My WDW .vs DL comparisions

[KevinPage]

I was finally able to visit Disneyland & CAdv for the 1st time ever this June. My wife and I loved California Adventure, I don't understand all the insane critisism. It ain't perfect, but what park is when they first open it. It won't have nearly as many rides as DL, but for what they did, it works.

Anyways, comparing the MK straight up are kinda hard to do since DL needs to pack more rides into the park than we do down here.

Basically every ride that was featured in both parks: Splash, Haunted, Big Thunder, Space Mountain, Peter Pan, & Snow White, I prefered the WDW version. The only exception being PoTC, which is so different of a ride it makes me wonder why they didn't do more with the Floridia version.

Overall though, I prefered the decor and attention to detail in DL better. You can see there was more care and loving detail packed into the original Happiest Place on Earth.

I especially loved the look of Tom Sawyer Island and the fact that Fantasmic was played directly on it, which you could run around on before Mickey does that night. They had canoes running, and seemed there were more things going on. Granted that caused massive traffic problems and too many people, but it was nice nontheless.

DL castle I knew would be smaller, but not THAT much smaller. OMG, it was tiny, the Matterhorn dwarfes it. You can't see he castle anywhere in the park, only the Matterhorn

Also, Fantasyland really did feel like a Fantasyland, with more rides. I'm upset I wasn't able to get a chance to ride Small World as it was down for rehab. Small World in WDW is an afterthought comapred to the DL version, with a huge facade and boats that travel on the outside of the pavillion as well as a big clock and a few AA's.

So overall, I'm glad that our version of the RIDE itself are better, I just wish the outsides and interiors had some of the wonderful DL touches

 

[kaos]

Lots odf the changes were due to the weather in florida being much more rainy than in Califorinia. As for Pirates, the entire attraction in WDW was an afterthought. It was never suppsed to be an attraction in WDW. Part of the reason that the attractions are different is because of the water table in Florida being only 15 feet. I prefer the DL version of pirates.


I prefer WDW to DL. I know.. the original magic and all, but hey, I'm a kid of the 70's. For me, I grew up with WDW. I bet that if my grandparents lived in Cali instead of Florida, I'd probably like DL better...
:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[KevinPage]

I'm not just talking about the overhangs and all of the queues being indoors, just the way everything looks. Not that WDW is chopped liver by any stretch, but you can tell it was a bit more of a priority back in 1955.

Yeah I'm a WDW boy myself, grew up going to WDW as a kid, so it was sort of painful to have to admit liking some things in CA over FL, but thats life I guess.

It's all Disney so I'm happy

 

[JLW11Hi]

Originally posted by KevinPage

DL castle I knew would be smaller, but not THAT much smaller. OMG, it was tiny, the Matterhorn dwarfes it. You can't see he castle anywhere in the park, only the Matterhorn

Yep, that was intended! Walt didn't want people to see it from othere areas of the park. They made the castle bigger at MK so that everyone around the Seven Seas Lagoon could see it.

Both castles are nice. Sleeping Beauty's is IMO the most quaint, and mabey the most charming.

Oh, and Toontown at DL is AWESOME! The best architecture in any of the parks!

 

[mickeyfanatics]

You should write them at DL about IASW being closed without prior announcement. I was there June 23-26 and was most upset it was closed. I wrote them and they asked me to send them my 5 3-day tickets. A few weeks later I got mail from them with my 5 3-day tickets along with a voucher for 6 3-day tickets good for the next 2 years.


As far as a comparison, I love WDW and go there at least once a month, but I think our MK got shafted. I understand that Florida has some water table issues, but that is why the ultilidor was built the way it was and the MK has a 108 ft. elevation (100 questions answer). I thought their HM was much better. The stretching room effects were much better. Their pirates was better, as well as Space Mountain. It was wilder. Also, Toontown was better (we only got a cheap makeover to Birthdayland/Starland). Granted, I did not go on things like Peter Pan, but why didn't we get Alice or Pinnochio, we only have the Village house and Storybookland was cool. They also has much better hours (8AM - 11 PM) I also could not beleive the Castle was sooooooo small, but I know he meant it to be that way.

I love WDW first, so much to do, but I cannot wait to go back to DL. My wife and I spent one evening there (the kids were sleeping and being watched by Nana) and from 9 PM- 11PM we just walked around the park, soaking up the scenery. Roy O Disney did a great job brining WDW to life for his brother's memory. I just think he cut corners Walt would not have. He always tried to scale Walt's Ideas back. That is what made them a great team. Eisner and Wells used to be that.

 

[mousecar]

I really like the music that you hear during Space Mountain. It really adds alot to the ride.

I, too am partial to WDW because DL was so far away. I did enjoy it and hope to visit DL again.

 

[KevinPage]

Just for complaining that Small World was closed they fork out 11 free tickets to you?

That seems quite odd if you ask me, over 1 ride being closed. They did list in on the website as opening the Saturday of my trip, but it enver did.


Kevin Page