WDW convert admits why she likes DL

[nwdisgal]

Ok. I had planned a trip to WDW this August and had to change those plans closer to home so chose DL. I had the opportunity to visit WDW for a short time this past July, so had a recent comparison in my mind. It was with that comparison that I admit my true love is DL, I purchased an AP and will be back. Here's the reason why:

1) The people and CMs seemed friendlier at Disneyland. Can't put my finger on it, but less rude people. Several people struck up conversations with us while we were standing in line. The CMs went out of their way to help us. People were smiling.

2) The food. Ate at restaurants throughout DD, DCA, DL and the Anaheim area. Californians have an edge on the culinary front - JMO, having recently sampled food in both Orlando and Anaheim in similiar type restaurants.

3) The accomodations. Our room at Disneyland Hotel was huge. I had just reserved a City View, Double Queen/Daybed. The room was newly renovated with two vanities, new furnishings, a complimentary refrigerator, in room safe, ironing board. We called for a coffee pot and they apologized saying it might take up to an hour for them to deliver it. The coffee pot arrived in ten minutes and I appreciate the fact that they apologized up front.

4) I can walk to everything. We even stayed offsite our first couple of nights at the Hilton and were able to walk from there.

5) The coffee. I hate Nescafe, so it was nice having Starbucks within walking distance and Peet's at DD (at Le Brea). Also, there was a good blend at the Bookstore in DD.

6) August weather. Even though it was warm, it was a dry heat and there was always a breeze. It was much more tolerable than Orlando this time of year, and my clothes and person didn't get sticky.

7) The rides. They are all there in walking distance. DL is adding TOT. Also, Soaring is my favorite ride and thanks to Single Rider, I was able to ride it again and again.

8) No jet leg and an hour and a half plane flight from home.

Don't get me wrong, I'll eventually go back to WDW, I'll just be going to DL more frequently. I'm glad I "rediscovered" it.

 

[AKASnowWhite]

Originally posted by nwdisgal
The coffee. I hate Nescafe, so it was nice having Starbucks within walking distance and Peet's at DD (at Le Brea). Also, there was a good blend at the Bookstore in DD.

UGH! I also HATE Nescafe. I think the only place that they sell that sludge is at WDW! I can't tell you how many times I've told my DH that the one thing that I wanted that would make my WDW vacation perfect is a decent cup of coffee!!!

We are headed to DL for the first time ever in November. I am so excited about the trip- I have to admit that I was afraid that DL would pale in comparison to WDW, but after all I've heard....well, my doubts have disappeared!

 

[year2late]

I am "due" to go back to WDW this Winter, but I am hard pressed not to go back to DL.

With all the negative we hear about DCA, we love it.

I especailly love the intimate feel you get at the DLR. Everything is right at your fingertips.

 

[saturday97]

I'm getting reasy for my first trip to WDW in April, and I'm worried it won't measure up to DL, in terms of the "magic."

And La Brea Bakery has FABULOUS Cafe Mocha!!

 

[nwdisgal]

AKASnowWhite - The Californians would riot if there wasn't a decent coffee option within walking distance (lol!) Seriously, when Starbucks went down there, we thought it would never fly because of the warm weather there, etc. We were wrong - it has really taken off, and I think Peet's has been around as long, if not longer than Starbucks. It was one of the original coffee houses started in the Berkeley area. I don't know what brand they serve at the bookshop in DD, but it was fresh ground and very good. You'll enjoy DL and for different reasons than you enjoy WDW. Disney has it set up so that the parks offer a truly different feel. Then you'll have that now that I've gone to DL, I have to go back to WDW and vice-versa

Saturday97 - you'll enjoy WDW, don't worry. It is equally likeable - just for different reasons. Epcot is an experience like none other, and the Boardwalk is a really cool area.

Year2Late - I agree with you on DCA. They are building TOT right now and adding a section for the younger kids. I think they are trying to spruce up the rides and get people over there. There were lots of rock bands, etc., playing when we were there, which I really enjoyed.

 

[mickey4ver]

We had our first trek to DL in California last year, after many years of visiting WDW. Always wanted to go to see DL and the opportunity arose, so off we went. I was fully expecting to not enjoy it as much as WDW, a preconceived notion or something...but guess what, we LOVED it. I think it has such an intimate feel to it. While not the "resort" experience one feels in Florida, I still really loved it.

In fact, we are trying to go back for a few days this fall, if time prevails on a trip west, and take my grandchild who is 2. I think it will be the perfect size to get around with him, be enjoyable and not feel knocked out by the whole adventure.

I would say that overall, I tend to like the "feel" or WDW when staying on site at their hotels, more of a being away from it all, than California, but I still can say I was very impressed by DL...obviously, if we are going to try it again.

Each park has its own uniqueness and I agree, DL is truely special in its own right. Of course it helps to know that it is where Walt started it all. It to me is just WDW in miniature fashion

 

[kaybird]

Thanks so much for the great post, echos our sentiments over and over. We love WDW, but love DL for different reasons. We are sooo looking forward to our trip next month, and my 13 yo DS can't wait for DCA. Guess in the midwest we just love the detail!

Thanks for the overview!!!

TTFN
kaybird

 

[Cara]

We are making our first DL trip in October, and your post has me very excited! We love WDW but can't wait to try DLR!

 

[mickey4ver]

We are going in mid October too! Last year when we were there, the crowds were light and made it so enjoyable. I hope the same holds true this year. We stayed at Paradise Pier which was very nice. We are hoping to try the DisneyLand Hotel on this trip. The weather was nice too, in fact the evenings were cool. Of course this wasn't too long after 9/11, so I don't know if that had any effect on the smaller crowds or it is just the time of year.

It was very neat to see the Haunted Mansion done up as the NBC. I think they are doing that again this year.

I'm sure you will enjoy it.

 

[Captain Crook]

We just made our first visit to DL and really liked it. I agree wholeheartedly that my fellow guests at DL were far friendlier and more easy going than those at WDW. As for the CM's I'm not sure. I think there are more really 'diznee nut CM's' at DL but all in all I think they both rate high.

DCA is really an addition to the experience even though it is obviously an incomplete park. But still the additions of ToT, Flik's Fun Fair & the Aladdin Show will put it one step closer to being where it should be.

As a resort destination WDW still can't be beat but on a one to one comparision DL is better that MK (except for that puny little castle!).

Although I must disagree about the accomodations. We stayed at the GC and it was great and the DL Hotel looked nice too, but they're no comparison to the AKL!

 

[Carrieberry]

They are putting in TOT at DL? Where/which park and where in the park is it going to be? We were at DL a couple of months ago and while DL was packed (all fast passes gone by 10am for Indy, and fast passses for SP, BTMR and the like not until 7pm at 10am) CA was practically empty. We loved Soaring and had a great lunch at that character place on the bridge to the pier with the under the sea theme~ sorry I can't remmebr the name. Anyway, I grew up going to DL since we lived there in Orange County, but they sure have changed that area a lot- and for the better! We had a great time!

 

[Cara]

Thank you!! We went to WDW in October last year and had the same experience you had at DL. Low crowds, etc. We are very excited about our upcoming visit to Walt Disney's very own park.

 

[Captain Crook]

Carrieberry, yes ToT is going into DCA. As I understand it the bulding will have a Spainish theme. It is going in behind the Studio/Anmation area...The cranes are alrady ther working!

 

[nwdisgal]

Captain Crook - I agree with you that the onsite resorts are better at WDW (landscaping, theming, pools, etc.). I've stayed at AKL, too, and there is nothing like it - especially the architecture which is truly one of a kind and breathtaking.

What I really liked about the DLH was that our room seemed relatively large and it had just been refurbished. Also, I liked the little touches like the refrigerator in the room. I am curious about the other two resorts, especially GC.

I was interested too that they are putting TOT in with Mailboomer in place. Mailboomer never had much of a line when we were there, even during the busy parts of the day. I wonder what TOT will do to that attraction? I was never able to conjure up the nerve to go on Mailboomer.

The fellow attendees were very kind and friendly. We were standing in line for Soaring, I was talking to a guy who works at Richard Nixon's Exhibit in Yorba Linda. I told him that I'd always been interested in seeing it, and his wife, out of the blue, hands me two complimentary admission tickets.

 

[ADisneyPrincess]

I found Maliboomer and ToT to be totally different experiences. I love ToT and can ride it over and over again. It's so smooth and you can hardly tell when you're going up or down. Maliboomer is evil! I thought I was going to lose vital internal organs and I will never go on it again. I don't know if it's the difference of dropping first rather than shooting straight up, or if being in the dark makes ToT better for me. I'm so excited for ToT to come to DCA!

 

[nwdisgal]

I knew to stay away from Mailboomer when I saw those plastic shields over the front of people and Jumping Jellyfish unnerved me a bit (lol - I'm afraid of heights). Maybe I'll talk myself into TOT when it arrives...

 

[Grog]

It's really nice to hear positive comments about DLR from people who have visited WDW. I've had discussions with people who have been to WDW and seem to think that visiting DLR would be a "step down" for them, that it can't possibly be near as much fun as WDW. I try to explain the differences, and that if they love Disney, they will have a great time, but for some it just doesn't get through. Oh well, they are the ones missing out.

 

[AKASnowWhite]

I had heard so much negative about DL from people who had been to WDW that I was a bit concerned about planning our upcoming visit to DL (1st time ever!). However, I've read so much POSITIVE on these boards that I've completely changed my attitude. The people that I had heard negatives from had only been to WDW once themselves, and IMO were so completely un-informed and unprepared for their trips that they don't really know what they are talking about. It's ignorance really.

As for Maliboomer vs. ToT....I actually LIKE ToT myself....and I am TOTALLY afraid of heights. I think it's OK to me because ToT is enclosed and you're not right out in the open. Maliboomer will NOT be on my must-do list!

 

[year2late]

I guess a plus for me is that a vacation at DLR seems less like work to me. To see all the "lands" at WDW you need transportation. Park hopping at WDW is "work" to me. Since time is at a premium these days, the intimate nature of a DLR vacation lends itself to a little more downtime due to lack of dependence on transportation.

But, the both are great travel destinations, but hardly comparable vacations in my book.

 

[Captain Crook]

As a full blown destination resort I think WDW wins hands down, but DL compared to MK gives an easy nod to DL and now DL has what DCA has to offer (some say that's not much, but DCA made our trip more enjoyable) and DD which is much better than WDW's DD, IMO.

The sense of intimacy & closness is wonderful. I found it great to know that I was literally not much more than 10 minutes from my room at the GC no matter where in either park I was!

As I'v mentioned on the rumors board a little, the DL guest experience is also much different and much better (IMO) than at WDW. There are a lot less people with the "commando attitude" like we all use at WDW. There were more younger people, particularly noticable was the "date crowd" and lastly it was a much more polite crowd (with a few noticable exceptions)...

I think you'd be hard pressed to spend a week at the DL Resort as you easily can at WDW, but for 2 or 3 nights this place is great!