Len Testa - “Disney positions itself as the all-American vacation. The irony is that most Americans can’t afford it.”

[UNCgolf]

The proximity of Disneyland and California adventure make it seem like one big park, and I really like California adventure. As a vacation destination Florida still wins by a landslide. Anaheim is meh.

From a theme park perspective, yeah, but Los Angeles demolishes Orlando/Central Florida as an overall tourist destination.

I'm aware it's subjective to each individual person, but just in the aggregate, the LA area has far more to see/do.

 

[monothingie]

From a theme park perspective, yeah, but Los Angeles demolishes Orlando/Central Florida as an overall tourist destination.

I'm aware it's subjective to each individual person, but just in the aggregate, the LA area has far more to see/do.

Orlando was reported to have taken in ~75M Domestic and International Visitors in 2024.
LA was reported ~50M in 2024.

 

[Miss Bella]

From a theme park perspective, yeah, but Los Angeles demolishes Orlando/Central Florida as an overall tourist destination.

I'm aware it's subjective to each individual person, but just in the aggregate, the LA area has far more to see/do.

You are not in a bubble in Anaheim. It's very evident when you go out for a morning jog and you have to hop over the homeless people sleeping on the sidewalk.
WDW separates you from the outside world which I think is one of the biggest draws of vacationing there. Similar to being on a cruise.
Yes I suppose there is more to do in Los Angeles for a tourist. I lived there half my life and avoided most of it.

 

[UNCgolf]

Orlando was reported to have taken in ~75M Domestic and International Visitors in 2024.
LA was reported ~50M in 2024.

Right, because of theme parks (and probably cruises).

If you aren't going for theme parks, there's no comparison between the areas. I've been to LA multiple times without ever setting foot in Disneyland (and still haven't seen everything I'd like to see), whereas there's little reason to visit Orlando if you're not going to a theme park (there are a handful of other things in the area, but not at all comparable to LA).

Without Disney World/Universal Orlando likely wouldn't crack a top 50 of places to go in the US.

 

[LittleBuford]

I've been to LA multiple times without ever setting foot in Disneyland

You really must remedy that the next time you go!

 

[Miss Bella]

Right, because of theme parks (and probably cruises).

If you aren't going for theme parks, there's no comparison between the areas. I've been to LA multiple times without ever setting foot in Disneyland (and still haven't seen everything I'd like to see), whereas there's little reason to visit Orlando if you're not going to a theme park (there are a handful of other things in the area, but not at all comparable to LA).

Without Disney World/Universal Orlando likely wouldn't crack a top 50 of places to go in the US.

What do you do in Los Angeles?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Orlando was reported to have taken in ~75M Domestic and International Visitors in 2024.
LA was reported ~50M in 2024.

Orlando is damn near ALL tourists…LA is certainly not

 

[networkpro]

Orlando is damn near ALL tourists…LA is certainly not

While the tourists visiting are significant (75.3 million last year or if visitation were uniform across all days or ~ 200K each day of the year) and supports 37% of the Orlando area jobs, its not "near all" as the Orlando MSA was 2.9 million in 2024, not even 10%, close but not enough.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

While the tourists visiting are significant (75.3 million last year or if visitation were uniform across all days or ~ 200K each day of the year) and supports 37% of the Orlando area jobs, its not "near all" as the Orlando MSA was 2.9 million in 2024, not even 10%, close but not enough.

You make it look more lopsided than even I could manage to

 

[Miss Bella]

I'm sure Los Angeles get more "tourists". It is more of business hub.

 

[Jrb1979]

Reading the last few posts, I'm amazed at how many of you really don't venture out on vacation. An example is WDW, you stay in the bubble and rarely explore other attractions.

For us, we love a week in the Smokies during the fall. Exploring Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Reading the last few posts, I'm amazed at how many of you really don't venture out on vacation. An example is WDW, you stay in the bubble and rarely explore other attractions.

When you signed up for this board…it didn’t occur that was likely the majority of people it would attract?

 

[Jrb1979]

When you signed up for this board…it didn’t occur that was likely the majority of people it would attract?

I knew that. I was using it as an example. A better example is @Miss Bella saying how she's gone to LA for Disneyland but never ventured to much else outside that.

I'm saying I'm noticing more are opting for more resort style vacations. Like Disney or a cruise.

 

[UNCgolf]

What do you do in Los Angeles?

Well for one, just exploring the metro area itself is interesting. So many movie and music related sites (pop culture history) and a ton of cool architecture.

Then you have stuff like the Griffith Observatory/Park, the Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach and the boardwalk, the Getty Center, the Getty Villa, the Academy Museum, all of the museums around Exposition Park, Hollyhock House, the Original Farmer's Market, La Brea Tar Pits, movie studio tours, Huntington Library/Botanical Gardens, the Peterson Automotive Museum... among other things.

All of that is worth seeing at least once IMO (and there are several things on that list I haven't seen yet). I think the LA metro (which is actually a ton of different cities) is my favorite metro area to visit in the US; it's unique in a lot of ways.

Obviously not everyone is going to be interested in all, or even most, of those things -- but my point was simply that the breadth of what is offered in/around LA vastly exceeds what's offered around Orlando outside of theme parks.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Well for one, just exploring the metro area itself is interesting. So many movie and music related sites (pop culture history) and a ton of cool architecture.

Then you have stuff like the Griffith Observatory, the Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach and the boardwalk, the Getty Center, the Getty Villa, the Academy Museum, all of the museums around Exposition Park, Hollyhock House, the Original Farmer's Market, La Brea Tar Pits, movie studio tours, Huntington Library/Botanical Gardens, the Peterson Automotive Museum... among other things.

All of that worth seeing at least once IMO (and there are several things on that list I haven't seen yet). I actually think the LA metro (which is actually a ton of different cities) is my favorite metro area to visit in the US; it's unique in a lot of ways.

Obviously not everyone is going to be interested in all, or even most, of those things -- but my point was simply that the breadth of what is offered in/around LA vastly exceeds what's offered around Orlando outside of theme parks.

I’d add the science center too…any place that has a shuttle is worth a visit

We randomly decided to stay 2 nights at the biltmore downtown when we were there earlier this year…and I’m a sucker for classic Hollywood and that was really cool. Just a ton of nostalgia and history

LA Is way too much sprawl…that’s its flaw…but I don’t get the “there isn’t enough to do” vibe at all.

I appreciate that kinda variety of stuff just as much as I do the “insulated” trips in bubbles such as wdw and cruise lines

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yeah -- you don't have to go very far from Disney World to see some pretty terrible areas in Orlando.

It’s shocking how many frequenters have no idea of this…

But it’s put on display in comments alot

 

[Touchdown]

The best shuttle display is at the Kennedy Space Center though. The shuttle bay is open, the arm is extended and you can walk under and around it on multiple levels, not to mention it’s amazing reveal. Discovery in DC is just sitting there.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

The best shuttle display is at the Kennedy Space Center though. The shuttle bay is open, the arm is extended and you can walk under and around it on multiple levels, not to mention it’s amazing reveal. Discovery in DC is just sitting there.

No doubt

I have a minor “bucket list” item to see them all…

The only one I haven’t yet is discovery…but I’ll get her

The other two are “static” type displays

Atlantis is amazing…

Try to walk in there and not cry…it can’t be done

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Off course…but i’m a shuttle fanatic

Even the placement of the shuttles in retirement had some thought to it…

Discovery is near DC as she was the “workhorse” of the fleet

Atlantis is in Florida because she was the last…which was supposed to be endeavour - which would have been poignant because she replaced challenger and would sit in her “resting place”…but the decision was made after Atlantis flew the extra last flight that she would be at Kennedy for “closure”

And even enterprise - the Test vehicle - is on the intrepid museum in Manhattan for a purpose. The intrepid is one of the last 4 Carriers of the ww2 vintage…and closest they can get to the Grey Ghost - the Enterprise…

Maybe the most important warship in history…anywhere…who had 9 lives and was foolishly scrapped in the 1950’s. Correcting perhaps a historical travesty…a bit

 

[Nunu]

Off course…but i’m a shuttle fanatic

Even the placement of the shuttles in retirement had some thought to it…

Discovery is near DC as she was the “workhorse” of the fleet

Atlantis is in Florida because she was the last…which was supposed to be endeavour - which would have been poignant because she replaced challenger and would sit in her “resting place”…but the decision was made after Atlantis flew the extra last flight that she would be at Kennedy for “closure”

And even enterprise - the Test vehicle - is on the intrepid museum in Manhattan for a purpose. The intrepid is one of the last 4 Carriers of the ww2 vintage…and closest they can get to the Grey Ghost - the Enterprise…

Maybe the most important warship in history…anywhere…who had 9 lives and was foolishly scrapped in the 1950’s. Correctly perhaps a historical travesty…a bit

The is from Frank.