WDW vets, which Lands most similar to DL?

[momto2nenas]

We want to take advantage of the Salute the Troops promotion this year at the Disney parks HOWEVER Disneyland is only available till 12 June and we just cannot get there before then SO that leaves us w/ a WDW optioin. (We are in San Antonio so pretty much smack in the middle of them both).

So my question is, if we want a Disneyland "experience" at WDW what do we need to do/see. I know its very different (was at WDW in '93) and there are a lot of things at WDW I'm just not interested in (World Showcase especially, Animal Kingdom, Dino-land).

Should we stick to Magic Kingdom and MGM (or Hollywood Studios as I think it is now). Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Judy from Boise]

First off, make sure you stay at SOG, what a wonderfull resort. How many days are you planning ? That would really drive my advice.

 

[Mike_M]

That's a tough one since so many DL attractions ended up at other parks in WDW.

It's been a while since I have been to WDW but when I was there, I had the most fun at MK and MGM as they seemed to have the most in common with DLR.

DAK and Epcot were only interesting to me for about half a day each.

Things have changed though in the years since. Everest looks like an outstanding ride but there still isn't enough at DAK for me to consider more than half a day there. Epcot has Mission to Mars now but again, one ride dosen't tip the scales much to me as far as the whole park is concerned.

The military tickets at WDW are for 5 days so maybe you could do day 3 at both DAK and Epcot just to check out the more interesting attractions and spend the other 4 days at MK and DHS.

 

[DLR29]

Honestly, I can't see having a DLR experience at WDW. They are two VERY different resorts with different attractions, shows, restaurants, customers, weather, prices, hotels, atmosphere, transportation, etc. Though they are both technically "Disney Parks" they are much more different than many people believe.

However, DHS is similar to DCA's Hollywood Pictures Backlot, just the size of a whole park. MK at WDW is WAY different and just doesn't have the same charm as DLR's, especially Fantasyland.

My advice is to go on a WDW trip without a mindset of trying to have a DLR experience because it's not going to happen. Expect and plan for a WDW experience because...well..that's what it will be.

 

[Mike_M]

Honestly, I can't see having a DLR experience at WDW. They are two VERY different resorts with different attractions,

This is true. No matter how you look at it, MK is not DL and DCA is not DHS.

To go to WDW expecting a DL experience, will be disapointing everytime because its really easy to compare rides, layout and the theming which gives you a way to say 'This isn't DL' (Pirates is too short, Fantasyland dosen't look right, Where's Mr Toad? and other comparisons we make). As a way of keeping myself from doing that too much, we've saved any future trips to WDW for just my wife and I while DLR gets the family. That way my perspective is already different. There are Better Dining options so I can have nice sit down meals with my wife. My wife and I can have a couple drinks in the World showcase without having to explain to a 6 yr old why you are having problems walking straight

From my perspective for this topic, I look at it more by which parks did I have the most fun at considering my DLR centric outlook. I think that is more what the OP was trying to get across. No matter how much I tried, I just couldn't get into the theme of Epcot and much of DAK just isn't what I go to Disney parks for. MK does have a similar focus to DL (So long as you don't try and pretend that it is the same park) and I actually liked DHS (MGM back then) better than DCA today (Rock n' Rollercoaster blows CA Screaming away and ToT is also way better in Orlando).

 

[bennyb98]

IMHO, Tomorrowland overall has the "general" same layout as DL's Tomorrowland.

I will however disagree that you will not have a DL type experience, both parks have the same over all "feel" to me and while yes many of the attractions are not at MK but at other parks there are lots of entertainment and attractions for you to enjoy! As a PP said some of the attractions are different and a few of them are better at MK then DL, just go into your vacation ready to have a good time and you will.

 

[momto2nenas]

Thanks for the replies. I know its going to be very different than DL but I just don't want my family overwhelmed. I know WDW is HUGE. We are used to walking down the street and straight into the parks at DL.

We would spend 5 days at the Parks (that's how long the Salute tickets are for) and I think we'd only add 1 park hopper for Hollywood Studios.

Who knows, I may just have to FORCE myself to DL before June 12th... LOL

 

[fairycat]

Wow! First I am so shocked that so many people disliked Epcot and AK, I think those were our favorite parks. I told DH I wanted to pack up Ak in a little box and bring it home to DL since I wanted a park just like it here. I wish we had gotten there earlier since I feel we missed so much. We had so much fun talking to the CM's in that park (the nicest at WDW) and just loved it! Ok Dinoland is a bit of a dud and Dinosaur is like a weak version of Indy with Jurassic Park thrown in (it felt like a huge rip off of the movie and ride). But everything else was awesome.

We have done two single day trips and a three day trip and even with that small amount of time we have done two days at Epcot and I am debating doing Epcot or Ak for our next one day trip. Though with a newborn, most likely we will do MK, which is not my favorite. Our last trip we spent approx 2 hours there and then left.

Our other favorite was the water park, it was so fun and had some cool stuff we have never seen at other water parks. It was a blast!

I think I like the things that are the most different at wdw to Dl, that way I do not compare. I like to do the things I just can't do at DL, since DL is my home park and I barely ever go to WDW, and with family nearby we really will always have a tough time getting away with a longer trip, so I like to take advantage of what little time I do have there.

 

[LavenderPeach]

Wow! First I am so shocked that so many people disliked Epcot and AK, I think those were our favorite parks.

Our other favorite was the water park, it was so fun and had some cool stuff we have never seen at other water parks. It was a blast!

Epcot and AK were 2 of our faves too. I think MK was the least fun but DH also started getting a cold that day so that's probably part of the reason we didn't have as much fun there.

And the water park turned out to be our favorite part of our whole trip. We had a great time there. The mini-golf next door was really fun too.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I am also a big Epcot lover....the experiences that you should fit in in my opinion are
1. Spaceship Earth
2. The American Adventure/ Voices of Liberty
3. Illuminations

You could accomplish these with just an evening in the park.

But with a few more hours i would add
1. Nemo
2. Mexico ride
3. Living with the land boat tour
cute rides and have very little wait times.

Devote a whole day and add
1. Test Track
2. Soaring
3. Canada Movie

I think AK could be a skip, 2 days MK, 1 day Epcot, 1 day DHS

 

[Mike_M]

For me at least, a big part of the draw of the Disney Parks is the fantasy aspect of it. Epcot and AK's focus is more reality than fantasy and I'm just not interested in that theme most of the time. I'm not saying it's bad, it just isn't my thing.

Epcot's World fair aspect is so dull to me and DAK just feels like a really nice zoo (I know it's more than just a zoo, but it just feels that way when I'm there).

Here's the thing though. Since WDW has 4 main parks, not really getting into two of them still leaves two others for me to enjoy. I probably didn't get this across in my previous posts but I did have a great time the two trips I had to WDW. WDW is big enough for all kinds of people with different interests and tastes.

 

[DLR29]

I for one, loved AK (Expedition Everest is my favorite attraction at WDW) and didn't care as much for DHS (although Rock n' Roller Coaster was far better than I expected). To each his own.

 

[momto2nenas]

My kids are only 3 and 6 so FantasyLand, the Princesses, Toontown..that kind of stuff is what we'd be interested in.

 

[Judy from Boise]

whatever you do don't take them to Stich's encounter!

 

[WeLoveTheMouse]

I first took my 2 girls to WDW at 2 and 5. Here are some of the things for younger kids at these parks.

HS has Playhouse Disney, animation studios, Little Mermaid Show, Beauty and the Beast Show, new Toy Story Mania, Honey I Shrunk the Kids playground, Muppet show

Epcot has a great living Seas pavilion with Turtle talk and a Nemo ride (in a clamshell not in a sub under water) and Coral Reef restr that is an aquarium; Test Track which mine loved at that age though it might scare some kids; the Innoventions play areas have a lot more activities than the one at DL; SpaceShip Earth(it has activities like Innoventions at DL);mine love the World Showcase KIdscot stations where they get a mask to decorate and at each station they get a tag. once they get them all, they get a certificate

AK - the dinoland playground and bone dig is almost impossible to get them out of. The Nemo show is great! this is about a 1/2 day park for us and we really enjoy it at night when most people have left.

MK - I have to admit that Toontown at DL blows Toontown at MK away.

Hope this helps.