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View Full Version : A WDW vet visits DLR for the first time in 10 years



Tyr
07-01-2003, 05:41 PM
This year instead of making our bi-annual trip to WDW, I convinced my husband to visit DLR instead. He is an east-coast native and spent a large part of his childhood at WDW so getting him to try something new was a challenge, even though it's Disney. I hadn't been to Disneyland in 10 years so I was interested in seeing how it has changed over the years. Our trip was from 6/24-6/29, but we avoided the parks like the plague on the day of the pirates premiere.

I tried not to compare Disneyland to the Magic Kingdom, but found myself saying "this is different" or "I like this better" several times. I really wish we had chosen a different time other than the week of the pirate's premiere to visit because I'm sure the congestion that we found around New Orleans Square and Adventureland usually isn't as bad as it was last week! I thought I'd post a few of my observations, but remember, these are just MY opinions and I hope to avoid flames!

What I liked better than Magic Kingdom
1. POTC - Hands down a much better ride! My husband loved it and he is a Pirates fanatic.
2. All of my favorite attractions are in one place rather than spread out among other parks i.e. Honey, I shrunk the audience and Star Tours.
3. Indy ride - AMAZING. loved it!
4. Matterhorn - rode it 4 times in a row and had a blast!

What I like at MK better than DLR
1. Spaciouness - I believe the MK is larger square footage-wise and everything seems more spread out. The 'lands' seem larger and don't seem to overlap as in DLR
2. The Castle - I know I'll probably get flamed for this but IMHO, Cinderella's castle is much more majestic
3. The monorail or ferry ride to MK - I love the feeling that you have to travel to get to this magical place.

Didn't spend much time at California Adventure so I can't really comment on that. I apologize for the length of this post but wanted to share our recent experience!

Lost Boy
07-01-2003, 08:12 PM
I am so glad you got a chance to come back to the place where it all started and that you enjoyed the "Little" Park so much. I find many WDW fans who come out here really do appreciate the unique qualities of Disneyland over The Magic Kingdom. About your points of likes and dislikes:

What you liked:
1.POTC is a much better ride here. Although I think the version in Paris even beats ours. But Disneyland's version just seems to make more sense. I liked the queue line in Florida better than our to short queue line.
2. I like the fact that things are spread out here at all. Makes walking from one end to the other a pleasure not a chore.
3. Indy - What more can you say. A great ride and technological feat.
4.Matterhorn - unique to Disneyland and that's enough right there. I love it, bumps and jolts included. It is an amazing ride.

What you found better at WDW:
1. Spaciouness - is precially why I love Disneyland more than Magic Kingdom. I nearly killed myself walking that park when I was there. It's just too big and spread out for me, and things are not where they should be if you are used to DL.
2. The Castle. No, you are right. That Castle in Florida is much bigger and fancier than ours, but I love our smaller version just as much, if not better. I don't know. Maybe it's just because.
3.Well, since I have to take a bus, then a subway, then a blue train, then a green train and then another bus, I do have to travel to our magical place. And the final bus lets me off right at the entrance to the Resort. And even if you drive in, you still have to travel by tram from the Parking Building to the Entrance. But, if you are in either the Disneyland or California Hotel, the walk can be very long, expecially at night on the long trek back after a tiring day of walking in the Park.

Again, thank you for your trip report and I am alway glad to hear what WDW people have to say about the original. :D

Tyr
07-01-2003, 08:22 PM
Just a clarification - what I meant by my favorite rides being in one place rather than spread out is that at WDW, Star Tours is in MGM and Honey, I Shrunk the Audience is in EPCOT. I love it that they are all in the same park at DLR :)

mrfantasmic
07-01-2003, 08:46 PM
Well it's good to hear of someone who had a good trip to DLR...
I've always felt that the scattered format of the other resort was confusing... one admission (or two) does the job here!

JenGood008
07-01-2003, 08:50 PM
There are definitely differences between DL and the Magic Kingdom and both places have their ups and downs, but they're both pretty magical :) Thanks for sharing your observations - glad you had a good time!

jerjer2005
07-01-2003, 10:54 PM
im so glad that you posted!!!! Your trip report was so uplifting to me... you posted in my favorite fashion, not bad just different. you made your post in a non-negative way and i comend you for that!

disNeytEen
07-02-2003, 03:17 PM
Wait! Your forgot that we have the Toad!

hbquikcomjamesl
07-02-2003, 03:35 PM
Yes, we still have the Toad. And Florida still has the Bears. (Probably because they had the sense to get rid of Vacation Hoedown and go back to the timeless classic show. With Vacation Hoedown permanently installed here, up until the day the building was gutted for the Milne-based ride, we simply exchanged one kind of "Pooh" for another.

Personally, on my two trips to WDW, I wasn't a bit bothered by the somewhat larger area WDW-MK covers compared to DL. The thing I noticed, especially on the first trip, when I wasn't well prepared, was the constant disorienting effect of the layout being so close to DL in many ways, yet slightly different in unexpected places. I would expect to find something in one place, only to find that it was someplace else entirely.

I'm also glad to see that I'm not the only one who likes HISTA!


Oh, yes: did you happen to notice that in the original HM, the stretching rooms are working elevators? Which is kind of ironic: In the DL HM, you have elevators disguised as ordinary rooms, while in the entrance to EPCOT Living Seas, you have ordinary rooms disguised as elevators.

laldava
07-03-2003, 10:57 AM
Hey guys - this is my first post on these boards. I just wanted to say how glad I was to hear how much you enjoyed your trip to DL. This summer I'm going to the Magic Kindom and Disney World for my first time in 10 years. So same situation. Its funny, all of my friends from outside of California tell me that the MK is better than DL even though they have never even been to DL. I like both equally. Though as a native Californian I have a special connection with the original DL - seeing as it was a part of my childhood, just as I am sure there are many post 1970's kids in florida for whom, the MK holds a special meaning. Yeah our castle may be smaller - as are many of our facades. But thats part of why I love it. DL here feels so much more intimate to me than the MK - of course it has to with dowtown anaheim surrounding it =P Also, it is the original, which I think will forever make it special. Granted there are some attractions at the MK that aren't here or there are different versions of the attractions and what not, but that's what makes disney parks so great right? each is unique and worth a visit ( well - im not sure about DCA =P) Anyways - I know a lot has changed in WDW since I was there in 1993 and I am very excited about my trip. Any suggestions of what I absolutely must see?? - probably too much to list

Matterhorn Fan
07-03-2003, 11:18 AM
Originally posted by laldava
Anyways - I know a lot has changed in WDW since I was there in 1993 and I am very excited about my trip. Any suggestions of what I absolutely must see?? - probably too much to list First of all, welcome to the boards. There's an introduction thread in the Lounge if you're interested. :)

Carousel of Progress
Timekeeper
Buzz Lightyear
Peoplemover
Hall of Presidents
Country Bear Jamboree
Swiss Family Treehouse
EPCOT & IllumiNations
Most of the Studios (Fantasmic! is way different)
Animal Kingdom
Tonga Toast ;)