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

[BasiltheBatLord]

I live in Texas so both parks are about equal distance from me, my preference for DL comes down to:

1. I think DL is the best theme park in the world and enjoy it more than WDW parks

2. I have a good friend (also a fellow Disney Park fanatic) who lives in Southern CA who I can link up with when I go

3. More affordable

 

[Hayley In Wonderland]

I live in the UK and it's very hard to arrange a holiday to DL from here. Unlike WDW, there's no package deals or anything readily available (at least from what I've seen). It's also quite a bit more, and with the travel time, I would want to go for a couple weeks, but I know DL is more like a 5 day holiday.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Another vote for Distance. While I do fly, it's never been my favorite mode of travel. If I'm going to fly 5 hours from east coast to west coast, I'm going to Vegas! lol. the adult disneyland.

 

[baymenxpac]

Isn't it still? There is no comparison to the size differences. There is so much more to offer at WDW, more resorts, more choices to do things, more parks, water parks, etc. Granted Magic Kingdom usually loses out from an individual aspect to Disneyland but that's about it.

i don't think so, no. by sheer size, sure, WDW is bigger. but it has become far less of a monetary value and a far more homogenized experience in the last 15-to-20 years. and there is undoubtedly a higher standard of maintenance in anaheim.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

I am a WDW local and I go weekly on day trips and such. I go to DL every D23 because I enjoy the convention. DL is a great park but I can't imagine going to the same park every week whereas at WDW I can change pace every week.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

It would incorrect to say I've only been to one Disney park.
I prefer one over the others though because time is $$$!
Efficiency = less $

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

I go to Epcot once or twice and that's enough Disney for me

 

[Texas84]

No loyalty here but WDW is 5 hours by car and there are more onsite stay options.

 

[Gillyanne]

We also found the cast members in general to really not be very friendly like they are in Florida.

I remember on my first DL trip, my friends who ran the race wore their medals around the park (as one often does). in WDW they get congrats all over the place (much like Happy Birthdays for people wearing hats/buttons etc) but at DL not nearly as much (if any at all)

 

[Walt Disney1955]

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.

I agree. Your experiences don't sound like anyone else's. I can get there are some more personal reasons for you that you don't want to mention.

I've been going to WDW since I was 8 (I'm 41 now). It's what I know and love. I have heard DL is great, and perhaps I will go there someday, but I'm a WDW guy.

I said the same thing, but I always wanted to try the original. I always say this, if you are a Disney park fanatic, it is only natural to want to go and see the true original. As much of a "magical" aura that I get in WDW there was actually more of one in Disneyland. If it is affordable and you are able to travel I say don't miss the chance to experience it! You can still be a "WDW guy". I am too and my ratio to WDW to DL is 8:1. I still would be if it were 8:2.

 

[Weather_Lady]

I don't feel any loyalty to any particular park. (I suppose I once did, to WDW, because I thought it was the best and why settle for less?... but it's "done me wrong" with its incessant nickel-and-diming, to the point where I feel it has constructively divorced me. I simply can no longer afford to keep WDW in the lifstyle to which it has become accustomed when we're together.)

Now, I'll go wherever there are the most "new" things, and/or wherever is the best value, whether that's WDW (last visited May 2018, no plans to go again until after 2021 at the earliest), Disneyland (first-ever trip booked for August 2019 - we live in NY, where airfare to LAX is barely more than it is to MCO), or Universal (next trip booked for February 2019), or even other mini-vacations to other destinations (long weekends planned in Washington, D.C. and Boston this fall). In fact, I find the idea of "loyalty" to a particular vacation spot sort of silly -- it's not like Disney, Universal, or any other park operator is trying to show me any loyalty or constancy (I'm looking at you, WDW, you guacamole-thieving, price-hiking strumpet-for-consumer-dollars! Golly, guess I haven't completely gotten over you yet, WDW... I still remember those hot nights in a moderate when our hearts and our parking were both free...).

I guess I'm just more of a "what have you built for me lately"?, "love the park you're with," kind of vacationer these days. I get around, and I like it! #sorrynotsorry

 

[KBLovedDisney]

WDW = 7 hrs drive from home
DL = 36 hrs drive from home

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I don't like flying for short trips. The hassle and cost of air travel isn't worth it unless I'm going to be wherever I'm going for at least a week. Setting aside arguments about "better" or "worse," it's undeniable that WDW has more. At WDW, I'm fully busy from the time I arrive to the time I leave eight nights later. That wouldn't be the case at Disneyland.

That said, we're making our first trip to Disneyland this winter. Our daughter is obsessed with Cars and we want her to see Carsland before she either grows out of it or the place becomes a zoo with Star Wars opening.

 

[JaxFLBear]

For me it's a 30 miles vs 2,500 miles thing.

Same here.

 

[JIMINYCR]

DS has travelled to CA on business and visited DL while on his trips, but DW and I have only been to WDW. The distance to CA, the time I would need away from my business to enjoy the time away, and travel costs hold us back for now. One day we will be able to travel both sites but for the immediate future WDW is going to be our destination.

 

[Damon7777]

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"

 

[Minnie Mum]

I feel no real loyalty to any Disney park. It's all about proximity. We are currently living in the east, and WDW is closer, so that's the one we go to most often. When we lived in the west, DL was closer, so that was the one we visited most often. That never precluded a visit to the other park if we had to fly to the other coast for some reason. FWIW, my favorite Disney Park isn't even in North America.

 

[Sharon&Susan]

One has a stage that blocks the entrance of the castle and the other has a drawbridge where you can walk into the castle anytime of the day and has Mr. Toad's Wild Ride instead of a generic 90's Disney average dark ride that exists not because it was a good idea, but they could place a matching gift store near-by.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I live maybe 35 minutes away from the DLR.

While I do have interest in visiting WDW someday, I’m more interested in other traveling destinations, international ones. As of right now, I have no interest in planning a WDW trip anytime soon.

 

[MinnieWaffles]

You'll be amazed at this, but WDW is actually easier to plan a visit to from here! Only 9 hours flight, offers special deals for UK visitors so works out more cost effective and more to do.

I'd love to visit Disneyland someday, but the logistics of a trip are much more complicated.