"coastal" confusion

[Shih-Tzu]

So confused!!!
Trying to make up my mind if I want to enjoy East coast Disney or West coast Disney.

It never would have crossed my mind to even consider Disneyland as it is SO far away, but when checking airfares the other day, it turns out that I can fly to Santa Ana for only $40 more per person than to Orlando...and the price is really good. I'll probably never be able to get there again in my lifetime for that type of airfare.....

I have read the thread about what to expect if you are a WDW veteran ( I have been there 3 times in the last 5 years plus once in 1991) and because of how big WDW is, we stay in a Disney moderate hotel so we can use the transportation system. We are used to resorts that are spread out and spread apart so there is no "big city" feel. When we go, we spend the entire week doing nothing but Disney and never leave the Disney property. I'm sure the last time I came home, my ears were starting to look like Mickey's just from the total immersion experience.

I notice that PPH (the lowest priced Disney hotel) is much higher than the moderates in WDW, however the reviews for some of the off-site hotels within walking distance don't seem consistent and we are "older folks" so don't want to be walking a long distance to/from hotel. Renting a car isn't really an option - we are from a small town on Canada's east coast so the California traffic would be way overwhelming for us....

If we were to stay in the hotels "across the street" such as the Tropicana, Best Western, etc would we be disappointed after always staying on Disney properties?? Is 5 days in the two parks enough (we are used to 7 day Park-hopper passes and we still haven't seen everything in WDW!!).

Do I go where I know well (including who has the best food and where every bathroom and smoking area is strategically placed throughout the parks without even having to refer to a map) or do I take a California Adventure??

Thoughts (especially from typical WDW visitors who have gone to Dlsneyland?)

 

[luulu1999]

Never been to WDW but DL is amazing its closer for us to go to WDW but went to DL for carsland at Christmas and fell in Love going back next summer going to spend 10 days in cali and get an AP to be able to make at least one more trip after that. 5 days should be pretty good we only did 3 our first trip and missed so much....the good neighbor hotels are fine I cant say about comparing to staying onsite at WDW but I just cant make my self pay all that money for staying on site I would rather use that money for other fund stuff

 

[DZNEE4US]

We were initially going to make our annual trip to WDW in Oct., but after finding airfare that was over $100 more than flying across the country to DL, we changed our minds! Airfare to MCO has been horrible. So the kids are making their first trip to DL, and I am thrilled to share my former home park with them!

 

[Shih-Tzu]

The Good Neighbour hotels in CA are very close... WDW is so spread out that unless you are staying on site, a rental car is a must have....
As we are getting older thinking maybe CA is more compact and easier on the old legs... Long trip though - it's 2 flight changes and about 17 hours from when we check in to when we get to CA once the time zone changes are factored in (there's a difference of 4 or 5 hours).
But either place we go, there won't be snow!!!!! (BIG bonus)

 

[Californiacicle]

We are in Ontario and will be going to Disneyland next year because I like it so much better than WDW. It is smaller but there is so much to see and do. We are going for 5 park days. You could also make it worth the trip and spend some time at the beach for a couple days. The Pacific is gorgeous IMO. If you think you'd never go back to California, I'd take advantage of the great price and choose Disneyland.

As for staying offsite, it doesn't matter to us because we spend most of our time in the park. A nice bed and a good pool are what we are looking for. I guess it just depends on what you want in a hotel.

 

[Shih-Tzu]

We were initially going to make our annual trip to WDW in Oct., but after finding airfare that was over $100 more than flying across the country to DL, we changed our minds! Airfare to MCO has been horrible. So the kids are making their first trip to DL, and I am thrilled to share my former home park with them!

The airfare where we are is terrible - $900 to Orlando, $1200 to California - but if we take the three hours to drive to the US airport it's $325. to Orlando and $360.00 to Santa Ana...... that's what's making it so tempting - usually to fly to CA is about double!!!! (and from what I can tell, DLR is a lot drier than WDW in October - they probably don't get those "supper time monsoons" that we got the time we went in Oct) I'm looking at going the week before your Thanksgiving.

I just sort of worry about comparing the two all the time I'm there.... Sort of the same idea of when you read a book and then go to the movie...

 

[Shih-Tzu]

We are in Ontario and will be going to Disneyland next year because I like it so much better than WDW. It is smaller but there is so much to see and do. We are going for 5 park days. You could also make it worth the trip and spend some time at the beach for a couple days. The Pacific is gorgeous IMO. If you think you'd never go back to California, I'd take advantage of the great price and choose Disneyland.

As for staying offsite, it doesn't matter to us because we spend most of our time in the park. A nice bed and a good pool are what we are looking for. I guess it just depends on what you want in a hotel.

We just want a clean room/bed and a good pool as well, clean being the most important. I was under the impression that the beach may be a little too cold in November?? Maybe not by our Canadian standards?? Not that I wouldn't go to California a second time, it's just usually the airfare is out of this world.

 

[Californiacicle]

We just want a clean room/bed and a good pool as well, clean being the most important. I was under the impression that the beach may be a little too cold in November?? Maybe not by our Canadian standards?? Not that I wouldn't go to California a second time, it's just usually the airfare is out of this world.

I hear you. I have family in California so we have to suck it up and drive to Buffalo or Detroit and pay a boatload to visit them. We try to go once a year.

The water is super cold, you won't want to swim in it but the beach is a nice place to hang out and take in the beauty of it all. November isn't too bad weather wise. I used to think it was freezing when I lived in California but now I know better. LOL Now when we visit we go to the beach no matter the time of year or weather. I'd guess it's maybe 18-20 degrees average.

 

[Shih-Tzu]

Nothing could be much colder than the Bay of Fundy....except maybe the Arctic Ocean....

 

[misskay]

We just want a clean room/bed and a good pool as well, clean being the most important. I was under the impression that the beach may be a little too cold in November?? Maybe not by our Canadian standards?? Not that I wouldn't go to California a second time, it's just usually the airfare is out of this world.

Apparently there is a rather amusing game that goes around disneyland in the fall/winter called 'Spot The Canadian' that locals play, as they will all be wearing parkas to the park while the Canadians are wearing shorts and tee shirts. Lol!

 

[Shih-Tzu]

Apparently there is a rather amusing game that goes around disneyland in the fall/winter called 'Spot The Canadian' that locals play, as they will all be wearing parkas to the park while the Canadians are wearing shorts and tee shirts. Lol!

They play that game in WDW too......one day I had the entire resort pool and three life guards all to myself - it was a balmy 68 degrees - all the people in hoodies were staring at me.....and a few actually did come up to me and say "Are you from Canada by any chance?" I actually don't mind...but it does seem warm to us in winter when we may have arrived to where it's 68 degrees but only hours before we were in minus 30 degree weather....90 degrees is a BIG difference. (on the other hand, I guess I was amused during the night time Merry Christmas parade and saw people get excited over falling fake snow...we actually commented they must be local.). Hopefully you'll be able to spot me at some point in November or December.....(I'm the "fluffy" one with the red Mickey T-shirt and navy shorts

 

[Susie63]

oooh....ooooh... I vote for DL. We have been twice and I LOVE IT! We have stayed twice on property but I am staying at the Park Vue Inn in September. I have not been to WDW but I find DL to be very quaint and intimate. There is something about walking on the streets were Walt Disney strolled in the mornings, when the park was empty....and to look at the light burning in the window above the fire department....gives me the warm fuzzies.
I am a transplanted maritimer from Nova Scotia and DL kind of feels like home.

 

[Itinkso]

The Good Neighbor hotels on Harbor Blvd are actually closer to the DL and DCA turnstiles than PPH. PPH was originally the Pan Pacific Hotel and then became part of Disney and is across the street from the back part of DCA.

We like the Camelot Inn next to the McD's. We have also stayed at the Tropicana and Carousel. Millie's and Mimi's are nice restaurants but we prefer Storytellers Cafe at the Grand Californian. It's easy to make dining reservations by emailing your requests to dine@disneyland.com

We are DL vets who visit WDW because DD is a WDW CM...we enjoy both but DLR will always be home to us!

 

[misskay]

They play that game in WDW too......one day I had the entire resort pool and three life guards all to myself - it was a balmy 68 degrees - all the people in hoodies were staring at me.....and a few actually did come up to me and say "Are you from Canada by any chance?" I actually don't mind...but it does seem warm to us in winter when we may have arrived to where it's 68 degrees but only hours before we were in minus 30 degree weather....90 degrees is a BIG difference. (on the other hand, I guess I was amused during the night time Merry Christmas parade and saw people get excited over falling fake snow...we actually commented they must be local.). Hopefully you'll be able to spot me at some point in November or December.....(I'm the "fluffy" one with the red Mickey T-shirt and navy shorts

Lol! I swim happily in the pouring rain, but I'm from Vancouver so if you don't go out in the rain you don't go out at all! I'll be there in November and I. Super excited. I'll be the fluffy one with the 6'4 dude who looks like he belongs in a biker bar, not disneyland... Lol!!

 

[squirrel]

For DLR, I don't stay on property. You get very few perks compared to WDW for staying on property. I stay in value resorts at WDW, so if you stay in a higher resort you might be disappointed in a motel on Harbor. I have stayed at the BWPPI but this year we are trying Desert Inn & Suites as we have 2 adults and 2 kids and want more space. With a two room suite my mom and I can watch TV after my nieces go to bed in the other room.

The max. ticket you can get is a 5 day ticket at DLR, unless you upgrade to an AP. Since the parks are so close together you should get hoppers.

You do loose a bit of the Disney bubble leaving the park and heading over to the motel. But I'm fine with it as I only sleep and shower there. I'm at the parks as much as possible.

As others have mentioned there are nice places to eat outside the park for less than Disney charges inside the parks.

 

[allsaintsatx]

You can stay at a best western and eat at a McDonald's anywhere - but you can't stay at the PPH or the DLH or the GCH anywhere. It makes a special trip that much more special.

When we checked in at DLH we went to grab a bite to eat at the on site restaurant while we waited for our room to be ready and there was Goofy, just strolling around the grounds of the hotel! We went over and he gave my kid an autograph and we took some pictures. You won't find that on Harbor! We absolutely loved staying on site it was our first 100% Disney Immersion experience and it was astounding.

Are you a member of CAA? We used our AAA card and got about 10% off the room rate at DLH.

 

[Shih-Tzu]

Thanks everyone....keep the comments and tips coming.... they're great!!!

 

[Pinocchio #1 Fan]

5 days is a great ammount of time to see both parks. I'd get the hoppers, but maybe spend the first day in one park, the second day in the other, just to get the lay of the land. Then hop the next three days. To be honest, the quaintness of DL will suprise you. You can probably walk from a Harbor hotel to the front gate of either park and not walk much farther than I have walked to a bus at Pop! when staying in a 90's room. Once you decide to make the plunge, feel free to PM me with any questions, I am a SoCal native, and have had an AP for probably at least half my life.

 

[TuffyCatt]

We are long time WDW veterans and just took our first trip to Disneyland last month. It was me (27) and my two parents in their late 50s. We LOVED it. I would definitely recommend experiencing Disneyland - it's so cool to see the original, and we really loved Disney California Adventure too. I think 5 days is perfect - that's what we did. It was a great number of days to see everything we wanted to see, repeat the things we wanted to do again, eat some nicer meals, and take everything at a nice pace.

Unfortunately, I can't give you any thoughts on off-site hotels because we stayed with DVC points at the Grand Californian. We really loved the Grand Californian though, and staying on-site at Disneyland gives you a similar immersion experience that we get at WDW. But it is soooooo nice that everything is so close together at Disneyland! No waiting for buses, so easy to hop between parks, and just a short walk back to the hotel!