Why DL rules and why WDW vacuums

[Progress.City]

This is all still fresh in my mind so I'll just say this:

-IASW out in Anaheim sparkles inside and out. Very impressed. Plus the characters give it a plus for me. I'm not a die hard in that sense.

-New effects are cool on Big thunder but I found the ride to be too smooth since it's major refurb last year/before. It sorta "glides" now. It's supposed to be the wildest ride in the wilderness. Still fun though.

-How underrated is Casey Jr/train? Loved it. Been to DL 4 times for a combined 12 days since 2010 and I just now rode it. Maybe cause we have a toddler now. Who cares it's awesome. Great views and I love how it fits so snug above the tiny villages and around the hedges. It goes thru caves...just awesome.

-Grizzly Peak Airfield still has a long way to go to convince me it's a national park. Those tree can't grow fast enough. New Soarin film was take it or leave it in terms of it's looks and the overall enjoyment vs old version.

-Food Choices between DL, DCA, and DTD are vastly superior and convenient compared to anything at MK or DHS. Only at Epcot or AK can you eat as yummy.

-For as much slack as WDW guests get, DL gets plenty of...(we'll just call them interesting people) from around Southern Cali. No need to go into detail. And yes you can tell they're not visiting from Oregon, Nevada, Colorado, or Arizona.

-Grad nights (went during one night) aren't that bad. No issues with the teens at all.

-RSR feels a lot slower than Test Track and I still with they'd done something different inside the mountain other than giving me more Radiator Springs and characters we've already seen and taken photos of/with. Don't know what but wish they'd done something else inside. Again, still fun though and the mountain range/rockwork and overall area is spectacular.

I'm gonna repeat a lot of this in my TR later so I'll just leave it at that for now.

DL can keep RSR. I consider it the same as TT but with the attention to detail found in our version of Splash Mountain.

What would be cool is if we got a high speed version of their Alice in Wonderland... That would be awesome!

 

[MichWolv]

Around January or February, I'll be able to compare three Magic Kingdoms. I'll be going to DLP!

I can do four, having been to Tokyo as well. In order, they go: 1. Parc Disneyland, Paris 2. Disneyland Park, Anaheim 3. Magic KIngdom 4. Tokyo Disneyland.

 

[MichWolv]

Convenience was key to us. Being able to walk to the Earl or Ralph Brennans on top of what's already offered inside the parks is great. We had TS at Carnation Cafe and Cafe Orleans and enjoyed both of our meals while chatting about how we wish MK (specifically) had options like this.

Agree on convenience, and I do like Cafe Orleans (and cajun/creole cuisine in general), but I think it's on par with Liberty Tree Tavern, although a different kind of food. I've never eaten at Carnation, but it always seemed like the Plaza Restaurant to me.

WoC for the effects alone is so enjoyable. I knew the SW commercial would come on so it didn't bother me much. Captain America to end the show was odd though...and got nothin' but love for Steve Rogers.

I think we ended with Thor instead of Captain America. The Star Wars promo felt all the more wrong to me because it was tacked onto the end of the segment about Disneyland with no transition whatsoever. Didn't ruin WoC by any means, but really wierd.

 

[Figments Friend]

The title of this thread, for some reason, makes me think of a scene from 'Spaceballs'.

Yeah...that scene where the giant spaceship 'Spaceball One' turns into a transforming robot.
It then looks like a gigantic maid with a vacuum. ready to collect all the fresh air from Planet Druidia.

"Lord Helmet! It's Mega Maid !
She's gone from ( vacuum ) to ( opposite-vacuum ) !"

Sorry.....thread drift....just cannot get that picture, and that line, out of my head.


So, back on topic now.


Disneyland is awesome.
WDW is awesome too.
It is a personal choice what Property one prefers to visit, and which one they prefer over the other.
It is unfair to 'compare' properties, as they are like apples and oranges.
Two completely different entities, with two completely different teams running them.
The two Properties are run with two completely different attitudes...and it SHOWS.
From Attractions, to Dining, to Merch, to Entertainment....
Everything is different, and that is what makes them all GREAT....but everyone has a 'favorite'.

I have visited WDW since the late 1970s, and know the place like the back of my hand.
Long time visitor...long time fan.
Practically 'lived' there over a 12 year stretch.
I have followed it's history by living it...and keep doing today from a distance like the Parks are 'extended family'.
Loved WDW in the 80s. Even liked it in the 90s.
Things changed however over the last few dozen years.

Don't like it all that much now, primarily because of the shift in attitude within the Company as to how that property is run ( and over-run/over exploited ).
The Parks need Attractions and themed experiences, not another DVC or Meet & Greet.
Oh, and that MM+/FP+ nonsense is a huge turn off for me as well.

Disneyland is now my Park of choice.
I will always be attached to EPCOT past and present, and it will always be my 'home', but Disneyland RULES my roost now.
Absolutely love that Park. Love how it is being run.
Love the environement and all that is offered when one walks in the front gate.
No FP+ nonsense, no booking six months in advance to eat at a decent sit down resturant.
Just show up, walk in, and ENJOY.

Disneyland is MY Land ....Walt said so in his Opening Day speech !
I finally took him up on that offer some years ago, and have not looked back.

 

[Slipknot]

More examples: Indiana Jones

Holy crap! Did they recently fix up the doors scene? Only saw it work once or twice during my visit in January and a lot of scenes look a helluva lot better than when I was there.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Something that no one ever brings up that typically makes DL more enjoyable than WDW is that significantly less people take flash photos on the attractions. It's out of control at WDW.

 

[Sage of Time]

I don't necessarily think WDW's HM is better. The Hatbox ghost added in Cali is really quite nice.

It's longer, more nuanced, better maintained...

One ghost doesn't make too much of a difference, for me.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I prefer DL's HM, although WDW at least keeps theirs in the classic mode year-round (despite all the lame alterations). My favorite place in any Disney park is the changing portrait hallway. I like to linger there...forever.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

@MerlinTheGoat here's my conversion rate for WDW-DL, mostly based on ride system:

WDW Space ~ Matterhorn
Everest ~ DL Space
RnRC ~ CA Screamin

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Here, we go, I found the best ride through video ever of DL's Pirates. This ride is merely an example of why every single ride (except Splash Mountain) is better at DL. To add insult to injury, they keep improving the rides at DL, while we would be lucky to ever get a ride improved, let alone fixed!



This YouTube poster has other great ride though videos of other rides at DL as well.

When is the best time to visit in September, November and December?

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I like early September, the middle of November and early December for lower crowds.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

I like early September, the middle of November and early December for lower crowds.

Thanks - would Early December be best when most rides will be up and running. I would think right after Labor Day would be the lowest. I have never been but the wife has a few years back.

 

[JT3000]

Here, we go, I found the best ride through video ever of DL's Pirates. This ride is merely an example of why every single ride (except Splash Mountain) is better at DL.

Yeah... except I found that isn't true at all. In fact, DL has more rides than any other single park, but IMO also has the inferior versions of shared rides more often than not. You should've stopped at Pirates, because Haunted Mansion is almost an equally big no-no comparison going the other way. One new animatronic doesn't make up for everything it's missing compared to MK (and yes, I've already seen it in person, despite living on the other side of the country. It's nice, but it ain't that nice.)

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

I think I'm the only person who prefers DL's HM to WDW MK's.

 

[Progress.City]

I think I'm the only person who prefers DL's HM to WDW MK's.

No, I do too.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

Many people would probably consider it a draw because of HMH, but I would say it's in WDW's favor that it is spared that version.

 

[stargrl33]

Something that no one ever brings up that typically makes DL more enjoyable than WDW is that significantly less people take flash photos on the attractions. It's out of control at WDW.

This is true, I honestly cannot think of a single ride that this happened to at Disneyland (compared with almost every ride at Disney World.

I think I'm the only person who prefers DL's HM to WDW MK's.

Unfortunately, we only got to ride HM once at DL, and it was the Nightmare overlay. (Went in with an open mind since I love the WDW's HM and I love the Nightmare movie but wasn't a fan of it at all - the 2 themes just don't fit together. Stately haunted manor with fluorescent cartoon stuff on top? No thanks.) Next time I go to DL, I'm looking forward to riding the classic version for sure.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

If you want to kinda-sorta RELAX on vacation - go to DL
if you want to plan everything down to the millisecond including dining 6 months ahead of time - go to WDW

That's my $.02. A die-hard WDWer that is tired of how ever-increasingly busy WDW is.

 

[JT3000]

I would've preferred to see the Nightmare overlay. The normal version is just like MK's but with less content (and apparently the new addition is broken already.) But if you aren't a local, you can't really base the timing of your visit around that.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

If you want to kinda-sorta RELAX on vacation - go to DL
if you want to plan everything down to the millisecond including dining 6 months ahead of time - go to WDW

That's my $.02. A die-hard WDWer that is tired of how ever-increasingly busy WDW is.

We are on the fence about DLR. The wife has been there years back and I've never been. I'm trying to figure out the best time to visit to where there is low crowds and refurbs.