like this is not needed in a theme park really maybe it's an American thing but I just prefer the European approach I see to the American one I hear so many people praising. I personally have found though DLRP CM's really friendly you just have to be nice to them and not always expect them to speak English after all there are many more languages in the whole of Europe, I even started a conversation with a cm about toy story last time I was in wds when I was buying a DVD she even believed I was french which was rather amazing lol. As for upkeep WDW have not painted their castle in years just like DLRP have not, but that should change in DLRP soon and by the way the Magic Kingdom upkeep I have heard is bad along with many neons in MGM etc etc etc in WDW.

PS, I have been to dlrp 10 times and only once or twice seen a rude cast member.

 

[JJ For Ever]

DLRP Positives

+ I prefer many of the attractions here.In my opinion Big Thunder,Phantom Manor,Pirates,Space Mountain slightly superior at Paris.Love theming of Frontierland & the Castle is beautiful when lit up.

+ Love the walk around Lake Disney to the parks & look at the Disneyland Hotel.Its beautiful.

- Smoking & when I went recently saw Q Jumping which was unfortunate.

- Soft drinks can be slightly too expensive here but this is not a problem that exists solely here.

WDW Positives

+ Epcot.Its so great ... Soarin is worth the admission price alone & World Showcase is simply wonderful & very educational

+ The Water Parks are very refreshing

- The weather can be very intense in Summer

- Cannot walk from park to park like in Paris , have to rely on Transportation.The resort is Huge !!!!

 

[JoeSam]

Gosh, this is quite hard to stick to two of each! I'll try to do different ones than have been mentioned, although I agree with many...

DLP

+ Christmas!!!!
+ Characters in hotels
- Not enough fireworks!
- The rain is COLD

WDW

+ Animal Kingdom!
+ Sheer variety of things to do
- Size can be overwhelming
- No dragon under the castle (I asked DS!)

 

[ppiew]

Just back from DLP and although I was prepared to deal with rude/insolent CM's, that did NOT happen. Everyone was wonderful. friendly, caring. Even though I only speak English, we did communicate with 'sign' language when necessary - and this was NOT just with the French, also happened with German's, Dutch, Spanish. We got along just fine. A smile can sometimes do wonders! Sure some mix ups did occur, but all was resolved quickly and efficiently. Maintenance? Yup, lack thereof occurs on both sides of the pond. In DLP I can think of only 2 bad incidents - (1) the # of broken/burned out lights on MS (2) lack of garbage cans on BTRR. Both can be resolved quite easily and economically.
In short, each offers something different, but both can be enjoyed. Europeans are fortunate their park is so close that they can avail themselves of a frequent 'fix.' In the US, I need to travel 2100 miles to WDW and about the same to California!
I think enough has been said about rude CM's in DLP (which we never encountered). Most are trying so very hard to 'fit into the mould' they should be encouraged and commended. Loved the park, and hope to be fortunate enough to return someday.