wdw v dlrp

[raymondcky]

ok guys so simple really but what are the main difference and if possiable which one is better

becasue im a massive dlrp fan and i get so annoyed when people go oh have u been to the real one in florida

 

[wayneg]

Keep it friendly everyone, I'm watching

Having never been to DLP (and no desire to) I can't really compare.
I priced it up a few times when DS was younger, could goto Florida for 2 weeks for same price as DLP for 4-5 days, but I would only fly not drive.
Main differences to me,
Weather
Food choice & price
Florida is more(way more) than WDW, Universal (2 parks), Seaworld, Busch, Kennedy, Beaches, cruises, water parks, dolphin watching, fishing, hot air balloons, helicopter rides, these are just the tip of the iceberg.

I see DLP as a weekend trip if I did it at all, Florida we go in August for 25 nights and still don't do everything we want. Last year went 4 times totalling 56 days, could you do that at DLP?

If only they hadn't built it in France, a better climate and I might have been tempted for a long weekend.

Comparing DLP to Magic Kingdom alone there could possibly be an argument to which is best but WDW is not just MK.

Will be interested in you comments after you have been.

 

[scottish mum]

I have been to both and they both have good points. My favourite without a doubt is WDW but that is as a whole package, ie the weather, loads more to do not just disney.

I like DLP and go for a long weekend every few years but I just feel that the price it costs me for that, the money would be far better spent on 14 days in Florida.

I personally think that the castle in DLP is far prettier than in WDW and also a few of the rides in DLP seem a lot faster, space and thunder mountain, than WDW.

Perhaps if I lived close to London and was able to use the eurostar my visits might be more frequent but until then I will rather spend my money on WDW.

 

[raymondcky]

forget all the extra stuff you can do in flordia im just trying to compae things like rides, shows, styling and themeing of the parks

i love dlrp but i think it has some bad points i think it lacks a water park which i think could be done inside a bit like alton towers water park

i do agree it costs a few bit to do it

the most we have done is 4 days and i wasnt getting bored

i have heard people say dlrp is nicer becasue its all compact and easier to walk round and a bit more picturers

 

[disneyholic family]

let me start by saying, everyone should visit every single disney park in the entire world at least once...
they're all a little (or a lot) different...
and they all have something nice about them...

but the one disney resort that i would say is an absolute can't miss - if you can only pick one to visit is - Walt Disney World...

There really isn't any comparison between WDW and any of the other parks - even tokyo disney, which is pretty exceptional on its own.

WDW is really that - a world....it's not just parks - there are 4 theme parks and 2 waterparks, plus various and sundry other stuff to keep you busy)..
it's a world..

if memory serves, WDW comprises something on the order of 25,000 acres..
that's a whole lot of property....

but even if you compare just the magic kingdom at WDW to the equivalent at DLP, it's not going to be the same...
there is something special about the cast members at WDW that make the whole experience that much more special...
not to say anything negative about the French, but the cast members just are not the same...
and at least for me, those CMs in WDW really make much of the experience for me..

but let's look at what WDW has:
4 theme parks - Magic Kingdon, Epcot, Disney Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom
2 waterparks - Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach
Downtown Disney - with entertainment, shopping and restaurants
Resorts of every kind - i'm just estimating here but something like 8 deluxe resorts, 5 or so moderate resorts, and 4 value resorts, plus the disney vacation club resorts (about 7 or 8 of those) plus the campgrounds..

there are tons of recreational activities - various kinds of boating, fishing, biking, riding, surfing, etc etc

we've gone to WDW multiple times for over 3 weeks each time and never run out of things to do...and never managed to see and do everything there is to see and do (we've been there over 50 times)...

bottom line, there really isn't any comparison at all....it's like comparing an apple with a feast...

 

[CustardTart]

We've been to DLRP a few times but only stayed onsite once. We tend to go for the day from central Paris.

However, I priced it up recently and could not believe the cost!!! Just 2 nights in February 2010 half-term for 3 of us was coming in at half the price we're paying for 10 nights for 6 of us in October 2010 half-term with free DDP!!! Well, I can't justify such expense so that'll always be the sticking point...

 

[wayneg]

if memory serves, WDW comprises something on the order of 25,000 acres..
that's a whole lot of property....

Not sure in acres
Walt Disney World is the largest theme property in the world, covering 47sq m. Roughly the same size as Greater Manchester
Thats just WDW before you start with the other parks. Its big

bottom line, there really isn't any comparison at all....it's like comparing an apple with a feast...

Totally agree.
Even comparing DLP against MK is too difficult.
I can try compare MK against DLR Cali having done both but even that is impossible, there are better and worse things in both.

 

[T16GEM]

I've never been to DLP and as other's have said I also have no desire to, put off mainly from the reports that I have had from friends who have been and also the cost is just horrific!

It's nice that it's nearer home but still it's not the real Disney to me JMO though!

 

[tttessa]

Hiya,

from our point of view - have done both more than once, each is good in its own way..... sorry...

DLRP - great for a 2-5 day getaway, can be done REALLY cheaply - car/ferry/cheap motel. Go in UK May half term break, weather usually good, crowds not too bad.

WDW - great for a major holiday, but that will unsurprisingly cost more than £1000 for a family of four, in ANY school holiday period.

Below are MY views only!!!
WDW MK v DLPR
Castle - nicer in DLRP and you get the dragon too....
Street atmosphere and CMs - nicer in MK
Character interaction/ lines for characters - nicer in MK
Different characters around - better in DLRP
Indiana Jones coaster - not at MK, only DLRP
Food and restaurants - better at MK
More attractions at MK
Less smoking at MK
More fireworks at MK
Easy to spend time in beautiful, gorgeous, spectacular Paris from DLRP

But, we don't go all that way just for MK- we go for all the other parks, the water parks, SeaWorld, US, US IOA, Kennedy, Busch Gardens, wildlife, beaches, shopping and WARM SUNSHINE.

Different types of holidays at each, different costs too - don't know why people need to compare so much. It is like saying "tell me why I should spend time in Thailand when Spain is good enough for me......" Vive la difference.......

Tessa

 

[Neoshoegal]

I've been to DLRP 3 times, the first time was on the 1st anniversary of the park opening, the last time we went was back 1999!
The last time we went, we felt that the park had become a lot more French whereas before it had a more international character. Also, to us hearing Mickey speak French, just doesn't feel right.
Since we've been to WDW, we've had no real desire of going back to DLRP.

In favour of WDW:
weather
more parks, we love the different atmospheres all the WDW parks have yet all are very much Disney
better food
people are far more well behaved when queuing, there's no cutting in line
better value for money

 

[joolz1910]

I've been to DLP twice and Disneyland California once. I have never been to WDW. Although I love DLP, I cannot now justify the price it would cost to take my family (we fly and stay onsite) so I am now busy saving for WDW. If DLP was more affordable, I would still love to go. I have some magical memories from DLP - the holiday is what you make it - but nearly £2000 for 3 nights versus £5000 for 14 nights in the sunshine....no brainer really.

 

[luke]

I've been to both numerous times and enjoy both.
We think of Disneyland Paris as our 'first love', it wa the first holiday DW and I took together, but we also got married in Orlando last year.

Personally I think I prefer Orlando more now, but still love DLP and feelnit has the most beautiful Magic Kingdom even if certain aspects let it down.

But then there's price! We are going to DLP at new year and for hotel and park tickets alone it's around £1100 for 3 nights. I know our exchange rate v the euro is poor now, but we've been pricing up wdw for august and it's only about £700 more, for a fortnight, including dining and a much longer park ticket (thanks Wayne )!!!

 

[disneyholic family]

Not sure in acres
Walt Disney World is the largest theme property in the world, covering 47sq m. Roughly the same size as Greater Manchester
Thats just WDW before you start with the other parks. Its big

to put it into terms that are easier to grasp than numbers - WDW is about the size of san fransisco and twice the size of manhattan....

pretty damn big...

as for comparisons - you can compare the magic kingdoms at both parks or the studios, but DLP simply doesn't have anything comparable to Epcot and Animal Kingdom - not to mention the waterparks.

 

[Rosie]

I've been to DLRP six times, WDW twice and Annaheim once. I love them all and can some them up in one word each;
Paris - beautiful
Orlando - exciting
Annaheim - magical.
I truly don't think it is worth doing a tabloid which is best style breakdown. All I will say is I think whichever you visit first will probably become your favourite

 

[Dimplenose]

I've been to both and love both but comparing them is like comparing a beautiful hand made chocolate to a 4 course meal.

DLRP is expensive per day but as I'd only go for 3 days cheaper over all. WDW I wouldn't go for less than a fortnight - but as I'm tied to school holidays and my kids are considered adults it soon gets quite expensive.

Neither is better just different.

 

[buzz for boys]

We have donr both dlrp and wdw and I have been offered a free trip to dlrp for the whole family and we politely refused - wild horses could not drag me back there!!

On the other hand we LOve wdw and if someone offered a free trip they would be eating my dust as i ran for the plane !!

Why did we hate dlrp??
1. The cost and the feeling we were been taken for fools every time we hit a checkout!! Wdw is expensive merchandise but the food is reasonable dlrp even hikes up the food in 4 days in dlrp we spent the same on food as we did in wdw for 14 nights !!

2. The weather - we went to dlrp in Jan and it rained none stop but there was no shelter anywhere and the tiles on the floor got soooooooooo wet it was difficult to walk without slipping !!

3. The Disney transport -seriously i feared for my life and my kids lifes when we needed to board a bus at dlrp it was just a surge and a battle for the death to get on transport and noone seemed to stop for pushchairs or children and when you finally got on it was like sardines and most of the time me and dh was left standing trying to hold onto 3 small kids and a buggy !!!

Now hes the final thing that for us will stop us ever returning to dlrp the attitude towards the english just stank at meet n greets we often pushed aside for a french family or when asking for help we were often told simpy ask at guest services even for simple stuff like wheres the nearest toilet???
Parades were just a rugby scrum if you wanted children to be able to see .
When ever anyone asks me whats the difference between the 2 heres my answer
DLRP is Disney but without the Magic.

Just my honest opinion and im sure others differ!!!

 

[wickesy]

let me start by saying, everyone should visit every single disney park in the entire world at least once...

I would whole-heartedly agree with that and it's one of my main aims.

There's an argument for saying Disneyland California is the best - it's the original, for saying WDW is the best - it's the biggest, for saying Tokyo is the best - I've read that some of the rides are like nothing at any of the other parks etc. etc. but I think at the end of the day the best Disney park is the one that YOU went to and YOU enjoyed the most.

Don't you just hate the splinters you get from sitting on the fence.

 

[scojos]

Now hes the final thing that for us will stop us ever returning to dlrp the attitude towards the english just stank at meet n greets we often pushed aside for a french family or when asking for help we were often told simpy ask at guest services even for simple stuff like wheres the nearest toilet???
Parades were just a rugby scrum if you wanted children to be able to see .
When ever anyone asks me whats the difference between the 2 heres my answer
DLRP is Disney but without the Magic.

Just my honest opinion and im sure others differ!!!

now, before im shot down in flames, please understand im married to a french man, my kids are french and we lived 35 mins away from dlp for 8 years...


DLP does not in anyway come to wdw, its smaller, dirty, biased towards the french (we are bi lingual so we dont care what language the show is in but understand others wouldnt feel the same)
paris is full of parisians, snotty, rude and arogant (and yes, dh is parisian!)
we go to places with an image of what people are going to be like - i have amny french friends, they are kind warm and wonderful people, however, when in disney, everyone (and that includes myself) turns into cruella devil, yes i have paid $$$ for my child to see mickey, why should someone elses kid push in front?? well, as DLP is full is parisians the french get the grief, when really its everyone.
hth
tx

 

[Elise79]

For us WDW wins every time as it is the overall better experience and we love everything about it.

Things WDW does better:
CM's are so much nicer everywhere - from custodial to managers they will all stop to talk to you. This adds to the atmosphere that you get in WDW
Queues!! Everything is better organised I like the lines for meet & greets give everyone a fair turn. I like peoples manners better too as their is no (or little) pushing in at WDW as well.
Weather! Enough said.
Tidyness of the parks - WDW is cleaner and kept that way because all the CMs care. I have witnessed WDW manager picking up trash and seen DLP CMs walk past a fallen trash can
Layout of the parks - hated that all the rides at DLRP seemed to be 'tucked' out of the way - nearly couldn't find the entrance to Pirates even looking at the map!


Things DLRP does better:
Crushes coaster - its the ONLY thing that would make me go back and that is only because I didn't get to ride it last time as I was pregnant.

My other biggest problem with DLRP is the cost - as has been said before it is expensive to get there and then once you are there is costs a small fortune to eat. I know it is not helped by the poor exchange rate but even so...

 

[luke]

Layout of the parks - hated that all the rides at DLRP seemed to be 'tucked' out of the way - nearly couldn't find the entrance to Pirates even looking at the map!

See I prefer the layout in DLRP myself, prefer where Phantom Manor is and Pirates too