Tokyo or Anaheim (plus why I love Paris best)

[MDo]

Hello everyone,

I live somewhere in the middle east.
I visited Disneyland Paris three times (in 1994, 2002 and 2012) and Walt Disney Resort in Florida in 1995. Back then there were only three parks there.

To me, Disneyland Paris is a perfect theme park: it's absolutely beautiful. From what I hear it has the best big thunder mountain, the best space mountain (LOVE the music), the best castle, the best themed area around the pirates attraction, my faveorite design for a haunted mansion (and its great music) and the beautiful arcades all along the Main Street USA. During my last visit there, 2 months ago, I got to visit for the first time their MGM cousin - Walt Disney's Studios. Sorry again, I know everybody seems to say bad things about the park but I really enjoyed it... even more than the original park in Orlando. Yes, it was small, but it has all the REAL attractions they have in Florida: Tower of terror, Aerosmith coaster and that behind the scenes tour I don't remember its name. They even have Crush's coaster which is exclusive to Paris and that Toy Story land which is pretty cool (Hong Kong also have it now). And Yes, it doesn't have 20 halls for shows... I don't think the European audience needs all those shows you have in the US. It seems too American to me plus there's the language barrier... not everybody speaks English or French in DLP. *sigh* It's gonna be hard to top Disneyland Paris (have anbyody seen the Disney Dreams night spec? It's such a cute baby version World of color...).

I don't need to offend anyone but I remember Magic Kingdom as a pale version of Eurodisney (Disneyland Paris). Disneyland Paris was greener (the weather in Paris is a lot nicer), more colorful and I never really enjoyed all that science thingy that Epcot is all about. Don't get me wrong. I love science just not during my vacation So that's why I feel no urge, despite all the colorful hotel resorts to travel to Orlando again (honestly the new expansion looks great but the beauty of Disneyland Paris tops that expansion too).

Anyway,
I may get to travel some time this December or next December. I want you guys to help me pick the right destination.

I can't make up my mind between Tokyo Disneyland + Disney Sea and Disneyland Anaheim + California Adventure. I've never been to neither of them. The flight is equally expensive for me and the duration of light is also equal.

Personally I care much less about shows (like dancers, singers and parades) and more about fireworks, night displays and well themed attractions. I also care much less about food (cause I don't like a lot of things) and much more about maintenance and gardening and theming.

Why choose Tokyo you ask?
DisneySEA sounds very well themed (but also too few attractions)
They have wonderful new area they build for Toy Story Mania which looks awsome
Their version of Tower of terror looks great.
so does their Indiana Jones ride at DisneySea.
They have a haunted holiday version of Haunted Mansion...
They have that Winnie the pooh honey hunt ride nobody has.
Their park seems super clean (but I must admit Main Street USA is one of my faveorite parts in a Disney park and theirs doesn't seem so cool).
They have the best Splash Mountain.
BUT... it's Japan. Everybody speaks Japanese... and the lines always look so long in photographs.
And... I'll feel like a stranger there. no?

Why choose CA?
World of color looks amazing.
Haunted mansion and splash mountain are rides I really wanna see and as Disneyland Paris visitor I don't get to see them so I'd rather see them in English.
The new Radiator Springs Racers ride looks very cool too (but I could settle for Tokyo's voyage to the center of the earth instead)
Indiana Jones at Disneyland looks fantastic (but DisneySEA's doesn't sound any less wonderful).
And I hear they're all so friendly there and they speak... English.

I know that by just looking at the list you'd say easliy: Go to Japan... but I really feel like Disneyland is a lot more magical... Hmmm

what do you have to say about that?

 

[Californian Elitist]

I'd go to either, although Disneyland Paris is more like Disneyland I believe, in terms of what the park looks like (beauty). Both TDL and DL are well kept and clean. We (DL) too have the Haunted Mansion Holiday. Speaking of the Haunted Mansion, TDL's Haunted Mansion is in Fantasyland. How that happened, I do not know. DL also has it's a small world Holiday, as well as a TON of decorations everywhere for Christmas. TDL looks super cool and I'd love to visit and I can't even count how many times I've been to DL. If you feel DL is more magical, go there. If you feel TDL would be best, go there. Based on your expectations, it sounds like you'd prefer Disneyland, because of the beauty of the park. Maybe you should flip a coin!

 

[Bolna]

The way you have difficulty deciding where you want to go, I guess it is more a question where you will go first as it sounds that you will end up at the other destination some time in the future anyway.

So, my suggestion would be to go to the original first: Disneyland. It might appear to be the "easy" option (you already mentioned the language issue), but I think it has a lot of beauty and details (something which you missed at WDW - and I agree with you that the MK pales in comparison to DLP).

I also think that the weather in December in California might be nicer than in Tokyo and I find that being cold and wet from the rain always diminishes my enjoyment of the parks a little bit.

But I have not been to Tokyo (but would love to go), so I hope others who have been to both might be able to give you an opinion as well.

And just as a side note: from what you say about what is important to you, I think you might love Animal Kingdom at WDW. It is unique and has such lush gardens and so many beautiful little details. So, if you ever happen to be in Florida, that might be the park to change your opinion about WDW.

 

[MDo]

Thank you very much.
I actually don't know if I'll get to travel a lot and to visit both destinations. It sounds like you guys help me make up my mind, although I really could use to hear some opinion from someone who visited both resorts.

I'm glad you told me about Animal Kingdom, though. It is good to know it has gardens and is very detailed but I also care about rides and that is something the kingdom doesn't seem to have much of. Why travel so far for beautiful gardens when you have only three rides. Anyways... thank you.

 

[MDo]

*need = mean (to offend)

 

[MDo]

Raven, thank you.

When I said they have the holiday version I just meant that they *also* have the holiday version. I didn't say it right. I even heard they have a better version of it. And they also have more holiday decorations (which I don't care much about). BTW when I flipped a coin the answer was Disneyland Anaheim. Now I have to think of a way to pay for it and to find the right time for that vacation hehe

 

[Californian Elitist]

Raven, thank you.

When I said they have the holiday version I just meant that they *also* have the holiday version. I didn't say it right. I even heard they have a better version of it. And they also have more holiday decorations (which I don't care much about). BTW when I flipped a coin the answer was Disneyland Anaheim. Now I have to think of a way to pay for it and to find the right time for that vacation hehe

Your welcome! I can't believe you actually flipped a coin, LOL! And it said Disneyland... That's interesting.
No worries on the mansion confusion. Hopefully TP sees this thread, he's been to Tokyo. I wish I could go to the foreign parks. One of these days it'll happen. Hope you can get to Caifornia soon!

 

[Greenkai3000]

We've been to WDW, DL and DLP and I can say that they are all different and unique in their own ways. Although nothing compares to the original, and very well manicured Disneyland Resort.

Having said that, if I were you I'd choose Tokyo over Anaheim anyday. Have you seen pics, and videos on Youtube of Tokyo Disney Sea??? That park is absolutely , incredibly and undoubtedly awesome! I wish Eisner would've greenlit Disney Sea here in the States.

Check this video out...It's sooooooooooooooo cool