Anyone else actually like DCA?

[Tinkwings]

WDW vet here and we've done DLR a few times. Get the park hopper. They're so close to one another, it's easy to bounce back and forth. NOT like WDW at all (we generally don't do park hoppers at WDW anymore). As well, it's likely to be hard to fill your day at DCA, especially if you start early (one of our days we did morning magic and by 10AM, we had done every ride there (even Goofy ). Had we not had park hoppers, we would have been bored.


But get the park hopper.

Thanks I for one will be spending ALOT of my time looking at all those details....one can do that more when its just adults on a trip! The more I read the more feasible going back to the hotel and going between parks allows for more efficiency by simply avoiding the transition times you hurdle at WDW. I splurged for a hopper last WDW trip and think we only hopped ONE day....and it was because we visited DHS. So like you I usually don't get them either at WDW. I also like to do repeat rides of my favorites so will be curious to see how Maxpass plays out in that capacity.

 

[socalifornian]

DCA 2001

 

[Disneysea05]

I do remember enjoying watching the waves crash on the rocks at the California Screamin launch. The wave machine is still there and visible, just shut off.

 

[Darkbeer1]

On Monday's Tim Conway Jr. show on KFI radio, the discussion went to having someone say I have been to Anaheim when asked if they have visited Disneyland. Then the show's producer say that she had been to Fake Disney, you know, that California Adventure thing.....

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

It's decent.

 

[planodisney]

Are Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios filled with more things to do than California Adventure?
I find I can fill a day up a lot easier at CA than AK or HS.

GUARDIANS
MERMAID
GRIZZLY RIVER
SOARIN
MONSTERS
ANIMATION COURTYARD(beautiful place)
PHILHARMAGIC (now)
MATERS
FROZEN
SCREAMIN
MIDWAY MANIA
SILLY SYMPHONY
LUIGIS
WofC

All must dos for us on every visit.
There are a few other small things we like to do if we have time.

Zephyr
Boudin Bakery
Gooofys Sky School(my wife enjoys)
I prefer watching parades at DCA compared to DL.

 

[Phroobar]

Are Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios filled with more things to do than California Adventure?
I find I can fill a day up a lot easier at CA than AK or HS.

GUARDIANS
MERMAID
GRIZZLY RIVER
SOARIN
MONSTERS
ANIMATION COURTYARD(beautiful place)
PHILHARMAGIC (now)
MATERS
FROZEN
SCREAMIN
MIDWAY MANIA
SILLY SYMPHONY
LUIGIS
WofC

All must dos for us on every visit.
There are a few other small things we like to do if we have time.

Zephyr
Boudin Bakery
Gooofys Sky School(my wife enjoys)
I prefer watching parades at DCA compared to DL.

You forgot Radiator Springs Racers.

Hollywood Studios is only good if you want to see stage shows that left Disneyland twenty five years ago.

 

[BlakeW39]

Are Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios filled with more things to do than California Adventure?
I find I can fill a day up a lot easier at CA than AK or HS.

GUARDIANS
MERMAID
GRIZZLY RIVER
SOARIN
MONSTERS
ANIMATION COURTYARD(beautiful place)
PHILHARMAGIC (now)
MATERS
FROZEN
SCREAMIN
MIDWAY MANIA
SILLY SYMPHONY
LUIGIS
WofC

All must dos for us on every visit.
There are a few other small things we like to do if we have time.

Zephyr
Boudin Bakery
Gooofys Sky School(my wife enjoys)
I prefer watching parades at DCA compared to DL.

DHS isn't. It's imo a better park still because it at least has some small level of cohesion. DCA has Cars Land though. Soon DHS will have SWL and it'll be evened out.

Idk how you could argue that DCA is comparable to DAK quality wise and even quantity wise DAK has more hours built in. Unless you only do the E tickets in which case DCA has more but of lesser quality.

 

[planodisney]

Yah I find that out of every statewide Disney park, it’s hardest to fill up a day at AK. However I love the place. DCA has more attractions than DAK OR HS, and I’m not sure how Pandora fits into AK, in terms of cohesion. Thematically that is.
And HS is a jumbled mess now, compared to at opening.

 

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

like others, I agree, DCA at least still has more things to do than parks like HS or AK. The park was great in 2012 to 2016 but with the new additions have gotten weaker and the park is still good but I think has gotten lower in the Disney park rankings. The park has lot some of it's direction it was going in but I still enjoy the park. I think it's a little underrated and Radiator Springs is still one of the best rides in the world. As mentioned above, it's a great compliment to Disneyland, I feel.

 

[QuasiNoFroyo]

Yah I find that out of every statewide Disney park, it’s hardest to fill up a day at AK. However I love the place. DCA has more attractions than DAK OR HS, and I’m not sure how Pandora fits into AK, in terms of cohesion. Thematically that is.
And HS is a jumbled mess now, compared to at opening.

No, HS is still the hardest to fill up an entire day at on account of having even fewer attractions than AK. Though SW:GE will definitely change all of that.

 

[BlakeW39]

Yah I find that out of every statewide Disney park, it’s hardest to fill up a day at AK. However I love the place. DCA has more attractions than DAK OR HS, and I’m not sure how Pandora fits into AK, in terms of cohesion. Thematically that is.
And HS is a jumbled mess now, compared to at opening.

Have you been to Pandora? It works so well. Thematically. I'm a zoology/ecology lover, so the way the land is made makes me so happy. Especially since I'm a purist when it comes to the DAK theme and it's mission statement screams Pandora; I'm not even mad got it over BK. Wish there was more there ofc though.

As far quantity goes, DCA has more rides but I wouldn't say there's more to do necessarily. Trails and shows bolster DAK's lineup a bit. I understand though.

DHS doesn't much a leg to stand except that it has good enviornment and is somehow less jumbled.

 

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

Yea to be honest AK DCA are both super close parks. Both have their pros and cons and exceed in different categories. Someone make a poll with these two parks against each other! I like park vs park polls!

 

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

I love DCA. I love the vibe, love that I can unwind with a cocktail in some pretty settings, love that there are fewer strollers and wider pathways. I love that there's a professional Broadway quality performance venue that has staged some excellent (not Steps in Time) high quality live theater that features the latest in stage technology. I actually wish they rotated shows more often - I'd love to see a new musical in the Hyperion every summer. Local regional theaters manage to pull off 3-4 full scale shows during a single summer season every year, with a fraction of Disney's budget.

The lobby to the animation building, the Pacific Warf passage to Cars Land , and the side dining room in Flo's Diner that faces the canyon are my three favorite places in the resort. In fact, Cars Land is one of my favorite things Disney has built in recent memory, and I am completely indifferent to the Cars films. Racers is the first ride to come to California in a long time that I think Walt would be really super into if he came back today. In my mind it honors every philosophy and design tradition that WDI has become known for to a T. I think the Route 66 angle was a great way to incorporate the land into DCA, and I love that it looks like this will stay a DCA unique offering, at least for a while.

I ADORE World of Color, nearly every version (sorry, NPH.) I love the Food and Wine festival. I love Soarin', both versions. I loved the Hollywood nighttime parties and I hope they return soon.

I always have a great time at the park and I like nearly all the changes they've made in the last decade. Not everything. I mostly I don't like the idea of Pixar Pier, though I don't actually hate all of the execution of the remodel. And I hope they get going on fixing Hollywood sooner than later. But this park has really grown into one of my favorite Disney parks. I legitimately can't wait for Marvel Land.

Me too! I love the park! Listen, I can agree with a lot of other's points about the park, it definitely has it's flaws but so do HS, Epcot, and AK. It's still a good park, just not one of the best.

 

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

I think I'm in the minority that I love DCA. Hated it pre overhaul, but think it's fantastic now. I'd prefer it over Animal Kingdom or Hollywood studios, or even Epcot in their current state. Cars land is undeniably great. I'm REALLY in the minority with loving the Paradise/ Pixar Pier. I think it's beautiful at night and has a simple charm to it. Buena Vista is done super well, even though it's smaller in scale. Even Grizzly Peak does a good job of reminding me of home in the Pacific Northwest with it's greenery. The only thing I really don't like about DCA is the Hollywood backlot section, which doesn't seem like it's long for the world anyway.

Everyone point and laugh at me I guess. But I seriously love DCA

ME too!

 

[BlakeW39]

Haha I can make one. I think DCA does get a little too much hate because they're in procesa of honestly making it DHS 2.0, 2.0. And DHS 2.0 is IoA 2.0. And IoA was a play on MK. So here we are lol.

 

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

Haha I can make one. I think DCA does get a little too much hate because they're in procesa of honestly making it DHS 2.0, 2.0. And DHS 2.0 is IoA 2.0. And IoA was a play on MK. So here we are lol.

haha every park is like a 2.0 version of the other, yea make a poll now!

 

[BlakeW39]

haha every park is like a 2.0 version of the other, yea make a poll now!

pretty much lol.