WDW v DL

[BigPigletFan]

Happy Holidays all. I have a question for those who can compare DisneyWorld with Disneyland. My DH & I grew up in LA, and went to DL many many (100?) times. We last went back to DL the week b4 California Adventure opened. Since then, we have bought into DVC and become WDW die hard fans (we live in MN so its a short quick trip - kind of!)

Greetings mndisfam! As a fellow Minnesotan I am offering you my opinion. You grew up with Disneyland as your home park where you first experienced the Disney magic first hand. Where you first met Mickey Mouse, first walked down Main Street U.S.A., and created all of those wonderful Disney memories and since your visit to Walt Disney World and DVC investment you haven't been back to experience it again? I am sorry but I think you need to be a little bit more optimistic here. (As I feel all Disney fans should be... if they love everything the company stands for, why aren't you? Walt was extremely optimistic in everything and look what happened.) Yes, the parks are drastically different but they are made to offer different things. Let me try to offer you some comparison to which you say there isn't one.

To us, there is no comparison. WDW is huge and has so much more to offer (except, I guess for the Matterhorn.)

Yes, it is huge. But there are some attractions, and classic ones at that there are exclusive to Disneyland. Even Diane Disney Miller knows these are important to Disney theme parks as she mentioned twice the importance of attractions such as Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room. The Magic Kingdom park may be larger but there are twice as many Fantasyland attractions alone. I was just in Disneyland for nine days over the anniversary where I met many people from a couple of other boards I post at. Many of these fans were like you, WDW fans but had a heart for Disneyland. Let me quote one of their explanations to you,

Disneyland is like WDW only with so much packed into a small space. Everywhere you turn around there is something there, something to see and experience, it's just great!

I just got off the phone with my dear brother in San Diego who keeps telling me that DL has really changed, has gotten much bigger with Cal. Adventure, etc... I think they want to go to DL with us when we visit.

I will be honest with you, Disney's California Adventure (DCA) is still a growing park. With additions such as The Hollywood Tower Hotel and Turtle Talk and small re-vamps in the park's future it is showing more promise. However, it is still enjoyable. The Block Party Bash parade experience is incredible and so is the classic Electrical Light Parade. Places like The Animation Building is a complete experience on its own. Any real Disney fan of any level can appreciate it and the overall experience of that building. I spent hours in that room just taking it all in, over and over again.

I keep saying no - we went to WDW in October, and are going back in February. I can't imagine making a nightmarish car trip to go to the scaled down version of WDW. Plus, we would only go for a day - we always go for a week or so and stay at our DVC condos.

Sure, it's a car trip. But what's to say you haven't made those while stuck in traffic in the snow in Minnesota just trying to get through 494 or 94 during rush hour and not really moving? To me, if you are so close and a Disney fan why would you just push away a chance of visiting this magical park that Walt created just because you have plans to visit the second Disney park coming up?

So - here's the question - are my impressions still correct? Does DL still have pretty much the same stuff that WDW has, only much less? Wouldn't a day trip there (less than a month after a week long trip to WDW) be pretty much the same thing?[/quotre]No. Please do not be so naive. Yes, Disneyland does have a lot of what is at Walt Disney World because last time I checked it was the success of Disneyland that made a park, and now resort like Walt Disney World possible. Like other have said, the attractions might be labeled the same or have similar names but the overall experience is not. Disney is a park full of detail and the classic Disneyland attractions do not forget this. Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room, Matterhorn Bobsleds, and "it's a small world" just to name a few.

ANd don't get me wrong - I am not bashing DL. From my memory, while DL is still a wonderful place, its not WDW. More a of day trip place than a vacation destination.

I know you are not trying to bash Disneyland. I'm sure you have had wonderful experiences there. Of course it's not Walt Disney World but I would never call it a day trip. Disneyland is my choice of a destination park over Walt Disney World (and I have been to both as I have lived in MN my whole life). You must be missing something in your park visits or maybe you need to experience it with someone like me. Try looking outside of the box, notice the little things, and appreciate the park for what it is, what it stands for, and what is has created and made way for. It is the only park that Walt Disney himself walked and put his magical touch on it. And although it has been through the Harris and Pressler era, trust me CM Matt Ouimet has helped return the park to its original glory and beyond. So I hope you re-consider and make a visit back to the original park, Disneyland.

 

[LoriMistress]

There are certain things about DL that I absolutely love (I love the new Space Mountain), but there isn't much to do at DL/DCA. I love both parks. I grew up at DL. It is Walt's original and it is a wonderful park. But what I love about WDW is that the park is seperated from the outside world. You really do feel like you're at another planet/land onto itself. Though, what I also like about DL is that you can walk from the parks and go back to your hotel/motel, and you can stay there at very reasonable prices. One thing that I love about WDW is that the staff there are friendly, talkative, and pleasant. What I disliked about DL is that the CM there are not as happy to be there. It's a bit disappointing that hardly anyone will great you, smile, or even say hello back.

 

[Albertan mom]

We found the CMs at Disneyland to be wonderful!

One CM, Randy at Fantasmic even gave us free wonderful seats to sit in!

 

[mommaU4]

We moved about a year ago from CA. to MI. and one of the biggest things I miss is going to DL all the time. We are now close enough to drive to WDW which is nice and I am very, very excited to go, but sometimes WDW seems almost too big. Maybe a little overwhelming with all the choices. I guess DL has more of a "home-y" warm feeling to it where as WDW is more of a grand vacation. One main difference that proves my point is the Fantasmic show at DW has bleachers that you sit on in a huge arena/stadium, where the Fantasmic show in DL everyone just finds a spot on the ground, throws down a blanket and hangs out, eating, talking, whatever until show time. More of a cozy atmosphere maybe. I love them both but DL will always represent home for me.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Maybe it's whichever one you went to first that gets a place in your heart. I was a WDW brat since the early days (Easter, 1973) and, even though we enjoyed our Sept 2002 visit to DLR/DCA (and loved staying at the GC) it all seemed sort of small and crammed in.

As for Fantasmic - totally opposite reaction! We loved the MGM seating; when we saw it it DL, we thought "how tacky - they have you scrape your knees on the cement?" Guess it's good that there's something for all....

 

[disneysteve]

I took my first trip to DL in August after 23 trips to WDW. We all loved DL and DCA. DL is similar and familiar but at the same time remarkably different. Some rides that appear in both parks are better in WDW, some are better at DL. Pirates, Haunted Mansion, Pooh, Big Thunder, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, etc. And some rides are unique to California: Matterhorn, Alice in Wonderland, Mr. Toad.

I would jump at the chance to go back although I'd feel teased if it was only a day trip. That isn't nearly long enough, especially if you have never been to DCA. So many wonderful things to see and do there. No way you can cover it all in a day.