Diszona
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2010
- Messages
- 543
First let me start by saying please excuse the length of my first post. Though I have not posted here before I always come to this site before a Disney trip and thoroughly enjoy the informative posts and being able to get up to date information from this board. I know there have been many posts looking at the differences between WDW and DLR particularly the wonderful posts by Hydroguy and Mary Jo. While I truly appreciate the vast amount of information in those posts, they are coming from the perspective of someone who grew up with DL as their ‘home’ park. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that, quite the contrary, but I thought some might like to hear the perspective of someone who grew up going to WDW and has since gone to DLR. I also thought that WDW vets going out to DLR for the first time might like to know what to expect through ‘their eyes’ so to speak.
A little background on myself, I grew up an hour from Disney World and have been going there since the early 70’s. I am now located in Phoenix and we have started going to Disneyland now as our primary Disney destination. While WDW and MK will always be special to me, I love Disneyland and think it is a wonderful and special place. There are some differences (good and not as good) that do wish to highlight. In fairness to DL my experience there is limited so some of my views could just be isolated to when I have visited, but this is what I have come away with from my experiences there.
The first thing I want to talk about is what I would consider the strongest qualitative points for both resorts, both of which are special but different. This is something that Hydroguy mentioned in his posts and did a great job with but I wanted to address it from the WDWer’s perspective: Immersion vs. The Original.
To me the resorts as a whole have a very different feel to them, both full of Disney magic and one not better than the other, but the difference is there. This is more evident comparing DLP to MK. Prior to actually going to Disneyland I have to admit I was one to dismiss the idea that “This was Walt’s park” or all the special touches and the feeling that comes with that. I think a lot of WDWers probably somewhat dismiss it as well. Having been there now I can confidently say that I was wrong and this is a very real thing when you are actually in the park. There is a quaintness (I don’t know if that is the right word, it somehow seems insulting but I can’t think of a better one) that isn’t there at MK. MK tends to be more about impressive grandeur with its size and scope where DLP has much ‘at home’ feel to it. I loved this aspect of the park more than anything else and it makes the trip so much better than if it been exactly the same just on a different coast. It is a special thing to know that this is the park that Walt Disney had his hands in creating. While it isn’t WDWs fault he wasn’t alive to see it though the difference is there and it is very real.
At WDW the key is the ‘Immersive’ experience. For WDW vets like me who have been going since they are kids this isn’t simply having all the hotels and parks on one property. It is the anticipation of coming off the highway and seeing those gates as you enter the resort. It is seeing the Seven Seas Lagoon and going to the MK by monorail or by ferry (my preferred way). It really is a moment where you leave the rest of the world behind and if you have grown up with those memories it is a very real thing. There is much more of a separation from the outside world at WDW and if you are a WDW vet going to DLR this is a mindset that needs to be shifted. Much like it isn’t WDW’s fault that Walt wasn’t around to see its construction through, it isn’t Disneyland’s fault that it couldn’t be more isolated from the surrounding area than it is, but again this is a very real difference and will probably be the mindset that a WDW vet will need to adjust the most.
As for further comparisons, I am going to primarily stick with MK vs. DLP. These are sort of the parallel parks and again given the space limitations at DLR a comparison of the two isn’t really fair. One thing I will address for DL vets going to WDW is one thing Hydroguy addressed in his posts and that is the approach to park hopping. Park hopping is much more complicated at WDW given the size of the place and requires a good bit more planning. A large number of vacations at WDW are a week or longer and in those cases most people (at least that I know) tend to go the ‘one park a day’ route. If not they tend to only leave that day’s primary part to catch a special show or go to the pool. With a longer stay getting in as many parks as possible on a given day isn’t as important. If you do want to go to multiple parks in a day or have limited time at WDW I would suggest pairing parks that are close to each other (such as Epcot and Hollywood studios, keep in mind that ‘close’ at WDW is relative) or combine one park with a water park. Personally I would not recommend park hopping at WDW and if you had a limited time to be there pick the park or parks you want to go to and try to take in as much at that individual park as you can.
Also as an additional note to WDWers going to Disneyland for the first time: do not bother with character meals. They do have them at DLR but they are not the same as what they have at WDW and you will end up disappointed and quite frankly wasting a lot of time you could be spending in the parks. I believe Hydroguy mentioned that character meals are not a big deal at DL and from what I saw I have to agree. There isn’t anything like the Crystal Palace lunch or Chef Mickey’s breakfast so do not go in with those expectations.
While the dining options are a little more limited at DLP I found the food there to be quite good, particularly at the restaurants at New Orleans Square. A WDWer who is going there for the first time make sure you get a chance to eat at Blue Bayou. It stacks up with any restaurant at any of the resorts and its location in POTC is a unique experience that should not be missed.
Now on to MK and DLP, the first and most obvious difference is the size. This works for and against DLP park depending on when you are there. On days with low crowds I found the smaller scale at DLP to be a blessing. It was much easier to get from one part of the park to another and it added to the ‘homey’ feel of the park. However on days when the park had heavier crowds I really miss the larger pathways and the space at MK.
Another difference that will hit a WDWer when they enter the park is the scale of Main Street and the Castle. The difference doesn’t really hit you until you get there. I actually like the smaller, cozier Main Street (not more that WDW but I still like it in a different way) and I really like that there is at least some remnants of the Penny Arcade remaining (back to my memories as a youth). There is not a barbershop, however, so don't go there planning to do the whole “First haircut at Disney’ thing. The Castle is another story, I like Sleeping Beauty Castle just fine but I must admit I miss seeing Cinderella Castle down at the end of Main Street.
Now on to the different ‘lands.’ One thing that struck me as that, due to the differences in scale, the lands didn’t seem quite as separated from one another as they do at MK. Particularly New Orleans Square, Adventureland, Frontierland and Critter Country all seemed to blend together much more than the lands at the Magic Kingdom. Now that is great on one hand because it makes it much easier to get around but it did take some getting used to.
Much of the lands aren’t all that different, I like the theming of Adventureland and Tomorrow land a little better at MK (Adventureland seems much bigger in MK but part of that is because it has all the POTC and the Pirate’s League stuff) but prefer the theming of Fantasyland at DLP (I wish they would ditch the Medieval fair stuff at MK). I will be interested to see how Fantasyland at MK stacks up when they finish the expansion. Toontown is MUCH better themed at DLP, though when we have been there there didn’t seem to be many characters, we probably have just been at the wrong times.
While Adventureland may be better themed IMO at MK it has nothing that stacks up to Indiana Jones as far as rides are concerned (I prefer the MK Jungle Cruise but the differences aren’t that vast). I know Dinosaur at AK has a similar ride mechanism but the comparison isn’t close. The theming is as good as you will see in any park, the ride is thrilling and quite frankly it is just ‘cooler’ than pretty much any ride at either place. Even if you don’t like rough rides, this is one to go on even if you have to hold your stomach through the whole thing. The payoff for going on this ride makes it more than worth it.
New Orleans square is great and I really wish they had it at MK instead of Liberty Square. Don’t get me wrong, LS is about as well themed as any land in any park, but having lived in Philly for a few years (LS is basically Phillyland for all intents and purposes) New Orleans is a much more fun and interesting place to hang out. Also NOS has the much better POTC ride. I like the theming of the MK version’s queue area better (seems more Caribbean and is more extensive) but as a ride there really is no comparison. Prior to my going to DL I had heard of the differences but I always figured that sure it is longer but can the really be THAT different. Also, because of the extra 7+ minutes of ride time at DL’s all of the Jack Sparrow add-ons don’t seem as intrusive and in your face. I now understand why most DLers are disappointed with the MK’s version. The MK version isn’t bad, it just isn’t close to what they have in California. If you could take the building and queue from MK and the ride from DLP you would have the perfect ride IMO.
Fantasyland seems like a no-brainer: The theming is better at DLP and there are more rides. This is true and overall I prefer the DLP version to the MK version, however the difference is not as vast as most think for one reason: Mickey’s PhilharMagic. It may seem strange that a 3D movie would make much of a difference but the PhilharMagic is by far the best 3D movie experience around. It is really a unique attraction and something like MuppetVision doesn’t even come close. The difference is like comparing the MK POTC to the DL version, it really is that much better. I also prefer some of the MK rides such as Peter Pan and Snow White. However, I love the canal boats, and DL has Mr. Toad (ah, back to my youth) and the Matterhorn (although I have to admit, for a WDW vet a roller coaster in Fantasyland still seems wrong in some way).
Tomorrowland is pretty much a wash, the Nemo ride was neat but not really worth the wait, IMO and Space Mountain is better at DL. My kids love the Monster’s Inc Laughing Floor at MK and it is really a neat attraction even if the jokes are corny. Stitch at MK is the worst ride in the world and the less said about it the better. I prefer the MK Buzz, the ride is a little longer and I am probably one of the few people that prefer the challenge of not being able to take the gun off the car. I like that the Astro Orbiter is still up high at MK but I love that the Jedi Academy is at DLP (rather than Hollywood Studios at WDW).
Frontierland is about the same to me if you combine Frontierland and Critter Country. The railroad is much better at DL. I prefer Splash Mountain at MK and the Pooh ride (which is in Fantasyland) at MK is better IMO.
While I love DL there are a few things I wish were different:
First, it could just be the times I have visited, but I find the cast members at WDW much friendlier and much more knowledgeable than at DLR. We have had a hard time getting questions answered at DL where the cast members at WDW seem to know just about everything about the park they are working at. Others may have had different experiences but that is something that has stood out to me. On the other hand the actors playing characters are better at DL, particularly the villains at Halloween who stay in character.
The fireworks and shows are DL are first rate and for the most part better than the ones at WDW (at least in technical terms). However at DL everyone seems to stand throughout the shows and it can make it difficult for small ones to see everything. I don’t know it is a space issue or what but the atmosphere at the shows seems much more relaxed at WDW and I missed being able to sit with my family and enjoy the show instead of having to jockey for position.
Hopefully this post wasn’t too long and didn’t repeat too much of what has been posted earlier. I just wanted to give some opinions from the WDW vantage point and hopefully point out some of what I took home from experiencing both places. The take home message is that both are wonderful special places, but they are unique and need to be treated as such rather than looking at them as Disney World West or Disneyland South.
A little background on myself, I grew up an hour from Disney World and have been going there since the early 70’s. I am now located in Phoenix and we have started going to Disneyland now as our primary Disney destination. While WDW and MK will always be special to me, I love Disneyland and think it is a wonderful and special place. There are some differences (good and not as good) that do wish to highlight. In fairness to DL my experience there is limited so some of my views could just be isolated to when I have visited, but this is what I have come away with from my experiences there.
The first thing I want to talk about is what I would consider the strongest qualitative points for both resorts, both of which are special but different. This is something that Hydroguy mentioned in his posts and did a great job with but I wanted to address it from the WDWer’s perspective: Immersion vs. The Original.
To me the resorts as a whole have a very different feel to them, both full of Disney magic and one not better than the other, but the difference is there. This is more evident comparing DLP to MK. Prior to actually going to Disneyland I have to admit I was one to dismiss the idea that “This was Walt’s park” or all the special touches and the feeling that comes with that. I think a lot of WDWers probably somewhat dismiss it as well. Having been there now I can confidently say that I was wrong and this is a very real thing when you are actually in the park. There is a quaintness (I don’t know if that is the right word, it somehow seems insulting but I can’t think of a better one) that isn’t there at MK. MK tends to be more about impressive grandeur with its size and scope where DLP has much ‘at home’ feel to it. I loved this aspect of the park more than anything else and it makes the trip so much better than if it been exactly the same just on a different coast. It is a special thing to know that this is the park that Walt Disney had his hands in creating. While it isn’t WDWs fault he wasn’t alive to see it though the difference is there and it is very real.
At WDW the key is the ‘Immersive’ experience. For WDW vets like me who have been going since they are kids this isn’t simply having all the hotels and parks on one property. It is the anticipation of coming off the highway and seeing those gates as you enter the resort. It is seeing the Seven Seas Lagoon and going to the MK by monorail or by ferry (my preferred way). It really is a moment where you leave the rest of the world behind and if you have grown up with those memories it is a very real thing. There is much more of a separation from the outside world at WDW and if you are a WDW vet going to DLR this is a mindset that needs to be shifted. Much like it isn’t WDW’s fault that Walt wasn’t around to see its construction through, it isn’t Disneyland’s fault that it couldn’t be more isolated from the surrounding area than it is, but again this is a very real difference and will probably be the mindset that a WDW vet will need to adjust the most.
As for further comparisons, I am going to primarily stick with MK vs. DLP. These are sort of the parallel parks and again given the space limitations at DLR a comparison of the two isn’t really fair. One thing I will address for DL vets going to WDW is one thing Hydroguy addressed in his posts and that is the approach to park hopping. Park hopping is much more complicated at WDW given the size of the place and requires a good bit more planning. A large number of vacations at WDW are a week or longer and in those cases most people (at least that I know) tend to go the ‘one park a day’ route. If not they tend to only leave that day’s primary part to catch a special show or go to the pool. With a longer stay getting in as many parks as possible on a given day isn’t as important. If you do want to go to multiple parks in a day or have limited time at WDW I would suggest pairing parks that are close to each other (such as Epcot and Hollywood studios, keep in mind that ‘close’ at WDW is relative) or combine one park with a water park. Personally I would not recommend park hopping at WDW and if you had a limited time to be there pick the park or parks you want to go to and try to take in as much at that individual park as you can.
Also as an additional note to WDWers going to Disneyland for the first time: do not bother with character meals. They do have them at DLR but they are not the same as what they have at WDW and you will end up disappointed and quite frankly wasting a lot of time you could be spending in the parks. I believe Hydroguy mentioned that character meals are not a big deal at DL and from what I saw I have to agree. There isn’t anything like the Crystal Palace lunch or Chef Mickey’s breakfast so do not go in with those expectations.
While the dining options are a little more limited at DLP I found the food there to be quite good, particularly at the restaurants at New Orleans Square. A WDWer who is going there for the first time make sure you get a chance to eat at Blue Bayou. It stacks up with any restaurant at any of the resorts and its location in POTC is a unique experience that should not be missed.
Now on to MK and DLP, the first and most obvious difference is the size. This works for and against DLP park depending on when you are there. On days with low crowds I found the smaller scale at DLP to be a blessing. It was much easier to get from one part of the park to another and it added to the ‘homey’ feel of the park. However on days when the park had heavier crowds I really miss the larger pathways and the space at MK.
Another difference that will hit a WDWer when they enter the park is the scale of Main Street and the Castle. The difference doesn’t really hit you until you get there. I actually like the smaller, cozier Main Street (not more that WDW but I still like it in a different way) and I really like that there is at least some remnants of the Penny Arcade remaining (back to my memories as a youth). There is not a barbershop, however, so don't go there planning to do the whole “First haircut at Disney’ thing. The Castle is another story, I like Sleeping Beauty Castle just fine but I must admit I miss seeing Cinderella Castle down at the end of Main Street.
Now on to the different ‘lands.’ One thing that struck me as that, due to the differences in scale, the lands didn’t seem quite as separated from one another as they do at MK. Particularly New Orleans Square, Adventureland, Frontierland and Critter Country all seemed to blend together much more than the lands at the Magic Kingdom. Now that is great on one hand because it makes it much easier to get around but it did take some getting used to.
Much of the lands aren’t all that different, I like the theming of Adventureland and Tomorrow land a little better at MK (Adventureland seems much bigger in MK but part of that is because it has all the POTC and the Pirate’s League stuff) but prefer the theming of Fantasyland at DLP (I wish they would ditch the Medieval fair stuff at MK). I will be interested to see how Fantasyland at MK stacks up when they finish the expansion. Toontown is MUCH better themed at DLP, though when we have been there there didn’t seem to be many characters, we probably have just been at the wrong times.
While Adventureland may be better themed IMO at MK it has nothing that stacks up to Indiana Jones as far as rides are concerned (I prefer the MK Jungle Cruise but the differences aren’t that vast). I know Dinosaur at AK has a similar ride mechanism but the comparison isn’t close. The theming is as good as you will see in any park, the ride is thrilling and quite frankly it is just ‘cooler’ than pretty much any ride at either place. Even if you don’t like rough rides, this is one to go on even if you have to hold your stomach through the whole thing. The payoff for going on this ride makes it more than worth it.
New Orleans square is great and I really wish they had it at MK instead of Liberty Square. Don’t get me wrong, LS is about as well themed as any land in any park, but having lived in Philly for a few years (LS is basically Phillyland for all intents and purposes) New Orleans is a much more fun and interesting place to hang out. Also NOS has the much better POTC ride. I like the theming of the MK version’s queue area better (seems more Caribbean and is more extensive) but as a ride there really is no comparison. Prior to my going to DL I had heard of the differences but I always figured that sure it is longer but can the really be THAT different. Also, because of the extra 7+ minutes of ride time at DL’s all of the Jack Sparrow add-ons don’t seem as intrusive and in your face. I now understand why most DLers are disappointed with the MK’s version. The MK version isn’t bad, it just isn’t close to what they have in California. If you could take the building and queue from MK and the ride from DLP you would have the perfect ride IMO.
Fantasyland seems like a no-brainer: The theming is better at DLP and there are more rides. This is true and overall I prefer the DLP version to the MK version, however the difference is not as vast as most think for one reason: Mickey’s PhilharMagic. It may seem strange that a 3D movie would make much of a difference but the PhilharMagic is by far the best 3D movie experience around. It is really a unique attraction and something like MuppetVision doesn’t even come close. The difference is like comparing the MK POTC to the DL version, it really is that much better. I also prefer some of the MK rides such as Peter Pan and Snow White. However, I love the canal boats, and DL has Mr. Toad (ah, back to my youth) and the Matterhorn (although I have to admit, for a WDW vet a roller coaster in Fantasyland still seems wrong in some way).
Tomorrowland is pretty much a wash, the Nemo ride was neat but not really worth the wait, IMO and Space Mountain is better at DL. My kids love the Monster’s Inc Laughing Floor at MK and it is really a neat attraction even if the jokes are corny. Stitch at MK is the worst ride in the world and the less said about it the better. I prefer the MK Buzz, the ride is a little longer and I am probably one of the few people that prefer the challenge of not being able to take the gun off the car. I like that the Astro Orbiter is still up high at MK but I love that the Jedi Academy is at DLP (rather than Hollywood Studios at WDW).
Frontierland is about the same to me if you combine Frontierland and Critter Country. The railroad is much better at DL. I prefer Splash Mountain at MK and the Pooh ride (which is in Fantasyland) at MK is better IMO.
While I love DL there are a few things I wish were different:
First, it could just be the times I have visited, but I find the cast members at WDW much friendlier and much more knowledgeable than at DLR. We have had a hard time getting questions answered at DL where the cast members at WDW seem to know just about everything about the park they are working at. Others may have had different experiences but that is something that has stood out to me. On the other hand the actors playing characters are better at DL, particularly the villains at Halloween who stay in character.
The fireworks and shows are DL are first rate and for the most part better than the ones at WDW (at least in technical terms). However at DL everyone seems to stand throughout the shows and it can make it difficult for small ones to see everything. I don’t know it is a space issue or what but the atmosphere at the shows seems much more relaxed at WDW and I missed being able to sit with my family and enjoy the show instead of having to jockey for position.
Hopefully this post wasn’t too long and didn’t repeat too much of what has been posted earlier. I just wanted to give some opinions from the WDW vantage point and hopefully point out some of what I took home from experiencing both places. The take home message is that both are wonderful special places, but they are unique and need to be treated as such rather than looking at them as Disney World West or Disneyland South.
