I'm never taking WDW for granted ever again

[BrianL]

CA oranges are superior than FL ones, IMO. We live close to ground zero of the Naval orange origin, best oranges are from Gless Ranch!

You are upsetting the Orange Bird:

 

[dina444444]

One thing I wanted to comment on with the rain. You experience was on the unusual side. We don’t get lightning very often when it rains and unfortunately that was the issue last Saturday. During typical rain all rides continue to operate except Luigi’s, the tea cups, and occasionally radiator springs racers. The problem was the lightning that was in the area and remained in the area for several hours shut down any ride where even a small portion of the ride was outdoors.

 

[DLgal]

You are upsetting the Orange Bird:
View attachment 712266

The Orange Bird lives at Disneyland too!

 

[AlanBradley]

I'm never taking WDW for granted ever again

After 9 trips to WDW plus a college program, I finally took the plunge and went to Disneyland, because everyone says California has the better park. I can only speak to my experience, but it wasn't true in my case. Allow me to count the things I missed:

1) It decided to rain my first day and CA Adventure is basically shut down during rain. Only Soarin', Toy Story Midway Mania, and Little Mermaid were open. Lines shot up to 2.5 hrs, 1.5 hrs, and 50 min respectively. Also, people freak out at the sight of puddles. Wouldn't have been too bad, but after being up for 22 hours flying across the country I was miffed that people could walk through a tiny puddle.

2) I need a DAS. This has never been an issue in FL, but in CA they questioned whether a theme park is the right place for me. On its own, that might just be a person thinking someone with an invisible disability is faking, but it brings me to my next issue.

3) Rude Cast Members. Yes, they've gotten worse in Florida, but I've never seen levels close to what I saw in Cali. Never in a million years would I expect to hear a CM cuss a guest out because he was waiting in the wrong spot (a bunch of people used that spot as stroller parking, CM was trying to move the strollers to the proper area, and when the man asked where he was supposed to wait for his family to be done with the Golden Zephyr since the CM wanted him to move, he was told to "figure it the **** out.") While that was the worst of what I saw, there was plenty of rudeness all around. Not to say there weren't fantastic CMs (special shout out to the woman at the Disneyland hotel who let me know i could still get my Chase discount if i used my redemption card), but they were much more the exception.

4) Photopass not taking photos with our phone. I know that covid took that ability away for Photopass to take photos in all parks for a bit, but I also know they were brought back after covid restrictions eased up. At least on the east coast. But apparently, in DL they decided to keep that restriction, and refuse to let you use your own camera in certain locations, because those were reserved for Photopass.

5) The food. WDW has plenty of good food if you know where to go. DL, not so much.

6) Ride reliability. Again, not necessarily unique, but 70% of the rides I went on either broke down in line or while on the ride.

7) The lack of decent queues. You really do love your bare chain queues for the most part, don't you?

I'm going to skip over the only 2 parks, limited hotels, and the fact that DTD is way smaller than DS, because those are obvious to anyone with eyes.

And to end it on a positive note, let me talk about what I actually did like about the park compared to FL:
1) Halloween Haunted Mansion. Loved it.
2) Trader Sam's has reservations, meaning I actually got to get a seat after 5 years of trying.
3) the weather.

TL;DR Disneyland isn't the better park. WDW is massively better.

1) Staying up for 22 hours was your choice and you went one of the only weeks it rained. It stormed my entire last WDW trip this year - big deal - adapt.

2) If you legitimately need DAS then it should have been straightforward conversation to resolve the issue. The problem is that the bulk of DAS users are taking advantage and don't need it, hence their scrutiny (rightfully so)

3) This has not been my experience at all. It's unfortunate if it was yours. If a CM was swearing at a guest it was certainly a one off.

4) I didn't know - but thank god for this. People that pay for photopass shouldn't have to wait in line behind a family of five who all want 10 pictures on each phone.

5) DL food is good if you know where to eat. WDW food has a wide range of quality as well. Just need to do your research. Also - DL offsite food vs WDW offsite food - DL by a landslide.

6) This has not been my experience and all of my recent trips this has not been the case.

7) Its the OG park and it's in an incredibly dense area where land values are multiples of what they are in central Florida. Also weather is amazing 99% of the time unlike WDW, so no need to provide shelter indoors from thunderstorms and the like.

Only having three positives from a Disney trip is ridiculous. These boards are so negative lately. Time for me to assimilate, I guess.

 

[BrianL]

The Orange Bird lives at Disneyland too!

View attachment 712281

But he was created by the Florida Citrus Comission! He's been moonlighting.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

6) This has not been my experience and all of my recent trips this has not been the case.

To be fair I've seen quite a lot of threads this year regarding ride issues at DL. The OP's situation is far from unique on that one. Not sure what's been going on different either ride maintenance was not kept up during their lengthy closure, or other issues but yeah.

I think we can count RSR fire as a one off but there's been a lot of chatter I've seen regarding the rides in general.

I'd hate for people to discount the OP's experience in its entirety because they are so loyal to DL and that tends to happen a lot on the DL side. Give the OP constructive criticism if you feel like it but don't just scoff at it because it's the OG park. DL is a locals park for a reason, give people grace here. I remember one of the things we had a tiny difficulty with is we didn't feel like there was a lot of directional things at DL and it was explained to us locals frequent it so that's not as heavily needed. To round it out to the OP's title sometimes people take for granted how much of a locals park DL is and forget that to many it's a destination not a "pop on by for the evening or a quick weekend stay" place.

 

[mickeyfan100]

Oh I could totally see that. It’s like me trying not to tell everyone heading towards WDW that Cosmic Rewind is like the best Disney ride ever so they won’t have unrealistic expectations.

I think how one vacations makes a difference too. When I go to wdw I stay in the deluxe resorts as a DVC member and those extended hour nights are awesome. Wdw as a resort vacation is pretty fun but Disneyland has my heart. Also apparently I really need to go to Tokyo Disneyland (only been to Disney Sea so far).

But Cosmic Rewind IS like the best Disney ride ever !!!

 

[KPeterso]

I think this is the key here. When people say California has the better park I believe they are referring to Disneyland vs. Magic Kingdom and not the resorts as a whole. WDW has so much more space and stuff to offer that it is really hard to compare the resorts. But looking at the individual parks CA I do feel wins out.

As mentioned, Disneyland has a lot more rides at it, and especially the Fantasyland dark rides. This one thing that disappoints me with MK now is the lack of dark rides in Fantasyland. There is really just Little Mermaid, Pooh, and Peter Pan. DL has all three of these (Pooh and LM in other lands though) along with Alice in Wonderland, Mr Toads Wild Ride, Pinnochio, and Snow White. If comparing this with Toontown (which has Roger Rabbit and soon Runaway Railway) against MK FL and Storybook Circus, then it wins easily to me. I do like the theming in New Fantasyland a lot and MK but as a whole it just doesn't offer as much. The one land I feel MK is better in personally is Tomorrowland, but not by an excessive margin. Adventureland I'd say MK has the better Jungle Cruise with the temple but I still give the nod to DL overall thanks to Indiana Jones.

I do agree with OP about queue lines though. Queues felt so basic at DL when I went awhile ago and most did feel like just a bunch of chain/rope swtichbacks. The main exceptions were Indiana Jones and Roger Rabbit that had fully immersive queues. Love walking through the forts for Pirates at WDW and really builds up the anticipation of the ride, versus courtyard switchbacks at DL. The queues for Haunted Mansion and Peter Pan have been enhanced greatly too.

I am a Disneyland local, but vacation at WDW typically twice a year. I often get asked why I am vacationing at WDW when I am a DL local and can go anytime I want. I always answer that WDW is my vacation with the hotel and restaurants and DL is a fun day out (even my staycations there are not really vacations) and I end up stopping at Ralphs, Target, or CVS on my way home. LOL.

I agree with most of what you said. Disneyland is a better park than Magic Kingdom. I actually seriously have considered skipping MK on a couple shorter trips to WDW as it just lacks something for me. But give me AK, and I am happy for days. I meet friends at WDW on my spring trip and even she knows that I am less than thrilled with dining options at MK and would rather figure out other dinner plans (found Steakhouse 71 in Sept and still dreaming about the creamed spinach) for days we do end up there.

 

[Malcon10t]

I agree with most of what you said. Disneyland is a better park than Magic Kingdom. I actually seriously have considered skipping MK on a couple shorter trips to WDW as it just lacks something for me. But give me AK, and I am happy for days. I meet friends at WDW on my spring trip and even she knows that I am less than thrilled with dining options at MK and would rather figure out other dinner plans (found Steakhouse 71 in Sept and still dreaming about the creamed spinach) for days we do end up there.

I will say AK is the one park I loved at WDW. I *LOVED Steakhouse 55 at DLR and would love to try Steakhouse 71 when we go back in a few years. I too am a Disneyland Local, being only 6 hours away.

 

[BrianL]

But Cosmic Rewind IS like the best Disney ride ever !!!

I wouldn't say "best" but it is pretty great. I was impressed!

 

[serendipityaey]

I've never felt so starved for fresh produce than when I'm at WDW on vacation. I've lived in CA nearly all my adult life and I just can't get over how terrible the produce is in Florida and the east coast in general. We literally book club level JUST for the access to fresh fruits and veggies at WDW. It's ridiculous to have to do that. Finding a salad made with more than just cheap iceberg and a few shredded carrots is an exercise in itself. And why do they throw cheese on every salad at WDW?

The produce carts at DLR are amazing. I love the fresh pineapple spears and veggie cups and the pickles!

I eat so well at DL. I love love fresh fruit and veggies but am always busy and on the run and tired at home. There are so many great options for produce around every corner at DL for me.

 

[Steven G]

I wouldn't say "best" but it is pretty great. I was impressed!

But Cosmic Rewind IS like the best Disney ride ever !!!

I would say it is arguably the best coaster Disney has put together, and in the top 5 for the best thrill ride.

In any case:
I will always love DL more than WDW, just in terms of how exhausted I get at WDW.
I just feel something special, from the esplanade and being able to walk to either park, to just the little things like seeing Walt's apartment, POTC, etc.

The queues are better at WDW, the food at TS is better, AK is obviously no comparison, and the "bubble" is more easily maintained there.

I would argue that almost everything else (including QS food), is better at DL.

 

[irlandaise]

Florida is pretty much only good for oranges, and CA can grow those too!

It's too bad that Walt didn't leave a few orange trees when he built Disneyland. It would have been fun to see them. Are there a few outside the train tracks behind Tomorrowland? (I know about the edible landscaping in Tomorrowland, but I don't think there are any orange trees, are there?)

 

[maverik85]

I think WDW has shifted to be less scary because they used to have Snow White Scary Adventures and DL renamed theirs recently and Alien was replaced by Stitch in WDW.

Let's be honest Pinocchio at DL is a bit traumatic especially at the end lol but it's the storyline and Mr Toad's is just odd. I think DL keeps them around for pure nostalgic factor but if you're looking at what the masses want those rides aren't it even though the pace of them is something I enjoyed.

I did like Alice in Wonderland at DL it was a different ride with the winding around and stuff but that queue is sorta brutal, it's very tight and can be very long in waits. I do remember the tight queue feeling a lot with PP at DL too. DL was built in a different era and being easily accessible to all sorts of people including mobility devices was not really done the same way back then.

Yea I agree the classic dark rides are not going to bring people in but they are great to have and only take a small footprint. Overall I'm ok with them being replaced with a new attraction if it's of a similar quality or better, but them replacing Snow White with a meet and greet is not great. The fact that MK did that massive expansion. overhaul to bring Fantasyland Forest and basically doubled the Fantasyland footprint, but only netting one new ride was a big misstep to me. It looks fantastic but needs more to do. Should have done a BaTB dark ride instead of a restaurant and maybe another small flat in Storybook Circus instead of two massive tents for retail and meet and greets. Put them in one and add even a swings ride or something, just to give something else in there. Ideally I would love to see MK remove Autopia and that would give them room for 2-3 new dark rides easily, along with retail/qs dining space that could be split to both Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. Think an Alice darkride since it is next to Mad Tea Party, and a Stitch dark ride (maybe something like Spider-Man at Universal) for Tomorrow land would be great additions. Add another classic style for Fantasyland that will fit the forest theme there and a new modern dark ride that would add to Tomorrowland. This could also give more division to the two lands too.

I am a Disneyland local, but vacation at WDW typically twice a year. I often get asked why I am vacationing at WDW when I am a DL local and can go anytime I want. I always answer that WDW is my vacation with the hotel and restaurants and DL is a fun day out (even my staycations there are not really vacations) and I end up stopping at Ralphs, Target, or CVS on my way home. LOL.

I agree with most of what you said. Disneyland is a better park than Magic Kingdom. I actually seriously have considered skipping MK on a couple shorter trips to WDW as it just lacks something for me. But give me AK, and I am happy for days. I meet friends at WDW on my spring trip and even she knows that I am less than thrilled with dining options at MK and would rather figure out other dinner plans (found Steakhouse 71 in Sept and still dreaming about the creamed spinach) for days we do end up there.

AK is my favorite park there as well. It might not have as much to do as some of the others but I feel like it has some of the best theming, the attractions they do have are great, and the animals are fun to walk around and see.

 

[irlandaise]

We both love Pirates at DL and it's so hard now to go on Pirates at WDW even though we love the ride it just pales in comparison to DL.


The railroad was neat going through the scenes and Mark Twain Riverboat path to be more interesting than WDW.

I was shocked when I did PotC at WDW and all of a sudden it was over. It's only about half the length of the one at DL!

As for the DL railroad, that's a must-do for me every time I go to DL so I can see the dinosaurs! (Also the Grand Canyon, but mostly the dinosaurs.)

 

[kikismom]

I've never felt so starved for fresh produce than when I'm at WDW on vacation. I've lived in CA nearly all my adult life and I just can't get over how terrible the produce is in Florida and the east coast in general. We literally book club level JUST for the access to fresh fruits and veggies at WDW. It's ridiculous to have to do that. Finding a salad made with more than just cheap iceberg and a few shredded carrots is an exercise in itself. And why do they throw cheese on every salad at WDW?

The produce carts at DLR are amazing. I love the fresh pineapple spears and veggie cups and the pickles!

This right here. We took our first vacation to WDW this year and I have never missed the fruit carts so much. I know it's overpriced but we get mangos, watermelon, and pineapple daily at DL. We didn't find anywhere with the fresh fruit (or pickles) like that at WDW.

I personally can't wait to go back to WDW now that we've gone once. It's just so far away and so much h more expensive for us. We can do multiple trips to DL for the same price as one to WDW. We are on the upper left coast though. I tried so hard not to compare the parks but it was hard not to. They are just so darn different.

 

[DLgal]

One thing I wanted to comment on with the rain. You experience was on the unusual side. We don’t get lightning very often when it rains and unfortunately that was the issue last Saturday. During typical rain all rides continue to operate except Luigi’s, the tea cups, and occasionally radiator springs racers. The problem was the lightning that was in the area and remained in the area for several hours shut down any ride where even a small portion of the ride was outdoors.

Exactly. And the same thing happens at WDW when there are thunderstorms in the area.

We have literally less than 10 thunderstorms a YEAR here. Usually less than 5. This was just bad luck.

 

[DLgal]

It's too bad that Walt didn't leave a few orange trees when he built Disneyland. It would have been fun to see them. Are there a few outside the train tracks behind Tomorrowland? (I know about the edible landscaping in Tomorrowland, but I don't think there are any orange trees, are there?)

There are orange trees inside Disneyland Park. I've seen them.

 

[Sunnyore]

This right here. We took our first vacation to WDW this year and I have never missed the fruit carts so much. I know it's overpriced but we get mangos, watermelon, and pineapple daily at DL. We didn't find anywhere with the fresh fruit (or pickles) like that at WDW.

I personally can't wait to go back to WDW now that we've gone once. It's just so far away and so much h more expensive for us. We can do multiple trips to DL for the same price as one to WDW. We are on the upper left coast though. I tried so hard not to compare the parks but it was hard not to. They are just so darn different.

Wow I can’t believe I take the fruits/pickle carts for granted. While I skip the fruits (because they’re overpriced and I live ridiculously close to not really need to buy fruits while at dland) I usually will buy a pickle here and there because it’s so good. I have to give one up for wdw for their cheap popcorn refills even with special flavored ones.

 

[greeneyedchick]

I'm never taking WDW for granted ever again

After 9 trips to WDW plus a college program, I finally took the plunge and went to Disneyland, because everyone says California has the better park. I can only speak to my experience, but it wasn't true in my case. Allow me to count the things I missed:

1) It decided to rain my first day and CA Adventure is basically shut down during rain. Only Soarin', Toy Story Midway Mania, and Little Mermaid were open. Lines shot up to 2.5 hrs, 1.5 hrs, and 50 min respectively. Also, people freak out at the sight of puddles. Wouldn't have been too bad, but after being up for 22 hours flying across the country I was miffed that people could walk through a tiny puddle.

2) I need a DAS. This has never been an issue in FL, but in CA they questioned whether a theme park is the right place for me. On its own, that might just be a person thinking someone with an invisible disability is faking, but it brings me to my next issue.

3) Rude Cast Members. Yes, they've gotten worse in Florida, but I've never seen levels close to what I saw in Cali. Never in a million years would I expect to hear a CM cuss a guest out because he was waiting in the wrong spot (a bunch of people used that spot as stroller parking, CM was trying to move the strollers to the proper area, and when the man asked where he was supposed to wait for his family to be done with the Golden Zephyr since the CM wanted him to move, he was told to "figure it the **** out.") While that was the worst of what I saw, there was plenty of rudeness all around. Not to say there weren't fantastic CMs (special shout out to the woman at the Disneyland hotel who let me know i could still get my Chase discount if i used my redemption card), but they were much more the exception.

4) Photopass not taking photos with our phone. I know that covid took that ability away for Photopass to take photos in all parks for a bit, but I also know they were brought back after covid restrictions eased up. At least on the east coast. But apparently, in DL they decided to keep that restriction, and refuse to let you use your own camera in certain locations, because those were reserved for Photopass.

5) The food. WDW has plenty of good food if you know where to go. DL, not so much.

6) Ride reliability. Again, not necessarily unique, but 70% of the rides I went on either broke down in line or while on the ride.

7) The lack of decent queues. You really do love your bare chain queues for the most part, don't you?

I'm going to skip over the only 2 parks, limited hotels, and the fact that DTD is way smaller than DS, because those are obvious to anyone with eyes.

And to end it on a positive note, let me talk about what I actually did like about the park compared to FL:
1) Halloween Haunted Mansion. Loved it.
2) Trader Sam's has reservations, meaning I actually got to get a seat after 5 years of trying.
3) the weather.

TL;DR Disneyland isn't the better park. WDW is massively better.

Sorry that it was such a bust. I'm one of the people who loves Disneyland because the two parks are much smaller. It's a lot less walking and much easier to park hop (before the stupid 2pm rule).