We are long time WDW vets who took our first DLR trip June/July 2025. It was me 50, DS23, and DD20.
I fell in love with DLR and California.
You have received some excellent advice, per usual, on this thread so far!
The 2 I have quoted below were my absolute Top 2.
Even in July, the weather will let you breathe. Sure, it’s hot. But not like Florida hot. There have been times I needed a sweatshirt once the sun has gone down. It’s so much easier to deal with the heat without the oppressive humidity. Have a sweatshirt for the evenings. Just in case. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
I had read this so many times before my trip. Having visit WDW almost always in August, I had been through the worst heat and humidity ever. I really didn't think it would be that much of a difference in CA. I have never been so happy to be wrong.
We stepped off the plane in Burbank, CA in late June. I felt the difference immediately. We exited on the tarmac, in full sun, at noon. It felt like heaven. Warm, sunny, perfection. Not hot. No humidity. It was like a dream come true.
At night, I wore my (newly purchased) DLR sweatshirt and was absolutely giddy about feeling chilly in a Disney park.
My favorite land in all of the US parks is Cars Land. Wow, they did such an amazing job. We are near the same age, with kids near the same age, so is suspect the movie played in your house too. Even if you didn’t love the movie (as can happen as a parent), you will LOVE Cars Land. The RS Racers is so much better than Test Track (either version). But for me, the charm is in Luigi’s Rollicking Roadsters. Especially at night. You will see grown adults with the goofiest grins on their faces riding that ride. And one more thing…make sure you are on the street at the exact time of sundown for the lighting of the neon lights. So much fun.
Cars Land is perfection, especially at night. Simply amazing. Do not miss it.
If choosing between LL and PH, I would choose LL. We did both. PH was unbelievably easier than WDW.
We ate at Blue Bayou, at a water-side table. I would say it was similar to eating in the Mexico pavilion on the water. I enjoyed the atmosphere better than the food. I am glad we did, but it might be a one and done.
We did the WOC Dessert party (seated). We have never done any dessert parties at WDW. The view was excellent. I did not enjoy the food, but I am GF, so I had a different box than my kids. Again, glad we did it but one and done.
Overall, I found the crowds extremely easy to manage. You do see more lines at DL, but I think it is because most of the cue is outside and at WDW the cues and usually long and out of view. We found lines that looked long to be quick. We used LL with no issues.
The footprint of DLR is so much smaller, weather is so much better, and DD is in the middle. I had always been exhausted at WDW, but did not experience that at DLR.
My kids still prefer WDW, because there are more parks and more to do. We also love EPCOT. But I love DLR and will be returning as often as I can! Good thing we bought VDH DVC while we were there!
