Will I be disappointed in Disneyland?

[duffybear32830]

I too wasn't as excited about my DL trip as my normal WDW trips but we still loved it. We tried to focus on things that DL had that WDW doesn't, I really loved DCA best even though I love Disney history. There is just nothing like CarsLand, absolutely amazing (and I don't even like the movie all that much). You will compare DL to MK but that is OK, they are different but both are great.

 

[jba2]

We're WDW veterans and we went to DL for the first time this summer. We loved DL. You will not be disappointed. As others have said it is so easy to park hop and well worth the extra money. I don't know if WOC will be there when you're going but that and the Frozen show were the two best things I've ever seen at Disney. I went into our trip wondering if I'd like it as much as WDW and DL did not disappoint. I can't wait to return.

 

[Dr. G]

I'll just echo that you won't be disappointed. I've only done WDW twice but have done DL/DCA many times. I really liked WDW but everything was so spread out and there weren't as many rides in each park that it felt trickier to "do" and "see" as much at WDW in the same amount of time. WDW totally wins on the Resorts though! You'll love Disneyland if you love WDW, but just in different ways. I LOVE Carsland. My favorite meal now is to grab a rice dish at Lucky Fortune Cookery at night and take it to eat sitting in the back of Flo's looking at the mountain range. So pretty. Focus on the unique things at DL/DCA and you'll have a GREAT time. Variety is fun. I'm thinking I'd like to get back to WDW and stay for 7-10 days and just soak it all in, including the resorts. We do DL for 4-5 days per trip and find that is plenty for us. Enjoy!

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Disappointment is all about attitude, IMO. We enjoyed DL on our first trip earlier this summer, but we weren't looking for the WDW experience - we were hoping for something new. It was neat to be somewhere that felt like we had visited before, even though there were new and different things everywhere.

We saw a lot of other things in SoCal that were great, too, like the Safari Park, Universal Hollywood, WB Studios, and the touristy Hollywood stuff. It was a very different trip than our typical WDW trip.

 

[mjallemand]

As someone who is going to DLP for the first time in January I'm pretty excited about our hotel being literally five minutes away for a change. If you wanted to "take a break" at Walt Disney World that could be almost an hour's worth of travel to your room between waiting for a bus, the bus ride, and the walk to your room.

At DLP it looks like we'll be able to take an hour break and have something like 45 minutes of that be the actual break. That alone has me ecstatic.

 

[prprincess]

No. I love WDW and the Disneyland parks equally. They're unique in their own ways, and I really can't say that I prefer one over the other. DL is a bit more unfamiliar, as I live in NJ and visit WDW more often, so I do get a bit more excited when I get to visit DL.

 

[Dinohood]

if you do in thinking disneyland is like WDW then yes you will be disappointed if you go in with a fresh out look of this is different and fun you should have fun. It is like two cars if you sale your old one and buy a new one your new one will not be like your old one. What I'm trying to say just because it says disney dose not mean it is like Disney World if all disney parks were the same would you spend money to see disney paris?

 

[Texans_loyal]

I am a WDW Vet and I will be at DL in September for the first time since I was 5! Like the OP, I thought i was going to be disappointed but all of these comments now got me excited! Unfortunately, I will only have one day in the park but I plan to go open to close! Matterhorn here i come!

 

[Niebz]

We are WDW and Disneyland vets and have annual passes for both. We visit each at least once a year and love both for different reasons but we love Disneyland more. There is so much more to do! Less space yes but that just means the attractions have a much shorter walk in between them. Wait times seem to be more manageable as well. Park hopping is a breeze. We've had disappointing WDW trips but have never been disappointed with Disneyland. Even when stuff is closed there is so much else to do in close vicinity to make up for it. I think you feel the big refurbs at WDW more than you do at Disneyland for this reason. Go in with an open mind but be prepared to fall in love.

 

[Texans_loyal]

May I also add that planning for DL is not as stressful as WDW. No fastpass rush, no DRs, cheaper hotels ECT.

 

[Winnowill]

May I also add that planning for DL is not as stressful as WDW. No fastpass rush, no DRs, cheaper hotels ECT.

Yes. I had to plan the bejeezus out of our 2014 visit to WDW. We went to DLR in 2015 and I thought I'd have to do the same, but was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't really necessary. Our last visit, this past June, I did no planning beyond making a few ADRs. And I didn't make them until about ten days before we left. We just did what we wanted to do and had a great time!

 

[Kindermouse]

This is funny because I want to go to WDW next year and I wonder the same thing, just about WDW instead!

I think you have to go into each with somewhat different expectations because they are so different.

ditto. as I was planning my first WDW trip I started worrying I wouldn't like it as much (and for me its a boatload more expensive too). You see I like the convenience of not having to take shuttles while only being a 5 minute walk from the turn stiles. and I love how close everything and easy it all is. I love the spontaneity of DLR that gets lost at WDW with all the preplanning that is necessary there. but I am sure it will be great if I remember that what I am after is a new experience with disney and sights and sounds that I haven't had before because that is exactly what I'm gonna get. So how could I be disappointed to get exactly what I want.

 

[Ember]

You'll be disappointed in the castle. It's little compared to Disney World. Once you get over that, you'll love it.

Disneyland has better rides (Space Mountian is just sad at DW, and the Rockin' Roller Coaster rattles your teeth after getting used to the California Screamer!) and has as many attractions in its two parks as DW has in four. California Adventure with Cars Land is a great place and they have done a lot recently to make it special in its own right.

After getting used to Disneyland, the truth is that I was the tiniest bit disappointed in Disney World. The magic bands and obsessive planning required took away from the magic for me.

 

[Ember]

What I'm trying to say just because it says disney dose not mean it is like Disney World if all disney parks were the same would you spend money to see disney paris?

Okay, this is a different conversation entirely. Disneyland Paris is disappointing and not some where I recommend if you're used to the US parks.

 

[hsmamato2]

I wasn't..... as a wdw vet, we visited a few years back.... 6 days didn;t feel like enough to absorb all the details! We're going back again for a few days..... I like both.... the details in DL and DCA are amazing.....

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I am from the UK and after WDW we went to DL and California. Omg SoCal is amazing! We also did Universal in SoCal which is great. But the whole atmosphere of California, climit we loved. We also visited other attractions like Yoseomite Park and Wine country but the whole trip took our breathe away.

Each vacation is different and equally treasured. What I did enjoy I know it sounds corny is that being an obvious Disney fan knowing that Walt had been and seen that park. More connection to the man himself. He never saw MK in Florida which is a shame. But his presence is much there in MK, DL. You can feel it. We enjoyed it. You have to see all the castles I think ... That is our aim