In response to the Disneyland Show...

[*NikkiBell*]

I have to admit, I was a little skeptical when I realized that the Disneyland team would be covering what is, for many, the now infamous comment by Becky Cline regarding her having "no emotional attachment" to many of the Walt Disney World attractions. The conversation could have gone in several different directions adding fuel to the fire in the old debate: WDW vs. DL. I have to hand it to the team though, it was done very, very well and sensitive to both sides.

Even though I enjoyed hearing how Disney parks became a part of everyone's lives, I think Wayne, in particular, really brought the conversation full circle with his comment: find where your magic is [either Walt Disney World or Disneyland]. This comment could not have brought the show to a close any better and holds true for everyone.

I grew up going to Walt Disney World with my parents. We boarded a plane from the Jersey Shore every year and this was our only vacation destination. Sure, the occasional Six Flags or Hershey Park trip was thrown in here and there, but Disney was our hot spot. We scrimped and saved each year to make sure that experience always existed. Spaghetti Os and hot dogs became a staple, and throwing spare change in a jar was a daily task just to find the extra money for our vacations.

After buying into DVC with my parents several years ago, I soon began to look at the hustle and bustle of Walt Disney World differently. My commando days of touring the parks like a true army general ended. That golden annual pass I soon purchased forced me to slow down and allow things to move at a peaceful pace. If I didn't get on that one popular attraction, I knew I'd be back later in the year to visit it. Finally, I could stop and smell the roses...and the popcorn...and the Mickey bars...

Last year, I was lucky enough to win a trip to Disneyland. This had always been a dream of mine. Even though I have been to Europe, traveling across the country was something that I honestly thought would never happen. I deemed it my "trip of a lifetime." Experiencing Disneyland was a joy and the differences between what I call my "home park," and this one were great. I have to admit though, even though I love Walt Disney World there are some things I prefer at its west coast counterpart: the fact that you can walk everywhere instead of boarding Disney transport, the history behind it, seeing the locations of the old photos with Walt himself, knowing that you really do not have to rush in order to see everything, and so on. With this being said, there are also specialties in Florida that I hold dear to my heart.

Where does the magic live for me? In both parks. I have an emotional attachment to both Florida and California's Magic Kingdom for a wide variety of reasons, and that is okay. Wayne could not have put that out there in a classier or more well-rounded way. It's important for guests to sit back and take it in. If you prefer one over the other, great! If not, that's fine too. Wherever your magic is, embrace it and know that it is your special place; no one can take that feeling from you.

 

[kbelle8995]

I understand how you feel. I grew up 4 hours from WDW. My parents used it constanly as a weekend getaway. So I'm protectective towards a Disney resort that has been like being on home Turf.

I have nostalgic and warm feelings towards Disney World: the parks and resorts.

I have never had the opportunity to go to Disneyland. I hope to someday. I think the Disneyland team handles it diplomatically.

I've been on several Disneyland sites where they pretty much state that if WDW doesn't stink it is at the very least a shadow of the Disneyland park.

I think that the Disneyland team avoids that and I appreciate that.

For me the magic lies at WDW, because I doubt I will ever go to Disneyland, just because of location and the cost to get out there. And also because I have so many years and memories tied up in Disney World: trips with my family, the girl scouts. My 16th birthday, grad nite with friends.

Disneyland has the "Walt" factor.

WDW has my life and my memories tied up in it.

 

[clomahony]

I've been lucky enough to go to both World and Land several times and I do find that I am moved by the Walt was here aspect of Disneyland especially after doing the Walk in Walts Footsteps tour at Disneyland; however, it's only at DisneyWorld that I feel completely taken away from the "real" world which I think was Walt's aim when he was planning the Florida parks.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Awesome, awesome post, Nikki.

One of my earliest memories was when I was two years old, and we went to WDW for the first time. EPCOT Center was still being finished, and my mom was pregnant with my little brother. That was the last vacation that it was just the three of us, and so I have an extremely emotional tie to WDW. All of the subsequent trips with my brother (and later my sister, too) solidified that even more. I remember one trip when I was nine or ten, my dad had saved up money for us to stay at the Poly for a week, and it was an incredible trip, celebrating being a family and not worrying about all the stuff waiting for us back home.

My parents divorced a few years after that, but I think one of the reasons I now take my husband (and someday maybe children) to WDW is because of the emotional attachment I have to the World.

 

[pasofan]

I also want to say thank you to the DL team for bringing this topic out in a very personal way. I got the Disney bug recently, during our first family trip in 2007. I knew I had been to Florida as a very young child with my parents and grandparents back in 1977. I always have had a memory of being in a submarine during one of those trips, but wasn't sure where. During my research for our trip in 2007, I realized I was remembering the 20,000 Leagues ride. I pulled out some photo albums and found the pictures of us in the Magic Kingdom. The back of the photos had the date, April 1977. I was 17 months old. I had not looked at these photos since I was very young and did not realize we had been to WDW. I had not been able to look at them before that time they were my grandmother's and I had received them when she passed away just a few years before.

When we arrived for our trip, the magic hit me full force. I have never been affected by any other amusement park and I have been to many as a child. After my parents divorced, I spent several summers riding with my dad who was an over the road truck driver. We went to every park we came within 200 miles of during the course of the trip. I have great memories with my dad at those parks, but none can make me cry like WDW.

I hope to make our first trip to DL next fall so I can experience Walt's park.

Again, thank you to the DL team for giving some of your memories and magic.

 

[ospopo5]

Having grown up in the midwest, I have have been able to go to Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom numerous times thoughout my childhood and adult life. There is no better feeling in the World then when you drive onto property and see that Welcome to Disney sign.

I hade the opportunity to travel to Disneyland with work least year. This would be my first time. I was also able to have my wife and 5 month old daughter come with us for her first time to a Disney Park.

Let me start out first by saying I didnt like it. I didnt get "that" feeling like you could get at WDW. It felt like you were thrown in a fishbowl while being able to look and see the real world around you. (hotels, McDonalds, Gas Stations, etc. I honestly also thought it was wierd to step out of hotel and walk to the park.

However, as the day past something changed. Maybe I wasnt giving it it's fair chance, maybe it was the fact that it was my daughters first time to the park? Whatever it was, though I quickly fell in love. We were lucky to be staying at the Grand Californian and my wife can tell you this is her favorite resort out of all of them and we stayed an many of them in WDW. One of the reasons we just bought into DVC was so that we didnt have an excuse NOT to get back to Disneyland again.

I love Disney and now I am a big fan of Disneyland. Pirates is one of my favorite rides and I tell you that the DL version is WAY better. Pirates in DW doesnt do the ride justice and it is a shame. Along with it's a small world. The Building in DL is what it is all about and it's pathetic to now see the DW version.

So as to not compare any further, each park offers their own unique experience and I am glad to have tried both parks now and look forward to when I can get back to California again soon!

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

I'm glad you all got something out of our discussion.

I try to stay out of the whole WDW vs DL (DL vs WDW?) debate as best I can...castle jokes annoy me.

I knew, however, that I wanted to bring something back from Florida to talk about. As I said on the Podcast, I was thinking of bringing up the debate that was started on the ABD Bus email show: what ride is actually better at WDW. Mostly, because I didn't agree with their conclusions. I'm glad I found something else.

I knew Becky Cline's comments would lead into a great discussion (and for different reasons than those that have been discussed in earlier threads)...and when she agreed to chat with me about them, I knew I had the start of a great segment.

Thanks to everyone for listening.

 

[dwelty]

I would like to comment here as well. I live in Southern California and during my college years was a Disneyland Castmember. Of course Disneyland holds a special place for me and my family.
I agree that there are some Disneyland fan sites that consider WDW as inferior to the Disneyland Resort. This could not be father from the truth.

I first experienced Walt Disney World with my Family in 2006 and we have gone every year since. We are DVC members and usually visit the World in fall or spring when the weather is best. We reserve our summer trips for Disneyland, which is much cooler and drier. This is the best of both worlds for us and allows us to enjoy Disney Parks year round.
We met another family on these boards in 2007. WDW is their home resort. We invited them to stay with us in summer 2008 and they fell in love with Disneyland. They also now own DVC points in Florida and California. They vacation with us every summer in Disneyland and next February, we are joining them at WDW. For you Disneyland and Walt Disney World fans out there who see no need to visit the other coast, I say give it a try. I think you will be plesantly suprised.

 

[BriarRosie]

WDW is my "home" park, so I went to Disneyland with the feeling that someone came to my house and rearranged all my furniture.

But I did get the feeling things were different, the "Walt factor" that started to disappear at WDW. Years ago, the Magic Kingdom's Main Street was very similar to Disneyland's. Not in layout (since the furniture switcheroo analogy still applies), but in overall emotional feel. There used to be an arcade, a magic shop, a side street...before the Emporium just completely took over at WDW. I'm so glad Disneyland still has these things, which bring back my original first visit "feelings".

The only things I like better at the Magic Kingdom vs. Disneyland are the Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain. I think Disneyland obviously has the edge in Pirates of the Caribbean, but they also have better versions of attractions like Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear.

I really fell in love with Disneyland when I first visited in 1996. But my first love was 1977 Magic Kingdom in Florida.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I've been lucky enough to go to both World and Land several times and I do find that I am moved by the Walt was here aspect of Disneyland especially after doing the Walk in Walts Footsteps tour at Disneyland; however, it's only at DisneyWorld that I feel completely taken away from the "real" world which I think was Walt's aim when he was planning the Florida parks.

I went on that tour last summer. It was fantastic!

WDW is my "home" park, so I went to Disneyland with the feeling that someone came to my house and rearranged all my furniture.

But I did get the feeling things were different, the "Walt factor" that started to disappear at WDW. Years ago, the Magic Kingdom's Main Street was very similar to Disneyland's. Not in layout (since the furniture switcheroo analogy still applies), but in overall emotional feel. There used to be an arcade, a magic shop, a side street...before the Emporium just completely took over at WDW. I'm so glad Disneyland still has these things, which bring back my original first visit "feelings".

The only things I like better at the Magic Kingdom vs. Disneyland are the Haunted Mansion and Splash Mountain. I think Disneyland obviously has the edge in Pirates of the Caribbean, but they also have better versions of attractions like Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear.

I really fell in love with Disneyland when I first visited in 1996. But my first love was 1977 Magic Kingdom in Florida.

 

[kbelle8995]

I posted earlier but I've been reading all the posts and I wanted to add.

This is such a great discussion.

Like I said I lived close and My family and I used to come sometime four times a year and stay on the property and experience Disney up close. I worked as a Cast member as did my sister. BTMRR was our stress reliever and we rode Horizons and If you had Wings millions of times over the years that we went. So I think we are with WDW fans who have an emotional attachment to these attractions.

Disney World did not have Walt Disney for 10 years like Disneyland and I think that both are impacted for it. Disneyland was touched by Walt Disney and he walked its grounds. Disney World was built in the aftermath of his death as a tribute to him. He touched it but briefly.

 

[NitroStitch]

I really liked the Disneyland Team's segment on Becky Cline's comment, or at least inspired by it. Her comment was surprisingly strong, but I understood it as someone who has great emotional attachment to many of the WDW extinct attractions and yet no real emotional attachment to some of the attractions I never saw or didn't really embrace after one or two visits. I can appreciate those intellectually (as Becky said), but I don't feel an emotional loss that they are gone without that connection.

The DL Team had a really good conversation without getting into a "which is better" mode. I guess am a geographical WDW gal, living only a few hours away, we visit often. That said, I really love Disneyland and yes, even DCA as it was and as it's becoming. They're completely different and I love both places for different reasons. Some of the Disneyland attractions are far superior to the WDW version (Pirates, Fantasmic, Space Mountain, The Enchanted Tiki Room, at least for now), some are different from each other and both wonderful (Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World), and then there are some attractions with elements I love from each park (the Fantasmic stadium at WDW but definitely the Fantasmic show at DL, the boiler room at DCA but the fuller Tower of Terror ride at WDW, the queue of Pirates at WDW but definitely the ride at DL), etc.

I've just scratched the surface, but my main point is that I love WDW and DL/DCA. I can't choose one over another - they both offer unique, magical experiences. Disneyland is beautiful and enchanting and you just can't get away from thinking that Walt walked there and was so much a part of Disneyland. Yes, the castle is smaller, but it's gorgeous and the walkthrough is so lovely... Why take sides? We're lucky to have them all.

Well put, Wayne and Disneyland team! Embrace the magic wherever you find it.

 

[msteddom]

I love both resorts for entirely different reasons! I grew up in Southern California, so my childhood connections are with DL. I live 15 minutes away, and I'm there as often as I can be, but at the end of the day I still have to go back home and do the laundry. I'm not complaining though, doing the laundry isn't so bad after a great day at Disneyland!

On the other hand, I went to Disney World for the first time when I was 8. I still remember having my nose pressed to the window of the monorail as it looped around EPCOT Center and I was seeing it for the first time. For me now WDW is a complete escape. I'm on vacation, and real life is suspended. I plan those vacations months in advance, and lovingly obsess over the details. Planning is almost as much fun as being there!

So I love each resort for different reasons. They both play a huge role in my life, and I don't think I could pick one over the other. I imagine it would be like picking which one of your children you liked better!

Thanks DL Podcast Team for an interesting discussion!


Melissa