WDW pro's Disneyland review

[Jynxed]

Well, I am back from my 4 day DLR trip and figured I would share my 2 cents on the whole experience.
First, 4 days was more then enough, even in "busy" season. Although, I do have to admit, it wasn't all that busy for 2 of our 4 days. The weekend of the 4th was smooth, it seemed to be busier on the Tuesday and Wednesday we were there. The longest we waited for anything was TSMM and that was 15 minutes. We rode Matterhorn twice with an 11 minute wait on Saturday, when we returned on Tuesday the wait was 20 minutes...

So my review. It was okay, but I feel everything lacked a certain magic WDW has for me. The castle... The atmosphere... The restaurants... Aside from Space mountain, I enjoyed that a lot better. WOC was great, and we caught the special 4th of July show. I know they are revamping CA, but it lacked a lot of Disney magic for me. Overall, I found some CM's to be rude, some clueless. Shade... Florida utilizes shade in cue lines. This is needed in DLR!

We utilized the ART system and I was pleased with it. We never waited long for a bus and since we stayed at the Hilton it was the only hotel on the stop, plus we could choose the shuttle to the Marriot as well, which is across the street. so maybe those who used it and don't like it stayed on a multi hotel route?
So that's that, I will not be planning a return to DLR. I saw it once and that is enough for me. I will be planning my 2014 trip to WDW so I can catch the magic in all the parks, as well as boardwalk etc...

Thank you all for your help.

 

[HydroGuy]

Well, I am back from my 4 day DLR trip and figured I would share my 2 cents on the whole experience.
First, 4 days was more then enough, even in "busy" season. Although, I do have to admit, it wasn't all that busy for 2 of our 4 days. The weekend of the 4th was smooth, it seemed to be busier on the Tuesday and Wednesday we were there. The longest we waited for anything was TSMM and that was 15 minutes. We rode Matterhorn twice with an 11 minute wait on Saturday, when we returned on Tuesday the wait was 20 minutes...

So my review. It was okay, but I feel everything lacked a certain magic WDW has for me. The castle... The atmosphere... The restaurants... Aside from Space mountain, I enjoyed that a lot better. WOC was great, and we caught the special 4th of July show. I know they are revamping CA, but it lacked a lot of Disney magic for me. Overall, I found some CM's to be rude, some clueless. Shade... Florida utilizes shade in cue lines. This is needed in DLR!

We utilized the ART system and I was pleased with it. We never waited long for a bus and since we stayed at the Hilton it was the only hotel on the stop, plus we could choose the shuttle to the Marriot as well, which is across the street. so maybe those who used it and don't like it stayed on a multi hotel route?
So that's that, I will not be planning a return to DLR. I saw it once and that is enough for me. I will be planning my 2014 trip to WDW so I can catch the magic in all the parks, as well as boardwalk etc...

Thank you all for your help.

Glad you gave it try. Sorry it was not all you hoped for.

Although I rarely see them, I am never quite sure what to make of comments about the only park personally built by Walt Disney lacking the magic of other parks not built by him. In such cases I am left to wonder exactly what someone means by Disney magic. I think it must be something different that what I think it is.

Of course DLR does not offer everything that WDW does - and vice versa - but to me that is not related to magic. It is more related to infrastructure.

 

[Jynxed]

Let me try to explain then what I mean by magic... Smiles and happiness and "have a magical day" on CM's faces. Yes, a lot of CM's waved and some smiled but to me it felt as though most were trying to just work their summer job. One CM was rude when rather then squishing all 6 (adults) in 2 rows we asked to sit in 3 rows. The 1 park is not enough for me, I like that there is a ton more to do in WDW, shows etc. The haunted mansion CM's gave no flavor to the ride...just get in the room.
And I have heard people say DL is the only park walt built... BUT that is a technicality. WDW was planned by walt but unfortunately he died before seeing his vision come to reality. He did have say in plans of WDW and land space to improve on the magic he originally created... Successfully in WDW.

Of course this is just my opinion so I am glad others enjoy DL.But for me, it just didn't do it.

 

[smiles33]

I'm sorry to hear you were disappointed. I've heard/read that many CMs are locals and in the summer, I'm sure a bunch are bored college students, so maybe that's why the service/cheerfulness doesn't match WDW?

 

[mousterpiece]

There's no question that the two resorts are different; obviously, in terms of size, WDW wins in a walk. Having visited both locations in the last six months, I don't know if I could say I prefer one to the other, honestly. I wish DL was bigger, but what they have (and what they're building in DCA) really impresses me. I can definitely see the frustration with not having the best CMs, but I love the immersion effect of both DL and WDW--completely forgetting the outside world and just being engulfed by the architecture and Imagineering vision. Still, to each their own!

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

We visited WDW in February and had the exact opposite CM experience. We found that the CM's in WDW were much more likely to be inexperienced and lackluster. There are a few bad apples in any bunch. We just felt we experienced more bad apples at WDW than we have experienced at DLR (and I go there A LOT, see blog in sig). But that may be because WDW just has so many more CM's in general.

As far as "not enough to do," yes, 2 parks cannot compare to 4. That said, my blog is about trying to do (and document) everything there is to do at Disneyland (just the one park) in a year. So far I have about 60 blog posts about Disneyland (and a few extra miscellaneous ones), and I have a list of approx. 80 things I have left to blog about including attractions, entertainment, and shopping. So there certainly is plenty to do at the park if you take it easy and enjoy yourself.

 

[cgh]

I guess I don't understand the point of the post. I think tips-ie the ART tip could be helpful, but a general tone of "the park stinks" I just don't understand. The parks are very different and I think you go to them for different reasons.

Sorry you didn't have a good vacation.

 

[kiwitravel]

I guess it all depends on what DL or WDW experience you are used to... From what I have seen from people who have gone to both, you are in a minority... Most people seem to prefer the closeness of parks and hotels, better POTC, better Space Mt, better IASW, Mattahorn, Indy, better FL, better BLAB to WDWs water park, Epcot, better castle and immersion theming....

 

[DeluxePrincess]

Aww, sorry to hear you weren't blown away like I was. It's great that you gave it a try and sometimes things just have to be "once in a lifetime". I've been back around 10 days and I still miss it!

 

[Jynxed]

I guess I don't understand the point of the post. I think tips-ie the ART tip could be helpful, but a general tone of "the park stinks" I just don't understand. The parks are very different and I think you go to them for different reasons.

Sorry you didn't have a good vacation.

I just wanted to share an opinion. Upon planning my trip, I encountered a lot of "rah rah" posts about DL so I was preparing to be blown away. I wasn't. I am not knocking the experience in general. My biggest pet peeve in general was the lack of shade. All in all I enjoyed my time there, just not blown away enough to go back. I feel I saw enough of it, where as WDW still has more to be discovered.

I didn't expect people here to agree with me, after all this is the DLR board. But I wanted to share anyway.

Differing opinions are good IMO.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the DLR. Everyone has their own ideas about what they want in a park. Obviously, we DLR vets can't understand how someone could not love it. But that's ok.

We are planning our first WDW trip in 2014. (Still trying to pick a month. BTW, do you go to WDW in the summer?) Because I like Disney so much, I can't imagine not enjoying WDW but I suspect I will always prefer DLR overall just because that is what I grew up with. It has memories of my childhood there.

 

[nancy drew]

We visited WDW in February and had the exact opposite CM experience. We found that the CM's in WDW were much more likely to be inexperienced and lackluster. There are a few bad apples in any bunch. We just felt we experienced more bad apples at WDW than we have experienced at DLR (and I go there A LOT, see blog in sig). But that may be because WDW just has so many more CM's in general.

This was my experience at WDW as well. I had to ask a CM a question, and as I approached one who was standing alone another CM also approached, and the two of them stood right in front of me, talking for 5-10 minutes about their hours, when their breaks were scheduled, when they were working next, etc., all while I stood there waiting to ask my question. I remember thinking "Nothing like this has ever happened at DLR"

I also never fully understand the "I visited X park and decided I like Y park better" posts. Why does one park have to be better or worse than the other? Can't they just be different and appreciated for their differences? To me it is like trying to say I like one of my children more than the other. They are different, and special in their own ways, and I love both of them equally.

 

[rentayenta]

Interesting insights. Did you go on Indy? Tiki Room? The Castle walk thru? POTC? Storybook Boats? Talk about magic especially at night. How about IASW- it screams Walt Disney. The Mark Twain? Mr. Toad? Alice? The Matterhorn? So iconic! Did you see the Wicked Queen peering out of the velvet curtain above Snow White's Scary Adventure? Did you try BTMRR during the fireworks? Holy Hannah it's amazing!


Growing up Disneyland, I still found WDW to have a magic all it's own. While Disneyland is my favorite park, I prefer WDW as a vacation destination if we are planning on all Disney, all the time. For a mixed beach/Disney vacation then the Disneyland Resort area is the place for me.

 

[skiingfast]

First, 4 days was more then enough, even in "busy" season. Although, I do have to admit, it wasn't all that busy for 2 of our 4 days. The weekend of the 4th was smooth, it seemed to be busier on the Tuesday and Wednesday we were there.

Sorry you didn't have a super time. But if you like short wait times like most people you should be thanking your lucky stars your weren't at WDW where you could of waited several times longer last week.

 

[Padrepride]

It seems to me that the cast members seem rushed at DLR. Many are relegated to crowd control later in the day which may erode patience and raise stress in them. I think the sentiment is shared that California Adventure lacks the Disney "magic" but Disneyland itself is Walt's baby. My expectations of the Orlando Magic Kingdom were not met as the Fantasyland lacked the charm and intimacy of Disneyland's. Hopefully that will change with the new expansion. It's all about personal taste and park loyalty I guess haha. I'm glad you enjoyed Space Mountain! They really did a great job with the update it received back in 2005. I hope you come back out to Anaheim again!

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

Nothing wrong with a dissenting opinion. I agree that DLR needs more shade. I also agree that the construction at DCA really draws away from the magic feeling. However, for our visit, the biggest draw of WDW--the size, was the biggest drawback. For us, bigger was not better. It was much, much worse. The size was the one single thing we disliked the most about WDW.

Many people disagree. When I was a CM at Downtown Disney, I'd encounter a lot of families that had done both. With the kids, overwhelmingly they preferred WDW. That's just how people feel.

It's like comparing Paris to Rome. Paris will never be the same as Rome. You can prefer one or the other, or you can appreciate both for what each has to offer. The best way to compare Paris and Rome is to recognize that they are completely different and thus not hold one to the other's standard. I loved WDW for the type of experience I had there. I love DLR for the type of experience I have here. If I had to choose one over the other, I'd choose DLR, but I like the DLR experience better than I liked the WDW experience.

 

[cmwade77]

Let me try to explain then what I mean by magic... Smiles and happiness and "have a magical day" on CM's faces. Yes, a lot of CM's waved and some smiled but to me it felt as though most were trying to just work their summer job. One CM was rude when rather then squishing all 6 (adults) in 2 rows we asked to sit in 3 rows. The 1 park is not enough for me, I like that there is a ton more to do in WDW, shows etc. The haunted mansion CM's gave no flavor to the ride...just get in the room.
And I have heard people say DL is the only park walt built... BUT that is a technicality. WDW was planned by walt but unfortunately he died before seeing his vision come to reality. He did have say in plans of WDW and land space to improve on the magic he originally created... Successfully in WDW.

Of course this is just my opinion so I am glad others enjoy DL.But for me, it just didn't do it.

That's odd, that is the feeling I generally get at WDW from about 40% of the CMs I encounter when we go in the summer...I wonder if it is just a summer thing? Because when we went to WDW in Christmas this didn't seem to bee the case.

That being said, I think both are great, but are different, do not expect them to be the same and all will be well.

 

[Jynxed]

We are planning our first WDW trip in 2014. (Still trying to pick a month. BTW, do you go to WDW summer?.

I have gone all different seasons. My favorite time of year is October, but I enjoy the F&W festival and Halloween is my favorite holiday
Summer is comparable to DL heat wise but the cues are all in shade, some with misters going and the afternoon rain to splash around in. So you can escape the heat briefly anyway.

 

[AustinTink]

I have gone all different seasons. My favorite time of year is October, but I enjoy the F&W festival and Halloween is my favorite holiday
Summer is comparable to DL heat wise but the cues are all in shade, some with misters going and the afternoon rain to splash around in. So you can escape the heat briefly anyway.

Are you off your rocker??!! Sorry. But, really?? Summer in Orlando and summer in Anaheim are absolutely not comparable. Summer in Orlando is entirely unbearable. Summer in Anaheim= a light jacket in the morning and evenings and a high of 90 during the day. Not the same at all. I think you just don't like DL at all and that's ok.

PinkBudgie: we only go to WDW in the Spring. It's the best time of year weather wise. I'll never go in the summer again.

 

[starshine514]

Nothing wrong with a dissenting opinion. I agree that DLR needs more shade. I also agree that the construction at DCA really draws away from the magic feeling. However, for our visit, the biggest draw of WDW--the size, was the biggest drawback. For us, bigger was not better. It was much, much worse. The size was the one single thing we disliked the most about WDW.

Many people disagree. When I was a CM at Downtown Disney, I'd encounter a lot of families that had done both. With the kids, overwhelmingly they preferred WDW. That's just how people feel.

It's like comparing Paris to Rome. Paris will never be the same as Rome. You can prefer one or the other, or you can appreciate both for what each has to offer. The best way to compare Paris and Rome is to recognize that they are completely different and thus not hold one to the other's standard. I loved WDW for the type of experience I had there. I love DLR for the type of experience I have here. If I had to choose one over the other, I'd choose DLR, but I like the DLR experience better than I liked the WDW experience.

Well said! However, i have kids - and we like them both! Let me put it this way, if I won a free trip to either, I would go in a heartbeat. If I won a choice of free trips between the two, I would choose WDW simply because that is a more expensive trip for me (cross-country airfare, you understand). When comparing parks, both the MK and DL have their strengths - DL has Indy, better POTC, Alice, etc. While MK has better Astro Orbitors (you're overlooking the whole park!), Magic Carpets of Aladdin (which we must have ridden half a dozen times - my girls loved it), and Mickey's Philharmagic. I did appreciate less walking at DL, but also enjoyed more PP photographers at MK. The only rude CM I ever recall experiencing was at the MK. Even under construction, CA was much easier to navigate than HS (though HS has some awesome shows, and a better ToT). AK and Epcot, well, there's just no equivalents at DLR, some equivalent rides, yes, but no equivalent experiences.

DLR is different from WDW, but isn't that part of the fun of it? Go to different sides of the country to have different Disney experiences?