Disneyland vs. WDW loyalty: What are the reasons you don't visit the other park?

[LittleBuford]

I live maybe 35 minutes away from the DLR.

I'd be cursing you now if I didn't like you so much. I'm green with envy!

 

[Tony the Tigger]

This has got to be the stupidest 'reason' this side of Memphis to justify loyalty:

"I am loyal to ______ because that is what I grew up with"

You mean like almost every fan of every sports team?

I very much prefer WDW. We went to DL ten years ago for one day, and we were done with both parks by mid afternoon. Other than comparing the different versions of attractions, especially HM, it just seemed small.

Without our FL discount, DL also seems really expensive. We seriously considered going back this past July (exactly 10 years from our last visit) but couldn’t justify the cost. I’d like to go one more time at some point, but...meh.

 

[Model3 McQueen]

I never cared to visit WDW, until Mission Breakout and Pixar Pier and Marvel Land came along and made me think differently.

 

[DisneyDoctor]

California. That is all.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I'd be cursing you now if I didn't like you so much. I'm green with envy!

The joys of being an Angeleno!

If you’re ever in Southern California, let me know and I’ll show you both Los Angeles and Disneyland!

 

[LittleBuford]

The joys of being an Angeleno!

If you’re ever in Southern California, let me know and I’ll show you both Los Angeles and Disneyland!

LA, Disneyland, and Raven? That's a combination I can't turn down.

 

[marni1971]

I went to both. In the same month. Within a week of each other.

I regret nothing.

We went to Epcot. Watched Reflections of Earth.

We were in DCA at 11am the following day.

We certainly regretted the lack of sleep

 

[ChrisFL]

you haven't lived until you've visited both..........in the same day

A couple actually did this once several years ago, they had a pic in front of the haunted mansion at both parks.

I'd like to do a triplicate....Do Tokyo Disney Haunted Mansion, then Disneyland, then WDW in the same day (technically just the same calendar date...it could be done theoretically)

 

[KBLovedDisney]

California. That is all.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

So this is for people that are Disneyland vets that have never been to WDW but come on these boards anyway (I know of at least a couple) and WDW vets that are on here that have never ventured to Disneyland and I know there are lots on here.

What are your reasons for never visiting the other park yet? Or will you? I'm more of a WDW vet but I did see Disneyland in 2012 and it was well worth it and I would encourage any WDW fan to go see the original. Vice-versa too, WDW is so grand.

So what are you reasons for just sticking to one resort so far?

Cheating as I have been to both now, but for years never thought DL was worth visiting as I am an east coaster.
Ok I finally visited DL a few years ago, my family both as a child and now with my own had held back because we were always told it was smaller, less magical, and just not worth it.
We had planned a trip to California and Yosemite, and I though DL would be fun to check out, my expectations were to be underwhelmed. It ended up totally charming us. Yes the resort for us was a Best Western, but we could walk to the front gates to DL and California Adventure in about 15 Minutes. They had way more rides for our younger kids to enjoy(well did till closing Bug Life Land) and had most of the WDW biggies. The food options for quick service were healthier and better, the restaurants were not crowded, and some rides like small world and pirates are just plain better. Biggest bonus, no magicbands, which means you can be spontaneous at the parks again! Old school machines or your phone to book fast passes on the day your there not 2 months before. And the smaller size makes seeing it all easier
WDW is a better for the resort experience, and AKL and Epcot are missed, and we like it enough to buy the DVC. If I lived in the middle of the USA, given the choice, I lean towards DL.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

We went to Epcot. Watched Reflections of Earth.

We were in DCA at 11am the following day.

We certainly regretted the lack of sleep

I almost did that, only the other way around. Only reason I didn't was because there's a non-stop Southwest flight from San Diego to Orlando that was dirt cheap, so I decided to spend a few days in San Diego in between.

The solution to the lack of sleep was taking a nap by Boardwalk's pool a few days later.

 

[BraveGirl]

Like everyone else is saying - Distance. I live in NY, so it's much easier and cheaper for me to get to WDW. However, any time I am in southern California, I do DL as well

 

[MouseMelly]

Grew up doing both, with the edge to DL more often. Living in Oklahoma, it’s pretty equidistant.
Love both parks for different reasons. DLR is quaint and charming, and more efficient. Plus you get to couple the trip with other things in SoCal. Makes the hubby much happier! WDW is grand and adventurous, and has better fireworks shows (thanks, Anaheim noise ordinances ). But the exhaustion of bussing everywhere wears on a family after a week.
I certainly agree with the crying wallet statement!

 

[wdwfan22]

For me i love the size of Walt Disney World compared to Disneyland Resort. It was nice to visit Disneyland a couple of times, but i don't need to go back. I love Magic Kingdom more and the rest of the Florida parks and Walt Disney World resorts.

 

[Gillyanne]

Yes the resort for us was a Best Western, but we could walk to the front gates to DL and California Adventure in about 15 Minutes.

Was this walk through the cast parking, up a level in the garage, across, and back down and across another lot to the resorts? If so, we stayed at the dive next door

 

[BoarderPhreak]

For me, DL is easily twice as far by plane in miles/hours, thus more expensive. But mainly because DL doesn't have EC, AK and all the resorts I love.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Was this walk through the cast parking, up a level in the garage, across, and back down and across another lot to the resorts? If so, we stayed at the dive next door

We didn't have to go through any garage levels(maybe they added them since), but it was the bw pavilions with dennys next door. Not too bad, walk was even shorter our second time when we did the HOJO. What was the name of your place?

 

[Gillyanne]

We didn't have to go through any garage levels(maybe they added them since), but it was the bw pavilions with dennys next door. Not too bad, walk was even shorter our second time when we did the HOJO. What was the name of your place?

I don't even remember the name of it. Maingate something I think at the time, but it seemed to have gone through a couple name changes. I just remember there was a lil road/throughway (it was named) at the intersection and it was the cast parking at the end (which was adjacent to the guest garage) and our hotel on one side, and a Best Western (at least to my memory) on the other. We walked it every day, sometimes we'd cheat and take the trams once we got through the garage, but mostly we walked to the resort/through DTD to the gates. I mean we're WDW vets, so it wouldn't feel like Disney w/o all the walking

 

[tirian]

I grew up on the east coast, so WDW was the first of the two I frequented. Even after moving west, WDW was my 'home' resort with an occasional day visit once or twice to DLR. About three years ago I decided to give DLR the WDW treatment, so I reserved at the Grand Californian and spent three days at DLR. Candidly, I found Disneyland cramped and it had the feel of a park that had been continually added to and added to without having a great overarching theme.. patched together. I can only imagine what adding Star Wars will do to it. I liked California Adventure more... elbow room and a more relaxed (and adult?) feel to it.

My next trip will be to WDW; I prefer the space, the variety of activities a large resort can offer, and all the things it has compared to DLR... World Showcase, for example. I also like staying at Old Key West... it's a great relaxed and open feel to it while being in the middle of everything.

I agree with your thoughts about DL.

As a theme park fan, I know I’m supposed to prefer DL because it’s the original, POTC is better, and some of the opening day attractions are still there. However, I find DL too physically cramped to feel like I’ve really gone anywhere other than a local theme park, too crowded to enjoy the details that are supposedly there, and too smashed together to feel coherent.

I still like DL and find it charming, but with the exceptions of POTC and Indiana Jones — and to a lesser extent, the Storybook Canal Boats and Alice in Wonderland — I’d rather enjoy the massive variety and resort at WDW.

Tokyo DL is, of course, superior to every other Disney resort on earth.

 

[tirian]

I'd prefer not to dive too deep into it, but here's some of it.
First experience walking in, one security guard was telling us to do one thing, we listened to him, then another security guard screamed at us for doing what the other guy said. Within the first hour of being in the park we saw guests getting yelled at 5 times. It was a very unwelcoming way to start off our first day at Disneyland. Had that been it, I would've just written it off as bad luck. We also found the cast members in general to really not be very friendly like they are in Florida. They seemed to act like they didn't want us to bother them by talking to them. There seemed to be very little of that Disney passion that I'm used to from the cast members. Oddly enough, I found more Disney passion from the Magic Mountain employees than Disneyland's.

Beyond that there were a few other things I don't really want to mention. Then add in the park being borderline filthy (California Adventure was quite clean though), the poor air quality, the disgustingly dirty parking garages, poor signage to get from parking to the park, and some other minor stuff.

I did love a lot of things there as well, specifically Cars, Indiana Jones, Matterhorn, getting to do Mr Toad again, and the Haunted Mansion overlay. But not enough to where I'd want to deal with unpleasant cast members. To be honest I feel like I need to give it another chance, since people don't seem to have the same experiences, but I just don't see making a dedicated trip out there ever again, especially when I could make a trip to World or Cedar Point or even just drive to the local Six Flags.

At this point, I’ve accepted the rude DL CMs and obnoxious locals who treat the place like their personal back yard. My first visit in 2007 was jarring. I thought DL would be more laid back like WDW. Nope.