So many questions ! Need help !

[zum]

Have been to the world many times but not to the Land. Plan to go to DL June of 2002 and have many questions.
1. Is first week (not memorial day weekend)of June a good time to visit DL, i.e. crowded and/or when do local schools close for summer ?

2. Can anyone recommend some good planning guides or web pages with info on DL. Seems not to be as much info avail as compared to WDW.

3. Will I be disappointed with DL in comparison with WDW.

Any help or info is appreciated

 

[Rajah]

Can't help you on question 1...

Question 2: In addition to Disney's official planning guide (Birnbaums) there's an unofficial guide to Disneyland which has some good information. Online, check out our sister site, www.laughingplace.com , which has as much info on Disneyland as the DIS has on Disneyworld Scaled for size, of course

Question 3: I don't think you will be So far, everyone I've talked to who's done WDW first then DL still loves DL, and it seems most people out there who have seen both feel DL is superior to any single park at WDW. WDW is best only because of its size -- DL is much smaller.

Hope this helps

-Rajah

cdrtrisal@aol.com

(Links will return when I find a new place to host the sites)

 

[IamSusan]

1. Is first week (not memorial day weekend)of June a good time to visit DL, i.e. crowded and/or when do local schools close for summer ?

I am not sure

2. Can anyone recommend some good planning guides or web pages with info on DL. Seems not to be as much info avail as compared to WDW.

Yes, Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2001 served us well this past weekend! I bought it on Amazon.


3. Will I be disappointed with DL in comparison with WDW.

Maybe, I was a little. I posted in the thread about Grand Californian/DCA if you want to read my impressions.

I am a Floridian and have been to WDW many times, first time in 1971. It is my "template" for how it ought to be, of course, this may bias me. But I live in California now, and have been to Disneyland 3 or 4 times, but only once in the past few years.

The biggest difference, if you are used to WDW, is the lack of isolation of the park. It is as if the Magic Kingdom is stuck in the middle of International Drive, with hotels as it's neigbors. Once you are in the park, you don't see that, but it is less a feeling of being in another universe.

The other thing is Disneyland is just not maintained as impeccably as Magic Kingdom. There is paint chipping on LOTS of the rides, things that need shining up and care. This hit me in a big way, and it isn't that the park is older, it is stuff that could without any doubt be fixed and maintained, it just isn't for some reason. It is smaller, but it has things WDW doesn't. The cast;e is much smaller, and isn't the centerpoint that it is at MK WDW. But for little kids ( or kids at heart) there are nice little rides that WDW doesn't have, I liked them a lot.

Fantasmic was BETTER at DL. Get a seat front and center on the ground. It is like a Disney Fan tailgate party, the nicest people all loving the Mouse together. I really liked that.

DCA, I wasn't crazy for that at all. Read my other post. But I loved the "soaring" ride. The "screaming" coaster was a lot of fun. But I didn't enjoy that park the way I do WDW or Disneyland at all.

The main thing is though, if you are a big Disney Fan, I think you should see Disneyland, as it is the original park, that Walt walked through himself, to me that makes it special, even though I really am much more of a WDW fan, and probably will go there more than I go to DL, even though DL is a four hour drive away.

 

[BobF58]

I'm new to this board, but I just want to reply to question 3. We live in NY, and vist WDW twice a year. A few years ago, I visited DL for the first time, and listened to everyone telling me that it's nothing after seeing WDW. Well, I LOVED IT! It's the same and different at the same time. We stayed in one of the hotels across S Harbor. and loved the short walk. I am hoping to get out there next year to see DCA and the CA version of Downtown Disney. Imagine walking across the plaza to go from one theme park to the other, and Downtown Disney right there too.

My best memory from DL is standing at the castle and seeing doorways to each land.

Don't miss it!

 

[ilovemky]

The week right after Memorial Day would probably be ok--try to start your vacation on the last day of the Memorial Day weekend, even if it is the actual Holiday day--everyone will be going home and the park will not be as crowded. Most schools if they are not year-round, get off the second week of June.

Disneyland is much superior to the Magic Kingdom in WDW in my opinion--it is not as spread out but it has a TON of rides that you have to travel through all the parks in Florida to see. Pirates and Peter Pan and Small World are MUCH superior and noone else has the matterhorn!

Besides, when you walk through the main gates, you will feel Walt's spirit there. This is the only park that Walt ever saw completed--he used to walk Main Street in his bathrobe making sure his Kingdom was just right for his guests. Look up over the firehouse and you will see the window of his apartment where he lived most of the time! He would go out in the crowds, stand in line with guests and chat--what a wonderful man who I was most fortunate to meet! I can't believe you would be disappointed with Disneyland. Unfortunately, the post before mentions the flaking paint, etc. You have to realize that all resources available for the last few years have been funnelled into the DCA park and there is not much left for DL--but it's funny, I never dwell on those things, I guess I am just so in love with the Park that those things seem to pale in comparison to the sheer joy it brings me to be there. Be sure to stop by the castle and watch the swans and listen to the snow White waterfall--take the time to walk the little back pathways and sit and people watch--the Magic will take you over and you will be so happy you did!

see you at the park

 

[DisneyaHolic23]

I agree with the previous poster in so many ways:
1. If you go right after Memorial Day you shouldn't have any problems with crowds. Do, however, to be sure, get there right when the park opens. At both DL and WDW, it ASTONISHES me when I see people just streaming in at 10:00 AM! You can be done with a entire land by 10:00!!
2.There definitely need to be better planning guides and sites for DL. Everyone focuses on WDW. I do like the Unofficial Guide, but it was pretty lacking on specifics of California Adventure, I thought. Of course, they couldn't have the usual polls of guests on rides, since it wasn't completed!! Just wish there were more out there - I read them all just to dream about my next trip!
3. DL and WDW are definitely different. As far as disappointment goes, even though I have been to WDW several times, DL is still home, since I went there first as a child. DL is where I chose to take my daughter for a surprise 18th birthday trip. A couple of things not to miss at DL:
*Try the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour. Even Disney nuts like us learned lots, and it's only $16.00 (and there is a 2-4-1 coupon in Birmbaums, and discounts with annual passes).
*Do the Mary Poppins Tea at Paradise Pier. We loved that!!
*Nothing compares to Indiana Jones at WDW - it is such a great ride. And, you can still do Toad at DL.
Have a great time - I'm going back in April to try CA and stay at the Grand Californian. Can't wait!!!

 

[zum]

Thanks for the information. I'm sure I will enjoy myself but it is hard to imagine anything better than WDW.

 

[ilovemky]

Disneyland is so awesome--I hope that you visit with an open mind--it IS small in comparison to WDW but just think--all the time you spend traveling to get to your favorite rides will be spent RIDING them at Disneyland!

Check out "mouseplanet.com" for lots of great info on Disneyland and DCA! Be warned, however, some of the editors do not hold anything back and are often blatantly critical of the Parks. If this bothers you, you probably should not read their comments. I do not agree with everything they say but they love Disney and hate to see the parks get neglected.

Have a very Mickey day!

From Sunny Californi