WDW/DL comparisons

[disneyholic family]

The Winnie the Pooh ride is different at DL and MK too.

Aladdin show at DCA is a do not miss. Its amazing
Block Party is fun and the best parade ever is the Main street Electrical parade!
Get free tortillas at the tortilla place at DCA!

Splash is much better at WDW, Pirates better at DL. All are wonderful though

if we're going to talk about DCA, the bread bakery tour at DCA was interesting as well....assuming they still have it...

winnie wasn't built yet when we were at DL....

 

[Razor Roman]

I was surprised by how much better Splash mountain was at disneyland. I first went on Splash in 1999 when I started my College program and I was like "These are the good Disney Audio Animatronics? ::shrug::"

On the DL one the characters had so much more movement to them. Especially the "secondary" characters - I guess thats probably because they were the old America Sings AA figures, they had a lot more movements in them. For the Florida version they boiled it down to the bare minimum, in both number of characters and the things they do. Also I dont think the whole beehive portion of the ride is there in WDW. I mean the bear gets his face stuck in a beehive, but the part where you are zipping around the mini hills and all isn't there in WDW.

I went to DL for the first time in January, after becoming a WDW expert since '99. I explained it to some of my friends as "sort of like cheating on your wife with her sister." if you are a WDW vet. (My wife would want me to explain that NO I haven't done that, its just my weird way of saying its very similar, yet at the same time completely different!)

 

[disneyholic family]

that's funny, because one of the few things that we thought was much better at WDW (other than the castle) was splash mountain......

 

[iceskatejen]

I also thought Splash was better at WDW. It moves slower and I felt told the story better. I also liked Big Thunder better at WDW. I much prefer DL's castle, though. MK's is just too big.

 

[Janomi]

Sorry I can't compare WDW to DL since I haven't gone...maybe a thread somewhere down the line when I do go to WDW

Anyhow, can't stress enough how I love Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, since it's only here. Also, finally rode Casey's Jr. Train after 15 years of avoiding it, and it was just fun. That train sure moves faster than you think it does. Be a monkey in the cage...nothing better

Parents definitely need to take the time to ride the reopened Space Mtn too. Why should kids get all the fun

 

[goofy's friends]

if we're going to talk about DCA,.
....

Yes , let's talk about DCA--I want to hear about it ALL!! I guess when i say WDW, I mean all of it, so when I say DL, I mean the whole property even though it's smaller and you may not refer to it that way

 

[disneyholic family]

Yes , let's talk about DCA--I want to hear about it ALL!! I guess when i say WDW, I mean all of it, so when I say DL, I mean the whole property even though it's smaller and you may not refer to it that way

let's see.....lots of people are highly critical of DCA, but we enjoyed it...
and that was before they added Tower of Terror (i think they have...right?) and they just finally replaced that limosine ride with a kind of cute Monster's Inc ride.....

so what did we enjoy at DCA? .....I can't remember if we liked Grizzly River Run (or whatever the correct name is) more or less than Kali River Rapids....but basically it's the same type ride, just with different theming....i remember the area you walk through around there was nice looking....
we must have enjoyed GRR because we went on it a bunch of times....

and right near GRR was this huge playground sort of area.....my kids were older teens already but we still went through it and it was nice....i can't remember what that's called...

and there was this really silly ride that i absolutely loved....a wild mouse sort of ride....i have to go look at a list of rides to find out what it's called...
but we had a great time on it.....and it was just a dumb sort of midway type ride....but i loved it...

and of course, there's California Screaming......it's a roller coaster with one loop.....it's a nice coaster....(with one of those blast off type starts)...

there are actually a bunch of midway type rides --a big ferris wheel, one of those shoot up a tower rides, and some otheres....but we didn't go on any of them....just california screaming and that wild mouse ride whose name i'll have to go look up...

and then there's Soarin over California.....which is Soarin if you've been on Soarin at Epcot....

and let's see....i know there's other stuff but it's slipped my mind..

there were two factory type tours we went on...obviously not real factories, but they give you an idea of how things are made.....one was a bread bakery (and they gave you a sample of sourdough bread to eat)....if i remember corrrectly, in that one the tour is "led" by funny guys on a tv screen - but i'm sure the regular DCA people will fill in my blanks....and the other tour was either tacos or tortillas...something like that...and you get a sample there too...just of the bread part (not a filled one)..

we stayed at the Grand Californian so it was nice being able to go directly into DCA from the hotel (and out again when we wanted a break)...

another nice thing that others have mentioned, the two parks are right across from each other....so hopping can really be that.....
and DTD is also right there.......for some reason i liked DTD in california better, but i can't tell you why....i'm not sure why....i just liked it better...maybe it's more compact?....in any case, it was nice....

i'm sure others will be able to tell you lots more about DCA and DTD....

 

[PinkTink63]

I have to say WDW as a whole is better than DL, but......DL I think is better than MK.
DL has the Mattern Bobsleds!
Indiana Jones ride!-My personal favorite!
It's A Small World is quite grand compared to MK-you'll see!
POTC- Definitely better at DL!
Space Mountain has just been redone and I have to say it was awesome! Very fast, but really smooth!
Casey Jr
Roger Rabbit's Toon Town Spin
Alice In Wonderland
DL does not have the Country Bear Jamboree anymore.
The only ride/attraction that is better at MK than DL is The Tiki Lounge!
DL does not have Aladdin's Carpet ride also.

Everything is just more compact. When you first walk in and see the Castle, you will think it seems miniature! The one thing about DL is that you can actually walk everywhere (DL, CA, DTD, to all the resort hotels)

Have a magical time!

Stephanie

 

[dmk1021]

You'll definitely be blown away by Small World. The facade is just beautiful. The recent renovations in WDW attempt to get the "feel" of the DL version, but it's much cooler at DL.

No one has mentioned Pinocchio! There is a neat Pinocchio dark ride in Fantasyland that I love! I love Fantasyland in DL! There's so much more to do.

IMO, Splash Mountain at DL is good, but I agree with the posters who think it's better in WDW. Something feels off to me in that one.

Pooh is slightly different at DL as well. It loads outside, and the story seems harder to follow, as the ride is not dictated by the pages "ripped" from the book like in WDW. That's me being nitpicky, though. I never even noticed until the last time I was there.

Indiana Jones really is all everyone is saying. Just a fantastic ride.

I love DCA! Some people do not like it, but if you are not from CA, and especially if you've never been to DL, you'll like it. With TOT, and Monster's Inc. there's a lot to do there! A Bug's Land is really cute (it's weird not walking into a tree to see "It's Tough To Be A Bug," though!).


Of course, you can see the Electrical Parade at DCA, which is really neat for those who saw it years ago at WDW, or those who have just heard about it and never seen it.

Fantasmic is slightly different at DL. The have a ship in DL called "Sailing Ship Columbia" which is basically a pirate ship, and it is used in the show. Fantasmic actually began in DL, I think in 1992 (from what I read, I'm not sur e though).

One other thing - getting around DL is so much easier than WDW, because you can walk to the parks and DTD in minutes. No buses! I have stayed at Paradise Pier and Grand Californian, and next week I'm staying at the DL Hotel. The hotels are great and close.

A weird thing to note. If you share large drinks as a family, look out. DL only sells one size fountain drink (I think it's 22 oz). I found that so strange.

I don't like when people ask me which I like better, WDW or DL, because they are completely different, and I feel that each is uniquely special. I think you're family will feel the same way.

I'm so excited to take my dad next week, because he's never been there! You guys'll love it!

 

[MikeL1515]

After visiting DL for the first time, I would have to say WDW is 100 times better. I didn't get that magical Disney feel in DL and DCA.

The thing that surprised me most was how small the castle and train station were compaired to MK in WDW.

But I was glad I got to see the 'original' Disney park.

Also I think Space Mountain in DL is 100 times better than the one in MK. Great ride!!!
But Tower of Terror is much better in MGM than DCA

 

[goofy's friends]

What great responses!! We can't wait! I am taking notes.............