Just back from Disneyworld ahhh

[HydroGuy]

As you can imagine, DH absolutely loved it. He especially liked the old arcade games (pacman, space invaders, etc).

 

[Amy&Dan]

I love reading this thread. I absolutely love DL and can't wait to take the kids to DW hopefully sometime in the next couple of years. For those that have been, what age would you say the youngest child should be to hopefully have the stamina to do DW and to go on the slides at the water park? I'm guessing it's not so easy to take breaks in the middle of the day at DW like it is at DL. Do you usually stay all day?

I think that any age of child is fun for WDW. Now if WDW will be a once in a lifetime sort of thing, then I think say 7 and 9 would be good. If you aren't of the mindset that it will be a onetime only thing, than anytime you can go is great.

WDW is very large. I think park hopping with young kids can be a mistake. If you do hop, with younger kids, I think its best to go to one park, take a resort break then go back to another park. Not hop between parks at random like you can at DL. Because at WDW, it does take way more time. I think the water parks are great for younger kids. They have areas that are for noting but kids. Small slides, themed areas with splash zones etc, I think actually the waterparks are must do's. Disney Quest is best for older kids. Its mega stimulation, it has a lot of height requirements and in my opinion best for the over 10 set. My husband can spend 12 hours in there reliving his adolesence with all those 1980's games, but for young kids, its just not that fun and too much to handle. I know our first trip to WDW my kids were 8 and 10 and we only spent a couple of hours as my 8 year old dd couldn't do much. Now four years later, we spend a whole day there and don't want to leave!

I also think its key to stay onsite when you have kids. Disney resorts, of all levels have much to offer kids. For example All Star Music which is a value level resort has poolside games, movies at night by the pool, huge icons and a food court. The other values also have the icons and theming but not the games and movie nights Music does. But where else in the world can you wake up to a giant statue of Lady and the Tramp or Woody outside your window? The moderate level resorts have pools with slides, theming, bike rentals etc. And then of course the deluxe level resorts have proximity to a theme park (some on the monorail), incredilbe pools, activities for kids, you name it. And when you stay onsite, you know you have transporation to the parks at your disposal. And you can take advantage of longer hours if you choose to do the Extra Magic Hours.

I also think you have to pick your game plan. Do you want to get up early and get to rope drop each day? Good plan but know that if you do that with young kids, you'll miss the nighttime shows most likely. We aren't early risers, have done rope drop exactly once in 12 trips to WDW and still manage to avoid lines even during peak seasons. We do however, tend to stay late. We can do that becasue we know we'll be rested from sleeping in. We also try to plan at least one day where we stay around the resort to swim and just relax and regroup. We tend to do this mid trip. And I think you need at least 7 days for your first trip to WDW.

To me WDW vs. DL isn't that much out of the ballpark for little kids. At both, you walk a lot, you wait some, you get overstimulated. Taking a midday break at WDW does take a bit more time. However, it would be very rare for you to wait longer than 30 minutes for a bus to take you back to your resort. No bus takes longer than 15 minutes max to get from a park to a resort. And really anda truly, it generally takes less time. The WDW transporation system isn't perfect, but its pretty amazing.

So while I think you do have to be careful about not overdoing it at WDW you can still have a relaxing fun time. And each WDW park has a ton to offer for little kids. There are playgrounds, splash zones, character meals in each park, the charactr meet and greets are set up better and the WDW parks being newer, don't have the narrow walkways that DL does.

And there are three basic levels of tickets at WDW.

MYW Base tickets. No hopping, no extras

MYW Park Hoppers: Can park hop between the four theme parks, but no waterparks or Disney Quest

MYW Premium tickets that allow you to go the waterparks and hop.

You can mix and match. For example you can get a base ticket and then add on the waterpark option but not the hopping. You can buy base tickets, get there, scope things out and then add on options if you feel you need to after you arrive. Hopping and Waterpark and More options run $50 each, per ticket to the base price. You can also add on the non expiration option which would mean any unused days are good forever. But its very expensive to do that.

I think the best website to find out prices on resorts and tickets is www.allearsnet.com They have tons of information, slide shows for each resort to give you a feel for all of them and cost analysis of ticket options, the various dining plans etc. It sounds like a lot of planning but if you have been to DL, you know quite a bit and spending a few hours looking over that website will give you a great idea. That website also has lots of information on the waterparks, DQ and all the other things to do around WDW. And menus and pricing for each and every restaurant.

I will say the one thing that WDW does have that makes little kids at times miserable is the heat and humidty. But October through May is nice and during the summer if you either go early or stay late, you'll avoid the worst of it. The weather is why I say you can't do 12+ hour stretches at the parks. When my kids were little we did very long days sometimes without breaks at DL. At WDW in the summer, we just can't do that. And since our WDW trips are generally longer in length than a DL trip, its important to pace ourselves!

I hope that helped and didn't just sound like a bunch of garble!

 

[LavenderPeach]

I love reading this thread. I absolutely love DL and can't wait to take the kids to DW hopefully sometime in the next couple of years. For those that have been, what age would you say the youngest child should be to hopefully have the stamina to do DW and to go on the slides at the water park? I'm guessing it's not so easy to take breaks in the middle of the day at DW like it is at DL. Do you usually stay all day?

When we were there, it was so tiring and I saw so many older kids in strollers that I remember thinking I wouldn't take a kid there until they were at least 12! Of course, having no kids at the time, we were going commando style with no time for resting, lol. I'm sure with afternoon breaks smaller kids can do just fine.

 

[bluedoll]

When we were there, it was so tiring and I saw so many older kids in strollers that I remember thinking I wouldn't take a kid there until they were at least 12! Of course, having no kids at the time, we were going commando style with no time for resting, lol. I'm sure with afternoon breaks smaller kids can do just fine.

As I said above, we did just fine with no strollers as small kids. Kids tend to have more energy than the adults actually. I suppose it depends a lot of the type of kid you have. If your kid is the type to whine about being tired...I'd wait until they were older. We were so excited about WDW that we didn't whine about the walking or the heat. I'm sure our parents were super tired and hot (although they never let it show) but us kids did great.

 

[imjen]

Thanks so much for all the great advice about ages to take the kids and other fantastic tips!! My youngest will be 6 in June of next year. I'm hoping to go either next year or the following so I will have a 6, 9, and 11 year old or 7, 10, and 12 year old. They are growing up fast on me! I don't plan on it being a once in a lifetime trip, I'm hoping to go every 2-3 years after this.

 

[kneemeister]

There is somthing special about walking under the station at DL and realizing that Walt once did too. I love both parks,Epcot is always going to be my favorite, followed closely by DL. DL seems so much more real, For some reason MK seems a facade of Disneyland.

As others have said, WDW is so imersive, from the moment I set up my tent at Ft Wilderness to the time I put it away I feel "home" but I always go at the end of Sep. when the weather is a little cooler at night and the crowds are there but managable. At DL you cross to the sidewalk along Harbor and bang your back in the real world, till tomorrow morning. At the World there is nothing like that boat ride across Bay Lake to tell you this is not your normal run of the mill vacation.
I also feel that most people over plan and over hype there vacations, If you have 6 days, there is no reason you cant get in everything at WDW at a nice leasurely pace. Line to long for sorin' go ride somthing else. Or heaven forbid sit for 30 mins on a park bench and simply watch the world go bye, it is vacation anyway, not a job.

 

[momrek06]

When we were there, it was so tiring and I saw so many older kids in strollers that I remember thinking I wouldn't take a kid there until they were at least 12! Of course, having no kids at the time, we were going commando style with no time for resting, lol. I'm sure with afternoon breaks smaller kids can do just fine.

The first time I took my kiddos to WDW, youngest was just 5. I rented a stroller. He was MORTIFIED. I am NOT getting in THAT at all. I said, FINE, I need it for the camcorder (this was 1990, camcorders were HUGE then) and my purse and we had a small insulted bag with water. It was Feb and it was warm. We did allot of attractions that day...well by the time 3pm rolled around, DS was wiped out and I watched as he climbed into the WDW stroller and proceeded to nod out. Hmmmm.......that was my REAL purpose for the stroller as I knew he MIGHT need it. We had allot of family with us and everyone was older than 5. I just had an idea DS was just not going to make it the whole day. He got a good hour of napping in and was totally refreshed.

I proceed to rent a stroller every day that week.

 

[dreamingdisney]

I have only been to the World once, so a I am hardly an expert on WDW, yet I definitely agree with everyone who loved Epcot!! We went for 5 days - which is waaay too short - but three of those days were spent at at Epcot, and we still didn't visit all of the countries!! Now, if DCA could have a smaller version of Epcot..

I can also identify with being overwhelmed and feeling rushed. I really felt that I had to get my money's worth each day. I left feeling excited about being at DW, but disappointed at not being able to see it all.

After 4 years, I am ready to try again - if money and flight deals permit. But this time I want to stay 7 days, and try to take a more relaxed approach to WDW, knowing that I can't do it all.

 

[momrek06]

After 4 years, I am ready to try again - if money and flight deals permit. But this time I want to stay 7 days, and try to take a more relaxed approach to WDW, knowing that I can't do it all.

Ummm....not going to happen!!

We went to WDW at the min 10x (every other year once the kiddos were 8&5) when we lived in MA. Each time we went we would all go over everything we wanted to do ALONG with slowing down a bit...as you come home sooo exhausted needing another vacation to SLEEP!

NEVER EVER HAPPENED. Every single time it was once again COMMANDO!!! You are absolutely right about wanting to "get your money's worth" and that is how we felt. We went from morning until midnight every single day. We never knew when we could get there again so we needed to SEE absolutely everything possible.

 

[dreamingdisney]

We never knew when we could get there again so we needed to SEE absolutely everything possible.

You know, that's exactly how I felt!! I guess it's hard to go to the World and have a relaxed approach - but it's sure nice trying!!

 

[bluedoll]

i guess i'm in the minority. we went at a more relaxed paced at WDW. we were still tired at the end of the trip but we didn't go commando at all. we didn't even get the parks until 10 or 11 each day.

 

[perlster]

OK - I have to chime in now. Can this be moved to the appropriate Disneyworld forum?

 

[momrek06]

OK - I have to chime in now. Can this be moved to the appropriate Disneyworld forum?

I think it is fine here, we are talking about BOTH places.

 

[dreamingdisney]

OK - I have to chime in now. Can this be moved to the appropriate Disneyworld forum?

Maybe someone could start a thread on this topic on the WDW forum? It would be interesting to know how others feel.

 

[bluedoll]

I think it is fine here, we are talking about BOTH places.

i agree.

 

[HydroGuy]

i guess i'm in the minority. we went at a more relaxed paced at WDW. we were still tired at the end of the trip but we didn't go commando at all. we didn't even get the parks until 10 or 11 each day.

Yeah, I decided not to comment on this ealier, but when we do DLR it is a sprint for 3-4 straight days. At WDW we have more days and take it way slower.

The idea that WDW is hectic and DLR is relaxed is not inherent in the resorts. It is merely (IMO) a reflection of how people tour each resort and whether they feel like they have enough time or not.

 

[PinkBudgie]

OK - I have to chime in now. Can this be moved to the appropriate Disneyworld forum?

Personally, I like having this one here because I like to know what DLR people think of WDW. It is a different perspective.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

OK - I have to chime in now. Can this be moved to the appropriate Disneyworld forum?

This thread is fine here - it's about both parks, and how we deal with the differences in each one.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I love them both, but Disneyland itself will always have a special place in my heart. I feel sorry for those who refuse to see Disneyland for what it is because they're too busy caught up comparing the size of the castle or something like that. I also feel sorry for those who don't want to experience WDW because it lacks Walt's personal touch.

There's a time and a place for each.

 

[Vexorg]

I have now been to both DLR and WDW recently enough to be able to have a reasonable feel for each one, and based on my experiences, here is what I would say:

Disneyland is, of course, the original, and there is definitely more of a sense of history there. In preparing for my trip in 2006, I did quite a bit of research into the history (I'm a bit of an amateur history junkie) and the story behind the place, and it was cool being able to see some of that as I toured through the park. Even little things like seeing the light in the firehouse window remind you of the history behind it, and seeing the original Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean and other such rides is definitely worth the trip.

That said, I tend to think that 3 days is plenty to see both Disneyland and DCA, and as long as you're not going at a peak tourist time, plenty of time to ride whatever you want as many times as you want. It remains to be seen what will come out of DCA after the remodel, but at the time I went I didn't find the place all that compelling. Soarin' is great (I got to ride it six times) and the major thrill rides seem to all be there (California Screamin, ToT and to a lesser extent the Maliboomer,) but beyond those there was muddled theming and not much compelling you to stay there for any length of time. Even in Disneyland itself, the current version of Tomorrowland just plain doesn't work, in my opinion. After the last remodel, all it seems to be is the area you walk through to get to Space Mountain. If they want to fix it, the first thing they need to do is bring back the Peoplemover, but that's another post for another time.

Don't get me wrong, I quite enjoyed the place on my last trip, and would love to come back when possible. I just think a DLR trip is something that could be done on a long weekend (which is definitely doable from here in the Seattle area with Anaheim only a couple of hours away by air.) I'm not so sure I could spend a whole week there though.

Disney World, on the other hand, is a completely different experience. I went into the trip I took in December making a lot of assumptions based on my Disneyland trip in 2006, and found most of them to be completely wrong. When I went, I only booked for four days, which turned out to be the biggest mistake of my trip before I even left for it. Those four days were great, and I definitely enjoyed them, but I did not enjoy spending 7 hours on airplanes in each direction to get there (I think Seattle is just about the farthest you can be from WDW and still be in the continental US, especially when you have to connect through Chicago or Dallas to get there) and then only spending four days and having to fly back (into horrendous weather, as it would turn out.) I didn't even get a chance to go to Animal Kingdom on this trip, since I had no time. Although the WDW Hilton is a nice hotel (nicer than I was expecting for $99 a night) it's still a fair distance from any of the parks, and transit does eat up a fair chunk of time, especially if you're doing any park hopping besides MK to Epcot.) The MK at WDW is also much different in layout than Disneyland, and it took me some time to figure out why the heck the Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain were in the wrong place.

When I go to WDW again (and since I missed a bunch of stuff I'm pretty sure I will) I plan to stay for a full seven days, if not more to allow enough time to not be rushing the whole time (and even then, I suspect I'll miss thing.) I'm also staying onsite (I'll have to look into renting DVC points for that one.) I don't know when I'll be back to WDW, but it was definitely worth the trip. You just have to plan a lot more carefully when you go there than you need to for a Disneyland trip.