The Disney bubble?

[indimom3]

I vote for both WDW and DLR as Disney bubbles. I do think the crowd is different. The DLR crowd seemed more urban and probably local, the WDW crowd had more large tour groups or family groups.
We were at the DLH, so I can't speak for offsite hotels, but anytime you reach your destination via monorail, you're in a mickey head bubble.

 

[Judy from Boise]

What he said !

 

[Judy from Boise]

Since WDW vets are so accustomed to the larger size of WDW, it does not seem to bother them very much how far apart everything is at WDW. Yes, you are in a Disney bubble. But it is a very big bubble and you feel (well, at least I feel) very far from the parks when I am at a WDW hotel or DTD. This does not even speak to the off-site hotels which are even farther away.

At DLR the bubble is smaller and you can see the city so the bubble is not as immersive. BUT, you have many hotel choices that are right there across the street from the parks. Or, better yet, the GCH which is connected to DCA. So you feel closer to the parks because you are closer to the parks.

It is my observation that WDW vets value the overall resort experience more, and that DLR vets value the inside the parks experience more.

What I do is just switch hats and expectations when I go from one resort to the other. I know WDW will be more immersive but I will be sitting on buses a lot. I know DLR will be less immersive but I will be able to spend a higher percentage of my day inside the parks - and can have a much more flexible, unplanned experience - since everything is so close.

As soon as someone starts saying that one of these experiences is better than the other, it really gets to how they prefer (or have come to expect, based on experience) the resort level focus vs. park level focus. And often, this has been conditioned from many previous trips and a gut level feeling on how visiting a Disney resort "should" be.

what He said !!!!

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I haven't been to WDW so take this totally with a grain of salt..but I feel completely in a bubble at DLR. We don't even stay on site and I still feel like I'm in that bubble. obviously, more when I walk in the gates but I think it's totally bubbley

 

[CamoMama]

I love Disney World. I just visited for the first time in February and it was amazing. From the moment we got to the ME area with CMs waiting with Mickey hands to point us in the right direction it seemed as if we had left the real world behind. I love the resort with the beautiful landscaping and the Pirate themed room and the food court and the pool and everything that blocked out the outside world. I love the buses with Disney music playing over the speakers, the drivers who were just the nicest folks ever. I love that you don't have to see anything not Disney for the duration of your trip if you don't want to. It was awesome.

But. I also love Disneyland, where I've been going since I was 3 years old. I love staying offsite at hotels that are not owned by Disney, yet still have awesome theming. I love being able to walk from my hotel room directly into a park without getting into a vehicle. I love that park hopping can truly be done, since the parks are just across a courtyard from each other. I love that I don't notice the city around the parks because I am surrounded by Disney magic for the duration of the trip. I love that I can drive from my home and be at Disneyland in less than a day. I can be in my bed in the morning and watching Wishes that same night without getting on a plane.

Both parks are amazing. Both parks make me feel like I've been transported away from my normal life. I love the moment that I walk through the tunnel and under Walt's plaque in both Magic Kingdoms. I have to say that I prefer Disneyland for the most part, simply because it's more nostalgic for me and requires less planning and stress. But that doesn't take away from my love of Disney World and my desire to go there when I can afford to fly across the country.

 

[ktlm]

How about this view we had in July 2010?

Terrific! You guys are really trying to get me to spend more money. Quick, somebody tell me that these rooms are horribly loud with all the theme park noise!

 

[nunzia]

The difference is in the person's perception, IMO.


WDW is built with higher-speed highways connecting parks and resorts with intricate cloverleaf exits and onramps. There goes MY bubble! Even if we've chosen to take the bus (leaving our rental car at the resort) I'm nervous about the driver and the other drivers around us, etc etc.

At DLR, I can walk places. Bubble! Even if I'm on Harbor or Katella. I'm surrounded by happy excited adults and kids, and even CMs, and it's generally very smiley.



But...eye of the beholder. When I'm on Soarin' and it gets too real for me and I get a little nervous that I really AM on a hang glider...I look up to see dangling feet, or to the side to see fellow guests. I like knowing that it's just a ride. And I often like looking at the area around Disneyland, knowing that it's just a place. And I like to wonder what it's like to live in the neighborhoods surrounding Disneyland. Sure I could move, but it wouldn't be the same as growing up there. Just like I wonder what it's like to grow up in Hawaii... I like to wonder a lot.

This is me too. Now..I've only done WDW once and that was what...18 years ago? but the kids never wanted to go back and I keep thinking of it, but never do...we drove there and like someone else has said, so odd to be AT WDW and deal with traffic and highway signs and such..we found it confusing as well. We stayed at Beach Club..which I loved (and still remember the Future Home of Boardwalk sign) and enjoyed the walk to EPCOT and the boat to MGM..H A T E D the bus to Magic Kingdom and as a DLR native that just felt weird..nothing fit and where was the Matterhorn and so hard to find a stinkin churro. And even at the Beach Club there didn't seem to be 'residual' park stuff..like at DLR, even at the Jolly Roger I could see a bit of DCA and hear the Fireworks..at other hotels you can see the Matterhorn, the Monorail, etc..you know it is all still alive and hopping while you are away, while at WDW once you are out of the park it's like there's nothing there..or it's a pretty postcard, not an alive thing.
Still..since I've only been once and am clearly a DLR fan, I'll give the WDW fans a nod and guess they have their own valid reasons for loving it so much. I still hope to go back..just...hmm..when?

No..the rooms aren't loud with the door closed..and then with the door open you can hear the screams of folks on the rides..so immersive. I used to love the rooms over DTD with the sparkly lights and hear the musicians at night with my door open..aaawww.

 

[TokyoDizFan]

Once you're within any of the parks, it's all pretty much the same level of immersion.

WDW though is certainly much grander in scope, so I can see why people think of it as more immerse. In Anaheim (and Tokyo, too), you can pretty much tell where the "end" of the resort is from most locations. That makes the bubble idea a little less tangible, I think.

 

[HydroGuy]

Terrific! You guys are really trying to get me to spend more money. Quick, somebody tell me that these rooms are horribly loud with all the theme park noise!

We were on the 5th floor and had a balcony where we could sit in the morning or afternoon. At night we would sometimes leave the door open and you could hear the park noises below. If you want it quiet you close the door and it was just fine.

 

[ashnjam]

DLR WDW i don't care just get me there!!!! I will make my own bubble no matter which one of these great parks you take me to. I used to live in Florida so we never stayed on property it was more of day trips and such but as soon as i get through the gates i forget everything else. Taking the fam to our first visit to Walt's park and we cannot wait! Of course you can't help but compare the two a little but im not gonna nit-pick my whole vacation. We are going to enjoy the happiest place on earth.

 

[Susie63]

"I love bubbles"