stitchlover
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2007
- Messages
- 2,822
We just got back from a 2 week vacation that included 3 days at Disneyland and a 1-1/2 weeks in Hawaii. I am JET LAGGED but thought I would drop a note here on the DL forum.
I grew up visiting WDW often and have been the last three years for Springbreak with my husband and daughter. I had never been to DL and was really looking forward to our trip. A few people told me "Oh you are going to be disappointed; you're used to WDW." I told several people that I really thought I would like it and would probably leave wanting to return.
I am pleased to report that I was right. We arrived on Friday evening, June 6th and spent the 7th-9th in the parks. We departed the morning of the 10th for Hawaii. We didn't know anything about DL going into it and booked the Paradise Pier for our stay. I have to say I was pleased with it. I was told Paradise Pier was the equivalent of the WDW Value Resort. I think it is more in the range of a WDW moderate resort. We were pleased by the size of the room and the fact that it was Queen size beds. Have to stay deluxe at WDW to get those babies!
We hit Disneyland our first morning and during our entire stay we concentrated on rides they don't have at WDW: Indiana Jones, Mr. Toad, Matterhorn, Nemo, Alice in Wonderland (we have a child with us!), etc. I was disappointed that IASW was closed but I knew it would be before we arrived. I would have loved to see it. Our daughter, age 12, is scared to death of Space Mountain at WDW but LOVED the ride at DL. We are now hoping for a rehab of the Orlando ride. Nemo is cute and I wish there was some way for them to bring that ride back to WDW in it's new state but I don't really know if that is option anymore with the development they have done in that area of Fantasyland. After we hit the rides that differ from WDW we rode some of our favorites and liked the differences between the two parks. POTC and Haunted Mansion have some differences that make the ride unique to DL and fun to ride. Indiana Jones was wonderful! Our daughter will not ride Dinosaur and we were a little nervous about IJ but she did fine and really liked it.
We really liked California Adventure and the back entrance through the Grand Californian is genius. We LOVED California Screamin' and our daughter liked all rides in the Paradise Pier area. She is still talking about the Orange Stinger. The Mike and Sully ride was cute and we enjoyed it. Toy Story Mania was having limited openings while we were there but by invitation only. So we were unable to ride it. Oh well, will have to catch it at the World this coming Spring.
I do have to tip my hat to DL when it comes to food. We were so impressed by the quality of the food we ate at two of the three DL character meals that we scheduled. The Storytellers Cafe breakfast was better than any breakfast buffet I have ever encountered at WDW. It was truly wonderful. We enjoyed Goofy's Kitchen and the selection there. I would compare it to Chef Mickey at WDW and the food at Goofy's won hands down. We were just okay with Ariel's Grotto and the food there. It wasn't bad but wasn't all that great. My husband loved the pizza he got for lunch one day back in Toon Town at DL but we really didn't care for the pizza we got at California Adventure over in the Paradise Pier area. It was truly horrible. One thing I loved and I hope WDW will start to offer is the fresh fruit at various locations throughout the park. I try to watch what I eat and it was great to be able to grab a bag of grapes mid-day when I had the munchies instead of only poor choices like bakery items, popcorn and ice cream to choose from.
There are so many things we liked about DL...please don't take this the wrong way all you DL lovers, I kind of came away with the feeling that it is a nice way to get the Disney fix without getting the DISNEY fix. It was nice to be able to walk out of my hotel and 5 minutes later walk into a park or walk out of one park and right into another. I am still a WDW lover and will continue to go back each spring as long as we can afford it. But I have fallen in love with DL and do see myself visiting as often as possible, even if it's just for a weekend trip. It brought tears to my eyes to see the fire station in the evening with the light on in the upper window and know that Walt had stayed there. And to walk that park and know that Walt had been there. It was nice. I know WDW was Walt's dream and that makes it special also.
So that is my brief trip report. Thank's to the people on this DL forum who answered my questions as we prepared for this trip. We had a great time and hope to visit again sometime soon.
I grew up visiting WDW often and have been the last three years for Springbreak with my husband and daughter. I had never been to DL and was really looking forward to our trip. A few people told me "Oh you are going to be disappointed; you're used to WDW." I told several people that I really thought I would like it and would probably leave wanting to return.
I am pleased to report that I was right. We arrived on Friday evening, June 6th and spent the 7th-9th in the parks. We departed the morning of the 10th for Hawaii. We didn't know anything about DL going into it and booked the Paradise Pier for our stay. I have to say I was pleased with it. I was told Paradise Pier was the equivalent of the WDW Value Resort. I think it is more in the range of a WDW moderate resort. We were pleased by the size of the room and the fact that it was Queen size beds. Have to stay deluxe at WDW to get those babies!
We hit Disneyland our first morning and during our entire stay we concentrated on rides they don't have at WDW: Indiana Jones, Mr. Toad, Matterhorn, Nemo, Alice in Wonderland (we have a child with us!), etc. I was disappointed that IASW was closed but I knew it would be before we arrived. I would have loved to see it. Our daughter, age 12, is scared to death of Space Mountain at WDW but LOVED the ride at DL. We are now hoping for a rehab of the Orlando ride. Nemo is cute and I wish there was some way for them to bring that ride back to WDW in it's new state but I don't really know if that is option anymore with the development they have done in that area of Fantasyland. After we hit the rides that differ from WDW we rode some of our favorites and liked the differences between the two parks. POTC and Haunted Mansion have some differences that make the ride unique to DL and fun to ride. Indiana Jones was wonderful! Our daughter will not ride Dinosaur and we were a little nervous about IJ but she did fine and really liked it.
We really liked California Adventure and the back entrance through the Grand Californian is genius. We LOVED California Screamin' and our daughter liked all rides in the Paradise Pier area. She is still talking about the Orange Stinger. The Mike and Sully ride was cute and we enjoyed it. Toy Story Mania was having limited openings while we were there but by invitation only. So we were unable to ride it. Oh well, will have to catch it at the World this coming Spring.
I do have to tip my hat to DL when it comes to food. We were so impressed by the quality of the food we ate at two of the three DL character meals that we scheduled. The Storytellers Cafe breakfast was better than any breakfast buffet I have ever encountered at WDW. It was truly wonderful. We enjoyed Goofy's Kitchen and the selection there. I would compare it to Chef Mickey at WDW and the food at Goofy's won hands down. We were just okay with Ariel's Grotto and the food there. It wasn't bad but wasn't all that great. My husband loved the pizza he got for lunch one day back in Toon Town at DL but we really didn't care for the pizza we got at California Adventure over in the Paradise Pier area. It was truly horrible. One thing I loved and I hope WDW will start to offer is the fresh fruit at various locations throughout the park. I try to watch what I eat and it was great to be able to grab a bag of grapes mid-day when I had the munchies instead of only poor choices like bakery items, popcorn and ice cream to choose from.
There are so many things we liked about DL...please don't take this the wrong way all you DL lovers, I kind of came away with the feeling that it is a nice way to get the Disney fix without getting the DISNEY fix. It was nice to be able to walk out of my hotel and 5 minutes later walk into a park or walk out of one park and right into another. I am still a WDW lover and will continue to go back each spring as long as we can afford it. But I have fallen in love with DL and do see myself visiting as often as possible, even if it's just for a weekend trip. It brought tears to my eyes to see the fire station in the evening with the light on in the upper window and know that Walt had stayed there. And to walk that park and know that Walt had been there. It was nice. I know WDW was Walt's dream and that makes it special also.
So that is my brief trip report. Thank's to the people on this DL forum who answered my questions as we prepared for this trip. We had a great time and hope to visit again sometime soon.
