California vs Florida

[NewbieMouse]

I've seen it said before on these boards that WDW offers a more resort-centric vacation, and DLR a more park-centric one. I agree with that assessment, so it depends of what you want to get out of it. But we love Disneyland for many reasons: it's smaller and quicker to get around, park hopping is easy, and as many have said, some DLR rides are better (but that's subjective of course). But I also like that its Southern California location means it can easily form part of a bigger vacation - for us it's almost always a part of a road trip which includes different destinations (e.g., LA, San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas...). I definitely think it's worth going, especially if you make it part of an awesome larger vacation.

I did love staying at the Yacht Club and moseying over to Epcot during the F&W festival though, but to me WDW is just a very different kind of trip, so comparisons are not really helpful.

 

[DLgal]

Neither! Go to Tokyo Disneyland Resort! Hands down better than WDW and DLR!

Americans can't yet travel to Japan.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Neither! Go to Tokyo Disneyland Resort! Hands down better than WDW and DLR!

I agree 100%. I love DL and WDW but Tokyo Disneyland/Disneysea are the superior parks hands down.

 

[DLRExpert]

I agree 100%. I love DL and WDW but Tokyo Disneyland/Disneysea are the superior parks hands down.

It is not even close and it is sad that for most Disney Fans the TDLR is not even on their must dos.
Parks, maintenance, theming, food, cast members, all best of the best.

Just waiting for travel to open and Fantasy Springs to open.

 

[DLgal]

It is not even close and it is sad that for most Disney Fans the TDLR is not even on their must dos.
Parks, maintenance, theming, food, cast members, all best of the best.

Just waiting for travel to open and Fantasy Springs to open.

It's been on my must do list for over a decade. In June 2019, my husband was sent overseas to Japan for military duty (one year away from us). I was SO excited that the one silver lining of this deployment would be that I would FINALLY have the chance to go to Tokyo Disneyland. My best friend decided to tag along, and we planned the ultimate trip for May 2020. Booked flights in business class to splurge, booked the Sheraton right off property, booked my husband's island hop flight from Okinawa, and were all set to buy tickets. You know where this is going.

Needless to say, it's back on my must do list, and we are planning (tentatively) for May 2023.

 

[GoingSince1990]

East-coaster here and for us it’s WDW in the winter, DL in the summer. Just amazingly good weather in DL in the summer, warm sunshine, no rain, low humidity, compared to the sweaty tropical nightmare of WDW.

 

[MonocularVision]

My wife and I have lived in AZ our entire lives and been to DL a billion times. We have finally scheduled our first ever WDW trip for January. Excited to try something new and experience a few rides we haven’t been on. Also very excited our kids get to experience the People Mover for the first time!

 

[Smugpugmug]

It is not even close and it is sad that for most Disney Fans the TDLR is not even on their must dos.
Parks, maintenance, theming, food, cast members, all best of the best.

Just waiting for travel to open and Fantasy Springs to open.

I think for a lot of people, they have no interest in going due to the requirement to have a passport, the language barrier and the outrageous cost of flights. I don't blame them but TDL really is the best Disney resort. Not counting flights, the actual tickets are WAY cheaper than DL and WDW too. I went to TDL and DL the same year and it was like night and day in terms of the overall quality. I still love DL and think it's a fantastic park but the TDL was a better experience.

Same here. I hope to go in 2024. Also saving up money as those flight prices are insane.

 

[helenk]

Neither! Go to Tokyo Disneyland Resort! Hands down better than WDW and DLR!

Well for those of us that live in the US that has been an issue with the Pandemic since tourists can't visit Japan. I had a trip booked for 2020, then 2021 and 2022 each canceled. I have a trip booked for 2023, fingers crossed it will come to fruition. That said the average flight to Japan from the East Coast is about 15 hours compared to 2.5 hours to Florida or 6 hours to California.

 

[DCLMP]

Yes it’s worth visiting, but in my opinion it doesn’t have the vacation vibe of WDW. I love the resorts at WDW and the feeling of being in a bubble. You don’t get that at DL unless you stay at GF.

 

[DCLMP]

Well for those of us that live in the US that had been an issue with the Pandemic since tourists can visit Japan. I had a trip booked for 2020, then 2021 and 2022 each canceled. I have a trip booked for 2023, fingers crossed it will come to fruition. That said the average flight to Japan from the East Coast is about 15 hours compared to 2.5 hours to Florida or 6 hours to California.

Like you I’ve cancelled three trips. Now I don’t have the miles for business class anymore I used them on Europe this Summer. It will take me a couple of years to build the miles backup so maybe 2024.

 

[helenk]

Like you I’ve cancelled three trips. Now I don’t have the miles for business class anymore I used them on Europe this Summer. It will take me a couple of years to build the miles backup so maybe 2024.

I used my miles for business class to Barcelona this fall. I decided to go on a Mediterranean Cruise. I am retiring in October and I am setting aside some money from my 401k for my flight to Japan next year. I just got tired of not taking a relaxing vacation so I booked the cruise. I have a Disneyland and Disney World trip booked for this year, but we all know, you don't relax much during a Disney vacation.

 

[DCLMP]

I used my miles for business class to Barcelona this fall. I decided to go on a Mediterranean Cruise. I am retiring in October and I am setting aside some money from my 401k for my flight to Japan next year. I just got tired of not taking a relaxing vacation so I booked the cruise. I have a Disneyland and Disney World trip booked for this year, but we all know, you don't relax much during a Disney vacation.

I'm working at accumulating more miles. I'm close, but miles keep getting devalued so it's hard to say how many I'll need. I'm hoping for Fall 2023 or early 2024. I'll get there eventually. This is my fifth trip to Europe so I'm ready for something new. Japan looks amazing I hope they return to normal soon.

Oh, forgot to add Barcelona is great. Enjoy your trip.

 

[Dreams&wishes]

I do love both and I'm sure you will have a great time either way

But I feel that DLR it's just a theme park, beautiful, but a theme park. WDW on the other hand is a true holiday destination.
Just staying at the resort enjoying the pool has the power to transport you somewhere else.
Plus there are the waterparks, the mini golf etc...

 

[PiratesMansion]

I do love both and I'm sure you will have a great time either way

But I feel that DLR it's just a theme park, beautiful, but a theme park. WDW on the other hand is a true holiday destination.
Just staying at the resort enjoying the pool has the power to transport you somewhere else.
Plus there are the waterparks, the mini golf etc...

Disneyland in general may not be the holiday destination that WDW is, but Southern California is absolutely a better holiday destination than Orlando.

So much variety: other amusement parks, movie studios, nature and hiking (and national parks even if you're willing to drive a few hours), great museums, much closer beaches, San Diego's not that far away, scenic drives, and so on. If you have any non-Disney interest of any kind, you can probably find a really outstanding example of it within 1-2 hours of DLR.

That's a very common mistake I see many people visiting Disneyland make: people assuming that because WDW is such a destination in and of itself, DLR must be the destination too when they fly out there. Now Disneyland can be that, and especially when I first started visiting regularly I would essentially fly out for DLR and leave. BUT Disneyland can even more rewarding as part of a larger Southern California vacation.

So to any tourist who's going out to Disneyland for the first time: don't fall into the WDW-centric trap of assuming that you should fly in, do Disney, and leave. Add in some other things that fit your other interests, and your trip will be better for it.

 

[mdmost]

Correct. When we did our trip to Disneyland this summer, it was part of a combined trip to a destination we had never been to before, San Diego. You can't get that in Orlando. You go for Disney and that's it. Maybe you do some Universal or another theme park but you're not going for things like a temperate climate or beautiful coastal views. We had the best time as we got some beach time in one of the prettiest areas in the United States. Then we made the 1.5 hour drive up the coast, stopping off in San Clemente which is also beautiful along the way. Then we spend 4 days at DLR before heading back home. It was a great 8 day vacation.

 

[Dreams&wishes]

Disneyland in general may not be the holiday destination that WDW is, but Southern California is absolutely a better holiday destination than Orlando.

So much variety: other amusement parks, movie studios, nature and hiking (and national parks even if you're willing to drive a few hours), great museums, much closer beaches, San Diego's not that far away, scenic drives, and so on. If you have any non-Disney interest of any kind, you can probably find a really outstanding example of it within 1-2 hours of DLR.

That's a very common mistake I see many people visiting Disneyland make: people assuming that because WDW is such a destination in and of itself, DLR must be the destination too when they fly out there. Now Disneyland can be that, and especially when I first started visiting regularly I would essentially fly out for DLR and leave. BUT Disneyland can even more rewarding as part of a larger Southern California vacation.

So to any tourist who's going out to Disneyland for the first time: don't fall into the WDW-centric trap of assuming that you should fly in, do Disney, and leave. Add in some other things that fit your other interests, and your trip will be better for it.

I totally agree with that! I have lived in CA and visited multiple times, and it has plenty to see and do. When we come and visit we generally dedicate one week to DLR and two weeks to visit around. I was just making a direct comparison between the two resorts and how for us they are a different kind of holiday.

 

[longboard55]

We have had APs for Disneyland for 30 years, but we love WDW as well. But WDW is big, really big. Do not even think of spending less than 5 days.

 

[nutshell]

Americans can't yet travel to Japan.

I’m American and just got back from a two week stay via a kinship visa.

 

[nutshell]

Well for those of us that live in the US that has been an issue with the Pandemic since tourists can't visit Japan. I had a trip booked for 2020, then 2021 and 2022 each canceled. I have a trip booked for 2023, fingers crossed it will come to fruition. That said the average flight to Japan from the East Coast is about 15 hours compared to 2.5 hours to Florida or 6 hours to California.

Hope you can go soon! TDR is phenomenal. Another level above the US parks. I just got back from a two week trip to Tokyo. It was wonderful!