-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Why California is the TRUE Theme Park Capital of the World.
- Thread starter Darkbeer1
- Start date
dweezil78
Well-Known Member
A lot of people do, but the thing is, Disney offers a much better total package for families than those other places do with incentive to never leave the bubble. I haven't been to IOA or USF since the early 2000s (and I was a previous passholder in the late 90s when IOA first opened and went all the time). Harry Potter, as much as I want to see it all, hasn't been enough to pull me away from WDW on my visits primarily because I'm already getting a lot for my $$$ from Disney and (as of late) even moreso because there is just so very little to do at both Universal parks for young children.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
Agreed. San Francisco is an amazing city. So are Los Angeles and San Diego.
Orlando reminds me of the surrounding two mile area of Disneyland back in 70's. Nothing but cheap motels feeding off the theme park and cheap tourist traps.
Hattieboxghost110
Well-Known Member
Sure, ultimately everything is subjective and comes down to personal preference. The versus arguments are fun for me, but they can also create negative reactions.
That's why I only post these kind of arguments on the Disneyland Resort section of WDW Magic and not on the main WDW discussion threads.
At the end of the day, California and Florida are the 2 BEST places in the world for theme park fans. I know that Dubai/Abu Dhabi are trying their best to become the theme park capital of the world, but I just don't see that ever happening.
dweezil78
Well-Known Member
I honestly haven't ventured outside the Disney bubble once in over a decade. The freeways (Osceola Parkway FTW!) bypass all that junk and neatly drop you off right in the 'World. Unless you are staying off-site, you never even see any of it anymore.
Hattieboxghost110
Well-Known Member
Darkbeer-Speaking of CA theme parks, do you have any insider knowledge about a possible USH 2nd gate and DLR 3rd gate within the next decade?
crxbrett
Well-Known Member
Southern California also had a few more amusement parks that have since closed - The Long Beach Pike, POP (Pacific Ocean Park) and Busch Gardens. It's too bad the Busch Gardens here closed, I grew up a mile away from that location. The Valley at that time had enough room and acreage to have a pretty impressive theme park.
I might be biased since I grew up here and have lived here all my life, but I tend to agree California has a better variety of theme parks than Florida. Now, with that out of the way, I actually much prefer DW over DL. Which is probably deemed blasphemous by some, especially coming from a SoCal native who grew up at DL. But DW is by far a better resort and experience and offers so much more over DL. It took a couple of visits to completely win me over, but I now love DW more than DL.
I might be biased since I grew up here and have lived here all my life, but I tend to agree California has a better variety of theme parks than Florida. Now, with that out of the way, I actually much prefer DW over DL. Which is probably deemed blasphemous by some, especially coming from a SoCal native who grew up at DL. But DW is by far a better resort and experience and offers so much more over DL. It took a couple of visits to completely win me over, but I now love DW more than DL.
A third gate in Anaheim is at least 20 years away, if not more.
Universal goes back and forth between a larger single park, or coming up with a second gate. But logistically, sounds like a larger main park, with a group of hotels inside the park with a small private area is the current plan.
Phroobar
Well-Known Member
Is the Master Plan for Universal to eat up the rest of the backlot with theme park and put production in the new soundstage/production office buildings?
Hattieboxghost110
Well-Known Member
I concur.
Blashemy! Lol Jk man
Interesting. May I ask what it is that WDW offers so much more over DL, aside from the obvious? (Magic band, fastpass plus, more hotels, etc.) Or maybe a better question. What things can you do in WDW that you can't do at DLR?
Hattieboxghost110
Well-Known Member
Thanks! I think it's good that DLR is not rushing to build a 3rd gate. There are still issues that need to be fixed such as parking, Tomorrowland, Hollywood Backlot, Toontown, etc.
Honestly, I would love to see a USH 2nd gate at some point. Realistically, I'm not sure if they have the land/space for it. They can tear down the backlot, but my understanding is that production is a huge moneymaker for them. Additionally, this would put a damper on their star attraction, the studio tour.
The thing I am most excited about for CA theme parks in the 5 years is Super NIntendo World. Nintendo was a huge part of my childhood and can't wait to step into the Mushroom Kingdom! Do you know if CA will get the 3 rides that FL is getting, Mario Kart/Yoshi/Donkey Kong?
No Name
Well-Known Member
I'd like to elaborate. If you were to say to your third cousin Reginald "I'm going to LA!"... would he assume you're going primarily for theme parks? No. When one thinks of Los Angeles, a lot of things come to mind, like beaches, Hollywood, celebrities, parties, plastic surgery, etc. It's an amazing city with a wide variety of things to do. Very few tourists go to LA just for theme parks.
On the other hand, if you were to tell Reginald "I'm going to Orlando!,"... he would assume you're going primarily for theme parks. It is the only place in the world that people go to primarily for theme parks. It was founded by theme parks. A third of the population works at theme parks. A joke at UCF is that their most popular major is Cast Member. Very few tourists go to Orlando not for theme parks.
So in my opinion, it's entirely possible to agree that there are more and better parks in Los Angeles, but not consider it the theme park capital of the world. You're comparing the parks in isolation, and that's a fine discussion, but the title comes from what the place in known for and what it continues to market itself as.
What would you consider the movie-making capital of the world?
On the other hand, if you were to tell Reginald "I'm going to Orlando!,"... he would assume you're going primarily for theme parks. It is the only place in the world that people go to primarily for theme parks. It was founded by theme parks. A third of the population works at theme parks. A joke at UCF is that their most popular major is Cast Member. Very few tourists go to Orlando not for theme parks.
So in my opinion, it's entirely possible to agree that there are more and better parks in Los Angeles, but not consider it the theme park capital of the world. You're comparing the parks in isolation, and that's a fine discussion, but the title comes from what the place in known for and what it continues to market itself as.
What would you consider the movie-making capital of the world?
Most people would consider Hollywood the movie-making capital of the US. However, more movies are actually made in Louisiana than California. But Lousiana is a state, not a city, and it's not known for movie-making, whereas Hollywood is.
Last edited:
Hattieboxghost110
Well-Known Member
Fair enough. If you are going by REPUTATION, then yes, Orlando is the theme park capital. Though when people think Orlando, people still primarily think DISNEY, if we go by park attendance. I just think we're using different metrics. I'm using VARIETY, QUANTITY, AFFORDABILITY, WEATHER, HISTORY, SCENERY.
I would like to add that just because a place is known for something, doesn't mean it's the best in class. For example, when you think MOUNTAINS in the US, most people would think of Colorado. The state of Colorado is primarily known for their mountains, Rocky Mountains to be exact.
When you think of California, people don't usually associate mountains with the state. Usually it's beaches, Hollywood, Golden Gate Bridge, etc. The fact is that California is one of the most mountainous states in America. IMO the Sierra Nevada mountain range completely blows the Colorado Rockies out of the water in terms of sheer beauty and diversity. The Rockies in Montana & Canada are far more beautiful than CO, but they are not as well known.
This is fake news. The metrics they are using is big studio feature-length productions. The majority of films that are shot and produced are independent & medium/small budget films. All the major film production companies are still based in CA... WARNER BROTHERS, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, 20TH CENTURY FOX, SONY PICTURES, etc. Film production in CA still produces a multi-billion dollar figure for the Golden State.
DisneyInsider101
Active Member
Nightly firework shows like happily ever after (Disneyland can't do this due to being close to houses), More parks, Pandora, Toy story land (soon), Tron (soon), Seven dwarfs mine train, People mover, Better daytime parade, etc.. etc... Also 3 new trackless rides coming within the few years.
crxbrett
Well-Known Member
Other than the things you already mentioned, I feel like DW offers more expansive attractions and restaurants. World Showcase alone is a huge draw for me and nothing in DL compares to that really. All those shops, restaurants, lounges and shows are a big factor. Also, I prefer the vast, spread-out design of DW over DL. DW truly makes me feel like I am in another world and far away from the real world like work and the blight and worries outside of the Disney bubble.
Many times at DL I have noticed you can hear police or fire sirens racing by on Harbor or Katella that would never be an issue in LBV. You can also hear loud exhausts on cars and honking in certain areas of the parks. You can also see the power lines on the streets and outside buildings in DL in certain areas of the park or while on attractions. Also, there have been a few times a police helicopter (ghetto bird as they are referred to in SoCal slang) has been either chasing a suspect in a pursuit or searching for someone with the spotlight on and circling over DL. That completely destroys the mood and surroundings and overall feeling that I am escaping from the real world. I don't believe those things would or could ever occur at DW.
Variety of restaurants and bars is also a big reason I love DW more. Just with the hotels alone DW offers so many more than DL ever could. But the parks at DW also have way more dining options. DW has Middle Eastern, Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, French, Canadian as well as so many other dining options that DL doesn't have. DW's sit down restaurants are also much better than DL on the whole, though I will say DL has a slight edge over DW in terms of QS/CS locations. Disney Springs is also a far superior place for dining and shopping and strolling around than Downtown Disney is in Anaheim. DTD is pretty pathetic compared to DS.
More attractions and some very unique ones including Spaceship Earth, Mission Space, The Living Seas, Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster, Rock N Roller Coaster, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Pandora, Everest, Living with the Land, the American Adventure among some others. Also, for the most part, I prefer most of DW's attractions that are shared with DL. There are a few that are better at DL (Pirates of course), but just a few.
Little things like more lush and diverse landscaping, lagoons and lakes, way more spacious and a lot more room on walkways and pathways, bigger and more detailed and better designed queues, much better and way more impressive firework shows, alcohol in the MK at DW - those all make it better than DL to me.
As for things I can do at DW that I can't do at DL? I can go to a Disney water park. I can stay at least 7 different hotels next to one of the parks that are directly connected to the Monorail or a ferry or a boat launch. I can enjoy a drink with my dinner or lunch in the MK. I can walk around the parks without feeling like I am being herded around like a cow. lol I don;t have to worry about pathways constantly being closed off at night causing horrendous bottlenecks. I can rent a boat and go fishing or race on the lagoon or take a water cruise or go parasailing or go jet skiing.
Call me crazy, and maybe this is because I lived here my whole life, but I also prefer DW's weather. Especially in summer/fall with the thunderstorms. DL's weather, while more temperate overall, is just boring sometimes. Yeah, I know that sounds crazy! But I really do love watching the electrical storms and rain at DW. It adds to the appeal for me. I also hate dry weather like we have in fall and winter here. My skin gets all cracked and raw and itchy. The humidity is a really nice change while visiting DW. I know I don't need chapstick or lotion when I come to DW LOL
I realize the grass may be greener on the other side maybe in my case? I guess DW just offers a more complete package in terms of a full getaway destination for me. I've even done a week at DL to see how a real vacation feels there and it just pales in comparison to DW.
Okay. Commence the rotten tomatoes and garbage that were aimed my way.
crxbrett
Well-Known Member
Yep. And something a lot of people don't really consider is most of the pre-production and almost all of the post-production on movies and tv shows are still done here in LA. Regardless if the show is shot in Canada or NM or LA or PA or NY or HI.
Hattieboxghost110
Well-Known Member
Other than the things you already mentioned, I feel like DW offers more expansive attractions and restaurants. World Showcase alone is a huge draw for me and nothing in DL compares to that really. All those shops, restaurants, lounges and shows are a big factor. Also, I prefer the vast, spread-out design of DW over DL. DW truly makes me feel like I am in another world and far away from the real world like work and the blight and worries outside of the Disney bubble.
Many times at DL I have noticed you can hear police or fire sirens racing by on Harbor or Katella that would never be an issue in LBV. You can also hear loud exhausts on cars and honking in certain areas of the parks. You can also see the power lines on the streets and outside buildings in DL in certain areas of the park or while on attractions. Also, there have been a few times a police helicopter (ghetto bird as they are referred to in SoCal slang) has been either chasing a suspect in a pursuit or searching for someone with the spotlight on and circling over DL. That completely destroys the mood and surroundings and overall feeling that I am escaping from the real world. I don't believe those things would or could ever occur at DW.
Variety of restaurants and bars is also a big reason I love DW more. Just with the hotels alone DW offers so many more than DL ever could. But the parks at DW also have way more dining options. DW has Middle Eastern, Hawaiian, Japanese, Chinese, French, Canadian as well as so many other dining options that DL doesn't have. DW's sit down restaurants are also much better than DL on the whole, though I will say DL has a slight edge over DW in terms of QS/CS locations. Disney Springs is also a far superior place for dining and shopping and strolling around than Downtown Disney is in Anaheim. DTD is pretty pathetic compared to DS.
More attractions and some very unique ones including Spaceship Earth, Mission Space, The Living Seas, Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster, Rock N Roller Coaster, Kilimanjaro Safaris, Pandora, Everest, Living with the Land, the American Adventure among some others. Also, for the most part, I prefer most of DW's attractions that are shared with DL. There are a few that are better at DL (Pirates of course), but just a few.
Little things like more lush and diverse landscaping, lagoons and lakes, way more spacious and a lot more room on walkways and pathways, bigger and more detailed and better designed queues, much better and way more impressive firework shows, alcohol in the MK at DW - those all make it better than DL to me.
As for things I can do at DW that I can't do at DL? I can go to a Disney water park. I can stay at least 7 different hotels next to one of the parks that are directly connected to the Monorail or a ferry or a boat launch. I can enjoy a drink with my dinner or lunch in the MK. I can walk around the parks without feeling like I am being herded around like a cow. lol I don;t have to worry about pathways constantly being closed off at night causing horrendous bottlenecks. I can rent a boat and go fishing or race on the lagoon or take a water cruise or go parasailing or go jet skiing.
Call me crazy, and maybe this is because I lived here my whole life, but I also prefer DW's weather. Especially in summer/fall with the thunderstorms. DL's weather, while more temperate overall, is just boring sometimes. Yeah, I know that sounds crazy! But I really do love watching the electrical storms and rain at DW. It adds to the appeal for me. I also hate dry weather like we have in fall and winter here. My skin gets all cracked and raw and itchy. The humidity is a really nice change while visiting DW. I know I don't need chapstick or lotion when I come to DW LOL
I realize the grass may be greener on the other side maybe in my case? I guess DW just offers a more complete package in terms of a full getaway destination for me. I've even done a week at DL to see how a real vacation feels there and it just pales in comparison to DW.
Okay. Commence the rotten tomatoes and garbage that were aimed my way.
No rotten tomatoes from me, my friend. I just think the resorts were built for different vacation purposes. DLR for short-term vacations, WDW for longer vacations.
It all depends on what you're looking for. For example, all I care about are the parks. I don't care about being able to shop at Under Armour at Disney Springs, something I can do right here. 99% of the things you mention, I could do without ever leaving my backyard. Fishing? Jet Skiing, Parasailing? But hey, getting on a boat and coming across drunk, singing pirates is not something I can do without going to the parks.
I just don't understand when people say, "WDW is better because i can go GOLFING! Seriously? Why would someone drop thousands of dollars to go do something they can do on any normal day? By the way, most of those things you mentioned previously. you can do in CA. You can fish, jet ski, parasail, rent a boat, surf, swim, golf, cruise, race, skydive, etc. There are TONS of more things you can do in SO CAL in LA, OC, and SD than you can do in Orlando.
Prefer humidity? Yes, I'm calling you KRAZY!
To be frank, I just think you have rose-colored glasses about WDW because it's still a relatively new experience for you. There is a reason why attendance has been dropping in the house of mouse in FL, Cut after cut, charging more by providing less, nickel & diming, etc. You mention EPCOT, but in reality the old EPCOT is dying and will transform into the Magic Kingdom within the next 20 years, or IPCOT. It's happening already.
crxbrett
Well-Known Member
Yes, I can do all of those things. But not at a Disney resort where everything is right there. But being able to race around on a little speedboat by all the hotels and in front of the MK and Cinderella's castle or parasail 600 feet above the area can't be done in SoCal.
I do get what you are saying. But DW still offers way more than DL even when you only factor in the parks.
I don't know if I have rose colored classes though lol I have been going to DW now for nearly 30 years and have spent a total of 3 entire months of my life there now, so it's not really a new experience for me anymore. In fact, at one point in the mid 90's I was going to DW more frequently than DL! Lol Now that is nuts, isn't it? Especially since I live here in LA. From '93-'97 I went to DW 5 times and actually only went to DL maybe 3 or 4 times in that same span. I actually knew DW more and when I finally did return to DL, I was used to their MK and forgot where some restrooms and pathways were at DL lol
I don't know why, but DW impresses me and amazes me more so than DL does. I just prefer it way more. Again, I know it's blasphemy to say it since I am from California and grew up going to DL.
I do get what you are saying. But DW still offers way more than DL even when you only factor in the parks.
I don't know if I have rose colored classes though lol I have been going to DW now for nearly 30 years and have spent a total of 3 entire months of my life there now, so it's not really a new experience for me anymore. In fact, at one point in the mid 90's I was going to DW more frequently than DL! Lol Now that is nuts, isn't it? Especially since I live here in LA. From '93-'97 I went to DW 5 times and actually only went to DL maybe 3 or 4 times in that same span. I actually knew DW more and when I finally did return to DL, I was used to their MK and forgot where some restrooms and pathways were at DL lol
I don't know why, but DW impresses me and amazes me more so than DL does. I just prefer it way more. Again, I know it's blasphemy to say it since I am from California and grew up going to DL.