DLR Vet WDW Review

[LAS2AMS]

I couldn't tell from my angle, but I wondered if it might have had food in the back - or if driving alongside it was enough to break its concentration and turn its interest to the crazy zebras.

When we rode the safari shortly before park closing, the giraffes blocked us from moving. After 15-20 minutes, they came out and tossed food to bribe the giraffes. It took a few moments but they moved.

 

[irlandaise]

When we rode the safari shortly before park closing, the giraffes blocked us from moving. After 15-20 minutes, they came out and tossed food to bribe the giraffes. It took a few moments but they moved.

Goodness, I'm surprised that the CMs responsible for such situations didn't come out much sooner. Maybe they were busy elsewhere?

 

[LAS2AMS]

Goodness, I'm surprised that the CMs responsible for such situations didn't come out much sooner. Maybe they were busy elsewhere?

He/she was being stubborn. It sounded like it was pretty common, and they wait for him/her to end their tantrum.

Here he/she is. Unfortunately I don’t take good pics.

 

[KPeterso]

We had a driver on one of our safaris over the years who said that the giraffes have really wised up. They know if they stand in the middle of the road that the food truck with the better treats will eventually show up. The driver joked the green pick up trucks are the giraffes form of door dash.

 

[LKing]

I realize that everyone's experience is unique and that it is very much dependent on what one sees or encounters on any given day. I jotted down things that seemed different to me.

• Far fewer ECVs/scooters than at DLR
• Far fewer obese guests. Fewer people were struggling to walk or to get in and out of ride vehicles
• Barber Shop at MK
• Glass blower at MK
• Fresh cotton candy machine at MK
• Popcorn Mix Ins at MK
• Restrooms had paper towels
• CM compliments on app mean more to CM. CM at WDW seemed to be acknowledged or recognized if they received a compliment. I don't believe that happens at DLR.
• Fireworks much higher and larger
• No wait to pay for parking!!!! Many times we drove straight to the kiosk. The most we ever had was for 2 cars in front of us!
• No line for trams
• Tram entrances were wider making them easier to board.
• Angle of parking is more acute so that cars don't open their doors into each other. If you park in the structure, you know what I am talking about.
• Security gates much easier
• WDW has separate entrances for annual passholders.
• Resort food was much better (and more reasonably priced) than I expected
• Bread service was included at the majority of restaurants. Butter was fresh rather than foil wrapped cubes
• As you exited an attraction vehicle, the CM said, "Watch your step" instead of "Step out" or "Exit the vehicle."
• More MagicBand effects on rides. More MB interactive statues.
• Security at transportation center, MK, and at several resorts told us that we could leave our car at the resort as long as we wanted.

• PhotoPass was more popular at WDW. Lines were long for PhotoPass photographers everywhere.
• Lilly Pulitzer was much more popular at WDW
• Tape on ground for parades, cavalcades and shows instead of ropes
• Fewer windows with names on Main Street
• Werthers was heavily featured in bakeries
• Some employees had voice amplifying devices which helped / Some employees did not have voice amplifying devices and became agitated when guests couldn't hear them.
• A lot of British and Europeans.
• A lot of guests who did not speak English.
• More young families. Fewer senior citizens.
• Rare to see people wearing shoulder plushies

• Stroller drivers were much more aggressive.
• People sleeping on the walkways in the parks
• People sitting on the ground and eating food anywhere they could find. Not enough tables or benches at any of the parks.
• More people eating food they brought from home.
• Bakery baked items were not as stylized as at DLR. Baked items we bought were not fresh.
• Balloons were only classic Mickey or princesses
• Restrooms were filthy! This was in all four parks all 10 days that we were there. In DHS, the sanitary napkin trash containers in the stalls were full at before 9 am! It was really bad. At DLR, it is rare to go into a restroom and not see a CM cleaning them. At WDW, I rarely saw an anyone cleaning the stalls. I saw CM wiping down the sinks, but they didn't seem to deal with toilets that were out of order.
• Trash cans were overflowing.
• Frequently trash was on the ground without anyone picking it up
• Streets were generally more dirty than at DLR
• Long lines even with LL
• Stores, including pin stores, didn't have small bags.
• Nighttime shows can be seen from far away yet guests are more aggressive about claiming their viewing location
• Less ethnic and socio economic diversity
• Security bag check was like an interrogation.
• Parking kiosk scanners don't stretch to be able to scan a card on a cell phone.
• Long lines for characters
• Park food was much worse than I expected. How do you ruin french fries?
• Several servers did not hide the fact that they were disappointed when we did not order alcohol with our meal.
• Multiple attractions had trash in the vehicles (maps, used Kleenex, straws, receipts, etc)
• No (or very few) hand sanitizer stations
• Monorails have a stench that, to me, smells like a mix of disinfectant and urine.
• Custodial crews wheel very large black waste cans down the streets.
• MK floral Mickey looks cross eyed

First picture is at rope drop. Popcorn carts were not open yet. Look at how dirty the ground was first thing in the morning. Maybe I'm immune, but I don't see that at DLR. The second picture really surprised me. Obviously this didn't just happen.


The difference in floral Mickeys.

vs

They should bring this to Wonderful World of Sweets!



Barber shop and glassblowing in MK

 

[VGCgroupie]

I realize that everyone's experience is unique and that it is very much dependent on what one sees or encounters on any given day. I jotted down things that seemed different to me.

• Far fewer ECVs/scooters than at DLR
• Far fewer obese guests. Fewer people were struggling to walk or to get in and out of ride vehicles
• Barber Shop at MK
• Glass blower at MK
• Fresh cotton candy machine at MK
• Popcorn Mix Ins at MK
• Restrooms had paper towels
• CM compliments on app mean more to CM. CM at WDW seemed to be acknowledged or recognized if they received a compliment. I don't believe that happens at DLR.
• Fireworks much higher and larger
• No wait to pay for parking!!!! Many times we drove straight to the kiosk. The most we ever had was for 2 cars in front of us!
• No line for trams
• Tram entrances were wider making them easier to board.
• Angle of parking is more acute so that cars don't open their doors into each other. If you park in the structure, you know what I am talking about.
• Security gates much easier
• WDW has separate entrances for annual passholders.
• Resort food was much better (and more reasonably priced) than I expected
• Bread service was included at the majority of restaurants. Butter was fresh rather than foil wrapped cubes
• As you exited an attraction vehicle, the CM said, "Watch your step" instead of "Step out" or "Exit the vehicle."
• More MagicBand effects on rides. More MB interactive statues.
• Security at transportation center, MK, and at several resorts told us that we could leave our car at the resort as long as we wanted.

• PhotoPass was more popular at WDW. Lines were long for PhotoPass photographers everywhere.
• Lilly Pulitzer was much more popular at WDW
• Tape on ground for parades, cavalcades and shows instead of ropes
• Fewer windows with names on Main Street
• Werthers was heavily featured in bakeries
• Some employees had voice amplifying devices which helped / Some employees did not have voice amplifying devices and became agitated when guests couldn't hear them.
• A lot of British and Europeans.
• A lot of guests who did not speak English.
• More young families. Fewer senior citizens.
• Rare to see people wearing shoulder plushies

• Stroller drivers were much more aggressive.
• People sleeping on the walkways in the parks
• People sitting on the ground and eating food anywhere they could find. Not enough tables or benches at any of the parks.
• More people eating food they brought from home.
• Bakery baked items were not as stylized as at DLR. Baked items we bought were not fresh.
• Balloons were only classic Mickey or princesses
• Restrooms were filthy! This was in all four parks all 10 days that we were there. In DHS, the sanitary napkin trash containers in the stalls were full at before 9 am! It was really bad. At DLR, it is rare to go into a restroom and not see a CM cleaning them. At WDW, I rarely saw an anyone cleaning the stalls. I saw CM wiping down the sinks, but they didn't seem to deal with toilets that were out of order.
• Trash cans were overflowing.
• Frequently trash was on the ground without anyone picking it up
• Streets were generally more dirty than at DLR
• Long lines even with LL
• Stores, including pin stores, didn't have small bags.
• Nighttime shows can be seen from far away yet guests are more aggressive about claiming their viewing location
• Less ethnic and socio economic diversity
• Security bag check was like an interrogation.
• Parking kiosk scanners don't stretch to be able to scan a card on a cell phone.
• Long lines for characters
• Park food was much worse than I expected. How do you ruin french fries?
• Several servers did not hide the fact that they were disappointed when we did not order alcohol with our meal.
• Multiple attractions had trash in the vehicles (maps, used Kleenex, straws, receipts, etc)
• No (or very few) hand sanitizer stations
• Monorails have a stench that, to me, smells like a mix of disinfectant and urine.
• Custodial crews wheel very large black waste cans down the streets.
• MK floral Mickey looks cross eyed

First picture is at rope drop. Popcorn carts were not open yet. Look at how dirty the ground was first thing in the morning. Maybe I'm immune, but I don't see that at DLR. The second picture really surprised me. Obviously this didn't just happen.
View attachment 960301 View attachment 960289

The difference in floral Mickeys.

View attachment 960296 vs View attachment 960299

They should bring this to Wonderful World of Sweets!

View attachment 960302

Barber shop and glassblowing in MK

View attachment 960303 View attachment 960304

I will share my observations having just come back and being someone who frequents DLR far more than WDW. I put my experience in bold.

• Far fewer ECVs/scooters than at DLR - We noticed Scooter drivers at MK were rude compared to DLR, more than once we were almost ran into and treated as if we got in THEIR way
• Security gates much easier - Security was much easier, quicker.
• Resort food was much better (and more reasonably priced) than I expected - We noticed this too, I actually mentioned a few times how eating a meal at WDW quick service was cheaper than eating a meal in our home town.
• As you exited an attraction vehicle, the CM said, "Watch your step" instead of "Step out" or "Exit the vehicle." - We noticed these nuances too.
• PhotoPass was more popular at WDW. - We saw low lines but we noticed there are way more Photopass opportunities at WDW than at DLR
• Lilly Pulitzer was much more popular at WDW - Now that you say this, yep I noticed that
• Tape on ground for parades, cavalcades and shows instead of ropes - Noticed this and I preferred it
• A lot of British and Europeans. - We noticed this also
• More young families. Fewer senior citizens. - We noticed this also
• Stroller drivers were much more aggressive. - We didnt feel this was the case for our trip
• People sleeping on the walkways in the parks - Around 4-5pm you could see many people sitting on sidewalks looking miserable, as was I, but Im not a sit on the ground person
• Restrooms were filthy! - Anytime I have ever been in a bathroom ar DLR there is always someone in there cleaning/refilling things. I didnt notice anyone cleaning at WDW.
• Trash cans were overflowing. - We didnt notice this thankfully
• Stores, including pin stores, didn't have small bags. - Noticed this, I just wondered why such a large bag didnt think to ask for a small one.
• Nighttime shows can be seen from far away yet guests are more aggressive about claiming their viewing location - MK fireworks on main st and the hub are utter chaos, nothing like DLR. DLR has done a great job of making other areas of the park great for watching the fireworks by adding projections.
• Less ethnic and socio economic diversity - Noticed
• Security bag check was like an interrogation. - Security was so fast... unless you get flagged to go through the bag, then they take every single item out of your bag. This happened to us 2x. We narrowed it down to a battery for charging a phone or a hardshell case for glasses. (they told us it could be those things, we removed them and didn't get flagged again).
• Multiple attractions had trash in the vehicles (maps, used Kleenex, straws, receipts, etc) - So happy we didnt notice this
• Monorails have a stench that, to me, smells like a mix of disinfectant and urine. - We didnt ride the monorail, but someone else on the boards today also mentioned it smells of urine.
• MK floral Mickey looks cross eyed -

 

[LKing]

I will share my observations having just come back and being someone who frequents DLR far more than WDW. I put my experience in bold.

• Far fewer ECVs/scooters than at DLR - We noticed Scooter drivers at MK were rude compared to DLR, more than once we were almost ran into and treated as if we got in THEIR way
• Stroller drivers were much more aggressive. - We didnt feel this was the case for our trip
• MK floral Mickey looks cross eyed -

Too funny regarding Mickey!

You encountered aggressive scooter drivers and we encountered aggressive stroller drivers. It was like a stand off. If we didn't move to the side, they would roll over us.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Poor hygiene/ body odor has long been a problem at WDW. Probably partially because there’s a lot more foreign tourists who don’t conform to our customs and don’t see it as a problem, but largely because people come unprepared. Lightweight deodorants aren’t going to cut it.

WDW still uses mostly its original trams. As the resort expanded, it mostly used incumbent equipment (Fort Wilderness use to have trams, and they were far more frequent at the TTC). DLR replaced its trams in the late 1990s and has a far more modern fleet.

WDW is almost exclusively WDW rented strollers whereas locals bring their own into DLR. Since COVID, they’ve been allowing enormous sized strollers into the parks that are larger than the listed permitted remissions.

WDW has an EVC pandemic. EVCs are wonderful for people with mobility issues but often they’re used for conscience. I don’t get the families that rent an ECV for every member of their family, including young children. If your family suffers from obesity and tiring/ aching legs, it makes sense to rent a scooter and take turns using it… but no, your 8yo kid doesn’t need one (yes, I get that se actually do but let’s not pretend that every single one do them does). And yea, ECVs do impede the enjoyment of other guests. For starters, they can skip much of the line at many attractions (which is why they’re rented to begin with). And two years ago at DCA, I had a teenage boy drive into me at full speed as he was playing with his brother and not paying attention. Not cool.

 

[VGCgroupie]

WDW is almost exclusively WDW rented strollers whereas locals bring their own into DLR. Since COVID, they’ve been allowing enormous sized strollers into the parks that are larger than the listed permitted remissions.

I didnt even think of this.. but I saw so many people being careless with their stroller. Im now realizing how many were rented. In CA people have $500 strollers so they dont leave in the middle of the sidewalk to go watch the fireworks elsewhere

 

[irlandaise]

• More people eating food they brought from home.

That one really surprises me considering the much lower percentage of people at WDW who are coming to the parks from home.

 

[LKing]

That one really surprises me considering the much lower percentage of people at WDW who are coming to the parks from home.

Maybe they aren't coming from home. Could be DVC people who have kitchens in their units. I saw lots of families pull out Ziploc bags of sandwiches, pizza, etc. and eat them while they were waiting in line.

I see people bring their own food to DLR as well, just not as many and they aren't eating while in line or on the go. I often see families who bring their own food eating at the tables on the bottom floor of Hungry Bear.

 

[OlliePop27]

I often see families who bring their own food eating at the tables on the bottom floor of Hungry Bear.

That is us!

 

[irlandaise]

Maybe they aren't coming from home. Could be DVC people who have kitchens in their units. I saw lots of families pull out Ziploc bags of sandwiches, pizza, etc. and eat them while they were waiting in line.

That could be. Or people staying offsite who picked up some food on the way to the parks to save money?

I see people bring their own food to DLR as well, just not as many and they aren't eating while in line or on the go.

I imagine that many locals eat at home before or after their DL visit and don't buy much food at the parks. Although I had friends who had a once- or twice-a-week routine of having dinner at Smokejumpers and then walking around DCA for a while to get some exercise before heading home.

 

[LKing]

I think WDW needs more tables and areas like the lower level of Hungry Bear, San Fransokyo, and Paradise Gardens. There is nothing wrong with bringing your own food, but it felt like too many people had a difficult time finding a table where they could sit and eat. They were sitting on the ground, eating on trash cans, etc. WDW also needs more places where people can sit in the shade. I think that is part of the reason people were sitting and sleeping in the walkways, because there was shade. Maybe it is a way to push people into the more expensive, indoor, air conditioned restaurants. It just doesn't feel very Disney to me.

 

[ztonyg]

I recently came off of a WDW trip (and I was last at DLR in October) so here are my observations:

Security: I love how quick it is at WDW. Walk right through most of the time unless you have something that sets off the machine.

Food: I loved all of the quick service options at WDW. There are hidden gems in each park. I especially liked the Satu'li Canteen at DAK, ABC Commissary at DHS, Connections Cafe at EPCOT and Colombia Harbour House at MK. I can't say much about other levels of dining but there are more choices at WDW. Epcot, with festivals, also has festival booths in addition to different restaurants in all of the pavilions. I had some great Gelato from the Italy Pavilion at Epcot. For a "snack" the Cheeseburger and Pepperoni Pizza Spring rolls at MK (cart between Main Street and Adventureland) were very good and are absolutely worth standing in line for.

Other guests: I think I prefer the crowds / other guests at DL better. At WDW groups pretty much keep to themselves. Every time I've been to DL it seems that different people talk to one another in line or interact more. DL guests also don't seem to hold up lines and are overall more courteous than MK lines.

Parking: If you show up early in the day you'll get a good spot. If you park hop or show up later in the day you could have a hot hike. Not every lot runs trams all the time. Cast Members don't really check dates on the parking receipts if you already have one.

Overall I'd rank the WDW parks:

1.) MK - It's not Disneyland but it's -almost- as good. Some of the classic attractions need some TLC
2.) DHS - Incredibly well themed park with a topflight attraction lineup. A decent amount of shows to keep with the whole Hollywood theme.
3.) EPCOT - It has some great attractions and World Showcase is absolutely well themed. It's definitely a foodie's park. A lot of Future World / World Celebration is either closed (see Wonders of Life pavilion) or very dated.
4.) DAK - The attractions that are there are pretty awesome but there just aren't a lot of them. Outside of those attractions it's a Disney Zoo.

Overall domestically it would be:

1.) DL
2.) MK
3.) DHS
4.) DCA
5.) EPCOT
6.) DAK

Magic Kingdom:

• Castle - I love MK's castle. I do like the DL castle walkthrough but MK's is a great centerpiece to that park.
• Mickey's Philharmagic - The quality of the show (as well as the massive screen that spanned the theater) is far superior at the MK versus that minimally modified Muppet's theater at DCA.
• BTMRR - Disneyland's is smooth as silk. I prefer WDW's queue. I do like DL's dynamite scene and additional special effects. The MK version is currently closed right now and appears to be getting a new track.
• Main Street USA - There are some differences. I think I like the location of the ice cream shop better at MK because it's easier to get to from other areas of the park. I also enjoy the food and beverage options in MK's Main Street.
• Tiana's Bayou Adventure - Thematically fits very well at DL, not as well at WDW. I've never been on the DL version, but I think the WDW version is a very good attraction. It's not Splash Mountain but it's very well done.
• Jungle Cruise - Fairly similar to DL. I enjoy the temple scene but on the last 2 occasions I went in the temple the skippers didn't say anything and used this time to grab a drink of water or take a break along the ride. I enjoy the skipper shooting the cap gun at DL and DL has the better queue (I like the multi-levels). If I was to do a ride comparison, I'd give the edge to DL even though there is no temple scene.
• Enchanted Tiki Room - DL has a better pre-show (and I like how the Dole Whip stand is attached to the pre-show). DL also has a working fountain, and its show is slightly longer as a result. Edge to DL here.
• Pirates of the Caribbean - I love the DL version of this so much that MK's is a bit of a disappointment. I like starting out in the Bayou, then meandering down to the battle scene and town, then the extended scenes after the burning jailhouse. If MK has any edge here it is the queue, but DL's version is far superior.
• Country Bear Jamboree - I love the new show.
• Liberty Belle Riverboat - It was hard to hear the narration. It was a nice break in the day but I'm not really going to lose too much sleep once it is closed.
• Haunted Mansion - I like the elevator at DL and DL's placement of the Hatbox Ghost (WDW's doesn't fit the storyline correctly). However, this might be my favorite attraction at the MK. I love the library scene with the "ghost writers," the staircase scene, and the overall pacing of this ride at WDW better. Plus, I think I'm pretty much over Haunted Mansion Holiday, so I like that WDW keeps the regular version year-round. I'll give the edge to MK here.
• Peter Pan's Flight - It's been a while since I've been on DL's version of this. It's a good ride but not worth a wait.
• It's a Small World - Everything about this attraction is better at DL. MK seems to use this as a people eater when crowds are at its peak, and it doesn't get the care or attention that DL's gets.
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh - The outdoor queue and the setting in Fantasyland at MK is better. I didn't notice many differences in the rides between DL and MK.
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train - I wouldn't spend anything extra on this ride. It's a good concept and a very enjoyable ride but it's not worth paying extra for or waiting more than 45 minutes for.
• Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid – Better queue than DCA. Other than that, I believe it was the exact same.
• Dumbo- MK's double dumbo is great for capacity.
• TRON: Lightcycle/Run - Fun ride, a bit short. It seems once you really get into the ride it is over. It, like Seven Dwarf's Mine Train, is not worth its ridiculous wait time.
• Space Mountain - I might be the exception to the rule here, but I absolutely love this ride and could easily spend a day continuously riding it. My kids also love the MK version better. It is not nearly as rough or jerky as the Matterhorn. While the music isn't in the ride vehicle there is music. I think it also has a more intense track layout in comparison to the DL version. The camera flash at the end of the DL version always makes me a little disjointed / nauseous versus the camera flash towards the beginning of the MK version. I'll say I prefer this at MK to the DL version.
• Astro Orbiter - I enjoy its location much better than DL's.
• The People Mover – This is actually a fairly popular ride at WDW and is a great break from walking / standing.
• Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin - This is one of the most disappointing attractions. I think that the DL version needs some TLC but this needs a makeover. Thankfully it appears that it will be getting ones.
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor - Fun attraction that everyone in the family can enjoy.
• Railroad - I like everything about DL's better. I believe the stations are better located at DL than at WDW. DL also has the Grand Canyon and Primeval dioramas that don't exist at WDW.
• Entrance / Exit - I understand the idea of the monorail / ferryboat when entering the park. I believe it adds to the entrance experience as it adds excitement as you get closer to the castle. I absolutely hate having to use the monorail / ferryboat after the fireworks with large crowds in order to get virtually anywhere. It is especially challenging with tired children. At DL it's easy to get into a car / get off property / get to the hotel at all times. At the MK it's a bit of a slog. Plus, once you get to the parking lot it's another slog to get to the actual car.

EPCOT:

• Space Ship Earth - This attraction needs to be redone. It's a classic but it has essentially served its purpose.
• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind - The queue, even with a LL, seems to go on and on to hold room to hold room to preshow, etc. Once you get to the actual ride it's nothing but smiles. This ride deserves every bit of hype it gets.
• Mission: SPACE - I have motion sickness. I did it once about 13 years ago and felt sick for a while afterwards. Never again.
• Journey into Imagination -This was a good ride during the 80s and 90s and Disney ruined it. They need to fix it or reimagine it.
• Living with the Land - Educational attraction. It is in dire need of an update but a great concept.
• The Seas with Nemo and Friend - It's an Omnimover attached to an actual aquarium. I like it better than the subs at Disneyland. The overall concept of the ride is similar.
• Gran Fiesta Tour featuring the Three Caballeros - They seem to have stolen the Disneyland entrance / exit from Pirates (where you enter a boat ride in a dimly lit restaurant) and have it set in Mexico. The ride itself seems to be "finding Donald" set in locations all over Mexico. Kind of silly but cute and air conditioned.
• Frozen Ever After – The queue is kind of fun. The ride itself is also pretty fun, and the ice palace scene / backwards slide is a cool twist. For a reskinned attraction they did a good job with it. It isn't worth more than about a 45-minute wait though.
• Remy's Ratatouille Adventure - This is a cute, well done, fun ride. I did appreciate single rider. Like has been said before it's a lot like MMRRR.
• Soarin' - Same attraction as DL with a worse queue and an EPCOT as opposed to Disneyland scene at the end.
• Journey of Water featuring Moana - Fun interactive exhibit where you can get wet if you want.

Hollywood Studios:

• Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway - The setting in Toontown is better than the Chinese Theater. I prefer DL's queue and setting but it's still an underrated, fun ride.
• Muppet-Vision 3-D - It's a classic. I'm sad that it is leaving but is still enjoyable.
• Rise of the Resistance - Same as DL except with single rider. Note that Single Rider skips the transport portion of the preshow.
• Slinky Dog Dash - Another fun WDW attraction that isn't worth more than a 45-minute wait.
• Toy Story Midway Mania - I prefer the location on the Midway at DCA better.
• Rock'n Roller Coaster Featuring Aerosmith - It's a fun, short coaster. The music is neat even if the current theming is a bit dated. Is going to become a Muppets attraction.
• Tower of Terror - I preferred this version to the one at DCA. I like the 5th dimension scene, and it does have a variety of drop sequences. As far as overall smiles though Guardians at DCA is probably the more "fun" attraction.
• SWGE - Overall I preferred DL's version of this land. The attractions and overall layout are very similar.

Animal Kingdom:

• Avatar: Flight of Passage - Probably the best WDW attraction. I loved the smells that are pumped in, the colors and the details. I had a bit of motion sickness, but the details were worth any bit of discomfort.
• Na'vi River Journey - I enjoy the colors and details. It was essentially a boat ride like the Three Caballeros at EPCOT except with much better theming. When I went on it the big animatronic at the end was not functioning and instead there was a screen up of what the animatronic was supposed to be doing. This attraction was a bit of a dissappointment in that respect.
• Kilamanjaro Safaris - This feels like a Jungle Cruise with live animals and on a Jeep. The animals are fun to see and when I went the Lions were posed perfectly.
• Rafiki Train - Fun ride to the Conservation Station. While they had a drawing class a more interesting area was actually the veterinary office where they perform operations on some of the animals.
• Dinosaur - I'm actually a bit disappointed this is closing. I liked the story, and it felt a bit more intense than Indiana Jones. It is VERY dark though.
• Expedition Everest - I didn't really enjoy this attraction. It seems like a more intense version of BTMRR with a backwards section.

 

[KPeterso]

I realize that everyone's experience is unique and that it is very much dependent on what one sees or encounters on any given day. I jotted down things that seemed different to me.

• Restrooms had paper towels
• Tram entrances were wider making them easier to board.
• WDW has separate entrances for annual passholders.
• PhotoPass was more popular at WDW. Lines were long for PhotoPass photographers everywhere.
• Some employees had voice amplifying devices which helped / Some employees did not have voice amplifying devices and became agitated when guests couldn't hear them.
  
  
• Restrooms were filthy! This was in all four parks all 10 days that we were there. In DHS, the sanitary napkin trash containers in the stalls were full at before 9 am! It was really bad. At DLR, it is rare to go into a restroom and not see a CM cleaning them. At WDW, I rarely saw an anyone cleaning the stalls. I saw CM wiping down the sinks, but they didn't seem to deal with toilets that were out of order.
• Trash cans were overflowing.
• Security bag check was like an interrogation.
• Several servers did not hide the fact that they were disappointed when we did not order alcohol with our meal.

Just picked the few out above the resonate the most with me.

• Paper towels - so agree. It seems DL is removing all of their paper towel holders and I hate the blowers. Was so happy most bathrooms still had them at WDW.
• Tram Entrances - I have only ridden the trams a few times as we don't typically rent a car, but have with my friends and I did notice the trams were easier to step into at WDW. Found it weird that guests could exit on both sides of the trams to head to cars.
• Love the AP entrances at WDW. I would love them at DL, but it would probably be have to be about half the gates. I just wish there were gates for people using their tickets the first time who need their pictures taken. Although, I was at DL this weekend and did like the new gates.
• The amplifying devices are nice and I wish there were more of them. There are often announcements that I cannot hear without some amplification.
• Restrooms - WDW does need to do better. I have seen people a few times in them cleaning, but not like at DL where it is almost every time.
• Overflowing trash cans should never happen, but I have seen them at both parks many times. But probably more at WDW.
• I have had the security interrogation several times. I have gotten good at taking out my umbella which is often the cause of being flagged for more screening. Annoying no matter what. But I do love the walk through scanners if I don't have to stop for the additional bag search.
• Never had that with servers and not ordering alcohol. And we never order alcohol. I would be annoyed if I did get a server like that.

 

[LKing]

• Paper towels - so agree. It seems DL is removing all of their paper towel holders and I hate the blowers. I hate the blowers as well. That and the toilets that flush the moment you move. Both WDW and DLR have those. No place else seems to have their self flushing toilets so sensitive to movement.
• Tram Entrances - I have only ridden the trams a few times as we don't typically rent a car, but have with my friends and I did notice the trams were easier to step into at WDW. Found it weird that guests could exit on both sides of the trams to head to cars. Yes! We are trained to "exit to the drivers left hand side and left hand side only."
• The amplifying devices are nice and I wish there were more of them. There are often announcements that I cannot hear without some amplification. When CM direct traffic (after shows, loading trams, etc) they have to project their voice into the crowd and the tone sounds like they are frustrated/shouting. The voice amplifying devices help them speak normally and direct people with a calmer tone.
• Overflowing trash cans should never happen, but I have seen them at both parks many times. But probably more at WDW. I've read people post that they thought DLR was dirty so yesterday I paid close attention. DL was spotless. For the number of people that go through the park, it was very clean. DCA was less clean and Avengers Campus was outright dirty. DCA is showing a lot of wear and tear from the food booths that they set up for the festivals. There are a lot of of rust and grease stains on the ground. DTD was also less clean than DL, although I thought it was more clean than Disney Springs.
• I have had the security interrogation several times. I have gotten good at taking out my umbrella which is often the cause of being flagged for more screening. Annoying no matter what. But I do love the walk through scanners if I don't have to stop for the additional bag search. Agreed. For me, it was the battery charger. I followed the instructions and got in line for the bag check. As any well trained Disneyland regular does, I started unzipping my backpack. A security person had just gotten off and, as she walked away, she told me not to unzip my bag.
• Never had that with servers and not ordering alcohol. And we never order alcohol. I would be annoyed if I did get a server like that. It most definitely depends on the server. It has happened to us at Napa Rose.

 

[bakofarmgirl]

just got back from our trip! while we only did 2 parks and had LL ILL booked in advance it was hard to make al the times as we were a group of 12 with 4 little ones under 4, we still had a great time but definitely prefer DL with littles. cosmic rewind was so cool! the kids enjoyed just being at animal kingdom lodge or the pool so we spent more time there than at the parks

after that we sailed on the treasure, it is a beautiful ship and was so much fun!

if youre a DL regular and have any questions, feel free to ask as there were things i would do the same and things i would do differently

 

[LKing]

if you're a DL regular and have any questions, feel free to ask as there were things i would do the same and things i would do differently

Looks like you had a great time!

I would be interested in hearing what worked and what didn't.

 

[bakofarmgirl]

we were going for my parents anniversary on the treasure, but stayed a few days before at AKL kidani, with the two littles i would have skipped the parks and just hung out at the pool to get adjusted. wdw was not as easy to navigate as dl with the littles, luckily my dh and i took a wdw trip in 2021 and did just about everything so we werent sad to miss certain rides or shows this time

we did concierge on the treasure and so that was nice and hassle free, they serve a hot food menu daily and we enjoyed all the character dance parties which they had spread out, my dh had trouble getting a spot in shows or games because of the treasure size, we prefer the wonder out of SD as its a smaller boat and drivable, but still really enjoyed the ship it was a great time thanks!