Fantasyland Expansion - Part 2

[JungleSkip]

I just want to point out that a majority of the people here that are critical of Magic Kingdom, are the same people who love Disneyland.

Yup. Disneyland is the best park ever.

 

[IzzyB]

I just want to point out that a majority of the people here that are critical of Magic Kingdom, are the same people who love Disneyland.

Maybe that is my problem, I have never been to Disneyland. It is also interesting because the one guy I know who has been to Disneyland said he didn't like it compared to WDW. So maybe that is also taste too.

Also, I grew up in Pennsylvania, so maybe not growing up here also made me like WDW more than others. I came down to Orlando about every other year, so it was fresher I guess when I moved down here.

 

[Disneyhead]

I just want to point out that a majority of the people here that are critical of Magic Kingdom, are the same people who love Disneyland.

I just priced a trip to DLR for the 3 of us. If it wasn't for the cost of flying, that would be our summer vacation. But flying the 3 of us plus DLR puts the week over $5K. When I can spend the same time at Cheeca Lodge plus snorkeling for $2K, Cheeca wins. Plus The Cheeca Lodge is nicer than ANY Disney hotel east or west coast.

 

[ThemeParks4Life]

Someday I'd like to go to DL, but I don't have enough time for a week long vacation.

 

[Disneyhead]

Someday I'd like to go to DL, but I don't have enough time for a week long vacation.

I have the time, I don't have the money.

That said, I have been going to the MK since 1971. We used to drive down from West Virginia. I didn't move to Orlando until 2009. I know what the MK used to be and what the MK is now. Disney Magic, as I grew up knowing it, can still be found at Disneyland and the Disney Cruiseline.

 

[Hatetofly]

Goodness DH how much were the airfare tickets and what hotel, park ticket type etc, were you using to plan with?

 

[Eric]

Maybe that is my problem, I have never been to Disneyland. It is also interesting because the one guy I know who has been to Disneyland said he didn't like it compared to WDW. So maybe that is also taste too.

Also, I grew up in Pennsylvania, so maybe not growing up here also made me like WDW more than others. I came down to Orlando about every other year, so it was fresher I guess when I moved down here.

Exactly. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people complain about Disneyland compared to Disney World. The majority of people I've actually talked to like Disney World better. Not saying I agree, just saying what the general consensus is.

And I would agree on your second point as well. Growing up in Indiana, I think I have a fresher viewpoint on WDW than most Florida residents. Don't get me wrong, the Orlando parks are a mess in a lot of aspects, but I still love going and I still see the magic happening to guests all the time.

 

[Brian G.]

Exactly. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people complain about Disneyland compared to Disney World. The majority of people I've actually talked to like Disney World better. Not saying I agree, just saying what the general consensus is.

I hear the opposite. Especially now.

 

[jtsalien]

I live in PA, but that doesn't make it bother me any less that they haven't built more than one good attraction in the MK for the whole family since 1992. "Magic" only gets you so far. Especially when the other business in town is aggressively expending. I'm not trying to sound like a hypocrite. I still go to WDW. But that doesn't mean I'm happy about how my guest spending is being used or in actuality not used.

 

[Eric]

I hear the opposite. Especially now.

I guess it depends on who you talk to. A lot of individuals I talk to love the size of Disney World. They enjoy the fact there's 4 parks, 2 water parks, DTD and numerous other things to see. Disneyland on the other hand is smaller and the surrounding city isn't exactly the best. I find that amusement park enthusiasts tend to like Disneyland better.

I can't judge however, because I've never been. I will finally get to go later this year though!

 

[Disneyhead]

Goodness DH how much were the airfare tickets and what hotel, park ticket type etc, were you using to plan with?

Disneyland Hotel. I tried the DLR website first. Then pieces parts through Expedia, with rental car. The airfare is what made it not attractive. Airfare for the 3 of us was close to 2K. We could have gone cheaper with off-site accommodations but Disney being Disney I wanted on-site or not at all. And Paradise Pier Hotel is not my idea of a Disney Resorts. I looked at the options and decided that driving to the keys and staying at Cheeca lodge would be the better vacation experience. I have done Cheeca, but when I took the kids last year we stayed at the Marriott Key Largo which is also a fine place, but it's not Cheeca. I also looked at Disney Cruise Line options but still decided that Cheeca offers the best bang for the buck for the 2nd week in June.

I'll wait until one of the kids goes to college and the reassess my DLR options. After BOTH kids go to college I am going solo (or with a partner) to Little Palm Island.

http://www.littlepalmisland.com

I guess it depends on who you talk to. A lot of individuals I talk to love the size of Disney World. They enjoy the fact there's 4 parks, 2 water parks, DTD and numerous other things to see. Disneyland on the other hand is smaller and the surrounding city isn't exactly the best. I find that amusement park enthusiasts tend to like Disneyland better.

I can't judge however, because I've never been. I will finally get to go later this year though!

I think you will find that DLR offers a more traditional Disney Parks experience than WDW provides now. The best way to put it is Quality vs Quantity. WDW offers the better resort experience. DLR offers better parks. Since most Disneyphiles prefer DLR. Most casual vacationing tourist prefer WDW. I believe most people on this site would prefer DLR.

 

[Disneyhead]

See above.

 

[J03Y]

I never saw quality when I went to DLR though. Size aside it really wasn't as impressive as most people on here says. I don't want to dis it cause I enjoyed my stay, but it honestly overall felt more like a permanent fair than a Disney park.

 

[Disneyhead]

I never saw quality when I went to DLR though. Size aside it really wasn't as impressive as most people on here says. I don't want to dis it cause I enjoyed my stay, but it honestly overall felt more like a permanent fair than a Disney park.

Permanent Fair? When did you go to Disneyland?

 

[Brian G.]

I never saw quality when I went to DLR though. Size aside it really wasn't as impressive as most people on here says. I don't want to dis it cause I enjoyed my stay, but it honestly overall felt more like a permanent fair than a Disney park..

Really? When did you visit?

 

[Hatetofly]

Disneyland Hotel. I tried the DLR website first. Then pieces parts through Expedia, with rental car. The airfare is what made it not attractive. Airfare for the 3 of us was close to 2K. We could have gone cheaper with off-site accommodations but Disney being Disney I wanted on-site or not at all. And Paradise Pier Hotel is not my idea of a Disney Resorts. I looked at the options and decided that driving to the keys and staying at Cheeca lodge would be the better vacation experience. I have done Cheeca, but when I took the kids last year we stayed at the Marriott Key Largo which is also a fine place, but it's not Cheeca. I also looked at Disney Cruise Line options but still decided that Cheeca offers the best bang for the buck for the 2nd week in June.

I'll wait until one of the kids goes to college and the reassess my DLR options. After BOTH kids go to college I am going solo (or with a partner) to Little Palm Island.

http://www.littlepalmisland.com


I think you will find that DLR offers a more traditional Disney Parks experience than WDW provides now. The best way to put it is Quality vs Quantity. WDW offers the better resort experience. DLR offers better parks. Since most Disneyphiles prefer DLR. Most casual vacationing tourist prefer WDW. I believe most people on this site would prefer DLR.

I can understand wanting to stay at a true Disney Resort. I really wanted but couldn't afford the prices. That's crazy about the airfare though. This past October I booked through Southwest and got round trip airfare, 4 nights at the Marriot with a suite, and a full size rental car for 850 bucks. If my wife would have gone it would of been another 370 bucks but she couldn't so I had to go solo. Add in my 3 day park hopper and my HHN FOTL ticket and I came in at just over 1100 plus food and souvenirs.

 

[Disneyhead]

Permanent Fair? When did you go to Disneyland?

Really? When did you visit?

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I can understand wanting to stay at a true Disney Resort. I really wanted but couldn't afford the prices. That's crazy about the airfare though. This past October I booked through Southwest and got round trip airfare, 4 nights at the Marriot with a suite, and a full size rental car for 850 bucks. If my wife would have gone it would of been another 370 bucks but she couldn't so I had to go solo. Add in my 3 day park hopper and my HHN FOTL ticket and I came in at just over 1100 plus food and souvenirs.

Airfare has really gone up in the past year.

I am a Marriott Rewards Member so I should check out what I could do there. Marriotts rock.

I was also thinking about flying to Salt Lake City and renting a car and driving to Yellowstone. The Original American Amusement Park.

 

[Teknik_DC2]

I don't know how you didn't see "quality" at the DLR. Almost every attraction was in better shape at DLR then there Florida counterparts. I was fortunate enough last year to visit both resorts within 7 months of each other and although I had an amazing time at WDW I thought DLR blew it away. WDW does what it was designed to be. A long term vacation destination. People go to Florida specificially for a Disney vacation and will spend over a week without ever leaving the property. DLR on the other hand is another stop on a larger Southern California Vacation for most people.

But speaking of "quality" I could tell it was higher in every way. Disneylands Main Street and DCA's Buena Vista Street had more minor details then any of the Florida Parks entry ways, Soarin was in much better shape as it looked like DLR actually cleans there screen every few months, Dispite WDW having the better Splash Mountain, DLR's version was working and functioning much better then the Magic Kingdoms, Space Mountain was WORLDS better then the Magic Kindoms. Even the Matterhorn was smoother then Magic Kingdoms Space Mountain, Likewise Indy was of much higher quality then Dinosaur. Even with the new Fantasyland in Florida I thought Disneylands was still better with more detail, and the list can go on and on. DCA has risen from the ashes of a failed park into something I can say is now my 2nd favorite Disney park. The quality put in to this parks remodel was incredible and truely makes it a very magical Disney park now. Something I couldn't say when I visited the resort in 08'. And I havn't even mentioned the quality and detail work put into Carsland which next to the Wizarding World is probably the most amazing land I have seen.

What it all comes down to is personal preference. If you want to be immersed in Disney 24/7 for your entire vacation where you can see and do something different then no doubt WDW is for you. But you want to see a more charming Disney experiance, walking the park that Walt himself walked, and a resort that you can take at a much slower pace (and actually enjoy parkhopping in) then DLR is for you. My wife and I both agreed that DLR seemed much less stressful then WDW did.

 

[Hatetofly]

I never saw quality when I went to DLR though. Size aside it really wasn't as impressive as most people on here says. I don't want to dis it cause I enjoyed my stay, but it honestly overall felt more like a permanent fair than a Disney park.

Nicest permanent fair I've ever been too

http://www.orlandounited.com/forums/showthread.php?7398-Carsland-Reviewed

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Airfare has really gone up in the past year.

I am a Marriott Rewards Member so I should check out what I could do there. Marriotts rock.

I was also thinking about flying to Salt Lake City and renting a car and driving to Yellowstone. The Original American Amusement Park.

Yellowstone would get my vote, it's on my bucket list.

 

[Disneyhead]

Nicest permanent fair I've ever been too

http://www.orlandounited.com/forums/showthread.php?7398-Carsland-Reviewed

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Yellowstone would get my vote, it's on my bucket list.

I've been there about a thousand times. But my oldest was six and my youngest was 2.5 last time we were there. It is AMAZING! Aside from geysers and spectacular waterfalls, there are buffalo, elk, moose, bear, eagles, and wolves.


thanks for the inspiration! Off to Expedia!