Disneyworld or Disneyland?

[Drew Perri]

I know this is the DL section of the boards but that is exactly why I wanted to ask this question here.
I (with so much help from you guys) took my GF to DL 3 months ago.
Well we already wanna go back. My GF absolutely LOVED it. She has never been anywhere other than ATL six flags.

Well this time I brought up Orlando as an option. She didn't even bat an eye and said she would rather go to Land. I've been to land about 10 times my whole life, but never World. I know I am VERY much interested in riding rides such as Everest, Rockin Coaster, Test Track and ToT ( I rode GoG but never ToT, because I'm very scared of heights but sucked it up so she could enjoy it) but here is my concern.

AT Animal Kingdom, I am only gonna wanna ride EE, MAYBE dinosaur so I can feel like I got to ride Indy.
Soarin made me sick (fear of heights)

At Hollywood Studios - RnRC, ToT, Star Tours and I guess slinky dog even though it looked underwhelming.

At EPCOT, PRetty Much just Test Track and I guess Mission Space.

MK my concern is Pirates being shorter and Space Mountain being worst from what I hear. Pirates was down for the auction scene refurb last time we were there and I REALLY want my GF to experience the whole ride and not just half of it.

As mentioned 3 months ago, I am a bigger guy. Even walking DL and DCA all day was exhausting but I liked being able to hop from park to park and fast pass either park.

My overall concern is not just the MUCH LONGER walk between attractions in MK but also the LONG walks just to get to the few attractions that REALLY draw me to WDW overall at the outer parks (the rides mentioned above)

Everyone and everywhere online thats not a So Cal local says WDW is the easy choice but is it really?

The FP+ system seems weird and seems like you will actually get less rides out of. In DL we probably fast passed everything 4+ times a day. The concept of choosing ahead of time seems weird to me.

Not to mention the 30-40 ride between parks. Is it worth it to take a 40 min trip all the way to AK just to ride 1 ride maybe 2, once maybe twice???

Incredicoaster, cars, and bobsled are kind of like RnRc, test track and EE. (I dont enjoy the matterhorn it kills my knees, so I imagine EE is much better) except I dont have to hope 3 parks and track a million miles to do it.

I just wanted to give you guys my overall perception of the 2 locations and see if anyone had any insight.
I know you might say "Your post is answering the question for yourself, just go to DL"

I was hoping for someone who has been to both parks with the intention of riding as much as possible and being as efficient as possible could give me a fair shake(most likely a couples standpoint). Because I REALLY want to find the reason to make myself go to WDW instead, but I'm starting to feel like it might just be better to do DL again.


For what its worth we would do 5 days in DL or 7 days at WDW. Also if we do DL we might get passes, since we plan to go every 3 or 4 months and itll save money.


I know this is ALOT but thanks for any feedback!

PS I WILL BE PROPOSING SO THE ROMANCE FACTOR IS NICE

 

[pblack]

Congratulations on your pending proposal! I've only been to WDW once when I was little, so I don't have much advice to offer there. I would say to go to DL just because it sounds like that's what you would rather do, and why would you want to go to WDW and possibly not enjoy yourself when you're planning on proposing? (I also may be a little biased since my DH proposed to me in DL on my/our first trip together at Christmas time.)

Something else that also may play a factor is you don't mention where you live and which park you are closer too.

 

[Drew Perri]

Congratulations on your pending proposal! I've only been to WDW once when I was little, so I don't have much advice to offer there. I would say to go to DL just because it sounds like that's what you would rather do, and why would you want to go to WDW and possibly not enjoy yourself when you're planning on proposing? (I also may be a little biased since my DH proposed to me in DL on my/our first trip together at Christmas time.)

Something else that also may play a factor is you don't mention where you live and which park you are closer too.

I live in Oklahoma, so almost SMACKDAB in the middle. Cost of the 2 trips will be very similar, with the only difference being to keep the Cali trip cost in the FL range the hotels we would be staying in arent as nice for money as they are in FL.
And thank you for the congrats.
Mentioned, I know it sounds like I already have my mind made up, but I REALLY hope someone can convince me otherwise. I wish I could find someones detailed trip experience or a youtube video. Where they show how to maximize your fun. I know 7 days is already a long time so we would get to do everything regardless but i want each day to be ride packed, and not so much commuting

 

[tarheelalum]

Disneyland hands down. Everything is in a small area and super easy to get around to make your life easier. 5 days at Disneyland means you can take your time and really enjoy it. 7 days at Disney world and you will run all day like a hamster on a wheel and have to deal with their awful jungle like humidity. I suggest you go to Walt's park, Disneyland.

 

[ADisneyFamilyof5]

I vote for Disneyland. I have not been to WDW yet (currently planning a trip for 2020) so I can't give you any advice there. However, we went to Disneyland Paris last summer and while we LOVED it, there is something that is just so magical about being in Disneyland. While WDW seems like a great choice, DL seems to be a less hectic trip option with less planning needed (no fastpass+ or ADR needed at 180 days out). With plans to propose, it might be nice to be able to slow down and be more spontaneous. Probably the biggest reason to choose DL is that is where your GF wants to go. I think it will make it even more special to her by proposing in a special place she wants to be in. Maybe save WDW for the honeymoon?

Either way, Congrats!

 

[mco65]

I think you have to do both eventually... I think WDW spoils you a bit more than DL does.. DL can be done in a long weekend where as WDW is hard to cover in less than a week..

 

[Elsaspiritanimal]

WDW does take more planning for sure, but actually you can get as much done there too and it is magical in its own way I think. I love both places so much and each for their very own reasons.

I have gotten over 18 fast passes at WDW in one day by refreshing. After you use the initial 3 you can keep getting more of them. I actually found towards the end of the day the fast pass system works better at WDW because you can keep refreshing to find more, whereas at DL one the Fastpasses are gone, they're gone.

The parks at WDW are more spread out for sure and that will mean a ton of walking, but being able to experience wider walkways, the world showcase, the paths of AK, is part of what makes those parks magical in a different way than DL.

However, based on what you are saying I'm leaning towards steering you to DL instead of WDW. It was were your GF feel in love with Disney, so what better place to continue the romance? Plus you are already familiar with that park and won't have to stress about planning that comes with WDW.

Definitely try WDW at some point it is amazing in different ways! Maybe a honeymoon trip staying at a bungalow at the Poly?

 

[Nevada Jen]

I hear you saying that you are worried about the walking to rides ratio at Disneyworld. You are somewhat right to be worried. You have to try really hard to get as many rides at WDW in a day as you can at DL. I have done both a lot of times and it is really a completely different kind of vacation. WDW and taking a cruise on a mega ship are more comparable experiences in my mind the DL and WDW. There are better resteraunts at WDW. Tons more choices. Epcot is amazing in and of itself. DL does not come close to replicating that or animal kingdom even though some of the rides might be the same. Part of what is amazing at WDW is the sheer size and diversity of the place. You can be at your hotel in a pirateship bed in the morning and riding Everest by 10. And I have to tell you, I literally would take a trip to WDW just for Pandora. Flight of Passage is beyond anything I could have even imagined.

But it is hard and stressful to get around at WDW. They act like the disney transportation system is the be all end all of theme park experiences. Let me tell you, my idea of vacation does not involve waiting for and then boarding a crowded bus (or other public transportation) multiple times daily. It just doesn't. That completely ruins the whole trip for me. And if you stay offsite you have basically no chance at decent fastpasses or resteraunts. I can't imagine I would ever do a 7 day trip there again. What I do like to do is add a day or two on before or after a cruise. maybe that is a reasonable compromise?

Oh! Just tell her you always envisioned doing Disneyworld with her when you guys have kids and it is more about little rides and family moments but you would rather hit DL now, while big kids rides are the priority. And get an annual pass.

 

[mariezp]

Hey neighbor!.... well practically. I'm just down the road in Texas so I know exactly how it feels to be right between both parks.

We've been to Disneyland, I think, 15 times, Disneyworld 2 times and Disneyland Paris 1 time. We started at Disneyland and like most people just had to go see what the hubbub was all about at the other parks. If you are like us, we see a lot more advertising for WDW in our area and most people we've ever known seem to head that direction. I guess we are rebels because we prefer to head west. haha! Disneyland will always be our favorite but it was worth checking out the others. DL Paris was not even in the same league as our 2 USA parks but it is the only time I have ever splurged to stay at a Disney property plus it was international so that earned it a few points. WDW comes in second for us. We will more than likely return someday in the future, mostly to spend more time at Epcot and to visit Pandora. Anyway, point being... I understand your desire to explore parks unknown so I'll share some observations from my mine and my family's perspective.

In regards to some of the rides you mentioned... I am not a thrill rider so I can't really offer much on some of the rides that interest you. ToT is the one ride I refuse to ride at Disneyland so there is no way I'd even think about trying it at WDW! lol! I celebrated when I came off Rockin Coaster alive but I spent the entire time just wishing I had never got on. The things you do for your children! Anyway, for me, there was absolutely nothing fun about it. My son, on the other hand, loved it so if you are a roller coaster fan chances are you would love it too. As for Everest, I did not ride but my son said it was the best ride of the whole trip. Pirates is short but still enjoyable, especially if you are already a fan.

While WDW is indeed bigger there are really just about the same number of attractions at Disneyland. What it actually felt like to us is that we ended up spending a majority of time walking from point A to point B. So, in our household, we have all agreed that bigger is not always necessarily better.

I've always heard that the ferry ride over to the park was supposed to help you become more immersed in Disneyworld but I have to say we hated it. The crowds getting on and off of the boats were suffocating. Having to wait in line to get on the ferry and then again to get into the park and then all over again just to leave at the end of the day kinda helped sap a lot of magic for me. (Definitely a plus for Disneyland to be able to walk out of the park and head straight to your hotel.)

We found WDW to be nice... of course, it's Disney! However, it just has not given us the warm fuzzies like we get at Disneyland. It takes so much planning, is so spread out and was so much more tiring. For us, the negatives that stand out most are that the guests seemed excessively rude, weather was unpredictable (ugh the humidity!), resort transportation is not our cup of tea and the tickets and meals seemed so expensive. (While there may be more food options at WDW we seem to prefer the food at Disneyland.)


On the positive side for WDW, I am shocked to say that Splash was a little more impressive. At this point in time I don't remember why I thought so but there must have been something because at DL it has always been one of our favorites. There are also some attractions escaping my memory at the moment that are unique to WDW and well worth a try.

I will say that Florida does offer better value on lodging. Outside of the gazillion hotels available there are as unlimited number of vacation rentals. We stayed 2 weeks in the most amazing 4 bdrm house with our own private pool for less than what it costs to stay one week at a basic hotel in Anaheim. The value of staying at Anaheim though is that you can pay a little more to stay close to the parks and never even need a car. Just walk from park to park without the hassle of dealing with all the traffic. I will also say that when we stay at Disneyland even if the hotel is not quite as nice as a fancy house it really doesn't matter because we spend the majority of our time in the park and not in our room.


Having said all that, I would like to add IMHO that since your GF immediately fell in love with Disneyland I don't think there is any chance she would be disappointed with another trip. However, there is a chance she (and you as well) might not like WDW as much. Not sure it's worth the risk especially when you have already found a park she loves and a perfect place for a magical proposal. Whatever you decide I hope it will be perfect!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Just adding my two cents:
Since this will involve a proposal (congratulations in advance!), plan this trip around your future fiance -- if she loves DLR, then DLR it is! Make this the trip she'll remember for the rest of her life -- you'll never regret it. You'll be her Prince Charming for sure! Do this trip her way, let the magic happen for her, sprinkle the pixie dust all over the place for her, etc. -- she'll remember this trip and talk about it forever. And if you need help planning your special moment, come on back here! We're really good with suggestions and ideas.
Once you're married, plan your trip for WDW. You'll have a great time putting that trip together and making more memories.

 

[Wildcard]

My vote would be Disneyland. My wife and I were married at Epcot, and I've been be WDW too many times to count, so you think I'd be biased toward WDW. But now that we've got a toddler, I totally understand the mobility issues. If that is a real concern for you, stick to Disneyland. Everytime we've been to WDW (without a toddler), we are totally exhausted at the end of the day. This is coming from (relatively) fit people. At Disneyland, we stay right across the street from the park, and are fine everyday. Also, as mentioned, if your GF prefers Disneyland, and you'll be proposing on the trip, the answer is easy. Besides, you can save WDW for the Honeymoon!

Edit: Also, hello from a fellow Oklahoman!

 

[Indiana Scott]

We always went to DLR because it's so much closer and it holds nostalgia because I visited it as a kid in the 60's. We considered WDW the Mecca of all things Disney because of its size. It took three trips to WDW over the years to fully realize how much better we liked DLR.

 

[Leesha.Monster]

As a DL local and APer, we went to WDW for the first time last year and loved it sooooo much we are going back again this year!! There are similarities yes, but it’s just different. If it’s all about the rides and the amount of rides you can get done, sure DL may be the better choice because it isn’t so big. But WDW... man. That castle! Seven dwarfs mine train! The OLD ToT! Even EE in AK! Splash Mtn at WDW (in MY opinion) is better side by side. RnR!! And now Toy Story Land!! And EPCOT!! And all that food that DL doesn’t have... they have soooo much more restaurants and great food.

Okay, I do love DL and DCA though. I always try to take a break from my AP but I keep going back to renew. Both of the parks are wonderful. It just depends on what you wanna do.

 

[Waiting2goback]

WDW can be intimidating for sure because of the size but I honestly have never had a problem with transportation at WDW. I guess if you know how to navigate it that can make a big difference. For example, if you stay at POP Century and your bus is full but the bus for AoA pulls up you can jump in that one and walk over to POP. But, some of those tricks come with experience. I would also say that where you stay can have a major impact. If you stay at the Contemporary you can walk right to MK and you have easy access to Epcot on the monorail so both of these things reduce travel time in some cases.

I'm torn in what I would recommend. If you love DL, and she loves DL, maybe you propose there and do a honeymoon at WDW (that was my honeymoon and my first ever Disney trip, that's when I fell in love with Disney). But there are some really great places to propose at WDW and some really nice restaurants to eat at to celebrate as well.

I would say if your major concern is rides, then do DL because they are closer together. But until you have walked around world showcase at night, or some of the hotels at night, or Disney Springs at night (which has a very romantic feel) you can't really appreciate what your missing either.

I will most likely be proposing to my GF (I'm divorced) out in DL on our trip in October, not because there isn't a ton of places to do it at WDW, but because for us DL is new and exciting still as we have been to WDW plenty of times being from MA.

 

[StageTek]

Well this time I brought up Orlando as an option. She didn't even bat an eye and said she would rather go to Land.
>>>>>
PS I WILL BE PROPOSING SO THE ROMANCE FACTOR IS NICE

She want's to go to Disneyland.

In my experience proposing to her where she wants to be is the only option. You will have your whole live together. Go to The World later - first anniversary, maybe?

 

[skyblue17]

It kinda sounds like you are pulling toward Disneyland already, both in what she wants and your own preferences.

You don't mention how LONG you'd be going to WDW. That plays a pretty big factor. Why run to Animal Kingdom to ride two rides when you could go for a few hours and experience the awesome creativity of that park? You could go on a Safari and stroll through Pandora, Asia and Africa even if you aren't interested in any of the other "big" attractions.

Also, the amount of distance between parks and attractions doesn't seem so large when you spread out your visit, so that's a factor there as well.

I just recently was in WDW in the fall and at Disneyland a few weeks ago. I have things I prefer at each, but they're also can be two very different experiences, especially since WDW can be so spread out over days. I've never been to Disneyland for more than a day, and I like that it's doable and enjoyable that way but I couldn't imagine going to WDW for less than three.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I'm a fan of Disneyland, but I also think Walt Disney World is definitely a great place to visit. It has never disappointed me and I'm going back there in January. Having said that, since the both of you already have been to Disneyland and she fell in love with it, I recommend going back there if you're planning on proposing. I think the fact that you both had a good time and it's special to her will carry an even more impact. Let Walt Disney World be a honeymoon destination since there is so much to do there.

 

[Princess Jaz E Jaz]

I would Disneyland for your proposal and do WDW for your honeymoon. Use WDW as a place you both can explore and plan for. I love both places. My husband and I are going for our honeymoon in November. It will be his first time. If he like it then we Weill plan for WDW.

 

[cinnaminny]

I've been to Disneyland many times, and Disney world once. We did have 10 days in the parks at Disney World though.

Pirates of the Caribbean at WDW is pretty lame in comparison. That was probably the most disappointing comparison. I actually prefered the Liberty Square Haunted Mansion to the one at Disneyland, with the exception of Holidays. I love the Nightmare before Christmas theme above all others.

I'm sure this is blasphemy to some but I also preferred Space Mountain at Disney World. lol

I really missed the Indiana Jones ride and the Matterhorn, although I LOOOOVED seven dwarfs mine train.

Disney World is just different. It feels more "resorty" I wish things were a bit closer. A lot more walking. We actually kept a rental car to cut down on some of our waits.

I did not love Animal Kingdom. It was beautiful. Not enough rides, so much walking. We did Tusker House at 8 am which was GREAT. We did the safari right afterwards and that was good too. Flight of the Avatar is amazing, but you have to have a fastpass or you're waiting over 2 hours. Expedition Everest was so much fun. Dinosaur was for me, not a substitute for Indiana Jones. The Kali River Rapids was a sad substitute for Grizzly Rapids. sad was an understatement

Hollywood Studios may have been my favorite, which surprised me. (of course it looks just like California lol) When the Star Wars area is finished it will be nearly perfect. (for me...could use some more food)

Epcot. I loved the World Showcase more then I thought I would. We ended up hopping over there a few time just to eat. We stayed at the Contemporary so it was an easy hop.

We also did both water parks and they were both awesome.

I think they're just different. I plan on going back to Disney World once the Tron ride is up and ready. Seriously my husband thought about flying to Shanghai after seeing that ride. Luckily we can just wait a few years and go to Florida.

I have trips planned for both places in the future so I can't say which one I love more. I do think Disneyland pulls at my heartstrings a bit more. Although I had the most lovely vacation this year at the Contemporary.

 

[IslaLila]

I’m going to say Disneyland, though I love both. My husband has some health problems that lead to pain and fatigue, and considering the longer distances and heat/humidity, I think he would really struggle with WDW. He loves Disneyland though.

That being said, I went to WDW with my mom and sister for 7 nights in May, and we went on a ton of rides (22 rides on each of our MK days). If you book the first three fp for earlier in the day, you can still book a ton of additional fp. I would stalk the app and eventually what I wanted would show up (except FOP and 7 Dwarfs).

Another thing I love about Disneyland is that we never make it “just” a Disney trip. We make it a point to watch the sunset from the beach, get some yummy gelato, visit different beaches, drive along the coast etc. I’d recommend a beach day with a nice dinner near the coast (we like Nick’s in Laguna Beach) - plus walking on the beach is super romantic.