Some quick notes from our trip

[Disney-Kim]

We were at DLR Nov 14-17th.

We arrived Thursday morning about 11. We stayed at the DL hotel and our room was ready !!! We booked the themepark view and we were not disappointed !! We had a non-smoking room with 2 queens and a daybed. The room was huge and so was teh bathroom. The room seemed bigger than rooms at the YC/BC at WDW. I would consider this hotel deluxe in every way. The room was decorated very nice and the Herb Ryman drawing on the armoire is amazing. There was Jungle cruise artwork in the room too. The bedspreads had ride depictions in them too. It was a really nice room and we had a great view of downtown disney, the matterhorn, and best of all.......FIREWORKS from bed. How great is that. I felt great about deciding to stay there over the GC (which I don't care for, it belongs more in WDW) jmho.
Using the monorail to go back and forth worked great !!! it was a 1-2 minute walk from our room !!

We had great weather the whole time too. It was actually warmer than Phoenix.... It was sunny too. No fog.

The crowds were really low on Thursday and Friday !! What a great surprise. We basically walked on everything and were able to enjoy the park without wall to wall people. Saturday was definately busier and we just used FP and were thankful for the last 2 days. It had been a really long time since we enjoyed low crowds at the park. We rode all the rides we wanted and had great food.
One funny thing was the wait for IASM Holiday......45 minutes on Thursday and FP was closed. The waits were higher than that all weekend. Whats up with that? Last year over Thanksgiving holiday we were able to walk on every time. I guess people just really want to see the holiday version.

Why don't they bring back the people mover? I really missed that. I am sure glad they still have it at WDW. I also missed Matterhorn. It has been closed the last 2 times we visited.
We did not do too much at DCA. Flik's Fair was pretty lame in my opinion. I really just don't think that park is that great. The area where they are building TOT is looking more like MGM Studios.....a good thing I think.

Food was great too. We ate at the Plaza, French Market, Red Rocket Pizza, Blue Bayou, Naples, and DOLE WHIPS !!!! but they are all pineapple and no vanilla the way we like it.

Well sorry for the ramblings.....we had a great time. But I will say this......I am probably in the minority......but I really like WDW more. I like the fact you never leave the magic of Disney and you don't see ugly smoggy city from your hotel balcony. (sorry So Cal people )
Kim

 

[Rajah]

Yeah, I'm having fun editing out the smog from my pictures. Thankfully, "fade correct" and "color correct" are taking most of it out

Glad you had fun! We missed you at the meet on Saturday! Of course, it was only us and Mary Jo and her kids for about 30 minutes, but it was still a meet

We really enjoyed DCA ourselves. Not a lot to do there yet if you aren't into the rides in Paradise Pier, but to be honest, there isn't much to do in World Showcase of Epcot, either, and we still enjoy it.

I'm on the opposite side of things for DL vs WDW. I do miss being totally completely immersed in the environment like you are at WDW, but there's just something about Disneyland that makes me feel more relaxed and enjoy myself more at Disneyland than I do at any individual park at WDW, even though I love WDW. I also love the fireworks better at Disneyland.

Glad you had a good trip, though! Weren't those "crowds" on Thursday and Friday nice? It was even less crowded on Wednesday afternoon, when DH and I arrived.

 

[nativetxn]

Disneyland and WDW are both magical in their own way. I have wonderful memories of DL, when I visited the first time way back in 1956. It will always be the most magical I think, to me.

However, I spend much more time at WDW in Florida because I love MGM and EPCOT...so...that's where I go.

Thanks for post this for us to enjoy.

Katholyn

 

[Dan Murphy]

Thanks, Kim. I enjoy both also, both in their magical ways. I hope to go back again.

 

[jimmiej]

Originally posted by Disney-Kim
I am probably in the minority......but I really like WDW more. I like the fact you never leave the magic of Disney and you don't see ugly smoggy city from your hotel balcony. (sorry So Cal people )
Kim

March 2003 will be DW's & my first trip to DL. I'm wondering if we'll feel the same way. If it was totally up to me, we'd be going back to WDW in March instead of DL(we were just there in June 2002). DW has a sister in LA & wants to see her, so we decided on DL. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure we'll enjoy DL. But you're right. At WDW, if you stay on-site, you never have to leave the magic 24/7.

I enjoyed reading your comments.

 

[Disney-Kim]

Rajah.....sorry we missed the meet. We weren't in the park Sat afternoon. I just don't get the same feeling at DCA as WS at Epcot. I think its ugly. Please don't yell at me anyone.....let me explain. The afternoon lighting in DCA is ugly. They didn't put in enough plants and the colors are really washed out. Just my opinion !! (except the Hollywood area).
Sorry everyone.
We have been to DL soooooo many times but it just isn't the same for me anymore. But I am really a diehard WDW fan now.
but DL is better than MK in many ways !!!! its a resort as a whole that I am comparing. I enjoy the resorts, restaurants, buses, parks, etc at WDW.

DL does need more sit down restaurants in my opionion. I think Brown Derby would make a great addition to the Hollywood area in DCA.

 

[Disney-Kim]

jimmiej.......If this is your first trip to DL....go for it. You will love it. I have been there many times over the last 13 years.
Disneyland is the original. The park is much more quaint and has more rides than the MK. Pirates is longer, HM is different, Indiana Jones is the best ride ever, Storybook land boats, Casey Jr train, Alice in Wonderland, Mr Toad, and Toontown......you have so many fun things to explore.

Please don't let my feelings make you feel as if you are missing something. Disneyland is what made me ever want to go to WDW.

Have a wonderful time and I say stay at the DL hotel. We loved it. go for the disney view....its worth it !!! We paid $160 per night for our stay, thats unheard of at WDW.....

 

[Rajah]

Kim -- I agree that if you try to compare the Disneyland Resort as a whole to all of Disneyworld, WDW is going to come out ahead every time.

That's why I typically compare DL to MK and that's it.

To me, DCA was a combination of MGM (Hollywood Backlot), the Boardwalk (Paradise Pier), Disneyland (whatever that little street was over by Golden Dreams -- reminded me very much of Main Street), Animal Kingdom (sorta -- the Grizzly Peak area), and its own thing (Condor Flats, the part of Paradise Pier that includes the Rt 66 type stuff, the entry plaza, and the Wharf area). I really enjoyed the atmosphere. I just want more dark rides.

Jimmie -- I agree, stay at the Disneyland Hotel or at the Grand Californian and you'll stay in the magic at all times. It's true that all you have to do is look around and you can tell you're in the middle of a big city instead of the middle of nowhere with nothing but Disney around, but if you focus your attention on what's immediately around you and stay at one of the Disney hotels, you do stay in the magic now that they've added Downtown Disney.

To me, Disneyland Resort is very much worth a visit, especially if you've never been. It'll probly be two years before we get back again, but if I had my way, we'd visit both Disneyland and Disneyworld once a year.