Do you compare all other theme parks to DL?

[camouseketeer]

If you can't go to DL anytime soon then yes, it is worth it.

Well we're going to DLR next week!

I was thinking of going to DI this week, but then I decided I would be worn out from going to DI this week and then DL all of next week.

But of course, if we wait and go to DL first, they will have expectations and comparisons, and we'll all probably be disappointed.

If we don't go this week, our summer schedule doesn't let us go to DI until early August, so that's a month after DLR. Hopefully by then we'll all be ready for a simple day trip with low expectations!

Thanks so much for your info!

 

[joeysmommy]

We went to DLR 2 weeks ago, so 1 month after the trip would be ideal, just when you start missing DL you can get a "theme park" fix.

You're right, it would be better to do DK first and then DL..less disappointing.

 

[kaoden39]

Our family went to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (formerly Marine World) in Vallejo today. We live 10 minutes away and bought Season passes, haven't been there in 2 years.

I couldn't help but compare it to DL and feel a little sad, really missing DL today.

As we were walking into the park near the tram drop-off, my 6 yr old asked what all the black spots on the ground were. I told him it was from people spitting out their gum. Even he said "You wouldn't see that at DL." The funny thing is that I was thinking the very same thing but didn't want to start off the day comapring the two.
I told the kids that Walt didn't sell gum at DL for that very reason...My husband rolled his eyes..there she goes spouting tidbits of Disney info.

Our first ride was the water ride..Rapids something or other. My 4 yr old was soo excited because he thought it would be like GRR. At the end he thought a big drop was coming as we climbed the hill but it was just the end....
He was disappointed to say the least.

Don't get me wrong, we had a great time today Six Flags is wonderful with the animal shows..the kids loved Shouka.
But it made me miss DL even more and we just went 2 weeks ago.
Maybe that's the problem, DL is a hard act to follow.

Not a big Six Flag fan myself. We went once when it was Marine World. At the end of the day the kids were tired and my DH, my nephew and myself were each carrying one of the kids, we were waiting for the tram and we went to get on and my nephew who was carrying our oldest daughter got pushed out of the tram and just barely managed to keep from falling. Dh and I both said wow if this was Disneyland that never would have happened. We've only been back once or twice since then, it just isn't the same.

 

[NVDisMom]

We took DD10 last year to DK for her birthday. Thought it would be a nice substitute for DL since we didn't have the time to go down to So Cal. DL was what she really wanted, but we don't always get what we want.

What a disappointment. The park itself is fine I suppose, it would have been better if more of the animal exhibits had been open. The Shark exhibit was the big highlight of the day. But, my birthday girl, who is used to going on EVERYTHING at DL, was less than a half inch too short for all but the wooden coaster. The other one she would have been tall enough for was closed. The kid themed area did nothing for her, although her younger sister (then 8) enjoyed it. The food prices made DL look cheap, plus it just looked nasty. We left and had an early dinner at the Outback down the road. The lack of enthusiasm by the few employees we encountered was foreign to us. And the amount of space used to entice people to spend their money on games and such not included in the admission price annoyed me. Unfortunately, we all spent the day comparing. We decided we would make awesome CEO's for Dk and could easily make it a better place...perhaps not more profitable. LOL.

I don't see us ever going back.

 

[mariezp]

Well I can't really think of any park that could even come close to comparing but this was my latest experience.
We went in May to Six Flags Over Texas. We live about 1-1/2 hours from the park. The only reason we went was because it was homeschool day and my son wanted to go because there was a girl he wanted to meet up with. My husband would have rather driven 1375 miles to Disneyland instead of driving near Dallas!
Anyway, our day was spent retracing a lot of our steps so one of the main complaints we had is that the park is just not laid out as well as DL. It seemed like nearly every ride we wanted to do was on the other side of the park. At the end of the day we were probably as tired as having spent a week at DL!
We ate a meal which was expensive, tasteless and served by employees who had no idea what they were doing. Later in the day I grabbed a funnel cake which ended up costing over $7.00! So not only does DL offer superior meals, they are also more reasonably priced. The cms at DL are always very helpful and if they don't know an answer to a question they will send you to someone who does. So even if they don't have a clue what they are doing, they at least give you the impression that there is intelligent life among them!
We are not thrill seekers and since Six Flags seems to cater to that niche we really had a hard time finding many rides that we all liked. The entire day we all rode about 9 rides and my daughter wasted some time doing a couple kiddie rides.
Everywhere we looked we noticed things that needed repair or cleanup.
When we left, we were all in agreement that going to Six Flags was nearly an entire waste compared to all the enjoyment we have at DL. Think we will skip it next year!

But Disneyland is another story! We all can't wait to get back!



On the other hand, I guess I should give a little recognition to Six Flags for being cleaner this year than it was the last time I went. I suppose that means they are trying to put forth an effort for improvement.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

Funny story about the kid area at DK. There's a ride that is airplanes, that go round and round. Well my son got in it, and then *I* tried to get my big butt on the ride. Of which I got very rudely yelled at! Apparently it wasn't made for adults!

Well sheesh, at DL I get to go on every ride! So excuse me! LOL

 

[kaoden39]

Funny story about the kid area at DK. There's a ride that is airplanes, that go round and round. Well my son got in it, and then *I* tried to get my big butt on the ride. Of which I got very rudely yelled at! Apparently it wasn't made for adults!

Well sheesh, at DL I get to go on every ride! So excuse me! LOL

I must tell you I personally do not want to go near Vallejo for a while thye recently filed bankruptcy and they are trying to break their union contracts with the police and fire department. Not a happy picture.

 

[kiwitravel]

We just got back from the Gold Coast in Australia where we went to three theme parks and nothing comes even close to DL. They were incrediblely slow at loading and unloading people onto rides which meant that wait times were far longer than anything we encountered at DL. The lack of theming on rides was apparent compared to DL and whilst we still had a great time we are now looking to go back to DL next year

 

[pixiewings71]

I must tell you I personally do not want to go near Vallejo for a while thye recently filed bankruptcy and they are trying to break their union contracts with the police and fire department. Not a happy picture.

I think they were successful, my co-workers DH just got hired onto the Vallejo PD, as an employee for an indepdent company, he was sworn in yesterday.

 

[ploeb]

Uhh Ok?!! Yes, I always compare EVERY hotel or resort and theme park to Disney! I cant help it! I mean I try to get on board, but I just find myself looking at the cups discarded in the bushes or the rubbed off paint on the hand rails, its inevitable for me and my family. We went to LegoLand recently, and all I can say is someone in the "marketing department" needs a raise! The commercials look wonderful, so exciting! Big letdown Never again! We just got back from the DLR in S.Cal and I must say whew..! the magic is alive and well, just like I left it in May!

 

[joeysmommy]

Funny story about the kid area at DK. There's a ride that is airplanes, that go round and round. Well my son got in it, and then *I* tried to get my big butt on the ride. Of which I got very rudely yelled at! Apparently it wasn't made for adults!

Well sheesh, at DL I get to go on every ride! So excuse me! LOL

LOL! I felt the same way about the harold the Helicoptor ride.
Adults were allowed in the back of the helicoptor but not the front.
I laughed watching my husband try to get in the back of that awkward thing.
And then I tried...not so funny. I felt like Winnie the Pooh trying to squeeze through Rabbit's hole. And I'm not THAT overweight..I could stand to lose 20 pounds but I didn't think my butt was that big.
I was dreading getting out.
You could sit there all day watching adults squeezing in and out of those helicoptors all day for amusement.

 

[kaoden39]

I think they were successful, my co-workers DH just got hired onto the Vallejo PD, as an employee for an indepdent company, he was sworn in yesterday.

Thank God they'll have police. I hope they are as successful with the fire department.

 

[scooter15]

I don't compare because I know that each of them offers something different. I grew up working in theme parks as I used to work for both Disney and Knott's both out in the park and in admin. So that being said, I think I have to say that my opinion is a little bit different. I really enjoyed working at Knott's more than Disney because of the lack of politics and the feeling of it being "high school". Anyway, when I go to another park, I don't compare. Each place offers something different and I never say "Disney would have done this better". Theres' not point IMO as different people like different things.