My 1st time at DL after a lifetime of WDW

[momjkm]

This WDW Diva is home from her 1st DL trip. Thanks to this board I went in excited and having an open mind. Both places have wonderful cast members and magical touches. Attention to details and efficiency. My "very difficult at times" 17 yr old even laughed with the characters and had fun! My previous 3 visits to WDW she asked not to be made to go... (her brother has the love for all things Disney)

In DL:
The size of the castle took some getting used to and the layout of tomorrowland in DL was hard for me to grasp (I can close my eyes and picture MK tomorrowland clearly- shops, rides, bathrooms).
I loved IASW at DL and Space Mt (I have not been to WDW since the Space refrub). Fantasyland in DL was amazing... once I got a mental grasp of its spatial layout. The New Orleans Square was really nice--- though cramped (Liberty Sq in MK seems wider?). Having a RR stop in Tommorowland was nice....DCA was fun- Loved the Pariside Pier setting... though I really missed FP for TSMM. Little Mermaid is really well done and Loved Screamin'.

I think BTMR in MK is a better ride and I like the HM in MK cause it looms towards you...across the water. I missed the COP and Hall of Presidents and Monsters Laugh Floor.

I loved the close proximty of DCA and DL but I also never minded taking bus/boat/monorail to park hop in WDW. It gave my feet time to rest.

One of the biggest things which the boards warned of was the difference in dining. This was so true. We had 4 sit down meals and 1 CS. We were less than thrilled with the breakfast food at Minnie and Friends(good character interaction though) and Ariel's Grotto WOC dinner. Cafe Orleans was better than those meals but just ok. Hungry Bear for lunch and the BBQ near Thunder Mt were both good. not outstanding (had some amazing BBQ in San Diego).

Crowds were moderate imo. I usually go to WDW in the summer, once 4th of July week. So it was comparable but the weather in Sunny Cali trumped Orlando hands down....

WOULD I GO BACK? yes but only as part of other vacation spots (we spent 4 days there out of 11 in So Cali). I would go (and do) to WDW as the sole vacation spot.


There is so much I didn't get to explore that I wanted to.... but ran out of time....


Jill

 

[penny28380]

How many days did you spend at DL? I'm planning my first trip for May 2012 and trying to decide between 3 or 4 days.

 

[Huff]

3 days is typical to experience most of what DLR has to offer. 4 days would be very relaxing and not rushed allowing time to stroll around DTD, dine at character meals or resort dining etc.

That said, for experienced DLR'ers it is possible on a slow to moderate day to ride every major attraction in both parks in a single day. But thats commando style and much of Disney magic would be missed along with smaller attractions and shows.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Thanks for reporting back. I'm glad you had fun! Having never been to WDW, I can imagine how odd it must be to see the park and think you know how it goes but then it's slightly off.


It used to be 3 days was plenty but we now go for 5. We just got back from 5 1/2 days and there were still things we just didn't get to. Especially with Carsland opening next year, I'd look at 4 days minimum.

 

[momjkm]

We spent 3 days- one a 7am MM, another 8am (it was a mm but not for us) and the other 9am. We simply ran out of time. 4 days would have been better; 5 perfect. Especially with Carsland opening next summer---- Jill

 

[hootey]

Wife and I with two boys( 10 & 9), we always go sunday through sat. We tried nine days 3 years ago( that was too much ).Went through Disney travel all but two trips(learned our lessons there the hard way). Went six years in a row. Stayed off site at good neighbor hotels the first two years, will never, ever do that again. We now always stay at the Disney hotel( worth every dime). Our annual vacation!

 

[PinkBudgie]

Wife and I with two boys( 10 & 9), we always go sunday through sat. We tried nine days 3 years ago( that was too much ).Went through Disney travel all but two trips(learned our lessons there the hard way). Went six years in a row. Stayed off site at good neighbor hotels the first two years, will never, ever do that again. We now always stay at the Disney hotel( worth every dime). Our annual vacation!

Welcome! We like Sunday through Sat too. That's what we did this year. I just like driving down there on a Sunday with less traffic at both ends. I'd love to stay on propety sometime but then we couldn't stay for so long.

 

[HarryMoose]

Thanks for the report. We leave in a week for our 1st DL trip (and have done WDW countless times.)

We are doing Sunday to Friday, with 4 days in the parks (mon to Thursday) then 5 days around LA (staying with family.) Any LA sights you recommend???