I'm back....

[Sarah84]

I got back late monday night from my first vidit to DLRP and I have to say it could probably be my last too

Only ever visitng WDW before I had already got into to my head not to compare the two as they are differant and a few people had told me DLRP will NEVER compare to WDW and I don't think I relised just how right they would be.
I have to say I did have a fantastic weekend, but that was probably more to do with just having a nice weekend away with my boyfriend.
I did enjoy being back at a Disney park and i'm glad I have been to DLP but will I booking to go back anytime soon? i very much doubt it.
For me pretty much all the things I loved about WDW were missing from DLP. I don't know if maybe I just found WDW much more magical as it was my first Disney experiance altogether
But the magic was just missing in DLP for me, it certainly didn't feel like the 'most magical place on earth' like WDW Florida did, it was just full of rude, ignorant people who seemed to think they were much more important that anybody else, pushing, barging and just having no consideration for anybody else. I lost count of the amount of times people just barged in front of us, with no apology nothing, pushed in front in lines, barging infront of us while watching parades I mean litrally pushing us out the way to stand in front of us, squezzing in the tinest little gaps not even fit for a child, to the point where you barely had air to breath
Now I have no problem when im near the front watching a parade for a child to come stand in front of me, after all im sure they want to see the parade more than anyone and will have difficulty if they are stood behind some adults, and being only 4ft 11 i know how difficult it can be to see anything but when some stupid, ignorant 6ft giant comes pushing in front of me for a better view it really makes me angry. At the beginning of one of the parades I had a decent view with just one head infront of me blocking my view slightly after just a few minutes we gave up and walked of as some many adults came barging in front I had no view at all all I could see was peoples backs
Even the CM just didnt have that happy, magical attitude like I experainced in Florida
As expected the parks were crazy busy and it was freezing cold, certainly not the gorgeous sunshine i last enjoyed disney in I did enjoy the rides, used fastpasses which helped quite a bit qued for what seemed ages for a couple of rides particually Big thunder mountain which I have to say was worth it IMO as it was a fantastic ride.

The studios was a big disapointment imo, it just lacked any real excitement and we managed to do it very quickly. We did both parks in just one day (the sunday) and I have to say it was enough time to get pretty much everything done, we wanted too and see all the parades. We got to the Disney studios about 11 were done in there by about 1 had some lunch and headed over to the Disneyland park for the rest of the day and left there around 9.
We had two lovely meals in Anettes and Rainforest cafe, which i would recommend to anyone

But we did have a lovely day even with the lack of the 'disney magic' feeling and im glad we went
Maybe I will return one day if someone(friends or family) asks me to go, but I dont think I'd make any effort to book to go back and if I did it certainly wouldn't be at xmas time or anytime it was cold for that matter.

I have added some pics to my facebook so if anybody would like to see them, feel free to PM for the link

 

[Rachie B]

such a shame that many of us have experienced the same sort of feeling recently

but i KNOW how fab DLRP can be,and cant wait to go back

if this had been my first trip i would prob not be in a rush to go back though !

 

[Cyrano]

Shame that the crowds that others met dampened your experience at DLP

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

Sorry to hear it wasnt as magical as you hoped.

 

[joolz1910]

It's a shame when trips don't live up to expectations. It seems that a few people have been disappointed in recent weeks. I think the common factor seems to be the crowds. Even though it's the season to be jolly, I think Christmas can bring the worst out in people. I hate Christmas shopping in town because of the same rude behaviour of some 'me me me' people.

 

[jillrobinson]

Shame that you're visit was a disappointment although having visited on a Christmas weekend myself last year, I understand totally what you're saying about the crowds and rude people we experienced it ourselves.
Having read on dlrpmagic that on Sunday the park was at maximum capacity, I'm surprised to read that "you did everything", that's not something we've ever managed to do despite several visits, so maybe DLP has more to offer you. I'm sure a visit at a quieter time would help you discover the "magic" that most definately is there.

 

[mommy2ash]

im sorry you didnt find the magic there. i think a lot has to do with the crowds. i know i would never go if it was supposed to be very busy as i couldnt deal with the crowds.

 

[DLPdaft]

The crowds really do seem to put a dampner on things at DLRP - I'm also really surprised you managed to do everything you wanted to in one day (and 2 hours in the Studios?). I've spent 15 days at DLRP so far, and I've still not nearly done everything .

But, different things attract different people, and its a good job all round that we don't all like the same things

 

[mummyal]

Sorry to hear that it wasn't quite live up to your expectations. And wow that you were able to finish everything in 1 day lol. We've been there twice and still haven't managed to see every single thing. I suppose it's a bit quicker without having to drag kids around .

 

[Sarah84]

Sorry to hear that it wasn't quite live up to your expectations. And wow that you were able to finish everything in 1 day lol. We've been there twice and still haven't managed to see every single thing. I suppose it's a bit quicker without having to drag kids around .

I really do think it probably makes a huge differance not having kids, as we can bypass many of the rides for the younger ones, not stopping to meet characters as much as you probably would if you had kids with you and just basically walking around at a slightly faster pase than having to go slowely for the children, making sure they are always warm, not hungry, not thirsty etc
I wouldnt quite say we did everything, just we almost did everything we were interested in and wanted to see.

 

[Sarah84]

The crowds really do seem to put a dampner on things at DLRP - I'm also really surprised you managed to do everything you wanted to in one day (and 2 hours in the Studios?). I've spent 15 days at DLRP so far, and I've still not nearly done everything .

But, different things attract different people, and its a good job all round that we don't all like the same things

Im shocked that even after 15 days you havent done everything, imo there really wasnt enough there to keep me entertained and doing/seeing new things for that long. I certainly couldnt imagine doing a 4/5 night trip like many people do. But as you say everyone is different
The studios just didnt keep me enetertained enough to keep me there any longer that that really, we did about 4-5 rides, took some pics, had a walk around and felt we were finished there.

 

[Sarah84]

I agree it probably was quite a bit to do with the crowd levels, i guess if there isn't as many people there then you aren't going to come across as many rude, ignorant people

Maybe i'll return one day in one of the warmer, less busier months.
Plus I meant to go to the Disnet store before I left to get a DLP pin and i forgot im not a huge pin collecter but want at least one from every Disney I go too and i was really gutted I didnt go get one before i left.

Well I still had a great weekend and thats whats important

 

[hildasmuriel]

Well I'm starting to get a good feeling about my trip now.

So many people have had a bad time at DLRP recently that I can only assume that by the time I get there on Saturday the place will be empty leaving plenty of room for ME bwah hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

I hope you all have a lovely time together in Florida. Lots more space in Paris for ME

 

[DLPdaft]

Well I still had a great weekend and thats whats important

Thats true

 

[Cyrano]

Im shocked that even after 15 days you havent done everything, imo there really wasnt enough there to keep me entertained and doing/seeing new things for that long. I certainly couldnt imagine doing a 4/5 night trip like many people do. But as you say everyone is different
The studios just didnt keep me enetertained enough to keep me there any longer that that really, we did about 4-5 rides, took some pics, had a walk around and felt we were finished there.

You would not have liked our last trip then We were there for 14 nights. None of us came back bored

 

[Sarah84]

You would not have liked our last trip then We were there for 14 nights. None of us came back bored

14 nights?? what did you find to keep you busy for that long? im guessing they have secrets new parts for people who stay longer than a few days?

 

[davewasbaloo]

Wow - I am guessing you missed out the shows, the hidden features and real gems like Buffalo Bill's or good table service dining. I really do not like WDW as much at all, and prefer DLP. After 51 visits to DLP, many lasting a week, I have never been bored. Last time at WDW, I could not wait to leave (I used to love it, but the quality has been getting sucked out for the last 15 years). And Disneyland in California is the best of all IMHO.

 

[Cyrano]

14 nights?? what did you find to keep you busy for that long? im guessing they have secrets new parts for people who stay longer than a few days?

Just treated it like any other major holiday. Get up early. Go to the park. Back to the ranch for lunch and some pool time. Then a wander around the resort or park in the afternoon/evening.
Taking in all the detail and not having to wait in long lines as we could just come back another time meant that everyone got so much from the holiday

 

[jillrobinson]

Well I'm starting to get a good feeling about my trip now.

So many people have had a bad time at DLRP recently that I can only assume that by the time I get there on Saturday the place will be empty leaving plenty of room for ME

Do you know I was just thinking the same thing if word gets out how dreadful it is, then maybe next year, there'll be so few people wanting to be there for Christmas, it'll be the ideal time for the rest of us to go.

 

[mummyal]

Well I'm starting to get a good feeling about my trip now.

So many people have had a bad time at DLRP recently that I can only assume that by the time I get there on Saturday the place will be empty leaving plenty of room for ME bwah hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

And ME !!!!!