how come Disneyland is getting all the praise at the moment?

[bumbershoot]

From what I've read and seen on TV: Disney Land's target audience is the locals. So they have to sever better food or the locals will just have dinner elsewhere. For many of us the food at DW has become a joke...on par with chain restaurants. They have the old FP system since again it is mostly locals who will decide day of it makes more sense there. Also for those who have been to DisneyWorld 20-30 times it is different it has some rides they don't have at the World and it has a bit more of the History of Walt actually being there and involved in it. Finally - there is far too much construction right now in DW..I see no reason to go back for a few years until it is all cleaned up and even then I'm not sure I want to bother again

Many people disagree about the food. I constantly disagree about the "locals" thing. I tend to get into conversations with people in line, and I've never randomly met someone who hadn't traveled to get there. Australians are often who I meet there. And if you do buy into the "local" thing, they live nearby and won't be eating while there.

Personally I don't think DL even compares with DW. DW is so much larger, and has so much more to offer. I've only been to DL once, and had a nice time, but will never go back.

Define "more to offer", though.

Wdw is work. DLR is a vacation. Dlr and universal orlando are just about equal standing in our hearts and minds, then wdw.

 

[Networth]

I don't really compare them, maybe that's just me?

I see DisneyLand as a small stop over when we are on the west coast. It's charming and small, packed full of attractions but lacks that sense of all encompassing resort bubble WDW offers. Walt walked their yes but from all I have read about him his view of the future of Disney was the Florida project. Disney World was going to be his magnum opus.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

As someone who in the past 5 years has gone to DL 4 times, WDW 3, has sailed DCL twice and bought into DVC, I think I have enough recent experience with the parks on both sides of the country to comment.

Have to say that as much fun as my family has at WDW, 100 times out of 100, we would choose to go to DL. We love WDW, but we just love DL a whole lot more.

Given that DL crams approximately as many rides/exhibits into 2 parks (which given the distance between the 2, is virtually the same park), we never find ourselves walking around wondering what to do next (or whether there is actually 'anything' to do next) like we do when we visit DHS, DAK or Epcot.

I also despise the time it takes to go between parks/hotel at WDW - if I wanted to spend 30-90 minutes on a bus, I could stay home and ride public transit to my office, like I do the other 50 weeks a year. At DL, you walk out the door at the DLH or GC and you are in Downtown Disney, and are a 5 minute walk from the front gates to DL or DCA.

We also notice a completely different 'vibe' (for lack of a more eloquent term) in Southern California. I know that our experience won't hold true for everyone, but in general, we find park patrons and cast members to be much friendlier in DL.

Unfortunately, given that our daughter's school has gone back to a traditional school year (and since our DVC home resort is at WDW), we are "stuck" going to WDW for the foreseeable future, since we'll never get high season reservations at the VGC. That being said, if we have to get "stuck" going somewhere, it's not like we're suffering by having to go to WDW every year... A bad day at WDW is still better than a good day anywhere else (except DL).

 

[courtneybeth]

I live in Anaheim and have been a Disneyland passholder for about 20 years now. (I live about 2 blocks from the park and go 1-2 times per week!) I have to say that WDW still holds some special magic, but I think it's because WDW has EPCOT. Even with FP+ and reservations, I am still excited to board that plane and go the World. We never liked Hollywood Studios, so we spend most of our time at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT.

Disneyland and Walt Disney World are very different experiences and we love both. But I have to say that I prefer WDW to Disneyland and I'm in the minority it seems that I like FP+ and the magic bands.

 

[CarolynU]

I've been a WDW fan for years. AP's every year, and then there was FP+ ADR's months in advance, planning, planning and more planning.
I'm done for a while at least.
Then in October I went to DCL. Wow CM's smiled. I went into the parks with no plans and did everything. I thought the food was good, and street entertainment was everywhere. The atmosphere was just like WDW in the old days.
I loved it, and I felt the magic again. No being glued to a cell phone, plenty of FP availability, and yes Carsland.
I've now let me WDW AP expire, and won't be back again for a few years. I'll get my Disney fix on DCL and in California.

 

[surferdave]

I have never been to Disneyland but I've paid careful attention to the comparisons. I think that FP+ is an easy answer but it's just symptomatic of the real distinction: Disneyland is still about the parks, and Walt Disney World more and more is trying to make the parks a smaller part of your vacation.

The people who prefer WDW universally praise the "immersion"; the vastness of the property, the resorts, the shopping, the dining, golf, pools, spas, whatever. It doesn't bother them that much that FP+ is basically a park rationing system, that it takes an hour to get from park to park, that there are so few attractions in a couple of the parks that there are >90 minute waits for rides that are 15-20 minutes at DL (the very rides that people have made the poster children for how wonderful FP+ is).

People who prefer to spend their time in the parks enjoying attractions and who are not especially enticed by WDW's ever expanding lodging, dining and shopping offerings seem to be more likely to be impressed by Disneyland.

 

[aprincessatlast]

I am with the majority on here, DL rocks!

After going to WDW for decades and then discovering DL. I will repeat what a poster said in another thread.
WDW and DL are like brothers! DL is that laid back, cool, fun brother and WDW is the greedy banker.

He (wdw)used to be good at hiding it, but the cat is out of the bag. He does not care who knows it and is doing things his way! Let just hope that the wdw brother does not convince the laid back one to do things his way! Yeah we are talking to you magic bands and homogenized food service!

 

[Kristina4109]

See my lovely quote at right and you'll see how I feel about it.

I've been going to WDW since 1976 and DL since 1995 and I love both of them.

I just went to WDW again this past June and my whole family had a wonderful time. FP+ worked perfectly for us, we loved the food, and thoroughly enjoyed our immersive Disney experience.

However, I think many people are missing the one place where DL seriously trumps WDW:

THE WEATHER.

It was so freaking humid at WDW in June that my husband actually said "I promise I will never complain about the weather in L.A. again."

 

[DebbieB]

I love them both on their own merits. I live on the east coast so I go to WDW more but am looking forward to DL next August (week of parks and D23). I agree Carsland is the best themed area on either coast. They did an amazing job rehabbing California Adventure.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

See my lovely quote at right and you'll see how I feel about it.

I've been going to WDW since 1976 and DL since 1995 and I love both of them.

I just went to WDW again this past June and my whole family had a wonderful time. FP+ worked perfectly for us, we loved the food, and thoroughly enjoyed our immersive Disney experience.

However, I think many people are missing the one place where DL seriously trumps WDW:

THE WEATHER.

It was so freaking humid at WDW in June that my husband actually said "I promise I will never complain about the weather in L.A. again."

And that was actually something my husband and I preferred about WDW. DL was just too dry for us. We spent so much of the vacation putting lotion on our hands and elbows, buying chapstick, and even fighting off a nosebleed or two. I used to prefer the dry weather back when I lived in west Texas, but since moving to a more humid area of Texas, I just can't handle the dry.

 

[chapie1968]

It all comes down to quality over quantity which DL trumps WDW in that aspect.

in your opinion

 

[ethanwa]

Some of the comments on here I just don't understand. I find WDW superior to DL in many ways. It's one of the many reasons I moved from Seattle to FL instead of CA. Our whole family just likes WDW better.

By the way, I have been to both MANY times.

 

[hakepb]

When I went to DL in '92 it was kinda a joke compared to WDW. (Other than the Fantasyland with many more attractions)

Then Disney spent a bunch of money on opening DCA...and It was still a joke. Then Disney corrected the DCA problems and added Cars Land...and now DL has kinda edged above WDW in terms of attractions. And DL seems to give more love to existing attractions (like updating BTMRR and Small World and the Jack Skellington holiday overlay to HM)

Disney has been spending a ton of money on WDW (but it's improved queues, not rides, Fantasyland, FP+, re-doing the hub, Avatar, Star Wars?) but most of it feels like mis-guided spending...its kinda like WDW is in the DCA opening stage. And the WDW "misses" and slow construction progress are more glaring when you look at Harry at Universal.

 

[mom2rtk]

Because DLR got a bunch of new rides...... and WDW got a crowd management system?

 

[2102raven]

in your opinion

And the majority of the voices on this topic

 

[Csaks]

Lost that WDW love this trip, have zero desire to return any time soon and after reading this it looks like there is a California trip in the future. I miss the old WDW magic and it sounds like it's still going, on the west coast.

 

[larryz]

Shhhhh....no, everyone should continue to go to WDW.

That's right -- DLR sucks! It's super expensive, massively crowded, the CMs hate everybody (most don't even speak English) and the managers personally vacuum your wallet as you walk by City Hall...

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Disneyland has the old way of doing fastpass. Most of the people commenting are longing for the old way of park touring (pre fastpass+)

Personally, I've always preferred DLR to WDW. Legacy FP really has little to do with me liking DLR more, though it is a bonus. Yes, I miss Epcot when I'm in DLR, but really that's it.

DLR has about the same number of attractions in 2 parks that WDW has in 4.

The last time I was there, WOC had just debuted and Carsland was under construction. I'd *love* to go back now that Carsland is done.

DL has a different feeling, to me, than MK. I can't put it into words, but I prefer it and always have.

Park Hopping takes minutes instead of 30mins-1 hr.

No need (or ability) to schedule dining 180 days out...they only do 60 and even that isn't really necessary.

Blue Bayou.

Napa Rose.

Way better CS options.

I can stay at a hotel that's a 5 min walk to the DLR and DCA turnstiles and only spend $100/night.

And, as important things go - WAY more churro availability

 

[KCmike]

My two favorite quotes:

Al Lutz from miceage.com
There's an answer the old timers at Disney like to give when asked to compare the Anaheim and Orlando main parks, and to me it still applies as to how they are currently run: Disneyland is a park designed by a father for his daughters, while the Magic Kingdom is designed by a committee for the hordes.


Tony Baxter:
Tony Baxter also serves as Creative Executive for Disneyland; a role he has filled on and off for nearly 25 years. He enjoys the position because he grew up with Disneyland, and it still evokes powerful feelings that are different from the other parks. Tony describes Disneyland as “a park that was not manufactured to reproduce something successful. It was that successful thing that all the other parks have been trying to emulate.” Thus, Disneyland is one example of a wildly outrageous and successful project that is the product of these creative attitudes Tony will be describe in his keynote presentation in Buffalo. Disneyland can never be duplicated because it was the original “I’ve never seen anything like this!

 

[famy27]

I love both, but I feel the pendulum swinging a bit to DLR.

What I found comical was that I needed to start planning for my June WDW trip prior to planning for my March DLR vacation.

My WDW planning consisted of making ADRs at 180 days out and making a loose plan of what parks we'd do each day, reserving BBB, booking FPs at 60 days out while making a more detailed plan of when and how to PH, making changes based on new plans that others in our touring party concocted, customizing MBs, doing online check-in, printing out copies of all of my plans in case any FPs disappeared, and then following the schedule at the parks.

When I went to DLR, I made an ADR for BB a few weeks out, and one for Ariel's Grotto the evening prior. Then, we got to the resort and checked in. That was all. The only thing we planned was to get FPs for RSR early on an early entry day. We hopped when we felt like it, got up when we wanted, pulled FPs if they were convenient, rode lots of things SB with reasonable waits. And this was during spring break! It was crowded, but it was completely manageable. We didn't feel stressed at all.

We stayed at GCH, and I loved the convenience. Being able to leave your room and enter the park within 5-10 minutes was amazing. I don't think I'd ever stay anywhere else again.

WDW is still a great trip for us, but the planning has gotten out of control to me. We scaled way back in terms of ADRs and detailed plans for August and Sept, but we felt we HAD to make our FPs. We wanted TSMM, Soarin', and SDMT, and I have no interest in waiting in 90 minute lines.

I like the food in both places, so that's a toss-up to me.

I agree on the overlays and ride updates. We were there shortly after they reopened BTMRR, and we really liked the new version. It has much more of a thrill ride vibe now. Very cool. Carsland blew me away. I couldn't believe the level of detail. We felt so immersed in Radiator Springs. I'd love to see something like that at WDW. I'd rather it not be an exact copy, as I like for each park to have unique attractions. But I hope they do a Star Wars or Pixar land at HS that rivals Carsland.