Just back from DL (and DL hotel)

[Tinkerbellie16]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.... I am just starting to think about spring break 2013 and want to go to DL. Our family has been to WDW numerous times and we love it... but I want to see Walt's park and I think my whole family will enjoy Cars Land.
I have a couple of questions for you:
How many days did you visit, did you need more or less days in your opinion?
You say you would stay at the DL hotel again (but maybe get 2 rooms) What WDW property would the room size/quality be comparable to? We have stayed in all categories.... Do you think one of the other DL hotels might be better??
What did you think of the dining and how does it compare to WDW?
Thanks in advance for your thoughts

I love that DL is Walt's park too! Seeing the lamp in window above the fire station gave me chills.

We arrived on a Monday afternoon and left on Thursday morning. We spent the evening Monday at DCA, all day at DL on Tuesday, and mostly DL on Wednesday (with a DCA stop for Soaring and WOC). And in between our walks to/from the hotel, we spent some time at Downtown Disney. It was not enough time to do everything but it was plenty of time to enjoy ourselves. If you want to see and do a lot more attractions, I'd go for another day.

So the room had only enough space for the two (queen?) beds so there was no additional space for a chair (or daybed like the Poly). The bathroom was split into two pieces - one side for a toilet and shower and one side for a sink with a closet behind it. There was very little room to store our 4 suitcases! And the closet was a half size closet. I do not like split bathrooms though because I use a blow dryer/diffuser on my hair and it makes so much noise that when there is no door to muffle the sound, everyone else is annoyed. So the size of the room...I would compare it to a value, maybe even smaller. The decor was lovely and updated though and the hotel itself was very nice, clean, and had good amenities. I did not get a chance to go to Paradise Pier or California Adventure but I would try the latter on a future visit (in a 1 bdr villa). And honestly, many of the hotels/motels around the park looked very nice as well and would have been a lot cheaper (another option I would consider for the future). I would consider the kids suite at the hojo or even a large room at some of the other hotels in the area - many of them had larger rooms as well as their standard rooms and they were still cheaper than DLH.

Dining...At DL and DCA itself, there was much less indoor quick service dining. We ended up getting a lot of chicken nuggets/strips since these are really good in both DL and WDW. I did try the fried green tomato sandwich at Hungry Bear and did not find it very good although I did enjoy the sweet potato fries and the desserts (especially the bumblebee cupcake - cheesecake frosting!). I liked the Jolly Holiday Bakery with the cinnamon rolls and iced caramel macchiato. The Tomorrowland quick service (name of the place escapes me) had a fish sandwich that I was excited to try (since I love Contempo Cafe's mahi mahi sandwich) but this one had a LOT of spice on it and I couldn't eat it. I also tried the famous corn dogs at the red wagon and those were sooo good. I did have the Monte Cristo at the Blue Bayou and thought it was wonderful but it was so filling - I wish I had shared it (especially at $25). At DCA, we had a hard time finding food we all wanted but I wanted to try the food court spot they had with mexican, chinese, and southern food.

I found it harder to find things I liked at DL and DCA but that was ONLY because I just wasn't used to their menus. At WDW, I KNOW my favorites and can count on them.

Hopefully that helps a bit!

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Thanks for sharing your trips up's and downs
Thought it was quite fun to hear your comparision of WDW and DLR - since I've only been to DLR! I fully understand the issues with the DCA construction, it iritates me!! But how can you not like WOC lol.. Haha
Dosen't seem like you had a bad time, but not very very magical and great either... Hope you enjoyed DLR eventough you had some disapointments!

I can see that it's really hard not to compare your 'own' and beloved park to the next and new you are visiting - but I think that it is very important to try not to compare :b I know that DL is 'my' park and no other Disney park will ever take it's place in my heart! <3 I'm planning a trip to DL Paris, but I'm actually quite nervous about it!! I hear people talking about drinking and smoking all over the parks and that meet & greets are only for kids - and I'm like WHAAT! I hear other stories about WDW and again i'm thinking - How can they do it!
I think I will try to see all the Disney parks over the world as individual parks - with their own things and ways to run the park But hey - of course you can't visit two Disney parks without comparing, that would be naive to think but if I scould compare i'm affraid it would ruin a lot of my visit, cause 'Why is it not like at DLR.. They're not doing it right!!'

It became a long post about comparing - sorry
I think you tried to give a pretty objective and good trip report! Thanks

Oh going to DL Paris would be such a cool experience! I think what's great about the DIS boards is that you get a LOT of different opinions and experiences and you can prepare for the park (and brace yourself ). I have heard their castle is gorgeous!

I visited WDW in January after going to DL many times. I loved WDW, but was disappointed in The Magic Kingdom. It didn't seem to have the charm of the smaller Disneyland. The rest of WDW was delightful.

It is hard not to compare, but both places are magical. I have only visited WDW and DLR during low season - late Jan and Oct, so the small size of DLR might be more of an issue when crowded. I doubt that any disneyphile would really dislike either resort.

Trust me you will love wdw





DL is MY park...always has been..I live just a few hours away and have gone so many times I cant keep track anymore....I went to wdw for the first time this past Dec. and I went with expectations that wdw was going to be so huge I wouldnt be able to get hardly anything done and that I had to keep my expectations low for MK because of how I love Disneyland and that AK would be my least favorite where Epcot would be my favorite...boy was I wrong..MK was my FAVORITE park with a tie for second between AK and HS...and Epcot was my least favorite..although I really liked world showcase ALOT! Future world just didnt do it for me...DL is much more compact therefore, it seems crowded all the time so when people complain about crowds at wdw I laugh because they dont know what crowds are...I agree with Tinkerbellie about the food too...I dont like DL food much...few things here and there and just a couple of sit downs ( Carnation Cafe and Minnie and Friends Breakfast at Plaza Inn) but wdw food is A M A Z I N G!!! I couldnt get enough...the only place we ate at that I didnt like was wolfgang pucks...everything else was awesome....




Disneydreamer, if you're going to DL during spring break next year and it is your first time I would suggest 3 or 4 days...because it is compact and easy to walk to, you can take breaks in the day and go back to your hotel for a swim etc....then go back around 5 or so when sun is not as hot because it does cool down quite a bit...I cant answer your questions about comparability between DL hotel and the wdw hotels but all along Harbor which is right across the street and you can walk across the crosswalk to get to DL or CA, and there are others that either you can take a city shuttle or they have their own shuttles...there are TONS of hotels...reasonably priced and very nice...some of the favorite moderate priced hotels are HOJO, Sheraton Anaheim, Candy Cane Inn, Park Vue, Fairfield, Marriott, Hilton etc...there are tons....Disneyland Hotel is amazing...I love it there...if you want to go more expensive you can do the grand...it kind of reminds me of the wilderness lodge (i think mainly because the architect who did it also did the Grand) Paradise Pier is really nice and with all these hotels you get in early...they dont do EMH morning or evening...its just on select days they let you in 1 and 1/2 hours before park opens...alot of people do it and its really worth it especially if you have little ones...it allows you to get through most of the rides before park even opens...i mentioned above that there arent alot of great sit downs imo...it really depends on what you like to eat...my favorite character ones are Minnie and Friends breakfast at Plaza Inn (in the park) and Mickey and Friends at Paradise Pier...I love Carnation cafe for breakfast or lunch and I do occasionally go to BLue Bayou...its really mostly for the ambiance but if you've never been its a must do...

We went during our spring break (last week of March) to DL. We did not feel that DL was more or less crowded than WDW (where we've gone during the low to the high seasons). We did find that the wait times at DL were not accurate though where WDW they are more accurate. So it appeared that DL had quicker waits but then you'd get in line for a 5 minute wait that turned into 20 anyway. I'm not sure if that was during spring break time or if it is typically that way. It was also CHILLY! It was in the 60s while we were there and that really bummed me out. I love to swim on vacation and would rather be there when it is 90 out. The parks were so chilly that we had to wear pants and sweatshirts and I'd rather be sweating away at the parks so I can enjoy time at the pool. BUT that's just me and I knew going into this that the weather may not be hot during late March in Anaheim.

 

[kelmac284]

I have lived in CA pretty much my whole life and grew up with Disneyland. I have been an Annual Pass Holder for the last 6 years and we got at least once or twice a year and sometimes more. I LOVE DL because it is my home park and where I grew up.

I agree that the fact it is right in the middle of town can not seem as magical but that is what I grew up with and I remember when DCA was still a parking lot and driving up and seeing the big sign. For years there were just a bunch of cute little motels around the perimeter and it wasn't until right before the "makeover" that it was starting to seem a bit seedy to me. But I love everything they have done and I will always hold it as my favorite because of the memories.

I have been to DW 4 times and we love it there but always find ourselves missing things from DL when we go.

We feel though that when we go to DW it is more of a resort vacation because we usually stay in a timeshare or on property where you can get fully immersed. There is SO much more to do there with all the themed hotels and water parks and DTD. It is a true "vacation" when we go whereas disneyland is a fun few days enjoying one of our favorite spots.

With love them both but for very different reasons.

Sorry you had a few dissapointments but I think it is just what you are used to. Hopefully you give it another shot once DCA is done and maybe you will feel differently.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Appreciate your opinions. Would like to hear more about what you liked about the resort because many will be reading you account. So many WDW fans will be flocking over to DL this summer. It's going to be the summer of finding Walt's dream.

So staying at the Disneyland Hotel was my idea. I switched from Hojo because I really wanted to stay on property. If we were to go again, I would be just fine staying at Hojo now that I experienced DLH. DLH is newly refurbished and looks it. Very clean and nice and new. The resort is more typical of a Sheraton or Hilton with tall buildings, lots of rooms, no balconies or patios, etc. Very nice, but very little theming. There is some theming in the lobbies of the towers, but it isn't ingrained in every piece of furniture, landscaping, etc. The pools are really nice and the Monorail slides are very neat. I didn't realize though that the slides and the pools are on different sides so you can't just plop yourself in one spot and watch your kids. My kids are still young enough that I want to watch them at the pool at all times so we did a lot of switching back and forth from one side to another. They do have an attendant at the pools to get you drinks - love that! And the quick service is right there and it was really good! I LOVED Trader Sam's bar and wished I could have spent more time there but their food menu is limited and kids can't stay past 8. The lobby and amenities are sufficient but again, it was little theming but really nice, new, and clean.

The rooms were lovely, but too small for us. I would have preferred a larger room and that is why I would choose a Hojo kids suite or another larger hotel room around rather than DLH. If it were just me or me and DH, DLH room size would have been fine.

I too recently returned from my first trip to DL. I have been to WDW 4 times as an adult and thought I was going to be disappointed with DL. Boy was I wrong!

One of the things that I enjoyed most was that DL was smaller (or just felt smaller?) than MK in WDW. The attractions are so close -it was great not having to walk 5-10 minutes from one headliner to another. I also thought that some attractions were so much better at DL such as IASW, POTC and SM.

I absolutley loved that we could walk back to our hotel (HOJO) in 10 minutes instead of standing in line to wait for a bus and hope to get a seat for the 10-20 minute ride.

I do agree that I didn't have that total immersion feeling that I get at WDW but I did love DL much more than I thought I would and can't wait to go back!

I think our next trip will be back to WDW since my husband kept asking "Where is the real Disney?" I guess he didn't love it quite as much as I did.

My DH was fine with DL as well and enjoyed it but he missed drinking. You can at DCA but since we didn't like the park (and maybe it really was due to all the construction), we spent most of our time at DL.

I totally get what you're saying. WDW and DL are so different, yet many similarities are there so you can't help but compare.

Keep in mind, what you saw at CA Adventure is the fix! That's the better plan! Imagine the "before" and there you have it. It's going to be much better.

I feel like you get totally immersed in Disney at DL. It just has more of that magical feeling to me. The biggest disappointment (yes, I said it) is Magic Kingdom at WDW. That was crazy. Especially Small World. I couldn't believe it.

I can appreciate the differences between Pirates and Tower of Terror. I kind of like that they are different entrances and walkthroughs.

The castle at WDW is just better. Plain and simple better. Amazing and gorgeous.

My heart belongs to DL though. It's all right there, all your lands in a wagon wheel set up. Easy to manage.

I do wish DL had the same dining options as WDW. That's awesome. You also need about a week to do WDW. It's a big time commitment

It IS a big time commitment for WDW but if you are a return visitor to DL, WDW, or any Disney park, you can also skip a lot and not be upset because you can catch it the next time.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

I've been to DL many times. In fact I used to live in Southern CA in grad school and so it was a go to day trip every time i had a visitor. I've also been a couple of times since I've had my own child (i think visiting with children is a whole different experience!).

My family (myself, my husband and 9 yo daughter) just went to WDW in February. We had a great time

Some of the things I really loved about WDW include:

--It feels like you are in a different world. Everything is Disney--food, resorts, transportation.
--There are on site value resorts which fit better into my budget than a DL hotel
--Epcot's world showcase--so many foods and it was nice that they fit characters into the countries that fit best. My daughter loved doing the passports and got every stamp.
--Loved HS and that Fantasmic has seating!
--we really enjoyed AK--daughter did the kid stations, it was a mission.
--So many dining choices. We did a lot of character meals which were so fun!
--choices outside the parks--we did the hoop de do revue and had a blast
--The fast pass systems are applied to things that are important to my family (family rides like Peter Pan and Pooh)


Things I didn't enjoy as much or prefer at DL:

--The magic Kingdom park itself--while the castle was big and wonderful everything else seemed too spread out. We seemed to walk a lot farther for fewer attractions.
--I went in Feb so I had great weather mostly (after the initial high of 42 degrees day!), but I don't think i'd enjoy the summer humidity at all.
--i prefer some of the rides at DL--Peter Pan and Pirates in particular are better at DL i think
--ADRs are a pain. its too bad they don't have more ability to walk in some of the sit down restaurants. However I planned ahead and so we were OK. i would have liked a little more flexibility though.
--I don't like park hopping at WDW--too time consuming.
--I liked liberty square but I liked New Orleans Square better

Overall I really enjoyed WDW but I look at it like a very different experience from DL. At DL I love the familiarity I have with the parks' layouts and how much closer everything is. After all the walking at WDW I don't think i'll complain about walking at DL anymore

We are planning a trip to DL in July to see CARS and WOC. I suspect we'll be back to WDW in a year or so. Even my husband enjoyed it

Thank you for this! I quite agree with your assessments. Nicely well put too

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

We've been to both DLR and DW a few times each and LOVE both. We positively adore the total immersion of staying on-site at DW resorts and being able to experience all the magic of the four parks and both water parks -- LOVE IT ALL!!

But, we also love DLR and the magic that can only be found in some of the attractions there -- Matterhorn, IASM, Pirates and eating at Blue Bayou. We love staying on-site at both DLH and GCH. We've had magical trips here as well and can't wait to return in June!

I am surprised you thought the DLH rooms were small. The web says they are 364-415 sf. The rooms at DW's Wilderness are 340 sf, GF 400 sf, Poly 415-476, and CR 422. Where do you normally stay at DW? We think the DLH rooms are pretty spacious (GCH are 353).

I'm glad you were able to visit DLR and experience it firsthand. It's pretty neat to say you've visited both -- at least that's how I feel.

I actually visited DL in 1977 but that's a long time ago I have fond memories though because my dad was with me then - he died when I was 13 after 5 years in a coma. One of my favorite memories is of him in Tomorrowland with this 'wow' look on HIS face!

I'm not sure if you can see my full signature but I list where we have stayed. Our latest favorite has been the Poly at WDW but we've stayed at values and mods as well as other Deluxes (and I've stayed offsite and the Dolphin). But we also stayed in 2 other hotels on this particular vacation (San Diego and Phoenix) and I travel extensively for work and this room was one of the smallest I have had (in America). I don't know where they have the 340 feet unless they count the hallway. The toilet and shower room seemed larger than necessary so maybe that's where the square footage is But seriously, the beds had such little room on either side to get into them that we had to go in sideways if we didn't get in the bed between the two beds (and I'm a small person).

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Interesting comments on DLR. WDW and DLR are of course different as you pointed out and not everyone values things the same way.

Too bad you caught DCA in its current state. One might be tempted to blame the messenger (you) but really Disney is to blame for its missteps with DCA in the past. That they recognized this and are making the current changes is huge, but guests have paid the price for the last few years with all the construction walls. From everything I have seen DCA will be just fine after June 15 and it will emerge as a first rate Disney park. I think folks are going to be really taken in by the new BVS entrance and will feel "Main Street-esque".

Your comments about WOC were quite surprising, but everyone is different which is what makes the world interesting. I have seen the acclaimed Illuminations at Epcot four times now and it still does almost nothing for me. Epcot itself is slowly growing on me, but it did not impress me at first.

Overall I have found tons of Disney magic at WDW and DLR, as well as DLR Paris and Tokyo Disney. They all have really cool things about them that are totally unique.

I knew DCA was under construction but I was really shocked that they didn't have a 'main street' open. It makes a HUGE difference when you walk into a park. In fact, wasn't it Walt who wanted that so people would enter into the world slowly? He had the right idea!

We actually had great spots for WOC too and we had drinks and popcorn and we were very content to enjoy the show. And when it started, I felt like I could have enjoyed a movie on the beach more than watching the clips on the water. But you are right - everyone is different in what they enjoy. And that is what makes Disney parks so great - there is so much for every different person.

I think that everyone keeps his first Disney park in a special place in his heart. My first one was Disneyland Paris, and while most Americans consider it inferior to the USA parks, it's special for me and I was slightly disappointed by Magic Kingdom.
However I loved all the WDW and other Orlando area so much that I bought a few DVC points to be able to go back every few year!

However next May I'll go to Paris and I'm really looking forward to go back to my first love

My first park was DL. It holds a dear place in my heart because of my father - he was actually alive at that time in my life. I lost him so early.

have done Disneyland about 5 times. Anyway, we are headed there in a week or so.

I feel there's more detail at Disneyland then Magic Kingdom. It's a Small Small World is one attraction where this comes to light. I like the scale of Disneyland; because, you do more and walk less.

The smaller castle actually makes the fireworks stand out more for me and I tend to shed a tear when I see it there. Also, I get emotional at thinking how Walt was so involved with Disneyland.

I still like Disney World better, but I'm all right with Disneyland. I feel more relaxed at Disneyland and not so rushed with it all.

I'll be returning to Disney World in December, 2013. My heart has room for both places.

I did not find that I walked less at DL although the walking in general doesn't bother me or my family. I have to make up for the 5 mile runs I do each day when I'm on vacation. I loved the fireworks show at DL and enjoyed many of the attractions. And while DL is Walt's park, his dream was Disneyworld and Epcot so I found both places magical. I agree that there is room for both DL and WDW in my heart - good way to put it

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

I have lived in CA pretty much my whole life and grew up with Disneyland. I have been an Annual Pass Holder for the last 6 years and we got at least once or twice a year and sometimes more. I LOVE DL because it is my home park and where I grew up.

I agree that the fact it is right in the middle of town can not seem as magical but that is what I grew up with and I remember when DCA was still a parking lot and driving up and seeing the big sign. For years there were just a bunch of cute little motels around the perimeter and it wasn't until right before the "makeover" that it was starting to seem a bit seedy to me. But I love everything they have done and I will always hold it as my favorite because of the memories.

I have been to DW 4 times and we love it there but always find ourselves missing things from DL when we go.

We feel though that when we go to DW it is more of a resort vacation because we usually stay in a timeshare or on property where you can get fully immersed. There is SO much more to do there with all the themed hotels and water parks and DTD. It is a true "vacation" when we go whereas disneyland is a fun few days enjoying one of our favorite spots.

With love them both but for very different reasons.

Sorry you had a few dissapointments but I think it is just what you are used to. Hopefully you give it another shot once DCA is done and maybe you will feel differently.

I should have never said the word 'disappointment' in my original post. What I said is that the castle was NOT a disappointment, only a shock. So I was not disappointed in Disneyland. DH and I had both been to DL before but not with our kids. And after reading a ton about DL now, I had a good idea of what to expect - and it was pretty accurate (except for how great WOC is - I do not agree).

So Hydroguy, you are right about the messenger

Well, I will tell you what my kids said - They like Disneyworld better because of Epcot, the Polynesian (although they like other WDW resorts too but this is what they told me), and the waterparks. My son specifically said he liked Screamin but he liked Aerosmith the best. My daughter specifically said she liked how some of the rides were the same but different (like Pirates). But they liked Disneyland and would go back.

And one last thing my DH had to say - drinking is easier at WDW At DLH, we could not bring a beer from our hotel tower to the hotel grounds (security guard came to talk to us). At DTD, you can not buy a drink and carry it around - you have to stay where you bought it to drink it. His only requests for vacations are pool and beer and I felt bad that he couldn't just take his beer anywhere. At WDW, he takes his beer around the hotel grounds, to the pool, and he's even taken it on the buses and into the parks (all while carrying it in his hand, he doesn't hide it). I'm not sure if it is okay to take it on the bus or into Epcot, but no one seemed to care.

 

[WDW Fan since 1975]

Being from Pennsylvania, I've only been to WDW... but I have given thought to going to Disneyland. But I've been worried that because I'm used to the size and layout of WDW I'd be disappointed with Disneyland.

Does anyone think that it's necessary to do MORE than go to Disneyland when going there? I mean, like perhaps going to Hollywood and do other tourist related side trips? Suggestions?

When I go to WDW, I love that it's all there - I stay on site, use Disney transporation, I go to the 4 parks, I eat, think, sleep and dream WDW. I love that it's a world of its own.

I'm worried that Disneyland may seem like a park to visit... not a world to get lost in.

Tinkerbellie: I just lost my wonderful father last month, and one of my fondest memories is that he and my mother took our family to Walt Disney World when I was 10. I've told him for years how much that trip meant to me. He realized how much it mattered when I started going back to WDW as much as possible in the past few years. Everytime I'm there I remember that THIS is the place my dad took me, and I remember how much he enjoyed it too. He loved the Hall of Presidents and 20,000 Leagues under the Sea especially. I thank my parents for giving me such an incredible vacation when I was a kid... something that stayed with me my entire life.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

Being from Pennsylvania, I've only been to WDW... but I have given thought to going to Disneyland. But I've been worried that because I'm used to the size and layout of WDW I'd be disappointed with Disneyland.

Does anyone think that it's necessary to do MORE than go to Disneyland when going there? I mean, like perhaps going to Hollywood and do other tourist related side trips? Suggestions?

When I go to WDW, I love that it's all there - I stay on site, use Disney transporation, I go to the 4 parks, I eat, think, sleep and dream WDW. I love that it's a world of its own.

I'm worried that Disneyland may seem like a park to visit... not a world to get lost in.

Tinkerbellie: I just lost my wonderful father last month, and one of my fondest memories is that he and my mother took our family to Walt Disney World when I was 10. I've told him for years how much that trip meant to me. He realized how much it mattered when I started going back to WDW as much as possible in the past few years. Everytime I'm there I remember that THIS is the place my dad took me, and I remember how much he enjoyed it too. He loved the Hall of Presidents and 20,000 Leagues under the Sea especially. I thank my parents for giving me such an incredible vacation when I was a kid... something that stayed with me my entire life.

I'm sorry to hear about your dad. But so glad you have the wonderful memories of him! Yes, I am blessed as well to have had both my parents give me the Disney memories that have always had a place in my heart

We did go to San Diego for a few days, then drove up to Anaheim and stayed on property (and didn't get in our car) for 4 days, then we went to Phoenix for a few days too. If you are just going for a long weekend, you should be fine to be just at DL but if you want to spend a week there, definitely go somewhere else to break it up.

I totally get what you are saying about getting lost in WDW. DL has a different feel to it and it wasn't something I could get lost in but it was fun and unique. I'm from Colorado so I could see going to DL for a long weekend but I will still 'vacation' in WDW.

 

[bumbershoot]

It is really hard not to compare something to what you are used to. I'd love to hear from people who frequent DL and then their impressions of WDW!

I put my comparisons in my trip reports. Though I tried REALLY hard to not compare. The only thing that really stood out as easy to compare is "where the heck is New Orleans Square?" at MK. Also, things in MK weren't quite where I "left them" at Disneyland, ha ha.

Oh, and also...I missed the Matterhorn. Because that's the visual center of Disneyland, not the castle.

I knew DCA was under construction but I was really shocked that they didn't have a 'main street' open. It makes a HUGE difference when you walk into a park. In fact, wasn't it Walt who wanted that so people would enter into the world slowly? He had the right idea!

They are *working on* the main street, though. Can't have it open and drastically change it at the same time. Although I find the way in, along the backside of Soarin', to be drab and kind of a bummer, at the same time, it's backstage, which is exciting in its own way. And it's a slow entrance to the parks, that's for sure!

BUT I loved DCA before. I'm not thrilled with the thought of all the changes. We had just discovered that we were mad for DCA, when Lasseter (who is our hero in other ways) decided to change it all around.

At WDW, he takes his beer around the hotel grounds, to the pool, and he's even taken it on the buses and into the parks (all while carrying it in his hand, he doesn't hide it). I'm not sure if it is okay to take it on the bus or into Epcot, but no one seemed to care.

NO, you're not supposed to take it around with you like that at WDW. There's a recent discussion of the liquor licenses at Epcot for example, compared to the hotels near Epcot. You're allowed to carry Epcot-purchased drinks all the way to the International Gateway entrance. You're allowed to carry, for example, Boardwalk-purchased drinks all the way to the same entrance from the hotels. You're NOT supposed to carry them through that entrance/exit. Different liquor licenses.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

NO, you're not supposed to take it around with you like that at WDW. There's a recent discussion of the liquor licenses at Epcot for example, compared to the hotels near Epcot. You're allowed to carry Epcot-purchased drinks all the way to the International Gateway entrance. You're allowed to carry, for example, Boardwalk-purchased drinks all the way to the same entrance from the hotels. You're NOT supposed to carry them through that entrance/exit. Different liquor licenses.

I figured he wasn't supposed to but no one stopped him and he held it in his hand for everyone to see! Even without doing that, it is easier to carry your beer around your WDW resort than DL resort. We didn't walk two steps outside our DLH tower when the security guard told us we couldn't take the beer outside our room. We weren't even walking off the hotel grounds, just to the pool! And then at DL DTD we couldn't believe you couldn't buy a drink and walk around. At WDW DTD, they practically encourage you to do that I do wonder if Disney is more leniant in Orlando or just gets more from that city than in Anaheim. Would Orlando even be a vacation destination without Disney??? (Yes, I know Universal is there, but I've been there and it is not a vacation destination by itself for my family.)

Wow, I am so

 

[Amy&Dan]

I think a couple of things worked against you. One, it sounds like you got one of the smaller rooms at the DLH. Most of the rooms are larger, and many do have a daybed. But there are some that do not. We have stayed at the DLH about seven times and had one of those rooms once. I missed having the larger room for sure!

While I think the DCA changes are exciting, I am bummed for anyone who takes a first or once in a lifetime type trip to DLR right now with all the construction. I am very happy that our next trip will be when the construction is done, our last one was kind of a bummer given all the walls up etc. In fact it sort of marred the trip for us because we have always loved having a park to hop to in the afternoons when DL is packed and that time, we barely went over.

I am amazed your husband has been able to get inside a WDW park with a beer in his hand. We just got back from 11 nights at WDW and they checked bags and wanted to really look at our water bottles to guage what was in them. I saw several people stopped going in and out of Epcot that had drinks and they were not allowed through the turnstiles (whether they were coming or going) until they finished their drink and threw the glass/can away.

We have been to WDW and DL about equally with 17 trips to DL and 18 to WDW. While I prefer the whole immersion factor and the fact there are four parks and two water parks at WDW for a longer vacation, there is something about DL that WDW just can't seem to duplicate. Maybe its the charm, the fact its Walt's park, I am not sure.

Things I REALLY miss when I go to WDW:
Indiana Jones
Better themed Fantasyland with rides WDW doesn't have, Alice in particular
DTD with live entertainment. WDW's DTD does very little for me.
Better Space Mountain
Matterhorn
And most of all the Walt factor. I love seeing the light on in the firehouse, love having coffee at the Riverbelle Terrace because I read that Walt did that most mornings, love eating at the Plaza Inn because I know Walt's wife Lillian decorated it. I read once that the difference between the two (and I am doing this from memory but you'll get the idea lol) that DL was built by a daddy for his daughters and WDW was built by a bunch of executives. To me Disneyland just oozes charm and sort of yesteryear feel. There's a nostalgia there for me that I don't find at MK even though I love it.

Things I REALLY miss when I go to DL:
Various levels of onsite lodging
Magical Express
DHS, AK and the waterparks
Better crowd control and wider walkways
Being immersed in a world vs. being in the middle of a city
TTA and COP
Excellent full serve dining choices
Theming everywhere! I love the Boardwalk area, all the various hotels. I think Disneyland has wonderful theming inside the parks, but with the exception of the GCH, there isn't much anywhere else in the resort. But there can't be, its just a whole different set up for obvious reasons.


I really enjoyed your post and do agree with some of your points but think that had you either gotten one of the larger rooms or gone when DCA was finished that might have helped. But I still really got that you had a great trip and that your positives outweighed the negative ones. Thanks for posting an honest review!

 

[PigletSeeker]

I'm a total Disneyland convert! Had been to WDW multiple times, but then we moved to Vegas and went to DLR. We were hooked! We love the charm and how easy it is to get everywhere. I love being able to leave the park easily to get affordable food nearby! We travel on small budgets, so even when we went to WDW we never stayed on-property. I love how easy it is to get into the parks. We've done walking distance hotels as well as shuttle hotels and it's so easy! We have AP's and do mostly day trips and can get so much done because of the close proximity of the attractions and parks. It seemed to take us over an hour at WDW to just park and get in the gates. And the weather in California is far superior!! LOVE WOC! We've said we'll never go back to WDW. Not that WDW isn't spectacular...it is!...we are just totally in love with Disneyland. I admit DCA has been lacking, and I would be annoyed if I bought a day entry pass just for that, but with Parkhoppers or AP's, it's great to just run over there for a couple of hours and then go back to DL.

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

I think a couple of things worked against you. One, it sounds like you got one of the smaller rooms at the DLH. Most of the rooms are larger, and many do have a daybed. But there are some that do not. We have stayed at the DLH about seven times and had one of those rooms once. I missed having the larger room for sure!

I had no idea about the rooms. I think you are very right about having a different view of it if I had a bigger room.

While I think the DCA changes are exciting, I am bummed for anyone who takes a first or once in a lifetime type trip to DLR right now with all the construction. I am very happy that our next trip will be when the construction is done, our last one was kind of a bummer given all the walls up etc. In fact it sort of marred the trip for us because we have always loved having a park to hop to in the afternoons when DL is packed and that time, we barely went over.

Thanks for understanding and I really want to go back when DCA is finished! Or Main Street is...I don't think any of the parks are ever 'finished'

I am amazed your husband has been able to get inside a WDW park with a beer in his hand. We just got back from 11 nights at WDW and they checked bags and wanted to really look at our water bottles to guage what was in them. I saw several people stopped going in and out of Epcot that had drinks and they were not allowed through the turnstiles (whether they were coming or going) until they finished their drink and threw the glass/can away.

I know - and I probably shouldn't have mentioned that because it happened only once. Although he's never tried that again.

We have been to WDW and DL about equally with 17 trips to DL and 18 to WDW. While I prefer the whole immersion factor and the fact there are four parks and two water parks at WDW for a longer vacation, there is something about DL that WDW just can't seem to duplicate. Maybe its the charm, the fact its Walt's park, I am not sure.

Things I REALLY miss when I go to WDW:
Indiana Jones
Better themed Fantasyland with rides WDW doesn't have, Alice in particular
DTD with live entertainment. WDW's DTD does very little for me.
Better Space Mountain
Matterhorn
And most of all the Walt factor. I love seeing the light on in the firehouse, love having coffee at the Riverbelle Terrace because I read that Walt did that most mornings, love eating at the Plaza Inn because I know Walt's wife Lillian decorated it. I read once that the difference between the two (and I am doing this from memory but you'll get the idea lol) that DL was built by a daddy for his daughters and WDW was built by a bunch of executives. To me Disneyland just oozes charm and sort of yesteryear feel. There's a nostalgia there for me that I don't find at MK even though I love it.

Things I REALLY miss when I go to DL:
Various levels of onsite lodging
Magical Express
DHS, AK and the waterparks
Better crowd control and wider walkways
Being immersed in a world vs. being in the middle of a city
TTA and COP
Excellent full serve dining choices
Theming everywhere! I love the Boardwalk area, all the various hotels. I think Disneyland has wonderful theming inside the parks, but with the exception of the GCH, there isn't much anywhere else in the resort. But there can't be, its just a whole different set up for obvious reasons.


I really enjoyed your post and do agree with some of your points but think that had you either gotten one of the larger rooms or gone when DCA was finished that might have helped. But I still really got that you had a great trip and that your positives outweighed the negative ones. Thanks for posting an honest review!

Love your comparisons! DL and WDW are very unique and different and it's great that each has its own pros. BTW, the Matterhorn was closed and I was really bummed to have missed that! But that's okay, I can try it another time

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

I'm a total Disneyland convert! Had been to WDW multiple times, but then we moved to Vegas and went to DLR. We were hooked! We love the charm and how easy it is to get everywhere. I love being able to leave the park easily to get affordable food nearby! We travel on small budgets, so even when we went to WDW we never stayed on-property. I love how easy it is to get into the parks. We've done walking distance hotels as well as shuttle hotels and it's so easy! We have AP's and do mostly day trips and can get so much done because of the close proximity of the attractions and parks. It seemed to take us over an hour at WDW to just park and get in the gates. And the weather in California is far superior!! LOVE WOC! We've said we'll never go back to WDW. Not that WDW isn't spectacular...it is!...we are just totally in love with Disneyland. I admit DCA has been lacking, and I would be annoyed if I bought a day entry pass just for that, but with Parkhoppers or AP's, it's great to just run over there for a couple of hours and then go back to DL.

I would really be interested in staying in one of the good neighbor hotels at DL to see how that would change the experience. And go to Knotts Berry Farm - everyone was asking us if we went and now we wish we had!

 

[8timesblessed]

To each his own I guess. I'm really surprised you didn't like WOC, I had to see it twice on our trip in December and in February when I took one of our kids for a special trip. I love the pirates fire sequence and so much more. Where were your spots?

Did you see Aladdin?? Did you go into the sourdough bakery? My kids love DCA and we can't wait for Carsland to open. We are going back in December with all our kids.

We just did a 15 day WDW trip and we enjoyed that as well. Each park has it's place. If I'm flying 5.5 hours somewhere I will plan to stay longer. With only a 2.5 hour flight to CA it's easy to stay 3 or 4 days and feel like I got a vacation.

The castle is small and really surprised my DH and I after we had just done WDW in October and then made a trip to DL in December. But we saw the holiday overlay of Small World and that was a amazing. We are DVC so stayed at BWV, AK Kidani and then BLT with MK view. We wanted to try out several locations during our time. Love the location of BWV but not the room, loved AK and BLT for different reasons. I have now stayed at all 3 DL hotels and didn't care for the DL hotel, I got a small room with King bed and double entry doors and the room smelled of the cleaning products. We love the VGC and that's where will be staying when we return in December.

Have fun at WDW!!

 

[taaren]

I've been to DL many times. In fact I used to live in Southern CA in grad school and so it was a go to day trip every time i had a visitor. I've also been a couple of times since I've had my own child (i think visiting with children is a whole different experience!).

My family (myself, my husband and 9 yo daughter) just went to WDW in February. We had a great time

Some of the things I really loved about WDW include:

--It feels like you are in a different world. Everything is Disney--food, resorts, transportation.
--There are on site value resorts which fit better into my budget than a DL hotel
--Epcot's world showcase--so many foods and it was nice that they fit characters into the countries that fit best. My daughter loved doing the passports and got every stamp.
--Loved HS and that Fantasmic has seating!
--we really enjoyed AK--daughter did the kid stations, it was a mission.
--So many dining choices. We did a lot of character meals which were so fun!
--choices outside the parks--we did the hoop de do revue and had a blast
--The fast pass systems are applied to things that are important to my family (family rides like Peter Pan and Pooh)


Things I didn't enjoy as much or prefer at DL:

--The magic Kingdom park itself--while the castle was big and wonderful everything else seemed too spread out. We seemed to walk a lot farther for fewer attractions.
--I went in Feb so I had great weather mostly (after the initial high of 42 degrees day!), but I don't think i'd enjoy the summer humidity at all.
--i prefer some of the rides at DL--Peter Pan and Pirates in particular are better at DL i think
--ADRs are a pain. its too bad they don't have more ability to walk in some of the sit down restaurants. However I planned ahead and so we were OK. i would have liked a little more flexibility though.
--I don't like park hopping at WDW--too time consuming.
--I liked liberty square but I liked New Orleans Square better

Overall I really enjoyed WDW but I look at it like a very different experience from DL. At DL I love the familiarity I have with the parks' layouts and how much closer everything is. After all the walking at WDW I don't think i'll complain about walking at DL anymore

We are planning a trip to DL in July to see CARS and WOC. I suspect we'll be back to WDW in a year or so. Even my husband enjoyed it

I put my comparisons in my trip reports. Though I tried REALLY hard to not compare. The only thing that really stood out as easy to compare is "where the heck is New Orleans Square?" at MK. Also, things in MK weren't quite where I "left them" at Disneyland, ha ha.

Oh, and also...I missed the Matterhorn. Because that's the visual center of Disneyland, not the castle.

These are helpful observations ... we've been to DLR every year, a few times a year for the last 7. We'll be heading for the World for the first time since 1990 this December. It would be lovely if someone decided to write the opposite of Hydroguy's thread, "A WDW guide for DLR vets", because quite frankly I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around the sheer size of WDW and the planning necessitated by all that distance.

Btw, to the OP, when I stay on-site I feel like I never leave the Disney "bubble" at DLR. So to me, highways inside my Disney bubble are going to be very strange ...

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

To each his own I guess. I'm really surprised you didn't like WOC, I had to see it twice on our trip in December and in February when I took one of our kids for a special trip. I love the pirates fire sequence and so much more. Where were your spots?

Did you see Aladdin?? Did you go into the sourdough bakery? My kids love DCA and we can't wait for Carsland to open. We are going back in December with all our kids.

We just did a 15 day WDW trip and we enjoyed that as well. Each park has it's place. If I'm flying 5.5 hours somewhere I will plan to stay longer. With only a 2.5 hour flight to CA it's easy to stay 3 or 4 days and feel like I got a vacation.

The castle is small and really surprised my DH and I after we had just done WDW in October and then made a trip to DL in December. But we saw the holiday overlay of Small World and that was a amazing. We are DVC so stayed at BWV, AK Kidani and then BLT with MK view. We wanted to try out several locations during our time. Love the location of BWV but not the room, loved AK and BLT for different reasons. I have now stayed at all 3 DL hotels and didn't care for the DL hotel, I got a small room with King bed and double entry doors and the room smelled of the cleaning products. We love the VGC and that's where will be staying when we return in December.

Have fun at WDW!!

Ok, I can see how people get exhausted with trying to 'defend' their points of view on the DIS! I know that no one likes to hear that something they like is something someone else dislikes - but it happens all the time. We had a great view of WOC, as I previously stated. And frankly, I thought all the views were just fine. I was allowed to wander around the area and we technically had yellow but some CM just told my DH where to stand and it was a good view (on the bridge at the railing, no one in front of us - no one behind us either!) I just didn't like it. I also don't like Fantasmic at WDW. There are things at DL I didn't like and I was giving a recap of my experience - which included both pros and cons.

Even if I hated DL, I'm entitled to my opinion. But I didn't hate it and I'm sorry that people aren't reading this whole thread to see my comments. I wanted to give some honest feedback about my experience and I hope I did that and people can use it as they wish. And hopefully ask questions which I am happy to answer.

These are helpful observations ... we've been to DLR every year, a few times a year for the last 7. We'll be heading for the World for the first time since 1990 this December. It would be lovely if someone decided to write the opposite of Hydroguy's thread, "A WDW guide for DLR vets", because quite frankly I'm still having trouble wrapping my head around the sheer size of WDW and the planning necessitated by all that distance.

Btw, to the OP, when I stay on-site I feel like I never leave the Disney "bubble" at DLR. So to me, highways inside my Disney bubble are going to be very strange ...

It did feel like a Disney 'bubble' at DL! We stayed at the Disneyland hotel and never got in our car once the 4 days we were there. I adore Disney everything and enjoyed walking through DTD, the hotel grounds, and DL. It's definitely a smaller bubble than WDW though

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

I forgot to write in that they accepted Fastpasses after the time on them. I heard other DL visitors on the DIS report this recently, but I thought I'd let you know our personal experience. We had no trouble using fastpasses the same day but after our alotted time. In fact, Space Mountain was down during our fastpass return time and they were the ones that told us it wouldn't be a problem. So that was good