WDW vet returns from DLR.......a review

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

Yes you can walk through the WDW castle! done it quite a few times now. Only when there's a show in front of it then it's not posible, but there is a small, nice, "secret" entrance at one side of the castle.. very neat.

Hunh, totally missed it! But then again, if I missed it, then it point is lost

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I also appreciated your fair observations about Disneyland. As much as I think Cinderella Castle is beautiful, it definitely shatters the illusion of being in different times and places.

For me, the difference between Disneyland and WDW is best summed up by the light in the apartment over the firehouse. Walt Disney's touch is felt all over Disneyland.

I've discovered that I do not get the WDW feel until I see Spaceship Earth. In 2006, I went to the MK first, then AK, and didn't truly feel like I was in WDW until I saw Spaceship Earth later that afternoon. In 2009, I spent the first day and a half of my visit at DHS for Star Wars Weekends and didn't get the I'm at WDW feeling until I went over to Epcot for lunch and saw Spaceship Earth. Mny will think me crazy, but for me, Spaceship Earth is the WDW icon.

 

[HydroGuy]

Hunh, totally missed it! But then again, if I missed it, then it point is lost

Not sure what you meant by "walk through". You can walk through the MK castle to Fantasyland just like DL. But I do not think you walk up into it like at DL - which is called confusingly the "castle walk through" at DL.

 

[Disco]

Yeah, the castle walk through is a cute touch at DL. I've always thought it was odd that (both locations) the castles really didn't do anything. They should be big rides or you should be able to at least explore the battlements. Disney is very anti multi story park layout IMO.

 

[KCmike]

I also appreciated your fair observations about Disneyland. As much as I think Cinderella Castle is beautiful, it definitely shatters the illusion of being in different times and places.

For me, the difference between Disneyland and WDW is best summed up by the light in the apartment over the firehouse. Walt Disney's touch is felt all over Disneyland.

I've discovered that I do not get the WDW feel until I see Spaceship Earth. In 2006, I went to the MK first, then AK, and didn't truly feel like I was in WDW until I saw Spaceship Earth later that afternoon. In 2009, I spent the first day and a half of my visit at DHS for Star Wars Weekends and didn't get the I'm at WDW feeling until I went over to Epcot for lunch and saw Spaceship Earth. Mny will think me crazy, but for me, Spaceship Earth is the WDW icon.

I get that. Nice to see you on the boards again. How long has it been since you were at DL?

 

[princess mom]

Thank you so much for your post! I am a WDW vet as well...been to there over 20 times, DVC'er, annual passholder...you get the picture! My husband is working in CA on an extend business trip (we live in SC) and we have decided to visit him next month...while we are there we are planning a visit to DL!! We are so very excited...but i was very nervous, as i know NOTHING about DL, but thanks to your post and Hydroguy's thread,things are a little more clear now! We are staying at PP (since we couldn't get a room at the GC using DVC) and right now we are only planning a few days at the parks, since we want to do a few other things while we are there. Is DCA something we should put on our list to do?? Or should we spend more time at DL? Your thoughts will be much appreciated!!

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

Not sure what you meant by "walk through". You can walk through the MK castle to Fantasyland just like DL. But I do not think you walk up into it like at DL - which is called confusingly the "castle walk through" at DL.

Yeah, I meant the DL version of walk-through as an attraction. Sorry to be confusing

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I get that. Nice to see you on the boards again. How long has it been since you were at DL?

Thanks. I was there last week and I'm going down again this weekend for the Disneyland 1/2 Marathon.

 

[nunzia]

And if you have a picture of him, you can enter to win a trip to the opening of Cars Land and a private Jungle Cruise trip with Lassetter himeself!
http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/08/john-of-the-jungle-at-disneyland-park/

I wish!! I was in the Air Force at the time and nowhere near DL
Here he is announcing the contest at the Expo:

 

[soaringirl]

Yeah, I meant the DL version of walk-through as an attraction. Sorry to be confusing

Ooooh! Now I see what you mean! THAT is an excellent touch! My daughter and I discovered it by accident and we LOVED IT! I really, really thought it was awesome! I'm not a WDW vet per se, just a fan (die hard!), but DLR stole my heart... even though it's been 18 months since our last visit to WDW, we are looking forward to visit DLR again next year!

 

[iheartdisney]

As a DL vet who made her "every few years" trip to WDW over the summer, I was riding Splash think, "OMG, why are these boats going so freakin' slow!"
On Pirates, my DS7 asked as we pulled back to the dock, "that's it?"

The biggest difference I noticed is the attitudes about taking pictures of your ride picture. At Dl, you are allowed and almost everyone does. At WDW, there were velvet ropes blocking the photo screens by about 3 feet. Some attractions, there was a CM guard stationed to yell, yes, yell like a schoolteacher at guests for taking photos of their photos (SO Un-magical) and some even had a "buy now" image superimposed over the picture (lame!)

 

[Avalon_toon]

Loved reading your thoughts on the two parks, thanks for posting! As another WDW vet who just got back from DL, it was fun to read your insights and compare them to our experiences. Totally agree about DCA entrance - we didn't feel the magic there at all, my DH couldn't believe they would block off the whole entrance that way, made the park feel really unwelcoming. It does look like Cars Land will be pretty awesome though. Also agree about Pirates - much, much better at DL - so much more fun. And I was really surprised by the size of the castle in DL too - I realized at the end of our trip that I didn't have a single picture of it yet, it just kind of seemed to be part of the background somehow, while I always take pics of the castle at WDW, (I love, love that castle, especially at Christmastime and now during the Memories show). We loved Monsters Inc (Roz totally won my son over at the end, when she told him "Hey kid, nice ears, want to trade? Don't make me say please..." - he's been repeating that line ever since.) We loved Indy, we loved California Screamin', we had a ton of fun at ElecTRONica, and we loved Toontown. But we missed the magic of entering "the World," and being totally set apart from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, while at DL the everyday world still seemed to intrude a bit, you can see it from the ferris wheel, can hear it from the train, and are drawn back to it for cheaper, tastier meals outside the gates. But both WDW and DL have their special charms. Anyway, thanks again for your post!

 

[BlueChariot]

OP, I really really liked your review.... living in FL and having APs to WDW, we actually enjoy DL better!!! Beginning about 4 years ago, we have a new tradition of going to DL for Thanksgiving, and we absolutely love it.

A few things that caught me from your review and I 100% agree with...

WDW Space Mountain is hands down better than DL. Period. Yes, the DL is newer, smoother, and has a wonderful sound track, but the WDW track is much much much better. At DL, I just felt like I was going in a big corkscrew, while at WDW there are dips, hills, and a few small drops.

POTC definitely better at DL!!! Longer with two drops and the ambiance just can't be beat.

IASW... strangely enough, since we always go at Thanksgiving, we have not seen the DL version without the Christmas overlay, so its really hard to compare to WDW. Ditto for HM.

Bummer that you missed out on Matterhorn... its one of our favorites, though you could look at it as kinda like a kiddie version of Expedition Everest LOL!!!

Overall, sounds like you had a wonderful time!! Yes, there will always be a sweet spot for WDW as our "home" park, but we absolutely love the novelty of DL. Especially since it was "Walt's Park."