With 3 days left my verdict is in

[vettegirl]

I have been to DL, WDW, DLP, and Tokyo Disney and I love them all!!!

 

[Disney Dreams]

WOW, I knew the Disneyland sucks comment would get peoples attention but not have people go off on me in such an insulting manner. Um Hydroguy while I read many of your threads and they were helpful and I know everyone loves you here,please don't say I have zero credibility. It's an Amusement Park not rocket science. I am not trying to tell anyone not to go. I have the right to my opinion. I have been hear 6 night so far and I think Disneyworld is better. That's all I don't need to go 100 times to earn the right to form an opinion. My wife is having a good time. My kids would rather be at HOJOS. Me like I said I am having a stressful good time.

Tino, you absolutely have the right to your opinion and I disagree with Hydroguy saying you have no credibility because you have "not taken the time to develop it." If you have experience at both resorts, compare all you want. I questioned your "Disneyland sucks," comments and attitude based on your own previous pre-trip posts and seeming negativity before even arriving. You almost seemed determined not to like DLR before arriving - from the tone and language in your own posts, nothing further. That is where I took issue with integrity.

Does Disneyland suck , NO do I think Disneyworld is better yes.

Cool. Glad you have had a chance to visit DLR and embrace some of the elements it has to offer. Everyone has their favorite and it's nice that you had a chance to visit both.

Did notice the other morning the fast pass machines were spitting out fast passes before my printed return time window. Happened to me all day. Not sure why. I mean at least a half hour before not 2 minutes.

Well, i am not sure if this is a question or a complaint/reason why you are upset, but this is 100% correct. You rarely have to wait until your return window for a new FP on a busy, July day.

You can get a new FP at the time printed on the very bottom of your FP, where it says, "Next FP available at ----." This will either be at your return time OR 2 hours after you picked up your most recent FP. So, yes, you can get FPs sometimes HOURS before your return time. Also, FPs between the 2 parks are not connected to each other so in theory you could get a Space Mountain FP and a Soarin' Over CA FP issued within a very short time of one another limited purely to the time it takes you to walk from one park to the other. There are many ways un which you could get a FP prior to your return window. Hope this helps explain what you were observing.

But anyway I will get blasted again or they will shut thread down because you know why would anyone want to have a heated discussion. Everything has to be happy. When that's just not reality. All this doesnt matter because I have 0 credibility. Last I checked there are no college courses offered that have anything to do with Disneyland.

It will get shutdown if it turns personal, as opposed to focusing on the topics, otherwise, probably not. I will agree with you that no one really wants a "heated discussion," but a friendly differing of views, that happens here everyday. Just ask me and HydroGuy about our views on Fantasmic! and you can see that. We've been disagreeing on that one for YEARS on this board.

Not everything has to be happy, but hopefully not everything is awful either. And if they offered a degree in DL, I would probably be racing, no, walking with purpose, to beat HydroGuy to the registration window, but we would help each other on the exams because we have acknowledge for years that we each have different knowledge, experience, and ways of enjoying the Parks, and sharing it with others is what DIS is about.

I'm happy to read that you have enjoyed some aspects of your vacation.

- Dreams

P.S. Forgive any typos, posted from my iPad.

 

[nunzia]

WOW, I knew the Disneyland sucks comment would get peoples attention but not have people go off on me in such an insulting manner. Um Hydroguy while I read many of your threads and they were helpful and I know everyone loves you here,please don't say I have zero credibility. It's an Amusement Park not rocket science. I am not trying to tell anyone not to go. I have the right to my opinion. I have been hear 6 night so far and I think Disneyworld is better. That's all I don't need to go 100 times to earn the right to form an opinion. My wife is having a good time. My kids would rather be at HOJOS. Me like I said I am having a stressful good time. Does Disneyland suck , NO do I think Disneyworld is better yes. Is the weather better than Florida, yes. But apparently I have to be a Disney Vet to be respected. I was just a guy who booked a vacation for his family. Came on these boards to talk, get help, vent, for the people analizing my posts, maybe you have the problem. My opinion doesn't count fine but I will say this. Peter pan is horrible in Disneyland as compared to World. Pirates far superior in DL. Small world DL. RAPIDS DW. DINOSAUR VS INDY, INDY WINS. Snowwhite scary adventure DW. HAUNTED MANSION DW.CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE is a mess. Disneyland has more characters roaming or signing. Felt too congested in Disneyland. Don't like being packed in like that. More wiggle room in Magic Kingdom. Not sure yet on Fantasmic doing dessert seating tonight. Oh Alladin was great. Star tours over rated. My kids love new Ariel ride. Tinkerbell meet and greet was an hour wait just to see tinkerbell and some guy fairy. Big disappointment. Tangled meet and greet is always like a 60 to 90 minute wait. Surfer up with mickey breakfast was fun. Ariels grotto lunch with princess was rushed. I guess its my fault they over book. Did notice the other morning the fast pass machines were spitting out fast passes before my printed return time window. Happened to me all day. Not sure why. I mean at least a half hour before not 2 minutes. But anyway I will get blasted again or they will shut thread down because you know why would anyone want to have a heated discussion. Everything has to be happy. When that's just not reality. All this doesnt matter because I have 0 credibility. Last I checked there are no college courses offered that have anything to do with Disneyland.

Now see...that is a much better vent/comment post. Specifics on experiences and comparisons, not just rants and blanket statements. Many here enjoy debating DLR and WDW differences..but really, your first post was just a spit in the eye of DLR fans. Had you opened with this post, you would have gotten a much more balanced discussion. We hate crowds so plan accordingly..seems like most of your issues were wait times, crowds, being rushed, and other things that are caused by summer crowds (like ride issues). Yes, DCA is a MESS but that is so it can be what it should have been in the end.

 

[cmadara]

Hi Tino,
I had a similar experience as you but it was on the Disney Cruise Line. We went on the 3-day cruise last November and was BEYOND excited-planning and visiting the cruise boards daily for months in anticipation! A tropical storm was out in the Atlantic and we had terrible weather. I realized that the weather was out of Disney control, but I felt the way it was dealt with was very "unDisneylike". The offerings instead of stopping at Castaway Cay ranged from an extra movie to napkin folding. Disney markets Castaway Cay HEAVILY! When you can't stop there-which happens quite often I found out, Disney does not compensate passengers at all. I have spoken to many people who have cruised other lines and they were all given room credits to compensate for not stopping/staying at a promised port.
When we returned, I posted my opinions. I will admit, I was very harsh with my initial post. We were VERY disappointed as we had been saving for quite sometime for this and probably overanticipated this trip.
But... boy did I get blasted!! I felt I was being personally attacked for how I felt- I was told I had a sense of "entitlement"- well yeah- I paid for this vacation!
Anyway, what I learned from the experience is that not every part of Disney is for everyone. We LOVE WDW (have been a dozen times) and I grew up going to DL- in fact we are headed there next week (YEAH!!!!!!!). But we will probably never go on another Disney cruise.
Also, as another poster said, this is a disney lover's board. I guess I got what I deserved (flaming!)

I hope your vacation improves and you leave Californina happy. But maybe WDW is your park. We all don't have to love every aspect of Disney. Just enjoy YOUR part of Disney magic. I think Walt would understand!

 

[Love Tink]

I read the whole thread and just have to laugh that A) Anyone thinks the OP was being "lambasted" and B) The OP himself thinks he is being treated unfairly.

Have any of you spent any time on the WDW Theme Parks and Attractions board? Oh my gosh! No topic, and I mean no topic, is too small to incite absolute war. A post like the first one in this thread would have set off Armageddon.

I have loved planning a trip to DL because I get to be over here, where 95% of the posts are measured and thoughtful (Tino's earlier Matterhorn posts, and his first post here being among the 5% that stuck out as the opposite - but anyway). This thread is many people commiserating with the OP despite his original tone and other people reasonably objecting to his tone. This thread isn't a lambasting!

 

[Tino]

I was looking at that part for fastpass. The other day I got fastpass for Star Tours at 8 am said I could get another fastpass starting at 8:40. I got fast passes for autopia at 8:15. Then walked to BTM at about 8:30 got those also.

 

[HydroGuy]

WOW, I knew the Disneyland sucks comment would get peoples attention but not have people go off on me in such an insulting manner. Um Hydroguy while I read many of your threads and they were helpful and I know everyone loves you here,please don't say I have zero credibility. It's an Amusement Park not rocket science. I am not trying to tell anyone not to go. I have the right to my opinion. I have been hear 6 night so far and I think Disneyworld is better. That's all I don't need to go 100 times to earn the right to form an opinion. My wife is having a good time. My kids would rather be at HOJOS. Me like I said I am having a stressful good time. Does Disneyland suck , NO do I think Disneyworld is better yes. Is the weather better than Florida, yes. But apparently I have to be a Disney Vet to be respected. I was just a guy who booked a vacation for his family. Came on these boards to talk, get help, vent, for the people analizing my posts, maybe you have the problem. My opinion doesn't count fine but I will say this. Peter pan is horrible in Disneyland as compared to World. Pirates far superior in DL. Small world DL. RAPIDS DW. DINOSAUR VS INDY, INDY WINS. Snowwhite scary adventure DW. HAUNTED MANSION DW.CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE is a mess. Disneyland has more characters roaming or signing. Felt too congested in Disneyland. Don't like being packed in like that. More wiggle room in Magic Kingdom. Not sure yet on Fantasmic doing dessert seating tonight. Oh Alladin was great. Star tours over rated. My kids love new Ariel ride. Tinkerbell meet and greet was an hour wait just to see tinkerbell and some guy fairy. Big disappointment. Tangled meet and greet is always like a 60 to 90 minute wait. Surfer up with mickey breakfast was fun. Ariels grotto lunch with princess was rushed. I guess its my fault they over book. Did notice the other morning the fast pass machines were spitting out fast passes before my printed return time window. Happened to me all day. Not sure why. I mean at least a half hour before not 2 minutes. But anyway I will get blasted again or they will shut thread down because you know why would anyone want to have a heated discussion. Everything has to be happy. When that's just not reality. All this doesnt matter because I have 0 credibility. Last I checked there are no college courses offered that have anything to do with Disneyland.

For me credibility comes from someone making thoughtful, constructive comments. Since I had not seen a single one from you then you had zero credibility with me. I have little patience for so-called critics of any kind when all they can do is criticize. Criticizing is easy. That is why so many people who can't do much else in life are so good at it. Taking the time to develop a balanced perspective and putting forth constructive points of view that can help others is harder. Fewer people are willing to do it. But that is what develops credibility with me.

By the way I did design cryogenic rockets for six years and I still supply technical software to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida - as well as technical software to both WDW and DLR. Comparing a Disney resort to rocket science is apples and oranges. Disney does something that is very hard - they weave together art and technology in a way that appeals to people's hearts. When you mindlessly bash Disney on a Disney forum like this then you are not "just expressing negative opinions". You are bashing peoples hearts. When you get backlash it has very little to do with intolerance for althernate points of view and much more to do with an intolerance for the kind of mindless bashing which any five-year-old can easily do.

Your post above is frankly the first I have seen from you which attempts to offer something balanced and constructive. As others have said if you would have started with this then this thread would likely have taken a different direction.

I am done with this thread.

 

[farmgirljen]

((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))) Tino, it sounds like you need a good stiff drink(which can't be found in the DL parks)! My first 2 visits to DL were a rough go too,The first trip, mostly because I was not prepared for the crowds on "the last day before APs went on summer blockout"..it was insane- shoulder to shoulder, front to back, and HOT! Not to mention I was traveling wiht "seasoned" lifelong friends who loved to traverse back and forth through the crowds of people as each chose a ride in a seperate area of the park, rather than trying to hit major rides in the same area. They had never heard of "the Dis" boards, and everything I had read on the board was scoffed at by these friends who were leading us around the park for 6 days... We missed several big attractions and rides at both parks because none of these people liked them, so we never went near them(matterhorn, splash,grizzly river,BTTMR,none of the dark rides in FL, and the list goes on)I felt like we wasted 6 days. The second trip I took was wiht my DH, and our son a year later. I planned it out for us and paid for it all, including a Mckey's halloween party, made our costumes, etc... It was beautiful our first day-and started pouring hte next day. 6 days of record rainfall in LA, and my DH and son ended up spending most of their time in our hotel room watching tv. I said heck wiht you, and was in the parks every moment I could be. My Dh thought the place was too crowded,etc... DL was not his cup of tea. ...I had a great time on our trip inspite of the rain, and hit every ride in both parks - I left NOTHING out. I have 2 more trips planned forthis upcoming year, and am very excited. Both trips are with people who are excited, and can't wait to go! My point in all this rambling is not about the mechanics of the park itself, but mainly about how much less fun it is to be there if you are there with someone who doesn't want to be there. Start a hunt for hidden mickeys- instead of focusing on rides, focus on hunting for mickeys, and go on rides along the way... Don't be the guy that doesn't want to be there, because that will just make the rest of your family more stressed out than you are. I hope you are having a great magic morning while I write this PS- Fantasmic was amazing the first time i watched it, and it brought to tears being able ot experience that with my son.

 

[oumagic]

It is not the opinions that upset some here but rather the way one expresses those opinions. I posted a glowing trip report about our visit from October 2010 but then posted how disappointed I was with my "free" trip in May 2011. No one lambasted me for my opinions. It is a Disney fanatic board but seems more level-headed than some other fan boards. Can you imagine what would happen if you went to an Oakland Raider site and posted "Raiders Suck" after criticizing them for months on the boards? People would probably label you as a troll (and stop there only if moderated) and not value your opinion. If you went to that same site and established yourself as a Raider fan and then criticized how Al Davis is handling things for the last 10 years, you would have people offering you hugs and agreeing with you.

I am sorry that you are not having a great time. It reminds me of my May trip. We are going back in October and if it is as bad as your trip or my one day deal, I won't go back. If it is even close to as good a time as we had last year, we are buying AP's.

 

[Sherry E]

.....But anyway I will get blasted again or they will shut thread down because you know why would anyone want to have a heated discussion. Everything has to be happy. When that's just not reality. All this doesnt matter because I have 0 credibility. Last I checked there are no college courses offered that have anything to do with Disneyland....

Tino -

These are unfair comments, and you're putting a negative spin on the fact that we like to keep this forum drama-free. That's not a bad thing. I've had no intention of shutting down this thread (yet). I've been reading it since yesterday. I can use my discretion as to which threads are in danger of spiraling out of control and need to be shut down, as can Mary Jo or Judy, or the administrators. This thread didn't 'sound the alarm' for me yet, in any way.

Whenever we shut down a thread it's because there's a specific reason to close it - usually because people are starting to insult others or get personal. I had to close a thread (or two) of yours in the past because people were starting to attack you with insults and it was not headed in a good direction. (And I apologized to you for having to close it.)

People disagree all the time on this forum, on this board, in general and in life. People discuss things all the time, and often times it gets heated. However, once it gets to be insulting and it doesn't seem like it's going to bounce back from that turn of events, we will close the thread. We don't simply close things just because something gets heated if it's handled respectfully and constructively.

If that means that "everything has to be happy" here on this forum, then fine. There are other places and boards where people can hurl insults at each other all day long. I'd rather be associated with a "happy," positive board like this than a board like that.

 

[blackjackdelta]

I was wondering when one of the MODs would chime in. Have a great day.

Jack

 

[iKristin]

Yeah we don't want to be the WDW boards...those people are rude over there lol

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I had to laugh that everyone thinks OP was being beat up..this was super gentle ROFL

I agree that your latest post is a way better post. I assume your first one was written in the heat of passion when you were still angry. Even if not, the second post is a way better way to vent and get your point across. I don't think many people would've disagreed with most of that! (The ones who know WDW anyway..as I do not )

I'm glad you're still finding the magic. I'm glad you're allowing your wife to have a good time and that she is. Maybe you should give DL another shot sometime when it's not a high crowd time (since that seems to be your biggest complaint?). Otherwise, you're right. WDW does sound like a better fit for you. At least you gave it a shot.

 

[Sherry E]

Jack -

I'm here! I just wanted to clarify that point so that people are not thinking we are randomly shutting down any thread in which people disagree or express their complaints about DLR. It has to reach a certain boiling point and look like it won't be able to recover from it before we do that.


Kristin -

I know what you mean! It's like the Wild, Wild West over on the other side! But I've seen some forums/boards before (not even necessarily Disney-related) where people just bash each other and insult each other all day long - and what purpose does that serve? It's such a waste of time.

 

[iKristin]

I think it's just because us West Coast people are the happiest in the country lol, we're more laid back and don't let things like this stress us as easily

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

I think it's because there's really no POINT in starting fights over opinion of the happiest place on earth LOL I mean, even the name tells you

 

[Mama Who]

Being resentful is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

I seriously love that so much I just went and quoted it as my Facebook status.

 

[twopeasonepod]

I seriously love that so much I just went and quoted it as my Facebook status.

Awesome! I love it, too! I read it a few years ago in the book, Beautiful Boy. But I think Carrie Fisher actually said it first! Go Princess Leia haha.

 

[cyclenut]

Hi Tino!

I'm so very sorry that your experience at one of my favorite places on earth has not met your expectations. I think that is the key though, expectations. It seems yours may have been a bit unrealistic for a theme park such as Disneyland. Of course, Disney has set those expectation very high and I can see where you may have come to your expectations.

I was very pleased to read your last report. I found that to be much more balanced and thoughtful than the one you started this thread with. You were obviously very frustrated after several very long days in the parks and did your venting here. In my short time here I have learned that people can be very passionate and sometimes that passion can result in statements that seem a little too harsh.

While I do spend a lot of time in the parks, I am going to experience DCL for the first time in a couple of weeks. I am spending a fortune (by my standards anyway) on that trip and my expectations are very high, but guarded.

I strongly suggest you voice your concerns regarding the whole of your trip to someone in Guest Relations. Let them know that Disney has let you down. There is nothing that they can do about ride closures, but misinformation is another matter. Don't go in expecting anything in return. Go in with the purpose to express your disappointment that the Disney brand has been tarnished for you and your family. They may ask you how they can help. Be prepared with some realistic suggestions. Perhaps a special character meet or maybe a few additional fastpasses to some of your favorite attractions. Those are things they can do.

Give Disney a chance to make things right. DLR really is a magical place and it hosts and entertains thousands of visitors every day. Unfortunately, not everyone walks away delighted.

One parting note. CMs do their personal best, but there are quite a few of them that are added every year just to handle the summer crowds. Many are between the ages of 18 and 22 and Disney may be their first employer. Disney puts them through training to help them meet guest expectations, but many are still very green, especially those you may encounter most frequently and especially during the peak times. Understand that you will often know more than they do, unless you happen across a seasoned CM. When I have a question I usually start with ... "do you know" or "who can I ask about ... ".

I really do hope you enjoy the rest of your trip!

 

[disneyfan67]

.