Oh how I love Disneyland

[KCmike]

My family and I have been to Disneyworld seven times. We went to DL for the first time last Ocotober. We fell head over heals. Yeah it doesn't have Epcot and some other fun things but the magic kingdom blows away mk at florida. We are going again this june. Is it a streak in the making?

 

[Yzerbear19]

My sister and I went 2 weeks ago for the first time and felt the exact opposite of the original poster. We had fun, there was a lot that we enjoyed, but it didn't compare to WDW. There are some things I liked better than at WDW, but overall I think I still prefer WDW. It was fun seeing the park Walt built and I'm glad that I have that experience. Both parks are great though. Its just a personal preference. JMO.

 

[Shawn429]

I hit Disneyland for the very first time this week!

I fell in love with it. Don't get me wrong, WDW is my home park (I live in Florida) but I'd go to Disneyland ANYDAY. It had just SUCH a different vibe to it. I prefer more of the rides (Pinocchio, Alice, Mr. Toad, Subs, Matterhorn, Indy). Their Space Mountain is WAY better. The music is killer. LOVE it. I do prefer WDW's Haunted Mansion, hands down. Jungle Cruise is more or less the exact same except without the pirannah's (which wasn't all that impressive, IMO) although the animals were better animated and seemed to actually have color and not faded (thank god our Jungle Cruise is getting a two week refresher). I was meh on Disneyland's Pirates. I did enjoy the few extra scenes and the two drops but eh ... I just wasn't all THAT impressed. I also prefer the REAL Enchanted Tiki Room. It was so refreshing NOT to be interrupted by Iago and Zazu. Their Peter Pan seemed a little bit better and not as dated.

I love the look of Disneyland's Frontierland much more than WDW's. It seems so much more ... western. Their Tomorrowland though is SUPER small and gets cramped. I mean when you enter you literally have the Astro Orbiter RIGHT there and then on the left is Buzz and on the right is Star Tours. Horrible layout.

If I had a choice, I have to say I'd pick Disneyland over the WDW Magic Kingdom anyday. I'm not dissing WDW at all but there was just something so unique and special about Disneyland. It seemed so much more ... PURE and not commercialized, although I'd NEVER give up Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom or Epcot.

I was spoiled though being able to literally just walk to Downtown Disney, Disneyland and DCA. They were all RIGHT there. It was fantastic. And DCA really wasn't that bad. I quite enjoyed it. It needs more headliner attractions though. I struggled to make it even a half day there.

I liked the look of Adventureland, Frontierland and Fantasyland over WDW's, although Adventureland is super small. Tomorrowland was too plain and cramped for my tastes.

Oh, and I hands down prefer WDW's Splash Mountain. There is literally no storyline for Disneyland's. I do prefer their logs though and the dropped seemed a little bit more scary.

 

[Yzerbear19]

I was meh on Disneyland's Pirates. I did enjoy the few extra scenes and the two drops but eh ... I just wasn't all THAT impressed. Their Peter Pan seemed a little bit better and not as dated.

Those were the exact thoughts my sister and I had. Pirates was actually kind of boring. I didn't like that there were several stretches where its just dark with nothing to see.

And we also thought that DL's Peter Pan looked better. That was one of the rides we liked better at DL than at WDW. They really need to update WDW's Peter Pan a bit.

 

[Shawn429]

Yeah. Pirates was kinda boring. It seemed to just drag a little bit here and there.

 

[JDBlair]

I've always wondered if your "love of the World/Land" has something to do with your very first experience. So, if the World was your first voyage to Disney, the Land will never mean as much and vice versa.

I grew up going to Disneyland, I lived in S. CA until I was 11 but still stayed in CA until I was 19 and went to DL annually, multiple times a year. I, too, DL and DH cannot understand my absolute lack of desire to ever visit the World. I have never been to the World and don't really want to. Everything I know and love is at the Land so what does the World have to offer that the Land doesn't?

 

[Disneyanajc]

My first trip was to DL in 1969, have lost count as to how many visits...I actually thought nothing could top DL ever!....then in 1994 we went to WDW for the first time...Loved it! Now we spend time on both coast...Both the parks have their own unique charm...WDW has so much more to see and do.. the resorts are beautiful...we are Poly people...I could spend all my time in Epcot...I look at it this way DL is home and WDW is home-away-from home...
jc

 

[kajcwman]

I've always wondered if your "love of the World/Land" has something to do with your very first experience. So, if the World was your first voyage to Disney, the Land will never mean as much and vice versa.

I grew up going to Disneyland, I lived in S. CA until I was 11...

I agree. I lived in the suburbs of L.A. till my family moved to Seattle just before my 12th Bday. We went to DL countless times while living in SoCal. Even after moving to Seattle, and later Portland, I've managed to visit DL almost a dozen times. I've been to WDW 3 times, once in the late 70's (while we still lived in CA ) and twice in the past 5 years.
Disneyland will always be "my" park.

OTOH, I spent 2 years in college in Ohio. People talk about Disney vacations there, they're talking about WDW. And this was back around 1990 when WDW wasn't anything like it is now.

 

[dragonflymom]

My first trip was to DL in 1969, have lost count as to how many visits...I actually thought nothing could top DL ever!....then in 1994 we went to WDW for the first time...Loved it! Now we spend time on both coast...Both the parks have their own unique charm...WDW has so much more to see and do.. the resorts are beautiful...we are Poly people...I could spend all my time in Epcot...I look at it this way DL is home and WDW is home-away-from home...
jc

Well said! We are the same way! We average 3 - 5 visits to DL every year and last April was my kids' first visit to WDW. We only stayed 4 nights post Disney cruise at the Poly and felt very rushed. DD age 7 at that time loved the Poly and EPCOT. She did not want to visit MK at all since she felt she could do all her favorite rides and attractions at DL except Philharmagic, so we ended up spending 2.5 days at EPCOT and still could not see and do everything in that park. We spent half a day at MK so that DS 4 could do some kiddie rides. The rest of the time we played at the Poly pool and beach. Our experience was enhanced with a free upgrade to concierge, which in our opinion, is much better than concierge at the Grand California Hotel. But I still love the Grand for its ambience and convenience to DCA since DS 4 loves the Electric Parade. The music is forever stuck in my head since I have to accompany him to this parade every night each and every visit if the parade is being offered. For some reason, he was not at all interested in MK's SpectroMagic and the rest of my family thought it was too long and a bit boring. There were a couple of floats that I really liked, but I overall it did seem rather long.

We recently became DVC owners and are now vacationing on both coasts using DVC points. Like many others, DD and I think DL is the best because we have so many fond memories and it's the original. For longer vacations, we like to explore the different resorts/ villas at WDW and spend time at EPCOT. We're headed to DL over the July 4 weekend and to EPCOT for Food and Wine in October. Can't wait!