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View Full Version : Why is Disneyland the Best?



HiHoSilver
08-14-2005, 10:30 AM
At least, I think it is the best. But why? In your opinion, what separates it from all of the other theme parks across the country? Is it the history? Is it the music? Is it the undeniable link between the park and the movies? Is it because our parents took us there when we were kids and now we relive those memories when we take our kids? I don't know, but I do know that there are many answers ... what do you think?

SCUBAbe
08-14-2005, 10:34 AM
I think because it is clean and I have been so often I know it well. Also, it's expensive so it keeps the undiserable element out, so you don't get the same crowd element that is attracted to knotts and SFMM. However, i do enjoy going to SFMM, I hate knotts and I LOVE sea world.

TowerofTerror
08-14-2005, 10:34 AM
It`s a park that is for the whole family. The park was the first to have unique rides that no other park had. The park is one that you can go to and alway see happy people.The park is is a great place to go to take a girlfriend.

potterphreak
08-14-2005, 10:35 AM
Several reasons (at least to me). I remember watching Disney on Sundays on ABC, and I am a total Disney movie afficionado (ESPECIALLY now that I have kids) and I just adore the way they incorporate that into the parks. It's not like there is really anywhere else these kids can go to meet their "movie stars". Also, I prefer Disneyland to Great America or the San Diego Zoo or Magic Mountain because the magic is so dominant-how did this area that was dirty 2 minutes ago get so clean? Why are all the harried stressed out moms and dads SMILING just a little as well as grumbling about crowds and prices? Awesome!

HiHoSilver
08-14-2005, 10:40 AM
And little things like the special treatment that you get from random cast members ... on our last visit, various cast members addressed my little girl as "princess" probably a half-dozen times. They made her feel like a princess.

hlbtimes2
08-14-2005, 10:44 AM
Attention to detail. Its clean, well themed (from rides, areas around rides, cast members, etc), and well maintained. They have rides and entertainment for everyone of every age.

We went to the local place (wild waves, a six flags park in Seattle) on Friday. The place was dirty. Very dirty. The employees lacked any kind of interest in their job. It was expensive- $8 to rent a locker, plus a $5 deposit, $3 for a small bottle of water, $4.75 for a coke. Those are higher then Disney prices!

SCUBAbe
08-14-2005, 10:44 AM
And little things like the special treatment that you get from random cast members ... on our last visit, various cast members addressed my little girl as "princess" probably a half-dozen times. They made her feel like a princess.

that element is slowly disapperaing....I have noticed more and more...shall we say....less enthused CM's workign there. One on BTMR even snapped at me because I didn't put my glasses away fast enough and she put the bar down right on my arms as I was putting my glasses in my purse. Yes, i should have had them away already, but do you have to close a bar on my arm because they were not??

Doug
08-14-2005, 12:26 PM
I had a cx snap at me as well.... this should never happen... I have no idea what kind of stress is placed on CM's, but they need to relax if getting stressed (like anyone else at work) .... perhaps, if disney is putting to much stress on them, disney should lay off on the stress .... CMs should be happy... not unusual to find depressed CMs...

But, to anwer the topic.... I grew up going to DL, it doies tend to be cleaner, the one thing I have noticed about disney is the complete theming of the park, when you go to MM (for example), most of the rides do not have much of a theme, then some do, but it's limited, they do not really go all out and make a whole little "land" for the ride, like DL does .... I guess this is even more extreme in WDW .... one of theses days I will go back and look ;)

DL is expensive? Well, I guess if you do not get a pass .... with a pass it's "cheap" ... if you go all the time ;)

SCUBAbe
08-14-2005, 12:45 PM
DL is expensive? Well, I guess if you do not get a pass .... with a pass it's "cheap" ... if you go all the time ;)

the passes are more money than an AP for sea worls or SFMM. SFMM was only about $60.00...sea world is buy a day get a pass and so was universal. So, even the AP's are more expensive ...which is fine, because I don't want to see the elements that I see At knotss and SFMM at DL...

HiHoSilver
08-14-2005, 12:55 PM
But, to anwer the topic.... I grew up going to DL, it doies tend to be cleaner, the one thing I have noticed about disney is the complete theming of the park, when you go to MM (for example), most of the rides do not have much of a theme, then some do, but it's limited, they do not really go all out and make a whole little "land" for the ride, like DL does
Good point! I actually don't mind standing in long lines on most of the rides, because the surrounding atmospheres are so entertaining. It's genius.

Susan L
08-14-2005, 01:12 PM
Well, growing up on Disneyland is part. It is also that it has something for everyone in my family. It is a very comfortable family atmosphere at Disneyland, I don't always feel that way at other theme parks.

As for the comments on the CMs. Not that it doesn't happen but, I have never had a bad experience with one. I have seen some very over worked and overwelmed CMs with a smile on the face trying to do there jobs with guest screaming at them. Also during the 60s and th 70s when I was a kid the CMs in all the lands use to play the part of the rides they were working at. They don't do that anymore. Once in awhile you will see the CMs at the HM get into character but its very rare these days. I miss that.

Skunker
08-14-2005, 01:22 PM
Attention to detail. Its clean, well themed (from rides, areas around rides, cast members, etc), and well maintained. They have rides and entertainment for everyone of every age.

We went to the local place (wild waves, a six flags park in Seattle) on Friday. The place was dirty. Very dirty. The employees lacked any kind of interest in their job. It was expensive- $8 to rent a locker, plus a $5 deposit, $3 for a small bottle of water, $4.75 for a coke. Those are higher then Disney prices!

Hi hlbtimes2 - I had the same experience at our Six Flags Friday! (I posted another thread about it). It was SO dirty, expensive. and the employees were apathetic, rude and lazy. Is this a Six Flags company theme?

I didn't go to Disneyland until I was 22, so I don't have any memories of Disney except all the great shows they USED to have on the Disney Channel when I was a kid. I totally agree - the park is CLEAN, the CM's very nice and I don't feel they are trying to bleed every cent they can out of me. Everything has theming and is always painted and fresh. There is magic at Disneyland because they think of everything and have incredible attention to detail.

Opus1guy
08-14-2005, 01:34 PM
Disneyland is the best, isn't it.

:)

Monte Cristo
08-14-2005, 01:57 PM
I think it succeeds in doing something a lot of other places fail despite trying for: making us remember what it was like to feel like a kid.

We've all heard the phrase used and overused "makes me feel like a kid again", but I think DL is one of the few places it's legitimately applicable. I'm 31 years old and I went to DL for the first time only two years ago. I am a VERY cynical person by nature. The minute I stepped onto Main Street, however, the place pretty much melted away all of those walls.

disneyland addict13
08-14-2005, 03:27 PM
Attention to detail. Its clean, well themed (from rides, areas around rides, cast members, etc), and well maintained. They have rides and entertainment for everyone of every age.

We went to the local place (wild waves, a six flags park in Seattle) on Friday. The place was dirty. Very dirty. The employees lacked any kind of interest in their job. It was expensive- $8 to rent a locker, plus a $5 deposit, $3 for a small bottle of water, $4.75 for a coke. Those are higher then Disney prices!

We were at Wild Waves on Friday also! What do you know? I agree with that completely! Also by the time we got there (around noon) they were all out of large AND medium lockers. The only lockers they had left were small lockers. We couldn't fit one of our bags into a small locker so we had to carry around a large bag for the rest of the day. It was also very dirty.

potzbie
08-14-2005, 03:39 PM
Why?
The front gate is the key, in my opinion.

At Universal Studios Hollyood, or at Knott's Berry Farm, or at Six Flags Magic Mountain, as you pass through the gates, you think "I'm at ____ [name of park]."

But at Disneyland, when you pass through the gates, you say, "I'm in ____ [name of park]."

The difference? -- "AT" vs. "IN".
At any other theme park, you are "AT the park."
At Disneyland, you are "IN the park."

The ENVIRONMENT is so enveloping at DL, it takes you somewhere else that no other park can take you.

Christiii
08-14-2005, 03:54 PM
I guess for me, its just not one, or a few things..but the FEELING I get when Im there...like no where else on earth. I just have a warm, giddy glow about me the entire time...for me, it truly is the Happiest Place on Earth...I dont haveto be dong a certain thing, or riding a certain ride...just BEING there for me is so special....I must say, some of my favorite Disneyland moments have been sitting on the porch on Main Street with my mom, with something yummy to snack on and just watching the Disney world go by...just priceless to me~~ :)

HiHoSilver
08-14-2005, 04:10 PM
I guess for me, its just not one, or a few things..but the FEELING I get when Im there...like no where else on earth. I just have a warm, giddy glow about me the entire time...for me, it truly is the Happiest Place on Earth...I dont haveto be dong a certain thing, or riding a certain ride...just BEING there for me is so special....I must say, some of my favorite Disneyland moments have been sitting on the porch on Main Street with my mom, with something yummy to snack on and just watching the Disney world go by...just priceless to me~~ :)
That's really nice. That feeling really is magical. It's what makes it OK to wear a silly hat the whole time you're on vacation (no matter how old you are) and nobody will give you a funny look.

hlbtimes2
08-14-2005, 04:33 PM
We were at Wild Waves on Friday also! What do you know? I agree with that completely! Also by the time we got there (around noon) they were all out of large AND medium lockers. The only lockers they had left were small lockers. We couldn't fit one of our bags into a small locker so we had to carry around a large bag for the rest of the day. It was also very dirty.

Thats funny! We got there about 12:30 or so. I didn't want to wait in the slow moving line for a small locker. So, I carried our bag while we went on rides. We left our towels on the grass, and just hoped they would be there when we returned (they were). In the afternoon, after rides, we got in the water. By that time the large lockers were available. Of course, they still had the signs up saying they were sold out. Did you see how gross the stairs going up to the green slides were. We were barefoot and it was making me sick. The area was covered with black slime. Really, really needed to be cleaned and disinfected.

Kelly Ann
08-14-2005, 08:53 PM
Neat distinction, potzbie!

HiHoSilver
08-17-2005, 09:07 AM
I just thought of something to add ... I love how Disneyland does not simply have a blanket policy against taking pictures & videos at various attractions, like many theme parks do. Of course, there are occasions when flash photography is distracting and Disneyland prohibits it at appropriate attractions (even though guests seem to inevitably ignore these announcements). But many theme parks just seem to standardly announce "no taking pictures or videos" at every single ride, show, or attraction that you can imagine. This is a really big deal to me. My family really loves to look at our vacation pictures and watch the videos from our trips, including performances at Disneyland like the parades, the Snow White musical, and Fantasmic. We even were lucky enough to video The Country Bears before they closed down. Of course, I am always respectful of Disneyland's policies and of other guests when taking pictures and videos, but my point is that many theme parks wouldn't even dream of letting guests video performances like these. Just another thing that separates Disneyland from everywhere else, in my opinion.

ksejr1
08-17-2005, 10:45 AM
because it is directed towards kids and adults. It's been in business for so long, not just the theme park either

oregontraveler
08-17-2005, 12:58 PM
I outgrew DL as I got older and wanted more thrill rides ala MM. It wasn't 'til 1996 when I went to Tokyo DL with my host family and saw the park from a 'kids' perspective again. I've managed to come back to DLR annually since 2003 and only wish I lived closer. I like the attention to detail, the family atmosphere, wonderful entertainment. Once you're inside the berm, all your troubles melt away. Wild Waves & Great America are OK, Silverwood in Athol, ID is a better family park with the waterslides included. Yet so far away.

sand20go
08-17-2005, 02:37 PM
While Disney on a hot summer day sometimes fails to deliver the thing I like the best about the park is that it is one of the few places in the world I feel "carefree" at. I can't explain it but the stresses of everyday world seem to melt away. I don't worry about this, that, and the other thing. In part it is the theming and the attention to detail so that when the Park is on its game it really is "the happyist place on earth".

lauramaynot
08-17-2005, 02:38 PM
Walt!

He is a genious in my opinion. Every time we leave I tell my kids to "say goodnight to Walt," because without him we wouldn't have such a high standard for theme parks. I think it is awesome that such a high profile person had such priorty for family and wanted that for others.