Little Green Men
Well-Known Member
Oh nice! My aunt and uncle had a house they rented in Tuscany and I stayed with them when I was there. It’s a lot of fun for sure.
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Are you a traitor (Disney World vs Disneyland)?
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Disney Irish
Premium Member
I just want to be rich enough to rent a house in Tuscany, but not actually rent it....
rreading
Well-Known Member
How old are you, and do you have kids?
That makes all the difference in this situation. If you are "going on vacation" to a destination then DLR can be considered but it's a brief in-and-out 2-3 days for us.
You can say that LA has "lots to do" but going on vacation to eat and shop is not on our radar; museums are great but I'd rather to Wash DC or Chicago or NYC or just drive an hour to Dallas; we're going to Yellowstone this May for our outdoor/hiking adventure; Hollywood was pretty trashy; and La Brea was neat but kind of like going to Dinosaur Valley State Park in our backyard.
At WDW, you have a compelling hotel within a beautiful, spacious green resort. Travel is largely effortless if you stay near MK; the busses are not so great but still less hassle than driving/traffic. The environments of the parks are attractions in themselves; the rides are a part of why we go.
Eventually I would definitely recommend you try it once. Leave your worries when you embark on the plane; take the Magical Express from the airport; and just soak it all up. Totally different experience than SoCal. But staying in the bubble is entirely the point. It's built in the swamps; the Florida that you are there to see is all around you. Hitting a few Orlando "attractions" could be fine, but apart from looking at alligators there's probably not much that you couldn't do somewhere else.
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
Things you can do with just One bus staying at the Disneyland Resort.
Walking - Anaheim GardenWalk, Anaheim Convention Center, Many Restaurants and Shops like Walgreens and CVS.
LA Metro Route 460. (runs every 30 minutes from 5 AM to Midnight, seven days a week)
Knott's Berry Farm, Knott's Soak City, Medieval Times, Pirates Dinner Adventure, Buena Park Downtown (Shopping), 20 minute trip
Staples Center (LA Kings, Clippers and Lakers), LA Convention Center, Downtown LA. (Bus uses freeway, does take about 90 minutes)
OC Bus 50 or ART Bus Angel Stadium, Honda Center, ARTIC (Train Station)
ART Bus - The Christ Cathedral, The Outlets of Orange (Shoppertainment Complex), South Coast Plaza (High End Shopping)
OC Bus 43/543 - Newport Beach, Fullerton Train Station, Large amount of Shopping at the corner of Orangethorpe in Fullerton including COSTCO, In-n-Out Burger
OC Bus 83 - Main Place Mall, Discovery Cube Science Center, Bowers Museum, Laguna Beach (Bus uses Freeway)
ART CtrCity Bus - Anaheim Packing House, MUSEO, CtrCity (fancy name for Downtown Shopping), Anaheim ICE (Ice Skating/Ducks practice rink)
Starline Tour Bus - Hollywood and Highland Center, El Capitan Theater (Disney Theater), Jimmy Kimmel's Studio, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Madame Tussard's Wax Museum, Hollywood Wax Museum, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, The Hollywood Museum, transfer to multiple Starline Tours.
Using a train (either AMTRAK or Metrolink) or Metrorail after the one bus trip. -Old Town San Diego (SeaWorld), Downtown San Diego, USS Midway, Star of India, Oceanside Pier and Beach, San Clemente Pier and Beach, San Juan Capistrano (Famous Mission), Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk, Santa Monica Pier and Pacific Park (Amusement Park), Ex[position Park, California Science Center, Natural History Museum, LA Coliseum (Rams, Trojans), Banc of California Stadium (LAFC). Long Beach, Aquarium of the Pacific, Queen Mary, Six Flags Magic Mountain and many more.
Walking - Anaheim GardenWalk, Anaheim Convention Center, Many Restaurants and Shops like Walgreens and CVS.
LA Metro Route 460. (runs every 30 minutes from 5 AM to Midnight, seven days a week)
Knott's Berry Farm, Knott's Soak City, Medieval Times, Pirates Dinner Adventure, Buena Park Downtown (Shopping), 20 minute trip
Staples Center (LA Kings, Clippers and Lakers), LA Convention Center, Downtown LA. (Bus uses freeway, does take about 90 minutes)
OC Bus 50 or ART Bus Angel Stadium, Honda Center, ARTIC (Train Station)
ART Bus - The Christ Cathedral, The Outlets of Orange (Shoppertainment Complex), South Coast Plaza (High End Shopping)
OC Bus 43/543 - Newport Beach, Fullerton Train Station, Large amount of Shopping at the corner of Orangethorpe in Fullerton including COSTCO, In-n-Out Burger
OC Bus 83 - Main Place Mall, Discovery Cube Science Center, Bowers Museum, Laguna Beach (Bus uses Freeway)
ART CtrCity Bus - Anaheim Packing House, MUSEO, CtrCity (fancy name for Downtown Shopping), Anaheim ICE (Ice Skating/Ducks practice rink)
Starline Tour Bus - Hollywood and Highland Center, El Capitan Theater (Disney Theater), Jimmy Kimmel's Studio, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Madame Tussard's Wax Museum, Hollywood Wax Museum, Ripley's Believe It or Not!, The Hollywood Museum, transfer to multiple Starline Tours.
Using a train (either AMTRAK or Metrolink) or Metrorail after the one bus trip. -Old Town San Diego (SeaWorld), Downtown San Diego, USS Midway, Star of India, Oceanside Pier and Beach, San Clemente Pier and Beach, San Juan Capistrano (Famous Mission), Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk, Santa Monica Pier and Pacific Park (Amusement Park), Ex[position Park, California Science Center, Natural History Museum, LA Coliseum (Rams, Trojans), Banc of California Stadium (LAFC). Long Beach, Aquarium of the Pacific, Queen Mary, Six Flags Magic Mountain and many more.
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Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
I’m turning 27 soon, I don’t have kids, but I have nephews, whom I’ve taken all around the city, without a car.
I could say the same thing back. LA may not be on your radar, but it doesn’t take away all of the things there is to do here. You mentioned Hollywood and the Tar Pits, two pebbles in a large pond of things to do. The other cities/states/destinations you mentioned are irrelevant to the conversation, I feel, since we’re talking about a California vacation. Also, if you think Los Angeles means just eating and shopping, you’re sorely mistaken and I can tell you haven’t done much research regarding the city and its neighboring areas.
I can still soak up my personal experience without staying the entire time. Leaving WOULD be part of my personal experience. I know myself, staying anywhere too long while on vacation would drive me nuts. The “bubble” is of no concern to me and is not a factor when deciding if a WDW trip is for me or not. I grew up in Los Angeles, a Disney bubble in itself. I believe people should tailor their vacations based on their own likes, interests, etc.
I’m sure I’d be able to find other things to do in Florida. Staying in Orlando for two weeks doesn’t interest me. Getting out and exploring other parts of the state does interest me, however. But that’s me. Everyone is different. Staying at WDW for a long period of time without leaving is of interest to you. Hollywood isn’t (it’s not of interest to me either), and maybe Los Angeles isn’t either (Los Angeles doesn’t represent all of Southern California). That’s okay. Staying there for a long time without exploring other parts of Florida doesn’t interest me. That’s okay.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Plenty of options outside of Disneyland.
I like having options and different experiences while on vacation.
shortstop
Well-Known Member
I fully agree, and that’s why I think Southern California is one of the best vacation destinations in the country.
That said, I think it’s important to remember how daunting transpiration in Southern California is to visitors and people who haven’t spent much time in the area. Even if it’s possible to take a bus, train, car, Uber, etc. to various destinations, for many people it’s just too big of a headache to deal with while on vacation.
mickEblu
Well-Known Member
I agree. I have to find a better balance when I’m on vacation. I always get into this like checklist mode of seeing all the MUST-DOs and don’t leave a whole lot of time to relax. When I went to Maui last October I left our super comfy two room villa in Kaanapali to drive the road to Hana (3 hour drive with a lot of sight seeing through a rainforest) just to get eaten alive by mosquitos in Hana so I could do a great hike the next morning. Then Instead of taking the same road back, I circumnavigated the island having to drive through a 10 mile stretch of a cliff side one lane (the width of your car) two way traffic unpaved road that pretty much only locals do just so I can see some killer views I wouldn’t be able to see otherwise. Oh ya, I had my mom, grandma, wife and son in the car and my grandma was cussing me out in Italian the whole time. It was a perilous, stunning, beautiful, time consuming drive I wouldn’t recommend to anyone. Glad I did it once but couldn’t help but feel that I would have rather been relaxing at my other hotel I was double booked at. The solution is just booking vacations that are long enough for relaxation and adventure. I’m never booking a 7 day vacation again. 10 days or more is the way to do it.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
I understand that many people don’t want to travel throughout Southern California, and that’s fine. They have other options besides doing that.
Options. I like them.
rreading
Well-Known Member
It's the nature of a forum that we hear about different people's different perspectives on things.
For someone who lives in LA used to DL and enjoys their Disney as part of their lives, WDW could easily be a bit of a nuisance. It probably takes longer to get into the parking lot and then once you've gotten to the particular park they are visiting that park is WAY more spread out so there's a lot more going around to getting at what you're there to do. If you are there to soak up the ambiance and take your time, then you're into it but I imagine that it's psychologically a very different experience.
Also, moving from one park to another is a real nuisance unless it's planned and part of the experience. MK to Epcot via the monorail is a great experience. Epcot to HS via the boats is also nice. But if you're pressed for time and feel that it's a hassle rather than part of the experience then it's not going to be nearly so enjoyable.
We've been on plenty of trips to Florida with different experiences, and have been to CA many times. We do need to take a dedicated LA area trip (maybe stay in Santa Barbara outside of the city). But Disney is not a part of my regular life (apart from discussing on the forums); it is an escape from the things we do in our daily life. That's why I generally don't want to bother with anything else apart from Disney when I'm on a Disney vacation.
For someone who lives in LA used to DL and enjoys their Disney as part of their lives, WDW could easily be a bit of a nuisance. It probably takes longer to get into the parking lot and then once you've gotten to the particular park they are visiting that park is WAY more spread out so there's a lot more going around to getting at what you're there to do. If you are there to soak up the ambiance and take your time, then you're into it but I imagine that it's psychologically a very different experience.
Also, moving from one park to another is a real nuisance unless it's planned and part of the experience. MK to Epcot via the monorail is a great experience. Epcot to HS via the boats is also nice. But if you're pressed for time and feel that it's a hassle rather than part of the experience then it's not going to be nearly so enjoyable.
We've been on plenty of trips to Florida with different experiences, and have been to CA many times. We do need to take a dedicated LA area trip (maybe stay in Santa Barbara outside of the city). But Disney is not a part of my regular life (apart from discussing on the forums); it is an escape from the things we do in our daily life. That's why I generally don't want to bother with anything else apart from Disney when I'm on a Disney vacation.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
I prefer the Queen Mary to Disneyland. It reminds me of Titanic.
Jedi Stitch
Well-Known Member
My first love will always be Disneyland.
WDW offers the chance to fully immerse into Disney, and literally prepay the vacation. Disney Value Resort +, Prepaid Meal Plan +, Fastpass plus +, Table service and character meals everywhere +, MB +. Flying across the country 5 hour plane ride -, having to have a travel day for that purpose -, and the Disney Transportation System is both a plus and minus. It is part of the fun taking boat, monorail, buss, minnie van around, but after fireworks and you want to just get back to your room, it can be a big frustrating hassle.
WDW offers the chance to fully immerse into Disney, and literally prepay the vacation. Disney Value Resort +, Prepaid Meal Plan +, Fastpass plus +, Table service and character meals everywhere +, MB +. Flying across the country 5 hour plane ride -, having to have a travel day for that purpose -, and the Disney Transportation System is both a plus and minus. It is part of the fun taking boat, monorail, buss, minnie van around, but after fireworks and you want to just get back to your room, it can be a big frustrating hassle.
Darkbeer1
Well-Known Member
I know for a fact that many tourists use the transportation choices I mentioned, as they show up on Visit Anaheim surveys.
So the 460 has One bus stop for leaving Disneyland and returning. Under the Monorail tracks at the east end of the Transportation Plaza. Same with the 83, and other buses. The Google Maps app will tell you how to walk to get to the stop.
A lot easier than the WDW buses.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
I’ve come across multiple families who’ve actually done just this.
No Name
Well-Known Member
I think they're both good and unique in their own right. For most people it's probably whichever one they live near or grew up going to. Much like discussing politics, people's opinions on this topic are deep rooted and nothing will change on either side as a result of this thread, so I will spend my time discussing other things.
rreading
Well-Known Member
I agree that we probably don't change other people's minds but we can suggest another way to look at things.
Part of why I read these threads is to get the LA appeal. As much as I love California, I just haven't had a LA experience that has been memorable; thus I keep hoping that I'll "get it".
Model3 McQueen
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
I love both. Disneyland is the greatest park ever, completely ignoring Disney's Chapek Adventure.
But WDW has a real Disney city feel. Anaheim doesn't. Also WDW has ToT.
But WDW has a real Disney city feel. Anaheim doesn't. Also WDW has ToT.
VJ
Well-Known Member
i lived in san pedro (pretty much LA) from when i was born until i was 14, and i can attest to pretty much all of this; at the very least CA as a whole has more to do than where i currently live in middle-of-nowhere SC lolI’m turning 27 soon, I don’t have kids, but I have nephews, whom I’ve taken all around the city, without a car.
I could say the same thing back. LA may not be on your radar, but it doesn’t take away all of the things there is to do here. You mentioned Hollywood and the Tar Pits, two pebbles in a large pond of things to do. The other cities/states/destinations you mentioned are irrelevant to the conversation, I feel, since we’re talking about a California vacation. Also, if you think Los Angeles means just eating and shopping, you’re sorely mistaken and I can tell you haven’t done much research regarding the city and its neighboring areas.
I can still soak up my personal experience without staying the entire time. Leaving WOULD be part of my personal experience. I know myself, staying anywhere too long while on vacation would drive me nuts. The “bubble” is of no concern to me and is not a factor when deciding if a WDW trip is for me or not. I grew up in Los Angeles, a Disney bubble in itself. I believe people should tailor their vacations based on their own likes, interests, etc.
I’m sure I’d be able to find other things to do in Florida. Staying in Orlando for two weeks doesn’t interest me. Getting out and exploring other parts of the state does interest me, however. But that’s me. Everyone is different. Staying at WDW for a long period of time without leaving is of interest to you. Hollywood isn’t (it’s not of interest to me either), and maybe Los Angeles isn’t either (Los Angeles doesn’t represent all of Southern California). That’s okay. Staying there for a long time without exploring other parts of Florida doesn’t interest me. That’s okay.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
It is what it is lol. Folks can talk about California in any way, shape, or form all they want, but it is undoubtedly a great state in terms of things to see and do. It’s one of the most naturally beautiful states as well.
George Lucas on a Bench
Well-Known Member
California has lots of Jack in the Boxes, metheads in tent cities and celebrities that commit fraud and money laundering to get their kids into the college right by skid row for your enjoyment.