Someone asked me the strangest Disney question the other day.

[J_Carioca]

For UK and European visitors like myself it is extremely common for us to stay for two/three weeks and spend most of the time at the Orlando theme parks but also take days off going to Tampa, Daytona beach, Cape Canaveral, Everglades, Miami etc Spending the WHOLE time at Disney would just be kinda wasteful and repetitive even though WDW is awesome.

It's just like an American flying for eight hours to go to Disneyland Paris or Tokyo Disney and not actually go and visit the city of Paris or Tokyo

I can really see myself flying to France, avoiding Paris and just going to Disneyland Paris. I get plenty of time in the real world. I want Disney

 

[Tiggerfanatic]

I can really see myself flying to France, avoiding Paris and just going to Disneyland Paris. I get plenty of time in the real world. I want Disney

Yup, that's exactly what I did!

 

[Bob Saget]

I hate to bring up that nasty word, reality, especially to the Disney fanatics, but here goes.
87 million people visited the state of Florida in 2011.
According to The Travel Channel, about 30 million visited WDW.
(The published estimated WDW attendance figure of 47 million counts the same person more than once.)
57 million people didn't make WDW their destination.
How can that be? While WDW is advertised as the world's number one vacation destination, if combined state wide, the beaches are Florida's most popular destination.

Nope. Not gonna hear it. As a fanboi, your little things called "facts" have no effect on me. Disney is all there is in the state of Fla. Not a thing more. Nothing!

*Buries head in the sand*

 

[AndyS2992]

Yup, that's exactly what I did!

What did you think of it in comparison to WDW? =]

 

[Tiggerfanatic]

What did you think of it in comparison to WDW? =]

You really can't fairly compare the 2. I've never been to Disneyland in CA, but I think DLP must be more on that order. There are only 2 parks, the Magic Kingdom and Studios, some of the attractions are the same, but most are different. DLP is a unique park, and there were several attractions that I really thought were done very well. All in all, I'm really glad I got the chance to go.

I will say the DLP's castle blew Cinderella's castle at the MK right out of the water. I loved it.

 

[GeorgiaPinesRJB]

I dont think the question was unusal..as many people have asked me similar questions, but as I grew up on Daytona Beach and lived there 18+ years..I have enough perspective and past memories that I easily seperate our Disney Vacations from the need to travel around. If Im planning a Disney Vacation...Im not venturing forth into Orlando except for Universal which we generally spend one day at..and then peruse Citiwalk. If we want to head to other State attractions...beaches etc...thats a different vacation...say spring break...I wont cross walk the two as it simply cost me a pretty penny to do the Disney the way we do it..and I prefer to stay in the bubble savoring every moment that I can....

Grew up in DeLand and feel the same way... when I go back to Florida it's for Florida or to go back for WDW but usually not the same time. I like the bubble when I am at WDW

 

[Wojciehowicz]

Nope. Not gonna hear it. As a fanboi, your little things called "facts" have no effect on me. Disney is all there is in the state of Fla. Not a thing more. Nothing!
*Buries head in the sand*

That's very funny stuff right there.

 

[Lil Fort]

Nope. Not gonna hear it. As a fanboi, your little things called "facts" have no effect on me. Disney is all there is in the state of Fla. Not a thing more. Nothing!

*Buries head in the sand*

Thank you for not wearing your speedo in that pic.
(Speedos are the main reason I refuse to go to the beach venture outside of WDW when I go to FL)

 

[AndyS2992]

You really can't fairly compare the 2. I've never been to Disneyland in CA, but I think DLP must be more on that order. There are only 2 parks, the Magic Kingdom and Studios, some of the attractions are the same, but most are different. DLP is a unique park, and there were several attractions that I really thought were done very well. All in all, I'm really glad I got the chance to go.

I will say the DLP's castle blew Cinderella's castle at the MK right out of the water. I loved it.

I am a DLP annual passholder btw

 

[BenSmith]

I am a DLP annual passholder btw

Just out of curiosity, how long does it take you from where you live in the UK to drive to DLP?(if you do)

 

[Wojciehowicz]

I will say the DLP's castle blew Cinderella's castle at the MK right out of the water.

Come on, Cinderella Castle, BTW, it's Cinderella not Cinderella's, is 100 feet taller than Sleeping Beauty Castle and it's pink. Real castles aren't pink.
It looks like something the French would like and you know what they say about the French.

 

[AndyS2992]

Just out of curiosity, how long does it take you from where you live in the UK to drive to DLP?(if you do)

When I drove there six weeks ago, I recall it took just under 12 hours.

 

[Lil Fort]

It looks like something the French would like and you know what they say about the French.

They know how to cook?

 

[BenSmith]

When I drove there six weeks ago, I recall it took just under 12 hours.

Not bad for a world class park like DLP, But I'd probably take the train

 

[WED99]

Just in case no one has done it, I recommend driving down to Key West for a week on your next trip. It's so relaxed down there, great place! Truman Hotel is really nice so check that out!

We did it 1 week Disney, 1 week Key West, 1 week Disney, 1 week Uni, Sea World, Busch Gardens.

 

[real mad hatter]

The majority of visitors to Florida don't go anywhere near theme parks.
Florida is much, much, more than just amusement parks.

Hmmm. So you reckon the majority of visitors that go to Florida don't visit WDW. Whoa! you gotta be joking dude.Thats like going to Paris and not visiting the Eiffel Tower,or visiting Agra in India and missing out on the Taj Mahal.I can assure you anyone from UK that is heading to Florida will definitely hit Disney at least one day.Yes,I do agree that Florida is much more than Disney.Our first two vacations were off site and we done Sea World,Bush Gardens,Universal & IOA.and of course the shopping malls,but most UK travellers have one thing in mind.The Mouse!

 

[real mad hatter]

You really can't fairly compare the 2. I've never been to Disneyland in CA, but I think DLP must be more on that order. There are only 2 parks, the Magic Kingdom and Studios, some of the attractions are the same, but most are different. DLP is a unique park, and there were several attractions that I really thought were done very well. All in all, I'm really glad I got the chance to go.

I will say the DLP's castle blew Cinderella's castle at the MK right out of the water. I loved it.

Whit! But DLP's castle is artificial where as Cinderella's castle is real.I am right,aren't I.

 

[real mad hatter]

They know how to cook?

Yeh,like am looking forward to snails and frogs legs for my dinner.Yuch!Only decent thing that came out of France is champagne.

 

[Wojciehowicz]

Hmmm. So you reckon the majority of visitors that go to Florida don't visit WDW. Whoa! you gotta be joking dude.

Not joking and it's not me that reckons. It's info published by the official state of Florida tourism agency, "Visit Florida", that says it's so. Here comes that word again, reality. They also write that overall, a little over half of foreign visitors cited going to amusement parks as the most popular activity while in Florida.
Sorry Hatter, while Brits may be different, the rest of the world does not revolve around WDW.

 

[real mad hatter]

Not joking and it's not me that reckons. It's info published by the official state of Florida tourism agency, "Visit Florida", that says it's so. Here comes that word again, reality. They also write that overall, a little over half of foreign visitors cited going to amusement parks as the most popular activity while in Florida.
Sorry Hatter, while Brits may be different, the rest of the world does not revolve around WDW.

Yeh,we also have a tourist book on "Visit Scotland" that is full of proper gander about what tourists should know.Oh Yeh, what a lot of piffle.And thank heavens that the world doesn't revolve around WDW,because Disney is magical where as the real world sucks.