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snoopyfan
06-06-2007, 04:44 AM
Anyone else out there gone to WDW and then just can't wait to get back to DL? We went on our first trip to WDW (8 days) and I was disappointed in the MK and now I just can't wait to get back to DL!!

Leash81
06-06-2007, 06:47 AM
I know what you mean. My DH and I went to WDW last December for our honeymoon and first stop was the MK. We were really underwhelmed, I had planned on going to that park several days since I thought it would be like DL but we only went one day and then one night for the Christmas party. So when we made our annual Valentine's trip to DL we started up Main Street and we just looked at each other and said this is much better.

SANDYMARIE
06-06-2007, 07:00 AM
I have heard this many times. So, I'm very hesitant on spending sooo much $$ going there. The only plus side is seeing other parks like Epcot, Animal Kingdom and the MGM Studios.

Who knows..... maybe someday. :rolleyes:

TTFN

Walt'sbirthdaygirl
06-06-2007, 07:07 AM
I have heard this many times. So, I'm very hesitant on spending sooo much $$ going there. The only plus side is seeing other parks like Epcot, Animal Kingdom and the MGM Studios.

Who knows..... maybe someday. :rolleyes:

TTFN


You really do need to go to WDW at least once, its an entire experience.

EPCOT is AWESOME, the studios and Animal Kingdom are unique and fun. The on site resorts beautiful.

With that said, when we returned from WDW I couldn't wait to go back to Disneyland. WDW in December and we were back at DL by mid January.

SANDYMARIE
06-06-2007, 07:20 AM
You really do need to go to WDW at least once, its an entire experience.

EPCOT is AWESOME, the studios and Animal Kingdom are unique and fun. The on site resorts beautiful.

With that said, when we returned from WDW I couldn't wait to go back to Disneyland. WDW in December and we were back at DL by mid January.

Oh! Stop. Now you got me wanting to go!! :D
How are the crowds in December? How about the weather? Where should I stay? I could go on forever. lol!
Thanks

Sandymarie :)

Monte Cristo
06-06-2007, 07:54 AM
I haven't been there, but from what I gather anyone going to WDW expecting an identical experience to DL is going to be disappointed. The "Disney" section of their themepark isn't as big as ours. However, the point of going there is to see all of the surrounding parks. I plan on going at some point, but it's tough. I really can't stand humidity, so Florida doesn't sound too appealing.

Walt'sbirthdaygirl
06-06-2007, 07:55 AM
December was fantastic, the crowds were smallish (of course we were there the 4th- 10th) the only busy day was the last saturday at EPCOT the morning started out slowly, but by noon there were two hour waits for Test Track and Soaring. The weather was nice, we were even able to swim a couple of the days.


The resorts had beautiful decorations, the Parks, not so much. In fact another point in DL favor, you get to enjoy the Christmas deco, parades and activities as part of your day. At the Magic Kingdom, with the exception of the time right around Christmas, you need to attend the hard ticket event.

SANDYMARIE
06-06-2007, 08:36 AM
December was fantastic, the crowds were smallish (of course we were there the 4th- 10th) the only busy day was the last saturday at EPCOT the morning started out slowly, but by noon there were two hour waits for Test Track and Soaring. The weather was nice, we were even able to swim a couple of the days.


The resorts had beautiful decorations, the Parks, not so much. In fact another point in DL favor, you get to enjoy the Christmas deco, parades and activities as part of your day. At the Magic Kingdom, with the exception of the time right around Christmas, you need to attend the hard ticket event.

Thanks. It looks like I will be doing alot of WDW research!
FUN, FUN, FUN :D

TTFN

Mitchwebb
06-06-2007, 08:39 AM
The fun of WDW is spending 10 days and not seeing everything. The great Hotels , restaurants and water parks.

I believe size wise Mk is actually much bigger than Disneyland but it has less rides and is so spread out. I love the size of Disneyland not having to walk so much to get from ride to ride and Fantasyland just can't be beat. I did enjoy seeing Country Bears and a few other attractions that they have. But if I had to chose between Mk and Disneyland I would chose Disneyland every time.

I'll go back to WDW for vacation but it will never replace Disneyland to us.

Duane
06-06-2007, 09:01 AM
I also favor Disneyland over Orlando's Magic Kingdom. I experienced my first visit to Disneyland in June 1968 and was amazed at the magic. My family later visited Disney World in August 1976 and was very disappointed. Not only was the heat and humidity unacceptable, Orlando was very limited during the beginning years. Everything is still spread out way too much and requires extensive walking or mandatory transportation systems to get from one place to another. Now that I'm older and have been to Disney World about 20 times, I do admit there is much more to do and see in Orlando. I live in North Carolina so we can conveniently take a non-stop flight to Orlando and arrive in one hour. Although we visit Disney World more often, Disneyland is the original and holds the most charm. We are visiting Disneyland again June 17-21 and are so excited we can't wait!

snoopyfan
06-06-2007, 09:09 AM
I have heard this many times. So, I'm very hesitant on spending sooo much $$ going there. The only plus side is seeing other parks like Epcot, Animal Kingdom and the MGM Studios.

Who knows..... maybe someday. :rolleyes:

TTFN

You should go someday. We did have a great time and there's so much to see. My favorite park was Animal Kingdom. We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge and it was beautiful. It was just that the Magic Kingdom didn't have the magic that Disneyland does! We would like to go back someday and now we know what we'll want to do and see...I just LOVE Disneyland and I always will!

Mickeygirlforever
06-06-2007, 09:10 AM
We felt the same way. I also thought that MK would be like DL and I was so excited. We first went to Pirates like we do in DL and I was disappointed. The whole queque was very cool but the ride wasn't as nice. We were just so disappointed, it was missing the magic. I'm not kidding, when we got done, my mom said "now we need to go back to Disneyland :)). We loved the rest of WDW though. I'm sure if we hadn't been to Disneyland so many times before WDW, it would've been amazing.

Katlovett
06-06-2007, 09:11 AM
Which one you prefer definitely depends on what you like/hate. WDW is much more spacious with the different parks spread out, and much less crowded than Disneyland. WDW doesn't have some of DL's rides, but it has attractions DL does not have and waterparks.

The big deciding factor for me is the weather. I simply cannot tolerate the humidity at WDW that made 80 degrees feel like 110 degrees, even at night. The summer I went to WDW, I was living in Sacramento where the summer temperatures get up to 110-115 degrees and two rivers run through it so it is a bit humid. But even though I was reasonably acclimated to hot summer weather, WDW's weather simply defeated me. I can deal with the crowds at Disneyland.

Katprint

DianeM
06-06-2007, 09:12 AM
I love everything at WDW except the Magic Kingdom. When my husband and I went for our honeymoon, we only spent 1/2 day at MK out of 5 days total. It's just not the same. But there is so much to do at WDW that it's still worth visiting.


Anyone else out there gone to WDW and then just can't wait to get back to DL? We went on our first trip to WDW (8 days) and I was disappointed in the MK and now I just can't wait to get back to DL!!

bloodnswash
06-06-2007, 09:15 AM
Anyone else out there gone to WDW and then just can't wait to get back to DL? We went on our first trip to WDW (8 days) and I was disappointed in the MK and now I just can't wait to get back to DL!!

This is probably the main reason we have not made the trip to WDW.

avalosn
06-06-2007, 09:19 AM
Anyone else out there gone to WDW and then just can't wait to get back to DL? We went on our first trip to WDW (8 days) and I was disappointed in the MK and now I just can't wait to get back to DL!!

Okay, I thought I was the only person who felt like this. I went to WDW and thought it was kinda blah and boring. I felt like they took all of the leftover parts from DL and built WDW with them, but some people really like WDW, so I guess it's just a matter of personal preference. Also, I have been born and raised on Disneyland and so I think I am just used to DL. Maybe that's why I just like it better???? I was open to WDW, but it just wasn't the same as DL...at least for me.

Pat-n-Eil
06-06-2007, 09:21 AM
Speaking only from vicarious experiences there, it seems like this fits the bill of bigger isn't always better. It would appear that those looking to duplicate the Disnelyand experience are disappointed. However, I have talked with folks who've been to WDW and they really enjoyed many aspects of it including the vast array of accomodations, EPCOT, Hall of Presidents (versus Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln), and the other parks available.

I will likely, some day, visit WDW just because I'd like to see it, but reading the reviews and trip reports doesn't make me super excited to do so real soon.

Perhaps a cruise related vacation with a visit to the parks will be what we end up going for whenever we decide to go.

Mrs Mouse
06-06-2007, 09:22 AM
Anyone else out there gone to WDW and then just can't wait to get back to DL? We went on our first trip to WDW (8 days) and I was disappointed in the MK and now I just can't wait to get back to DL!!
This is my biggest fear about taking a trip to WDW. I can't wait to visit Florida one day and see all of the other parks (esp. Animal Kingdom and Epcot), but I'm just so worried that the Magic Kingdom will be a letdown compared to DL. Of course, it'll be great because it's a Disney vacation, but I have built up our eventual WDW trip so much in my mind that I don't want to be at all disappointed!

SANDYMARIE
06-06-2007, 09:29 AM
This is my biggest fear about taking a trip to WDW. I can't wait to visit Florida one day and see all of the other parks (esp. Animal Kingdom and Epcot), but I'm just so worried that the Magic Kingdom will be a letdown compared to DL. Of course, it'll be great because it's a Disney vacation, but I have built up our eventual WDW trip so much in my mind that I don't want to be at all disappointed!

Me too! :confused:

Rapunzelthorn
06-06-2007, 10:24 AM
I too was raised on Disneyland and have only been to Disney World about four times. Disneyland around 25 times. We did go to Disney World four years ago two days before Christmas with my then 2.5 year old son and it was surprisingly uncrowded. Maybe this was due to their multiple parks being able to disperse more people throughout and the difference in size etween the MK and Disneyland. We were surprised. When I read about how packed Disneyland is around Christmas I'm more surprised that MK in Florida really wasn't bad at all. So, if I were considering a Disney Christmas, I might choose MK only for this reason. Well, that and the Florida weather in December; it was actually pretty warm and toasty that December. I can't say that we didn't enjoy MK, but we were looking for all these rides that they didn't have there.

I do remember taking a trip to Disney World with my parents and family when I was younger and having a blast staying at the Contemporary and riding the monorail into the park and also enjoying River Country. So, yes they do have a lot to offer in the way of amenities and multiple parks. I don't think that MK itself can compare with Disneyland.

Overall, I agree with everyone else. I much prefer Disneyland. Last time we went to MK it was very dirty and the CM's in the restaurants were unresponsive to complaints about the filthy conditions in the restaurants. There were a lot of unkempt looking CM's around and the park just didn't radiate the pride or standards that we have experienced at Disneyland. I have always felt the this disparity is partly due to Disneyland being the original and partly due to the fact that for a very long time, Disneyland was the only park they had (before CALIFORNIA), so they had to put a lot more effort and focus into maintaining it and pleasing their guests. Disneyland didn't have a multitude of parks to bring in revenue, so the one they did have had bettter be great. That's just my impression of the disparity between the two. I feel that a lot more effort goes into maintaining and running Disneyland; it is their shining jewel.

PanFan
06-06-2007, 11:53 AM
Disneyland will always hold a special place in my heart which can never be replaced by any other park anywhere in the world.

That being said, I LOVED the Magic Kingdom when I went with DH for the first time last summer. I knew it was similar to DL, but I wasn't expecting them to be the same. I used the Unofficial Guide to WDW to plan our stay and knew exactly what was there and what wasn't. I asked around on this board to find out what rides were identical and which ones were different or unique to WDW. I especially liked attractions at MK that aren't at DL anymore (Country Bear Jamboree, Carousel of Progress, Peoplemover/TTA). I enjoyed riding the Astro Orbiter in its proper location above the Peoplemover track and taking an elevator to get up to it (I still won't go on it at DL since they moved them down to their current location).

Yes, it was different. But I was expecting and actually looking forward to that. MK is not DL and going in with that mindset really helped me to make the most of my experience there and I hope to return someday (as well as visit the other parks I've yet to make it to). But yes, it was nice coming home to DL.

stan4d_steph
06-06-2007, 01:02 PM
Anyone else out there gone to WDW and then just can't wait to get back to DL? We went on our first trip to WDW (8 days) and I was disappointed in the MK and now I just can't wait to get back to DL!!No, but I don't really consider the Magic Kingdom to be the best part of WDW.

WDW is much more of an immersion into Disney than Disneyland. If you stay onsite, you are almost totally removed from the "outside world," and I like that. Disneyland can't do this because it is surrounded by Anaheim.

lisap
06-06-2007, 01:08 PM
This is my biggest fear about taking a trip to WDW. I can't wait to visit Florida one day and see all of the other parks (esp. Animal Kingdom and Epcot), but I'm just so worried that the Magic Kingdom will be a letdown compared to DL. Of course, it'll be great because it's a Disney vacation, but I have built up our eventual WDW trip so much in my mind that I don't want to be at all disappointed!


You won't be disappointed, I don't think. We are Disneyland loyalists, but had a blast at WDW. Like Steph said, it's the total immersion of Disney that makes it special. And Epcot was unlike anything at the DLR--same with Animal Kingdom. We liked MK but didn't spend a whole lot of time there compared to the other parks. Just go with an open mind and be prepared to enjoy all the differences.:)

lordog
06-06-2007, 10:02 PM
OMG!! I thought I was the only crazy one!! My daughter and I just got back from a two week Disneyworld trip in April (Well, 8 days in Disney World and a 4 night cruise) and you're right. I don't feel like I got my Disneyland fix for the year. I feel like I still need to go. For me, Disney World didn't feel as "magical" as Disneyland. Don't get me wrong, we had a wonderful, one-in-a-lifetime trip, doing the cruise and DisneyWorld back-to-back, but it's a shame that a month later, I "need" to go to Disneyland still. I was almost ashamed to tell people that we were going back to Disneyland right after getting back from Florida. I'm one of the crazy people that have a DisneyWorld AP and a Disneyland AP during the same year. I think that I need an intervention

SCSarah
06-07-2007, 08:42 AM
DH and I felt the same way when we were in MK and WDW this April. While we had a great time at Epcot and Animal Kingdom, MK just isn't the same. Yes it's smaller in size, but I really think that we got the much better ride selection...I mean, their POTC is SUPER short...and there were lines everywhere. We'll definitely be back, probably after kids, but our time there just made me want to come back to DL more.

On a side note...we went on one of the backstage tours there, and our tour guide was really nice, and was telling us that Disneyland is about half the size of the MK, so now DH insists on calling Disneyland "The Magic Province", since it isn't big enough to be a kingdom.

Sarah