My family has been to WDW a countless amount of times but we might go to DL this summer. My father's exact words "Go ask the people on Mouseplanet to help us out." My family loves you guys! There are 5 of us going, my parents, my 17 year old sister, me and my boyfriend. We are going some time in August.

At WDW we usually do least 10 days staying at either Pop Century or Port Orleans Riverside.

Our questions:

What are the benefits of staying at 1 of their 3 hotels? EMH? Free parking? Anything you can think of would be great.

I am really confused about the Good Neighbor Hotels. Some of them are closer than the Disney hotels? I mean if we could save on parking that would be great. But is walking really that realistic? We would need either 2 hotel rooms or a suite. I find all of Embassy Suites beds are rock hard and very uncomfortable. A kitchen would probably be fantastic. Where am I going here? Should I knock on someone's door and ask to stay for the week or is there really a Good Neighbor Hotel that is good for us?

Do the Good Neighbor Hotels have the same benefits as the on-site hotels?

The distance between DL and DCA is it like the distance between Universal and IOA in Orlando?

The weather in August? Hot but without humidity right? Crowds compared to August in WDW?

IASW is on the rehab list for August...am I missing something that much different from WDW?

I remember reading that they are doing construction in DCA adding a new area of the park. Should I wait until that construction is done before I go?

How many days will I need to complete both parks?

Thanks everyone! We are trying to decide between DL and doing our first Deluxe in WDW. Hard decision!

I usually stay at a moderate or value at WDW, too - PERSONALLY, I wouldn't do the onsite hotels unless you get a killer deal on the rates. The Grand Californian is very similar to Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge, but I think it's a lot more expensive (I could be wrong on that, though).

If you stay in an on-site hotel, you get to do the Magic Morning (equivalent to morning EMH) every day that it's offered. Otherwise, if you have a 3 day or more Park Hopper ticket, you get one entrance, regardless of where you're staying.

There's lots of threads and experts on which of the nearby hotels offer which - my sister and I have stayed at the Howard Johnson's the last few times we've gone, and really like that. I don't think they have kitchens, though (the normal room we get has a small microwave and refrigerator, though)

I think DCA entrance and DL entrance may be even closer than IOA and USF (I seem to remember a little bit of a walk there). Probably about as far as England is from France in Epcot (or closer).

The big thing with IASW is the facade, IMHO. Unfortunately, the clock isn't working during the refurb, but maybe it will be by then?

If you normally do 10 day trips to WDW, I'd recommend 3 days at the absolute minimum - 5 for a more reasonable minimum.

One thing you'll notice is that dining is very different between the coasts. You might want to mentally prepare for that. Additionally, do not say anything about the size of the castle, it's a very sensitive subject!

As far as attraction differences (my opinion only)-Space Mountain is TONS better - I generally don't ride Space at WDW since it's so rough - it's not at DL. Matterhorn is more like WDW Space as far as roughness goes, but it still has the cuddle seats (for now) that WDW Space used to have (that may be before your time, though). Pirates is a LOT longer at DL, though the queue isn't as nice - And the HMs are different. Splash isn't as great at DL (better story development at WDW) -and TOT has a neat added effect, but it misses the 5th dimension part. The boiler room is a lot cooler at DL, though! Oh, and don't miss the original Tiki Birds. Sigh. I so wish they'd kick Iago out of WDW!

How exciting!

The resort hotels are beautiful, but the price is not worth it if you're on a budget. If I were rich, I'd stay there every time. But the good neighbor hotels across the street are VERY close, and they are just fine. I reccommend the Howard Johnson too.

The entrance to DCA is literally steps away from DL.

The weather in August is usually very hot, but not very humid. Pack your sunblock. :cool: I'd estimate it at about 80° usually.

We usually spend 4 days in Disneyland and DCA... 3 of them in Disneyland and one of them in DCA...

Have Fun!!

Thanks Cathy!

As I am looking at the different hotels it is probably more realistic to say a microwave and fridge is needed more than an actual full kitchen.

No evening EMH's? We aren't morning people on vacation!

ETA: What do you mean about the dining being different?

My room at the Hojo had a fridge, but not a microwave. I'm sure you can get one though.

Park Place Inn & Minisuites has both, so does the Carousel Inn.

My family has been to WDW a countless amount of times but we might go to DL this summer.

***I pray to go to WDW next year....I hope this all helps, good luck, have fun...you only live once, it is how much you can afford to do in this lifetime haha :)

ETA: What do you mean about the dining being different?

You know how when most people plan a WDW vacation, one of the key things is deciding where and which days to make your ADRs. That's not such an issue at DL. There's only a handful of restaurants that you make PSs for (they're still using that nomenclature, I believe), and because Disneyland really seems to be aimed at the local visitor and not the vacation visitor, there's just not the emphasis put on dining like at WDW.

We stay 5 days when we go to DL. WE also stay at the PP on site as DH did not like staying in the off property sites and it is the only vacation we get every year so he wants to be on site. The off porperty hotels are a little closer to the entrance but a long walk to DTD.
The DL and DCA entrances are straight across from each other! short hop skip and jump away!
I have never been to WDW so I can't compare to that. The crowds are heavy the frist 2 weeks in Aug. because a lot of schools start then and everyone is trying for that last trip before school.
The heat is between 80-95 but no humidity just melt your skin off heat! Bring lots of water and LOTS of sunblock!:cool:
I would make ADRs for dinner every night as it can be 1 -2 hr waits sometimes.You can always cancel the res. if plans change. the ESPN zone does not take res. but if you sign up for ESPN club online they will send you a member card for free that you can use for ADRs.
The BBR is a must for ADR's lunch and dinner. As well as Charater dining.The Hungry bear and french Q. restruants are nice Quite places to eat and rest. The Our family share burgers and other food items, because they are such big portions that you can't eat it all! We try to eat at non-peek times to avoid the crowds.
There is no after hours for hotel guests,( just early entry,)unless you win a dream event pass.

The PP hotel has a frig and coffee pot, but know microwave. I don't know if you can bring in a small one in or not. I will ask for you. If you can I'd go to walmart and get one of the low watt 30$ ones that is about the size that would works best. Then drop it off at a donation site on the way out. Or see if the hotel could do it for you. ( JUst a crazy notion/idea!)


(we have stayed at all 3 hotels on site and like them for running back and forth from park to eat and rest.)

I'm not a DL expert, we go for 5-7 days every fall and have found that 3days is too short and 7 can be too long with little ones (and one farmer).;):D

hope this helps some.
kat

DCA constructions will be going on for quite a while so I would go whenever it works for you. Beginning of August will be busier than the end of August.

I have stayed on and off property. Personally, the only way I stay on property is if it's a really good deal like an AP rate. Otherwise I just don't feel it's worth it. As far as good neighbor hotels that are suites I really like Residence inn Maingate. We walk it and use the shuttle, I think it's a little over 1/2 mile. Free breakfast and big rooms. Suites that are nice but 1 mile away so you need a shuttle would include; Homewood suites and Residence inn Garden Grove. There is also a Marriot suites in the same area but I have never stayed there. Another motel to consider is the Candy Cane inn. It's an easy walk and a very nice, clean, comfortable hotel. It's a motel so you would probably need 2 rooms.

Have a great trip!

We usually do 4-5 days total for both parks (most spent in DL), and we stay at the Good Neighbor Hotels directly across the street. Park Vu Inn, Best Western, Carousel etc. And they are great for us. Just a short walk to everything. Of course it feels longer at the END of the day than the beginning...LOL But close enough to walk back to your room for pool time or lunch if you like.

I agree that you need to prepare yourself food-wise. I wish someone had told me in reverse on my first trip out to WDW--WOW! THE FOOD IS INCREDIBLE! So many options. And cheaper and larger portions, in my estimation. That said, you won't starve at DLR. There are less sit-down meal options, more counter, less variety, but still good quality. Do some searches around here for favorite places to eat and favorite menu items--there is a wealth of info that even made me, a DL veteran, try a few new things.

If you want one niiiice dinner, do the Napa Rose in the Grand Californian. You can thank me later. ;)

We've stayed at both Hojo and the Dl Hotel. While I love the DL Hotel and would stay there in a heartbeat if money were no object, we just can't see paying that much when Hojo is very nice, so much less expensive and about as close a walk. The same reason we generally now do moderates and values at WDW.

Just like everybody warns WDW newbies about how huge the place is, be prepared because if you're used to WDW, DLR is very compact. We've gone for 5 days before and I think that's ideal, but the non-Disney nuts in the family thought that was too long. :rolleyes: This summer we'll be there 3 days and I think we'll be able to get everything we want in, but if you're into Disney, I'd stay 5 days. You can go on Google Earth and get a feel for how it's all laid out and how compact it is.

I don't think there's any comparison in the heat factor. I'm from a dry climate and that humidity in Florida just wipes me out in a way I never experience in California.

A crowd difference in DL is that weekends are much more crowded because a lot more of the people are locals. The crowds in the park also have a bit of a different feel because there are so many more locals. It doesn't feel like it's predominately famillies on vacation the way it does in WDW.

Even though it's nowhere near as big as WDW, there are quite a few attractions WDW doesn't have (Indiana Jones, Alice in Wonderland, Storybookland, Finding Nemo subs, Mr Toad, CA Screamin'-- I'm sure there are more!)

Happy planning!

There is a great "google" map with an overlay of all the local area hotels at the following link:

http://www.geocities.com/ashpsyche/DisneylandLinkMap.html

This is a webpage by a fellow named Bret and he gives reviews and information on many of the hotels. A really good resource for trip planning.

After reading your post, in my opinion, unless money is no object, I think you should use the "good neighbor" hotels/motels. They will be considerably cheaper, and many are a closer walk than the resort hotels. Your amenity requests are minor, and I'm sure many of the establishments would be able to accommodate you. One thing to note, it seems that several of the hotels have changed their policy on parking, so be sure to check that out. Sometimes a AAA booking will avoid that. Also, if you book through AAA, parking is included in your admission tickets. Here's an idea...go to Mickey and Friends parking lot in the morning and take the tram in. Walk back and forth to your hotel during the day. Then at the end of the day, tram it back to the structure for the short drive home. Maybe a little complex, but with hotels charging an extremely high fee for a second car, it may be worth it. It sounds like the EE advantage of a resort stay is not important to you. That's another good reason to go the "good neighbor" route. You still get an EE day on the AAA parkhopper passes.

I think 5 days would be a wonderful trip, especially if you are late sleepers. Here's one little tip...DCA opens at 10 AM. Get there a touch early and immediately head to the Paradise Pier area. In that first hour, you should be able to hit California Screamin', Sun Wheel, Maliboomer, Mulholland Highway. You could make a short detour upon entry and pick up a Fast Pass for Soarin'.

Another thing to consider (especially if you have someone in your group with a local address) would be to upgrade to an AP toward the end of your trip. The cost would be really minor and wouldn't it be nice to know that you had admission tickets for a full year!!!

August is really hot, although it isn't "Africa" hot (LOL), quite low humidity, but you should plan your days to duck into cool interiors. The animation building is wonderful for this at DCA. Don't forget the Main Street Cinema and the Tiki Room in DL. Also Indy's line is either covered or mostly indoors, so if you are enduring a long wait on a hot day, it's not so bad.

This response is getting long, but I hope you find this information helpful!

It's good to know that if I book through AAA it will waive the cost of parking at the parks.

I am not going to lie...this is pretty overwhelming because of all the off-site hotels and which airport to fly into. I can't even imagine what it is like to plan your first vacation to WDW!! I am going to have a look at some of the good-neighbor hotels again tonight and give you guys an update so you can give me your point of view on what I have chosen.

Thanks for all of your help so far! Keep the tips coming!

Be sure to catch the Aladdin stage show at DCA. :)

Oh yes! That is what I meant to mention about the heat!

No, the heat simply does not compare between DLR and WDW. BUT! All the queues and shops and everything in WDW are air conditioned or covered well in anticipation. In DLR, you will find many queues out in the open, and less places to duck in that are truly well air conditioned. So while the heat isn't as bad, escaping from it when you feel overheated is much harder. SO keep that in mind!

I'm 15 and i've been to WDW 9 times and Christmas 2009 will be my and my mom and dads first time to DL so we're pretty excited (I just can't get over the fact I'll actually be at the place where Walt began the magic!). My aunt, uncle and two cousins are coming too for their first time.

I was just wondering if there was anything thats a definate "Can not be missed" that you could suggest. I'm not really a big ride person, and I love little secret magic things that make the trips special.

Thanks for your time.

Katie, I'm going to merge your thread with another recent one by another WDW 'Regular'/DL 'Newbie'.

But with Christmas time - at DL it snows at the end of the fireworks! Fantasmic is much much different, too!

I don't know if they replace it at Christmas with a Christmas-based tour, or if they're both done, but you do NOT want to miss doing the "Walk in Walt's Footsteps" tour! Just based on what you posted, I think you'd enjoy it!

(And if people use funny American words that sound like they're English - don't hesitate to ask for a translation!)

The Christmas Tour is AWESOME (with the right guide.) When are you planning on visiting? Be prepared for maximum crowds from Dec 22-Jan 3.

.

The distance between DL and DCA is it like the distance between Universal and IOA in Orlando? The weather in August? Hot but without humidity right? Crowds compared to August in WDW?


No comparison. Last I recall to go between the 2 universal parks you had to take moving sidewalks almost all the way back to the parking lot, then head back on another one for the other park. DL and DCA are much closer, separated just by a mostly empty plaza. If the entry lines aren't too long you can hop over to the other park just to get on a single ride, pick up FP's, get a get meal and return.

Crowds are much worse in CA.They don't seem to trail off as much as WDW does late at night either. DCA almost always closes 2-3 hours before DL so a large spillover effect usually happens. Weather difference is of course is one of best things in CA favor. I could never last even 1/2 day at WDW. In CA I suspect the crowds will wear you out before the weather does.

My advice do come and focus on the neat features large and small not in WDW. And yea as somewhere else said, don't make fun of our castle we're sensitive on that point. We know it's bigger in WDW, but we got the original.
lol.

I think we are going to spend 5 days in DL and 1 (2 days if we get a buy 1 get 1 free) in Universal.

How far is DL from Universal?

We have been looking at the hotels at the Desert Inn and Suites has bigger rooms that are cheaper than some of the other hotels. We picked the parlor suite which has 4 queen beds, living room, 2 full bathrooms. It sleeps 10 but we will need the space, and there will only be one bed not in use.

Has anyone stayed here giving us some feedback?
There is no outdoor pool?


Another question:

I am a little confused with how Fantasmic works. It's not in a theater right? What park is it in?

I am a little confused with how Fantasmic works. It's not in a theater right? What park is it in?

It's on the Rivers of America (where the Mark Twain Riverboat and Columbia Sailing ship go (no equivalent to the Columbia at WDW - you should do it if it's runnng). So although there is not a dedicated theater, the use of the larger waterway and Tom Sawyer island as the stage area makes it SOOO cool! Additionally, the Pocohontas section isn't in DL - but they have a Peter Pan segment with the Columbia that is GREAT.

Some people will camp out waiting for it for hours on blankets in the area. You can also pay for a reserved seating area (in chairs!) with dessert (do a search on Fantasmic to find info). I prefer not to do either of those. If there are two shows in an evening, that's the best - watch the fireworks from near the hub and then go around the hub (per CM directions) to the Frontierland entrance, and wait there for them to clear the area from the first show, then they'll let you in. I like to grab a spot near a railing on the tiered area somewhat near the Haunted Mansion side of things - just make sure you ask a CM if you'll be able to stay there - some of the areas they make stay clear for emergency access.

You might take a look at the Camelot Inn & Suites. It's a Good Neighbor Hotel (motel) with a good sized family suite. We've gotten the best rates right on their website or by calling direct.

My dh and I are head to get a "taste" of Disney World on March 13. We have to do 2.5 days of business and then get 2.5 days to check out a little of Disney World. It'll just be 2 couples (no children) and I am finding the whole place overwhelming!! :)

nvmom

Katie, I'm going to merge your thread with another recent one by another WDW 'Regular'/DL 'Newbie'.

But with Christmas time - at DL it snows at the end of the fireworks! Fantasmic is much much different, too!

I don't know if they replace it at Christmas with a Christmas-based tour, or if they're both done, but you do NOT want to miss doing the "Walk in Walt's Footsteps" tour! Just based on what you posted, I think you'd enjoy it!

(And if people use funny American words that sound like they're English - don't hesitate to ask for a translation!)


Ok, I didn't know there was another thread about this. Sorry about that.

Doesn't it snow at the end of the fireworks in WDW too? I'm sure it did...

Ok, I'll try and convince my mom and dad to let us go on that tour! They seem pretty ok with going on the Train tour in WDW next time we go, so hopefully they'll be ok with this one too.

Doesn't it snow at the end of the fireworks in WDW too? I'm sure it did...

Now that you mention it... I do recall snow during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and at the Osborne Lights. But it still snows at DL, too :fez: