Is the 'step-up' from DLP to WDW really that good?

[TeamJones22]

Hello again all,

Having recently returned from what was an absolutely amazing January holiday at DLP (where the longest queue for anything was 15 minutes and 90% of the time i didnt queue for anything) i am now thinking forward to our next Disney holidays.

We will be going back to DLP this year, however my dream in life has always been to go on a two week holiday to Orlando and take it all in - Universal, Seaworld everything.
However i feel like ive been spoiled in DLP with such low crowds and i now wonder whether WDW is ruined for me? Do people who go from DLP to WDW really think its as brilliant and infinitely better than DLP as a lot of people say?

I read the WDW boards and to me it doesnt seem like they are that happy, talking about big queues and it being packed and "Brazilian tour groups" (their words not mine, admin!) and a bunch of other stuff that doesnt sound like a lot of fun. So, to those who have done both DLP and WDW, how much better is it? Is it the amazing 'magic' place that everyone says or is there something to be said for the relative modesty of DLP?

 

[adr2.8i]

Crowds in orlando are the same Paris, it depends on what time of the year you go. Ive been to orlando in January and i walked on every ride. crowds were very low. Ive also been in April, and it was very busy. The more popular rides were at least 90 mins. Splash mountain was over 2 hrs! So i would highly recommend using the Fastpass system.

Magic wise, i would say Paris has a better Magic Kingdom if you like, but the huge scale of Orlando and the other surrounding parks means for me anyway, a far bigger, busier and better holiday. You will need at least 2 weeks i would say if you want to do disney/universal/seaworld/busch gardens etc...

Going to Orlando is an eye opener and a very expensive holiday! If you can afford it then it should be the law to take your kids there!

Its huge its amazing its magical and its tiring, but well well worth it in my opinion.

 

[ghockley1981]

I agree with the info given above by adr2.8i

it certainly will be a great holiday, but remember Disney is a small part of the holiday with Gatorland, SeaWorld, Adventure Island and Universal on your door step.

It would be a great holiday, yes the queues will be bigger, but if you go at the right time and plan it well you wont notice any big difference in queues at all.

We went in April and most things were at most 30 mins in all the parks, most of the time due to the excitement of it all you never realised you were queuing it was that short.

Just plan out and use the calenders you can find online which tell you the parks busy days. They were correct when we went

 

[micksn]

I always visit DLP at busy times (school holidays) and have only visited WDW in August so wait times are comparable. I tend to do DLP as a short break and pack it in to 3 or 4 busy days. WDW is a 2 week holiday for us with pool time and water parks built in. On our first 2 visits we only did WDW and last time visited IOA for 1 day. If comparing the Disneyland Park with the Magic Kingdom I prefer the Disneyland Park, although Magic Kingdom has some very enjoyable differences and I'm looking forward to New Fantasyland this year. It's the other parks, resorts and water parks at WDW that make the difference, they're amazing!
However, WDW hasn't spoilt DLP for me I still look forward to my visits there and would go more often if I could.

 

[numbersix]

My family went to WDW last September, which I am told is one of the quieter peak times. The queues were mostly short, although every now and then there was a bit of a wait, like the Toy Story Mania ride in WDS. In comparison I would say that the queues in DLP seem shorter when we have been there, apart from Crushes Coaster. To compare the parks generally is hard. WDW is huge, but the attention to detail is awesome. Nothing is left to chance, and they seem to have thought of everything. DLP to me seems a bit more haphazard, but it's charm is great. There is still the detail, lots of things to look at and discover, and some of the rides are definitely better than their WDW counterparts. Main Street USA is very similar in both parks, and it was weird not having the arcades behind the shops in WDW! The best bit about DLP for me is the fact that everything is within walking distance, I can walk to the station near home, get the train all of the way there and not have to drive for my entire stay. To be fair, I didn't drive in WDW, but you have to use the buses if you don't have a car because of the sheer scale of everything.
My verdict would be do both if you can! You'll appreciate the similarities and the differences.

 

[Royal Consort]

I don't think WDW is a step up from Disneyland Paris, though people speak of it as if it were so. As others have commented, the Disneyland Park in Paris is a much better magic kingdom than WDW's. Attention to detail and themeing is much better in Paris than in Florida.

Disneyland Paris was my first magic kingdom and during my first trip to WDW I expected my mind to be blown. It just wasn't. In fact, I was mostly impressed by Animal Kingdom than anything else. WDW is great for dining, bar hopping, shopping, and the parks are fun. For that reason WDW is a great destination for a holiday. It's big, garish, and loud. Paris is pretty, charming and elegant. I like both WDW and Disneyland Paris but for very different reasons. When I visit WDW I go mainly for a relaxing time these days and enjoy all the restaurants. Disneyland Paris is the best version of the magic kingdom and the one I'm most eager to fly 24 hours in a plane to visit again and again. When I'm in WDW's Magic Kingdom, I miss Paris. Disneyland Park in Anaheim is a lot nicer than Florida.

 

[Ware Bears]

WDW was the first Disney resort we visited, MK was the very first park we went to and yes it blew me away. The sight of the castle looming closer as we took the ferry across (you MUST take the ferry across for the first time to MK) and Chip and Dale on the other ferry waving to us is one of my favourite memories.

We visited DLP the following year for the first time and then saw how beautiful the castle there is and how perfectly imagineered the whole park is. Then we went to Disneyland for the first time last summer and totally fell in with it - it's totally chaotic compared to DLP and WDW but it's amazing to go to see the original park and full of nostalgia. You're always going to get people favouring WDW over DLP (it does seem to be a popular past time to bash the latter!) or DL over WDW but I don't think one park is infinitely better than another - they all have good and not so good and somethings I prefer at DLP, some at WDW and some at DL.

I think if you go with an open mind and be prepared to embrace any differences then you'll have the most amazing holiday, I really don't see how you could fail to. There is so much more to a WDW holiday than just Disney - we've been three times and I know we've only barely scratched the surface of what's on offer in Florida. We've been at the very busiest of times - twice at Easter (was also their Spring break) and once at Christmas/New Year and managed fine so don't stress too much over crowds. The most important thing to realise is that unlike DLP where you don't need to plan the opposite is the case at WDW if you intend to eat at the most popular restaurants as bookings for these open at 180 days out.

Have you checked out the UK Trip planning section?

 

[Sam1]

If you can afford to go to Orlando, you should go. Don't be put off by crowds because it depends on the time of year. I've experienced Paris at it's busiest one October, but Orlando in October was so much quieter, so it's not always busier. We never saw any tour groups either.

WDW is more of a holiday, with a lot more than two parks, so you can't really compare them. If you were just comparing like for like, Magic Kingdom and Disneyland, then Disneyland in my opinion is much prettier and has a nicer atmosphere. I know a lot of people feel the same, but that doesn't mean people prefer Paris over Orlando, they're just very different. Orlando is a holiday with so much more, whereas Paris is a short break.

I love DLP and we're due to visit for a few days in March, but our holiday this year is to Florida.

 

[Madhattermad]

Great discussion!

I have never been to WDW but have been an uncountable amount of times to DLP (it's my happy place), I have visited DL Tokyo and in April I'm off to DL Anaheim. Understandably then, I am getting itchy feet for WDW. I feel like when I tell people I'm off to Disney they get excited for me until they hear it's Paris, then they tell me how much better WDW is. It is so good to hear the mixed views here on how compariable they are!!!

I will get to WDW but it is soooo expensive that I'm a little put off! I used to work in a travel agents back from 2003 to 2007 and I remember you used to get fantastic deals but now the cost is astronomical. I am going to tour California for two weeks and do Disneyland while I'm there for less than a week in WDW would cost me!

I'm thinking Hong Kong or Shanghai next I'd probably even do a disney cruise before WDW just based on what you get for your money!

Maybe it's not a bad thing...if WDW is the last park I visit having already seen the others then I really can form an objective view about it being a 'step up' from the others

Again though, great to hear everyones views...really refreshing.

K.

 

[Disney Lvr of Old]

DLR is my home park even though I live in NY. I took my son last September for the first time for 8 days~ did everything there was to do and he was entranced. When it came time to pick our next Disney adventure- after a lot of research I decided on DLP over WDW.

I am spoiled by DLR and walking distances, smaller settings and just decided that I would dislike the overwhelming "muchness" of WDW.

My son cannot wait for the next adventure and neither can I.

Maybe someday I will actually go to WDW~ but I wouldn't place a lot of money on it.

 

[Lisa_C]

I don't think WDW is a step up from Disneyland Paris, though people speak of it as if it were so. As others have commented, the Disneyland Park in Paris is a much better magic kingdom than WDW's. Attention to detail and themeing is much better in Paris than in Florida.

Disneyland Paris was my first magic kingdom and during my first trip to WDW I expected my mind to be blown. It just wasn't..........
WDW is great for dining, bar hopping, shopping, and the parks are fun. For that reason WDW is a great destination for a holiday. It's big, garish, and loud. Paris is pretty, charming..............
When I'm in WDW's Magic Kingdom, I miss Paris.

^^that^^ Exactly how I feel. Totally.