DLR or WDW?

[nancy drew]

i am torn on whether to go to DLR or WDW this year. i know we will have a blast at either one. im not really worried about that. im just "worried" about missing out on something. im a freak. we *might* be able to do both. but im not sure. ill lay out a list of pros and cons and maybe you guys can advise me, having btdt.

FWIW i am a single (divorced) mom, traveling with 2 kids: age 4 and 2.5. i go everywhere with them now, but i ultimately want a vacation where *i* can feel like im on vacation, too. id rather not be driving and cooking and cleaning. id like to have fun and create some awesome memories for us by having a fun time.


pros of WDW:
*i know the parks well, i know what the kids will like and can plan based on experience
*can use dining plan to save money (we do lots of character meals, trust me it saves me money based on what we like to do)
*shorter flight
*no carseats necessary/can bring one for ds but not dd if i want
*small world will be open (see DLR cons, this is DDs favorite ride)
*magical express!!!

pros of DLR:
*new and exciting for us
*brother bear ceremony (BB is one of DDs favorite movies EVER)
*walk to and from the hotel
*more rides and activities aimed at their age level (maybe not, but some of the rides and activities really look like fun)
*monsters inc ride (another favorite movie)
*nemo sub ride!!!

cons of WDW:
*riding the bus to and from every park (Staying at a value to save money)
*soooo much to do and see, not enough time
*usually i stay at a deluxe, staying at a value for a longer stay this time, will i be miserable? (ignore how snobby i sound, im mostly talking about the convenience of walking or boating to MK)

cons of DLR:
*much longer flight
*must bring 2 carseats with me for the shuttle/taxi to and from the airport
*small world will be closed (DDs favorite ride, when i ask her what she wants to do at disney the first thing she says is IASW. she said brother bear is more important, and she seems to understand that IASW is going to be closed, but relaly, how can we go and NOT ride that???)
*new and unfamiliar, i tend to be afraid and apprehensive about new stuff.


so whaddya think???

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

Well, here is my 2 cents worth.....

We went to WDW for the 1st time as a family in 2006. Then for the 1st time as a family to DL just this past Dec. 07.

It is very hard to compare the 2, because they are very different. When people ask which I liked best - it is WDW hands down - because its closer for us (Illinois) and there is so much more to do. We spent 7 days there & didn't see everything.

But on the other hand at DL we did in 4 days & didn't see everything either. But we did San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Legoland & Universal. So, it was a wider vacation then just DL & that will probably be the only time we will get to California.

If you can afford DL, Calif trip do it. It was very memorable & when will you do it again. Mix up your vacations, thats the fun of it & you still get your Disney fix.

Like you said you may still be able to do both & if not there is next year. Its fun to have a new adventure. You are very brave to do it alone

 

[ldo]

for your kid's ages, I would do WDW. First, it's cheaper and you know the area, etc. Second, I would save a big Calif. trip for when they are older.
Lastly, have you considered a moderate-it's going to have a slide, hottub and fridge and themed/lanscaped lush grounds? So, it has a lot of the feautures of a Deluxe--but much less $$$. Also, try AA discount directly thru WDW (room only).

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

While I've always enjoyed my time at DLR, nothing will compare to a WDW vacation. DLR just isn't as magical to my family. Something about walking down a busy Anaheim street filled with chain restaurants and hotels and into the property ruins it for me. We like going to Disney, getting on property, and being immersed in all things Disney.

 

[JB2K]

FWIW i am a single (divorced) mom, traveling with 2 kids: age 4 and 2.5

As a veteran of both DL and WDW, I can honestly say that with such young kidlets, DL is the way to go!

(I'm sure all those people from New Jersey, and other points north are now scratching their heads and asking "Why is he saying that? I thought WDW was the one to beat...").

While WDW is indeed, the biggest of the two resort parks, Disneyland is an American icon -- this is the same park that Walt Disney himself built (and assumed some heavy debt, in the process) from the ground up (and roamed quite frequently until his passing in 1966).

DL has "Mickey's Toontown", which is a fully-themed land (unlike "Toontown Fair" at WDW, which is an abbreviated version of the California attraction). Little ones absolutely love it!

Also, if you happen to want do on-site lodging, the Disneyland Hotel is the granddaddy of all the themed hotels in Disney's stable (the rooms, there even have gloved Mickey hands protruding from the wall to hold the wall-mounted lampshades!).

And, most importantly, you're flying solo with 2 small kids - DL, as a whole, is much, much easier to negotiate!

Just remember, at the end of the day, all the little ones want to do is meet Mickey, or a princess or two -- easily-done at DL...

P.S. As we don't know your exact geographic location, you may want to consider transportation costs as a deciding factor, since if you traveled by air, you would have to purchase airfare for all three travelers...

 

[christa112]

Here is my opinion have three children myself and if I was to go alone with just them. I would opt for WDW. Everything you need is right there, you don't have to drive, unless you want to leave the property. Plus, California is kinda scary, you hear about all that traffic and like the one of the previous posters says you are in the middle of Anaheim. The build WDL in the middle of a city, where as WDW they purchased who knows how much land and built up from there and still want to add more.

 

[brightvalleyjrts]

Well, being that I am originally from San Diego, of course I think DL. I went by myself in 2006. My boys were 3 1/2 and 10 mths. I was staying with Family in San Diego, but rented a car & drove up to Disneyland to meet some friends. We had a great time and the kids really enjoyed it.

I don't think I could handle WDW all by myself! LOL!! It's just too big and getting everything on and off the buses by myself would drive me crazy.

 

[nancy drew]

thank you all for the input. that is what i truly love about the disboards. i am very much set in my ways, and coming here and asking for input helps me consider things i wouldnt have thought about, but probably should have!!!!

ok, some additional info:

we live in chicago, so travel to CA is 4 hours vs 2 hours to florida. that could be an issue.

i have priced trips of equal length to each place at the same time, and i break even if i stay at a value at WDW vs a walking distance hotel at DLR. same length of stay. im tempted by an above poster to consider a moderate, if they have hot tubs, because i could really use some hot tub time. but im thinking you meant outdoor shared hottub and not "the kids are in bed im sitting in a hot tub in my room" hot tub.

id definitely like to alternate a DLR vacay with out regular WDW trips. im just abnormally averse to new things. i was this hesitant when i first traveled to WDW with my dd (alone) while pregnant with ds. i tend to freak out about things before they happen.

dd cries to me every day because its not christmas time, so we arent going to WDW. i made the mistake of telling her we might go to WDW at christmas time, and now she obsesses over it every day. good thing she cant go online and participate here, because she would be unstoppable!!!!!!!! i have shown her pics of DLR and she is excited about the brother bear thing, but she is so set on WDW. im not sure what to do.

i really see a lot of things i like at DLR. i know my kids would have a ton of fun there. and so would i (). i like the idea of walking everywhere. a lot. i loathe the idea of taking a bus everywhere, and waiting in line. however, i would gladly do it if it means seeing the joy in my kids eyes upon seeing their favorite characters and rides.

ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! keep posting. i am SO indecisive.

 

[barkley]

we just did disneyland a couple of weeks ago after doing wdw the last few times. we had'nt been in several years and it reminded me of the factors i enjoy OVER wdw.

the biggest factor is being able to go to ONE park and having all but a very few attractions my kids want to do in one locaion. with the exception of 'it's hard to be a bug, soarin, muppett 3-d and crush' everything my kiddos enjoy is in the magic kingdom. so i'm not having to go to epcot where there's little my kids (esp. when they were younger) were into just to do one or two attractions (and man that place entails allot of walking from either entrance).

i also like that the monorail drops off at disneyland INSIDE the magic kingdom, so i have the option of doing the main entrance (main street u.s.a.) or landing right a nemo's entrance, adjacent to tomorrow land or just a few short steps to fantasy land.

my kids had forgotten from their trips to wdw that many of the wdw rides are abbreviated versions of or at wdw you walk through larger portions whereas at dl you ride through them (haunted mansion, pirates of the carribean, toon town for example). speaking of toon town-i LOVE that disneyland affords me the ability weather i enter at the main gate or take the monorail to do a short walk from either to the disneyland railroad station where we can hop aboard and get off in toontown (seems to me wdw's version does'nt have as many entry and exit stations).

as for the con's you've listed re disneyland-my understanding of magical express is that it's a van, and if you're planning on using wdw on site resort transportation thats a bus, so if you're comfortable with the kids going without carseats in florida i don't see any difference in them going without them in california (disney charges but has a bus service from the airports to their/their 'good neighbor' hotels/motels-there's also lots of shuttle services. some services charge a very small fee for a carseat to be provided).

meals-i'm not an expert on the ddp but from i've seen of it i can't see that it saves allot of money. if the character meals are popular with you so the kids see a big concentration of characters in one place then you could pass on them at disneyland-since they only have 2 parks you tend to see many more and more often. when we went to california adventure my kids saw more characters in one location (their hollywood area) than i've ever seen at one time. up and down the street-multiple princesses, several of the seven dwarfs, mickey, minney, goofy, mr and mrs incredible, buzz lightyear, pluto...and we passed through that area several times of several days and it was no fluke-it was constant. there are several dining options right outside the property that are a shorter walk than within some of the parks in wdw, and they offer some good food at very reasonable prices (mimi's cafe is great, and most little ones love ihop). there's lots of good dining options at downtown disney which is to my mind much less walking intensive for small feet than wdw's version (and if you stay at a place with a small fridge and a microwave you can use vaughns to deliver a few grocery items which can save a bundle and be used to re-heat the inevitable left overs from those oversized disney portions).

as for being intimidate about not knowing the lay of the land-relax. it's laid out in a very user friendly way. think of magic kingdom as a lollypop. you enter on the 'stick' that is main street. at the end of the stick is sleeping beauty's castle. if you turned right and worked your way around you would first enter tomorrowland (includes among others nemo, buzz lightyear, honey i shrunk the audience and autopia, continue around and enter fantasy land or a short jog down toon town, keep looping around and you enter adventureland/critter country/new orleans square (pooh's ride, pirates, tiki room, tarzan's tree house..) and then you end up back on main street. california adventure is much more spread out, but with kids the age you have you can eliminate large chunks that offer nothing but the big rollarcoasters and carnival type big kid rides.

 

[mrswh]

Such a rough dilemma.

We have done both, and I think you will have a great time no matter what you decide! I do think that DLR is easier and more convenient (esp. for us since we are in Denver - 2 hrs. to DLR vs. 4 to WDW). I love how DTD, DLR and DCA are all in the same place. Makes it easy to go from one to the other, back and forth, use fast passes, eat a decent meal, etc. We happened to be there when the Nemo ride opened last summer and DLR was so crowded . . . we walked over to DCA and it was heaven! Wouldn't have had that option (without a lot of hassle) at WDW. I agree with the PP about it not being so fun being in Anaheim vs. the "city" of WDW. If you are able to stay onsite at DLR that might make a big difference, though. Being able to walk to and from your hotel saves an awful lot of time that you could be spending having fun rather than waiting for a bus. In terms of offsite lodging, hotels are much cheaper in Anaheim than in Orlando, for sure. On paper, I'd pick DLR over WDW any day of the week. That said . . . .

For all the great things about DLR, to me, it just lacks the magic of WDW. There is something I can't put my finger on about WDW that makes it more special for me. Maybe it's Cinderella's castle. Maybe it's how you're not plopped in the middle of a So. Cal. city. Maybe it's that WDW was the first Disney experience for my kids. Whatever it is, I just feel the magic more at WDW. If you are comfortable there, too, and going to DLR is going to make you anxious, forget it! Just go to WDW, and have a great time.

Here's how I make tough decisions. Flip a coin. If you're not happy with the outcome, then clearly you prefer the other choice.

 

[TheDizMom]

I don't really have an answer for you since I haven't ever done DLR. We have talked about it, but because it's pricier we have done WDW. If you decide to do DLR let us know what you thought. I would be very curious to hear if you found it more or less easily navigated, were happy with the walking distance to your hotel, liked your restaurant options etc. My kids are older so we love all the parks and options at WDW, and so we have debated trying DLR too.

 

[druidia]

I would highly recommend any Disney fan to do DLR at least once in their lives. It was so completely different in so many ways, and yet so familiar in many wonderful ways. First some background on us:

We don't have kids, so it was just DH and I on our trip in 2006.

We are native Floridians and frequent WDW several times per year. I've been going to WDW since I was born in 1973 and nothing really compares to the feeling you get driving under that welcome sign. Nevertheless, as huge Disney fans, we wanted to experience "Walt's Park" during the 50th anniversary celebration. We are so glad we did.

To dispel a few concerns here: We flew 6 hours, no big deal for us. But you have more to carry and contend with, so it could be an inconvenience for you. But don't worry about the commute to Anaheim. If you fly into any of the LA area airports (we flew into LAX because it was the cheapest), you can take the Disneyland Express Shuttle directly from the airport to the DLR area for what we considered to be a very reasonable cost. They go to most of the resorts in that area, not just the Disney resorts. We walked off the plane, got our luggage and waited 5 minutes for a shuttle to appear. They are like the DCL busses. The drive to the hotel was pleasant and fairly quick; about 30-40 mins. I did time our flight to land prior to rush hour so we would avoid traffic. But rest assured these guys drive very, shall we say, assertively? You won't sit still for long.

We stayed across the street from DCA at Paradise Pier. It was perfect for us. I couldn't see spending the add'l $$ for GCH or DLH since we intended to spend most of our time in the parks. That's also why no car was needed. We weren't going anywhere but Disney.

Not a lot of walking at DLR, as the 2 parks are directly across the way from each other, with DTD leading into them.

DLR is much lower key, not quite as grand as WDW to me. You don't get the same effect walking down Main Street, but it also feels more intimate in a way. We saw many more characters, and to me, the cast members were much friendlier and laid back than WDW. The lines were much better than WDW (and we went over Memorial Day weekend).

Many cool attractions that we don't have here and I wish we did. The Monster's Inc ride is one of them. Indiana Jones. Their Space Mountain totally blows ours out of the water. And the live Aladdin show at the Hyperion theater in DCA is the best show ever. Bar none. A must see! Their ToT, HM and Toontown are different, Fantasyland is completely charming and so much more detailed. Their Fantasmic rocks, too. The only thing I think you will miss is Epcot. Not a hint of Epcot in either park IMHO.

You will not feel unsafe, you will not feel crowded in by Anaheim. I expected that, and it didn't turn out that way. We were upgraded to park view rooms and watched the Electrical Parade outside our window each night and it was pretty cool. It wasn't as immersive as WDW, but then what is?

And when we were ready to go home, the shuttle picked us up outside our hotel and we were back at LAX in 35 minutes for our flight. No hassle, no fuss.

 

[JB2K]

The build WDL in the middle of a city...

Not entirely so -- that whole part of Anaheim was nothing but orange groves in the early/mid-20th century. After Disneyland was built, only then did all the shops/hotels/etc. set-up camp outside DLs gates.

Of course, Walt Disney applied those "lessons learned" when he began buying parcels of land for what would become WDW (under assumed names) in the early/mid-60's.

 

[JB2K]

ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! keep posting. i am SO indecisive.

OK...you asked for it

Seriously, I stand by my OP when it comes to taking small kids to a Disney park -- Disneyland would be absolutely great (and yes, you don't have to worry about standing in lines for buses, and some of the other things that can make a WDW vacation a bit of a "drag", at times).

I see that you are in Chicagoland, which means you have choices when it comes to getting to anywhere Disney by air. I noticed Southwest Airlines offers non-stops from Midway to LAX (Disneyland travelers also have the luxury of using nearby John Wayne Airport in Orange County).

If it helps, I took my two oldest kids when they were 3 and 7, and they raved about their first Disney experience throughout their childhood.

We always stayed off-property in nearby hotels (just about every major chain is represented -- I have noticed that most DISers recommend the Howard Johnson Anaheim), and never had a bad experience, at all...

 

[hugabearjo]

I am a DLR by nature kind of gal. I enjoy my vacations to WDW for reasons that your young kids don't need. Ex. my kids love to spend the day at Disney Quest and I know they are safe and I can shop, rest, do laundry etc. I also enjoy the waterparks at WDW. However, I love DLR even more because with a hopper ticket you can do and see everything. I counted once and I think if you take out the World Showcase things there is virtually the same number of rides at Disneyland and DCA as there are in all 4 parks at WDW. I think hands down, fantasy world is better at DLR. I also enjoy the aspect that walt walked there and had a hand in most of the attractions. I also love that every nook and cranny is used because of the lack of space. WDW has some beautiful land in between the parks and attractions but, I don't feel the same charm.

IMHO if you have never done DLR then I would go for it. If you have done WDW then it shouldn't be overwhelming.

Budget wise. We stay at the Homewood suites, it is in the hilton line and very nice. They have a very extensive free breakfast and a managers reception that we make a meal Monday through Thursday. So it almost is like a dining plan in itself. Depending on when you are going you can eat breakfast, go back to the room and swim/rest and have the "reception" and then head back to the parks for the evening.

Makes me want to leave right now.... lol

Whatever you decide, I am sure you will have a great time visiting the mouse we always do, doesn't really matter if it is in California or Florida.

Lastly, please also note that I visited DLR resort first and my mom who travels with us grew up down there so there is a bit of help with knowing where to go if we venture offsite.

 

[alicenwonder99]

Our family absolutely LOVES Disneyland. We prefer it over WDW. There is something much more magical about Disneyland that WDW is lacking. Also, DL is so much easier to get around. My younger children can do 4-5 days of DL with no stroller. But at WDW, we still have to rent one for my 7 year old (and my 9 year old sometimes gets in it, too).

We were just at DL over the summer. It was the most crowded time we've ever spent at any Disney vacation, but it was also the BEST time. I would never, ever consider a WDW when it's one of the more crowded times.

OK, but now the cons of a DL vacation:

I'm also from Chicago, and I travel to WDW alone with my younger children. I don't think I would ever go to DL alone. For starters, it's a PITA to get to your rental car. You have to get your luggage, then you have to go outside and wait for a shuttle, then take the shuttle to the car rental place, etc. Driving around Southern California and all of those freeways scare me! I refuse to do it! lol. (I also don't like driving on the Chicago expressways, either, but I'll do it if I "have" to).

Doing a WDW vacation alone with the kids is a breeze. We have someone drop us off at Midway airport, I do curbside check-in at Southwest Airlines, the flight is short, I do the Magical Express to our hotel, and that's that!

So, if you're not "scared" of driving yourself around Southern California then definitely go for the DLR vacation.

If you do go to DLR, we stayed in a hotel right across the street from the park entrance. It was called Park Vue Inn. For some reason, it doesn't have the greatest reviews. We liked it! It was clean, the rooms were nicely decorated, free continental breakfast every morning (and there was lots of different types of foods to choose from, not just coffee and donuts), the pool was rather small (the only drawback). But the walk to the park is so close. There were even a couple of times that one of us would walk back to our hotel room because we forgot something. No big deal, it only took an extra 15minutes to walk from the park - to our room - then back to the park. Oh, but don't eat at the IHOP that's right there...very expensive and very NASTY. It was cheaper eating at the park than at the IHOP!

Oh, and one more thing to consider: they do NOT have double strollers at DL. Something to think about with the ages of your children.

HTH

 

[Mililani Mom]

Since your children are younger, I would suggest DL. My DS (now he's nine) has been to DL 4 times (starting at age 3) and my DD has been to DL 3 times (starting at age 2). Both kids have been to WDW (when they were 5 & 7, and then 6 & 8). The flight to California is almost 5 hours for us, the flight to Florida is about 10 hours). Anyway, although WDW is a HUGE treat for us (we live in Hawaii) and can't wait to go again, I would suggest DL for you because it's a breeze to get around at DL. Most of the time we stay at a cheap, neighboring hotel right outside of the park (it's less than a 10 minute walk) to the park gate (when we stayed at POR, it was a 10 minute walk to the bus stop). One time we stayed at the Grand Californian and that was a BLAST. You can sleep in luxury and enjoy the Disney experience (there's even a private entrance into California Adventure Park from that hotel). What I really liked about the GC is that when I was there with my 2 kids (my husband had to go home early) and I had left the door ajar (the kids kept going next door to my sister and her family's room) I actually went to sleep with the door not quite closed. The GC security came by and thankfully woke me up to secure the door (otherwise I would've slept the whole night like that). But... the best reason to visit DL, is that if you are a firm believer in afternoon naps, it is GREAT to just push your tired/cranky child straight to your room (instead of waiting for a bus, getting them up, folding the stroller and doing everything in reverse when you reach your resort). Once you're actually at DL, you'll find it really easy to manage on your own. For DL, you can just push the stroller between the two parks, to and from your hotel and Downtown Disney as well.

 

[nancy drew]

alicenwonder99 thank you for your advice! its good to hear from someone local on this stuff.

i wouldnt rent a car, i will take a shuttle or bus to the hotel (i am 99% sold on the park vue, im *really* glad to hear good things as the reviews are mixed and im afraid of hating it or something). i wont be going anywhere but DLR so i wont need a car that would just sit in the parking lot all week. i have a single stroller with a riding board on the back, so i figure my oldest can ride on the back and my youngest can sit, and on occasion they can switch so the oldest gets a chance to rest (im assuming she will want to sit). i also have a lightweight back carrier i can put in the stroller basket for ds so he can ride on my back if dd wants to ride in the stroller. but thanks for the tip on no double strollers. that seals the deal on bringing my own!!!

hugabearjo thank you for your input! im pretty set on DLR this year, i really appreciate all of the advice im getting here!!! ill have to check out the homewood suites. every time i think ive chosen a hotel i find another one that tempts me!!

JB2K thank you! i do think i have chosen DLR for this year. southwest does have some great deals, but i refuse to use them as i have heard they wont let families preboard, and ive heard of kids being separated from their parents because there werent any seats together. i dont want to give them my business, because i do not agree with their new policies, even if it means i could save money. its unfortunate that they have made these choices, as i really did like flying with them in the past.

 

[alicenwonder99]

i wouldnt rent a car, i will take a shuttle or bus to the hotel

What's the deal on the shuttle/bus? I would LOVE to take a quick trip to DLR with my 2 youngest children, but the driving is what stops me. Taking a Disney trip with just me and my 2 little ones is cheap, compared to having the WHOLE family going (and dh driving). And a trip to DLR would be so much cheaper than a trip to WDW.

Also, in my opinion, I think a trip to DLR can be done at anytime, as compared to a trip to WDW. Going to DLR at the busiest times is still so much easier than going to WDW at a busy time.

So, fill me in on the details of getting a shuttle to the Park Vue!! OMG! I see a DLR trip coming soon...and I was doing so good getting my bills paid off.

 

[nancy drew]

What's the deal on the shuttle/bus? I would LOVE to take a quick trip to DLR with my 2 youngest children, but the driving is what stops me. Taking a Disney trip with just me and my 2 little ones is cheap, compared to having the WHOLE family going (and dh driving). And a trip to DLR would be so much cheaper than a trip to WDW.

Also, in my opinion, I think a trip to DLR can be done at anytime, as compared to a trip to WDW. Going to DLR at the busiest times is still so much easier than going to WDW at a busy time.

So, fill me in on the details of getting a shuttle to the Park Vue!! OMG! I see a DLR trip coming soon...and I was doing so good getting my bills paid off.

as far as i can tell, you can just show up at the airport and get on a super shuttle and go to your hotel. or you can book it with your hotel on sites like orbitz etc. not sure if there is an advantage to either method, though. its something like $13 each way for adults, less than that for kids 3 and up, free for kids under 3.

the only thing is you need carseats for young'uns. thats my biggest obstacle. both of my kids will require carseats if i go. so that means me + a 2.5yo + a 4yo + 2 carseats + a stroller + whatever bags we can bring = pack mule?

best i can figure it:

i wear a carseat on my back via the pac back, i put the other carseat in the stroller, the kids walk (one can ride on the standing step of the stroller), the bags get piled onto the carseat in the stroller and dd and ds wear little backpacks with stuff for them to do. and when i get on and off the plane, i beg the flight attendants for help . ditto for getting on and off the shuttle, and into and out of the hotel. i suppose 2 days of annoying travel (one to and one from) is worth 5 or 6 days of disneyland awesomeness.

ETA: ok wait a sec. i am reading about the disneyland express bus, which goes to and from LAX and SNA. im wondering if that goes to offsite hotels or just DLR hotels? if it goes to offsite hotels, i wont need a carseat for dd (4yo, ill bring 2.5yo ds's seat since he will likely sleep on the plane). that would make things A LOT easier. anyone know if disneyland express bus goes to all the hotels or just disney hotels?