Newbie - A little intimidated

[MickeyAnne]

Hey everyone -
I am a Disney World girl through and through. I have been there so many times that I could walk through the park with my eyes closed. I am completely comfortable with the transportation system, Magic Your Way packages etc.

The recent announcement that the Magic is heading to the west coast for the summer of 2008 has forced me to exit my comfort zone and finally make a trip to the original DIsney park. My honeymoon was supposed to involve Florida and the Carribean, but California and Mexico will have to be better now won't it? I have wanted to do this for quite some time now but now I actually will because I can't make any more excuses.

SO to all of you who have done both, does DL make traveling just as convenient and smooth as WDW? Is there transpotation to and from parks? The airport? What airport do you fly into?

Basically I know nothing about DL and if anyone can tell me what I need to know - its Disers. Help me out people!!!

 

[MickeyAnne]

Wait a minute! Whoa!!! You walk from your hotel to the park????? No busses? Holy moly!

 

[HydroGuy]

This post was created just for you... "A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

Have a great trip. In general, it is DLR vets making their first trip to WDW who should be intimidated. Going to DLR will be a piece of cake for you if you get your thinking oriented properly ahead of time.

 

[AZMickeyfans]

There is a HUGE difference between WDW and DL in regards to transportation. At WDW everything is spread out and you need to utilize motorcoaches, boats and monorail to get around. At DL everything is right there. You can walk from the DL resorts (or other non-Disney) hotels to the parks. DL and DCA are located directly across a plaza from eachother so it makes it easy to park hop. When you stay at a DL resort you walk through Downtown Disney to get to the parks. If you stay at GCH there is a seperate entrance to DCA as well. All in all it's about a 10 minute walk but I love walking through DTD.

There is the monorail that picks up in DTD and drops off in Tomorrowland in DL. So that is an option if you don't want to walk. Those are the only 2 stops the monorail makes unlike the one at WDW.

As far as getting around SoCal I would suggest renting a car. I know there are shuttles that explore the area I'm just not sure how easy they are and the price.

There is a shuttle from LAX but that airport is about 45 minutes away if I remember. We usually drive so I don't fly into LA much. The closest airport is Orange County. I'm sure they have a shuttle there as well. Not sure on the prices though. Somebody here will know.

The best advice I can give is do you research, don't expect it to be like WDW, try not to compare. Disneyland is so much more intimate and I feel it has a more magical feel to it. There are things that are better at WDW and things that are better at DL but like I said if you just have a good time and don't get in the comparison frame of mind (which I know is hard) you should have a great time!

I'm jealous about the cruise. We are waiting til kids are a little older to remember. DD6 would love it but ds3 wouldn't appreciate it. Maybe when it hits the west coast......

Have a great time planning and there are a bunch of friendly informative people on the Disneyland side of the DIS!!!

 

[MickeyAnne]

AHHHH! Oh my Goodness that is just what I needed. Muchas gracias!