Will our family be disappointed with Disneyland ?

[OFF TO WDW!]

Our family (DS 12 Dw) and I are going to Disneyland. Our son LOVES Disneyworld, and we have been there three times already, but now wants to see Disneyland. My question is DL is so much smaller from what I hear, I'm concerned with how disappointed we all may be as compared to DW.

Any thoughts?


Thanks!

 

[rangebob]

I took my son there a couple of years ago and we are local to WDW. We went the first day and we had a couple of extra days and when I asked him what we wanted to do for the other days he said this go to DL more. We both really loved the park. We both thought that DL is so much better than WDW. I don't know if this is because we frequent WDW. The rides are so much better and longer there than they are here. You can definately tell what the favorite park in the chain is.

 

[HydroGuy]

Here is a formula for disappointment at DLR for a WDW vet:

1. Set up WDW as the "ideal Disney vacation" such that anything that is different is by definition worse

2. Do not do any research on DLR strengths over WDW so that you never see the good things about DLR because you are so absorbed by the differences

3. Think like a "WDW person" while at DLR rather than a "DLR person". For example, be sure to think that because the castle at MK is the center of the park that at DL its castle must also be the center. Then when you see DL's small castle you can be disappointed. A DLR person knows that the much larger Matterhorn mountain next to the castle at DL is considered to be the park's center.

4. At WDW most hotels are further away from the parks and folks drive or use buses or boats to get to the parks and WDW vets are accustomed to this. Be sure to get a far away hotel at DLR. One of DLR's greatest strengths are the walking distance hotels as they allow you to experience a lot more. Do not stay at one of these. Make sure you either drive to the parks every day and waste a lot of time at the parking garages (Hidden Time Losses When Using a Car At DLR) or take shuttles or buses that show up late (HydroGuy's Hotel Rule)

5. Be sure to do no research on how entertainment is reduced in off-season. Then you can lock-in travel dates thinking you are avoiding crowds and when it is too late to change you find out you will miss some of DLR's excellent shows. What You Should Know About Off-Season at DLR.

6. If you are there when they have fireworks be sure to save them for the last night. Fireworks get canceled much more often at DLR than at WDW because of the more residential area. If you save for the last night and they do get canceled due to winds you can be really bummed. HydroGuy's Fireworks Rule.

7. Crowds have really been influenced lately by AP holders at DLR (Understanding AP Blockouts and Impact on Crowds). Plan your trip for days when APs are not blocked out and you can be swamped with crowds you did not expect.


DLR is definitely less than WDW is some areas, but it is more in others. So you do not have to search for them, IMO these are areas where DLR exceeds WDW:

1. Proximity of parks, hotels and DTD - at DLR you can walk everywhere in 5-10 minutes. You can parkhop in 60 seconds flat. For this reason it is easier to take hotel breaks, avoid crowds on crowded days, and experience more park hours. At DLR we spend 3-4 hours extra per day actually inside the parks than at WDW because little time is wasted on transportation (and waiting for transportation)

2. Shows - DLR's top shows are better than the ones at WDW (IMO). This includes Fantasmic, the Aladdin stage show (closing in August unfortunately ), and, when it is showing, Remember Dreams Come True fireworks/laser/special effects show. The new World of Color show opening in April is expected to be a blockbuster.

3. Weather - less rain and less humidity makes for better weather on the whole - especially in the summer. See "Comparison of Weather For WDW and DLR" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1711098

4. Ride concentration - WDW's four parks in total only have 10% more rides than DLR's two parks

So will you be disappointed? Let DLR be DLR, enjoy it for itself, and you are in for a real treat.


For more reading see this link by my favorite DIS poster. Last I checked it had over 28,000 views.

"A DLR Guide for WDW Vets" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

Finally, you refer in your post to "DL". That term can be a little confusing. DL (Disneyland) is a theme park at "DLR" (Disneyland Resort). See "Disneyland Resort Lingo for Newbies" - www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2214012

 

[mrskckitty]

I don't think anyone could be dissapointed in DLR. I've been to WDW alot more because I live on the east coast. If I lived closer to the west coast, I would go to DLR much more. There is something very "homey" about DLR to me, some of the rides are longer and the guests seem more considerate. Don't get me wrong, I love WDW - but I love DLR just as much.

 

[LavenderPeach]

Here's a recent thread about this: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2389313

 

[Rosanne]

I've not been to DL yet (going in August) and I have been to WDW many times. I am so excited to be going where Walt actually walked around and personally rode the rides etc. I can't imagine being disappointed. From all my reading it sounds like it will be more efficient and convenient also. I've shared some of the history with my girls and the Walt factor is huge to them.

 

[KCmike]

We love it! We've been WDW vets for several years and went three years ago to DL and now have been back to DisneyLAND 3 YEARS IN A ROW!!!!

We are also hooked on California. San Diego, Monterey, SF, and Yosemite NAtional PArk!

 

[Lesleyluvsdisney]

no way!!! we'd been to WDW 8 times, before deciding to go to DL. We absolutely LOVED it!! such a pretty park, totally fell in love with it!! Just booked to go to Old Key West WDW, and keep thinking - should we have gone back to DL.

you will love it!!!

PS - go on to Hydroguys WDW vets guide. it is amazing.!!!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

If you go in with an open mind, willing to experience the very best of what Disneyland has to offer, you'll probably find that it's a pretty special place. There will be things you like better about Disneyland. And there will be things you like better about WDW. And that's okay. It's fine to compare the two as long as you haven't set one up to be infinitely superior to the other.

I maintain that WDW fans who've never visited and/or refuse to Disneyland have no idea what they're missing. And Disneyland fans who refuse to visit WDW are missing out on a fun experience as well. I love them both, but for vastly different reasons.

One last thing. As wonderful as WDW is, Disneyland has something WDW never will. The light on in Walt's apartment over the Fire Department. That light explains why Disneyland is special. If you get Walt Disney, you'll get Disneyland.

 

[mouselike-harrier]

We are going for the first time this July, and we can't wait to go the original Park! We are excited to experience the different rides and attractions, try the different restaurants, soak up the history and background of Walt, and most of all, revel in the smaller size. My kids understand that DL is different than WDW, are excited by it, and they want to try it all!

 

[pixarmom]

I've not been to DL yet (going in August) and I have been to WDW many times. I am so excited to be going where Walt actually walked around and personally rode the rides etc. I can't imagine being disappointed. From all my reading it sounds like it will be more efficient and convenient also. I've shared some of the history with my girls and the Walt factor is huge to them.

Same here! I went to DL several times as a young child, but then became a WDW vet, so I don't remember DL well. We're also going in August, and it will be the first time at DL for our three boys. They love Disney, and nobody needs to pick a favorite park. Our older boys are very into the Walt factor - our oldest loves One Man's Dream at DHS, for example, and has really enjoyed all the details of DL history. So we're all looking forward to it, and I don't expect that anyone will be one bit disappointed!

And thanks so much, Sleepless Knight, we'll look for that light over the fire department! Can't wait!

 

[sasywtch]

Having been to both parks, the reason I like DL is that I can relax there. I don't have the hurry up, we have reservations to eat over there, we have to see all the parks, etc. It's so nice to slow down and just look over things you'd normally miss by rushing to do it all. The park is clean, people are friendly, rides are for adults/children alike. What's not to like? Granted it's not a 10 day destination but one could combine it with a trip to the ocean, Santa Monica Pier, Hollywood (where you can eat at the Disney store), visit Warner Bros studio to see a live working tour, Universal, San Diego, etc.

When my kids were younger and we stretched it to a 7 day vacation, we let each kid pick one day of what they wanted to do outside of Disney.

 

[EnnEss]

Between DL and DCA i usually do 4 days. 5 is my ideal though. WDW is usually 9, with a day at the waterparks I have no interest in but go for others.

I generally like the DLR experience more. There are so many rides crammed into that park, overall there are less but its far more than half of the rides that wdw has, which is what some might expect with the 2 vs 4 parks thing.

I like not having to take the buses to and from resorts. Walking through downtown disney and then into your disney hotel is really nice. Paradise pier is a nice option for a reasonable price. There are TONS of really really cheap hotels that are very close too, not disney ones mind you, but I routinely get hotels at or around 50 - 60 a night within 2 or 3 minutes walking distance in summer peak times.

 

[HydroGuy]

There are so many rides crammed into that park, overall there are less but its far more than half of the rides that wdw has, which is what some might expect with the 2 vs 4 parks thing.

By my count WDW's four theme parks have 72 rides/attractions and DLR's two parks have 67.