1st visit. Just 1 word.

[disndatworld]

Disappointed.

After a lifetime of WDW we couldn’t wait to go to DL. It was good for a visit but doubt we’d go back.

 

[JasonMak2000]

Please elaborate. We went to DL for the first time after many visits to WDW. We loved it. Still love WDW too but had a great time at DL.

 

[midnight star]

Oh no! What happened? When did you go?

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I see you've been on these boards since 2006. How did your research on the DIS prepare you for your DLR visit? And how didn't it prepare you?

 

[gottalovepluto]

ummm.... ok?

 

[RE1333]

Couldn’t disagree more. After many visits to DW, I went to DL for the first time last year and was blown away. There are so many wonderful, unique things, and you can’t beat the convience factor. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it after being accustomed to the larger DW experience.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

That's interesting. I'm curious how you were disappointed. Please tell us more. To me, comparing WDW and DL is like comparing mangoes and oranges. They're both fruits. They both have some complimentary flavors. But, they're very different in experience and feel. Some people like mangoes. Some people like oranges. Some like both or neither. But everyone has a reason.

I personally love both, but I get overwhelmed by the planning required for WDW and prefer the simplicity of DL. But, to each their own.

 

[disndatworld]

Initial post was vague and incomplete, I know.

Things I liked:
- 8am opening - gave light crowds in the morning
- a few attractions were in certain ways a little better implemented
- preferred the FP MaxPass system at DL vs. the FP at WDW

Main Disappointments
- lower "curb appeal" of the park, attractions and really everything. Just dated & worn. I'm surprised how much it impacted my perspective.
- generally smaller passages/streets made crowds more difficult
- very poor execution on line management, pedestrians & cars in the same spaces, and just seemed like so many unmanaged aspects that created chaos

DIS has been a long-time home, and of course I spent a fair bit of time prepping. I had a good idea, but the appeal of not being "embedded" in a world was a big deal. Sadly, our Space Mountain ride failed just as we were loading and we lost that FP. It's a small world also failed while in line... so no doubt this made negative impact.

 

[disndatworld]

Glad DL has some supporters on this thread

 

[cinnaminny]

Eh, you like what you like. Honestly the first day I was at Magic Kingdom I was put off. I warmed up to it during our 10 days in the parks. But I was disappointed, I was worried that I spent a ton of money to go somewhere that was not as good. I fell in love with Hollywood Studios and Epcot, but Magic Kingdom did not have the magic that Disneyland had.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Initial post was vague and incomplete, I know.

Things I liked:
- 8am opening - gave light crowds in the morning
- a few attractions were in certain ways a little better implemented
- preferred the FP MaxPass system at DL vs. the FP at WDW

Main Disappointments
- lower "curb appeal" of the park, attractions and really everything. Just dated & worn. I'm surprised how much it impacted my perspective.
- generally smaller passages/streets made crowds more difficult
- very poor execution on line management, pedestrians & cars in the same spaces, and just seemed like so many unmanaged aspects that created chaos

DIS has been a long-time home, and of course I spent a fair bit of time prepping. I had a good idea, but the appeal of not being "embedded" in a world was a big deal. Sadly, our Space Mountain ride failed just as we were loading and we lost that FP. It's a small world also failed while in line... so no doubt this made negative impact.

Your opinion makes SO much more sense to me now & I think you have some seriously valid points for the average WDW vet. The smallness can be very intense crowdwise. As a DL vet I could not believe how much walking one does at WDW! So. Much. Space.

I know I’m in the minority but I LOVE Space at WDW and hate it in DL. Small World is the same to me except for the outside experience & seeing the train go through make it far superior in DL. So, on those fronts I don’t think you missed much.

As far as the unmanaged aspects creating chaos- idk. The only time in my life I’ve ever felt unsafe at Disney was WDW MK when the Xmas Party crowds were so huge watching the first parade we were shoved back towards the river in a crush of bodies. Literally, we were being shoved sideways to the barrier to the water- it was legit terrifying. And 100% preventable had they had just a couple CMs back by the river forcing traffic to keep moving in those areas. Although I heard similar tales of standstill crowds over Jersey Week at MK so WDW MK was definitely having some crowd management issues that week last year ...Anywho when it comes to crowd management at DL I’ve found it a mixed bag but in Sept when I went they had a great system I thought at night. During the day- it’s organized chaos- but the organization is hard to see. Cars, horses & people all in the same walkways- but since I grew up with that it’s what I’m used to... the honking of the horns is actually something I hear when I picture Main St USA. Funny, I never realized that!

 

[julesann]

Thank you for giving us more information besides your initial one word. To me, it seems like it might have been more kind and considerate to have not posted in the DL forum and to speak to your disappointment in the DW forum and share there about how much you prefer it. IMHO.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Glad DL has some supporters on this thread

SHHHH!! PLEASE tell everyone it basically sucks. It’s too expensive as it is!

 

[cinnaminny]

Your opinion makes SO much more sense to me now & I think you have some seriously valid points for the average WDW vet. The smallness can be very intense crowdwise. As a DL vet I could not believe how much walking one does at WDW! So. Much. Space.

I know I’m in the minority but I LOVE Space at WDW and hate it in DL. Small World is the same to me except for the outside experience & seeing the train go through make it far superior in DL. So, on those fronts I don’t think you missed much.

As far as the unmanaged aspects creating chaos- idk. The only time in my life I’ve ever felt unsafe at Disney was WDW MK when the Xmas Party crowds were so huge watching the first parade we were shoved back towards the river in a crush of bodies. Literally, we were being shoved sideways to the barrier to the water- it was legit terrifying. And 100% preventable had they had just a couple CMs back by the river forcing traffic to keep moving in those areas. Although I heard similar tails of standstill crowds over Jersey Week at MK so WDW MK was definitely having some crowd management issues that week last year ...Anywho when it comes to crowd management at DL I’ve found it a mixed bag but in Sept when I went they had a great system I thought at night. During the day- it’s organized chaos- but the organization is hard to see. Cars, horses & people all in the same walkways- but since I grew up with that it’s what I’m used to... the honking of the horns is actually something I hear when I picture Main St USA. Funny, I never realized that!

I loved Space mountain at WDW more also. I didn't start warming up to MK until I started riding Space Mountain lol

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

OP I am sorry you didn’t like Disneyland. I had a similar feeling when I went to WDW for the first time two years ago after growing up with Disneyland. Everything was just so big and spread out, and it took FOREVER to get to and from the parks from my hotel. It was so annoying. Plus I didn’t get to go on many rides and definitely no headliners due to planning our trip at the last minute and not understanding how FP+ worked.

However, I would still like to go back and try it again with the 6+ months planning insanity that is apparently required for a WDW trip.

Just a side note, I always find it funny when people are so taken aback by the size of DL. It was, after all, built in the 1950s, back when no one had any clue what enormous crowds would be drawn to Disney.

And saying it’s outdated makes me laugh too. I absolutely LOVE all the original rides and features at DL. It’s a piece of history! And pretty impressive that it has all stood the test of time and still draws so many visitors that Disney is constantly reevaluating how to handle them all.

I wonder if people who complain the walkways are narrow and everything is too small and old would think of Europe, ha ha. So outdated!

 

[ButterflyKisses77]

SHHHH!! PLEASE tell everyone it basically sucks. It’s too expensive as it is!

Exactly!!

 

[Karin1984]

Just a side note, I always find it funny when people are so taken aback by the size of DL. It was, after all, built in the 1950s, back when no one had any clue what enormous crowds would be drawn to Disney.


It’s a piece of history! And pretty impressive that it has all stood the test of time and still draws so many visitors that Disney is constantly reevaluating how to handle them all.

This To me the walkways etc are part of the history. Yes, I did find it a bit annoying, the crowded feeling it caused, I was there in low-season a few years ago for my first visit and it felt crowded. There were hardly lines for rides, but Main Street etc, was less pleasant.

However, I come from Europe, which helps in 2 ways. A. DLP is my homepark which is known for having wide lanes and open spaces to move around. To me WDW is already less ideally designed. B. I'm used more to historic buildings, where the doors are 5 feet high and most people have to duck to get in. I think, I sorta treated the narrowness of DL like that. I kept thinking how did they move around in the 1950s?

 

[anneshirley11]

OP, I think you'll find that the "outdatedness" of Disneyland is THE actual magic for many of us. It's a California icon. The original. My mom went to Disneyland within the first few months it opened as she was a local So Cal girl, and as a West Coaster, it's my first love (only been to DW once approx 8 years ago). My husband is pushing for a Disneyworld visit in the next few years. I want to, but I'm totally scared off by the crazy advanced planning. I'm so used to eating wherever I want at DL, staying on-site or a 10 min walk away in a Good Neighbor Hotel, and with MaxPass, hitting every ride I want no matter how crowded it is. You can't get that even partially in Florida. Anyway, I do want to do Disneyworld becuase I'm an experienced Disney person, but I always recommend scared off Disney travelers to try Disneyland first. All the fun and NONE of the stress.

 

[leahlefler]

We love both but they are definitely different parks! My heart is with DL. The streets are definitely a lot narrower and Main Street is usually packed - but I love having so many rides packed into one park and the ease of the fast pass system. It's such a bummer Space went down! We love Space Mountain (and PIrates) more at DL than at WDW. We were at WDW last February and we hit the Magic Kingdom on such a bad day that it tainted the memory of the visit (all of the headliners went down - Thunder Mountain/Space Mountain/Mine Train - and even Pirates was down for a while). It was so frustrating that we sort of just gave up on it, though I know that was just one bad day and not the "normal" experience there.

 

[Frozen2014]

OP sorry you hated DL. Everyone has different opinions. I've been to both once and completely loved both.

WDW Positives

• loved being immersed in Disney - great theming, loved Art of Animation and just seeing some other resorts
• better table and quick service restaurants
• castle (prob don't need to say more)
• Fantasmic better (and with seats)!
• stage shows at the castle
• Spread out (positiive or negative?) - can go to one park a day and focus on it
• amazing rides - Splash better (according to my son) and has many that DL does not, Haunted Mansion (although HM was closed at DL so couldn't try it)
• long hours and daily shows (we went to DL end of summer and fireworks only Fri-Sun)

DL/DCA Positives

• MaxPass
• I loved the fact that the 2 parks are so close...we would get park hopper and go back to our favorite rides. Not restricted to a park because of an ADR or show
• Pirates is better, Big Thunder is smoother
• Radiator Springs is amazing...as is all of Carsland
• Has a lot of the original rides...Snow White, Mr Toad, Alice
• World of Colour
• many affordable hotels across the street
• original park (i.e. Walt's park)
• you'll just see the characters walking around - or walking to their spot . One was walking along and took my daughter's hand and continued walking (compared with WDW where it's always the meet and greet with long lines at the spot).

There is a lot more, but that's what comes to mind.

We'll be returning to WDW someday (trying to figure out when). Loved both but it's physically closer to us being in Ontario.