Would you spend more $ to go to DisneyLand?

[MinnieForMe]

Hi:
We've been to Disney World every year for years. We have never been to DisneyLand. I know it's much smaller but it's where the magic began. Would anyone spend more money and time (to fly) to go?

Thoughts on the area? We would be considering a trip in February or April. The weather would be cooler than Florida, am I correct?

Thanks.

Michelle

 

[goofyboyzmom]

When my husband and I flew to Australia last summer, we planned an extra couple of days to go to Disneyland first. We bought a 2-day park hopper and stayed at the Grand Californian. We got there, checked in (rude employees - we were very shocked) and started with the park that has the castle (can't think of the name of it this morning!), not California Adventure. It was so crowded, so small and lines so ridiculously long, we only spent a couple of hours there. We looked at California's Adventure park on the way out and saw the swarms of people walking in and said forget it! We actually went back to the front desk and got a refund on our ticket since we did not hop and turned it into a one day ticket only. We spent the next day just walking around the area and shops. I could not imagine taking my three kids there in those crowds (it was not the weekend, but school was out for the summer. It was just SO crowded that it was not fun at all. We couldn't even walk together in the parks, had to be one behind the other!

 

[MinnieForMe]

My kids would definitely not like lines like you described! We are so spoiled. If the line is longer than 20 minutes or if we don't have a fastpass, the kids say "skip it until next year".

Perhaps, it's back to the "World" again!

 

[DawnM]

If you can go in February it won't be too bad. I am a CA girl who moved to NC 5 years ago. I miss Disneyland terribly!

But, it is smaller. Things are much more walkable than at WDW.

I wouldn't go in April, but I won't got to WDW in April either.

You could look into the SoCal City Pass too:

http://www.citypass.com/southern-ca...e_SoCal pass&gclid=CP-RmPqhvqQCFcTt7QodtFU-zQ

Dawn

 

[PiperPizzaz]

We went in April a couple of years ago. It was awesome! We stayed at the hojo across the street and just walked over every day. We had a blast and the lines weren't long. I think they are much busier in the summer and on the weekends. I don't know about the weather. I would just look it up and see what the temps were the last couple of years. We had beautiful weather but, a bit chilly a couple of days which we loved after sweltering in Florida the last couple of years.

 

[tlbwriter]

I don't know if it's enough for an entire trip by itself, so I'd make it a California vacation with a couple of days at DL.

 

[akcire]

My husband loves Mr. Toad's Wild Ride---so I have no choice but to visit Disneyland every few years.

The last time we went, my husband rode Mr. Toad twice and said he was ready to leave. I was like . We did stay the rest of the day. I really like the Matterhorn, and some of the Disneyland only rides.

If you have been to both you will find this funny. I was standing in front of the Haunted Mansion and I could not find The Haunted Mansion--that is how different it was themed on the outside.

 

[beansmom]

i would like to return to the Long Beach area and spend a few nights on the Queen Mary again and then i MIGHT do a day at Disneyland. MIGHT. I've never been and kinda want to see it, too.

 

[DawnM]

That is funny, it was the exact opposite for me! I couldn't find it at WDW! It is HIDDEN there and so prominent at DL!

I also couldn't figure out where Small World at WDW was for a while!

Dawn

My husband loves Mr. Toad's Wild Ride---so I have no choice but to visit Disneyland every few years.

The last time we went, my husband rode Mr. Toad twice and said he was ready to leave. I was like . We did stay the rest of the day. I really like the Matterhorn, and some of the Disneyland only rides.

If you have been to both you will find this funny. I was standing in front of the Haunted Mansion and I could not find The Haunted Mansion--that is how different it was themed on the outside.

 

[alyssa810]

I just came back from a great trip to DL! We stayed at the GCV- our view overlooked CA and we were able to watch WOC from our balcony. It was awesome!
I have also been to DL in August twice, and April once. Weekends always seem to be busier, but during the week was not so bad. I recall the April weather being similar to Florida, not as humid, but warm enough to wear shorts every day.
DL is a great vacation destination, especially for a Disney lover as most of us on the disboards are. There is a great thread on the DL board about WDW veterans at DL too, lots of tips, thoughts, and suggestions.
IMO, the big things to remember is that there are only 2 parks, and the MK at DL is smaller than WDW, but there are more attractions packed into that smaller space. From the onsite resorts, you walk to both parks through Downtown Disney. The dining options in the park aren't as vast and varied as they are at WDW, but there is still good food to be had!
There are so many things to do in Southern CA, it's a great spot to check out!

 

[WVMomof3]

We did DisneyLand a couple years ago in June and we loved it! My kids are begging to go back. I thought Space Mountain was better, FantasyLand was better, ToonTown was better, Fireworks were better. We stayed offsite, CandyCane Inn, and walked to parks everyday and walked home for breaks. They did run a shuttle, which we caught if it happened to be there, but it was a very easy walk. The lines were awesome, we even won the Dream FastPass to both parks, and did not have to use many of them, because they just were not needed. We even did the weekend, which is supposed to be more crowded, but it was not bad at all when we were there. We also did the Southern Cal City Pass, doing 3 days at Disney, 1 day at Universal, San Diego Zoo and Sea World. We loved that vacation!!! I think it was also cheaper for us to fly to California than it would have been to Florida at that time, have not looked at airfare since then though.

 

[JB2K]

Hi:
We've been to Disney World every year for years. We have never been to DisneyLand. I know it's much smaller but it's where the magic began. Would anyone spend more money and time (to fly) to go?

Thoughts on the area? We would be considering a trip in February or April. The weather would be cooler than Florida, am I correct?

Thanks.

Michelle

Having been to both, I would say "Yes" (even though I live much closer to WDW). Here's my reasoning:

• The Disneyland Resort, as a whole, is much smaller -- hence, a more "intimate" experience - especially if you have little ones with you.
  
• DLP has many classic attractions that have "come and gone" at WDW
  
• "Park Hopping" at DLR consists of a 50-yard walk between the gates of DLP and Disney California Adventure. No buses!
  
• OP is right -- it's where it all began -- Walt Disney, himself planned and supervised the building of this park from the ground up. WDW wouldn't even begin construction until after Walt Disney passed-away in 1966.

As for the local area -- of course, there is Universal Studios Hollywood, LegoLand, Knotts Berry Farm, and if you head towards San Diego, there is the San Diego Zoo and Sea World.

 

[Marionnette]

I probably wouldnt spend more to visit disneyland. But I do think that disney enthusiasts should make the trip if they can. The two parks can be easily done in a couple of days. So if you go then make plans to visit the other attractions in socal.

 

[kkmcan]

There is a learning curve to doing Disneyland and we've been so many times I think we've got it down pat.

First, avoid weekends if at all possible during the off season.
Check the annual pass blockout dates because during the summer- you'll want to be there when all those southern cal passes are blocked which funny thing enough happens to be on weekends.
Gather your fast passes all day and save them up for the evening.
Avoid holidays.
Go to DL first thing for rope drop and around 12 or 1 hop to DCA. Crowds start pouring in between 10-1 and you'll have already done a ton of rides. By heading to DCA you'll avoid the crowds and get a jump on those rides over there. THen hop back to DL in the evening to catch fireworks, Fantasmic and use your fast passes.

We do all these and we never wait in lines longer than 20 minutes.

Add a few days on to explore San Diego, Lego land, beaches etc and you've got a great vaca!

 

[brymolmom]

Here’s the deal for me…Living on the East Coast – yes it was more expensive to fly, but not too bad.

We flew to LA…rented a car (not more than Orlando, found a good deal) and stayed at Howard Johnson (go to Disneyland Board and you will see a LOT of info on this hotel). We loved it there, took us about 7 minutes to walk to the gates of DL and DCA. We used non expiring WDW tickets that we already had and went for 3 days to the parks. we got ONE of our flights (out of 4) for free using cc points. Some extra money was spent on the fact that I wanted to see ‘more of the area’ – so we stayed 2 nights in San Diego and went to SeaWorld – then went up and stayed near a beach for the last couple of nights….That part was NOT worth it. With hindsight – likely would have just stayed at HOJO the whole time and taken a few day trips to the coast and to other areas. Also needed one more day at DLR to see it all – we went there at the first part of our trip and my kids were NOT adjusted to the time change – so were up and ready to go at 3:00AM!!! Needless to say – we were done at the parks by mid-afternoon since everyone was up so early. That’s why we needed one more day and I would have done so with hindsight.

I don’t remember my EXACT numbers, but to give you an idea of our cost differences between DL and WDW:
For our DLR trip (8 nights):
Airfare (one was free): $750
Hotels: $800
Car: $150
Gas: $50
Tickets: Used non-expiring that we already had
Seaworld Tickets: Got a deal – buy adult get child free - $120
Food:
From grocery store: $50
Breakfasts were included in 2 of our hotels so those were free for ½ our time
Eating out: $500
One character meal (goofy’s kitchen – LOVED IT – highly recommend) – paid for with Visa Rewards Points
Other miscellaneous things (rented bikes on the beach): $200
TOTAL – about $2500 maybe up to $2800

When we go to WDW next year we will spend for 8 nights:
Airfare: $800
Mod resort with free dining: $2500
Other misc things (tips, etc): $300

So honestly we spent less on our DLR vacation…of course, we already had our tickets, if we ‘paid’ for our 3 day tickets – it would have added about $600 or so to our DLR trip, which would make the two ABOUT even…..

It was worth it – out trip was tough (didn’t plan enough for the change in time and like I said we should have stayed in one spot…plus we had some family things going on – also it was COOOOLLLLDDDD most of our days – I think we wore shorts once, and we went in April). But I loved seeing DLR and would love to return some day now that I know more about what to do better.

Let me know if you have any questions!

 

[bettymae1121]

Since I have family in AZ now, DH and I will often make the 1 hr flight hop to Anaheim to visit DLR for a few days before heading home after a family visit. Here's what I've learned.

-Go when CA schools are in session. Avoid weekends when possible.
-Unlike WDW, staying at a Disney hotel (while nice) isn't really required. I HIGHLY recommend the Sheraton Anaheim!
-I reccomend 4 full days, 2 for DL, 1 for California Adventure, and a hotel pool day and/or Downtown Disney day. You can certainly stay longer and have a great time, but that's about the right amount to "do it all" and not be too rushed.

Especially if you stay off-site, the cost isn't that much more than a stay at WDW, and may even be the same or less, depending on you exact plans for the trip vs. a comparable WDW vacation.

I encourage you to visit the DLR area of the DIS, tons of info (including my review of the Sheraton Anaheim). They can really give you the dirt on the best times to visit and any deals or special events that might be going on during your stay.

ETA: Here's my review of the Sheraton, also you can use that to get to the rest of the DLR page on DISboards. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2445348&highlight=sheraton+anaheim

 

[cseca]

One word: Yes

Especially if you haven't been there before hop over to the Disneyland board.
Read the stickies... look for Hydroguy's posts. He has the best compilation of information on that board.

As PPs have said, avoid weekends at all cost (if possible). Try to time your visit outside of busy times (again, search Disneyland disboards for info on the time of year you're planning to visit).

Don't expect the place to be as huge as WDW, but enjoy it for it's own beauty.
The place is small but very cute and SO MUCH easier to get around between parks, DTD, hotels. No worries about transportation time... you just walk over everywhere.

Food is not as good or as many options as WDW but there are food places outside of the parks. You'll never go hungry.

The rides are similar but they are leaps and bounds better specifically on these:
PoTC
Indy
HM during halloween
Space Mountain

Good luck on planning, but yes, you should go at least once to see and appreciate the place. That's the first park Walt build... so if not for anything else you can see how WDW got started...

Now if you're talking about the park you absolutely MUST go at least once in your lifetime... Tokyo Disneyland/DisneySea... nothing compares...

 

[doclegler]

We took a 4 day surprise bday trip with our kids in January and really enjoyed DL (after doing WDW every year for almost 10 years!) It IS a lot smaller than WDW, but its really nostalgic and intimate. I loved the old Disney feel, and the closeness of the parks. CA for us was amazing....loved it! Lots of fun rides, but not quite the same Disney feel. Felt more to me like a Universal park, but it was still very fun.
We got a great deal on airfare, so our trip wasn't more expensive than WDW. I'd suggest staying at one of the recommended hotels instead of staying at the Comfort Inn as we did (a nightmare and we had something stolen!! ) It does seem like other things are more spread out in Cali so you may need more days if you want to do something like Legoland.
Best of luck to you and do head over to the DL boards...that's where I got a TON of great info before our trip.

 

[bumbershoot]

One word: Yes

Especially if you haven't been there before hop over to the Disneyland board.
Read the stickies... look for Hydroguy's posts. He has the best compilation of information on that board.

Agreed.

 

[NVDisMom]

It always amuses me to read the different Disney perspectives depending on which park you call home, DL or WDW. WDW people tend to say DL is just too small and crowded and DL people tend to say WDW is too big and spread out. Being a left coaster , lol, DL is our home park. We have yet to make over to WDW as of yet since DL is an easy 7 to 8 hour drive away. I frequent the DL board as well as this one, so I see the different sides. OP, check out the thread on the DL board about WDW at DL. Its informative and, apparently, extremely helpful. While you are over there, read through a few of the threads, seek out trip reports. I think you will find that there are aspects of the west coast parks that you will enjoy. The consensus seems to be that the entertainment offerings are better and, once you get used to it, not having to plan months ahead of time for where you will eat (I can't imagine)...
My biggest advice in regards to the majority of the complaints I hear about DL...stay close (across the street can be had for around $100/nite), get there for rope drop, collect fast passes like mad and ride your hearts out until lunch (that is the least busy time), take advantage of your early entry (great time to do Fantasyland since there isn't any FP for those rides), leave for a nice long afternoon break if park hours permit it and return at dinner time, eat your in park meals at "off" times to avoid crowds, use your FP throughout the evening, and get your spots early for evening entertainment while enjoying a Disney dessert. Start conversations with those around you. Most are Disney fans like you and love to share. And most importantly, seek out what makes DL truly Walt's park, the little nuances that may have been over looked at WDW or simply done differently. Seek out the lore and history before you go. Make it part of your vacation to find the ongoing living history. We go regularly, from a simple day trip to a 5 day stay, and still have not seen and done everything. AND, we do not wait in lines longer than 30 minutes. No need if you plan ahead, except for the newest non fast pass attractions. Even those, seek advice from the DL board on when is best to ride. There is usually a "best time" to go.